Have you ever wondered what it’s like to kiss the sky? 90+ brave souls did this year at the Kiss the Sky disc golf tournament.
Kiss the Sky, held in Aspen, Colorado, has been one of the most iconic disc golf tournaments not only in Colorado, but in the entire world. As arguably the highest disc golf course in the world (slow your roll, New Mexico), this event provides a one-of-a-kind player experience that lives on the bucket list of most men and women out there.
Earlier this year, the torch was passed to myself and Discmania to maintain this special tournament. After being held every-other-year, we are excited to make this an annual event.
The Beginning
24 years ago, Bill Wright and Scott Holter created something truly special. Tallying up a total of seven major titles, Bill knows a thing or two when it comes to flying discs.
The terrain here is not for the faint of heart. 21 holes of rugged landscape, unpredictable weather, massive walls of fog, 11,200 feet of sunburn, and a whopping eight miles of hiking are what these fine folks sign up for each round. Luckily it’s only one round a day but it will push your limits.
The Experience
Your knees are killing you, your heart seems to now live in your head pounding furiously, you wonder who stole all the air, that fox better not get any funny ideas with the disc you just threw, and you just can’t seem to wipe that grin off your face laughing with friends and suffering through each hole of epic mountain disc golf. If you’ve ever accidentally launched a disc the wrong way into oblivion, I’d venture to say you’d crack a smile too.
Think about Kiss the Sky as one big family reunion where you meet a couple new cousins as well each year. It’s just not your average event. Although the views and golf are magnificent, it almost comes secondary to the memories made along the way. People come to spend time with others they haven’t seen in years. We’re family, and that’s how we like it.
As smooth as the event went, there are always plenty of lessons to be learned. The Ski Patrollers at the beginning of the weekend kept giving me the “who the heck are these guys?” look. By the end of Sunday and after seeing what these players can do, they had an entirely different outlook on disc golf. All in all, it’s safe to say that these men and women are going to enjoy having us back in the years to come.
The Reward
Events in any sport are about the bigger picture, and that includes ours. People come for the environment, they come to enjoy the sights, the camaraderie, memories, competition, exercise, and laughs (plus, inevitably some sorrows), but it’s all worth it. To me, I got the biggest reward of them all. I got to sink our passion deep into the heart of Aspen and show people what we are capable of. I got to welcome 90 smiling faces before we got started and I got to send off 90 larger smiles as soon as we were all through. Do you still think you had the most fun out there? Let’s call it a tie.
To all of the staff at Aspen mountain, spectators at the top, and every golfer watching the media coverage and especially the ones playing the event, thank you. This was and always will be one of my most memorable times with the company. Discmania will keep reinventing our own game and make sure each year is better than the last. See you next time!
Coverage from SpinTV
SpinTV was at Kiss the Sky and captured the action from the lead cards. Sit back, relax, and enjoy disc golf in Aspen, Colorado.
- Discmania's Chris Brubeck