The calm before the storm

I wasn't really sure what I was going to write about this week. As usual, I have a thousand thoughts streaking across the grey matter, but all in state of disarray. I looked to my sage, Hannable, this week for a spec of inspiration, but that only brought on a thousand more thoughts as I try to get ready for my next tournament, the Azalea AM, in 2 1/2 weeks.

Keeping it close

Every process has peaks, plateaus, and the dreaded valleys. I'm sort of in a plateau at the moment. So I decided to take it easy this week. I worked on putting, but didn't use my usual PerfectPutt 360 app, plus I worked on laying up from 50-80 feet for tap-ins. I have no business running anything beyond 30 feet anyway, so I might as well learn to make finishing a touch simpler.

I've got some consistency in my bag (for the time being) and I'm really working hard to learn my discs. There hadn't been much time spent with my local club, but Sunday Service was the perfect opportunity to get a little friendly competition going

Leland Municipal Park is the host of a temporary, short, challenging 9-hole course that is great for beginner's for the technical aspect of shots required. experienced players tend to be more experimental or stay with midranges and putters. I, am the former.

There are only 2 holes (played twice) that are over 300-feet. I don't generally reach those, but it gets me into trying to dial in my approach shots. I have been under par several times here before, but the focus was to make pars at the very least. That worked well for the first nine, where I was even with one birdie and one bogey (due to a slightly errant drive and poor layup.)

The second nine saw me 3-putt to a bogey in truly horrendous fashion. I proceeded to birdie the next three, including my first ever birdie on the 4th by flexing a forehand with a Discraft Titanium Force to the right of the basket. Five and six were more bogeys. No pars for seven consecutive holes at that juncture. So much for not being all over the place! Two more pars and bogey to finish 1-over for the round. And I got to keep my same bag tag. (Not thrilling.)

A couple of safari holes and fishing under the band stage (deck) at the park for a stray disc and I was home before 10 a.m. I was already anticipating lots of field work this week after that.

More work to do

After a brief visit at home, I was off again, this time for a little clean up work. I hadn't been able to make a workday with New Hanover Disc Golf Club up to this point. I had only officially joined early this year, but had played in a few monthlys at the end of 2018. Given that I was going to be playing in the upcoming event, I decided to make time to join the crew there for course maintenance. I figured that I'd sling a few discs after as well, which is how it went.

Castle Hayne Disc Golf course (or Castle Payne, as it's nickname) requires technical shots and focus on every one of them. I have struggled off the tee and I joined a group for the front nine to get a workout in.

Overall, the practice did some good. I was 6-over on the nine, which isn't terrible. I made par on 5, 7, 9 and the long par-5 8th. I fumbled a bit on the first three, needlessly, and finally found my shot to get off the teepad on number 4, but we'll talk more about that one later, maybe after the next monthly or perhaps after the AM altogether. I might have to shoot a video right before the event. That might be a good one for beginners like myself.

I could have just as easily got down to 3-over, which is where I need to be come tourney time. Even par would be better, but, small steps. Which brings me to another point...

Being your own coach

While playing with more experienced players can offer a wealth of information, sometimes so much is happening that it can be overwhelming. I had hit about the top of my range with my RHBH throws. My FH were longer with regard to distance, but vacillated between beautiful and total crap.

I was already working on putting form/consistency, a comfortable BH grip, straight arm pull back and release point. As I watched video that I took at the ECO at Castle of those in the group when I was a caddy, as well as videos of myself throwing, I came to a remarkable realization. I had absolutely, no X-step. None. Not even a little bit.

There were so my flaws in my technique, that not one person mentioned it in the time we played. So, I have that to work on now. Oddly, it has helped me turn my head back and get a much better pull, although the steps can be awkward at times.

My natural throwing motion from baseball transferred only to overhand and forehand. The "crow hop" or x-step from that sport as a righty would more readily translate to a LHBH motion. I tried that too. That was really ugly. I'm having to learn how the throw should feel, and I am responsible for my performance. I gotta own it.

Still lots to do

Among the thousands of thoughts was a way to bring all of the things that I am doing around disc golf together in one location. It's been a challenge. But I had to jump in once again and not try to be so perfect (the procrastinator's creedo.) Despite the fact that I had intended to launch a completely different website last year, I repurposed the overall host to rough up a home page for Flippin Discs.

You have to start somewhere. This page contains links to the Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and blog posts that are the entirety of what I am doing to date. I hope to add more features in the future, including some fun t-shirts as we continue to grow the sport in the coming days. Stay tuned...

Until then, it's back to the field to continue to build my form...by throwing more Flippin Discs.