Discraft Disc Golf Clinic: Getting Out Of Trouble

I came across this excellent learning tool today. I figured we could use this to help us get out of some sticky situations. I learned some new techniques on rollers. Enjoy!

Disc Golf writing

I'v been killing a ton of time reading about disc golf, watching disc golf, and generally obsessing over disc golf. here's a site I stumbled over today.
www.discgolftraveler.com
It a level of blogging to aspire towards.

Finding discs

You know that feeling when you find a disc out on the course?
It doesn't have a name or number on it and no one else is even playing that day. It's yours now and you are so excited to add seomthing to your bag (even if it is a domed, dx spider that you never throw).
Well, earlier I was rummaging through my closet and I found a DX Beast. It was a present for christmas that I had forgotten about. Not exactly and "found" disc but it elicited the same types of feelings. I was excited!

May this coming disc season bring you straight shots, 400ft drives, and at least one found disc.

best wishes,
urbwes

The power of disc golf in SW Minnesota

Here in SW MN things are changing for the better. New courses (Redwood Falls) and revamped and revitalized courses (SMSU) are changing the area from disc golf wasteland to livable area. This is thanks, in part to one of my converts and friends. This guy, let's call him "the nuke" caught on to disc golf last summer. He's been hooked and had turned some other guys to disc golf on the SMSU campus as well.

Their enthusiasm has led to the change for the school course. Before, the course used long wooden logs to symbolize tee pads and the layout of holes was confusing. To add to that, all of the shots were straight and on flat ground (easy enough to do out here on the plains). The course shure made a guy feel good about his game, but it also led to complacency.

So enter "the nuke"

His advocacy, along with a few other diehard DISCers brings:
a new layout to the holes adding difficulty and skill shots (a 500ft bomb hole is a must!)
a soon to come map
permanent, yellow, tee box markers with numbers.
metal number signs on top of the baskets
more trash cans to keep our fair course clean
signs at every hole showing hole number, direction, and approx. distance
a future possibility for cement tees!

These guys are going to have an article in the local paper to boost visibility and we hope to plan a grand opening and possibly a tournament!

Going out on the course I've already seen more disc golfers than ever and I hope to see popularity grow in this area.
"The Nuke" and I plan on playing the Redwood Falls tourney this summer and we're looking to play three courses tomorrow.

keep on discing
and spread the news. You never know when you might infect someone like "the nuke" with a passion for disc golf!

Goals for the new Season

Discers Without Boarders

Cold Lampin' is in the middle of a format adjustment. It is necessary for our survival to reach beyond our discing center into a broader approach to all things athletic. This is really just a recognition of who we really are. Each blogger has passions beyond disc golf, reaching nearly every facet of life: professional football, college football, and even college basketball provided its March. Hence, we will be expanding our focus to include all things sports.

To kick off this new venture (boy, this is exciting!), I thought I'd give my thoughts on the Orange Bowl, or more specifically, the lead in to the Orange Bowl. For those who are unaware, the Orange Bowl is a college football bowl, and an important one at that. Only those teams who are among the best in the nation will be invited to play there. This year, Georgia Tech and my beloved Iowa Hawkeyes are facing off (tonight, actually!).

But unless you were a fan, I doubt you would have known that. Unfortunately, the marketing folks seem to undervalue this matchup. Between the controversies around the Cincy-Florida game, the meeting of the undefeateds Boise State and TCU, or the upcoming "Title" game, the Orange Bowl is horribly under-discussed. I have yet to see much memorable coverage on the game and the marching bands are on the field as we speak! Well, if they don't want to promote a great game, there's not much I can do about it. I hope those of you who care get to see the exciting game. Enjoy the Iowa victory!

Go Hawks!

When It Is Just Too Cold To Disc...

Well, I feel the end of the season is officially upon me. As a resident of the state of Minnesota, the offseason should realistically be about eight months out of the year, but usually around November is when we begin to shut it down. As such, regular rounds have been gone for awhile now. There remains, however, the hope of a neverending season. From time to time, we come across the gift of a warm, beautiful day that corresponds to freedom of the schedule. As someone who has two jobs and is pursuing a masters degree full-time, this is not a common event.

The perfect storm that is "bonus discing" is a welcome and celebrated thing. I am giddy just thinking about them! But as the season drags on, the potential wains for such a day. This became evident this afternoon, when after getting the freedom of schedule, the King and I realized the climactic fatalism of our geographic reality. The only defiant gesture left to thumb in the face of our predicament is our annual winter round. I say annual not because we plan on the one outing, but because we forget the "joys" of a winter round. It takes only one round to remember, scraping off the memories from the frostbitten recesses of our cortexes (is that how you pluralize that word?).

This year, the end of the season carries extra significance. As a gent with a lady, certain life decisions are not quite as monochromatic as they once were. As such, new environs are in my future, and I will be relocated before the new season is birthed from the womb of spring (gotta love the imagery, right?). This, of course, carries with it the pleasure of experiencing new courses, new people I will drag into the sport, and new experiences. I will, however, be disappointed at the lose inherent in the move. I will no longer be able to frequent Bethel and Acorn, the courses I cut my teeth upon; I will have little opportunity to head to Blue Ribbon Pines, my new favorite place to play; nor will I have as great a chance to make the trek to Highbridge, a long-held goal.

I am now officially closing the book on being a Minnesota disc golfer. I am now a vagabond, a discer without a home. Pray for me.

Diggs

Buzzing Through The Dayz----Part 1

Buzzing Through the Dayz

A.K.A - The year of the "buzz-ble bee"

The 2009 Disc Golf season has brought an abundent of changes to my game. As the weather begins to change to its natural Minnesota-esk temperature of: COLD to FREEZING. I thought it might be approporiate to reflect on the last seven to eight months as it relates to my DG game.

Da BuZZZ
It was by accident that I 'fell in love' with my new favorite disc. I was playing a lazy round at my Alma mater, Oh Hail the Great Bethel University. I found the disc lying snugly against a pine tree on hole 9 of all places. The Discraft: Buzz esp. She's yellow and flies true and holds her line better than any small child who has to go to the bathroom. What I like about this disc it that it is completely consistent to how you release it. If you release it hyzer it holds that line all the way through flight. Same goes for flat and anhyzer shots. As a result of now having this disc in my bag it has allowed me to clean up my short game and putting. I am more confident in my approach and putting knowing that the disc will perform the way it is supposed to. I actually use it at my putter now.

Second, after much discussion and practice - - Diggs and I have determined and I'm proclaiming I guess that every hole at Acorn, in Roseville, MN should be considered a par 3, with the exception of Hole 18 in the back position is a par 4. We have played if for many years now as all par 3's except for 9 and 18. I think at one point for us when our skill set wasn't what it is today you could consider #9 at Acorn a par 4. However, now that we can consistently drive past the giant rock in the middle of the fairway. Which will leave you a decent mid-range to get to the hole. It's probably time to change how we have been scoring till....so -- Have I been successful since we decided this...no but I feel that it's a good thing coming.

More Review/Reflection to Come!!!

Pipestone Run

We just had a few days of straight rain and cold so yesterday disc golf was required. It was a cool day, sweater weather, but the sun was out. It was very windy, which is common in this part of the country, and it made me think of all the days this summer when I didn't disc just becuase it was too windy. How many rounds did I miss out on?

I went with my friend Kyle and his gf to Pipestone. The course is about 3o minutes away, but it's worth the drive. The course is nicely laid out with some hill shots and a couple chances to air it out. There's a creek that's in play in 3 holes, and one hole that is just a bear. Overall, I was stoked to play a round.

It started well, the wind was down a bit, but it quikcly became overly windy and I pulled out the wraith and stopped worrying about long putts. When we got to the hill holes we noticed a guy playing by himself across the course. Later we ended up finishing the round with him (one of the best aspects of the game) and it was great. This guy, Dion, had a cannon for an arm. He was contsistently hitting 350 ft. with no walk up. He just stood at the end of the tee and threw with incredible force (of course he had some cannons and looked built). A little intimidated, it took a while for me to feel comfortable, but after a while his personality won me over. Dion had a great sense of humor and was always ready to keep the conversation going. Before I knew it the round was over and we were going our separate ways. What an incredible experience and it was made possible through the great game of disc golf. We ended the round and he commented on my walk up (which is slower and much more fluid btw). We both were thinking if he might add the x step he would have a monster throw.

Awesome day...

Scores and Tools

9.22.09 Acorn Park
Diggs 2,3,6,3,3,3,4,2,4,3,5,3,3,2,4,3,3,4 = 60
King 3,3,4,3,3,3,4,3,7,3,4,5,3,3,3,4,2,4 = 64

9.15.09 Kaposis Park (Not a proud round)
Diggs 3,2,3,4,4,3,2,5,4,4,3,6,5,5,3,3,4,4,5,4,2,5,4 = 87
King 4,3,3,4,5,4,3,4,5,4,3,4,3,4,3,3,5,6,5,7,2,4,4 = 92

9.8.09 Bethel University Yellows, Blues
Diggs 2,2,4,4,4,2,5,3,3,3,3,4,3,4,3,7,3,2 = 61
King 2,3,3,4,3,3,5,2,3,4,3,3,4,4,3,5,5,4 = 63

Disc golf is considered a sport that all people can play. The young, old, thin, large, man and woman. Today, my partner Diggs and I were out playing Acorn and we ran into a couple (i.e. guy and his gf). He was the only one playing. She was just walking with him. Now to us this is kinda typical since we have all played a round with girls who feel intimidated to play a round of disc with guys because just the sheer fact that they can't (or feel they can't) throw it as "good" as their male counter parts.

So anyway this guy with his other are playing...acorn and we had a few different interactions with him over the course and we (diggs and I) kept getting the image of him fitting right in at the Tool Academy. If ya don't know it, it is a show that airs on VH1. From what I hear Diggs is a fan of the show. From now on the guy will be referred to as the Tool.

On the course he was constantly acting like she wasn't even out there with him. I'll admit I have done this a few times. It sucks afterwords because You never live it down. He was yelling at her to get out of the way. Not all the time to be fair to him but a few times. He repeatedly slapped that A** right after he sank a shot. Ok we only saw that once but it affected our shots I'll say.

A word from the wise. Don't be a Tool when you are out on the course with a girl. treat them with respect. Show them you are interested in them as much as the game. Unless it's not that type of relationship. You'll know.

Until next time

This is the Mid Range King
Holing Out