Monday, May 26, 2008

Attention All Santa Cruz Disc Golfers: This Is No Drill!

Greetings from DeLaveaga Disc Golf Course in Santa Cruz, California. And now, greetings from the DeLaveaga Disc Golf Club as well, as I am serving the club as vice president this year. I've decided to use this forum to report on club happenings in addition to my normal fare of general disc golf topics. I'll try to keep you up-to-date on club happenings as things happen, and pass on stuff of interest I learn at club meetings and elsewhere. So what's up lately? Plenty!

The day of the last meeting (Feb 13th 2008), we met with a City of Santa Cruz parks dept. official who informed us that the City is moving ahead with various improvement projects relate to the course. This despite the fact that Gov. Schwartzenegger vetoed the 'landswap' bill that transferred the land on which our course sits from the National Guard to the city. Obviously
the city is confident that they will get the land eventually. So confident, in fact, that they created elaborate drafting blueprints indicating the changes they plan to make to the parking lot and the
course. On the surface, most of the changes seemed positive to those of us that scanned through them, but changes to the course seem imminent. The good news is that we should have a paved parking lot by the middle of the Summer, and more importantly the city is openly asking for our
feedback to their plans.

Right now we get around 15 people at the club's monthly meetings, and those of us that attend will discuss the pros and cons of the plans, and come to a consensus on how to reply to the city. I have to admit, it's a tremendous responsibility to speak for thethousands of other disc golf enthusiasts that care what happens to our course- especially since we can't be sure we know how the majority feels.

If we could get most of the people who play DeLaveaga to join the club and come to meetings, we'd be in a much better position to ensure that the course remains open and available for everyone to
enjoy. Not only is it extremely important to demonstrate to the city at
every opportunity that we have a large, organized body of city and
county residents (and people from out of town) that strongly support
DeLaveaga Disc Golf Course. If we can get a large body of disc
golfers either coming to the meetings or at least responding to e-mail
questionnaires about the future of the course, we'd be able to more
accurately represent the wishes of the Santa Cruz disc golf community.
THAT'S WHERE YOU COME IN.

DDGC Membership Drive 2008

If
everyone who reads this not only joins the club, but encourages the
other disc golfers they know to also join, we can easily get to where
we need to be numbers-wise. (Hint: One way to spread the word is to
e-mail a link to this blog to every disc golfer you know. Here it is: http://www.santacruzdisc.com/blogs/delablahg.php?title=attention_all_santa_cruz_disc_golfers&more=1&c=1&tb=1&pb=1)

We
think we've made membership pretty affordable this year, with the
option to get some cool club stuff while supporting a good
cause. Here are the membership options:

-Base Membership $10

-Base Membership plus club Bag-Tag $15

-Base Membership, plus club Bag-Tag and cotton membership shirt $25

-Base Membership, plus club Bag-Tag and dri-fit membership shirt $35

We'll
be launching the Membership Drive at the DeLa Monthly on Saturday March
1st @ 9:00 AM. so, you can join the club/renew for 2008 then and get
your shirt, whether you play in the monthly or not. If you can't make
it Saturday, we'll soon have a link on the front page of www.delaveagadiscgolf.com
(look in the upper-left corner) that lets you pay with PayPal and
either pick up your shirt and/or tag at the course, or have it mailed
to you. You can also see pictures of the tags and shirts through that
link as well.

Even if I was not the VP of the club this year, I'd
be writing just as emphatically to you my fellow Santa Cruz disc
golfers to join the club this year and come to meetings. With the
city's involvement and planned changes, 2008 will be the most important
year ever to the future of DeLaveaga Disc Golf course
. If you care
about the future of the course, and would also like a voice in that
future, now is the time to join the club and get involved. If you have questions, you can e-mail me directly at deladiscgolf@gmail.com.

Patience is a Disc Golf Virtue

In disc golf, self-control is paramount to success. This particular virtue comes in many forms, but the one I have in mind today is patience- with your own game, with others, and with everything else that pops up in the course of a round of golf.

Patience seems most important to me during the Winter months, because the weather is colder and the teepads and terrain are often slippery after it rains. When the air is cold discs don't travel quite as far, which is due to a combination of the phyics of the air itself and our bodies not being quite as loose. And when we're not properly warmed up and loose, we lose that fluid quality that is so important to throwing a disc accurately and far. Also, if the surface we're trying to plant our feet on is wet and slick, it adds yet another element that makes executing the shots we have in mind more difficult. The natural result is a greater margin of error, and usually scores that trend upward. Because of this we must remember to be patient, and keep a few things in mind.

First of all, these tougher conditions are just a fact of playing disc golf in the Winter, so we need to adjust our expectations accordingly. For me, a -5 with the course soggy after a recent storm and a temerature? of 38 degrees at teeoff is better than a -8 with perfect sunny weather and dry teepads. Second, the conditions of the course are the same for everyone. No matter who you're playing against, I guarantee that his or her average score goes up when it's wet and cold.

I've learned to recoginize - either at the outset of a round or after a few hampered throws - when conditions will limit what I can accomplish that day. I then adjust my strategy and expectations accordingly, and try to do the best I can within the new framework of potential. If the teepads are slippery, I sacrifice some distance for the sake of more control since I'm more likely to slip if I go with 100 percent power. If my hands are cold and numb and my muscles feel stiff, I'll be more conservative with my upshots and putts to make sure I don't take extra strokes by giving myself unneccessarily long putts.

Maybe the weather is great, but you still start poorly. No problem! One of the great things about golf is the fact that each hole gives you a fresh chance to do something good. One of the biggest mistakes a golfer can make is to let the last shot influence the next shot (or hole). Don't feel that you need to 'make up for' the bogey you took throwing OB on hole 6 by going for a risky birdie run on hole 7. Be patient, and evaluate the risk/reward of each shot based on its own merits.

Although it isn't really what this article is about, patience with the other things you can't control is also very important. If you find yourself getting antsy waiting for someone to make their shot, or the general pace of play on the course that day (this is especially common during tournaments, of course)? try to relax and enjoy the moment. A watched pot never boils, as they say, so let your eyes wander to something else on the course, like another group putting out, or even a bird in a tree. If you have a tricky shot coming up, use the extra time to give that shot more consideration. Most people don't have as much trouble noticing and dealing with external issues, though. Much tougher is the ability to recognize and properly handle what's going on in one's own head. That's the kind of patience that is harder to devlelop.

A good example of this was my experience at the DeLa monthly last weekend. I started on hole 1, and right away noticed that the cold weather combined with an injury I had to noticeably reduce my distance off the tee. I then realized it affected my putting touch as well. I told myself that par would be good enough as long as I felt so cold and stiff, and proceeded to get par on each of the first 11 holes. A couple birdies just sort of came to me on holes 11 and 12 (good things come to those who wait, after all), and after a double on 13 and a birdie on 15 my score was -1. I still didn't feel right, so I remained patient and kept playing conservatively. Then my patience began to pay off.

With 18 in the log left position, I threw a great turnover drive (I 'm a lefty) and based the hole. More importantly, though, I noticed that the temperature had risen a bit, and my stiff hip had loosened up as well. I ended up at -6, including birdies on 3 of the last 4 holes, and tied Jon Baldwin for first in the Open division. The thing I felt best about wasn't the 1st place finish- it was the fact that I was able to recognize what I'd be able to accomplish that day, then maximize my potential within that box. That kind of round - a patient round with a happy ending - really feels good afterward. And it just happened to be good enough to win.

Course Configuration Update

Hole 1 Short

Hole 2 Top

Hole 3 -----

Hole 4 Short

Hole 5 Short

Hole 6 Short

Hole 7 Short

Hole 8 -----

Hole 8a Left

Hole 9 Short

Hole 10 Long

Hole 11 Short/Left

Hole 12 Ultra-Short (Island)

Hole 13 Short

Hole 14 Middle

Hole 15 Short

Hole 16 Right

Hole 17 This hole is closed

Hole 18 Short Left

Hole 19 Short

Hole 20 Right

Hole 21 -----

Hole 22 -----

Hole 23 Left

Hole 24 Short

Hole 25 Short

Hole 26 Short

Hole 26a Short

Hole 27 Short



Using a rating system where each hole is rated from 1 to 5 (with one being the easiest possible location at DeLa and 5 being the most difficult), this configuration rates a 3.11. So, while not being the longest layout, it's far from the shortest. Also, according to my figuring, 10 holes are in short positions, 12 are in long positions, and six are neutral.

First Ace of 2008

I witnessed what I'm guessing was DeLa's - and who knows, maybe the world's - first ace of 2008. We were on hole 26, and he threw a heavy Cobra. In fact, it was the collectors disc Tom Schot sold before the Masters Cup last year for the spectators of the 'Showcase Skins' round to get the autographs of Climo, Nate, Des Reading and Stevie Rico. Gregory didn't get the sigs, but he got the ace. In my book, that's better. I especially appreciated it because when the disc hit the chains, it was ending it's natural flight anyway, meaning it was more skill than luck. The sound was more like a that made by a disc thrown 50 feet as opposed to 250 feet. It turned out to be a close-to-personal best round for Gregory, too, so all the better.

A nice surprise

Nearly a year ago I accepted Josh Barnett's invitation to check out the unofficial Santa's Village course in Scotts Valley that he and Jammer designed. We tried to have a tourney, but the Scotts Valley police chased us outta there. Before that happened, though, I managed to lose a prized disc- a yellow Champion Cobra that was my go-to midrange disc. Out of the blue, a couple days ago, Josh called me and said he found it, in a hollow log, right where it disappeared. I saw him at the course the next day on hole 5, cleaned the weird fungus off of it, and threw it as my drive on hole7. Birdie! Look out world . . . I gots my yellow Cobra back!

The Tortoise vs. The Hares

At the course recently for a round with Assaf. It was a gorgeous blue-sky day, and the course wasn't too crowded. We had reasons to want to play a quick round, and just ahead of us on hole 1 a solo player teed off. This guy was a big lug kinda guy, and he moved slower than I think I've ever seen anyone move on the course. I made the comment to Assaf that it seemed that a person would have to consciously slow themselves down to go that slow. Needless to say, we were trying to finish our round in under two hours and figured we'd have to get past this guy to have a chance at that kind of pace. However, we didn't get the chance to pass him until hole 6, as he waited on the bench with one shoe off for some reason.

We seized the opportunity to ask to play through, and he was nice enough to agree even though we were a twosome. This is when it began to get wierd. I had already referred to him as the 'Turtle' due to his almost perternaturally slow movement, but it soon became apparent that he was in fact a tortoise, and we were on this day hares. I thought we were playing pretty briskly, but looking back from the fairway of hole 8, there was the turtle, moving as slowly as before but right behind us anyway. The scene repeated itself? time and again as we spotted him on the tee for 13 as we finished the hole, driving on 15 as we walked away from the basket. Each time he was walking at the same languid pace, yet he remained right there with us. I remember one time in particular that Assaf went down into a canyon a little ways, and I thought that hares would go astray like that, while the tortoise stays on the fairway and plods ahead.

Unlike the story, these hares didn't get passed by the tortoise, but I can't help but think that maybe he was pulling a great practical joke on us. Walking ridiculously slowly whenever we could see him, and jogging when he was out of our site. If it was a joke, he got us good. We were really perplexed by the whole thing- or maybe amused is a better word. If you see the Tortoise out there, tell him the hares said 'Hi'.

Who in Santa Cruz Doesn't play Disc Golf?!

The only bummer about disc golf in Santa Cruz is the fact that we only have one course. DeLaveaga Disc Golf Course is so crowded these days, the parking lot is mostly full even at supposedly non-peak times. For instance, on a recent Wednesday at 10:30 AM many holes seemed occupied as I drove in, and by the time I finished my round the parking lot was mostly full. Another example: I used to start weekend morning rounds at 7:30 and was almost assured of an empty course in front of - and usually behind - me. These days there are usually 10 or more cars in the lot by 7:30 (1/2 hour after sunrise right now), and 30 or more by 9:00. It's great news that so many people in the area have discovered our great sport, but there is also nothing like a round of golf with DeLa all to oneself. The really great news? Hopefully by this time next year we'll have new courses at Aptos High School and Pinto Lake in Watsonville. When you see flyers requesting support for these new courses, please help in any way you can. Remember, the more people that play these new courses, the less traffic (and wear-and-tear) at DeLa.

A good bag-tag match

I played a great back-and forth match for tags against Gregory Friday. Our scores were nothing special, but the match was close the whole way and the lead changed hands three times, with the better tag (my #10) in play right up until the last shot on hole 27. The first movement came when I double-bogey'd hole 5, getting my upshot stuck in one of the smaller trees that guards the basket. Then, on holes 8 and 8a, two bogies for Gregory and a birdie for me flipped the script and gave me the lead. Fast-forward to hole 19, where Gregory began a hot streak that turned a two-stroke deficit into a one-stroke lead after birdies on 19, 20, 21, 23, 24, and 25. We both had long birdie looks on 26, with G going first. But he fell hard out of 'The Zone' inexplicably throwing his disc into a tree right in front of him. He bogey'd to fall back into a tie, meaning he needed one more stroke to take the tag. On 26a, I threw first and threw within 25 feet to the right of the basket. He put the pressure right back on me by basing his drive, making me sweat out my birdie putt (it went in, but shakily). On 27, his desperation super-long birdie attempt failed (but it wasn't short) and my tag was safe for another round. We tied at -3.

Good bag-tag match II

Two days later, Gregory and I played for tags again. It seemed like it would be another down-to-the-wire affair, and for most of the round it was. The thing I really liked about this round was the clean-ness. Until Gregory bogey'd 11, we were both bogey-free. In fact, I finished bogey-free (unless you count my double on 13). He built a two-stroke lead with birdies on 3 and 6, and I continued a recent trend of no birdies on the front holes (none until a nice one on 10, in fact). We both picked up birdies here and there, and after his on 19 we were tied. I jokingly referred to the holes to follow as the 'Gregory Holes' since he's been hot on the finishing stretch. But it was my turn this round, as I nailed birdies on 20, 21, 23, 25, 26, and 26a to finish -7. Gregory didn't keep pace, and ended up -1. Still, for most of the round he had me looking over my shoulder.

Pin Placements

This section of DeLaBlahg will eventually contain detailed descriptions and multiple photos of every hole at DeLaveaga Disc Golf Course, but for now I've at least listed the current basket locations as of 5-26-2008.

Hole 1 Short

Hole 2 Long- Cliff

Hole 3 -----

Hole 4 Long

Hole 5 Short

Hole 6 Long

Hole 7 Short

Hole 8 -----

Hole 8a Right

Hole 9 Short

Hole 10 Long

Hole 11 Short/Left

Hole 12 Canyon

Hole 13 Long

Hole 14 Middle

Hole 15 Long Right

Hole 16 Long Right

Hole 17 This hole is closed

Hole 18 Short Left

Hole 19 Long

Hole 20 Right

Hole 21 -----

Hole 22 -----

Hole 23 Right

Hole 24 Long

Hole 25 Long

Hole 26 Short

Hole 26a Short

Hole 27 Long

Big Sur Royale

I finally got the chance to play the Big Sur course I'd heard others rave about for several years now. Surprise, surprise . . . they were right!

The Course: It's almost a given that when you take a landscape that includes Redwood trees, soaring mountains, and a bubbling river, then add baskets, the experience will at least be visually stimulating. But I want to give the Monterey Disc Golf Club credit for designing a course that had a great variety of shots and was really fun to play. Of course, I may be a little biased considering the course is quite lefty-friendly, but I heard nothing but positive comments from the other players as well. We played flat holes, downhill holes, uphill holes, and holes that were mostly wooded and also mostly open. The river came into play on maybe 4 or 5 holes, and even on the water holes discs could be retrieved. The teepads were pretty solid, all in all, considering they were natural and temporary.

The campground: A little pricey, but waddya expect? It's Big Sur, and the facilities and ammenities matched the gorgeous natural surroundings, so I thought it was worth it with or without the disc golf. The place also has a good restaurant, tavern, and store, so if you want a quasi-camping experience this is a good fit.

The tournament: I came back with several general impressions when this tourney was over, but the most prominent was that Fun really did seem to rule. My best explanation for this was the fact that, with nearly 60 of the 74 participants in Amateur divisions, this was for the most part an Am tourney with a small Pro contingent. I've been playing in the Open divisions for so long now, I forgot how different the atmosphere is when Am players get together. These are people that are here more for the experience, fellowship, and partying than for the rush of competition. I think people still have a good time at Open tourneys, but their primary focus is on playing well- even before and between the actual rounds of golf. I experienced a little nostalgia for those more innocent Am days, even though back then I was one of those players that was more into winning than anything else.

My personal experience was limitied to the 4-person Open Master group of Marty Hapner, Mike Brown, Steve Thomas, and Mike's ever-present dog Skippy. Merle Witvoet, who used to live with Mike, nicknamed Skippy 'Two-Stroke,' and I can understand why. Skippy didn't dart around like some dogs do when discs are thrown, but he didn't stay out of the way, either. Even though the dog didn't really bother me too much (I was enjoying the laid-back atmosphere too much to be uptight) he really should not have been on the course during a PDGA-sanctioned event.

In some ways this event was excruciating, because I didn't feel like I was playing good golf, and yet I was always within a few strokes of the lead. I guess I was aware that I was right there with a chance to win, but didn't deserve to be. Finally, with three holes left to play, I birdied to take the lead over Mike and Marty. But Mike was not to be outdone, and he matched my birdie on the next hole, then reeled off another on the hole after that to tie it up. Then, on the last hole of regulation, he stepped up on a difficult river hole and drove to within 20 feet. I had to do likewise to force a playoff, and I did . . . whew! We basically traded mediocre throws for the first couple playoff holes, and I won it on the third with a nice long jump putt for birdie.

If you haven't played in this event, I suggest you do. If you've never played in a PDGA tourney, this one would make a great first tourney experience.


Twist and Shoot

How to shave strokes off your score by opening your mind and twisting your body (and I'm not talking about meditation or yoga).

I know it?s a stretch (that was truly an accidental pun), but whenever I have a shot that is difficult and requires me to throw through and around things, I purposefully think of the old game Twister. You see, I?m willing to contort myself any which way to get the best chance at the best shot for the situation. Otherwise, I might get lazy and sometimes try to execute a slightly lower-percentage shot just because it?s ?easier? to get to. But more to the point, lazy or not, I think we often don?t see all of the options on each shot. Ours brains tend to focus in on the most obvious choice and settle for that. You can save strokes simply by opening your mind enough as you size up each shot to see all the options in front of you. For me, this is where the game Twister comes in.

When I have a tough lie, I picture myself keeping one foot behind the marker and stretching the other foot out in different directions. Then I check out the possible routes from each position, from the skip-shot I release barely inches off the ground to the floater aimed at an opening between branches. Switch foot, repeat. Often just by doing that, or even picturing myself doing it, I see a route or and/or an angle I didn?t see at first. Obviously, it takes practice to the point of intuition to be able to do this in 30 seconds or less. But if you, like me, are not gifted with scary skills or distance, it's worth it.

Angles
If you're not yet open to opening your mind when considering all the different openings for your throw (whew!), consider the following about how much difference a few inches can make:

One of the great and unique challenges of disc golf - as opposed to stick golf - is the amount of potential obstructions between you and the target. Even when you?re close enough to putt (and especially at DeLa) you?ll find yourself with low hanging branches, tree trunks, bushes, etc., close to where you want to throw.

When this happens, try to imagine the line your disc typically follows on the throw you plan. Hint: putts almost always have more arc than you think, so keep that in mind. If it seems likely it will hit something, try to change the line by stretching out left or right, or moving up or down. Especially consider going down to a knee or even sitting down to putt (if the putt/throw isn't too long). Changing your release point by even a few inches will change the angle and line of your shot significantly, maybe allowing a legitimate run where before there was none. And if you're good at geometry (I'm not) you'll know that the two inches difference at the point of release can become two feet of difference after the disc has travelled for 20 feet or so. You may have a low ceiling that forces you to throw the disc on a lazer beam-like line in order to keep it high enough to get in the basket, and those shots tend to be 'do-or-die' attempts that zoom their way into 30-plus foot comeback putts. By getting down on one knee, both knees, or even into some kind of sitting position, you've bought yourself the few inches necessary to go for that putt without risking an extra stroke if you miss.

If you compete in tournaments or just enjoy besting your friends, employing this advice is an easy way to save a couple strokes per round. Just remember: Twist and shoot!?

Originally Blahged Friday, July 28, 2006- Updated October 25th, 2007

DeLa Sunrise

This morning I experienced the very essence of the type of round I enjoy most at DeLaveaga. Teeing off just after sunrise , we played a completely-devoid-of-other-humans round, in perfect conditions. It was a nice bonus that I shot at least average (-4 and clean), and Assaf came within one stroke of his personal best of zero par. He noted that for the second round in a row he avoided any double-bogies or worse, an objective I always tell Am players to focus on.

We took some pics in addition to the one above, and they can be seen (maybe) in my santacruzdisc.com gallery.

I'll be playing in the Big Sur Royale event this weekend, and will hopefully have some Blahg materials and photos to post. I wonder if my broadband card or wireless will work there??

Disc Golf Etiquette

In the world of disc golf, many players are unfortunately not even aware of the 'etiquette' concept. I'd guess that most players have had no exposure to ball golf prior to discovering disc golf, and everything about our version of the sport is more casual. Most courses have no pro shop, no marshal, no tee times, and feel much more like what they are: a public park where people can come, go, and do as they please.

However, anyone familiar with ball golf knows that etiquette is a big part of that game. Golf is a self-officiated game, with no referees, umpires, or the like to point out when a player has broken a rule or committed an infraction. But 'golf etiquette' is specifically concerned with the unwritten rules that have less to do with the scoring part of the game and more to do with respect for the other players in your group and on the course.

According to Merriam-Webster, etiquette is defined as 'the
conduct or procedure required by good breeding or prescribed by
authority to be observed in social or official life'. In the ball-golf
world, this translates to a universally-understood group of social mores that all serious competitive or even learned recreational players observe. The more casual nature of disc golf means that the rules of etiquette for our sport will differ as well, but we still have to act within unspoken but generally agreed-upon mores.

I personally enjoy a disc golf setting that simulates this aspect of ball golf as closely as possible, and if you're reading this Blahg odds are that you treat your rounds of disc golf as more than just tossing plastic for a couple hours as well. If that is the case, please read the non-exhaustive compilation of disc golf etiquette guidelines and let me know what you think. Tell me if you agree or disagree, and if there is anything I overlooked (which I'm sure is the case).

In general:

  • Groups should be no larger than five players. If you must play in a herd, be very sensitive to smaller groups behind you and go out of your way to offer to let them play through.
  • If you notice that a group behind you is waiting for your group, offer to let them play through. Everyone should be able to play at the pace they desire if possible.
  • If you notice a player on a nearby hole getting ready to throw or putt, and see that you are in their sight-line, stop moving and talking until they release their disc.
  • If possible, try to grant the requests of other players, however ridiculous they may seem to you (like "don't talk to my disc" or "don't stand directly behind me-even if you're 15
    feet away". It's always easier to just take the high road and
    let it go.
  • One big difference between ball and disc golf is the fact that it is common for disc golfers to start on a hole other than Hole #1. This is okay, but if you do 'jump on' in the middle of the course, take notice of the groups on the preceding hole(s). It is bad form to start on, say, hole 7 if there is a group putting out on hole 6. That group will suddenly have to wait behind a group that just jumped on, and that ain't cool. If you do 'jump on' in the middle of the course, try to find a spot where you don't interrupt another group's flow.
  • If you feel compelled to share etiquette tips with others, make sure to pick your words and tone carefully. Most players are not 'rude' on purpose, but out of blissful ignorance. They don't consciously plan to aggravate you. And they may be disc golfing for the first or second time ever, so try to enlighten them with a smile rather than scold them with a scowl.
  • If you see an errant disc disappear into the rough near you, from another hole, take the time to give the unfortunate thrower an idea of where to look for her/his disc
  • If you find an abandoned disc, attempt to reunite it with its owner. Ask the groups ahead of you if they left a disc behind, then either turn it in to Lost & Found or call the phone number on the bottom.
  • Some obvious ones: Pack ALL of your trash, including cigarette butts; pick up and remove your doggie's doo
  • Speaking of dogs, keep your dog on a leash, and don't bring a dog on the course at all if he/she is likely to bark uncontrollably or chase random discs

Within your own group (these are subjective, depending on what you and your playing partners find acceptable):

  • Stop moving and talking when another player reaches the teepad. He/she may not seem ready to throw, but everyone has their own pace and focus strategy and deserves silence and stillness when it's their turn. Same goes for putts and to a lesser degree upshots, since you may be standing far apart in the middle of a long fairway.
  • Stay perceptively behind the disc of whoever is out (the player whose disc is furthest from the hole). This one is obvious, but also easy to violate.
  • Don't talk about someone else's game unless they bring it up.
  • Don't talk about your game too much.
  • Don't talk too much, period. Unless your regular group likes to talk nonstop, of course, in which case- gab away! But keep the volume at a level that doesn't force other groups to listen to your banter.

That's all I can think of for now, but I'm eager to hear feedback from others.

Ace on hole 15

The view from hole 15 at DeLa (to the left, over the canyon) is pretty almost any time, but especially on a clear day, in the early morning. The backdrop was crisp and clear there today as we arrived at the halfway mark of our round, with Gregory and Assaf both giving me a run for my money (or in this case bagtag) once again. I think at that point Gregory was at +2, I was at +3, and Assaf had rallied back after a rough start and stood at +5.

I had the teepad, and promptly threw one of my most recently-purchased gummy Beasts a few feet from the pole. Assaf also put his close enough for an eventual birdie, and Gregory strolled from the place where we nornally wait our turn to the tee. As he walked over and then went through his back-healthy routine of simulating a left-handed drive (for spinal balance), I commented on the wisdom (or lack thereof) of a remark I had made in the beginning of the round. After Gregory had thrown a so-so drive on #1 and hit an early tree on his upshot, I said out loud " I think Gregory is gonna be a pushover today. He has visions of sugarplums dancing in his head." (Gregory is dating a new woman and seems quite enamoured). Anyway, I think Gregory used it (the comment- and maybe the woman too, come to think of it) as motiviation, as he played a very tenacious round and led most of the way.

As Assaf and I recalled my comment and how Gregory seemed to be feeding on it, he launched his drive. From the place we were standing - under the oaks to the left and in front of the tee - the disc is visible for the begiinning of the shot, then disappears for most of its flight. For that reason onlookers typically glue their eyes on the basket area waiting for the disc to reappear. I saw the red cobra emerge from the left, then slam the chains and settle in the cage maybe one second later. Assaf and I went crazy, and Gregory seemed stunned into momentary paralysis. We had to convince him it was in.

So that was pretty cool.

And then, as if there was still a little magic in the air, a father-and-daughter twosome played with us on 16 since it was their last hole. Dad nailed a 130-foot par 'throw' from a spot near the right pin placement. And that was pretty cool, too.

The pebble has been snatched from my hand- almost

I haven't had too much time to play disc golf lately, with the exception of the tournaments mentioned in my previous blahg entry. Too busy with work, travel, and other stuff. But I found time today for a round with Assaf, and quite the interesting round it was. In the immortal words of basketball legend and noted sage Karl Malone, "The pebble has been snatched from my hand." Well, sort of. Almost. Check it out:

We agreed to play a semi-speed round, and thought that the rainy weather would translate into a less-crowded course (it did). The course was wet, but the rain didn't fall the entire time we played. Now Assaf has never beat or tied me, and he's only come close a few times. But for some reason he plays better golf when he's running from hole-to-hole (he recently played an entire 28-hole round in 40 minutes and shot a +2, which is only one more than his personal best, I think). I, on the other hand, am more likely to shoot my best when playing at a normal pace.

When Assaf got pars on each of his first six holes, hitting all his makeable putts, I knew I was in for a match. Then, on hole 7, my par putt hit the front rim and rolled WAY down the hill behind the hole. After my desperation upshot stayed in a tree still 35 feet short, I 'saved' a triple bogey 6 with a nice uphill putt. Suddenly I was three strokes back and Assaf was looking pretty solid and comfortable with the quick pace.

We both bogeyed 8a and birdied 9, but I also birdied 10 and 12 to tie the score (he also bogeyed 11). Historically, I've pulled away at this point, either due to me stepping it up, Assaf leaking oil, or both. But not today. Most people know that hole 13 at DeLa is know as I-5 , as in "What did you get on that hole, dude?" "I fived!" Well, today a five would been fine. In reality, my second shot rolled halfway down the slope to the left of the fairway, and my third shot - after hitting a tree in a fruitless attempt to get out of jail - rolled right past me and continued ALL the way down into a wet, slippery, deep crevice within the ravine. For my fourth shot, I had no choice except a 30-foot toss to get some kind of look, my 5th left me still far from the hole and in jail, and in the end I needed a good putt to 'save' and plus-four 7 on the hole. Assaf collected a routine 4 (basically par for hole 13), and I was right back to a three stroke deficit.

On holes 14 and 15 we posted back-to-back star frames, and then again on 18, and the thought did occur to me that I had just birded three holes out of four and not cut into his lead at all. For the most part, Assaf played really solid today. He didn't miss any easy putts that I can remember (he usually does), didn't have any disaster holes (his only double-bogey was due to a lost disc on hole 19), and just seemed to play up to his potential the whole round.

Going into hole 21, Assaf clung to a one-stroke lead but coughed it up with an errant drive. It was once again tied, and stayed that way until hole 24. Then he birdied and I bogeyed, and his lead was up to 2 strokes again. It didn't occur to me until just now, but I hadn't led in this round at all!

On hole 25 we both got par, and the same on 26. Still a two stroke lead for Assaf, with two to play. On 26a, I birdied, and Assaf's putt did everything but go in. It hit top nubs and bottom nubs, and even a little chain, but no go. One stroke with one to play; Top of the World.

After my birdie on 26a, I had honors to throw first. My wimpily failed attempt to be aggressive with my lefty hyzer over the road for birdie resulted in a safe par look, Assaf's drive turned over a little too much and flew past the tee for hole 1. Assuming he would still get a par, I went for the 100-foot birdie but still kept it close enough for a par myself. Assaf's upshot snagged the oak to the right and in front of the basket, and his putt to win slid off the cage on the left side. A handful of onlookers near the bench (who know us) groaned because it was that close. We tied at +3

So Assaf didn't quite snatch the pebble from my hand like Kung-Fu, but he did tie me for the first time. And if he keeps playing like he did today, it's only a matter of time. I'll stave him off for as long as I can, but when he finally does beat me, no one will be happier than me.

There is a joke there somewhere about pebbles and Rocs, but I'm done for now.

2nd Place, whether it matters or not

I play in the 'Pro' divisions, and in NorCal that means stiff competition no matter how big or small the event, whether I'm playing Open or Masters. It's also dawned on me that in tourneys my distance is now a little less than the average competitor. I can barely throw 400 feet, and it seems almost everyone I play against can throw further. The only way I can be competitive is to play really clean golf and hit lots of putts, and both require a great deal of focus. For this reason, I find the important tournaments a little stressful, or at least mentally taxing. How do I define important? If a tourney is PDGA sanctioned, affects my player rating, costs more than $75 to enter, spans two or more days, or all of the above- it's important.

The Faultine Classic, which is one of two annual PDGA events at my home course, DeLaveaga DGC in Santa Cruz, was played last week and it's what I consider an important event. Not only does it meet all of the above criteria, how well I do in that event factors into whether I get to represent Team Santa Cruz in San Diego in December- a match play event that has been going on for more than 25 years. So at least in the context of my personal world of disc golf, it's important.

For events like the Faultline, I've conditioned myself to try to make fun, socializing, imbibing, and even enjoyment secondary to score. My casual rounds provide me with plenty of time to indulge those visceral benefits, and I guess I'm one who feels compelled to feed the need to test (prove) himself from time to time. Then there is that whole different kind of disc golfer, and my friend Gregory is in that second group. We use DeLa bag-tags and occasional small monetary bets to inject a competitive element into our weekly rounds, but Gregory feels no need to take his competitive jones any further than that. He hasn't played any kind of tournament for years, even though he's pretty good and has been getting better and better over the past few years.

I somehow convinced Gregory to be my partner in a worst-shot doubles event at San Jose's La Raza and Hellyer 9-hole courses, part of a celebration of the 10-year anniversary of the installation of Hellyer's course (one of the courses I've helped to install). Part of my logic in convincing Gregory to play was the fact that the 18-hole tourney would be a low-key, fun-first event. Indeed, it was just that, and as a good contrast to the Faultline, it served as an example of what I'd consider a competitively non-important event. Following is a summary of both events, and why I enjoyed each immensely for what they had to offer.

The 2007 Faultline Classic

The Faultline is a pro-only event, meaning no amateur divisions are offered. Either play with the big boys and girls, or don't play. It's also billed as the California State Championships, but this year it had a bit more local flavor due to a conflict with one of disc golf's majors, the US Disc Golf Championships in South Carolina. For that reason current World Champ and lifelong local Nate Doss, among many others that usually attend, were absent. Add to that the fact that the club was a little lax in getting the word out, and the divisions were wide open for locals to win. And win they did.

Jon Baldwin won the open mens division, Jim Hagen won Masters, Kristi King won women's open, and the final nine was all locals- Jon, Don Smith, Stan Pratt, and quasi-local J. Michael Barry. Usually, when I follow along as part of the final nine gallery, there is maybe one local participant in the top four and I root for him. This time all four were friends of mine, so I felt conflicted. In the end, I'm glad Jon held onto his four-stroke lead (barely) to capture a win that will hopefully (and deservedly) put him on the map. He's a disc golfer that makes the most of his abilities and does everything well, on the physical as well as mental side. Plus he's a truly good guy. But the other three are, too- hence the 'conflicted'?

Side Notes:

  • It was especially gratifying to see Stan gets results in a tournament equal to his abilities. In my opinion it was only a matter of time, so hopefully he can use this as a springboard to continued success.
  • J Michael Barry qualifies for the age-protected Grandmasters division, but he now often chooses to play Open. No wonder! He won the SF Safari, and finished 2nd in the Faultline, with only a spit-out birdie putt preventing him from tying Jon on the last hole of the final 9 (hole 27). Michael provides inspiration for those of us trying to play their best golf after 40.
  • Prior to this event, Jon Baldwin and I tied at the last three major events at Dela (two Masters Cups and a Faultline). Thanks to his -14 in the first round this year compared to my (ugh) par, that streak ended rather abruptly
  • I ultimately finished 2nd in the Masters division, one stroke behind Jim Hagen, and after that horrid first round 2nd place tasted pretty good. My gameplan worked out for me, as I minimized mistakes and hit the birdie putts when I had them (after the first round). The last two rounds I had only three total bogey strokes, and had the best score both rounds. Jim has been playing great golf this Summer and was bound to get me sooner or later.
  • I played all three rounds with Doug Werner, a great guy and excellent golfer who I think is still getting better. Thanks to Doug I found out about the Hellyer/LaRaza event, and got the chance to play him on his turf for once.

Hellyer and La Raza worst-throw doubles

There are several things I want to comment on here, but I'll first summarize by saying that the entire experience was positive for me and for Gregory. Sure, we finished 2nd in Open and won a little cash, which will help the next time I try to convince Gregory to play in a tourney, but I think that factor was minimal. After all, this was what I consider a 'non-competitively important' event. Translation: I was able to make having fun a priority. So here are some observations:

  • Hellyer- The course is basically the same layout as the last time I played it, years ago, and even locals will admit it's just so-so in terms of challenge and variety of shots. But they've really made the most of the land they have there. The whole course seemed so much more developed and groomed, and, dare I say, landscaped.
  • LaRaza- This was my first time ever playing the 9-hole LaRaza, and I was impressed! For a flat course (again, you work with what you got) the length and numerous trees and other foliage made for a good test of disc golf skills. This course is seasonal and will soon shut down for the Winter, so if you want to check it out, do it now. They have a tourney coming up soon (see http://www.svdgc.org for details) which can make for a great way to play the course with locals.
  • Worst-shot doubles-If you've never played worst-shot doubles before, it's completely different than anything else. The best shots count for nothing, long putts are even bigger than normal, and part of the strategy is selecting which of your companion twosome's throws are worst each hole. Gregory and I shot a +2, and the winners (Stick and Manny, with whom we played), shot a par. Those guys were great, by the way, and very helpful considering neither G or I had ever played LaRaza.
  • The South Bay Disc Golf Scene- I was pleased and impressed to see the turnout and cameraderie, and felt very welcomed as a representative of Santa Cruz. several people made a point to express their appreciation of us coming over the hill, and I will for sure be back for another event. I also got the chance to see my old friend Sean Hager, a regular playing partner from a decade ago and fellow Hellyer course installer.

In the future I'll try to treat this space more as a blog, with more frequent, less lengthy entries. If you read this entire post at one sitting, I'm impressed!

Keep on Chuckin'!

Why putting is even more important than you think

My goal with this entry? To convince you how much your entire disc golf game is affected by your putting ability and consistency.

I'm sure even non-golfers have heard the saying "Drive for show, putt for dough." Well-know cliches are usually well-known because they are so completely true, and this one is no exception. If you need a translation of what the clever one-liner means (or even if you don't), I'll tell you- using disc golf terminology: People love to see someone crush a long drive. But if you throw a disc 430 feet on a par 3, 450-foot hole, then miss your 20-footer birdie putt, your impressive drive gives you no advantage over my 370-foot drive and routine 75-foot upshot. As we all know, disc golf scores are comprised of total number of throws, and gimme drop-ins count just as much as hurculean hucks. So that's the essence of the saying, and it's very true. But like most homespun homilies, it's also over-simplfied. Simply put, it doesn't come close to painting the complete picture of the importance of putting.

How's this for a picture? Imagine an inverted (upside-down) pyramid. At the top, you've got the big, broad end that normally is the foundation of the pyramid. This is your driving game, the throw on each hole that hopefully gets you most of the way to the basket (hence it's occupation of the broadest part of the pyramid). In the middle you'll find your upshot/approach shots, and at the bottom - the small, pointy "foundation" upon which the rest of your inverted pyramid is balanced - you'll find your putting game. Many people will want to flip the pyramid over, seeing their driving game as the base of a good score, since it does the most work in terms of distance travelled between teepad and basket. But you need to see your complete game as building upon a solid foundation of putting. To show why, let's look at a hole in true inverted fashion- backwards.

If you consistently make almost all your putts inside, say, 25 feet, and a majority inside 30 feet, you are indeed putting for dough, but you're also doing something just as important: You're taking a great deal of pressure off yourself on the shots before the putt. For instance:

  • You'll have more confidence in agressively running for long putts if you know you can hit the comeback putt.
  • When you do rip that killer drive on the long hole and have 30 feet left for a rare, envy-causing birdie, you'll step up with a positive frame of mind, as opposed to thinking "If I don't make this putt my killer drive will be going to waste!"
  • On the holes where you find yourself with a challenging upshot, hoping to just get close enough get a look at par, a consistent putting game will help immensely. You'll be able to imagine a 30-foot radius around the basket and know that if you can get your second shot anywhere within that radius, you can par the hole. This usually provides several alternative routes you can visualize, and takes away that familiar pressure of thinking you gotta base every shot because you have no confidence in your putting game
  • The common thread to all three previous bullet points is confidence vs. pressure, anxiety, negative imagery, and forced conservative play

If you're now convinced like never before that a better putting game is the key to finally finsihing in the cash in tourneys, taking your friend's bag-tag, or maybe just breaking par, here are a few obvious but useful tips for getting better:

  • Practice. You hear it all the time, and like anything else, if you don't devote some regular time each week to improve your disc golf putting, you won't. It takes a little as 10 minutes a day for a few weeks to see significant gains
  • Use the inverted pyramid concept in practice to build up your putting game. First work on those short putts (15 feet and in) that just kill you when you miss 'em. Practice those until you get to the point that when you have them in a round, you approach them knowing you'll make 'em, and you do. After that, slowly work your way outward until you're feeling good about those 30-footers that right now cause your heart to flutter during a round.
  • Watch the players that not only hit most of their putts but seem to do so with confidence and calm. Instead of picking one person's style and trying to copy it, try to see the basic balance and fluid form that most good putters have in common. Then, during practice, incorporate that good form into your own unique physical abilities

If you use these tips to beat me someday, make sure to let me know. It'll make me feel a little better as I hand you my tag. Really.

Want to Play Better? Be a Sponge

Learning Curve Entry #1

I'm speaking to all disc golfers here, but primarily to those of you who really love to play, maybe even get to play 2-3 times a week, but still feel like you could get way better. The Am 2's who want to (and should) move up to Am 1, and the Am 1's who want to (and should) start challenging the pros. Of course everyone has room to improve, though, and can hopefully gain some insight from this article and those to come in the Learning Curve series on this site.

When you think 'Be a Sponge' you probably think I mean something like 'Soak up all the advice you can, or watch all the top pros you can.' While neither of those are bad ideas,
I'm kind of thinking of the opposite 'sponge' metaphor. The first thing to do when you want to shoot better disc golf scores is to wring out all the potential you currently have, even as you work
to improve and expand your skill set.
In any sport, when you hear about an athlete that 'maximized his or her potential,' or 'overachieved,' it's usually in reference to someone with an average physical game but an extraordinary mental game. They all squeezed the most out of their physical potential. I'm not saying you have to dedicate yourselves to disc golf, a fitness
regimen, or anything like that. Just use your head. Figure out ways that you waste strokes during a typical round, and eliminate the waste. Squeeeze it out. I'll address specific ways you can do this in this piece, and in more detail in future postings, but you yourself know which areas you need to focus on most.
Here are some basics to get you started:

Drives- Many disc golf courses play through forgiving wide-open flat grassy park land, allowing you to see the basket you're aiming for no matter where you land. DeLaveaga is not one
of those courses, and far, far from it. Therefore at DeLa it is much more important to throw your drive accurately than it is to throw it far. You can save many strokes by not trying to throw a drive as hard as you can - focusing on a smooth, accurate delivery instead - when your odds of reaching the hole with a birdie-look are small. In fact, if you take this ?accuracy first?
approach, you?ll be surprised at how quickly your distance improves as well
from increased smoothness.
Side Note: I first exposed myself (heh-heh) to this concept by reading Golf In the Kingdom by Michael Murphy, an author of local notoriety. It is one of the
many golf books I've found useful with parallels to disc golf.

Approach Shots- Have you heard the golf term 'Game Management?' It refers to the mental side of golf in general, specifically to making smart decisions during a round based oneverything you know about your abilities, the course, and the conditions. In disc golf - and especially at DeLaveaga - I think game management comes into play on the second shot more than any other. Either you have some kind of look at the basket for birdie and have to decide whether to really go for it, or you're in trouble behind trees or down a ravine. Either way, your decision on each shot comes down to the basic risk/reward ratio. If you are not familiar with this term, it is the comparison of the risk on a given shot (disc hits front of basket and rolls down into ravine, hundreds of feet below), to reward (Birdie!) A smart disc golfer considers risk/reward along with his/her own abilities on that day (hungover?) when making shot decisions. Sometimes, when I
know I?m not in the groove, I?ll play it conservatively simply because I don't want to chase my disc down into the ravine. But other times the discipline to be able to recognize my limitations and manage my game accordingly means winning vs. losing.

Putting- Much of what I just wrote about approach shots applies to putting, in terms of risk/reward. But putting requires attention unto itself, because until you put the disc in
the basket, you?re just strokin? yer you-know-what. On the mental side of putting, I'll just say for now that you need to first decide exactly how you want to proceed (go for it hard and straight, go for it with a safe lofty shot, or lay it up), then execute the shot decisively. Make sure you know what you want to do, then do it with full confidence and focus.
I plan to write about all
of these areas in much more detail, but I always welcome questions and input at deladiscgolf@gmail.com.>

Is NorCal truly the Epicenter of Disc Golf?

You may have noticed the slogan 'Epicenter of Disc Golf' attached to the DeLaveaga Disc Golf Club logo on shirts, discs, and the club website. Our claim to such a lofty label has historically been twofold. First of all, the slogan's origin was back in 1989, shortly after the famous earthquake that postponed the opening of the World Series between the SF Giants and Oakland A's. The epicenter - or point of origin - of that earthquake was Loma Prieta in Santa Cruz, only several miles from the DeLaveaga Disc Golf Course. So in one sense the slogan was a play on words. But back then there were far fewer total courses in the world, and DeLaveaga was unanimously considered the best in the world. So the claim, coursewise, did have some validity (and still does, considering many pros and ams still deem DeLa tops in the world). But now I'm thinking the claim has validity in regards to disc golf players as well.

Think about it. Santa Cruz is where Nate Doss calls home, and Nate is a pretty hot disc golfer right now. The 2005 World Champion has won two of the past 4 National Tour events, and is ranked 1st by Marshall Street Disc Golf (http://marshallstreetdiscgolf.com/discgolfinfo_ranking_2007.html). Nate is also 2nd in NT points, 3rd in cash on tour, and his PDGA player rating of 1031 ranks 2nd. Pretty hot. But an epicenter doesn't really mean much unless it radiates in all directions, with its effects noticed the most nearby. Note: This is the real point I'm trying to make. Head a little bit Northeast, and you'll be in the stomping grounds of Josh Anton, winner of the Masters Cup NT event in Santa Cruz. Go south a couple hundred miles and you're in Santa Maria, home of KC Wide Open winner Kyle Crabtree. Further South you'll come across Steve Rico and Micah Dorius, but at that point you're in SoCal, not NorCal.

Here's another way of looking at it: What do Nate Doss, Josh Anton, Steve Rico, Kyle Crabtree, Greg Barsby, and Micah Dorius have in common, besides being top-notch disc golfers? They all play primarily or part-time on the NorCal tour, and they have six of the top 12 spots for NT points. Among them are four of the top six-rated golfers in the world, and six of the top 12 money leaders this year. Although my assertion that Santa Cruz is the Epicenter of the Disc Golfer world is a little bit tongue in cheek, I think there is good evidence that more talent is based in Northern California than any other region in the country. I'd love to hear a case for an area of the same size that can top us. OK, you in the Northwest . . . you're close, but not quite!

Da Blahg is Back with Dawn Patrol Disc Golf

First of all, DeLaBlahg is happy to be back online, and ecstatic to be a part of santacruzdiscgolf.com. Eventually the DeLaBlahg archives will be moved in entirety to its new home here, but for now a little fresh and current blogging.

I played a true dawn patrol round this morning at our glorious course, starting at 7:07 AM as the sun began to rise over the ocean. The mixture of orange and pale blue hues in the sky, absolute quiet, and air as fresh as that anywhere in the world repaid me right there and then for dragging myself out of bed at 5:45. Then it was time to start throwing discs, and the amazing aesthetics dissolved into the background replaced by the difficulties associated with 40-degree temperatures.

After earning bogeys on three of the first 4 holes and feeling like my cold rigid body would never loosen up that day, I told Assaf that I would be "ecstatic" if I could just get back to par today. And believe me, I meant it! Standing on the tee for hole 5, just getting par on all of the remaining mostly long holes seemed an arduous task. Some days are just like that.

Anyone who has read my blog knows that I'm constantly looking for ways to stay positive and focused. This time, after collecting a couple pars on holes five and six, I decided I'd project my situation onto the Masters Cup. It's our biggest tourney of the year at DeLa (obviously, as an NT event) and I asked myself 'what would I do if for whatever reason my first round in the Masters Cup started like this? Would I pack it in and decide six holes into an 81-hole event that it just wasn't my year, or maybe start attempting risky long putts in an attempt to surge back quickly? I hope not. On days when the putting touch isn't there, and maybe the luck seems a little cruel, you just gotta grind it out- so that's what I decided to do.

On hole 7 long I needed a downhill 40-foot putt for par- and got it. Hole 9 wasn't much different, and 11 (now in the sadistic long-left placement) required an improbable hyzered skip shot for a routine par. Finally on 12 I collected a birdie, and after a typical 4 on hole 13 I was done bogeying for the day.

Mixing in a few more birdies (15, 19, 21 and 23) enabled me to crawl back under par for the round, and if it had been the first round of the Masters Cup I would have been satisfied with the strong finish. I think it's more grafifying to shoot a -1 on an off-day than a -7 when I'm feelin' it. And even if the round had continued as it started, we had the course pretty much to ourselves for 2.5 hours and the weather warmed to t-shirt weather. All things considered, and with the right perspective, it was impossible to have a "bad" round.