Don't know that anyone else will ever be able to duplicate what he did while having to work for a living and hold down a 9-5 just to pay his bills while dominating the sport. Imagine what his world titles # would be if he was "afforded" the luxury of strictly disc golf as a career. KEN'S THE MAN.
Kenny is the GOAT. His major title total is great but what's insane is his win % in majors. The USDGC didn't start until '99, after Kenny had been in his prime for a decade and he still won 5. He won like 80% of the majors he ever played in. If Macbeth did that he'd have 50 major titles by now. They needed to make disc more stable for Ken, they had to make them faster, more durable. He brought the sport out of the stone age.
I was there at 1999 Worlds at the final round in Chili, NY when the Champ finally gave up his throne to Ron Russell. Climo was as humble and congratulatory as can be with a smile on his face when Russell took down the win. A true sportsman and legend of the game, and I'm looking forward to his commentary tomorrow through Sunday at the 25th USDGC.
I had the honor to watch Kenny in his prime. I started playing Disc Golf in 1981. I started going to tournaments in 1986. The things he could do with those early discs was amazing. I met him a couple times, and he seemed a nice guy. He seemed to be made to play disc golf.
I started playing in the early 2000s so Ken and Barry are my guys. I wore out that 1999 USDGC VHS tape. My first ace disc was a 10x KC Pro Roc. 8x KC Pro Rocs were all the rage and hard to come by. For a video about the best moments of Ken Climo, I think the comparisons with McBeth coulda been skipped. Give the man his flowers y'all
What's crazy to me is he was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1995. Well before he was 45 years old which is now a standard these days. Only 7 years into his career and he was a Hall of Famer. He only had 4 world championships at that point too.
I hope that after watching this video, people who say “Climo in his prime couldn’t compete today” will quit. There’s a reason his name is on every stock Star Wraith, not just the Aviar.
If climo was playing now and was in his prime now he would definatly compete. But his prime back then would not in any world win any event of the pro tour in the present. Everyones skills have improved too much from then
@@ezdor8877 highly disagree. Climo in any era is a dominant force. He has 500 feet now as a 55 year old man. If his prime was in the era of the 12 speed he would be an elite distance thrower just like any other. Climo was an elite athlete that was the best at playing the game as it was at that time 20 years after the creation of the sport, and he would have whatever skills were required to win in any era because that’s just who he is. If you’re new to the sport you may not know this but there was a time when McBeth was thought of as “only a woods player because he’s good at shot shaping.” As if it’s impossible to be good at more than one thing, people need to get out of that mindset.
The discussion of the GOAT in Disc Golf needs to be put on the back burner till any other great player is done with their career. If you think McBeth has already had a better career than Climo, not sure how you got there. I watched your other video on Climo vs McBeth, I thought your reasoning was flawed at best. Kenny has12 MPO world titles, and he didn't finish out of the top 10 in a singles event for 10 years straight. I have watched both of them, and in my opinion Kenny had the stronger mental game.
You can have McBeth & ,I take the Champ in any era. McBeth first 4 world victories the competition wasn't stacked. Jenkins, Feildberg , Schusterick, & others were also focusing on thier company brands maybe more then playing disc golf. The biggest misconception in all sports, is the future is always better then the past. 2023 World's proven by Isaac Robinson that player doesn't need a forehand or huge distance to win Championship.
Whats this Mcbeth had a better career BS? Anytime I hear someone say that I know the conversation is over and who I am dealing with. No thanks. Titles alone bro, comon. Harder competition in McBeths era? Still not even close. I'd say maybe in another few years but I'm not sure we will see much more of McBeth at this point, we sure didn't last season. But what a career ... Ha!!
Can't even compare KC to Paul...apples to apples....so much has changed since KC was in his prime. Would loved to have seen them go head to head...both in their primes.
That's a really cool video. I wish they would bring. Ken climo back into the disc golf scene. There has to be some way to put him to work. He's an icon
Climo can be back in the scene anytime he wants to. He's living comfortably getting paychecks every month from Innova "FOR LIFE" and he's choosing to spend his free time raising his daughter.
@@larryfaust3907 Larry, I actually made that comment based off of something climo said in an interview.. He straight up said he wished he was more included in today's disc golf scene
that may be true but during his prime there was barely any premium plastics if there even was any at that time. He did all of that with only DX plastic discs
