HummSquad Profile: Paige Pierce

Paige Pierce is a 4-time Professional Disc Golf Association World Champion, winning her first title at age 19. She's also won 14 other professional national tournaments including becoming the first woman to win the U.S. Disc Golf Championship Performance Flight. A member of the Dynamic Discs World Champion Team, she has consistently ranked among the top four professional female players since 2011. She even has her own signature disc called the Lucid Convict. Talk about disc dominance! She opened our conversation by explaining how her passion for the sport began with some fun father-daughter time when she was a little kid.

You grew up in Plano, Texas, across the street from a big park. Did that encourage your love of the disc at a young age?

It did. When I was really young my dad learned about disc golf and got super into it. So, starting when I was about four, we'd spend weekends playing at the park. I loved it right away. Soon enough I was practicing on my own. And then at age eight I played in my first tournament. That’s when I really started getting into it. When I was 12, I would play with my dad and his friends, and occasionally I would throw as far as them. I wouldn’t outscore them, but to know I could throw as far made me realize I could probably get good at this with some practice.

Is disc golf a growing sport?

It’s growing rapidly. I see it in my day-to-day life and as I travel. And the numbers would show it, too. Several years ago, when I’d wear a disc golf shirt, people would ask me about it because they were intrigued. At that time, most people hadn’t heard of the sport. So, I’d explain it to them and sometimes get into long conversations about it. Now, more people know about it. I still get stopped when wearing my disc shirts, but now people want to talk about disc types they prefer or courses they like. This happens to me daily. It’s so cool.

Does the sport allow you to travel?

The travel is probably my favorite part of all this. Every week during the season, which runs February through October, I’m in a different state competing. Plus, I’ve been abroad to compete about 12 times including trips to Japan, Finland, Sweden, Australia, Switzerland, and Germany. I go overseas about twice a year. When I’m not traveling, there are about 50 courses within an hour’s drive of my house. Dallas is a hot bed for disc golf.

Sounds like a perfect lifetime fitness sport. Do you see players of all ages on the courses?

Yes, it’s a diverse sport. You don’t see as big of an age range at tournaments, though we do have different divisions for ages and skill levels. But when I go out for casual rounds I see people from 6 to 70 years old and everything in between.

What's your happy?

Competing in this sport and traveling. And it’s so cool they go hand in hand. I think I was born to be a competitor and I discovered I can excel at disc golf. I’m so fortunate to get to do this while also traveling the world. It’s a great combination of living my passion and loving the traveling life where I get to see new places all the time.