tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-241514282024-03-06T23:49:12.326-06:00Cold Lampin'The blog about disc golf and life... well, mostly about disc golfDiggshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17005033141014529525noreply@blogger.comBlogger233125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24151428.post-69051434912348148202016-03-27T19:18:00.001-05:002016-03-27T19:18:57.417-05:00Redemption RoundYou hear that?<br />
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That's the sound of a year going by without a blog post. I take my share of the blame for such failings, but there are reasons for my absence. Good reasons. For instance, one generally has to be playing disc golf in order for there to be something to post about it. I haven't been so fortunate.<br />
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Let me take you back...<br />
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The year is 2013. My wife and I were living only a couple miles from Jiggs on one side and a course on the other. Life was good. But life changes. Late that summer, I made the move to the east coast to pursue an advanced degree. Graduate school is difficult and time consuming, but I was excited and hopeful! See there is an immediate difference between states in the west and states in the east... size. They pack so many states in here it is amazing I don't accidentally cross state lines when I go for a walk. My plan was simple. Use my time here as an opportunity to explore as many courses in as many states as I could possibly fit in. I reasoned that I could easily add ten states to my total. The Cold Lampin' Course Map was going to look awesome! I had three years in which to do it. I graduate this May. Know how many new states and courses I've added to my tally?<br />
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Three courses and two states. That's all. Pretty depressing really. Part of the problem is available time. I count pages read in the thousands now. That means no time for disc. I have had internships and summers back in the midwest. That means no time for new courses. I have experienced the birth of my first child (YAY!). That means no time for sleep, much less discing.<br />
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Another problem is the east coast itself. There may be a ton of states out here, but their course options are paltry. Last I checked, Rhode Island has two courses. Two. I live in Jersey, and in Jersey traffic, I have little opportunity to travel with any kind of efficiency. My driving range is limited, so my course selection in this already limited area is even moreso.<br />
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But let's be honest. These are all excuses. The bottom line is that I had a goal. My timeline for completing that goal is almost finished, and it looks like I have failed. But sometimes life gives you a +1 life mushroom. Circumstances of life have conspired to keep us here for additional time. <br />
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That means I have an opportunity. An opportunity to take advantage of my location and accomplish the goals I had set out to do. It will not be easy. My weekends will not necessarily be free time and my work days will be just that. But maybe. Just maybe I will be able to fit in some disc. I hope it to be true.<br />
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So keep your eyes on the Cold Lampin' Course Map page. Hopefully you'll see some numbers change. Until then, Lampers, stay frosty.<br />
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~Diggs<br />
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"So I'm back up in the game, running things to keep my swing... Return of the Mack"Diggshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17005033141014529525noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24151428.post-78828671518196725752015-03-06T06:00:00.000-06:002015-03-06T06:00:00.897-06:00Disc Golf & Reflection Questions-Does Society define pop culture or vice versa?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Some of you may know that I am participating in a U.S. History teachers cohort program through the Minnesota Historical Society and as a part of the program each participant had to write a blog post relating to pop culture and education and I thought I would re-post what I submitted for that blog on my own personal one. Enjoy. Here is also a <a href="https://ushistoryteachercohort.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">link</a> to that blog.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; line-height: 22.0799999237061px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Garamond;"><b><u>Disc Golf & Reflection Questions-Does Society define pop culture or vice versa?</u></b></span></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Garamond; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> At what point does something move from the realm of folk culture to pop culture? As I have been teaching I have been slowly sharing my seemingly “nerdy” passion for the little known sport of disc golf. You may know it as “frisbee golf” or “frolf”. I fell in love with this sport as a young, carefree sophomore in high school and didn’t know that it would soon become an amazing pastime and somewhat of an “obsession” in my life according to my wife.</span><img alt="Uploaded by Awesome Screenshot Extension" height="311px;" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/TMbT7yySRj_f-S_K6KpsXxDjBLKbFlwbF0KUHxOG91uYzvJ_XSB8oyQ1ICfqr4FB9l4ESdJqg51guWa7txnd3EUftn8NdFwZuLLRl5TU9z3iePsf99APryRiTpUPN9RQzjv62w4" style="-webkit-transform: rotate(0rad); border: none; transform: rotate(0rad);" width="400px;" /></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Garamond; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">If you are curious about the brief history of the sport of disc golf you can follow this </span><a href="http://www.pdga.com/history" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: Garamond; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">link.</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Garamond; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> The basic idea of disc golf derives from its original counterpart golf. The idea is to get the disc in the basket in the least amount of throws as possible. Last week in the professional disc golf world there was a rather large tournament called the Memorial Championship that is played just outside the Scottsdale, AZ area and is considered the official start of the professional disc golf touring season. The Memorial Championship tournament this year was broadcast live on YouTube from a newly founded crew known as </span><a href="http://www.smashboxx.tv/" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: Garamond; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">smashboxx.tv</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Garamond; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. </span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Garamond; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Well last week, just as all major league baseball teams were hosting their official full team workouts in their respective spring training camps, I took the opportunity to introduce organized disc golf to the students of my classroom. I began to explain to them the basic rules of the sport as well as the brief backgrounds of some of the players that were on the screen. ( I should also mention these conversations and viewings of the tournament took place in my classes after we had completed our work for the day). </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Garamond; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I started the conversation based around the topic of what makes a sport or event or piece of music folk culture and what the basic definition pop culture includes. After my students, specifically my eighth grade and seniors, understood the definitions from </span><a href="https://philosophynow.org/issues/64/Pop_Culture_An_Overview" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: Garamond; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Tim Delaney’s “Pop Culture: An Overview”</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Garamond; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> we began to explore where on the pop/folk culture spectrum disc golf might fall. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Garamond; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I first began by asking students which sports they considered to be pop culture sports and I received the usual answers: baseball, basketball, football, golf, hockey, soccer, and tennis. Then I asked the question.. “well what makes them pop culture?” The responses included, “everyone plays those sports, they are always on television, or you can sign up to play on teams in your local area.” All good responses in my opinion but I wanted to dig a little deeper on this issue. “So I asked what does disc golf need to do to become one of those pop culture sports?” That got them brainstorming. I had them write down some ideas on sticky notes and post them on the whiteboard as they left for their next class. The feedback I got included, “Be on ESPN, have places to play disc golf everywhere, see it advertised in magazines or on commercials on t.v.” </span></div>
<b style="clear: left; float: left; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /><img alt="Uploaded by Awesome Screenshot Extension" height="267" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/9Zyl3GR4_01BpGEsGstf5clCl_ndh0vYvtDGE4RRpOiYdMHP4sg0HDLwHPL7kYwiXKAcnw80x163177XqhHFIfN486tt8r5v_bYAbT-8_9Ca8NkWdVxTQ1LYWapNXK50dKfSrk4" style="-webkit-transform: rotate(0rad); border: none; transform: rotate(0rad);" width="320" /></b><br />
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Garamond; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">So by this point you are probably thinking, this teacher has rambled on for almost four hundred and fifty words about the fact that he so desperately wishes for the sport that he has an obsession about to become part of pop culture. What does this post really have to do with American History and Pop Culture? I have been trying to kick around the last reflection question we were given for our cohort which states: </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Garamond; font-size: 19px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Does society define pop culture or does pop culture define our society? </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Garamond; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">As stated previously I have been playing disc golf for awhile (since around 2002) and have seen the sport of disc golf grow from something that people may have once heard of from a brothers’ cousins’ friend who played it in college to not having to explain myself when I talk about it. Now a days when I tell people I enjoy disc golf I don’t get the deer in a headlight look. People generally know what I am talking about. I don’t have to explain the fact that I go city parks and play on a course that was designed for discs to be thrown in them. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Garamond; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Disc golf has grown by leaps and bounds. There are as many as 3000 courses now in the ground all over the United States and many more throughout the world according to the </span><a href="http://www.discgolf.com/how-to-play-disc-golf/disc-golf-history/" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: Garamond; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Disc Golf Association's History of Disc Golf page</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Garamond; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. Every year it seems there are brand new disc golf manufacturers and apparel companies forming. When I first began to play there were two maybe three big disc golf companies. Innova, Discraft, and Millenium Discs. Today we have those three and then Prodigy, Dynamic Discs, Legacy Discs, Gateway Disc Golf Discs, Latitude 64, Lightning, MVP Disc, Westside Disc, Vibram and I am sure I have missed a handful of others. Those are just companies that make the discs. I won’t mention the countless of other companies that make apparel and gadgets to help improve your disc golf experience. Also you would be interested to know that disc golf made </span><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LFuXiWaakiQ" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: Garamond; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">SportsCenter’s Top 10 plays</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Garamond; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> last week. You can even play </span><a href="http://playfantasydiscgolf.com/" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: Garamond; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">fantasy disc golf</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Garamond; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Garamond; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Back to the question</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Garamond; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> now...in this instance I think the appropriate question is </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Garamond; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">does society define disc golf as a pop culture sport?</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Garamond; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">..No hands down. However, I may make a statement saying that disc golf is closer than you think to becoming a pop culture sport on the most basic level. </span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Garamond; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The emergence of social media has tremendously helped spread the good news of disc golf all over the globe. Many of the top disc golf athletes have embraced the fact that social media is going to be the avenue that will be used to propel disc golf out of the folk culture realm and into the pop culture circles. It is exciting to see and reflect on just how much the sport has grown since I started playing. I also like to reference the scene from Back to the Future where Marty McFly plays “Johnny B Goode” at his parents high school dance and at the end he says “I guess you guys aren’t ready for that yet...but your kids are going to love it.” I think disc golf is on that similar journey. </span></div>
<b style="clear: left; float: left; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /><img alt="Uploaded by Awesome Screenshot Extension" height="318px;" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/7xyjM7hYHV07h_Kcm-eTezTWXSooeOOC3LCTIIvUxB5b_FbsdKZ8Mun-wz3pEF-uOJ0ntlPfTCqduC5ggqZXCFd1wm9SHRhI9wd_TTauqHBgDjIm7OIwof_VoF1D89LocUDtUbw" style="-webkit-transform: rotate(0rad); border: none; transform: rotate(0rad);" width="238px;" /></b><br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Garamond; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">So again I brought the question of popular culture and society to my students and asked “what’s the answer?” They stated that it was almost so hard to define in the moment. If you were to have the advantage of going into the future and looking back at how things turned out then maybe a person can answer that specific question. I think that is almost the same answer I came up with as I was contemplating the question myself. It motivates me to try and find those little niche events in history when I am planning my lessons to mention to students to help enrich the lesson.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Garamond; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">If you are wondering how that tournament ended up use this </span><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jxBaf3pl6ik" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: Garamond; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">link</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Garamond; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> to watch the final round...or skip to 3:29:00 to watch how the last hole plays out. It’s pretty amazing.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Garamond; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">You can also read more disc golf related blog posts on a </span><a href="http://scdga.blogspot.com/" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: Garamond; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">blog</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Garamond; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> that myself and a friend have been writing on since 2006 or so. Again it’s pretty nerdy and in depth about the issues related to our lack of athletic ability in trying to master the game of disc golf.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Garamond; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Works Cited</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Garamond; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">"Disc Golf History - DGA | Disc Golf Association." </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Garamond; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">DGA Disc Golf Association Disc Golf History Comments</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Garamond; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. Web. 01 Mar. 2015. <http: disc-golf-history="" how-to-play-disc-golf="" www.discgolf.com="">.</http:></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Garamond; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">"Pop Culture: An Overview." </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Garamond; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Pop Culture: An Overview</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Garamond; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. Web. 23 Feb. 2015. <https: issues="" op_culture_an_overview="" philosophynow.org="">.</https:></span></div>
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Mid Range Kinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08483013599626300661noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24151428.post-39047637515490573592015-01-16T15:50:00.000-06:002015-01-16T15:50:00.054-06:00App Review: UDisc Disc Golf App<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Let me tell you a story. I was playing a casual round of disc golf with my good friend Diggs. I believe we were most likely at Acorn Park because this story was from when we were in college. We tended to play disc golf when we were stressed or just needed a break from the grind of the college workload. We also usually keeps score...for bragging rights mostly. I don’t think we have ever placed a side bet on any hole or round. I don’t know that we would ever be against that but...we just didn’t. I usually kept score on a blank envelope or random piece of paper that I could find in my car.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Ah ha moment # 1</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I have always tended to be into looking at statistics when it came to playing sports or watching sports. I always kept track of my baseball stats in high school. I don’t know why? They weren’t that impressive...but to me they were cool to look at. As I began to play more and more disc golf and more and more courses in the Twin Cities area I felt the need to want to keep track of my stats. So I got smart and ditched the random pieces of paper/envelopes and purchased myself a ninety-eight cent pocket notebook. You know the tiny ones that you see stashed above the drivers window visor in your grandparents car so they can keep track of the gas mileage. That worked great...until it started to rain. Most people stop playing when it rains during a casual round. Not my group of friends. We embrace the elements elements, especially in Minnesota. My notebook wasn’t waterproof. It would smudge and fall apart when it got wet. Not ideal.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Ah ha moment # 2</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Over the winter of my sophomore year of college I got a PDA for Christmas and proceeded to install a golf scoring program. It worked great for the stats I was taking. It tracked scores from each round as well as the number of putts at each hole. No more paper and pencil score cards.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Two ipod touches later and then FINALLY a smartphone...</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 1.15; white-space: pre-wrap;">While looking for great free apps to use while playing disc golf and there are an umber of them I want to share with you what I think to be a great app for keeping score of your disc golf rounds on a smartphone I discovered it last year while playing a league round with some people. They were talking about a new app that just came out that can track your scores as well as a few other cool features. It’s called Udisc. It’s available on iOS as well as android devices. I purchased it on a whim. I am one who </span><span style="line-height: 18.3999996185303px; white-space: pre-wrap;">doesn't</span><span style="line-height: 1.15; white-space: pre-wrap;"> normally pay for apps on my iphone. </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Here is what All Things Disc Golf had to say about this app in their </span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="http://allthingsdiscgolf.com/udisc-disc-golf-mobile-app-review/" target="_blank">review</a></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. Also a link to </span><span style="color: black;"><a href="http://www.udiscapp.com/" target="_blank"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">UDisc’s website</span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">.</span></a></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Here is why I like this app:</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">*You can pull up a scorecard for almost any course that you play as long as it is registered on the PDGA website.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">*You can start on any hole during your round and the app will allow you to skip ahead to that hole and then it will wrap around through all the holes.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">*The app will keep track of your score and putts as well as gives you options to mark any OB penalties.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 1.15; white-space: pre-wrap;">*Option to create a course map based on GPS location. If there </span><span style="line-height: 18.3999996185303px; white-space: pre-wrap;">isn't</span><span style="line-height: 1.15; white-space: pre-wrap;"> a map for the course you are playing you can submit one...so that everyone else can use it too.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">*Coolest option in my opinion: A feature that allows you to measure the distance of your throw and it can be separated for each disc.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">*If playing with multiple people it will give the correct order of who should drive first based on the scores from the previous hole. </span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"> *The app will allow you to use GPS to find the closest course based on your location and give you directions to that course.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">*It also has great social media upload capabilities. If you have a great round and want to share it with everyone. You can do that.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 1.15; white-space: pre-wrap;">I used this app for 95% of my rounds last year. I think it is a great app and would recommend it to anyone who is on the fence about purchasing it it. It has never been </span><span style="line-height: 18.3999996185303px; white-space: pre-wrap;">glitchy</span><span style="line-height: 1.15; white-space: pre-wrap;"> for me out on the course. It’s easy to use so you aren't spending all your time between holes filling in scores. All around great app.</span></span></span></div>
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Mid Range Kinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08483013599626300661noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24151428.post-31520845837629757852015-01-02T06:00:00.000-06:002015-01-02T06:00:00.370-06:00Newest PDGA Member #69480<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I hope this newest post finds our readers or those happen to stumble upon our disc golf blog site in the beginnings of a Happy New Year. Also being that the Land of 10,000 Lakes is currently the Land of 10,000 Frozen Lakes, I find it enjoyable to just think about disc golf and actually write some thoughts down. I hope to post fairly regularly this year on all sorts of various topics. My competitive disc golf season is relatively short so I will focus my posts on various course reviews and disc reviews and other random thoughts relating to disc golf as I see fit.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b><u>Back-story:</u></b></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I participated in an Ace Race event last fall and in the players pack I received a discount card towards a PDGA membership. I was like "Sweet...I can renew my membership at a discounted price!" After playing the event and reading the fine print on the discount card I found out that it was for new members only. At first I was disappointed but I know that the Ace Race is supposed to be a fun event that ultimately can introduce new people to the sport so I see what the PDGA put them in the players packs. So it got me thinking...</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><u><b>Present Day: </b></u></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I have a child who likes throwing the disc around a lot. He has mini’s randomly thrown around his play area. He also really enjoys just being outside and really enjoys walking around the disc golf course when we go as a family. Therefore, I decided it was time for him to officially have his own PDGA number. He may not totally appreciate it now or ever but just in case he squeaked in getting a number under 70,000. I find it amazing that just 3 short summers ago I purchased my own PDGA membership and was in the 52,000 class. Wow how the membership numbers have grown.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I write this post for two reasons, first is that I really hope that someday my son will want to play this sport that has been a part of my life for the past fifteen years. I have spent many hours playing, practicing, watching videos, and talking disc golf with a lot of people. I hope that he will enjoy the simplicity the game has to offer and also the challenge of competing against the course every time instead of other competitors. </span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I write this knowing I don’t want to be one of those parents that forces his kid to play every sport even if they don’t like it. I am fully aware that there is more to life than disc golf. I have even come to the realization that he may not even ultimately like the game. It will be a sad day but I will get over it. </span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Second reason I wanted to share this is just to brag and say that my son is now a PDGA member...I know he is barely two...but hey we gotta start them early right?</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><u><b>PDGA Membership Players Pack:</b></u></span></span></div>
<span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Here is what LP got with his membership, a black Latitude 64 Diamond disc with the PDGA stamp on it, a mini with the PDGA logo on it, a PDGA sticker, all of 2014’s disc golfer magazine issues as well as he will receive all of 2015's too, and of course his membership card with his lifetime number on it. </span></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtwd4J-SCooHQ7nMFzTi6SClpx_ZdhIk9ESabv4KLKsKLnso0kcQpCIVy4X6kPqB6D21pS92Mobv5OCCidjgVuM4Uir2MGKxFCO78yf9RKWkD6P5KeN5krJBXcj6P0OJ6bvsDZkw/s1600/Levi-PDGA-Pic.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtwd4J-SCooHQ7nMFzTi6SClpx_ZdhIk9ESabv4KLKsKLnso0kcQpCIVy4X6kPqB6D21pS92Mobv5OCCidjgVuM4Uir2MGKxFCO78yf9RKWkD6P5KeN5krJBXcj6P0OJ6bvsDZkw/s1600/Levi-PDGA-Pic.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mid-Range-Prince checking out his new swag.</td></tr>
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<span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Until next time, Think about joining the PDGA if you aren't currently a member...MRK out.</span></span>Mid Range Kinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08483013599626300661noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24151428.post-11909769900902902462014-06-20T06:00:00.000-05:002014-06-20T06:00:01.399-05:00The Birdie BashThis season I have chosen to not renew my PDGA membership and take a break from the sanctioned tournament scene for monetary and family reasons for the moment. I loved attending tournaments my last two seasons and hope to pick it back up in the future. This post has prompted the thought of another facet to the great game of organized disc golf activities. Dubbed what I am calling "novelty tournaments" For example you may have heard of<a href="http://discgolfacerace.com/" target="_blank"> Discraft's Ace Race</a> tournaments where players get two prototype discs and try to get as many aces or (hole-in-ones) as possible in two rounds of disc golf. Super fun if you have the right course and discs. Another mini tournament that I hope to play in some day is the new <a href="http://trilogychallenge.com/" target="_blank">Trilogy Challenge</a>. However the event that gives this post credence is known as <a href="http://birdiebash.com/" target="_blank">The Birdie Bash</a> presented by Vibram Discs.<br />
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<u><b><span style="font-size: large;">Rules/How to Play</span></b></u></div>
The rules are simple. Try to get as many birdies or better through two rounds of disc golf with two Vibram discs of choice. For each ace/eagle a player earns 5 points, birdie earns a player 3 points, metal hit anywhere equals 1 point. If no one hits metal or birdies the player who is closest to the pin earns 1 point. The overall player with the highest point total after two rounds win.<br />
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<b><u><span style="font-size: large;">Players Pack</span></u></b></div>
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*You get two discs of your choice (driver/midrange & a putter)<br />
*Vibram dri-fit shirt (Yet another grey disc golf dri-fit for me)<br />
*Vibram Sticker<br />
*Vibram rubber coaster<br />
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<b><u><span style="font-size: large;">Disc Selection</span></u></b></div>
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I should mention that Vibram discs are not your typical disc golf discs in the traditional plastic sense because they are made of rubber. The <a href="http://www.vibramdiscgolf.com/why-vdg.html" target="_blank">Vibram website</a> can fill you in on the specifics of why they make good disc golf discs. However, previous to this tournament I have only thrown one other Vibram disc the X-Link Ascent. A fairway driver that is super over-stable in my experience. So needless to say I was excited to try out some of their other discs and a controlled environment.</div>
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I chose the unLace (disc on the right in photo) for my driver. It is an under-stable disc which is a type of disc that I don't have a ton of experience throwing. I chose a lighter weight in this rubber.</div>
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My second disc I chose was the X-Link Ridge as my putter. I chose this disc because I was looking for a stable driving putter to add my bag. This putter is just that. I can throw it as hard as a want and it will stay on that line and power through the wind. Great grip as well.</div>
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<b><u><span style="font-size: large;">Tournament Results</span></u></b></div>
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Well I will say that I didn't win the tournament. I didn't come in dead last either. I had a great time. Made some birdies and hit a few metals and also had quite a few CTPs. The wind the day of the tournament was that just a few miles short of needing an official wind advisory announcement. Not great for the use of an under-stable disc. Great choice MRK.</div>
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My second round was much better than the first round. A few more birdies, a few more metals, a few more CTPs. I ended up winning my card and scoring a round prize of a Vibram Birdie Bash sling back pack. It is super cool and I use it for taking a few discs to the park when I go on walks. I also got very good a releasing my unLace with hyzer and having it flatten out and s-curve for huge drives even in the wind.</div>
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If you have a chance to play in a Vibram Birdie Bash. I would completely recommend it. It was a fun, competitive, yet emphasis on fun again environment. Everyone is on the same level to some extent. </div>
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Until next post</div>
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MRK.</div>
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<br />Mid Range Kinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08483013599626300661noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24151428.post-6920896617219293212014-06-04T17:39:00.001-05:002014-06-04T17:39:10.661-05:00Gettin' Jiggy With ItAs dawn broke across the Midwestern sky, my sleepy self along with my better half were already working our way southward. She to fulfill her gainfully employed obligations; me to gain one more footstep toward my vocationally determined destination. One more footstep to myself one day gaining gainful employ at the end of my preparatory journey. I would be traveling much further that day. And while my day would include painfully dreary and boring moments, others could never be considered such.<br />
<br />
If I were to choose an hour to wipe the sleep out of my eyes, it would be the very same one in which I pulled into the parking lot of Seymour Smith Park in Omaha, over one hundred miles from where my day began. Dew still fresh upon the ground, this is not the typical time for those of our ilk to ply our trade. We are an afternoon-ish folk who would rather rest than experience the earlier parts of the solar cycle. Yet here I was. And I was not alone. Jiggs and his firstborn would be my companions.<br />
<br />
I had not practiced the art of the disc at Seymour in nearly a year. I had first played the course in 2002 with the venerable SCDGA member Harky and the person who introduced us to disc golf who some here will know as the BBD. It was the second course I had ever played. It was the closest and most familiar course to me during my time in Omaha. And I would now be able to play with the person I had introduced to the game at the course where I taught him the trade.<br />
<br />
It was wet. The fresh rain upon the ground recalling the Granite Ridge deluge of the first Cold Lampin' Weekend. I fondly remembered it as I played with one who joined me in the experience, feet sloshing through wet shoes as we worked our way hurriedly around the course. Unfortunately, schedules and responsibilities called us away to other things. Things devoid of discs. But we would have this experience. We needed it. Not because we required it for survival, but because life should be about more than survival. And not because it was disc golf. Though our compulsion to play our mutually beloved pastime is real, I would not have gone to the trouble for just another round. But because in the act of playing with Jiggs, we were sharing all the experiences of the past year we were unable to share due to distance. Because in that time that year was made manifest. It is a means of reconnecting; it is empathy; it is sharing life.<br />
<br />
I would be lying to you if I said that eighteen holes were played that day. The clock and the schedule called to us, and divergent ways led on to ways as Frost well knows. And telling you this with a sigh, I hope to impart that despite the imperfect throws, the incomplete round and the unfortunate weather conditions, the round was perfect. It was perfect because we were able to play together. And it is a perfection I wish to share with all you Cold Lampers again.<br />
<br />
<i>Ad Fontes!</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
~DiggsDiggshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17005033141014529525noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24151428.post-67110272942015231812014-05-28T22:11:00.003-05:002014-05-28T22:11:37.879-05:00MemorializedHappy Memorial Day (week)!<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Though of course, those to whom I should be directing such affections would be unable to hear such things. I digress. On the most Memorial of days I had the opportunity to finally get out and stretch the arm with the legally-bound family. Due to our current transportation situation this is the first time since making the migration back to the land of my birth. Needless to say the arm was rusty. But who really cares. When one has the opportunity to reacquaint with an old friend, one does not worry about whether one's whole life is in order so that one might be able to present the most positive of impressions. One simply embraces one's friend.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
And so to the land of disc we go. Joining me were some familiar to the Cold Lampin' cadre: BroLo El Cunado (who has joined us on a couple Cold Lampin' Weekends), Mr. and Mrs. In-laws, and the incomparable Mrs. Diggs. Our destination? Crystal Cove in the South SUX.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div>
It was a nice little outing. You know, other than the thunderstorm that hit halfway through. Despite the long layoff and unfortunate weather, I was able to have a fair amount of control. The Money ($) Putter made an appearance and earned its name. I hit a couple putts from outside the circle and I hit facemask on a 100 ft shot.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Keep in mind that we were working off back up discs here. My main bag is back east along with most of my midrange discs and all but my trophy putters. Negligible play time... relatively unknown course... foreign discs... a putter I've never thrown... I'm content with how I did, even though it was a fairly non-competitive round. I was even below par until I started flagging toward the end. It was a pretty solid way to spend the day.</div>
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<br /></div>
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Two more notes:</div>
<div>
<ol>
<li>My wife who NEVER plays with me (she honestly will only walk with me) decided to play. The results were better than anticipated. Not only did she improve throughout the day, she will occasionally do this little jump at the end of her throw that it is the cutest thing ever. Sometimes the untaught techniques are the best.</li>
<li>Those who attended the first Cold Lampin' Weekend may remember my friend Bryan. I was able to help him celebrate him and his beloved become Mr. and Mrs. Congrats to the awesome couple!</li>
</ol>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
I'm out,</div>
<div>
Diggs</div>
</div>
Diggshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17005033141014529525noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24151428.post-21160966463480978552014-05-13T15:14:00.000-05:002014-05-13T15:14:32.540-05:00From East to (mid)WestAlright ya'll, with yet another finals season finished, a new time of the year begins (preferably with more disc golf than the last). My summer will be markedly different than the previous few. For instance, my PDGA account has not been renewed this year. With so much uncertainty and busyness and travel in the last couple months and with so much more of the same in the next couple months, I didn't think I would find the time or resources to make renewal worthwhile. We hope that next year will be different, but it just didn't make sense this year. Further, the annual disc golf weekend of the SCDGA will be sans Diggs. I hope the rest of ya'll are still able to get together for a trip, but for similar reasons, the timing and the finances just didn't make it possible.<br />
<br />
What I am looking at, however, is a Midwest cameo for about a month or so before returning to the east coast. During that month, I hope to connect with anyone who might be around the SCDGA birthplace during the rest of May through a fair amount of June. I would like to see you gentlemen if possible. I will be without reliable transportation during that time, and with my competition bag staying put out east, I'll be struggling through a meager disc schedule on backup discs. Such is life. But after I get back out here, things should open up a bit, allowing a more regular disc fix.<br />
<br />
Here's what we're looking at through August:<br />
<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>MRK has already mentioned a possible trip down to throw a round or two. This needs to happen.</li>
<li>I have a couple business trips during the Midwest trip. One of these takes me to Jiggs' hometown. We're going to try to get together and play a round at our old stomping grounds</li>
<li>Another trip takes me to Kansas City for a couple days. I have not played a course in Kansas or Missouri. I'm hoping to make both happen</li>
<li>I haven't spoken with URBWes in awhile, but if he wants to spike some more burritos, he should visit his sister during early June. URBWes, you want a burrito</li>
<li>Harky I know is more limited in coming back (that's what you get for living in the Big Cheesy), but I wish him the best in working out a disc weekend!</li>
<li>When I get back here, I'll have about three guys to play with around here. They aren't my Cold Lampin' Crew, but they'll do. We'll be regulars at the Mercer course, which has gotten much better this season</li>
<li>I'm also hopeful we are able to make a trip to Tyler State Park and maybe even Warwick up north. These are two well-regarded courses and the best around here</li>
<li>Most of you will know to whom I refer when I mention the Halo name Reepicheep. There's a possibility I'll be able to head up to see him this summer. If so, I'm not sure I could pass on all the quality disc around Rochester</li>
</ul>
<div>
I leave tomorrow morning for a place that was 40 degrees colder than it was here today. I hope you are all doing well. Catch ya'll 'round the Lamp.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
~Diggs</div>
Diggshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17005033141014529525noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24151428.post-72724353347569957132014-04-03T17:07:00.001-05:002014-04-03T17:07:16.146-05:00Sweet Release!It is official. I have now played my first round of 2014! Only a day after my meteorological tirade, the fates heard my anguish and conspired an opportunity to express myself in plastic. In shorts no less! What a difference a day can make.<br />
<br />
I, predictably, was about as consistent as a manic depressive. My drives? Short and erratic. My approaches? Untypically long. Putts? Missed 15 footers and made 30+ footers. My lines were the only consistent part of the round. They regularly went straight into trees.<br />
<br />
It was just nice to get out. Now let's see how the arm feels tomorrow!<br />
<br />
Diggs, out.Diggshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17005033141014529525noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24151428.post-34676654074306360292014-04-02T17:17:00.002-05:002014-04-02T17:17:21.497-05:00Meteorological LiesI had been reserving further posts until, you know, I had actually played a round this year. I thought that would be today. I was wrong.<br />
<br />
I had the time. I had the will. And according to our weather reports, I should have had the weather. 0% chance they said. There'd be no rain they said. Now their pants are on fire. The paradigmatic prophetic voice of our culture has (yet again) been laid low, embarrassed by reality. Its as if the divine winds come yet again to prove to all that they are the Troll of Trolls. Internet-bound pubescent teens haven't a chance to unseat the champ.<br />
<br />
Why do we even try anymore? Would it be equally successful to blindly throw darts at a board? Why do we even allow absolute percentages at this point? 0%? I don't think you understand that number. Shouldn't there always be a chance, even if so minute the number is in decimal points? Let us all vow never to invest in such absolute numbers. It only ends in tears.<br />
<br />
~DiggsDiggshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17005033141014529525noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24151428.post-56345567781492033272014-03-21T06:00:00.000-05:002014-03-21T06:00:02.005-05:00Awaiting Spring...and other thoughtsHello disc golf fans! It has been much too long since I have graced this blog with a post. As I look out the window here in Minnesota, I am feeling sick to my stomach to see yet another snow storm roll on though. Should be more by the time this post goes to print. Last week the weather was warmer and many of the large mountains of snow began slowly melting away leaving the beautiful brown grass to show.<br />
<br />
I have been licking my chops waiting for the first time I can toss some plastic. So many thoughts and ideas have been going through my head this winter about goals, discs, courses, league night, tournaments, and just watching the plastic fly through the air. My next few Friday posts will center around my goals for the upcoming disc golf season. Historically, I write a long post about what I want to accomplish in the new season...this time I plan on writing a series of posts breaking down into single mini posts on various aspects of my game that I wish to address.<br />
<br />
Until next Week<br />
<br />
MRK out...Mid Range Kinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08483013599626300661noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24151428.post-15808115316536662272014-03-19T21:50:00.000-05:002014-03-19T21:50:05.178-05:00Squish the BugThis is the time of the year when I think about how horrible I am at disc golf; it is also the time that I think about getting a bit better. With the weather hampering any productive rounds, our only solace is to watch others do what we love. In spending too much time watching disc golf youtube movies, I am usually able to pick up one or two things I notice one more more of the pros doing that I think can be useful to my game.<br />
<br />
This year my focus is something I've known I've needed to work on for awhile, the pivot. Since becoming a RHBH thrower, I have recognized the importance of a good pivot in transferring energy. And muscle memory being what it is, I naturally reverted to the technique of a baseball swing. As I was instructed as a wee lad, one should step and "squish the bug," rotating on the ball of my foot.<br />
<br />
So that's what I've been doing. But I've noticed a significant problem with it. The torque created on my knee is creating structural problems at my tender old age. This became problematic enough for me to start using a knee brace for the rest of the year following an unfortunate experience at the Des Moines Challenge. I needed to find a way to take pressure off the knee as I throw.<br />
<br />
I've also noticed that none of the pros pivot on the balls of their feet. As they pivot, they plant perpendicular to where they throw (similar to me), but they will then shift weight to the heel to pivot before shifting their weight forward again for the finish.<br />
<br />
So that's what I'm hoping to do this spring. If I change any one technique this year, it will be the pivot. I'm not entirely certain this will completely alleviate the knee problems, but it sure can't stay the way it is now. Let us hope that my knee will stay healthy enough to avoid the brace as much as possible. It is SUPER annoying!<br />
<br />
~Diggs<br />
<br />
P.S. Sorry for the late article. At least it isn't well written!Diggshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17005033141014529525noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24151428.post-87724533851580208672014-03-11T01:00:00.000-05:002014-03-11T01:00:00.648-05:00Geographical Goals for 2014I realized the other week that I had yet to fully update the course map page. In doing so, I noticed that the Cold Lampin' Crew has now tallied 79 courses across 15 states. I was very impressed! Well done, gents!<br />
<br />
But I was not terribly satisfied. Maybe a case of OCD is creeping in, but 79 courses looks to me like a crooked number. Let's straighten it out a bit. Hear and accept! The goal for the 2014 disc golf season is for our cohort to top 100 courses! That means that between the lot of us, we will need to add a total of 21 courses, or nearly a 25% increase in our current number. A daunting task to be sure. But here's where things get possible...<br />
<br />
The King has already spoken to me of a number of new courses he has already put on his docket to play. Between that and any new courses he may play at tourneys this year, I imagine he could easily add 6-7 himself. In addition, with my new digs in a relatively unexplored area of the country, I think I could easily find 10 new courses around here to hit up at least once. Two in particular catch my eye, and others around seem promising. Let's call that 17 total. If we can find just four more courses, we're there.<br />
<br />
Let's do it, gentlemen! Join the quest to 100 courses!Diggshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17005033141014529525noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24151428.post-1532169083625585532014-03-04T01:00:00.000-06:002014-03-04T01:00:01.310-06:00Rocky MontageThe weather forecast has indicated to me that the optimism of my previous post is more a statement on our mutually held desires than it is an accurate representation of reality. Winter yet remains. It will not always, but it is still in the coming. We may here note that manifesting desire in the physical plane is not as simple as one might wish.<br />
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
The professionals have already put in some work. It is worth perusing if you have the time. But in lieu of personal accounts of flying polymers by which I may regale you, I think I will instead touch on an issue which I think is too little addressed in this sport of ours. Physical preparation.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
My fat ass has sat around for far too long. There was a time when I kept it mildly toned with the help of Tony Horton's P90X, but the copy was not mine and moving one thousand miles away from that copy has made it difficult to continue. I started Insanity the other day, and we will see how that works out. So far I have only been reminded that while I do have many shapes, I am not <i>IN </i>any of them. Hopefully I can get to some semblance of fitness without sacrificing knee stability.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
The point of all this is not to bring up my own personal workout routine, but to finally ask the question, what is the most effective way one may prepare one's body for disc golf?</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Would it be similar to a ball golfer's routine? Perhaps a baseball player's? Should I run? Work core? Lift free weights? If so, what lifts will best prepare me? I am in the northeast now. Should I take up rowing?</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
I'm not sure what the answer is, but this has long been a question of mine. Please let me know your thoughts.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
~Diggs</div>
Diggshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17005033141014529525noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24151428.post-2637256294388877712014-02-26T22:44:00.000-06:002014-02-26T22:59:07.019-06:00The ItchHello ladies and gents,<br />
<br />
It certainly has been awhile, but we're back in the saddle again. For those of you not in the know, I went back to school this fall, and I have to say, it has been kicking the lower end of my digestive tract. Homework is a bear and takes up too much time.<br />
<br />
This semester is a little lighter on the course load. That or I'm just not being as diligent. The truth is somewhere in there. In any event, this is the time of the year when I get the itch...<br />
<br />
I greatly dislike playing in typical winter weather. I've played in snow and ice before. Pretty sure I did it on sheer principle. But as I've grown older, I've realized that (in the words of Lewis Black) it isn't a triumph of the human spirit... it's f***in' stupid. It doesn't seem like disc golf to me. Instead, I've spent the winter cooped up inside staring at my practice basket. And as month as turned to month, my strange desire to throw molded plastic at metallic assembles becomes a pervasive part of my reality. It is a cacophony of silence that begs to be pierced by the chinging of chains.<br />
<br />
Let us all prepare now brothers and sisters to scratch that mutual itch we share. For while in the fall we somberly muttered that winter is coming, in the winter we may now anxiously proclaim that spring is nigh!<br />
<br />
~DiggsDiggshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17005033141014529525noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24151428.post-26844560135439173912013-07-05T06:00:00.000-05:002013-07-05T06:00:01.397-05:00The Minnesota Majestic: Tourney in ReviewI have heard about this tournament for years since I have been living in Minnesota. "You gotta play in the Majestic! It's amazing...." I have been to the Final 9 and the Opening rounds to see the Pro's light up some of the greatest courses Minnesota has to offer. I have seen Feldberg miss a putt and the immediately smack himself in the head with a disc in disgust. I've even dabbled in playing in the doubles tournament that is the Thursday before the tourney starts and we all know how that went. But I have never actually played in the event. UNTIL this year.<br />
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<a name='more'></a><br /><br />
My first Minne-Majestic experience also coincides with my first experience with an A-Tier tournament too. Let me set the scene for you now. The tournament consisted of 27 holes at <a href="http://www.dgcoursereview.com/course.php?id=364" target="_blank">Kaposia</a>, <a href="http://www.dgcoursereview.com/course.php?id=307" target="_blank">Hyland</a>, and <a href="http://www.dgcoursereview.com/course.php?id=1022" target="_blank">Blue Ribbon Pines</a>. The weather for the weekend was insane. I was woken up Friday morning to a massive thunderstorm that just pelted the Twin Cities area with rain and high wind. By the time my round started the wind and rain was gone. Saturday morning same story. Sunday was the only day that I had to play through any amount of rain and it was only for about an hour or so. Nevertheless the courses were saturated with water (much like our Highbridge Experience this year) and down tree limbs.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTdjXCS86P3Cj_DGKuDndokuq9cjQEjL-vvUFPBEXe5cFwq-ndde9ISYWUf68Bl3x_vbgawixINpF1PJpY2cjwW2UZF_TGBQkNn6DFs0TPu4AQ9agRi17R9rQ4QIco9AMEpNcDGw/s1600/DSC_0002.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTdjXCS86P3Cj_DGKuDndokuq9cjQEjL-vvUFPBEXe5cFwq-ndde9ISYWUf68Bl3x_vbgawixINpF1PJpY2cjwW2UZF_TGBQkNn6DFs0TPu4AQ9agRi17R9rQ4QIco9AMEpNcDGw/s1600/DSC_0002.JPG" height="211" width="320" /></a></div>
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<b>The Nitty Gritty</b>: The <i><b>Players Pack</b></i> included a Super-Color Minnesota Majestic Buzz, Hot Pink Minnesota Majestic Mini, a pint glass from Surly Brewing, a grey dri-fit, and two granola bars. Not the players pack I was hoping for but I guess I can't complain. The <i><b>Intermediate Division</b></i> consisted of 93 players and I was rated above 21 people (including those with no rating)<br />
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<u><b>Round 1</b></u>: Friday 9 AM: Kaposia (my so called nemesis)<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>I was nervous about this course because I hadn't played since 2009 and I remember it being a bad experience.</li>
<li>By all standards I drew a good hole to start out on hole 26 a long uphill shot that has trees in the middle of the fairway. A long hyzer should get you half way. I liked where I started because it simulated a typical normal round...play the last 2 holes and then start with one and play a normal round.</li>
<li>A shout out to the group of guys I played round one with...Ray, Patrick, and Jake...awesome group to play with. Great skill and desire to push me forward.</li>
<li>I knew if I managed the course well I would score well. I did that...no regrets on any shot.</li>
<li>I shot a 94 (81 was par). Tied for 31st at the time.</li>
<li>Didn't go OB, lost disc, or 6's for that matter</li>
</ul>
<b><u>Round 2</u></b>: Saturday 9 AM: Hyland (if you like hills...you'll like this one)<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>Wind was relatively calm which was good for the hills on this course.</li>
<li>Started on hole 12 which means I play the tallest hills early in the round.</li>
<li>Ray, Tony, and Chris (nice ace by the way) were great card mates again. Good sports all around</li>
<li>Highlight was carding a 2 on the tallest hill. 658 ft down hill the entire way. I put it 7 feet from the pin. I threw my Pro Destroyer with some anhyzer and just watched it sail. (probably one of the best/scariest 10 seconds of my disc golf life)</li>
<li>I shot a 89 which put me around 39th place.</li>
</ul>
<u><b>Round 3</b></u>: Sunday 8 AM: Blue Ribbon Pines ( my personal favorite...it's so tough)<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>Began the round in a down pour that had been going on since midnight.</li>
<li>Started on hole 15. One hole after Digg's famed first Ace. Also known as the bowl hole.</li>
<li>In my opinion worst group of card mates for the weekend. I wouldn't choose to play a round with them lets say. But nice people.</li>
<li>I worm burned and hit a few too many trees off the tees.</li>
<li>Highlight # 2: Carding a Bogey on hole 4 (signature hole). I had an amazing drive with my Ti Buzz. Just skimmed the left side of the fairway to put me three quarters of the way there.</li>
<li>Ended up shooting a 103 which was I believe second best on our card.</li>
</ul>
<br /><br />
<b><u>The Results:</u></b> I ended up for the weekend shooting a 286, + 36, Tied for 43rd Place. I was one throw away from getting a payout. Do I wish I was one throw better....of course I do. But in my opinion I played a good tournament. The best so far. I don't regret missing some shots or decisions I made. I managed myself fairly well. I can only hope to improve and continue to gain points towards the 2014 Am Worlds.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />Mid Range Kinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08483013599626300661noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24151428.post-71132216077797296722013-06-25T01:00:00.000-05:002013-06-25T01:00:10.570-05:002013: A Disc OdysseyThis summer represents a pretty major change for me and my family. I will be moving across the country in August to the east coast. I'll be driving solo in my trusty Chevy Impala that may, in fact, eclipse a quarter million miles on the trip. Now this isn't the first long trip I've made. A number of years ago, I moved to Charlotte (in the same Impala, no less!). The problem with long trips... they are long. And they are boring. They are long and boring. And I needed to figure out a way to make the entire experience more palatable. Enter map. Here's what we're looking at:<br />
<br />
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I know what you're thinking.<br />
<br />
"Wow Diggs, that's a long way to drive. What are all those little markers?"<br />
<br />
So glad you asked!<br />
<br />
Those are points spaced out on my proposed driving route. Each one represents a course I (tentatively) plan on playing on the way out, picking up most states I will be traveling through. I chose large cities in my path spaced out fairly evenly. Then, looking at local options, chose some of the better regarded courses in the area. Here is the list:<br />
<br />
<ol>
<li>Sertoma Park (Sioux City, IA): Former Cold Lamp Headquarters, this was the beginning of my disc golf experiences. Seemed fitting to make it the beginning of this disc golf journey</li>
<li>Camden Park II (Milan, IL): A course in Davenport looked more interesting, but this one also looked promising and is located in a state in which I have yet to play. No better reason, really.</li>
<li>Mohawk DGC/Boondock Farms (~Indianapolis, IN): Mohawk looked really interested, but it was described as a private course available only on special occasions. What does that mean? I don't know. But Boondock is a more than suitable substitute from what I have seen. It will also add an Indiana course.</li>
<li>Brent Hambrick Memorial DGC (Columbus, OH): The Memorial is the site of one of the largest and well-respected tourneys of the year and a National Tour stop. Having yet to play a course used in the NT aside from a couple WC courses, I am excited to give it a go!</li>
<li>Moraine State Park (Portersville, PA): I hear Pittsburgh is a fairly decent place to play some disc. Moraine is described as a championship level course. Hopefully I have enough time to fit in all these quality courses!</li>
<li>Mercer County Park (West Windsor Township, NJ): This will be in the neighborhood of my new home. Might as well see what the locals are up to, eh?</li>
</ol>
All stops will depend on how the drive is going and whether or not I have the time to spare, but I should be able to manipulate the drive to include most if not all.<br />
<br />
Of course, if my wife joins me on the trip, I'm going to say all plans are off (though I might be able to finagle the Memorial!). Anyway, wish me luck and Godspeed. I will be embarking on a new adventure. One thing is for certain (as concerns this blog), disc golf will continue to be a part of it!<br />
<br />
Auf Wiedersehen!<br />
<br />
~Diggs Diggshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17005033141014529525noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24151428.post-87403501044990785572013-06-08T06:00:00.000-05:002013-06-08T06:00:00.523-05:00Cold Lampin' Weekend # 3: Preview and random thoughts<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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At the moment of this post hitting the internet we will be about 30 or so hours from beginning the next greatest disc golf adventure. We are about to embark on our (count it) third annual Cold Lampin' disc golf weekend, never mind that this year it takes place over a Monday-Wednesday. I dare say that this years trip will be our best yet. The anticipation has been mounting for months as we finalized our plans to head back to the place we dreamed about in high school. A place where the disc golf weekends started....the legendary Disc Golf Mecca. Highbridge Hills.<br />
<br />
A place where one day there will be ten 18 hole courses set upon the single property. Located in the middle of nowhere close to the shores of Lake Michigan in Northern Wisconsin. Five brave souls will embark on a journey that will undoubtedly strengthen our friendship but also test our disc golf abilities. It is an area that is unforgiving, arrant throws will be punished with extra shots. But the one golfer who dares challenge the likes of Highbridge Gold will wind up with the greatest prize. A golden trident that Poseidon tossed out of the Great Lake only to never have it return.<br />
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Let's meet our team shall we (Channel your inner Lord of the Rings creation of the Fellowship in Rivendell) Our newest member although he's no stranger to Highbridge. He hales from the great state of Nebraska and from what I hear from Diggs is ripping a pretty sweet hyzer these days. Mr. Josh Van Roekel or Jiggs as he's known on the blog. Second, we have our local Wisconsinite an Iowa transplant, Mr. Andy Harcum. Rounding out the middle of our card is a guy who seems to either have "much tree love" or somehow, somewayrrrr over the rainbow finds a way to sink a couple of impossible shots from great lengths. It's Marshal, MN's own Wes Myers. This next SCDGA team member needs no introduction, he's this years leader of the trip and a great history at this complex. The winner of the first ever trophy round golden "money" putter. He's making the trip from the Greater Omaha area it's Douglas "Diggs" Walters. Then rounding out the card....thank goodness there are five lines on a score card. I'm gonna keep it humble now...actions speak louder than words as Relient K once sung. Heading out from the Granite Falls, MN area and the resident Mid Range King, Chris Pappadackis.<br />
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Now that the team is assembled here's what you can look forward to per the itinerary that was mailed out. We are looking at playing a ton of golf. Hopefully you have been working your arms and legs. It's gonna be long days/nights most likely. We are looking at playing around two courses per day. Blueberry Hill ( missed that one last time...heard great things). Followed by The Bear, Highbridge Gold, Granite Ridge, Chestnut Grove, Woodland Greens/Whitetail. All great courses and a few surprise challenges along the way.<br />
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Random Thoughts portion.....Looking forward to defending my trophy from last year. Can't wait to spend many hours in the car to get there. Sleeping in a place with running water will be amazing. I am putting the handicap at 4 for total discs lost as a group this weekend. I'm hoping to lose this bet and it be zero. There's a bear den on The Bear course. I'm gonna par the longest hole in the world...mark that on the calendar.<br />
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Safe travels and see you at the Mecca.<br />
<br />
MRK<br />
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<br />Mid Range Kinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08483013599626300661noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24151428.post-82593442371785135452013-05-07T01:00:00.000-05:002013-05-07T01:00:10.990-05:00Well Poop. We Have Some Catchin' Up To Do...When I say we have catching up to do, I mean it. This post will be spanning a time frame of three years. Buckle up!<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>My May and June are pretty crazy. I am literally home for 1.5 weeks in June, and I will be logging around 100 hours of work in those 1.5 weeks. That will play into a couple of these bullet points, but mostly I just wanted to see that typed out so I could scare the crap out of myself. Did it work? Let me check. Yup... crap is out.</li>
<li>Checking back on some old posts, I realized I was lazy. I started Day 1 of the 2012 Disc Weekend, but I neglected to do absolutely anything beyond that. Shame on me! I will start catching up on those soon-ish. With two posts remaining on the subject, I should get it done before the 2013 Disc Weekend actually takes place. This brings me to my next point...</li>
<li>Disc Weekend (Week) 2013 is only about a month away! I'm a loser, so I made an itinerary for our time. After some fine tuning, I'll be sending it out. Get your arms ready 'cuz you're going to need some stamina for this one. I'll expand upon this in a separate preview post, but for now just know that there will be prizes, awards, skills competitions, and even something called the North Korea Special. Stay tuned.</li>
<li>The 2014 World Amateur Disc Golf Championships will be in the Twin Cities</li>
<li>I am playing tournaments again this year. I am pretty sure MRK is, too, though I'll let you tell you about that himself.</li>
<li>Wouldn't it be sweet if the last two bullet points were related?</li>
<li>My first tourney will be an A-Tier at the end of the month. I have played precisely zero of the courses on the schedule. My prediction = my rating will go down.</li>
<li>I have a pinched nerve in my back that's been going on for nearly a month now. I have a doctor's visit tomorrow. Let us see if we can't get Diggs up and going before the month is out.</li>
<li>I miss you all. Can't wait to get together and throw some plastic! </li>
</ul>
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<br />
~Diggs Diggshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17005033141014529525noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24151428.post-69948634172676680542013-04-30T01:00:00.000-05:002013-04-30T01:00:02.899-05:00Worst. Day. Ever.The weather finally seems to be getting better. My back is still bothering me, but we'll play through it. Little option, really. When the disc bug gets in ya, you just have to get it out!<br />
<br />
This effectively is the beginning of a lot of our seasons. If your first rounds are much like mine, you will be reminded of how poorly you really do play this game. Understandable. You have to re-learn every disc. Every throw. Every angle and strategy and hole habits. Those throws you were making in the fall just aren't flowing in the spring. You know it will get better with time... just sucks now.<br />
<br />
Got me to thinking.<br />
<br />
What was the worst day/experience you have had in disc golf? Figured I'd let this one marinate a bit before I offer mine. Give you all a chance to give yours.<br />
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As you rehash those memories you thought you had left behind, be entertained by someone else s worst time. Enjoy.<br />
<br />
~Diggs <br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="281" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/X6vjQ6H37nA" width="500"></iframe><br />Diggshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17005033141014529525noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24151428.post-35839815393271552282013-04-23T01:00:00.000-05:002013-04-23T01:00:01.875-05:00Identity CrisisFor those of you who didn't know (and here I'm talking to you, Mother Nature), we are now officially in Spring. Everyone seems to know this except for the weather. Spring... you're late. We need you. For you Southern folk, this merely represents the difference between playing in short- or long-sleeve shirts. For us in the Midwest, this is the difference between playing or not playing at all. Sure, we have some crazies that will disc all-the-year long without regard to ice or snow levels. But I have become increasingly more convinced that this continued play might actually hurt your game as much as help it. Almost pulled a groin last time I tried to throw from a patch of ice.<br />
<br />
No. While I have been known to throw down in the elements, I am afraid this does not appeal to me as a substitute for a bearable round of disc golf. The Jiggs & Diggs Express is more fortunate than most in the Cold Lampin' Love Covenant (we live south of MOST of the snow). We have had more opportunity to get out than the others. Still, means little when we're talking about a snow forecast just a hop and a skip away from May Day.<br />
<br />
But I believe in equity. I do not think it fair to have more opportunity to prepare for the upcoming disc weekend (even if it is in the middle of the week this go around). As a result, a pinched nerve in my back has prevented any disc throwing over the last three weeks. My body made an executive decision without discussing the issue with me. If you have never had a pinched nerve, it sucks... hard. I never thought getting into a car might constitute the worst part of my day on a regular basis... at least until I recall trying to get out of bed.<br />
<br />
But things will come around. The pinched nerve is finally recovering after three bloody weeks. The forecast later in the week is promising. The disc will return. Get your minis ready!<br />
<br />
<br />
~Diggs<br />
<br />Diggshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17005033141014529525noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24151428.post-87392768445169030182013-03-15T06:00:00.000-05:002013-03-15T06:00:02.426-05:00Snow, Ice, More Snow, More Ice, and DGTRWell it's March now and I don't know about you but the weather her in Minnesota has never really bothered me. I for the most part have enjoyed the cold, snow, ice school cancellations ect. for many years. That was until this year. It is this year that I now have a 35-40 minute commute to work one way (on rural county roads mind you). So now that old man winter has been rearing his big bald head for the past four months, I am starting to become a cynical old man in my old 27 years of age. I can's stand driving in snowy hazardous conditions. I mean who really does anyway....but this winter has been notorious for blizzard warnings...freezing rain...old fashioned snow storms.<br />
<br />
Back to my commute, I have lots to time to prepare for or decompress from school while making the trip. I usually tend to listen to a variety of podcasts and not the radio. The podcasts range from Paul Allen and Dan Barreiro's shows on Twin Cities Radio 100.3 KFAN, MLB Networks show Intentional Talk, to Gleeman and the Geek where two crazy guys drink beer and talk about the Minnesota Twins very entertaining by the way. But the reason I am writing this post is to share with everyone one podcast that has seemed to help curb my desire to disc golf while the snow flies her in Minnesota.<br />
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<a name='more'></a>It's put out on a website called DGTR short for <a href="http://discgolftalkradio.com/" target="_blank">Disc Golf Talk Radio</a>. Here are my thoughts on the podcast side of the website. I'm gonna play on a top ten list idea I thought of. Think of it like this on the course you want to avoid bogeys, shoot for pars, and strive for birdies so I will give you my thoughts based on that concept. <br />
<br />
<b>Par:</b> This podcast is centered around disc golf. It's created by Steve Huebner who seems like a pretty sweet guy from what I have listened to. In addition to Steve, Terry Miller....aka <a href="http://www.lifetimediscsports.com/blog/" target="_blank">The Disc Golf Guy</a> is also one of the main hosts of the shows they put on.<br />
<br />
<span style="color: red;"><b>Birdie</b>:</span> The show is a talk show...so naturally there are no annoying commercials...just talk about disc golf...usually the podcasts are an hour or so<br />
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<b>Bogey</b>: Don't go expecting this to be a podcast that you will find on ESPN or something. Although its like a normal sports talk radio show with sounders and in game highlights. It has just enough of professionalism to allow me to not pull my hair out.<br />
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<b>Par</b>: The show really has no script and isn't sponsored by one dominate company and therefore doesn't focus on certain disc companies or players a la a certain sports network on the east coast. (P.S. I love watching sports on it)<br />
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<b><span style="color: red;">Birdie</span></b>: Real time interviews with current pro players that are out on tour. Some of my favorites that I have heard so far include:<a href="http://discgolftalkradio.com/podcasts/" target="_blank"> the interviews with Chuck Kennedy, Will , Steve Dodge (of Vibram), Jay the "Yeti" Redding, and the Let's talk: Pay to play.</a><br />
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<b><span style="color: red;">Birdie</span></b>: Found out from the latest interview from the Memorial Champions: Paige Pierce and Will Schusterick that the rest of the Prodigy line of discs will be out by Summers start. Again...kinda intrigued about the new company<br />
<br />
<b>Par</b>: Some of questions Terry and Steve ask come straight from the listeners or people from the forum the website runs during the interviews. Sweet way for fans to participate in the shows.<br />
<br />
<b>Bogey</b>: Many times during the shows Steve tends to awkwardly pass the "baton" so to speak to Terry to ask the more in depth disc golf questions to guests.<br />
<br />
<b>Par</b>: Usually at the end of the interviews the players have a chance to share what type of plastic they are throwing and who their sponsors are. It's one of my favorite parts of the whole show.<br />
<br />
There you have it: 9 "holes" worth of reasons to take a mosey on over to DGTR and check out what they have to offer. You can find them on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/DGTRLive?fref=ts" target="_blank">Facebook</a> and <a href="https://twitter.com/DGTRlive" target="_blank">twitter</a> too. Like I mentioned earlier, it has been a breath of fresh air to listen to guys who are passionate about disc golf and wanna talk about it. I equate it to the same enthusiastic spirit I have for this blog. If you have some free time or long car rides coming up take a listen.<br />
<br />
<br />
Until next time<br />
MRK<br />
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<br />
<br />
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<br />Mid Range Kinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08483013599626300661noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24151428.post-83255792617301843442013-03-13T02:16:00.002-05:002013-03-13T02:16:45.944-05:002012 Tournament Season in Review: BuenoWhew! With all that tourney negativity out of the way, let us turn to all those things that made the 2012 tournament season a wonderful set of experiences. Here are the "Bueno-s"<br />
<br />
10. PDGA Membership - #52116. Along with the custom mini and PDGA issue Stalker, the sweetest part about joining the PDGA is being able to support the efforts of disc golf as a sport. Not only does it allow for tournaments, but for all the innovative ways in which disc golf is being developed and promoted. Glad to contribute.<br />
9. More complete understanding of competitive disc golf - While I had the opportunity to play one other tournament before, the tourney was also the first of the rest of those participating. Playing in sanctioned events forces you to take every shot seriously. No longer is it a given that you'll be one of the better players on the course. The level of competition goes up, and so does the level of your play.<br />
8. Some of the better rounds I've ever played - Definitely some notable exceptions. The doubles tourney was certainly a low point in my career, and the first round of the Acorn Open was less than steller, but for one stretch of the second round in the Acorn Open, I hit 6 birdies in 8 holes. Rock star.<br />
7. Mini competitions - CTP, ace pools, distance competitions, rings of fire. Stupid little things to pass the time, but interesting nonetheless.<br />
6. Meeting some big-time discers...<br />
5. Ratings - Along with the PDGA membership, every sanctioned tournament round becomes a rated round. Think of 1000 being a standard for the sport (something akin to par). Ratings allow you to gauge where you are in relation to other players. I like the idea. Now I know for certain how horrible I am<br />
4. Tournament Flymarts - Sweet Moses, that was a lot of plastic. Promoters and companies bring a nice little collection of the latest and greatest around to sell to us hapless consumers. This is on the list because of #2<br />
3. Duh... winning! Even though I won exactly zero tourneys this year, for
the most part, I was competitive, landing me in the winnings. This
leads me to...<br />
2. Free plastic! - Placing in these things as an amateur will often net winnings in the form of a voucher at the flymart. And all those discs you never had the chance to buy suddenly become a lot more affordable<br />
<br />
And the numero uno "Bueno" for the 2012 tourney season is...<br />
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<a name='more'></a><br />
1. Camaraderie - At each of these tournaments, the MRK was around to share in the trials and tribulations; the joys and successes. And in the process of getting ready for the tournaments, Jiggs was around to get the arm in shape. Even when your round doesn't include someone you know, the quality of folks around is typically pretty solid. There's the occasional turd in the punchbowl, but for the most part, if they're playing tourneys, they take their disc fairly seriously and buy into the chill culture surrounding the sport.<br />
<br />
I whole-heartedly enjoyed the tourney experience and hope to have more in the future<br />
<br />
~DiggsDiggshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17005033141014529525noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24151428.post-51068365724604734872013-03-08T06:00:00.000-06:002013-03-08T06:00:07.615-06:002012 Disc Golf Season Personal Reflection Part 2After spending most of last Saturday afternoon watching the conclusion of The Memorial Championship on the internet, I was motivated to complete a post that was meant to drop last Friday. For the second part of my reflection of 2012 I want to focus on the courses I was able to play this year.<br />
<br />
Last I checked I totaled out playing 13 courses. Compare that with previous years 2009 - 9, 2010 - 6, and 2011 - 12. Thirteen courses when I look back at it now seems crazy considering I now have lived in an area where to go to a decent course with at least 18 baskets I have to travel over an hour one way. Now of those 13 courses I played last year 8 of them were courses I have never played before. Details after the jump.<br />
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<a name='more'></a><br />
The new courses I have added to my new courses played list are the <a href="http://www.dgcoursereview.com/course.php?id=3265" target="_blank">Doane College DGC</a>, <a href="http://www.dgcoursereview.com/course.php?id=5740" target="_blank">Lagoon Park DGC</a>, <a href="http://www.dgcoursereview.com/course.php?id=528" target="_blank">Lions Park I</a>, <a href="http://www.dgcoursereview.com/course.php?id=1767" target="_blank">Robbins Island DGC</a>, and <a href="http://www.dgcoursereview.com/course.php?id=1987" target="_blank">Slumberland DGC</a>, <a href="http://www.dgcoursereview.com/course.php?id=3447" target="_blank">Lincoln Park - North</a>, <a href="http://www.dgcoursereview.com/course.php?id=234" target="_blank">Lincoln Park - South</a>, and <a href="http://www.dgcoursereview.com/course.php?id=407" target="_blank">Douglas Park</a> .<br />
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Here is my complete list of which courses I played and how many total rounds I kept score...you mid-westerners know that if you don't play all winter you need a few "spring training" rounds in you before you feel confident and ready to keep score...usually by May I am dialed in and keeping score.<br />
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<b>Acorn DGC</b> - Roseville, MN - 4</div>
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<b>Blue Ribbon Pines</b> - East Bethel, MN - 2</div>
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<b>Bryant Lake DGC </b>- Eden Prairie, MN - 1</div>
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*<b>Doane College</b> - Crete, NE - 2<br />
<b>*Douglas Park</b> - Springfield, IL - 1</div>
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<b>Hyland Ski & Snowboard DGC</b> - Bloomington, MN - 1</div>
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*<b>Lagoon Park DGC</b> - Montevideo, MN - 9<br />
<b>*Lincoln Park - North</b> - Springfield, IL -1<br />
<b>*Lincoln Park - South </b>- Springfield, IL - 1</div>
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*<b>Lions Park I</b> - Shakopee, MN - 1</div>
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*<b>Robbins Island DGC</b> - Willmar, MN - 5</div>
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*<b>Slumberland DGC</b> - Watertown, SD - 1</div>
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<b>SMSU DGC</b> - Marshall, MN - 4</div>
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* = New Courses Played</div>
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So if my math serves me correct I count 33 total rounds. I wish the number was higher but I was busy most of the summer with baseball and various other endeavors so 33 is a good number to have. I can only hope to improve upon that this coming year.</div>
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That being said, I absolutely enjoyed my time spent on the course this summer. I learned a lot about my game both the mental and physical aspect of it. I learned that if I don't practice or at least play regularly...I get rusty pretty bad. Lucky for me I have a practice basket so my putting didn't completely leave me. But my distance and accuracy was hit or miss all season. I didn't matter the course or time of year. My short game greatly improved due to the fact that most of the courses around me are mid-range drives and putts to finish them off...not too many true par fours.</div>
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I also hope to get a few course reviews out on the various courses that I will play this summer so look forward to seeing reviews of Lagoon Park, Robbins Island, and the new Granite Falls rec course that just went in the ground in November.</div>
<br />Mid Range Kinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08483013599626300661noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24151428.post-20874639719157628792013-03-06T14:47:00.001-06:002013-03-06T14:48:12.043-06:00Site ChangesI was still finalizing my list of "bueno's" for the tourney season by the time Tuesday came around. Sorry you won't be able to check out that awesomeness just yet, but I thought I'd take this week to apprize ya'll of some alterations around here.<br />
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First, we have slightly updated our course page. It now includes a state-by-state listing of the courses we have played, their city, and who has played it. At last count, we have 60 courses across 13 states listed. I know my hope is to personally add at least five states to the list over the course of the next year and a half. We'll see how that goes.<br />
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We will also be unveiling player pages. This will include a short DG bio, as well as some disc and course preferences of those who's eloquent and erudite words you read around these parts.<br />
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Be on the lookout for this one coming down the pipe, and if you still have some work to do on your page, get at it!<br />
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Until we meet again,<br />
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~DiggsDiggshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17005033141014529525noreply@blogger.com0