Leif Swenson

What does your everyday disc golf routine look like?
I try to putt or throw every day.  When I’m practicing putting I take a stack of at most 3 or 4 discs and throw putts from wherever seems interesting as a warmup.  Then I play a round of Perfect Putt 360 and finish up with some jump putts.  I think it’s very important to step away from your lie and reset your feet between each  putt.  This forces you to do your entire routine each time and is my number one tip for anyone practicing putting.

Tell us about your favorite Kastaplast disc
My first Kastaplast disc is still my favorite, the Berg.  It’s a wonderful approach disc that I can throw with a lot of power if need be.  It’s very stable without fading really far at then end.  Where most stable approach discs curve a lot, the Berg tends to fall straight down out of the sky.  That quality plus how quickly it stops when it hits the ground make it an excellent choice when approaching sloped or very windy greens.

What is your best disc golf memory?
With three holes to play in the 2020 Bailiff’s Wallet I checked the live scores.  I was playing pretty well and knew I was in the mix to win but in the past I’ve avoided knowing the scores in order to focus on my own performance.  This course features OB near each of the final three baskets so I thought I should know if I had a lead that would allow me to throw some more conservative shots.  It turned out I was only up by one, so I still had to be aggressive.  After birdieing the next two holes an errant upshot went out of bounds and left me with a circle’s edge putt for par.  If I converted there would be a playoff.  I went through my whole routine and sank the putt.  The playoff ended on the second hole and I did end up winning, which was a fantastic feeling, but when I think about that event it’s the putt to force the playoff that I remember.  The memory of harnessing my routine in a stressful situation and experiencing success is one I come back to for motivation.

Name one of your odd talents, or, what you like to do when not throwing plastic
I’m a graduate student studying heavy rainfall events so when I’m not throwing plastic I’m usually doing research or reading papers.  If I’m not doing either of those I’m likely playing a boardgame.