Ode the the best unwitnessed round.
Posted by dizzydevo January 4th, 2008. Discuss
As I brave the chill of the day knowing that with this round I still have the edge for the Ice Bowl coming up, just need to see if the backyard practice has helped or not.
I don the bundles of clothing and the wonderful pocket warmer I found. I grab my trusted new Star Stingray and my Star Aviar. Knowing that is the only 2 discs needed, as they are the best assult I have for now. I take a warm up throw to get the coat adjusted and the layers fitting just right. Bam 40 feet into the righthand side tree that I have hit many times before, not a good sign. I take a drag off my now almost finished smoke, walk down humblely to retrieve the bad throw.
Taking my time to get back to the 1st tee I ponder the tips from Ron Howiler. I set everything down and grab my trust Stingray, I know this disc, it is the better version of the very first on I threw back in 1988. I have thrown this disc many times and have done well.
Step up and take a deep breath, relax, take a few aiming fakes, yeah that feels right. I make the drive with a good hardy release but darn (not what was really said), to high and it's in the lower branches, not to good. Crash, bang, thud and in the mud but still in play with not the worst location for a 2nd throw.
I grab the Aviar knowing that this is the putter I need to learn better. If I can make putts with this one then I am well on the way to a better 2nd year. I think of what Ron has told me for a putting style that should work for me. I go through the motions he had shown me and got a breathing rythem going, this feels good, the release and ching off the chains from 50 feet out. That is a good sign, I had a good 3rd shot for an easy par.
The 2nd hole was a cake walk, heck I almost aced it 2 months into playing. Same thoughts and the same bad high release with a good landing for an easy deuce 30 feet no problem. Over confidence kills the best intentions. I take the needed new technique for putting and I hit the top of the basket into the chains and flop off the rim and on the ground. So it's one of those gonna fight for the deuces that's 2 already and hole 3 is next.
I feel less confident now but assured that I would at least have par but now much over par at worst. I take aim and let loose with the best throw yet good height maybe a bit to high but had the distance. Bam of the edge of a tree near the basket with a bad flight off to the left. Not a good spot but manageable for a par. I take aim and bam off the same darn (see above) tree I just hit before but at least the lie is a good one not to hard to make. I take aim and ching, through the chains and past the basket by 15 feet. One under par now that is not a good sign but at least the putts have been closer and more on target than in the past.
Hole 4 the worst case senario for a righthanded disc chucker like me. During the summer the hole has a completely different view and once the leaves are gone some new flight paths can be seen. I found one that would work for me that had the hook to the left. A good strong throw with the Stingray and whoosh right through the line I wanted and into the side of the hill but safe and stable enough for a possible deuce shot. Uphill works for me it plays to my one strength, throwing up. Just wish it had the extra distance to make it to the green just 6 feet uphill. I take my time and plant my feet, take aim and Ching My Deuce!!!! Yes that's what I'm talking about man. Hole 5 here I come look out I'm back to par.
I take a small rest break at the picnic table pondering the rest of the day and rolling a smoke, darn nic fits are a pain when it's cold out and you roll your own (and don't say the obvious "why didn't ya just roll a few ahead of time?", like duh, I did have, but not enough made for the hole round. 2 isn't enough and the first one was during the arrival and practice). Anyway, after the 5 min rest and thrist quenching I take aim on tee 5. Yeah this feels good and swoosh down to the right but straight into a tree to a dead stop and a bad lie. O-tay I can recover, NOT!!!! I make the 2nd throw and bam into another tree and yet another bad lie but possible to make, NOT!!!!! the 3rd throw does clear the trees and make the green but that puts me back to 1 over. So much for the deuces effort.
Hole 6 yeah this is gonna be good. I have done well with this hole no problem I want to try a new way to throw for the hole. I almost aced this one with my leopard so why not try it that way to throw maybe that will get he hook to the left to make the basket.
Cool good line got the distance cool got the hook going, clack into a small branch and kills the hook and drops but a good lie for a deuce or easy par, 55 maybe 60 feet tops. I grab the Aviar and take the needed warm up and make the throw right past the basket but online to make it if it was to the left a foot but to hard. 30 feet over thrown but still a good shot for par, NOT!!!! Hit the chains and flop to the ground. 2 over now not looking good.
Hole 7 and the dreaded telephone pole and lines with the dreaded tree not even 15 feet away giving a narrow path from the tee for the ams to make. I've hit both pole and tree so many times but I have made it through cleanly with some good throws in the past to the odds look good. I sail the Stingray with surgical precision through the pole and tree with an excellent height. Yes a good strong throw with a favorable hook to the left. Sweet it's gonna get close to the basket, it nicks a tree and dies on the downward flight and lands 15 feet fromthe basket. Looking at the lie I say to myself, "you can make this for a deuce just follow through". I make the deuce and dance the jig of extasy. Cool back to 1 over. Hole 8 and Hell's Hallway are next.
I get to the tee and set my bag down and take a good look down the dreaded path of doom. Only good straight throws can get you to the basket, either side is a tree line of doom or hillside and tree line of doom. The saplings make your discs do wierd things when hit. I grab the Stingray and do the warm up and swoosh down the path but slightly off to the right, if it stays straight I could be doomed I see the ending and it didn't look good. To my surprise it hits the lower branch of a smaller tree and took a good hook to the left I was 35-40 feet from the basket Whoo Hoo!! Relying on the the tips and what I have learned with the past 7 holes and putting should get me what I was wanting. Bam the duece was made and the jig was a going strong now. Hole 9 look out I'm on a roll.
I would have attempted the long tee over the pond but didn't take to well of the idea loosing my best disc. So off to the short tee I am not that confident in making it over the pond yet. I take my usual aim on this hole and I have gotten to a regular landing zone each time recently so I have gotten past this hole fairly well. You land enough in the drink with bad throws you tend to want to throw better the next time to help lessen the chance of that happening. I make the throw and it goes to the left slightly off target but still looks good to get past the water and to dry land at the end. It glances off the right of the big tree in front of the basket but it goes to the "landing zone" cool I have a shot for a deuce a again, NOT!!! Denied by the bottom pole of the basket and a low throw. Oh well I'm still 1 under.
Hole 10 the fine line of oops. I have had a good mix of both good and bad throws on this hole. I have not tamed it yet. I step up to the tee feeling the buzz of being 1 under and on hole 10 with knowing I have that many deuces and almost deuces I was feeling it. I let loose with an over height chunk that fell way short of anything worthy of calling a good throw followed with a bad spot.
I take the 2nd shot and it lands solid close to the basket for an easy par. Cool still 1 under.
Hole 11 here I R. I look around to make sure no other kids are close by because a family is by the gazebo with a young kid and possiblly another. I take my time to make sure they are in a safe zone for my throwing distances and they are. I take a good aim and get a good feeling about the throw before it was made. I look off to the right still clear and I still see them in the safe zone. I let loose and it's a good one with a good line off to the right, it makes a hook to the left and drops for a solid thud 30 feet from the basket. An easy slightly downhill toss if you take the time. I wind up and ching in the chains I R 2 under now Whoo Hoo!!!!
I gather my composure after doing my jig of victory and look up and see the family there still watching me. I stroll off to hole 12. I place my bag on the bag holder and take a drink grab my Stingray and start lining up the shot. The way I have been throwing on this hole I either thread the needle and make it past the trees or I choke and die behind them. At least it's not it the water as much anymore. I take another look and start aiming up the throw. I let loose and it threads the needle like it was meant to be and I hear the family behind me saying wow nice throw, of which it was, (thank god for that one). It makes a good landing about 50 feet from the basket but still a trickky shot through the trees to the basket. I let loose with the 2nd throw and it hits one of the trees close to the basket and dies, easy par and still 2 under.
Hole 13 fairs no better on the list of good holes for me but I have had moments. I figure I take the usual throw with the emphesis on a strong level throw. It was level but a bit to low to the ground, maybe 4-5 feet tops but not much more than that. It hooks to the left slightly but made it past that pasky little evergreen next to the basket. It looks to be a fairly doable shot through the backside of the branches on the tree but some of the basket is open. I make for the safe shot and land it close to the basket for the easy par.
Hole 14 I take aim for the throw. The lines to the baskets have all changed without all the growth around to block the views. Is there a line I can take other than what I have been shooting for? Odds don't look good in that department. I let loose and swoosh off it goes, best bee line stright throw down the left side of the fairway and on to the long tee area for hole 15 but still a tad short for that spot. I have a good open line to the basket so as long as I don't over throw I should be fine. I make my par and off to 15 I go.
The basket has been moved to the winter location and the short tee location has been moved as well. I have only played from this spot 3-4 times before this so still not to sure with the hole this way. I look down at the basket straight ahead. I look at the 4 foot high electic box post just 20 feet directly in front of the tee. I look at the trees I have hit before. I take a deep breath follow the tips and let loose a mean flight just the perfect height to get over the electric post, it stays level about 10-15 feet off the ground. Wow this is going straight for the basket I'm gonna get an ACE!!! NOT!!!!! It takes a drop in height and goes down quick landing just 10 feet short of the basket. I got another deuce Whoo Hoo!!!!!! 3 under and Quiggly can't beat me. Jig dancing all the way to the tee for 16.
Hole 16 yet another disappointing almost ace in the past here. I take the usual confident stance for this hole trying to keep in mind that I need to continue to follow through. I take aim and let loose with the throw. It's off to the right and into the patch of trees in that direction not looking good but at least it's not as bad as it has been. I get a typical 2nd shot from the tree patch landing it for an easy par. Whew that was almost a killer.
Hole 17 and I am 3 under best game ever going on and I am riding the jig wave. I take a breather and smoke a cigarette (kind of an oxymoron), quench the thirst again and grab the trusty Stingray. It has done me well. I take aim and let loose. It's a bit higher than I wanted but it has the distance. Noooo not the the left, to the right you dumb bunny with a splash in the creek and an OB, not looking to good here folks. After about a 10 minute search for the disc I locate it and determine the OB spot take aim and it looks good. Nice spot for a par shot, Not I hit the rim then the chains and onto the ground, darn (see way above). Back to 2 under, oh well it's where I was at for the best game ever so far, I can live with that. On to 18!!!!
I get to the long tee on 18 because I like the uphill challenge with the tree line the way it is compared to the short tee. I have deuced the hole before from the long tee so why change a good thing. I stand there looking for the line I want to take I make my throw and it looks good. Sweet 20 feet or so from the hole with no obstuctions. I DEUCE IT!!! 3 under. Whoo Hoo!!!!
Since getting back into the game/sport this past year after a 18+ year absence this has been the best round ever for me at the Freedlander Park Course. My goal for the end of the season was par or better and I have been getting close to consistent pars for the course. Don't get me wrong the +6 games are still gonna creep up on me but that is starting to look like it will be longer between them.
What a difference a year makes. I started with having +15-20 down to a steady +4 to +8 to hitting a steady par to +6. What will this next season have in store for me?
dizzydevo Says...