Wednesday, July 3, 2013

Colorado

This is not my first time playing disc golf in Colorado. On one of our driving/camping trips about seven years ago, my wife, who has less of the camping bug than the rest of us, flew out to meet us closer to our destination. In this case, she flew to Denver, and we picked her up for the more interesting parts of the trip: devils tower, the black hills, Yellowstone, and the Tetons. On the way to the airport, I had played a park in Estes, and it was ok. I don't always get to play the best course in each state. Often it is whatever is convenient.

On our current trip, we are now heading home to Austin from the black hills, but taking a slightly different route that goes through eastern Colorado. We had planned to stay at a state park just outside Sterling, Colorado, but when we got there we found the lake to be less than desirable, and the place was nearly treeless. So we bailed out of a prepaid campsite and continued south. But before hitting the highway again, we stopped at the disc golf course in Sterling.

It was an interesting little course, or at least the first seven holes that I played before my wife and son showed up with the car fueled up, and fast food that was now getting cold. Many of the holes were interesting to play, even if the design brought too many picnic tables, and other opportunities to hit unsuspecting non players with an errant disc, into play.

The second hole was cool. I had overheard a couple of locals suggesting the wisdom of laying up short of a creek. When I got to it, I thought I could clear it easily, but choose to lay up based on prior experience with hazards on unfamiliar courses. And boy was I glad I did. The 'creek' was more like an irrigation ditch, and it was full with muddy water, so there would have been no chance for recovering the blizzard boss that has been flying so nicely for me on this trip. Had a great second throw, threading some big trees, but missed a forty foot putt.

I also really enjoyed hole six. It was made more interesting by a couple of dumpsters that had been placed right in the middle of the fairway by a park employee who was obviously not a disc golfer. I never located the basket from the tee, but went ahead and drove around the dumpsters, and when I got to my disc, I found the basket nestled tightly between three smallish trees. Very tough, but I managed to squeeze a forehand shot between them, which came to rest six feet from the pin! Those who know me have heard me call my forehand shot 'not-yet-ready-for-prime-time' and it is true still, but I have been working on it.

All in all, it was a fun little diversion from a road trip, and any disc golfers living in backwater Sterling, Colorado are not totally deprived. Sadly, I did not take any photos, so I'll embellish this post with something after I get back to home base and am not posting from a dinky phone app.

Update, July third:
We ended up spending the night in a hotel, which throws off the camping vibe a tad, but was greatly appreciated by the wife and son. Anyhoo, I ended up with a final chance to play Colorado on the way out next morning, at willow creek park in Lamar, Co.

Wow, was I ever glad we did!!  I got an inkling how fun it might be when I spent a while looking for the first tee, having been dropped off by the one pin, only to discover it was an over 500 footer!  This was a much more fun course than the last one. There were still holes that played a bit close to people, but the layout was much more logical, and the distances were challenging, unlike a lot of nine hole city park courses. The trees both added to the challenge and were in a few cases just really beautiful. I'm going to add some pics when I've had a chance to look them over, but here's a teaser

Tuesday, June 25, 2013

South Dakota

I first played south Dakota six or seven years ago. The whole family traveled up here as part of a bigger trip that also included the badlands, devils tower, and a swing back through Yellowstone and the Tetons. We stayed at angostura recreation area, which has a really nice lake, and a decent disc golf course.

Now once again we find ourselves in this park on the southern edge of the black hills, staying in a nice little cabin for dirt cheap. The swimming is excellent, with clear, nippy water and clean sand beaches.

And of course the disc golf is always near at hand, with a somewhat challenging nine hole course right in the park. Virtually the entire course is played on ridge tops around several coves on the lake. On several of the holes, the trick its to keep your disc in or near the narrow mown part of the fairway. Off the fairway the grass is thick and a fair number of small cacti await the unsuspecting foot.

But the really cool part of the course is a handful of holes in which you are tempted to drive across part off the cove to reach a basket on a ridge, where an errant throw could go all the way down a steep slope 150 feet to the lake. I know because the first time I played here six or seven years ago, I did roll all the way down one. But I learned my lesson, and today kept it on the ridge tops. Got eaten alive on hole two, but otherwise played a solid round, hit several long putts, and ended at thirty four.

Monday, June 24, 2013

Nebraska

So, the funny thing about Nebraska is I once tried to play here, about seven years ago, and was thwarted. The course, in a state park, had been removed, and we went on or way, into the black hills, without having played Nebraska. Never thought I'd be back by here again.

But here we are again, on our way to the black hills. And you can bet I came prepared with plans a through z, for playing Nebraska. One promising course, Kelley park in MCcook, was on or way, and sounded decent in reviews, so we checked it out.

Three first few holes, up and down a big hill, were not too exciting, but after I jumped from six to fifteen, I found several really beautiful holes. The course mostly kicked my butt, as i couldn't hit a putt to save mtg life, but I had a nice shot on sixteen that was leaning against the pole. That one is in the pics here, along with a few others

Sunday, June 23, 2013

Oklahoma!

One word: windy!

If you don't already know what your discs do in the wind, you will find out here. The course in Foss state park is laid out on a ridge, above this nice lake. The holes would not be very challenging if not for the wind. And the home-made-looking baskets can spit out even the nicest putt. The tire bottom is a good idea, but the chains are too light.

It was a nice way to break up a drive, though. I played nine holes with a pitiful score of thirty four, with most of the bogeys coming on one headwind hole where several throws got me no closer to the basket.

Strange that with Oklahoma being right next door, it has taken me this long to play it. But it just never worked out, until now. If I am counting right, this its my thirty ninth state playing disc golf.I hope too hit forty in a couple of days!

Monday, July 16, 2012

Kalispell, Montana

So I think I just played disc golf in my 36th or 37th state. Will have to check my records to be sure.

Been doing this a while, playing in different states, but this is the first time posting about a course the same day I played it.  In fact this is the first post period.  My plan is to finish writing about them well before I play the 50th (and before I forget!)

I tried to play Montana some years ago when we were entering Yellowstone from the north entrance, but I had bad directions and it didn't work out.  Since then I've learned to bring along redundant location info.

Now I have been vacationing with the family in Glacier National Park the last six days or so and it is awesome! We wanted to see them before the glaciers melted.  Decided to play Lawrence Park in Kalispell while here.

It was a nice park but not really for serious disc golfers. I played 5 holes at +2 but could not find the sixth. Turns out it was a tone pole (or whatever you call them) and so was the 7th. Then could not find 8 or 9 at all! Played 7 holes again, in +1 (22), but kinda wished I'd jumped in the creek like the locals were doing.