For Team Discmania’s Simon Lizotte the last five or six weeks have been… different.
“All of us are in situations we aren’t used to and trying to make things work has been crazy,” Lizotte says from his home in Massachusetts.
Ever since the novel Coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic hit and shut down PDGA sanctioned tournaments, Lizotte has tried to adjust while his usual way of life is put on hold.
“I’ve enjoyed my time at home hanging with my girlfriend and the cats,” Lizotte says. “I’ve been trying to keep the YouTube channel rolling and staying off of public disc golf courses. I play every day and I think I’m getting more reps in than I would during a normal round. At some point we’re going to play again, but who knows when that will be.”
While a typical disc golf off season is a longer time period for Lizotte, these last few weeks has been the longest he’s ever been without playing on a disc golf course.
That isn’t stopping him from keeping his game sharp. In fact, his same routine is perfect for disc golfers of all levels.
Lizotte says that practice is the key, especially putting, “You can do it in your garage, in your apartment, back yard, front yard, or a football or baseball field. No one is on those fields right now. Field work is encouraged by the PDGA and as long as you maintain social distancing, you can hit the fields and get the reps in.”
Lizotte strongly encourages any disc golfer to find the best target you can afford and put the practice hours in. The Discmania Lite Pro Basket is currently on sale and is the most affordable PDGA approved target you can find!
Purchase the best basket you can afford and set it up and putt. Field work is encouraged by the PDGA and everyone as long as its a wide open field. Hit the field and get the reps in.
Throughout this time, Lizotte has felt the roller coaster of emotions.
He says after the PDGA’s announcement that all Majors and National Tour events through July 31 are postponed, it brought another wave of emotions, “The European Open will be postponed. That’s a big hit there. Its so hard to know what is happening. Worlds is another big topic. A lot of planning going on. I feel stuck. I can’t book a trip, plan any events, or anything.”
Along with the unknown, Lizotte says he’s fortunate to be healthy and in a comfortable place. While he usually is on tour around this time of year, he gets to enjoy spring time in Massachusetts.
After a sigh, Lizotte knows that we’re doing the right thing and the tournament action will begin at some point, “It’s a bummer that I can’t go play courses, but hopefully in the next month or so, the courses are back open for the public. Going to a course with a small group, or solo, is already social distancing, but I understand why the PDGA doesn’t want us to go play. I feel the crave already.“