Midichloreans?

[Fortress of ] Solitude Open Open 2012

Today was the Solitude Mountain Resort's opening day for summer activities, and the mostly usual suspects showed up to play the Solitude Open Open 2012 tournament. First up we have the Late JC of Discarama past fame. DM joined the crew for his second season with his girl who we shall call Xiu Xiu. Last in the crowd is your humble blogger, Theorris. Unable to attend this year, due to military commitments was our friend The Croin. Dern.

 The day promised to be hot in the valley, and we wanted to make an early start to beat, or hopefully not match the crowds clamoring to chuck disc. Along with the heat, the forecast also prognosticated wind. Our friend the wind. It is probably best that our friend The Croin could not join us. The Croin is a bitter enemy with the wind. The Wind. And yes, it was windy.

We arrived at base approximately 45 minutes after 10 am. A good start, if you ask me, but there were signs of the wind.  The aspens shook.

While my compadres only purchased single-lift tickets, I went balls out and bought a season pass after quickly doing the math. Yes, I will be up here more than 9 times before the end of October. Well, I better be.

 The lift up was uneventful. No dropped first aid packs. No hawks. An unimpressive party tree*. Just wind. I nearly lost my hat to it. Perhaps that is an event. No.

So at the top I took this picture (the only one of the day):

Near tee one of Solitude Mountain Resort

 I am not sure why I wasn't taking pictures other than the fact that we rocketed through the course.

Hole 1 we played through quickly a group of new folks.  I had a damn fine shot at the basket, but over shot it and what with my putting, ended up with a par along with JC.  DM ended up with a bogie.  We all bogied the second and only JC managed a par on 3.  Then the mishaps began.  Hole five is the first serious uphill hole, and both JC and I suffered for it.  DM suffered less, but wasn't happy with his play.

Acursed hole 5.  I spit at you.

The mishaps on the Front 9 continued next through 6 and 7.  DM got a atweaked on the infamous Southstar/Northstar (hole 6) where he lost his disc in some pines.  None of us saw it drop, unlike our other discs.  After a fair bit of searching where the damn thing should be, DM gave up in a fit of pique.  I felt badly for DM.  He doesn't like to lose discs. Mind you, he has never bought a disc in his life (living off unmarked finds and gifts from generous friends who wanted to get him hooked on the game.)  So we moved on to 7, and DM took an X.  Oy.

While we were walking up to the 7th tee, the new folks following us shouted "did you lose a blue disc?"  There it was.  DM still didn't finish the hole.  I judge not.

So on 7, DM was still atweaked and picked up again, for some unknown reason.  I had a good throw that landed in the pond, but was able to throw it from its lie.  Par.  JC also had an excellent throw.

We got DM laughing again at the 8th tee and his game seem to be on the recovery, but he was unhappy with the placement of the Abyss basket.  Yeah.  I played it conservative and just layed up.  He followed my example.  That's not a good place to be for the atweaked.  He got a little more tweaked, but we recovered him again by the time we got out of the front 9.

As he picked up on 2 holes, DM had no score for the front 9.  JC and I tied.  I am uncertain if that is a first, but I like to think it is.  36.  That's 9 over par.  Yeah, you come play this course and then you can gloat that 9 over is a shitty score.

The back 9 went quickly.  No miraculous shots and DM was recovering.  He actually managed to win the back 9 altogether with a consistent par/bogie average of 32.  JC and I didn't fare so well, but didn't suck, over all:

Solitude Open Open 2012 Score Card

As you can see, I threw a 71.  That's pretty good for week 1.

Here is a satellite track of the course:

Endomondo Golfing Workout: was out golfing 2.08 miles in 2h:33m:55s using Endomondo.
That is all.

Pure Awesome: "20 bucks worth a chain and some crap I had laying around, not bad."

20 bucks worth a chain and some crap I had laying around, not bad. - Imgur

Art Dye Hole 6

Hole 6 at Art Dye has a rather unique placement: on top of an old water tank. In order to get a line of sight, the basket is put up on a pole. It makes for a fun slam dunk contest to finish up with par, or birdie.

Here is a satellite view of the whole course:  

First outing of 2012

DM and your humble author played the University of Utah course today.  DM wasn't rusty at all, and had the first birdie of the season with a magnificent chuck on 7.   Your humble author did not score a birdie, but did have a masterful throw on 13, to land within 10 feet of the basket.  Too bad, however, he bounced the rubber putter off the basket--twice.

2011 Preschool Invitational

Excellent day at the University of Utah disc golf course (once again) for the 2011 Preschool Invitational The name wasn't initially meant to have a double meaning, but given my play today, it fits. The "Invitational" part of the name means that whoever invites whoever and hope for the best as to who actually shows up. Today we had 5 show up. The Croin, Joe, and I were joined by newcomers Shawn and Joe (New Joe?) New Joe was particularly adept and threw several birdies. Shawn had a solid day given that he had not played for some time. The Croin and I suffered shoulder issues and Old Joe is still on a remarkable streak!

University of Utah Update

Previously mentioned friend Joe and I hit the disc golf course yesterday and again today.  My shoulder was tweaking a bit yesterday (and today to be honest) but Joe had a massive round for his second day out at the course (and third time ever disc golfing.)  While we weren't keeping score he racked up a pair of birdies and other not paired ones.  I feel I must salute his ability to pick up the game so quickly.  I did ok with mostly pars and a few bogies.  I think I was stuck in a rut for a while, because just recently I've felt much more confident in my throw and ability to throw distance.  It is all about followthrough, I think.  Often I think I stop my throw at the end and it was causing me to throw short or causing the disc to heiser too much at the end.

Today was a bit of a regrouping day:  I did pretty poorly with a triple bogie on one hole and just a few pars.  I nearly had birdie three times, but messed up the putts.  Go figure.  Joe did pretty well, overall and did manage to add another birdie to his record.

On to tomorrow!  I really want to hit Solitude this weekend, but it looks a little shaky what with my regular disc golfing compadres being indisposed, injured, or both.

University of Utah Initiation

Took a buddy up to play his first round of disc golf course at the University of Utah today.  He's only thrown one time before.  While wobbly initially (as we all are), he actually had a pretty decent long throw by the end of the day.  He has the makings of a pretty decent chucker, I think.

Here is a panorama from the 17th tee:

Solitude Opening Day 2011!

We're still gathering all our media here a Disc-a-rama central, but yesterday was opening weekend at Solitude after much anticipation.  Solitude opened late this year because of an excellent snow season.  The weather was perfect and the throwing was exceptionally good, most likely due to the high humidity.

More to follow!

Lovely Day for Disc Golfing

Lovely Day for Disc Golfing
Originally uploaded by Clint Gardner

Catinlap & I headed to the University Disc course for a Halloween chucking fest. I won't comment on my poor performance, but I was 1 off of bogeying every hole.

Victory!

Last Disc Golf at Solitude

Last Disc Golf at Solitude
Originally uploaded by catinlap

Bah that Solitude closed early this year!

2010 Bone/Kat Disc Golf Invitational

2010 Bone/Kat Disc Golf Invitational
Originally uploaded by Clint Gardner

Despite the fact that it was "Tournament Day!" at Solitude (replete with crass and rude Utah Disc Golf Association members) ex-pats Bone and Kat were in town from their Korean sojourn, so we headed up to get in a round. Bone had played while visiting friends in Flagstaff, Arizona, but otherwise he has had a year off of the sport. He only lost by one throw, however, as Catinlap racked up a birdie on the 14 hole (I think.)

Farewell Wilhelm Disc Golf Invitational: Catinlap & The Croin

Farewell Wilhelm Disc Golf Invitational: Catinlap & The Croin
Originally uploaded by Clint Gardner

This past weekend, Catinlap, The Croin, and myself headed up to Solitude to play the course one last time with The Croin who is, quite literally, shipping out for parts known to do service for our country. It was not our best effort all the way around, and I managed to lose two my best discs--one swallowed up in a lush wetland and the other sailing off into a ravine. It was time that they were retired anyway.

As The Croin departs into the sunset, we can certainly hope that he will not keep loud celebration swearing at bay, as is requested by disc golf etiquette. Why the hell would you want to do that anyway? If you can't yell and swear in the great outdoors, where in the holy living fuck can you do it?

The Croin has left the building. (Well not quite yet, but I needed a good closing line.)

Now is the Time on Sprockets When We Dance

Now is the Time on Sprockets When We Dance
Originally uploaded by Clint Gardner

While it may appear to the untrained eye that Catinlap (q.v. on flickr) is doing some sort of insane Highland jig, or (more amusingly) engaging in an out-of-doors unprotect fencing match with an unseen opponent, he is actually throwing a disc in the official opening of the 2010 disc golf season at Solitude Ski and Summer Resort (http://www.skisolitude.com/).

In the 2010 Season Opening Wilhelm Invitational former Wilhelm inmates Catinlap (pictured), The Croin, and yours truly (Theorris) took on the mighty course on opening day and utterly destroyed their self-esteem. I had a wicked 6 over par that absolutely destroyed my score. Cat and Croin did much better, but were far off their scores from last year. I predict, however, much better performance.

If thou art a disc golfer or would like to be one do thou shoot me an email anon if thou wisht to receive and invitation to the next Wilhelm Invitational. Don't worry--we pretty much invite anyone and pretty much no one has the balls to show up. That's right--I just insulted you people who dis the disc golf. What are you going to do about it? How about we have a throw down--er throw off!

As always, beer is optional, but highly recommended.

Given that I now live at the Fortress of Solitude, I think I shall simply name this season, the Season of Solitude.

Meh. I still prefer the Wilhelm Invitational.

Perfect Day

Perfect Day
Originally uploaded by Theorris

Hole 16 on the University of Utah course probably has the best view of any disc golf course I've ever been to. Not even the construction cranes mar it. I've heard rumor that it is going to be taken out. Much of this was spurred by the removal of holes 10 & 11 because of bad placement near a parking lot that borders the course. The wholes appear to be in the process of being moved, so perhaps the rumor is false.

Perfect Putt

Perfect Putt
Originally uploaded by Theorris

Catinlap and I hit the University Disc Golf Course again today, as did hundreds of other people. It was nice when only a few people knew about it. In any case, play went quickly, despite the number of people. I couldn't get my throw down, and ended up with an atrocious 71. Catinlap pulled exactly the same score as he had the last time we played: 63.

First Disc Golf of 2010

First Disc Golf of 2010
Originally uploaded by Theorris

Catinlap and I took advantage of the beautiful day, and the closeness of the University of Utah's relatively new disc golf course.

I threw a 67. Catinlap (pictured) threw a 63. I was over-throwing the disc during the middle section of the course because I was worried about the wind and being spectacted by others. Stupid mistake. I did manage mostly par on the front 9, but blew it on the back nine. Only 2 pars.

This is the place--for disc golf!

This is the place--for disc golf!
Originally uploaded by Theorris

I know there was some gnashing of teeth of the retirement of the ball golf course at the University, but a disc golf makes much more sense given that it is less dangerous to pedestrians, TRAX trains, and cars who pass closely by, park, or sit near the course. The course is dry right now, given that they are still working on construction for what I think will be new dorms at the University. In any case, disc golf course will never take any where near as much water as a ball golf course since it doesn't require water-hogging greens.

The view from the 12th basket is the best. The 13th tee is nearby and here Catinlap, while taking in the view, is also looking towards the 13th basket, tucked into the trees on the right. I managed to end up in one of the construction trenches on my throw.

New Disc Golf Course!

301a/365: New Disc Golf Course!
Originally uploaded by Theorris

The University of Utah has installed a new disc golf course to replace part of the defunct golf golf course. Will wonders never cease?

I only wish they had the course when I was getting my degree at the U, although it might have been detrimental to my study time between classes, it would have been a nice break in the day to get in 18 baskets. If that were the case, I probably would be a much better disc golfer today. Oh well, I suppose I will settle for the positive side effects of being studious.

Catinlap and I played the course yesterday. While the holes are generally quite short, they do have tree challenges and will offer the backhand exclusive thrower a heiser-heavy round of play. Lefty backhanders and righty forehanders should be in good stead, as I was since I throw right forehand for driving pretty much exclusively. We folk can throw and nice right-tending hook around trees rather well. The poor righty backhander tends to hook left, and that is a tough call at this course without the heiser.

In all it was quite a fun course--although not extremely challenging, it makes for a fun afternoon. I can't wait to play it more.

Wilhelm Disc Golf Team Reunion

Wilhelm Disc Golf Team Reunion
Originally uploaded by Theorris

Prior to karmaking111's wedding, the Wilhelm Crew reunited for annual Wilhelm Reunion Challenge 2009. Karmaking111 and Catinlap ended up with 19 over, although the official scorecard says that Karmaking111 was 18 over. I (not pictured) was 18 over and the Croin (back) was 16 over.

It was a great round and good to reunite all the Wilhelm disc golfiteers.