I went to Acorn with Dylan today instead of Central since we had some gift certificates to spend at Fairway Flyerz. I picked up 2 Soft Challengers and a Champion Xcaliber to replace my Star Monster that I don’t really care for as my meathook of choice.
Act I: A poor start.
Hole 1: Nice release on the drive, moving left, starting to curve back right, and curves back right into a tree. Falls to the edge of the swamp, tough angle on the second leaves me well away from the basket. 2 putts later and I start with a 4.
Hole 2: Tried to anhyzer a leopard through the opening, left it short and in the bushes, but I have a way out. Toss my out close and bang home the par 3.
Hole 3: Solid drive with the Star Wraith, in the woods a bit on the left. clean window though and I put it nice and close. Slam home another par 3.
Hole 4: Drive the Ridge to about 15 feet, slam home the birdie 2. Back to even par.
Hole 5: Solid release, but the Champion Beast moves a bit too far left and slams a tree. Run the Ridge up close and drop in the par 3.
Hole 6: Drive the River backhand, clear the trees but get caught in a bush on the other side, didn’t get enough on the backhand. Tough angle on the approach and I en up bailed way left, 2 more shots to get in and I make another Bogey 4.
Act II: Maybe this won’t be so bad…
Hole 7: Drive the Beast nice and smooth, through the trees, and fades back just right of the basket, the overhanging trees block my birdie attempt and I knock in another Par 3.
Hole 8: Drive the Beast nice and long over the swamp, turn it around the bush and then fade it back. Was less than 2 feet from the winter basket. However since it is summer I was about 25 feet uphill away. I miss the birdie putt and settle for a par 3.
Hole 9: Bad drive, nose up n00b hyzer style. Send the 2nd into the edge of the swamp, my third is just short of the basket, but behind a large tree that has a thick chest high branch sticking across where I would like to putt. I try to pop it up over the branch, and drop it just off. Make a double bogey 5. Make the turn +3.
Hole 10: I screw up here as I often do, and yank my drive left. There is a stand of trees just to the right of the teebox, and for someone who throws majority forehand they are a huge distraction and generally I subconciously worry about them and yank my drive. Today is no different. I have no shot from the trees and I just try and get it out, I do, and 2 putts later I am in with a 4.
Hole 11: Keep my drive really low with the Champion Beast. Wrap it around the bush and almost back to the fairway, however I am on the left and need to worry about the trees, so since the trees are now in my head I do what any normal person does. I throw it into the fucking trees. Drop my third shot close and make the bogey 4.
Hole 12: I try a different approach and try a backhand drive here, not great results, as I am in the trees to the right. my second slips off my hand and slams into a tree less than 5 feet away from me. my third gets out but not close, and I take 2 more shots to get in and take a bogey 5.
Act III: A false hope
Hole 13: I toss the Star Wraith because I can’t afford much movement left due to the trees, I does exactly what I want and leaves me about 40 feet to the pin. 2 putts and I am in with a Par 3.
Hole 14: I always feel like I should do better on this hole, it’s a not too terribly long right turn hole that is tailor made for a meathook driver. I just bought a new meathook drive. Lets see what it does. A nice easy forehand and it dissapears around the curve. The next sound I hear is the sweet sweet sound of chains being hit as my drive slams in for an ACE. Hell to the motherfucking YES. This is my first ACE, and Dylan is here with me to see it. High fives are exchanged, and he signs my disc confirming it’s ACE status. I consider retiring it since it is my first, and going to Fairway FLyerz on the way home to pick up another. Didn’t but I still might. Either way, a 1 looks pretty damn good.
Hole 15: I try the backhand River again, and I love the throw, except when I get to it I see that I am in a bad spot with no good angle at the pin because of trees. my attempt at a putt goes way long, and I have to suck up 2 more shots to get in with a 4.
Hole 16: Toss the Beast, and watch it not turn left enough, and then fade way back right down the ravine. I attempt a thumber to get out, and catch a bit of a branch leaving me still in the ravine. My anhyzer attempt at getting out doesn’t turn enough, and it takes 2 more shots to get in with a 5.
Hole 17: Bit of a headwind so I try the Star Wraith. get a bit more fade that I would like and I am off to the right about pin high, maybe 40 feet away. Drop it close and take the par 3.
Hole 18: Bad drive, doesn’t get out of the trees. Bad second hangs in the fairway. Bad third puts me behind the screen of trees. I try to make something happen and throw it at an opening about 35 feet off the ground. I miss and end up buried in trees, a couple out and another putt and I finish with a 7.
This was probably the worst round I have played in quite a while, but the Ace made it worth it. Not sure if I’ll get out tomorrow, and this weekend is totally full of nerd stuff. Not really the way I want to end the week, I might try and get out really early on Saturday for a quick round just to get the taste of that 7 out of my mouth.
Garrett
Alternate title with no work I have nothing better to do than spew drivel at all of you. Want me to shut up, call Mark Dayton and tell him to sign the budget presented to him.
Hole 1: I seems to have trouble with this hole at times, it’s a tweener distance for me, too short for a full drive, but too long for a mid, and the layout of the trees means my preferred forehand line is not an option. Lately I have been getting my shots too high and fading them far right where a tree gets into my way putting. Since I played like 60 holes of pitch and putt the last couple days throwing all backhand, I decided to try and backhand a Champion Leopard. Start it with a bit of an angle down, get a good snap on release and see it flip up and head straight for the hole. Drops just short and left of the chips, leaving me about a 15-20 foot putt. I dork it, but I’m happy cause it was a good drive, and I make that putt most of the time. Take a 3 and move on.
Hole 2: Another hole that has given me more trouble than it is worth, I always seem to put my drive right into the trunk of the same tree, this time I forehand the Champion Beast and put it just outside the grap of that stupid tree, watch it work its way back around and leave me about 40 feet with a small tree right in front of me. Drop the putt close and in for the 3.
Hole 3: 2 good drives so far, I generally am pretty happy with my drives on this hole so I’m thinking I’ll be OK. Instead I manage to get the nose of my beast higher than Charlie Sheen and noob hook it off to the right. Leaving myself like 100 feet to the basket I decide to try and settle the Ridge close. That works as it slides onto the chips and I save a 3.
Hole 4: Very pretty drive, watching the Champion Beast weave through trees like it’s on a string, I leave myself about a hundred feet to go, with trees on my right between me and the basket, taking away the line I’d want to throw. I decide to try and anhyzer a Buzzz SS, and I turn on it too much, sending it right into the trees. Blast vile trees. I get to my disc and I have about 25 feet with the blasted tree right in front of me. I can’t make the putt I normally would due to a stupid branch, so I lean the other way and try a little anhyzer around the tree under the branch and into the chains. Not the prettiest par I’ve made today, but it was a pretty effing sweet putt so I’ll take my 3 and move on.
Hole 5: Another beautiful drive around the trees, if the measure on this hole is right I actually pushed this one out like 325′ or a bit more. Leaving myself an easy approach, and a drop in 3.
Hole 6: Another hole I generally drive pretty good on, so instead I leave it too low and ground it 100 feet from the pin. Fuck. poor approach leaves me outside the chips, and I miss the putt, and take my first bogey of the day. Damn Hell Crap.
Hole 7: My meathook driver is up to the task here, Star Monster clears the hill and turns in, leaving me about 70 feet, drop the approach close and make the par. Nothing spectacular here, but no mistakes.
Hole 8: I decide that there isn’t much in the way of wind today, so I’ll toss the Beast instead of the Star Destroyer. Good choice as I hit the pole under the basket on the fly, and drop in the birdie putt.
Hole 9: Another tweener hole for me, I decide to just throw my KC Pro Eagle to see what happens. It holds the line perfectly, unfortunately the line I put it on is straight at the woods, well left of the hole. Dammit. I get a bit of a favorable roll and leave myself an opening though. Drop the approach really close and close out with a 3 for an even par round. Emptied my bag driving here just cause I was bored. Had some pretty good throws, backhand was working pretty good with the Leopard and the River.
I’ll be there tomorrow again about noon, hopefully the humidity won’t be so bad and I’ll feel like playing 18. if anyone wants to join me let me know.
Garrett
They’re back 
Disc Golf Weekend
So I played 2 rounds this weekend. 20 holes at Red Oak on Saturday, and 18 at Acorn Park on Sunday.
Since I know that everyone wants to read all about my play for the weekend I won’t hold you up any further. Skins and stoke play on Saturday, skins for the event, strokes for bag tags. Sunday was just a round with Dylan so stroke only.
Saturday:
Hole 1: Drive with the Champion Beast slipped a bit and faded hard left, leaving me 75 feet or so to the pin behind a couple trees, the Firm Ridge doubles as a nice approach disc and drops to a foot away. Drop in the three, no skin as Justin sinks a 20 footer to split the hole.
Hole 2: Drive with the Ridge on this short little hole, clipped a couple trees, leaving myself about 30 feet, dropped the putt close and make the 3, pick up a skin as this little hole gave our whole group some trouble, and both Justin and Dion ended up in deep junk on their drives.
Hole 3: Drive slips off my fingers bad, leaving me very short and on a weird uphill, I pull out the Hornet and slip backwards on my release, pulling the disc way too high in the air and to the left. Scramble to get my putt close and take the 4. Dion pulls out a par and takes the skin.
Hole 4: Drive the Champion Beast to 8 feet? Take the Closest to the Pin? Sink the birdie putt and take the skin? Check, check and check.
Hole 5: Drive the Beast pin high, but the nasty crosswind hauled me way left and behind a screen of trees. Tossed the Ridge near the basket and dropped in the par. No skins as Dion makes a par as well.
Hole 6: I honestly don’t remember what happened here, I know I made par. As did Dion and Justin. It must not have been anything special, probably a decent drive, followed by a close approach and a drop in. That sounds good.
Hole 7: Nice long drive with the Beast into the open on the left, dropped the Ridge close, and nailed the putt. Solid par. Dion and Justin man up as well, and there are no skins again.
Hole 8: Drive hangs up in some brush, and my out hits another tree, made a hard run for the 3, just a bit off, missed the chains, made the short comebacker for 4, but Justin takes the skin with a 3.
Hole 9: My drive gets caught about 3 feet off the ground in a cedar tree. Weird angle for the approach, and I bail out early trying to avoid killing my hand against said tree. Leaves me a long approach that I duff, 2 putts later and I make a turrible 5. Justin is hitting his stride and makes another 3 to take the skin.
Hole 10: Drive sticks in the bush in the center of the fairway. Needed to get it about a foot higher and I’d have been ecstatic. Intstead I have no real out, and I end up on the left side of the fairway with just shy of an entire forest between me and the hole. With no other real options I try a goof tomahawk with the Hornet, and it drops to a foot away. Guess I drop in for the 4. No skins on this hole as Justin and Dion also take 4’s.
So Red Oak is different in that it is 10 baskets and 20 tee pads, so round 2 is shooting at the same baskets from different tees. I posted a 34 for the front side, and while I’m not super happy with that score, I’m not crushed. I feel like I can do better.
Hole 11: Good drive, leaves me a good approach that I drop to a foot, drop in the par and take the skin as both Justin and Dion had some troubles and Double bogey.
Hole 12: Griplocked the ESP Buzz a bit and sent it far right. Into the junk. Have a window to get out and leave it close though, drop in for the par. Justin and Dion do the same, no skin.
Hole 13: Good drive, but I’m on that same slippery weird hill, and I make the same mistake, yanking the hornet up and left, 2 putts again, and I make a bogey. Dion takes the skin with a par.
Hole 14: Drive pin high, but about 50 feet right, Drop the putt right at the base of the pin and take a par. Justin makes par as well, no skin.
Hole 15: Great drive leaves me about 50 feet to the pin, drop the approach close and make the par. Justin makes his par as well, no skin.
Hole 16: Drive my Star eagle a bit long, leaving about a 25 footer. Justin makes his Birdie, I miss and take a par. Justin takes the skin.
Hole 17: Another outstanding drive, and as I go for the approach with the Ridge, I griplock the crap out of it, leaving myself about 50 feet right. 2 putts to put it in and I make a bogey. Justin and Dion bogey as well, no skin.
Hole 18: My Hornet turns a bit early on my drive, leaving me about 30 feet of uphill putt to try and keep pace with Justin who dropped it to about 3 feet. I make a run at it, but just miss the chains and have to settle for a par. Justin makes his drop-in and takes the skin.
Hole 19: My Drive goes too far right and ends up in the trees, I have no real opening as there are small branches all across my field of vision, so I go for blind hope and throw the Hornet as hard as I can, somehow I don’t hit anything until a bush about 40 feet short of the pin catches and holds me, 2 putts from there and I make a bogey. Justin and Dion make Par so no skin.
Hole 20: Another pretty good drive, leaves me about where I was after my 2nd shot on 10. On the left edge of the fairway with about a million trees between me and the hole. I try to catch lightning a 2nd time with another tomahawked Hornet, and instead I leave myself way right and in the woods. 2 putts later and I make a bogey. Justin pulls out a par to win his 5th skin, and take me by 1 shot on strokes so he gets my bag tag which was number 3. I beat Dion so I end up with the 7 Justin just picked up.
Back 10 was 34 as well. I’m still not happy with that score, I feel like I can do better, a couple missed putts here and there really did me in.
Sunday
The Easter Bunny came to my house and delivered to both me and Dylan new Latitude 64 Rivers. Since I have the impulse control of a crack addicted monkey and Dylan is the same. We had to get out yesterday and play. It helped that the weather was gorgeous. So after a nice Easter dinner at Jamies Grandparents house, followed by a nice nap in the recliner while the Twins won, Dylan and I hit Acorn for a quick loop. The place was packed and the round took us a lot longer than normal, but it’s always a good time out there, so what the hell.
Hole 1: They moved the pin here back to the summer placement and I drove it perfectly for the winter placement, putting it 3 feet from the old pin. Instead I have about 60 feet to go as I am way left, and I drop it close for the drop in 3.
Hole 2: Toss the Star Eagle low it takes a nice skip and I think I’m good so I bend down to get my bag. When I look up I see my eagle rolling back down the little incline and across the path into the crud. WhaFuck???? Not happy about this little turn of events, I have no angle to put it close, and end up taking a 4.
Hole 3: Drive goes nice and long, but I leak a bit left, and hit some trees before I can fade back. Leaving a weird shot trying to make it close, but I manage to get it close enough to drop in the par.
Hole 4: Drive the Ridge to 2 feet. Check. Sink the Birdie? Check.
Hole 5: Decided to try the River here as this is kind of a tunnel shot and my normal driver likes to weave a bit. The throw comes off ym fingers smooth as silk, but way too low. Grounds up about 60 feet from the pin, another close approach and a drop in putt for the par.
Hole 6: Last time here I took a 7. And not one of those put it in 2 water hazards and killed a duck kind of 7’s either, just got it into the woods and couldn’t get it out. 7’s make me very sad. Plus the group of like 8 guys with a total of 10 discs and a Coors Light home draft keg decided to let us play through, so with a crowd of onlookers, I toss what has to be the best backhand drive I’ve thrown in a while, great snap and pretty good distance out of my beat up DX Valkyrie. Leaves me about 60 feet right of the pin, another up and in for par.
Hole 7: Drive the Champ beast about pin high, 60 feet or so left, up and in for par.
Hole 8: Champ beast again, leave it about 40 feet left and short. Drop it close and in for the par.
Hole 9: Good drive to the rock. A group of like 8 people have waved us through as they are standing around the stagnant water trying to find a disc. Instead of moving out of the line of fire, most of them are still standing there not really paying attention. I bail a bit on my throw and nail a tree. Leaving over a hundred feet for the approach I again, bail the throw and bit trying to make sure I don’t hit the idiots. And 2 putts later at the back summer pin I make a 5.
Hole 10: Trying the river again on this tunnel hole. Nice smooth drive up. I think the confidence that this disc will go nice and straight is helpful, I don’t need space for it to go left and right. Leave myself about 5 feet with a bunch of trees, drop it close and bang home the par.
Hole 11: Very nice drive puts me in the opening, my approach with the Ridge hangs a bit and fades father left that I wanted, leaving me about 30 feet. Slam it home for the par.
Hole 12: Another hole that lately has been giving me some trouble as I want to work the disc out left to right and there really isn’t the space to work a throw like that so I decided to shoot the River again and try and run it straight up the gap. Still leaked a bit lef,t but far less than before and I end up with a pretty nice drive that leaves me about 50 feet, drop it close and make the par.
Hole 13: Nice long drive leaves me up on the hill about 40 feet away, but with a tree blocking the straight line approach. Drop it close and make the three.
Hole 14: I decide to try and shape a line with my Ridge here, Don’t get enough on it to turn it right, and it fades into the trees on the left about 30 feet short. Again no good approach for the duesce, so I drop it close and take my 3.
Hole 15: Drive starts out looking really nice, but I got it a bit high and clip a dead branch, dropping straight down and leaving me about 90 left of the pin. I griplock my approach into a tree, and still have about 50 feet, 2 more shots and I’m in with a bogey.
Hole 16: Nice drive, leaves me at the top of the hill, about 60 feet away. Again I griplock the Ridge and have to scramble back for a 4.
Hole 17: Good drive pin high about 40 feet right, putt falls just short, and I drop in for the par.
Hole 18: Good drive, slip a bit on the approach and leave it about 50 feet short and left. Let go of my putt and think it is golden. Turns out it falls just a bit short of the winter pin, and I drop in to finish with a bogey.
Overall I shoot a 59 or +5 which is a personal best at Acorn. I felt like it was probably the best round I have ever played. I was putting my shots more or less where I wanted to, and other than the 5 on 9, which I blame the idiots who stood pretty much where I wanted to throw and stared like I was asking their drunk and or stoned asses to solve for x when I asked them to move I didn’t really have a blow up hole. A couple 4’s that I think I could improve on, and I really only made 1 putt longer than about 15 feet. I dropped a lot nice and close, but I still need to start making those long putts a bit more consistently.
Guess it’s back to the practice basket in the front yard for a while more. I think I’m finally found the putter I’ll be using for a while in my old Surly Challenger. It just feels right in my hand, and I’m more consistent with it in terms of getting it close and not having much in the way of roll-aways. Now to start turning those 30 footers that I leave close into 30 footers I make.
