This game of disc golf…. it literally saved my life due to latching onto it as a weight loss tool, but in the process it also has provided some of the most frustrating and at the same time most satisfying moments of my life. I’ve always been way too competitive, probably beyond my mental or physical capabilities. Disc Golf challenges both your mental and physical game, because once you learn how to throw or putt, it’s just a mind game making decisions on which disc to throw, at what angle, and how much velocity needed to throw the disc to the desired destination. For me… the hardest part of this sport continues to be the closer I get to the basket. What happens from 60ft in seems to define the entire game for me at this point.
As I approach taking some time away from disc golf for health reasons (more on that in a future post), I really wanted to play a couple of tournaments before this extended break. My first opportunity is on a very long course that’s close to where I live so I’m pretty familiar with the course. Leading up to the tournament I was on the course every day of the week. I either walked the course and practiced putting or I actually played a full round. So I had a full 6 days on the course leading up to the event. And if I may say, a great workout week because the elevation changes on that course can be pretty physically demanding for an old dude. lol..
So here we are… 8:00am on 9/15/2024 and I’m getting warmed up to play in the Dynamic Discs Presents the Crazy 8th @ Crowley Disc Golf Tournament. Unfortunately it’s a smaller turn out than expected but there’s still enough old guys to make a division so the tournament is on. Plus I get to play against one of my good disc golf friends and always a challenge on the course to compete against; A Ray. He has great confidence on the course and as matter of fact he told me before the tournament started that he already logged the W in his win column. 😉
Round 1: So as usual, my warm up goes well. I’m throwing the disc good, my practice putts are going in the basket, I’m ready to rock and roll. We’re teeing off from hole #1, which means we’re playing some of the longest holes on the course right away. I start off with a par and I’m fine with that, we’re playing the longer tees so par is good in this layout. Then…things take a turn for the worse. For some reason I’m losing control on the disc. Mainly in my upshots and putting. I’m throwing very softly, not gripping the disc well and the discs are coming out with very little velocity. It’s affecting my putting as well (no surprise there!) as now my putts are coming up short. I end up taking 4 bogie strokes on the next 3 holes. The putting woes continue, I don’t make any birdies at all and I end up shooting a +11 and I find myself 7 strokes out of 1st place. One of the worst rounds of my entire disc golf career! Wow… I am dejected and feeling horrible. I’m typically not focused on winning or losing, as long as I play near my perceived ability, that’s fine let the chips roll. But if this IS my last tournament for a few months, I really hate to see it end like this. 🙁
Break In Between Rounds: So immediately after the 1st round, I’m ready to call it quits. It’s going to be a hot humid mess in round 2 so do I really want to put myself through this? We had over an hour break between rounds so I had plenty of time to ponder about disc golf, life in general, and when am I going fishing next? lol..
The Phone Call: My good disc golf bud Ryan calls me and we chat about the first round. I jokingly say I should not quit and just play balls out in the 2nd round. He immediately says something that turned my demeaner around instantly. Basically he said this might be my last tournament for a while, I’ve already lost so why not go out there balls out and see what happens? Either win the fricking thing or lose big. Playing mediocre “safe” golf isn’t going to get you anywhere since you’re so far behind. Instantly the pressure was off, I was the one in the group with nothing to lose. I said hell yah.. this is great, let’s go! 🙂 lol…
Round 2: So with this relaxed mind set and nothing to lose, I try to come out swinging but after 4 holes I find myself now 8 strokes back! It’s a 19 hole course, I have 15 holes left to get something going. I birdie the next 2 holes so now I’m 6 strokes back. I’m feeling good, I’m throwing well, I’m starting to putt well, I’m starting to get confident. But I still end up doinking and missing an 8 ft putt for birdie and that hurt. But I get over it quickly and decide to play for par on the next few challenging holes. My opponent takes a bogie so now I’m 5 strokes back. On the next hole I miss a birdie putt again but that’s ok, it was a great effort, no more wimpy soft putts, I’m fine with the miss. I birdie 2 more holes, my opponent gets a bogie and now I’m only 2 strokes back. A Ray (who was winning by 7 strokes after round 1) tells me he’s going to lose to another competitor if he doesn’t kick things up a notch, I look at the score card and tell him, you better watch out for me I’m only 2 strokes out! I birdie the next hole, A Ray takes a bogie and we’re tied up going into the last hole. A Ray has a chance to win but misses his putt and now it’s time for a 3 way playoff! I have come back from a 7 stroke deficit and end up playing one of the best rated rounds of the year.
To go from a dejected mindset after round 1 to a chance at winning after round 2 was insane. lol..
Play Off Time: So it turns out there’s a 3 way tie for 1st place so it’s off to hole #1. We continue until someone wins. A Ray throws his drive a bit left so he has a harder upshot coming. My 2nd competitor throws a nice straight drive, for an easy layup for par. I throw one of my best drives all day and I have a chance for an easy up and down to win the tournament. A Ray throws his upshot a bit short and has a long putt coming. “Jessie” throws a good layup, a bit short, easy par for him. Now it’s my turn, I’m only 220ft from the basket, the other guys are putting for par, if I have a good layup I’m putting for a 3 and can win it outright. yep… nerves are back. lol.. I shank my throw and end up only advancing 100ft or so. I layup right next to the basket for an easy par. A Ray has to make this 30ft putt to stay in the playoff, he misses his putt so he’s out. Jessie and myself advance to the next hole. Jessie throws a bomb off the tee and sets himself up for an easy par. I throw my drive too low and don’t get much distance. My 2nd shot is low and doesn’t advance much. I throw again, a little better but still low. So now I’m throwing 4 and Jessie has only thrown once! I’m thinking it’s game over. Jessie throws his 2nd shot too far left and goes in the water, so now we’re both throwing 4. I put my disc under the basket, Jessie throws his short and leaves himself a challenging putt. He misses and I place my disc in the basket and get the win. 🙂 woo hoo! 🙂
Just crazy how this tournament went. To play so bad in round 1 and then play so good in round 2… what a roller coaster tournament. As I write this, there’s a good chance this will be my last tournament for a while, my goal was never to win this tournament, just have a good showing so I can feel good about my effort before my extended break. But to win this tournament… yah that felt great and for me personally I think it’s a great accomplishment that I’m very proud of for both the mental and physical fortitude it took to pull it off. Let’s go! 🙂
September 16, 2024
