Drop Gregg Barsby onto the toughest, most technical disc golf course, then watch him work his magic.

Trees, impossible angles and the assorted other obstacles course designers have incorporated to frustrate and deny the average disc golfer don't faze the Nevada Union freshman.

Just check out his trophy case.

Barsby, who has won over 20 tournaments in six years of competition, grabbed back-to-back under-16 California State Disc Golf Championships in 1999 and 2000 and took ninth in the 2000 World Championships in Ann Arbor, Mich.

"He's always practicing on his putting. He can hit consistently from 25 feet, and that's what it takes to be a professional," said Jeff Stoops, an avid disc golfer and an organizer of the Sky Catz Spectacular Disc Golf Festival & Classic Car Show, which will be held in Grass Valley and Penn Valley at the end of June.

"He's not very big, but he can drive with the best of them. Give him another foot (in height), and watch out," Stoops added.

Barsby, 15, who puts wins at the 2002 Motherlode and 2001 Stockton Pro Am tournaments at the top of his resume, said that despite his tender age, he's found his calling.

"I want this to be my career. After I graduate from high school, me and my friend Myles (Harding) - he's a disc golfer too - are going to get a big ol' van or RV or something and travel to tournaments around the country," Barsby grinned.

It's not Tiger Woods money, but professional disc golfers can make a living.

The Professional Disc Golf Association, which estimates its worldwide membership at over 19,000, had a total purse of over $880,000 in close to 400 of its sanctioned events last year.

Barsby said if there's anything that stands between him and paying the bills on the PDGA tour is a short temper.

"When I hit a tree or make a bad shot or something, sometimes it's all I can do not (to explode) out there. Let's just say I have an anger management problem and we'll leave it at that," he said. "But I'm getting better. I know I can't do that if I want to (win) the world championship."

Barsby got his start in disc golf by accident.

He was riding his bike near Condon Park nine years ago when he saw a disc floating in a creek.

"I just picked it up. We lived by the park and I knew there was disc golf course there. I just went over there and started (practicing)," he said. "I really liked it."

Stoops ran into Barsby three years later and knew he had found something special.

"He was always hanging around Condon Park. He was just a little kid. I don't think he was four feet tall, but he tried really hard.

"When I watched him play, I could see that he was serious. So I gave him a little bit of instruction and encouraged him to keep on playing," Stoops said.