The first US tour for our Estonian top women players is done and by now Kristin and Keiti have already returned over the ocean to the United States for their second trip.
As the conditions in the US are not comparable to the ones that we have here in Estonia, the women had to fight all sorts of obstacles, the wind conditions being probably the most notable. The wind definitely affected both drives and also putts and often more overstable discs were used than usual. In Estonia, when the conditions are very windy or the weather is not co-operating, players usually do not really want to do outdoor training. Should we perhaps change our mindset and come out of our comfort zone regarding this?
Kristin, your first US trip of the season is done and rather soon you will be returning for your second one. What are your thoughts and emotions regarding the first competitions? Are you satisfied with your results or is there something that has been caught in your mind?
The first trip went as planned and I am very happy about that. I think I definitely learned some lessons and expanded my experience. I don’t really want to dwell on things that “could have” or “did not” happen as they often cause problems rather than create any value.
As you and Silver have already competed in the US several times, do you have any sort of standard preparations for upcoming trips or do you just prepare along the way, taking into account for example the previous trip?
My experience has shown that regardless of how much I travel, I still cannot pack my suitcase. It is for some reason very stressful for me and I always postpone it as much as I can.
Photo: @Kristin Tattar Instagram
Silver came by our Discgolf.ee store and grabbed multiple discs such as Glory and Pioneer. What about you, are you planning to pack your disc golf bag differently this time, are there any must have discs?
I think that the selection will be pretty similar to the one I had during my last trip but I will definitely grab stronger discs with me and I will try to think through how many discs I might lose so that I will know how many spare discs to take with me.
It is always such a pleasure to see you via TV – it is such a great addition to our weekends here in Estonia. You always seem very focused. How do you achieve that? Do you have any pre-game traditions to reach such levels of focus or does it come naturally?
Firstly, thank you to all the supporters. I really do appreciate how the Estonian disc golf family cheers along to my games and supports me. I can feel that positive energy even while I am far away.
In terms of being focused, yes, I have really worked on my ability to be in the moment. I think that you cannot really switch it on or off but you can definitely train to be more present and that certainly reflects also in your performance. It is difficult to really make a summary of the traditions but one thing that I can most certainly suggest is to practice being grateful. Every time that things get difficult and you feel the want to give up, think of all the things that you are grateful for. It can be something very basic and elementary, for example the ability to do sports or the presence of a certain friend. After that you will feel much much better!
The first competitions in the US were very successful for you. Which upcoming competition is the most important to you and why?
I think the entire month of April will be very exciting. I am very much looking forward to the first major-level competition (PDGA Champions Cup) of 2022 and also the DDO of which I have heard great stories about.
The results of Kristin Tattar’s first five competitions in the US:
3rd place at the DGPT – Las Vegas Challenge presented by Innova
1st place at the Memorial Championship presented by Discraft
2nd place at the DGPT – Waco Annual Charity Open presented by Prodigy Disc
3rd place at the Discraft presents THE OPEN at BELTON, a DGPT Silver Series Event
2nd place at the DGPT – 27th Annual Texas State Disc Golf Championship Presented by Latitude 64
Follow Kristin on Instagram!
Keiti, what were your expectations for your first trip to the US? Were they achieved?
Since I hadn’t been in the US before I didn’t really know what to expect and therefore I didn’t really have any significant expectations. I was just looking forward to playing in warm and beautiful weather after the winter season.
You are returning to the US very soon for your second trip. Is there something in your preparations that is different this time around?
I will not pack as much stuff this time around and take a smaller amount of discs with me. I assumed that I could lose several discs during my first trip but in reality I only lost one. I hope I’m not bringing any bad luck on me by saying that.
Photo: @Keiti Tätte Instagram
It is said that the conditions in the US are somewhat different than they are here in Estonia and some players didn’t bring suitable discs with them. What about you?
I actually had the right discs with me but I perhaps did not know how to use them correctly in the beginning. I felt that I was slightly short on under stable discs so for the upcoming trip I will definitely bring Tursas and Luik with me.
Do you feel that you have already developed during this short amount of time? In what?
I think that getting into your best shape at the beginning of the season takes time, distances are slowly growing but I wouldn’t consider that as development. I have definitely gained a lot of experience with playing at bigger competitions, tougher competition and also in front of the camera.
Now you have had the opportunity to compete with the best players of the world. What do you think is still missing to be next to them, in the leader pool for example?
I think I am still lacking distance and courage. When you compare our game plans then I am definitely used to play more safe.
Did you have the opportunity to enjoy your free time as well or was the focus more on training? What did your standard day in the US look like?
We were able to enjoy our free time as well. In the beginning of our trip we visited the Las Vegas Strip and the Grand Canyon. We also went out to eat at different places, went to the cinema and also did some shopping. During our training days we tried to get a training in in the morning, have lunch and then do another training round. On some days we were able to do only one training round as there were too many players on the course. So from Monday to Thursday we tried to have two training rounds per day and during our competition days our entire days were usually spent at the competition center.
The one thing that you missed the most during your trip to the US?
If we leave family and home aside then I think Estonian food.
Keep an eye on Keiti’s emotions and thoughts by following her Instagram account!
The results of Keiti Tätte’s first four competitions in the US:
8th place at the Memorial Championship presented by Discraft
25th place at the DGPT – Waco Annual Charity Open presented by Prodigy Disc
24th place at the Discraft presents THE OPEN at BELTON, a DGPT Silver Series Event
13th place at the DGPT – 27th Annual Texas State Disc Golf Championship Presented by Latitude 64