Cold Lampin' Weekend # 3: Preview and random thoughts

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.

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.

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.

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.

Existential Resonance

The disc weekend has come and gone.

Such events hold high expectations for those in attendance.  Coming into it, we have certain hopes, certain dreams, and certain goals.  And the overriding concern is simply to have a good time.  While not a tournament atmosphere by any stretch, this also isn't your casual day at the park.  We hope to do well.  We hope to perform.  When you make grandiose plans, you understandably have grandiose expectations.

Expectations met. 

I dare say they were met unanimously.  Now, this does not mean that I was entirely satisfied with my play (as we shall see in future posts), but for whatever it was I was hoping out of the weekend, I received it.  We will get into some specifics later on, but as an initial introduction to the weekend, know that I come away extremely satisfied.

The reason for which I play found resonance within my being with the experience of the weekend.

And with deeply fulfilling experiences such as these, I find that the company reinforces such experiences.  Thank you, gentlemen, for sharing your weekend.  I hope we can do it again.

~Diggs