Brandon Czuprynski – Poulsbo, WA

“The person that has influenced me the most is my Grandfather (R.I.P.) This man led through his example and has been the foundation of the man I am today. Without his kindness, wisdom, and thoughtful guidance I would not have the blessings of my wife and children who are the most important people in my life. Jenni (wife) for believing in me and my crazy ideas and even letting me run with a few of them. Also my kids, for teaching me the meaning of selfless service…”

Welcome to another edition of our Disc Golf Player Profile publication – where we feature disc golfers that you may or may not have heard of before. Everybody has their own disc golf story to tell. This is the place where those stories are being told and shared with the world!

Meet Brandon Czuprynski (PDGA #217301)

Tell us about yourself! How old are you? Where do you live? What do you do (work/school/etc.)?

My name is Brandon Czuprynski. I am a 39 year old male. I grew up in rural MN near a city called Willmar (Go Cards!) I had visited western Washington as a child and as a teen. I knew that western Washington is where I wanted to grow old. Shortly after high school I moved to Kitsap County; Washington and have been living here for 20+ years. I met my wife, Jenni, in 2015 and was wed in 2016. We chose to combine the families of my three daughters and her son and daughter. With five kids in the house it is difficult to find things we can all agree on and do together especially when we were all cooped up during Covid lockdowns. We tried Disc Golf on half a whim and half desperation to get out of the house. I had suggested it to Jenni as it was cheap (HaHa) and easy to get in to. I told her I had been  Disc Golfing  sporadically in the past and always found it to be incredibly fun. Little did I know it would become this incredible obsession and a way for our family to bond together and heal from trauma. These days I own and operate B.C. Construction Services L.L.C., play Disc Golf several times per week and participate in PDGA tournaments all around Washington. Jenni and I also do a Disc Golf podcast called The Intentional Disc Golfer Podcast talking about disc golf performance and becoming the player you want to be mentally, physically, and emotionally. My and Jenni’s dream is to someday retire and develop disc golf courses and play all over the world.

Tell us about the most important people in your life! Who do you live with (family, friends, etc.)?

The person that has influenced me the most is my Grandfather (R.I.P.) This man led through his example and has been the foundation of the man I am today. Without his kindness, wisdom, and thoughtful guidance I would not have the blessings of my wife and children who are the most important people in my life. Jenni (wife) for believing in me and my crazy ideas and even letting me run with a few of them. Also my kids, for teaching me the meaning of selfless service.

Do you have a nickname or just something else that you go by?

The best people in my life call me Dad.

Disc Golf Journey

How long have you been playing disc golf?

About 3 years

How did you get started with disc golf?

I was introduced to Disc Golf through a roommate in my early 20’s. Me and the other two guys played a round at the once famous Bud Pell/Ross Farm and had a blast. I had played maybe twice since then… Fast forward to 2020 Jenni and I were looking for a fun and novel activity we could do with the kids and get out of the house during the Covid lockdowns. She had found an old Innova starter pack I had packed away in a closet somewhere. She was bummed about not being able to do our annual Easter egg hunt. I had joked with her “If you want to go look for colorful objects in the woods…” She picked it up and ran with it. Now we play all the time and participate in many charity and competitive events. We most recently had the honor of working with the Paul McBeth Foundation in building a Disc Golf course for our local indigenous peoples. Once we fully embraced Disc Golf it transformed our lives and has been a tremendous blessing on our family. Now we look for opportunities to give back to the Disc Golf community through stewardship and volunteerism. 

Share some of your memorable disc golf moments…

My first round with my family was probably my fondest Disc Golf moment.

Volunteering at the Cascade Challenge and getting to interact with all the pros.

Ladies of the Lake 2023: Watching Jenni have the weekend of a Disc Golf lifetime and executing three personal bests to pull off an epic comeback victory. It was like watching a walk-off grand slam in baseball. Then all the love and support she received afterwards was incredible. When she received her trophy she was the only one that got a standing ovation. It was WOW.

Some Random Personal Stuff

What do you do when you’re not playing disc golf?

When I’m not playing Disc Golf, I’m training for Disc Golf. I also love to BBQ any chance I get. Almost every free weekend there is something smoking on the grill. I enjoy woodworking, playing guitar, and playing D&D.

What is your absolute favorite food (something you couldn’t live without)?

BBQ and Mexican

What’s your favorite fast-food restaurant?

Mod Pizza

What are some of your favorite movies of all time?

Jurassic Park, Transformers(1983), Alien series, Predator. 

What are some of your favorite TV shows/series?

Breaking Bad, Sweet Tooth, and South Park

Do you have any pro or college sports teams you are fanatic about?

Besides Disc Golf… The Minnesota Wild is my favorite

In the Bag

What is the first disc golf disc that you ever owned?

Innova Starter Pack: Firebird, Shark, and Aviar

What are some of your favorite discs that are in your bag right now?

Favorite Driver: Ricky Wysoki trilogy Vandal, This disc feels great in the hand and can handle a lot of torque out of the hand. It has a nice hyzer flip and lots of glide with a soft finish. Also has become one of my favorites for a forehand approach.

Favorite Mid: Jenni dyed me a custom Star Leopard with Ninja Turtles on it. I have affectionately named it “Turtle Power”. I know exactly what this disc does and how it flies. It is probably my most trusted utility disc in the bag.

Favorite Putter: MVP Nomad Electron Soft, For a heavier putter this is one of my favorites. It is surprisingly more understandable than advertised with the stability coming in right at the end of the flight. It is probably the most dead straight flier I have thrown. The extra little bit of glide makes distance putting easier because it will hold like an Envy at close range but without having to put in extra effort and sacrificing control.

What else is always in your bag other than discs?

I carry with me a climber’s bag full of chalk where I store all of my chalk bags. Other than that, I carry all the standards; sunscreen, eye drops, bug spray, Carmex, snacks, minis, towels, Disc Raptor, and electrolyte powder.

Disc Golf Courses

Do you have a course that you consider your ‘home course’? Tell us about it.

We are so fortunate to live in a thriving Disc Golf area. We have 3 of the top ten courses in Washington within 30 min of our house and 4 more within an hour so we get to mix it up a lot. The closest course to us is Fredrickson Wilderness which is half a mile away. Fredrickson is a short technical course with tight wooded holes and lots of elevation change. It definitely favors the shot shapers and scramblers more than the big arms. My rating always looks super good when I play a tournament there because the course is rated as being super difficult. It’s not really that bad.

What are a few of your favorite disc golf courses to play?

My ultimate favorite is Rainshadow in Blynn, WA. Rainshadow is an iconic PNW course with stunning views of mountain valleys and ocean bay. This course has everything to offer with elevation change, long holes, technical holes, woods, clean fairways, and scenery. Rainshadow is true beauty and a great test of golf. If you are in the PNW be sure to check it out.

Honorable mention is South Fork DGC at North Bend, WA. An old municipal ball golf course nestled in the valley of Mount Si is a beautifully maintained course that is interestingly challenging. This is my favorite course to play when I want to rip some distance. Afterwards head about five minutes across town and eat at Tweed’s Cafe. The food is stupid delicious and inexpensive. Plus, it is where the 90’s sitcom Twin Peaks was filmed. This little course has a lot to offer being in a high mountain pass with lot’s of scenery, small town quaintness, and great amenities.

What is a dream disc golf course for you that you hope to play someday?

All of them

Let’s Play Disc Golf

Do you have any pre-round or post-round rituals that you do when you play disc golf?

About three nights before a tournament I start drinking as much water as I can to make sure I am well hydrated. On tournament day I like to arrive about 90 minutes before tee off. I have about a 15 minute thorough stretching routine to loosen up. I spend about 80% of my practice time putting while I’m at home, so I do not practice putting on game day (Superstition). I’ll start with a rocking motion to calibrate my weight exchange. Then I will incorporate swinging my flight towel to calibrate my timing. Once I feel good about my timing I will start to combine timing and weight exchange with power pocket and whip. Leading up to and finishing off with a full x-step walk up. Basically I will build the kinetic chain from my feet working my way up to the full body by incorporating each component one by one.

Do you drink, smoke, snack, or partake in anything else while playing disc golf? What’s your go-to?

I usually carry a few power snacks and electrolytes with me. I don’t like to eat or drink too much because I don’t want to be bogged down. I like to be light, fast, and athletic.

Are you just a casual disc golfer? Do you participate in any local leagues? Do you compete in disc golf tournaments?

We have become total freaks at Disc Golf. Jenni and I play as much as our life allows and participate in as many events as possible. In the off season we train by practicing, doing drills, field work, exercising, and sharpening our mental game. Disc Golf is pretty much a constant in our lives.

Do you have any tips for aspiring disc golfers?

There is no “one size fits all” in Disc Golf. There are vast differences between playing styles, form, discs, and even differences within the same discs. For example: When Jenni throws a 165g Roadrunner it is predominately over-stable which has to do with her throwing style. When I throw the exact same disc it flips over and goes the other way. Aside from a few fundamental practices, what matters is what works for you and your game. Figuring that out takes a massive amount of reflection, humility, and emotional resilience so abstain from being discouraged and work through the adversity. There is no replacement for old fashioned hard work and practice. Oh and also… Listen to The Intentional Disc Golfer Podcast.

Disc Golf Fun Stuff

Do you have any favorite professional disc golfers that you follow?

My favorite pro disc golfer is Eric Oakley. We had the privilege of getting to know Eric while speaking with him on The Intentional Disc Golfer Podcast. Aside from being really good at Disc Golf, he is one of the most genuine, thoughtful, and kind individuals that truly is all about the sport and the fans. He’s just a great human and can’t say enough good things about him.

I also briefly met Ricky Wysoki. Ricky is another person that just seems like he’s all about it. He loves playing the game, interacting with fans, and being in the moment. You can really sense that enjoys every second of it and is really not faking it for the cameras. Ricky is as real as it gets.

Do you have any disc golf goals that you are trying to achieve?

I would love to play in a Silver Series event or a pro/am event and be able to hold my own against the best.

Who do you typically play disc golf with?

I typically play with my family, and more so with my wife Jenni. It’s a special day when we can all go out and play together.

What would a perfect disc golf round look like for you?

A perfect round would be where I can feel good about the way I played, regardless of score, have maximum fun, and be with my family.

Let’s Get Social

Podcast:

https://www.buzzsprout.com/2129543/share

Facebook

https://www.facebook.com/czuprynskidiscgolf

Instagram

https://www.instagram.com/czuprynskidiscgolf/

X (formerly known as Twitter)

@TheIDGPodcast

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