The film was pulled together in recent months to release in time for the 2022 World Championships.

August 24, 2022 by Matt Thompson in Review with comments

You could be forgiven for believing you have already seen the new disc golf documentary. Fierce became available for purchase on August 10th on the Disc Golf Network, the same platform that hosts The Holy Shot, the new film from director Josh Dikken centered on the 2021 PDGA Pro World Championships. The film is timed to release in tandem with the 2022 edition of the tournament, although its proximity to the Pierce documentary is hard to ignore.

My concern was that after the production value of Fierce took disc golf media to new heights, the inaugural PDGA Films project would feel cheap in comparison. I need not have been so concerned on their behalf. The Holy Shot rivals Fierce in its professional look and high production value, although that is where the comparison comes to an end. While Wilson Hansen and the Fierce team attempt to craft a film that walks the narrow line of broad appeal and base support, Dikken’s production is aimed squarely at the disc golf audience. Could it be seen as a ninety minute advertisement for Worlds 2022? Sure, but it’s a damn compelling advertisement.

It begins with a disc golf history lesson, ably told by a cast of disc golf’s more charismatic talking heads. Dan “Stork” Roddick appears, as well as five time world champion Juliana Korver, and the omnipresent Terry Miller. Miller, for his part, steals the show a number of times with his breadth of disc golf knowledge, willingness to be self deprecating, and obvious enthusiasm for the sport. Another scene-stealer is PDGA #067 and 1977 world champion Mark Horn, who best gives voice to the thesis of the film when he says, “there’s nothing to compare to the flight of the disc.” That kind of reverence for flight is what The Holy Shot is about, the pure joy of throwing frisbees, and is also why the historical context provided by the film works so well. It is not only James Conrad’s individual shot that is holy to disc golfers. Every Saturday morning throw has equal potential for sanctity.

The film builds to the moments all disc golf fans know: Catrina Allen’s remarkable upshot that seems destined to be the shot of the year until it isn’t, and, of course, the shot that unseats it. Dikken wisely saves the Conrad and McBeth interviews for his denouement. Conrad…