After reaching 2,000 courses played two days ago, and after enjoying our youngest daughters’ performance at the 44th Western International Band Clinic in Seattle, we helped our daughter cross an item that has been on her “bucket list” since 2015: Visiting the locations that were featured in the Twilight movie series. 🙂 But of course, with me up at the crack of dawn, and our daughter not wanting to get out of bed for a few hours? It just wouldn’t be right to sit around awake and bored, in our hotel room for a couple of hours. And there IS an eighteen-hole disc golf course in Port Angeles, the town where we spent the night. What to do…what to do…
Like Evergreen State College in Olympia, Washington Lincoln Park DGC in Port Angeles was my type of course! Heavy, HEAVY trees and all sorts of narrow, technical lines you need to hit to have any chance of putting a good score on the card. So much fun! Only one problem: The longer I was there? The harder it rained. A cold, hard rain that soaked me and my backpack entirely! I wasn’t shivering, but it was VERY uncomfortable to play by the time I reached Holes 12-13. I played decent considering the conditions, managing a -1 (53) on the 4,881-foot course, for an estimated round rating of 928. But I was excited to race back to the car after finishing Hole 18, turning up the fan and heat…seeing if I could at least partially dry out before getting back to the hotel to see if my travel companions were ready to go. 🙂
After packing up the car and heading West, it was on to Forks, Washington, to see lots of sights and movie props that were associated with the Twilight movies. A woman at the Visitor Information Center and I were joking about how a knock/dig against Coos Bay, Oregon is how it rains ALL…THE…TIME! Averaging 64 inches of rain per year. She rolled her eyes and said we were amateurs, since Forks, Washington averages 144 inches of rain per year. Twelve FEET of rain! Think for just a second about how much water that is, falling on the community, every year. It’s no wonder they have absolutely mammoth trees that grow in the Olympic National Park and Forest.
Of course, Forks did also have a small three-hole practice course in one of their community parks. So while we were in the area? You know what I had to do. A quick, wet, three-hole round where I shot a nine over three holes. I have no idea what the estimated round rating would be. But it wasn’t about the round rating, as much as crossing off the most Northwest course to play in the continental United States. CHECK! 🙂
Magic Number = -2 (2,002 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.