Today was a travel day from Fearrington Village back over to Asheville, North Carolina. A solid half-day in the car, including a stop at Cook Out for lunch, along with Ellie (15) getting a chance to roam the clothing aisles of a nearby Goodwill store. It was our third or fourth stop for a meal at Cook Out on this trip, as the value for the meal (burger, two sides and a drink for ~$6-$7/person) was excellent. Plus it was our excuse to enjoy Cheerwine drinks or floats, as it is not something we can find in stores or restaurants around Minnesota.
After having our hunger and consumer itches satisfied, we put more miles on the van before eventually deciding that we needed a stretch break. When I have my wife and daughter(s) with me, “stretch break” is code for “let Derek get out to play nine holes of disc golf while we go for a short walk or just enjoy the fresh air and sunshine for ~15-20+ minutes.” I got out my handy UDisc app, saw what my nearby nine-hole options might be, and decided that we would head to Morganton, North Carolina to check out Bethel Park DGC.
The first two holes of the course were straightforward enough! But then on the Hole 3 tee, the tee pointed out to a basket in the distance. I figured that must be the Hole 3 basket, so I threw my tee shot out that way. Parked my second shot, then as I came up to drop my Squall in the basket? I saw that the basket had an “8” on it. So I wandered around the park a little bit, lost until I eventually saw the Hole 3 basket tucked WAY up a hill. I re-teed from the Hole 3 tee, made my way up the hill on my second shot, and got my par…only to wonder where the next hole might be.
I saw a tee a bit down and to the right of me, but as I started walking in that direction (of what I later learned used to be Hole 4)? I noticed a concrete tee seemingly pointing to nowhere down a hill. I walked about 50-60+ feet down that narrow path, only to see a basket at the bottom of a hill. “A HA! That must be Hole 4!” So I threw my shot down the path, down the hill. Not close enough to get my deuce! But good enough to get my Par 3. I then headed back up the hill, to that other tee I saw (for old Hole 4), quickly got my deuce, then became confused again…as the next tee I saw had a sign saying it was Hole 5.
“Didn’t I just play Hole 5?”, I thought to myself. Oh well, maybe that hole I played down the path/hill was a “bonus” hole? Maybe the course now had ten holes? I threw an absolutely beautiful tee shot with my Undertow, down the hill and approximately four feet left of the basket on the 278-foot hole. So with a bit of a spring in my step, I threw in my deuce putt, then looked for Hole 6. But I looked for several minutes, and all I could find was a tee sign with “Hole 8” on it. Now I was REALLY confused. 🙁 I went from thinking the course might have a tenth hole to wondering if it only had eight!
I didn’t know what else to do but throw my tee shot and putt on Hole 8, then get ready to throw my tee shot on Hole 9. It was right about then that another player came up and said he noticed I played Hole 3 wrong (the first time). I asked him if the course only had eight holes, and he said there were actually nine. So we walked back up the hill by the Hole 3 basket, by the new Hole 4 tee, walked down to the Hole 4 basket, then headed South. And there, a few dozen feet in front of us, was the new Hole 5.
It actually was a neat little hole, with a left-to-right flight path off the tee. I was glad we found it, as I could take the picture (above) and add it to the DGCourseReview.com website. And after finishing Hole 5, I made my way back to the Hole 9 tee and finished my round.
I got all nine holes played on the course! But it took at LEAST 10-15 minutes longer than it should have. If ONLY I knew of a company who made/sold some great tee signs, that could help future new players at Bethel Park not wander around aimlessly on Holes 3-9. If only… 🙂
Magic Number = 144 (1,856 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.