Last week in the world of disc golf, I played in my club’s weekly bag-tag competition, early A.M. as usual. The “flex start” format allows groups to play throughout the day. Because we use Udisc for scoring, that enables players to keep an eye on the scores not just when they are playing but before and after, as well.
Club members who play in the afternoon can watch the scores to see how the course is playing that day— and make note of the current score to beat.
It works the other way for me and my Breakfast Club buddies. If I shoot at least a decent round I’ll check back occasionally on my phone to see how it holds up. If I shoot a really solid or great round I’ll watch to see how long it stays on top of the leaderboard or at least in the top 5.
This is a pretty great enhancement to casual competition, and thanks to Udisc it gets even better. Their live scoring features let us follow other groups’ scores hole-by-hole, so after playing a clean round (other than that roll-away triple bogey) on a very tough layout, I watched and waited. After moving up and down on this list as new players started and others finished, I ended up pretty much where I expected.
The early morning rounds are special anyway, regardless of the associated competition of bag-tags. Birds are chirping and the course is mostly empty. We’re out there together, three or four of us, eschewing our warm beds and embracing (on this day) a blanket of fog in the air and water dripping from every blade of grass. It’s more than disc golf. As my mom would say, “It’s an adventure!”
Speaking of adventures, a company called Humbo asked me to share their list of the best disc golf destinations in the world. Let me know if you agree. What did they miss? Which ones have you visited?
Before I share a few “disc golf makes good” stories, as is my custom, I want to share why I do it. I’m hoping people pick up on the common themes that permeate these accounts of growth in our sport. More often than not they involve people volunteering, donating, and sharing their expertise because they appreciate disc golf so much they feel a kind of obligation to share it.
For instance, thanks Brad Silvers and others the town of Howland, OH has Tiger Town Disc Golf Course, while Trigg County, KY used restaurant tax money and a host of volunteers to build its new 18-hole course. And then there’s Alex Dowley, assistant tennis coach at Albion College in Michigan. He’s doing what he can to grow disc golf there, where will may someday be the HEAD disc golf coach!
For those who didn’t see the cool buy o’ the month, here it is again: The handy-dandy product that serves as a stylish car seat cover, disc golf practice target, and beach towel— just not all at once.
The grommets enable it to be hung up, and the regulation size basket for aiming will hopefully reduce the times someone asks why you’re launching Frisbees at a towel. Get one before they’re gone!
Finally, this week’s disc golf news from the Canadian Front. Moosejaw is getting another 18-hole disc golf course, because one is never enough. My friend Brett in Saskatoon will play them both and report back. Have a great holiday weekend. Let freedom, and disc golf chains ring! And remember those who made it possible.