Gateway Disc Sports Owner David McCormack talks with Scott Stokely about his 2022 season, and the upcoming Big Money Skins Match at Eagles Crossing.
DM: You’ve been competing the past two seasons, and in your words you’re on a, “comeback tour”. When did you officially stop touring and when did you start back up?
SS: I stopped in 2001 when my daughter was born. I came back in 2015, but mostly competed with the old guys. I didn’t decide to take on the top pros again until this year, 2022.
DM: Whether it’s players, courses, or products (besides the obvious) What are some of the differences you’ve seen compared to your last years touring?
SS: Easy answer is that everything has changed. However, if I had to pick the biggest change, it would be the explosion in the women’s game. From the level of play to the number of new players, that’s been the largest growth.
DM: Earlier this year in April, you won over $15k at the Eagles Crossing Skins Match and then $20k at the Celebrity Skins at Funky Farms this summer. I understand that the majority of the money you’ve earned this year has gone to support autism. Tell me a little bit about this part of your mission and how it got started.
SS: No altruism on my part. It started because I wanted to impress a girl. The woman I was dating had a son with autism and I saw what a challenge her life had been so I wanted to do something for the community she was a part of.
We didn’t work out but by the time we split, I had become such a big part of this community that I knew I would always be a part of it. I love those with special needs, but also have so much empathy for just how difficult their daily lives are.
DM: For those that don’t know much about skins, can you describe what you feel are the biggest differences between skins and stroke play?
SS: The only real difference is math. Every shot you make you aren’t considering what offers the best long term, overall, best chance for success. Instead you look at every moment independently and decide what is the best way to grab these skins now. Often you are correct to throw caution to the wind.
DM: You obviously have a knack for Skins, what specifically about your game or play at the two events helped you come out on top?
SS: It is not a skill for Skins that helps me. It’s that Skins hides my weaknesses better. I’m 53 years old and this year I realized that I’m a huge long shot to win on the pro tour. Being consistent for 54 or 72 holes is rough. However, I am definitely good enough to throw great shots which levels the playing field. Even if I am not a favorite, I’m definitely in contention.
James Conrad’s throw in from 247’ on the final hole of the World Championships in Utah, is being labeled as,“the holy shot”, but there have certainly been harder shots made. The probability of that throw going in was probably around 2,000 to 1. Read more here.
DM: I was at the Skins match in April and stood right there behind you when you threw that side-arm lunging/falling shot through the woods. I would say the odds of making that shot was closer to 1 in 50,000, and maybe higher. I believe your shot earned you more money than James, and obviously there’s such prestige that comes from winning the PDGA World Championships, but shot-for-shot, I think your shot is up there.
What were your thoughts right before that shot and then immediately afterwards?
SS: I had a great drive, easy to get my par on the hole, which would have been great. Simon had a hard shot, so I could have likely pushed, and had a fair shot to birdie the next hole or three to win the Skins. The problem in that plan though, is it required Simon to miss; I didn’t want to leave it to him.
There was really no shot to throw through the woods to get to the hole. But I was determined to find one. After walking around I saw the tiniest little gap, nearly impossible to hit, but I knew if I executed it, there was a good chance that I was going to win.I believe in life that we have very few opportunities, and that when you have an opportunity you have to attack it. It doesn’t matter if I succeed or fail at the opportunity, I won’t let the opportunity slip by and then just watch it. I was going to put the results of this tournament into my own hands.
When I got to my lie I realized that it was tougher than I thought because I needed to get to a knee so I could throw a shot that was rising and also to get the angle I needed it to. I was going to have to lean to the side, throw, and then brace for a face plant. It didn’t matter how much harder the shot had just become, I was going to go for it The second the disc left my hand, I knew that I had done it. Truly one of the best moments of my career 🙂
DM: The course at Eagles Crossing is truly an amazing and unique place with over $1 million spent on materials and labor on the disc golf course build. In just over two years it went from not even existing, to the number two course in the World. Tell me 3 things about the course that stands out in your mind that separates it from others.
SS:
1. It’s hard. Really hard. It’ll make any pro feel mortal on a bad day.2. The beauty. The land is just a treasure with the rolling Hills, the lakes, the beautiful forest, and nowhere near civilization so you don’t have to hear freeways and city life. It feels like you’re on your own Disc Golf island
3. Makes you feel special. After playing for so many decades with courses in public parks, it’s been such a joy to see our course is moving into dedicated land that makes you feel special. Eagles Crossing is that on steroids though because so much time, effort, love, money, and especially art has gone into creating something where you feel like a ball golfer would feel the first time they go to Augusta. There’s truly nothing like this!
DM: In just over two weeks you are going to be playing for $50,000 at the Eagles Crossing Big Money Skins Championship. Obviously you have a chance of winning.
DM: What do you have to say to anyone that has an opportunity to play in this championship?
SS: See my previous answer. How many opportunities do you have in your life to truly do something great? In two weeks, one of the players in the field is going to have the opportunity for the biggest win of their lives, at least in terms of prize money and definitely in terms of Skins matches. Anyone not showing up is letting this opportunity pass them by and waiting for another one… Not the way I would ever do things!
