On my map of unplayed disc golf courses in UDisc, there has been a course not too far off my route between Coos Bay and Portland, Oregon that has taunted me for a while now. Eighteen holes in an area where there are precious few courses left in Oregon for me to visit and add to my courses played collection.
The course says it is only available to play for employees and their guests, so I normally would not be welcome. But I think I’m a harmless, reasonably nice guy (ha), and it is one of those instances where I can say that I play for Team DGA and MAYBE be invited to play somewhere that I’m normally not welcome. So I did a bit of research to see who a good contact for the course might be, then took a chance by sending an email to that individual.
I was pleasantly surprised to receive a prompt reply, saying that the individual would be happy to meet with me and play a round. I explained that I am the “walking wounded,” and to not expect too much out of me on the scorecard. But he said he didn’t care at all about that, and he would be happy to use some time in the early afternoon to show me around the course. Only under ONE condition: That I not tell anyone the name or location of the course.
Apparently, their security officers have encountered people who have trespassed and/or lied their way on to the property in the past. So my contact didn’t want me telling people that I was able to access the property, in case other people also then thought it would be okay for them to come and play too. I said I was happy to agree to those terms, asking if it would be okay to include a few photos of the course/property that wouldn’t give away where I was. Even going so far as to show the photos I had taken while playing, to prove that there was no identifiable information in them. The contact person for the property said that was fine.
The “Mystery Course” was a LOT of fun! An average of 215 feet per hole. Water came into play on a handful of holes too, to keep players honest if they wanted to try and run their aces. And I played pretty well on mainly one leg, shooting a -10 (44). I missed one putt I should have made, but other than that? I stuck every putt and approach shot I should have.
I will admit that I was very nervous prior to the round. The person who let me on the course ended up being an organizer of one of the area’s leagues. Well-connected in that area, and a good person to try and have think DGA is a great company, with great players representing them. I didn’t want to show up on the course, throwing lots of terrible tee shots and missing lots of makeable putts. As even though he knew I was hurting (wearing my knee brace, limping, and standing still on the tee and in the fairway)? That can subconsciously convey that if I’m not very good (at disc golf), and DGA is investing in me as one of their Ambassadors? Maybe DGA isn’t as good as they claim to be?
Instead, I played just about as well as I could have under the circumstances (minus that one missed putt). So I think I earned the right to have DGA’s logo on my shirt and the back of my jacket today. Representing them well not only as a nice guy, but as a competitor/player. I take every single opportunity to represent DGA as a chance to have people think: “What a nice guy, working with a nice company, throwing discs that seem to be radar-controlled. How can I get some of those DGA discs in my bag too?!” LOL.
I’m hurting a bit after that round. Eighteen holes was plenty on my knee today. So I might try and rest-up for a few days before playing any more disc golf.
Magic Number = -105 (2,105 Courses Played)
Derek Tonn is a member of the DGA’s Ambassador Team. His company, Mapformation, LLC, has been DGA’s partner in the development of disc golf tee signage since 2012. The longer our two companies have worked together, and the more Derek has gotten to know all the great folks at DGA, the more he has wanted to formally sing the company’s praises. The more he has realized that “Steady” Ed’s (the father of disc golf and the modern-day Frisbee) vision for the sport and his company perfectly describes his own interests and priorities related to disc golf, and the more Derek has recently been encouraged to share his story.