Less than twenty-four hours after laying in an emergency room bed, and “floating” around a bit today while on two different pain medications (as a result of the kidney stone that I have yet to pass), I decided to take it easy. Only playing 43 holes of disc golf. 😀 I know, I KNOW! I can hear and see my mom giving me a VERY disapproving look, telling me that I need to be smart/careful. Not push myself beyond my limits! But I would then need respond by reminding her that if I didn’t chronically push myself beyond my supposed limits? My resume would be approximately half as long, and I MIGHT have around 500 disc golf courses played.
Because of my pain, I thought that other course collectors might forgive me by sneaking in a couple “junior” disc golf courses today in Spokane, Washington. 🙂 I don’t like playing too many nine-hole courses in my quest for 2,000 courses played, and I REALLY don’t like playing many courses that have less than nine holes! But I thought that being fresh off a stint at an Idaho ER, those other course collectors might forgive me. Just this once…ha!
My first “junior” disc golf course on the day was Friendship Park Jr. DGC. Three holes, measuring a whopping 401 feet! 🙂 I got my three deuces, but DGCourseReview.com punished me for not getting any aces, to the tune of an estimated round rating of only 804. I think that is entirely unfair…getting an estimated round rating in the low 800s if you don’t sink a “tee shot” (putt) of between 107 and 148 feet in length! But I suppose I am lucky to be able to add a +1 to my Courses Played Collection, so we’ll call it even.
After that quick warm-up, I headed over to North Spokane YMCA in Spokane, Washington, where I had one of the more uncomfortable encounters of my trip! As I was taking pictures from every tee box (to add to course directories), as I generally do as I play new courses, I saw in my peripheral vision a woman to my right grab a stick and then walk briskly toward me with said stick. As she got close to me, she started yelling at me about “not taking her picture,” and how it’s not okay to take pictures of kids! (?) She said: “I am thirty, but I look fourteen, and perverts like you taking pictures of kids is NOT okay!”
I had no idea what she was talking about, as I wouldn’t have even noticed she was there if she hadn’t hustled over toward me, acting as though she was going to hit me with that stick. I’m sure something that happened in her past made her assume that people are guilty until proven innocent! 🙁 But as I got closer to the YMCA, I reported her to staff at the center. Letting them know that an angry, seemingly unstable woman had yelled at me, implying that she was going to hit me with a stick. They appreciated the heads-up. And despite the distraction, I managed a -8 (19) for an estimated round rating of 960.
After that unpleasant experience, I was able to play one of the best nine-hole courses I have enjoyed in quite a while: Whitworth Back 40 in Spokane. Lots of trees, elevation change and great lines to try and hit off the tees! Such a fun course. And as I was having a lot of fun, my play responded in kind, to the tune of a -7 (23) for an estimated round rating of 1041. If I lived close to that college campus, I would be playing that course a lot! A lot of fun.
After Whitworth, it was back to my second “junior” course of the day (sorry other course collectors): Loma Vista Jr. DGC in Spokane. Four holes totaling 617 feet. I got my four deuces, and DGCourseReview.com was a little more forgiving in giving me an estimated round rating of 910 this time. But again, you need to throw in from 108-197 feet to get a rating better than 910? Seems unfair, but whatever.
As we needed to leave Spokane and push as deep into Oregon as we could before calling it a night, those pain meds were still working pretty good! So good, in fact, that I begged my daughter (driving, since I am not allowed to drive while on those meds) to make ONE MORE stop on the day: Tree Top DGC in The Dalles, Oregon. I REALLY wanted to play this one, as I needed an eighteen-holer to not feel dirty for adding three-hole and four-hole courses to my collection today! 😛 But I also have wanted to play that one for a while, since our company actually designed those tee signs. After several years of being out in the sun, wind, rain, etc., those tee signs still looked great! That made me happy, as every single one of those tee signs we create represents a little piece of my life, my time. And since we are creating them while representing the greatest disc golf company on the planet? I want to do right by DGA and make sure they have happy clients.
I was actually surprised at how well I played at The Dalles, managing a -4 (51) and an estimated round rating of 994! Though by Hole 18, my kidney stone was talking to me, telling me to knock it off…or I might need to become familiar with another ER/hospital somewhere along I-84 or I-5. So I decided to live to fight another day…feeling content with the +5 courses added to my Courses Played Collection on the day.
Magic Number = 43 (1,957 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.