Today was an absolutely beautiful late Fall day here in Southern Minnesota! The mid-40s for temps, a bright sunny sky, and no snow or ice on the ground. So when my youngest daughter asked if we might be willing to take her up to her favorite Savers second-hand store, to see what deals on young women’s clothing she might be able to find, and I happened to notice a new 18-hole unplayed course within fifteen miles of the store on my unplayed courses map in UDisc? We decided to scratch our respective itches and each have a fun To Do on a day when we otherwise had nothing planned.
The course wasn’t quite what I expected it to be. Listed as eighteen holes on UDisc, First Calvary Baptist Church in Inver Grove Heights, Minnesota actually only has nine baskets. DGCourseReview.com only considers it to be a nine-hole course. And it alternates, odd-numbered holes being “short” and even-numbered holes being “long.” That means that instead of 1-9 being “short” and 10-18 being “long” in DGCR? It is red tees being 1/3/5/7/9/11/13/15/17, and blue tees being 2/4/6/8/10/12/14/16/18.
Hanging with me so far? 🙂 It certainly doesn’t matter if you simply play the course as an eighteen-holer. But it made me recording scores and adding photos on to DGCR something where I practically needed to take off my shoes and socks to count! LOL.
To make matters a little more difficult, the course was crawling with people! No surprise on such a beautiful late November day. But since eighteen holes play at only nine baskets? It made for S–L–O–W play. Fortunately the other groups out there let me play through once they noticed me standing around on the tee behind them. I was in no real hurry! But when I play slow, I tend to “lose my rhythm” and struggle with accuracy on the tee and in my putting game. Though I still managed to shoot a solid -15 (45), for an estimated round rating of 1011.
My best shot on the day, and hopefully a sign of good things to come, was on the Hole 6 tee (above). After the group in front of me cleared the hole, I decided I would experiment with a 167g ProLine Tempest off the tee on the 292-foot hole. I have been intending to try and work the ProLine Tempest into my bag, as it seems as though it should be a “bigger, longer ProLine Undertow.” And while throwing lighter plastic into a cross/headwind (wind coming from in front of me and to my left as a LHBH) was probably not the smartest move? I let the Tempest rip on the left edge of the fairway. And right as it was nearing the trees that guard the basket long, left and right? The Tempest gently faded right…coming to a stop five feet to the right of the basket.
As I walked up to drop in my deuce, the guys in front of me had waited on the next tee, so they could watch me throw. They said: “Why don’t you play through” after seeing me park the previous hole. 🙂 It is always nice when other players can see you make a great shot! Though I always make sure to “act like I’ve been there before.” Even though when I walked up to Circle-1 and saw where my Tempest came to rest? I wanted to do a little Howard Dean impersonation: “We’re gonna deuce 6….then 7….then 8….and we’re gonna deuce all the way to Hole 18…..[crazy yell]!” 😀 And of course, thinking like that, then karma got me on Hole 16, chunking an approach shot with a dad and his two sons looking on. Exhibit A on why I will probably never be more than an age-protected Am Masters player in a competitive sense. Jekyl and Hyde, particularly with a putter in my hands.
Magic Number = 108 (1,892 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.