Friday, April 27, 2012

"Sabermetrics": A Look at Acorn Park



Alright I know the title says it all boring numbers and somehow relating it to disc golf. Are you kidding me! I can hear it now. I feel that it is the perfect time to pull out such numbers as it is the beginning of baseball season and well you know the movie “Moneyball” starring yours truly Mr. Pit made the Sabermetrics somewhat famous.

I however, also have drawn a little inspiration for this article from a recent post on a neighboring disc golf blog where such a topic has been voiced take a look at it here (after you finish reading my take.) As most of you know Diggs and I are playing in a few tournaments this summer and our next adventure takes us to a course we are all too familiar with. Dare I say we “cut our teeth on” this course. It was at one point considered our “home course.” Well that weekend I’m sure this will be a lot of peoples home course. Anyway I decided to take a look at my stats at Acorn Park in Roseville, Minnesota over the past few seasons. It’s hard to believe that I have stats at this course going back over five years now.


Tuesday, April 24, 2012

New Boss in Town

Back when I began playing disc golf, I heard tales of distance throwing competitions.  These meetings of the juggernauts produced figures that were staggering to my imagination.  These gentlemen were throwing these plates of plastic over two football fields.  Mind = blown.  In fact, the new distance record had just been set it Sweden (or some foreign place).  The distance?  250m or 820 ft.  Word had it that the record had been set with an Innova DX Valkyrie.  I immediately made that my must-purchase... and proceeded to make a fool out of myself with it.  I didn't have a true concept of what it takes to put it out there great distances.  I still don't.  I may be able to impress some of the locals, but no one would ever confuse me with a big arm.

You know who does have a big arm, though?  This guy!  His name is David Wiggins, Jr., a newer pro out of North Carolina.  He is the new world's distance champ, and (oh yeah) he's only 16 years old!  The record-setting throw of 255m (836 ft) took place in Primm, NV with the brand-spankin' new Blizzard Boss from Innova.  The new plastic allows for much lighter weights, while still maintaining a recognizable stability.  My assumption is that the record won't be held for ten years as the previous mark had.  As throwers become accustomed to the new discs, I see many others making runs at the Big D crown.

At least I hope so.

A 16 year old holds it now.

How d'ya feel about your "Big D" now, eh noodle arm?

Seems I need to find a field.

~Diggs

Thursday, April 19, 2012

The Doane Classic: Last Card Perspective

The previous weekend I had the opportunity to attend the 2nd Annual Doane College Classic in Crete, NE with my “traveling” partner Diggs. Let me give you the numbers on my weekend.
Ace Pot Shot-Say hi to Mr. Bill

Travel Time/Distance:
Friday
5:40 AM Leave Boyd, MN
12:00 PM Arrive in Omaha, NE
Total Distance Traveled = 295 miles give or take a few for construction.
12:03 PM Lock Keys in Car (Don’t ask why or how)
2:00 PM Leave for Lincoln
3:00 PM Arrive in Lincoln, NE
Total Distance Traveled = 56 miles-ish
3:10 PM After Gas-ing up the Impala
4:10 PM Arrive in Crete, NE
Total Distance Traveled = 26 miles

Grand Total = 377 miles driven just to get to this place called Doane.
The course from my perspective: First of all, Diggs did an excellent job at describing the layout of the course. It is quite challenging if you are of the tree hitting folk. Being that I had never had the opportunity to play the course until the day before the tournament. I’d say it was definitely a course for those who favor the short/mid-range game. I know what you all are going to say. “You are the Mid-Range King, You must have just tore the course a part.” I wish that were the case but inexperience of the course and good old “Pappadackis nerves” got the best of me. Diggs was not joking about the back nine. Short holes with about a zillion trees on each hole made for near impossible lines to throw through.

Wednesday, April 18, 2012

The Doane Classic: Soggy Tacos

It is official.  Not only are MRK and Diggs PDGA members, we now also have rated rounds under our belts.  This will lead to our first official PDGA ratings!  We'll have to dance a little jig when they come out in the middle of May.

We popped our ratings cherry at the 2nd Annual Doane College Classic in Crete, NE this past Easter weekend.  I have the scratches to prove it.  We had settled on the Doane classic for a number of reasons.  It was close to me; we were both available; and it was a sanctioned tournament without the pressure of the other tournaments we are looking at for the rest of the year.  It is a small C-tier in out-of-the-way Nebraska.  We figured we would be able to get our tournament feet under us without having to compete against the best of the Twin Cities or the crowd an A-tier would draw.

Course:
The main hitch to the plan was our unfamiliarity with the course.  Until that week, neither of us had even seen the course.  Being close enough to give it a look, Diggs-Jiggs Express trucked our way down there early in the week to get a sense of what we were looking at.  MRK and I were also able to hit it up the day before.  Well, most of them.  The course has undergone a few changes.  We missed about 4-5 holes, though we were able to get in most of them.

The course is truly bipolar.  The beginning holes play pretty open.  Trees shrubs are in play for most of the holes, but lines are generally widely available, especially the first holes.  They play typical lengths, and the designers did a fair job in utilizing the surrounding grounds to create some good golfing.  Then comes the back nine.  You cross a road and feel like you've crossed to another course.  They fairly typical, open holes are replaced by very tight, short holes, most are shorter than 200 ft.  This continues until hole 18 which brings you to a nice tunnel shot.  The course plays to the short to mid-range game, especially those adept at anhyzers/short, precise forehand shots.  This is not the strength of my game.

More after the jump...

Friday, April 06, 2012

Playing with Uli

Just a quick note before the disc weekend begins.  Word has come down the pike that Paul Ulibarri, a top ten player, will be playing the Doane Tourney with the MRK and myself.  It'll be nice to know how truly horrible I am compared with those who know what they're doing.  But still, playing with that caliber of a player will be the balls.

Jealous?

~Diggs