Work for Southwestern Oregon Community College brought me back South, DEEP into Curry County and into Brookings, Oregon for the next day and a half. So while I was in the area, I had two courses circled on my Must Play List on this trip: Azalea State Park and McVay Rock State Park, both located within 5-6 miles of where I am staying tonight. I ran out of time to visit both courses today! But I will get McVay in the morning, so long as the weather and my health cooperates.
I didn’t really know what to expect before arriving at Azalea State Park…but can I still say it was not at all what I expected? 🙂 A mix of some really short, easy holes, some really unsafe hole designs next to other park uses, and a couple of holes that were all but impossible to play without losing a disc.
Hole 6 at Azalea, for example, is all but unplayable to players possessing anything but good/strong skills on the course. I think the tee sign for Hole 6 said: “Risk your disc!” And it didn’t lie. 🙂 I’ve been playing disc golf a LONG time…and that tee shot scared the daylights out of me. Fortunately, I got lucky and didn’t have too much trouble locating my tee shot, but if you were a beginner or recreational disc golfer, who is just developing skills and owns 2-3 discs to play with? Hole 6 might be just hard enough to convince you to take up a different hobby/sport.
Most of the course was pretty easy to play…very easy to par throwing mostly (only) my DGA ProLine Squall! I wound up shooting a -8 (46), but that was only good enough for an estimated round rating of 928. I was just happy to get a +1 added to my Courses Played Collection. We’ll see if I can sneak a couple of courses in tomorrow.
Magic Number = 33 (1,967 Courses Played)
How it All Got Started: Tonn’s Travels >>
A main purpose of this blog will be to share information, helpful tips and tricks (everything from health and fitness to methods for saving money while you’re out “bagging courses” of your own), and ideas for better, safer course design. But I am also hoping to inspire others with my passion for the sport, via the stories I can share about all of the interesting experiences I have. All of the interesting people I meet. All of the amazing courses I am blessed to have the opportunity to play. If I can inspire even a handful of individuals to get off the couch, get “out of their bubble” or “security blanket” and explore more of this big, beautiful planet we all call home? Then I will consider this effort a success.
About Derek
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.