Business management senior Mason Marchbanks sinks a disc into a basket during a practice March 31 in Veterans Park. Marchbanks said he practices at least three times a week for three to four hours at a time.
Instead of looking at fluctuating profit graphs, business management senior Mason Marchbanks keeps his eyes on discs curving into the air, hoping they land on an elusive metal target.
Marchbanks took a semester off school to invest himself in professional disc golf, and it’s paying off.
He currently plays nationally on the Disc Golf Pro Tour, the professional disc golf circuit for the best men’s and women’s players in the world. He also placed 14th in The Open at Austin from March 17 to 19, taking home $1,075.
“It’s my craft. It’s my sport. It’s what I do,” he said. “I treat it as something with regard.”
Disc golf is played similarly to regular golf, according to the Professional Disc Golf Association. Instead of a golf ball, players swing discs or frisbees from a designated tee area to a target “hole,” which is typically an elevated metal basket, in as few throws as possible.
The sport’s popularity has grown significantly, with membership increasing 75{194d821e0dc8d10be69d2d4a52551aeafc2dee4011c6c9faa8f16ae7103581f6} between 2020 to 2021, according to The New York Times. The Metroplex has a big disc golf presence with many courses and tournaments, Marchbanks said.
His performance in Austin led to an invite to the European Open in Nokia, Finland, in July, he said.
“That’s a tournament I’ve actually watched and kept up with for several years, and to hear that I have an opportunity to go there and play that this year is really exciting,” he said.
Business management senior Mason Marchbanks’s backpack holds various discs during a practice March 31 in Veterans Park. Marchbanks earned around $10,000 from disc golf since the start of 2022.
Investment
Marchbanks first played disc golf looking for something fun to do with his dad, Joe Marchbanks, in the summer of 2015.
Joe Marchbanks said his son showed a natural ability, throwing further than most players in their area. With the freshness of disc golf’s pro scene, he thought his son had a shot to go professional.
The more Mason Marchbanks played, the more he fell in love with the sport.
He and his dad started competing with each other in tournaments around the Metroplex. Eventually, his dad got busy and stopped competing, but Mason stayed with the sport and took it more seriously around 2018.
From beginner tournaments, Mason advanced to different divisions, eventually reaching the Mixed Pro Open — the top professional division, according to the Professional Disc Golf Association.
The Professional Disc Golf Association determines player classifications through player ratings, which show how close a player’s average round scores are compared to the course rating. Mason now has a rating of 1,002, which makes him a world-class open player.
He said his favorite win was in the 2019 Waxahachie Open, his first official win where he earned $660.
“It was at my home course, so that one was really special, just because it was a really memorable win,” he said.
Trade offs
To stay sharp, Mason Marchbanks said he practices at least three times a week for three to four hours at a time. He does fieldwork, strengthens his muscle memory, tests discs and practices in the courses he will compete in to get comfortable with his shots.
Marchbanks is a player one would want to coach, his coach Landon Knight said. “He works hard on his own. He’s intentional. And whatever you tell him, he’s able to implement with relative ease.”
Because his tour put him on the road, Marchbanks took the semester off and spoke with his advisers about his plans to finish his degree later. He initially wanted to take some online classes but decided that would be difficult to do on the road.
Pay offs
Mason Marchbanks’s investment in disc golf is starting to show returns. While making strides in the Pro Tour, he has earned about $17,000 since starting, with about $10,000 coming from 2022 and 2023 alone.
He has also found a sponsor in Tree Love Disc Golf, a Dallas-based apparel company. Tree Love is set to release a signature hat with his logo and share part of the proceeds with him, he said.
“We expect him to keep doing what he’s doing. He’s a great asset and a master of the game on and off, of course,” Tree Love Disc Golf owner Jonathon Rivera said.
Business management senior Mason Marchbanks performs a backhand throw during a practice March 31 in Veterans Park. Marchbanks started playing the sport in 2015 as a hobby with his dad, Joe Marchbanks, and has continued ever since.
Growth
Mason Marchbanks said he is looking forward to seeing if he can make a viable career out of disc golf this year. It will be difficult, but he thinks it’s possible.
“It’s given me something to really pour my heart into and to chase with everything I have,” he said. “I can do this for as many years as my body will allow me to, and that’s something that I’m really excited about.”
Although not as often, he still plays with his dad every once in a while.
At the Austin tournament, Joe Marchbanks got to caddy for his son. Seeing his son play against some of the sport’s best players is an experience he’ll never forget, he said.
“He’s my son, so I’m obviously proud, but it’s exciting. It’s exciting to see him play and see that yes, he belongs, and he can play with these guys on any given weekend and compete with them shot for shot,” he said. “But I’m most happy for him because he’s doing what he wants to do.”
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