Saturday in Staunton

The first PDGA event at Kiwanis DGC in Staunton and the crew from Spotsy showed up. James came by the second round so I let him use my camera and was able to get some pics of me playing.

The local paper stopped by and did a little video and story on the days event...

Disc golfers compete

Professional event is a first for Staunton

(I happen to be in it....)

 

Me, Justin & Ryan before the first round.

The first round I started off tight and couldn't get it going and made some dumb mistakes. The round should have ended at par. But I wasn't in last and that has been my goal this year.

The afternoon round started on #16 and my drive wasn't the best and wrenched my back on the upshot and actually threw the disc over my head backwards almost hit a guy in my group and landed about 50' back towards the tee. I feel lucky I was able to end up with a 6. I followed that with 2 bogeys but I didn't get upset and started to put some good scores down on my card and hit a string of pars.

If not for that first hole I could have easily shot a 58. I was able to overcome some bad play keep it together and shoot a lower score than the first round. Even though I should have played much better, I was able to play above my rating both rounds. I gained a spot and finished 6th.

Spotsy did damn good too. Austin won Advanced, Ron tied for 2nd, Cody took 8th. Stephen shot -9 to take 2nd on Open and Justin took 5th. Ryan finished 7th in Intermediate.

Check out all the days scores...

Saturday in Staunton

2013 Virginia Team Invitational

This weekend was the VTI at Hawk Hollow. Two divisions, 12 teams and two days packed full of disc golf.

The teams in the Beef Division...

Seneca, Spotsy, Greenville, Lakefront, UniTTy and Triad

The teams in the Dairy Division...

PA, Cowbell, HHome, SHREDS, NOVA and RADL

The weather started off great on Saturday with cool temps and ending with clear skies. The First days matches set up the semi-final matches of Seneca vs. Cowbell and Spotsy made it in to play against PA.

 Hawk Hollow host John Biscoe put together another great event.

The first days weather was cool but ended sunny and a little warmer.

Day two semifinal matches started earlier than scheduled. Cold & rain was expected in the afternoon hours. It was a cold morning and as the first matches ended the temps begin to drop. But the disc golfers bundled up and kept on playing.

Seneca defeated Cowbell 5-4 (in extra holes)

Spotsy defeated PA- 5-3

In the elimination match Triad defeated RADL 5-4

That set up the final round of best of 9 hole matches Spotsy vs. Seneca. Just as the crowd was gathering at the tees for 1 & 10 a few flakes of snow would drop every now and then. As the players began their matches the snow started coming down.

Austin driving off #1 tee pad.

By the end of the best of 9 hole match play the temps dropped again as snow was coming down hard. 

As the final matches finished they gathered at the top of the hill and was tied 4-4 with Bob's match still going on. Bob took the match after extra holes and Spotsy defeated Seneca 5-4.

Team Spotsy

2013 Virginia Team Invitational 

Champs!

Click the link too see all the pics 

2013 VTI Images

Vincent & Jules....

My new 159 Champ Mamba was going in to the backpack so I needed a good idea for the art work. I came across a drawing of Winnie the Pooh & Tigger as Vincent & Jules from Pulp Fiction.

It only took me about an hour to cut, apply & dye this morning.

Knocked for a Loop Today...

Today I received probably the biggest surprise I have gotten in a long time....

My in box contained an e-mail from the PDGA with my invitation to the 2013 Amateur Disc Golf World Championships this July in Emporia, Kansas.

I have friends that were expecting to go but I had no idea I had earned enough points. Getting the invite is cool in it's own right. Now I have to decide if I want to go or not. I had to look my name up on the invite list to see what division I qualified for and it's looking like Advanced Grandmasters.

Latest Disc Dye...

I got my ROC 3 in and it really fits my throw well. It was time to drop a little ink on it. I went with another movie theme. I went with John Goodman's charachter from "The Big Lebowski" Walter Sobchak.

It was a pretty easy cut out and the flat ROC 3 shape made it a breeze to dye. I dropped a little red dye on the glasses for a nice touch. 

Hell Hath Frozen Over...

Today was the Sherando Spartan.

The Spotsy Crew. Russell, Justin, Marla, Cody, Ron and me.

Last year I played in the Rec division since I was just starting to play tourneys again. I didn't do very well. Out of nine players I finished seventh. My scores were 70 from the short tees in the morning and 77 from the long tees in the afternoon for a grand total of 147.

The weather was perfect. Cold in the morning and warming up nicely. There was still snow on the ground but the melted snow made the course very soggy & muddy.

This year I signed up for the Advanced Grand Masters and I was the only one in that division. But this morning Ed Steele from Harrisonburg walked up and signed up for MG1 to take one of the remaining open spots.

I had one of the best opening rounds I have ever had. Three birdies, seven bogeys and 10 pars. No double or triple bogeys. I ended up with a 4 over par which could have been better. I had a 15' birdie shot on 14 hit dead center and spit out.

But I was very happy with my round. But I didn't know Ed's rating he could have been a much higher rated player. Turns out he was about the same as me. He threw a 64 opening round too. The second round card we were paired up with the intermediate womens players. Which never bothers me. It makes the round so much more relaxed and bonus Marla is on the card.

The afternoon round from the long tees started good for me with a birdie on 13 but two double bogeys pretty much killed any advantage that early good start gave me. Ed and myself go back and forth for the lead, Ed hit some amazing long putts for par on a few holes. 

The difference came in late in the round. With about 6 holes left Ed was beginning to miss some of his tee shots and I was able to keep it pretty much together. I missed another gimme birdie on the "X" hole but Ed took a 5 on that one and took a 6 on #6. The morning workout sessions I have been doing all winter seemed to be paying off. I wasn't tired or hurting too bad until the round was over. 

So, I ended up with a 68. Eight over from the long tees and an 8 stroke win over Ed. 

For all the scores.... Sherando Spartan 2013

Today I earned my first ever win in a PDGA event. Even though there was only two in the division I guess a win is a win. I shot my two highest rated rounds back to back (866 & 911)  Fifteen strokes better than last year. I didn't hit the wall and fall apart the second half of the afternoon round. The best part was the day was fun all around, I didn't let the bad throws or bad breaks bother me.

Stephen won the Open division. Cody won Advanced. Bob took second in Masters and I won Advanced Grandmasters.

A good day for the Spotsy Disc Golf Club.

2013 Loriella Challenge

The 2013 Loriella Challenge weekend has come & gone. I wish I could have done better but I did finish better than last year. This was my first year in GrandMasters division. There 7 in my group. My morning round went alright only 2 bad scores. If I had kept it under control I should have had a 59 or better.

When it was all said & done I was in 3rd only a few strokes off the lead. Then the second round happened. Just when I think I have had my worst round ever I promptly beat that worst score. I'm not going to get in to too much detail. I started this round on #3 and disaster ensued. That 7 put me in a hole that I never came out of. I did get within a few strokes of the other guys on my card but eventually It was an all time high score for me on that course set up.

It wasn't all bad I was able to finish 5th out of seven. I finished dead last of all scores last year.

For all the scores and winners....  Loriella Challenge Ams


Sunday was the Pro day and I stopped by to take some pics of the action....

Brian Schweberger (waving at you) won his 6th straight Loriella Challenge Open Division title. To see all the scores & winners....

Loriella Challenge Pros

Loriella Challenge Pros Pics