I didn’t have a lot of time to work with today, with everything else I had going on. That said, I was able to sneak down to Sanford, North Carolina this morning to play a quick eighteen holes at O.T. Sloan Park. My plan most of this trip is to try and play the courses furthest away from our housesitting locations at the beginning of our stays. That would make each subsequent day a little less of a time commitment to get to and from. And Sanford was was of the furthest distances away from our housesit in Fearrington Village that I was thinking I would be able to play, so it was nice to cross this course off the “To Play List.”
I enjoyed my round this morning, as it was another one of my favorite styles of courses (lots of trees, rewarding technical accuracy more than distance, at only 4,405 feet over eighteen holes). I managed a -5 (49), for an estimated round rating of 989. Though I also did something I haven’t done since I’ve been dealing with a ribs and sternum injury: I was able to throw one of my DGA ProLine Squalls over 300 feet. Uphill.
I caught up to a group of three on the 309-foot Hole 10. They asked if I wanted to play through and I said sure. I was going to reach for my Undertow…but then I thought: “Nope…I think I can get the Squall inside circle one.” So I reached in my pack, grabbed the Squall I ALMOST lost in that liquid HAZMAT site I played at a week or so ago (LOL), and let ‘er rip.
Put a little “extra” juice on the throw…as 309-feet is a decent drive for me the past two years…much less with an approach disc. It went screaming at a small cluster of trees on the left side of the fairway, dipped JUST below their branches at the last minute, went up a ~7-8 foot hill, and skidded to a stop five feet right of the basket. The three guys said: “….nice throw, man.” I wanted to let out a yell, as well as try a cartwheel or two. But instead, I just calmly said: “thanks,” and acted like I’ve been there before. 🙂
Later that same round, I also found a nice disc with no name on it near one of the baskets. There were a few other players on the course ahead of me, so I stuck it in my backpack to see if I could catch up to them and ask if it was theirs. After about a hole or two, a guy can running back toward me, asking if I had seen a disc. I pulled the disc I found out of my backpack and asked if this was his disc, and he said “thank you” about a dozen times…as he said that is “THE“ disc he uses for many/most of his approach shots, and he just happened to forget it on the hole where I found it. So that was nice, being able to return a lost disc to its owner, without needing to worry about shipping costs. Though without any ink on it? I don’t know how I ever would have found the guy who lost it.
After getting back to our housesit, it was time to get back to work. I had a LOT to do today…but I was happy to get at least one new course played before getting to it.
Magic Number = 157 (1,843 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.