Redemption Round

You hear that?
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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.

Let me take you back...

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?

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.

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.

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.

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.

So keep your eyes on the Cold Lampin' Course Map page.  Hopefully you'll see some numbers change.  Until then, Lampers, stay frosty.


~Diggs

"So I'm back up in the game, running things to keep my swing... Return of the Mack"

Gettin' Jiggy With It

As 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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Ad Fontes!

~Diggs

Provisional Memberships

It is with great pleasure that I congratulate MRK.  The Mid Range King and Queen have been blessed with the Mid Range Prince.  I know, I know.  I should have probably let the King announce it himself, however, this whole thing has got me thinking...

Three of our members-in-good-standing have little ones, the King's new progeny, Jiggs' little one of less than a year, and Harky's brood.  And knowing their fathers, these little ones will likely grow up knowing the ways of the disc.  With a mind to the future, I propose that the Cold Lampin' community extend provisional memberships to the SCDGA Cold Lampin' Club.  While not full memberships per se, they represent a commitment of the group towards the support of those who would be our future.  I admit a selfish bent in all of this.  As one who hopes to pick up a couple provisional memberships for my own offspring someday, I would be honored to have any and all of you in the lives of my children.  Thank you all for your wonderful friendships.

If we can agree on this, all that's left is the nicknames...

Be on the look out for a future post on the new Prodigy D4, which I had the pleasure of throwing this last week in sunny Orlando.

No more a rake and no more a bachelor...

~Diggs

Cold Lampin' Weekend Pt 1: Homage to Barry

Much as last year, I hope to recount to all the experience of the disc weekend over the course of the next couple weeks by focusing on one day at a time.  First up is Thursday, arrival day.

Picking up El Cunado nearby the original home for the SCDGA (now Team Cold Lampin'), BroLo and I made our way up to the Cities in decent time, hitting up the hotel around suppertime.  Little were we aware that the excursion's festivities had already begun.  MRK and URBWes stuck their toes in the water earlier in the day by throwing a few holes.  "No worries," thought I.  "We'll play enough as it is."

Prophetic words, indeed.

Unfortunately, our tale of the day's disc activity will be short a member as Harky and the fam were a bit behind the clock.  Turns out kids slow down long car rides.  Who knew?  But determined to get this business underway, the four folks in attendance took advantage of the remaining daylight to hit up Bryant Lake Park.

A Fresh Reemergence:

It has been quite some time since I have played any serious disc. I threw a few rounds at the Village Park DGC in Sussex, WI last summer, but for the most part I have had many things sneak up on me just when I had planned to play more. Last year I was unable to attend Digg's bachelor party/Disc weekend to Highbridge in Wisconsin. What can I say, being a married father of, now two, children takes it's toll on your free time.

This years Disc Weekend has renewed my love of the game, and I surprised myself by not doing as badly as I thought I would have. I had a quite enjoyable time with my friends and was pushed physically during the weekend.

Things that I will take and remember from this weekend:

1- Digg's posting up for a beautiful ACE on hole 14 at the Blue Ribbon Pines DGC, and the free beers for everyone that ensued.

2- Keeping my scores relatively close to the group as well as my discs. ;)

3- Discovering the beauty of new discs such as the Vision by Latitude64, and the now lost Boss from Innova. I do plan on buying a new one seeing as how I threw around 350 ft with that disc and am hoping to get more out of it since that was only my first throw with it and I was a little timid.

4- I got a birdie on hole 23 at Blue Ribbon Pines (248ft) and two birdies at Acorn. It’s all about the little wins.

5- Last, but definitely not least, a rare sighting of the illusive BIRDMAN. Disc away birdman, be free.

I plan on posting and playing regularly from here on out. Expect disc reviews, course reviews and a few wish lists of discs and of courses from across the world.




Coming Up Next Week:  "It's In The Bag"
A comprehensive listing of current discs in my bag and my reviews on them, plus photos. And, how I intend to have my bag grow over the course of the rest of the season. 

Long Live Disc Golf

Cold Lampin' Weekend: BRP Prize

I am sure there will be a few more posts on this memorable weekend in which this Cold Lampin' Blogging community gathered for this past weekend (July 19-22).  I will simply share one aspect of it from my point of view. We have a tradition on these weekends that I have enjoyed these past few years and that is to put up one disc for grabs that will go to the winner of one round. The idea came while watching oddly enough golf... Tradition dictates that the previous years Masters tournament winner places the famous Green jacket on the new winner. Likewise, the previous year winner buys the disc for the following year.  These last two years they have been won while playing on what we would call the signature courses of the areas where we are playing.  This year a beautiful course nestled north of the Twin Cities in East Bethel, MN known as BRP or Blue Ribbon Pines. See My Course Review from a few years back here.

The disc this year is a special BRP edition SUPER color print (shown below) of the signature hole here at Blue Ribbon Pines. It's hole number 4 with beautiful pine trees stationed along the fairway.  In person it is a very intimidating hole. A 444 foot par 4 with OB on the left.  It takes in my opinion three great shots to give you a chance at a par.

Pause for Station Identification

I know that our intent and expansive readership is eagerly awaiting a recap from last Thursday's tournament, but unfortunately, I am out of town sans the internet on a work-related trip.  Thus, instead of rushing out a post, I thought I'd hold off and throw one up later.  Though from three days before the tourney, let me tell you it was a great time!

As it is, I wouldn't mind floating an idea by ya'll.  As it is, we have a few members of the Cold Lampin' family.  We've been playing together for years.  We enjoy each others company, rare though it is these days.  As I figure it, we are a fully legit club.  Would anyone be up for looking into club swag?  I got the idea after throwing together a custom disc for my wedding party.  I know MRK has done the same thing for his.  Why don't we have a custom disc of our own?  And if not a disc, a shirt or a towel or some other business.  You know... to remember the homies.  I don't know about pricing or anything, but if we're interested, I'm sure we can work something out that is affordable for all.  And if not this year, we can look into the future for options.  But the short and skinny of it is that I have always appreciated you folk.  When I think of disc golf, I often think of ya'll.  And I would like to have a memento as our hokey pokey cuz that's what its all a-bout.

~Diggs

Memorial Live

FYI... the annual Memorial Championship is being broadcast live on pdga.com. You can also watch recaps after live coverage ends. Currently over 1400 people are watching it live, even in the middle of the day!

Top 5 Innova Disc's perscribed by the Mid Range King

In keeping with the recient blog posts, I'm following suit with my own list of Innova's Top 5, count'em Five of my favorite discs.  I would also like to extend a warm Cold Lampin welcome to some of our newest contributers, JVR and Harky. This blog started as a place to just rattle off random thoughts about disc golf about five years ago.  Who  would have thought that we'd still be keeping up with it let alone adding new contributers to the mix. I'm so excited to see where this blog will go in the future. Glad you all are along for the ride.

Response to Harky's previous post:

Of those you recomended, I've thrown the Boss, KC Aviar, Beast, Valkyrie, and the Roc. So I can speak to those discs. The Vulcan is too new for me, TL: well I got a Teebird & DC Stalker so a TL is no use at the moment, Skeeter: no experience but I have talked to two different Wes' about their Skeeters and they both agree that the disc is absolutely terrible. (Urbwes feel free to discredit my opinion, if I misspoke) I would not recomend that disc. Stingrays & Rhynos, I haven't any experience with those discs so I'll leave them alone.  Thanks again for the thoughts and post, it's generated lots of thought and posts.

On to the List of my picks for Innova's Top 5 Discs:    In no perticular order....

5) Champ Spider (Mid Range) This disc (origionally the DX version) has a special place in my heart because it's the disc I cut my teeth on and subsequiently created the handle MidRangeKing from. Great disc for long hyzer shots.

4) Pro Starfire (Distance Driver) This disc also had special powers for me in the sence that it did the exact opposite of what it was ment to do. Originally it is supposed to be a relatively straight disc with some fade towards the end. However, this disc for me became my huge anhyzer disc and never seemed to burn back left. Curse the retched giant bush on hole 7  at Acorn Park that took this disc from me.

  3) Champ Valkyrie (Distance Driver) One of the most consistant discs on the market. Get's me huge distance, with relatively little power. I have never played a round without one.

2) Star Wraith (Distance Driver) Some guy wrote "Ballin is a Habit" on this disc. I had grown quite fond of this disc. Huge distance, with predictable fade. However, you need a power arm to throw the Star plastic. Sadly this disc is no longer with us. Probably floating down the Missouri...Diggs or JVR if you see it in Omaha Pick it up for me.

1) DX Aviar (Putter) I haven't had too many different putters over my disc golf career (I can offically call it a career b/c I got two tournaments under my belt...lol) But the DX Aviar has been a consistant part of my game. It's a predictable straight shooter with consistant fade. Once you break the disc in it becomes more understable which has caused me to expand my horizons to other putters.  But a classy edition to any bag nontheless.

Other notable discs that didn't make the list....but should be included.

* DX Dragon (Distance Driver) Floats on water nuff said.

*Champ Roadrunner (Distance Driver) Huge S Curve.

*Champ Teebird (Fairway Driver) Consistant slow fade.

I could add a few more...but if I were to play a round consisting of only Innova Discs these are the disc's I'd bring to battle.  As always free to comment with agreements or disagreements.

Until my Highbridge Post...Find some Dry grass and go practice.