Today was another chance for me to play some additional courses in Cincinnati and Indianapolis, something I’ve been meaning to do for a while now (long before spending a bit of time on this trip as I was driving to North Carolina). But before I got to tackle a few more courses in each city, I wanted to try and get ONE more course played in West Virginia!
I had an ulterior motive in sneaking in one more course in West Virginia: the skies were supposed to open up and it was supposed to rain, hard, in this region of the country today. I thought I might be able to sneak at least one course in before getting wet! But as I was in the middle of playing Hole 9 in Barboursville? Yep…it started to rain. My kingdom for ONE day on the course collecting trail without wet feet! 😀 Oh well. I made it back to the car after taking “shower #2” on the morning, managing a sub-par -3 (53) and an estimated 898 rated round.
After getting soaked on the back nine, I decided I would put some miles in behind the wheel. Try and dry out and get North of the rain. I made it up to just South of Cincinnati, pulling into the parking lot of Alexandria Park in Alexandria, Kentucky. It wasn’t raining nearly as hard, but there was standing water everywhere! “Squish-squish-squish.” My feet, socks and shoes were pretty gross…and I knew what I would be doing in my hotel room tonight: using a hair dryer to try and dry out both of my shoes. 🙁 And playing in the temporary “swamp,” I struggled my way to a -2 (29) and an estimated round rating of 852. Ugh.
I thought I would drive into the North side of Cincinnati and check out Burnet Woods at the University of Cincinnati, but I could not find anywhere to legally park! Seriously, I think I made an entire circle around the course, and didn’t find a single place to park! Disappointed, I then headed over to St. Bernard DGC, but was met with more disappointment…as it looked as though there was an elementary school using the space (adjacent to a school) for school activities. And I REALLY didn’t want to explain to school staff or local police what a 50-year old stranger was doing hanging around a bunch of elementary school-aged kids in the middle of a school day. So, wet, smelly, defeated, I raised the white flag of surrender after going 0-for-2 on the North side of Cincinnati, turned tail and headed West, toward Indianapolis.
As I left Cincinnati, the rain was letting up a bit more. And by the time I arrived at County Farm DGC in Aurora, Indiana, the rain had all but stopped. Though the ground was still covered in standing water. “Squish-squish-squish.” An extra minute or two with the hair dryer in my hotel room tonight! I ended up shooting a +3 (59) for an estimated round rating of 924. Not terrible! But I wasn’t in the best of moods being wet and cold, thinking about how bad my car was going to stink as a result of my shoes. Though I did meet a nice woman at that course who asked if I had played what she thinks is the best course in the area (Avon Town Hall in Avon, Indiana). And the cool thing was, as a non-local, I had!
The next stop on my day was Beech Grove Middle School in Beech Grove, Indiana. The rain had stopped by now, but the course was soaked (as was I). I played one of my worst rounds on the trip, a pathetic -3 (24) with an estimated rating of 819 (sigh). But I just kept reminding myself that my course collector rating still went up by one. Though I redeemed myself by the time I got to Indianapolis, playing the long tees at Brookside Park for my best round of the day: a -1 (56) and an estimated round rating of 978. Dr. Jekyl? Meet Mr. Hyde.
I felt a little bad as I was leaving Brookside, as there was a boy, probably about 11-12 years old, BEGGING me to stay and play another round with him! I told him I couldn’t, as after 72 holes and being soaked through to the bone, I was ready for a warm shower and a date with my hotel room’s hairdryer! That, and I wasn’t sure if his parents would appreciate seeing him on the course with a stranger. I talked with him a little bit, made sure to compliment a few of his practice putts and shout a “nice” out the window as I drove past after he made a good approach shot on one of the early holes of his round. Only AFTER the disc had come to a rest, for any of you wise guys who are going to tell me: “don’t ‘nice’ him, bro!” 😛 But I was done for today.
Magic Number = 268 (1,732 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 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.