Blizzard Champ

On a day when we are getting 3" of snow, I found it noteworthy to mention the new line of plastic from Innova. It is called Blizzard Champion. This plastic incorporates thousands of microbubbles into the Champ plastic line. The benefit of this is high speed with lighter weight premium plastic which equals greater distance in the right conditions. Innova stated that testing has shown discs under 140 grams of the Blizzard Champ line of plastic will float in water!

Their are only 4 discs currently available in the Blizzard Plastic line up (Wraith, Destroyer, Katana, and Boss). I think the destroyer will fit nicely in my bag to start with. Which one if any/all will you be picking up for this upcoming season of DG?

~JVR

On Phoenixes & Rainy Days: A Highbridge Hills SC Review, Pt 2... Pt 2

A Bear Woodland Recap in pictures and video...

In an effort to give a better picture of the experience, I thought it might be sweet to include some more tangible expressions of the course. While my memories contain much that was never captured for posterity, I think this could approximate in greater fullness when considered along with my words. I debated including them in the other post, but concern for length stayed my hand. Enjoy this second offering...

The above image is the group sans MRK the cameraman. Solid.

Here's a sweet pic of Jiggs the Jiggalo with some happy rays of sunshine (the last we would have on the trip). From the looks of it, this might be the putt up a mound.

This is a typical vista on the course. Many tall trees, yet some nicely defined lines that really shape the course quite nicely.

This was a great hole (#2 I believe) even if it ended poorly for me. If we could pan to the right, we could see two different alley ways to the right and left. The route to the left gradually doglegs back to the right in a long arch (~450 ft). The route to the right arches around to meet up with the first, leaving an approach when you're done... as long as you have a big arm. And halfway down the right side is a separate arch branching around, approaching the hole from the other side. Really nice set up!

And boom. There you go.

~Diggs

On Phoenixes & Rainy Days: A Highbridge HIlls SC Review, Pt 2

Part 2... Grin & Bear It


Course: Bear Woodland

Time: Friday, late afternoon

Round: Arriving in the mid-afternoon on Friday, we promptly exited the vehicles and, before even finding out where we were staying, got in some putt practice. Eventually, we were able to connect up with John and get situated. In fairly short order, we were heading to the courses.

Our high-minded aspirations had us completing the whole series of major courses over the 40ish hours we were on site. Reflecting back on it, naive... so naive. I suppose we merely hoped for such an outcome, which as you may have guessed by now, did not come to fruition. Anyway, the plan was to hit up the Bear, a newer course that looked densely wooded. Saturday we would ease into the day with Woodland Greens ( a shorter, easier course); roll into Highbridge Gold for the Money Putt competition (winner won the money putter); capping the day off with some Granite Ridge action. The following morning, we would squeeze in Blueberry Hill before departure. One of those rounds we would make doubles, and we planned on throwing Chestnut Grove, the night course, one of those nights.

Well, as it turned out, the seasonal rains caused delays in completing the Bear course. Instead, they played the first 7 holes, then jumped over to Woodland Greens to finish off the round. Turns out it was a fairly nifty set up for those interested in throwing the Bear, though it prevented us from throwing hole 12 located near a live bear cave. Perhaps better that way...

Warning: The following account is admittedly colored by the viewpoint of its author. My experience is forever influenced by playing such rounds through my own eyes. Other authors will most assuredly have their own varied accounts that may differ greatly than my own.

Now I can tell you about how much the round sucked.

At least it did for me. Let us paint a picture. In the picture is a young man on the cusp of the most life-changing experience outside religious. Enter an opportunity to cross off one of the more long-standing bucket list items known to him. He seizes the carp, using the traditional male ritual for such a purpose. The moment finally arrives. What follows can only be described as a cruel, cosmic joke. Suddenly a decade's worth of effort and experience vanishes, leaving the remains of shattered expectations and broken dreams. I played that poorly. To be fair... I may have been pressing.

Regardless, I was about as useful as a "Birdie" putter out there. Others had more positive experiences. MRK played well and Jiggs played outside of his mind! I thought URBWes acquitted himself fairly well, though I don't recall him being particularly satisfied with the performance. BryJohn and "El Cuñado" also did well.

Let us be clear. The issue was not the course, at least the Bear portion. The Bear is a wooded, yet well manicured course that I will be excited to play on better terms. Tight fairways and multiple lines on a number of holes provide a challenging and beautiful experience. The Woodland Greens was a different experience. Not bad just... different. It struck me as just another wooded course. Nothing too spectacular. The Bear's holes were much more precise and lengthy; Woodland much more open. Woodland had a few cool shots (a neat one on a hill), but nothing about the course particularly struck my fancy. In retrospect, Playing just Woodland would have been a wonderful warm up/confidence builder.

Heading back to the cabin after the round, I could have used that confidence. I had hopes that tomorrow would bring a new day, full of new experiences. Then came the rain...

"... the first to volunteer..."

~Diggs

Fantasy Maps

I know I promised my response to Highbridge was forthcoming, however, I had to make this post instead. I hope you will see why. In the end, I leave for a conference tomorrow morning, plane departure at 6:45am. I'm not sure, but this means that I likely will not be able to complete my first course review until I return. The upside is that I have half of the post completed already.

And on with the post...

As you may have noticed (or not because it was a fairly non-descript change), we have made a long desired addition to the blog. We have, on the right side under "pages", added a course map designed to display those courses our members have played. It is far from complete, but even now you can get a sense of the breadth of experience we have. If you are a Cold Lamper and have an addition, let me know and I'll get it up there in short order.

The second update I have concerns two distinct pastimes that I know most of us enjoy: fantasy sports and disc golf. We now have the opportunity to combine the two. That's right... fantasy disc golf! Deadline is the end of February. I'm down if you are...

Short, simple, and important post. I hope you enjoy the map. I'm sure it'll grow in complexity and information as I spend more time on it. But now I need to get some sleep. See you on the flip side!

The W

It's January 29th 2:30 in the afternoon. A "balmy" 43 degrees at the time of the first tee off. Is it really possible that this would be the 2nd time this month that Diggs and I would have the opportunity to disc in the middle of winter in Nebraska? We were not going to let that opportunity pass us by. After a short stop to meet the newest member of the Walters family (the 4 legged variety) we arrived at the Seymour. Diggs and I were actually playing it pretty close each of us taking some birdies that were hard to come by just a few months back. As we approached the final 3 holes of the round it was becoming more clear that I might actually have a chance to take the W for the first time from the man himself! Despite some heckling and a missed putt on the 18th hole I was able to seal the deal. Thanks Diggs for a great competitive round in January. Don't forget the importance of putt practice!

My Disc Golf Playlist

Have you ever been out playing a round and you happen to stumble upon a player who is playing by himself...or herself? What is one thing you notice? If you answered that question out loud you might have said, they have no friends, or a job, or maybe they are just practicing. But have you looked closer to see if they are just listening to music on some sort of portable device. If you answered any of those questions you might have just describe my disc golf experience for the last few years. I do have friends but they have moved away for one reason or another. I know this is against the culture the PDGA is trying to promote but I'm uncomfortable sometimes playing with people I don't know. So I have found myself avoiding  the awkward question "Do you wanna throw with us?" I really avoid it like the plague.  But I should say just so people don't think I'm a jerk. If someone asks, if I wanna play with them and they pass the (we are not gonna smoke illegal substances) test. I usually say yes.

 But when those situations are not in play I tend to play most rounds in the comfort of my own thoughts and go to musical playlist. I thought I would share it with the community.  You can use it, laugh at it, or try a list of your own but it really helps me focus. Now I have to say I'm not one of those guys who has it blaring so everyone knows what I'm listening to. I do also like to be able to hear what's going on around me on the course and in nature so the volume is just a background/elevator style filler.

MRK's Disc Golf Playlist
1. Sound of Melodies - Leeland
2. True Love -Phil Wickham
3. Young Blood - The Naked and Famous (an iTunes free single, I heard it and liked it)
4. My Spirit Will Go On - Dragonforce
5. Right Now - Akon
6. Teenage Dream - Katy Perry
7. Broken Wings - Alter Bridge
8. Set The World On Fire - Britt Nicole
9. Holy Is The Lord - Chris Tomlin
10. Firework - Katy Perry
11. Every Man - Casting Crowns
12. We Are Hungry - Circadian Rhythm
13. My Sacrifice - Creed
14. The Face of Love - Sanctus Real
15. Hey Wait - Sanctus Real
16. Everything Glorious - David Crowder Band
17. You And Me - Lifehouse
18. Since U Been Gone - Kelly Clarkson
19. Tattoo - Jordin Sparks
20. 8th World Wonder - Kimberley Locke
21. Boy On A String - Jars of Clay
22. This Is Your Life - Switchfoot
23. Say It Loud - Sanctus Real
24. I Dare You To Move - Switchfoot
25. Hurt - Thousand Foot Krutch
26. Hanging By A Moment - Lifehouse

Now this playlist had it's inspiration from the Acorn Park Course in Roseville, MN. You start out with a couple of slower songs to keep your emotions in check with the water that comes into play on the first hole and the aggressive line you can take on the second hole. By the time Dragonforce and Akon hit I would be around holes 4,5, or 6 which tend to be holes where you have decent shots at some birds. Then as the list goes on the mood becomes more of a redemptive/ reflective type of theme. Usually it works out great cause by then I will have thrown some crappy shots and feeling kinda down and need to focus on something other than my score.

So that's my list take it an run or create one of your own to share I'm always looking for new music to add to my list.

** You may be wondering why my list is 26 songs long and thinking most courses are 9-18 holes long. Well, in MN there are a few courses I play that are either 27 holes long or super busy and either way I get through the list pretty regularly.

On Phoenixes & Rainy Days: A Highbridge HIlls SC Review, Pt 1

Part 1... The Phoenix Rises (w/ Disc in Hand)

The long awaited review of Highbridge Hills Sports Complex (otherwise known as the disc golf mecca) is finally here! I have attempted to produce this post before. I failed. Such endeavors proved fruitless as my penchant for loquacity met up with the vast raw, untapped wealth of the experience, producing a cacophony of verbiage too great for mortal ears. Planets imploded... light poured forth from the recesses of the universe, rending the very fabric of existence... the universe began contracting and time reversed upon itself (the last one was an actual theory proffered by Steven Hawking. Go figure). Regaining a sense of brevity... TL;DR.

Instead, I have opted for a series of posts addressing key points along the journey. This as-yet-to-be-complete work is beyond me at this point. I haven't a clue how long it will take. Yet, as my wrestling coach once told me, perseverance commands success. We will reach the end at some point!

Our first posting focuses on the past in order to look towards the future. Highbridge began not as a disc golf effort, but ball golf. Land was purchased, investors courted, and plans developed. Unfortunately, the main partner passed away, leaving a man with a deed to 300 acres and no investors. Simplifying matters, the land was eventually re imagined into the disc golf hotbed it is today. For this, we thank Jon.

As elsewhere documented, our crew discovered this gem some years ago in college. Our hopes were kindled, yet opportunity never presented itself. However, as Smokey the Bear will tell you, embers, once kindled, aren't always so easily extinguished. The desire persisted. Finally, with my wedding as the catalyst, we had our excuse to head to Highbridge.

The goal for the facilities is to eventually support ten 18-hole golf courses, with a number of them already in place. Unfortunately for us, time constraints precluded a round on each of the courses. Just as well. Our arms were pretty well fried with the amount we did get to play. Those we did chance to play were Bear Woodland, Granite Ridge, and Highbridge Gold. I imagine each experience will warrant its own post, and the particulars will be spelled out therein.

"Heroes will be heroes..."

~Diggs

Global Warming? I Don't Understand the Problem...

We are in the first month of the year, which in the northern hemisphere in a temperate climate such as ours generally means cold fingers and shrinkage... lots and lots of shrinkage. Yet, a couple weeks ago, I found myself in a bewilderment. In the midst of January (re: shrinkage month), we were blessed with weather that would satisfy a Floridian retiree. Suddenly, the heat need not be on. Windows on cars could be rolled down. And those clothes packed away in a Fall mourning ceremony could find themselves utilized.

This led, as Jiggs so astutely observed, to an obligatory round... in January... in the Midwest... in shorts and a shirt.

Jealous much?!

I have disced in January before. Others among you have done the same. It is a horrid affair. Numb fingers perturb every shot, and snow (oh the snow!) is the prevailing course condition, a substance which serves but three purposes in disc golf: 1) Hamper all locomotion. Good luck finding any sure footing! 2) Make all things wet... and cold. Wet and cold. 3) Provides hide-and-seek locations for your discs. Peek-a-fuckin'-boo.

Our experience this January proved much more amiable. What's more? We didn't suck so bad! I'm not claiming mid-season form, but we acquitted ourselves quite nicely. Hopes of another charmed round have gone the way of the buffalo as a cold spell has come and played hell with my disposition. Yet, truth can be buried by neither snow nor by cold nor by any other devise sacred or profane. Truth abounds. Truth perseveres. Truth must be expounded. And the truth is that for a still, small time in January, harshness ebbed long enough for a singular moment of beauty.

For this I am thankful.

~Diggs

Song of the Month:
"Winter in the Hamptons" by Josh Rouse

Highbridge: Disc Golf Mecca

I am supremely looking forward to everyone's thoughts that are forthcoming. I has taken a little while to decompress and really look back at the experience, and I'm happy to share my thoughts now. My immediate reaction in the days after Digg's greatest bachelor party ever was one of suprise. I was taken aback at the actual size of these courses and the skill necessary to have an enjoyable round. I would suggest that anyone visiting the "Disc Golf Mecca" be prepared to be challenged both physically and mentally.

My home course is one of easy pars and open fields. In tha days leading up to our trip I had become complacent and satisfied with my game. I felt I had a high level of accuracy and a decent amount of distance to my drives. I have never had a "big arm" but I thought I was pushing my distance farther with every round. Our first encounter with the Woodland Bear dashed those misconceptions like so many eggs upon a rock.

The Bear requires pinpoint accuracy and distance to spare. I spent the next several hours searching the woods throw after throw. Though I wasn;t the only one, I felt that all my years of playing the game had been for nought. However, through this great humbling experience, I found a new love for my Teebird.

I was already throwing my beloved fire engine red on tight shots at home, but the Bear forced me to turn to it for each and every drive. I shortened up my reach back and aimed for the fareway and started seeing some results. By the time we reached the Woodland hills holes that were used to substitue the unplayable Bear holes I was regaining my confidence.

Still, the experienced affected my entire trip. I couldn't get a decent grip on any disc and I was second guessing my release with every drive. It wasn't until Gold that I stopped messing with my grip and just started tossing the disc.

Looking back, I wasn't prepared for the trip. I wasn;t ready for the blow my confidence would take, but I truly made strides coming back. I've changed my focus on drives in a way that has made me more accurate and smooth. I'm finally leading with ther hips and throwing further (not by a ton, but I still haven't reincorporated the reach back). My putting is extremely solid and I'm looking forward to continuing my improvement over the summer.

Most importantly, I had a great time with great people. I can think of no better way to celebrate with Diggs than with some of the best, most challenging disc golf I have ever played.

Urbwes

The Before & After

In a couple days, I will be heading to the Twin Cities on a mission trip. Therefore, the importance of brevity precludes my complete address of the Highbridge trip at this time. That being said, "Whoa! That was an awesome trip!"

I wanted to review the anticipatory poll put up in June. The question: Which Highbridge course are you most looking forward to playing? The options included the Bear, Woodland Green, Blueberry, Granite Ridge, Highbridge Gold, and the night course. Highbridge Gold won, receiving two votes, Woodland Green received one; and the Bear received one, though if I heard it right, the one who voted for the Bear quickly reversed his vote upon playing it.

This month, we will revisit the trip, inquiring what course you most enjoyed playing. As you may have noticed, our list is demonstrably shorter. Appears as if our eyes were bigger than our arms, or more accurately our timetable. Please think back on it, decide based on experience, layout, etc.

We'll backtrack the trip together (seems I'm not the only one interested in writing up the trip). Harcum, we missed you. You are required to go with us next time! I'm out!

~Diggs