Today was a LOT of fun! It was a cheap, easy way to add three new courses to my courses played collection! 🙂 But it was finally my chance to play one of the courses locals rave about: L.L. Stub Stewart State Park – Hares Canyon in Buxton, Oregon.
Before I played Hares Canyon, I played a quick warm-up round at a nine-hole course just to the North of it, affectionately named “Lil’ Stub.” 🙂 Lil’ Stub was like a mini version of Hares Canyon…only measuring 1,019 feet over nine holes! But there were still lots of chances to hit trees and roll away from baskets. I ended up getting all of my deuces except for Hole 1 (a tree got me and left a longer putt than I am comfortable with), for a -8 (19) and an estimated round rating of 910.
Then it was time for the main event, eighteen holes of heaven at the Hares Canyon course. And the course absolutely did not disappoint. I felt like Jodie Foster in the movie Contact, when she was traveling through a worm hole to another planet: “No words…they should have sent…a poet!” 🙂 Disc golf, in an area THICK with trees, with elevation change and lots of shot shaping required to have any prayer of a deuce or par, is about as good as it gets. And Hares Canyon had all of it.
If I could spend the rest of my life playing courses like that, I would die a happy man. The Wildcat Bluffs, the Richmond Hills, etc. Why anyone would prefer to disc golf in the equivalent of an open field I have no idea. I am at home, at peace, in the trees. I have been my entire life, with or without a disc in my hand. Which is part of the reason why I have such a love for the Pacific Northwest and Northern California. Being in the trees, even trees that were around long before my grandparents were born? I feel a “connection” to the land. To history. ANYWAY (all that gushing aside, LOL), I actually managed to play Hares Canyon pretty well too! I shot a -5 (54) for an estimated round rating of 974. Rock solid! It always makes me happy when I play the really good courses well.
Playing two courses on the property was great, and they both were a lot of fun! But before I could leave, I needed to try and find the third, less-known course on the property: L.L. Stub Stewart State Park – PP. I have NO idea what the “PP” stands for! 🙂 I asked a couple of local players in the area, and they didn’t know either! I am drawing a blank.
It took a while to find! And when I asked staff at the park for help in finding it, they said they didn’t know it existed. But I am stubborn, and after snooping around for a good 15-20 minutes, I finally found it (then told park staff where it is). A little three-hole, 389-foot course. I managed to deuce each hole, but my estimated round rating was a whopping 744. So since I did not get any aces on my three attempts, I have brought shame upon my DGA family?! 🙂
Oh well…I’ll need to hunt for that Oregon ace another time. It is a good example of how estimated ratings maybe aren’t the most reliable way to judge one’s performance. Though it is “pretty good” at telling me how I’m doing (a ~950-rated player, even though my official rating with PDGA is down in the 920s, since I rarely play in sanctioned leagues or tournaments).
Magic Number = 86 (1,914 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.