Today was the day I had rescheduled from three weeks ago, heading over to Southern Wisconsin for two sales meetings at work, as well as my efforts to design a new disc golf course in Wisconsin (my first course design in the State). During the last weekend in April, my efforts to complete said tasks were postponed due to snow. So we crossed our fingers that this weekend would be much better weather. And while it was warmer? It rained quite a bit today…getting me nice and wet as I did a little course collecting on my way to my meetings and accommodations for the evening.
My first stop was at Pine Lake Camp, near Westfield, Wisconsin. A short course at a Methodist (private religious) camp, it uses “recycled” DGA baskets and has a number of downed trees and other clean-up work on the fairways that is needed. That said, the land used for the course was high ground, beautiful for disc golf! And if a bit more course maintenance could be completed, along with a bit of a re-design to make better use of the available acres? Long story short, I think the property has a lot of potential.
After Pine Lake Camp, I made my way to Green Lake Conference Center, near Green Lake, Wisconsin. What a beautiful property! Green Lake Conference Center sits on what I was told is the deepest lake in Wisconsin, with several hotels and meeting/event spaces on the property. And since I arrived at 3:30pm for my 4:00pm sales meeting? Well I just HAD to check out their nine-hole disc golf course at the Center. 🙂 The course was fine, okay…pretty typical for a nine-hole recreational course. But the person I met with at the property told me that the course you REALLY want to play in the area is Zobel Park. No time for Zobel on this trip…but hopefully I will be back, with time to check that course out, along with a couple other courses near Ripon, Wisconsin that I have yet to play.
After my sales meeting at Green Lake, I thought I would tempt fate and try and squeeze in a few more courses before I lost daylight (and dry socks and shoes, ha!). My first stop after Green Lake was at Markesan High School in Markesan, Wisconsin. And luck was on my side, as while the ground was still wet from some earlier rain, at least rain wasn’t falling from the sky. I could not find the Hole 5 tee and basket for that course, so I had to make up one “safari” hole between Holes 4 and 6 where things looked like they wanted to be. But otherwise a fun little course. Not one I would go out of my way to visit and play! But an enjoyable quick nine holes.
After Markesan, I made my way to Fox Lake, Wisconsin to check out Fireman’s Park. And the “weather gods” were smiling down upon me in Fox Lake as well…as while the ground was wet, it wasn’t raining! Though the skies were looking ominous to the South and West, so I played as quickly as I can. Carding a quick 23 (-5) over nine holes, for an estimated round rating of 944. It was a strange course. A couple good, fun holes, but a couple of real head-scratchers. Like Hole 8 (pictured above). A wall of trees to the left, forcing you to throw over a ball field to a basket within ~15 feet of the fence, basically making the hole unplayable if there are any games being played on that field. And Hole 7 wasn’t much better…forcing a bit of a blind, dangerous tee shot that even skilled players would have difficulty executing.
My fifth and final stop on the afternoon was at Randolph Park DGC in Randolph, Wisconsin. And while it wasn’t raining when I started my round, my luck ran out before I could get back to the car. It didn’t rain hard until I was back on the road, but it was a cold rain, and after playing with wet feet for much of the previous several hours? I was ready to be somewhere warm and dry for the evening. But even if I was a little cranky and tired as a result of being wet and cold much of the day? It is always a good feeling to add to the ‘ol Course Collection. And five new courses played on the day was 2-3 more than I thought I would have time to play. Positive yardage! 🙂
Magic Number = 494 (1,506 Courses Played)
About Tonn’s Travels
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.