When we say Ian Anderson disc golf, we are talking about the disc golf videographer and commentator, Ian Anderson, and typically everything that makes him recognized in the sport called Disc Golf.
Besides questions like any disc golf stores here? Or can I find a game of frisbee golf near me? How about we ask questions centered on relatable mentors in the evolution of disc golf as a sport? If the latter is your interest, then you’re not here by mistake!
Ian Anderson has come to a point where he has disc golf attached to his name. After all, he has done that much in the sphere of disc golf.
Diving In!
If you are a regular listener of the Disc Golf Network, then you would be familiar with the voice of Ian Anderson. The disc golf enthusiast has commentated on the USDGC and Worlds and plans to do more in the next couple of years.
However, Ian didn’t land these coveted roles overnight, he went through a process.
For instance, if you listened to the broadcast, Morning Disc Golf with Ian Anderson of CCDG, entitled His Thoughts, you must have heard Ian talking about CCDG through the years and his experience in the world of discing.
From all of Ian’s sessions, and the broadcasts he has featured in, you would observe one thing – whenever he expatiates, he leaves behind bits of his life, his journey, and his milestones as a contributor to the growth of disc golf as a sport.
Ian Anderson: Who is He?
Ian Anderson who hails from San Diego, California, United States, is a member of the Professional Disc Golf Association. Also, he is the founder and owner of Central Coast Disc Golf (CCDG) a Disc Golf Media Company cum YouTube channel.
With almost forty thousand followers on Instagram from Central Coast Disc Golf, Ian and his crew of commentators dedicate their energy to covering disc golf tournaments. Ian Anderson is undoubtedly good at his job. He is a family man too!
San Diego, California is where Ian resides with his family. Oftentimes, we hear him talk about what it’s like filming in Emporia, with some up-and-coming players in view.
If for anything, we should be grateful to Ian for exposing how cumbersome it could be when starting your first hole of MPO coverage and mastering the art.
This was coined from his experience with the 2022 Texas State Disc Golf Championship. Now, the majority of us know what to expect if we ever decide to venture into the field.
Ian Anderson PDGA
PDGA is short for Professional Disc Golf Association. Ian Anderson is a member of the PDGA. In a Q&A he hosted with his co-hosts, Nate Doss and Philo Brathwaite, under his channel, Central Coast Disc Golf, Ian said that he spends most weekdays at a fast food franchise working as an industrial engineer.
If he’s not tackling his job, he’s spending quality time with his family. Ian said he’s always busy doing what many disc golfers wish for themselves – getting paid to talk about renowned disc golfers and watch them compete at world-level sports events.
If you’ve heard of pro disc golf before now, you may have only heard Ian’s voice on the Disc Golf Network (DGN). The Disc Golf Pro Tour (DGPT) owns the Disc Golf Network streaming service.
Also, the DGN streaming service turns out to be the sole caterer of live coverage for most disc golf tournaments in the elite category.
What we learn from Ian Anderson Disc Golf
Ian doesn’t claim to be an accomplished professional with a flair for talking, unlike some DGN commentators we see.
Many times, he has made it clear that he is an amateur disc golfer who obtained his usual spot on DGN through years of commitment and hard work. Plus, he’s been in the business of creating disc golf media with his team for over a decade.
But, one thing makes Ian Anderson stand out every time – he is always paying attention to public feedback to improve his videos and commentary.
We learn a lot of things from Ian Anderson as a disc golf videographer, commentator, and family man. Honestly, the list is exhaustive so it’d be best if we left his family story for another day.
Today, it’s all about Ian Anderson Disc Golf! And here’s what we learn from his journey as a newbie to disc golf, the media, and launching CCDG:
1. He conceived, launched, and expanded Central Coast Disc Golf
Ian Anderson started small. The first disc golf tournament he ever commentated on or filmed was not far from his home – the 2011 Santa Maria Open in Walker Park.
2. Ian reached out
Around 2011, he discovered a subreddit disc golf community of about 200 people, where he asked if anyone would love to watch footage of a disc golf tournament if he got it on camera. The response he received was encouraging and he decided to give it a shot.
Ian eventually captured the action with far-from-ideal filming equipment. Today, that same subreddit community has over 170,000 subscribers.
3. He didn’t give up because no one else was doing it
Ian admitted that the first time he placed himself out there, people weren’t into filming disc golf as much as today. He said he could barely see the disc after it was launched because he stood in an unfavorable spot [20 feet back of the tee pad].
Nevertheless, Ian continued filming the rounds, and when he got home, he practiced editing and commentating on the clips he had taken. He drew experience from editing and commentary, summing up what would be his foremost posts on the CCDG YouTube channel.
4. His consistency earned him recognition
In the past few years, many disc golfers, including those in the elite category begun to recognize the works of Ian Anderson and Estrada. With the recognition Ian garnered, it wasn’t long before he started getting dream gigs.
5. He grew as a commentator and landed high-profile gigs
Since its inception, Central Coast Disc Golf (CCDG) has earned commissions and attracted funding from disc golf stores and equipment companies like Innova, to film hubs like the 2015 Beaver State Fling and World Championships.
The following year, MVP Disc Sports signed a deal with CCDG, letting them appoint someone to film on the road throughout the tournament season.
6. He hasn’t stopped growing and improving on his work
Since a decade of spearheading CCDG, Ian Anderson has intentionally tried to grow as a videographer and a commentator by accepting constructive criticism from his audience.
Ian once revealed that he feels like his commentaries are created from the comment and feedback of his audience on YouTube and other social media platforms.
7. Ian hopes to remain a part of Disc Golf Media’s Future
Despite being oblivious of what the future holds, Ian believes that the coverage of disc golf functions whether live or post-produced will continue to grow and attract larger audiences in the future.
As a result, he plans to continue post-production coverage as a DGN commentator, covering the 2021 PDGA National Tour and Major tournaments, with the Open Women lead cards as the focus.
The Take-out
When asked for advice in an interview with UltiWorld Disc Golf (UWDG), Ian Anderson said if anyone is venturing into videography to make money with it at a regional level, it is going to take a lot of hard work and time before earning your first bucks.
He said when he started, no tournaments were paying for coverage, the disc golf videography market was ten times smaller than the present day, and Patreon didn’t even exist.
He rounded off his words of wisdom by saying the key is to work hard and strive to get better.
