Last minute update for (Gainesville) Gator disc golfers!!!

March 9th, 2010

I just receieved a post from the Orlando disc golf club saying that the Gator disc golf club is running a fun-draiser to finance a trip to the collegiate championships!!

Well… HERE’S A WAY TO EARN SOME $$$$ FOR THE CLUB.  But you’d better be QUICK about it.

World Champion Disc Golf Design is installing a 9-hole recreational course at Camp Kulaqua in High Springs, FL.

We are pouring the concrete (long) pads today (Wednesday, March 10th) starting at 9AM.

WCDGD will donate $50 to the Gator disc golf club, if we can get at least TWO people to assist with the pour.

We’ll donate $100 if we get 4 or more.  But come prepared to work!  The pour shouldn’t take any longer than 3 hours!

Please arrive by 9AM or call Gregg at 407 701-9058

Camp Kulaqua-Day 1 & 2

March 9th, 2010

In June of 2009, World Champion Disc Golf Design installed our first “Rent-a-Course” at Camp Kulaqua in High Springs, FL. (about 20 minutes north of Northside park dgc in Gainesville, FL.)

Just two days after the PDGAW in Kansas City, I put on 3 days worth of disc golf clinics for the Seminole tribe of Florida during their Summer retreat at Camp Kulaqua. This is a very nice 7th Day Adventist camp with other amenities such as, go-carts, horse back riding and an excellent aquatic facility.

The camp director started playing disc golf and, well… now he’s hooked. Some of the staffers are playing as well. So, after a couple of financial hiccups (right now, EVERYONE is having them) they found a way to make the course permanent.

We arrived Monday night and started by mixing quick-crete in buckets and dropping the sleeves in them to cure over night. We assembled the baskets in their brand new storage building.

This morning I was on the course at 8:30 and we started digging out the tee pad areas. We did more building up than digging and it took the better part of today to get them level.

Near twilight, we decided that our “after-dark” activity would be to disassemble the old refurbished Tri-States (temps) that were being replaced by shiny new DISCatchers (perms).

Each course design/install provides the opportunity to learn something new. Today’s lesson?…
At the time of installation, cover the top of the pole OR drill drainage relief holes at the bottom of the poles.

The Tri-States, which had been sitting in the ground since July had had plenty of time to collect fresh rain water and naturally refine it into a sewage-like liquid that smelled like an anchovie’s rectal cavity. This, of course, was only discovered as it freely drained onto our clothing and accompanying golf cart. Even though I’ve showered, the stench feels as if it is creeping into my soul. “Cool aqua” it was NOT.

We bailed out on disassembling the Tri-States even though I think I may now be growing extra mutated appendages.

Tomorrow: pouring the tee pads, getting the baskets in the buckets and replacing the budget tee signs with our standard signs (NICE)

Southerly Sojourn

February 22nd, 2010

02-18-10
Drove down to Sunrise, FL to get another walk-around at the land that will become Oakland Park Blvd passive park. 7 of the 9 holes pretty much worked but #2 & 9 had to negotiate existing trees as well as trees that I will place. I had to get another look to see where the natural alleyways were. Most of the good naturals are unusable because that area will be a designated “wet-land” and will be roped off as OB.
The course will be a short rec course because there isn’t room for more. I think longer tees might be found but will not be permanently placed because most people playing the course couldn’t make the shots from longer without endangering walkers or other disc golfers.

Practiced throwing shots in a field to get ready for this weekend’s tourney in Miami, but mostly to avoid rush hour traffic in S FL. I stayed with some disc golfer buddies (Ania & Paul.  Both of whom are lovely folks but have last names that are completely unpronounceable) who live about 500 yards from the PGA National course.

02-19-10
First thing in the AM I went to PGA Nat’l to try out the new config.
The first hole is the very embodiment of THE WRONG THING TO DO!
The tee aims directly at the maintenance building and the basket is about 20 feet behind the chain link fence at the back of the building. The 2nd tee is in the putting circle for hole #1.
Holes 2,3,4 were OK. The tees for 5 & 7 were too close. If someone takes a long run up for #7 (I did) they would be starting on the 5th tee. If they were concrete tees, they could just do what Stan McDaniel did at Squirrel and make an “L” shaped tee to accommodate throws for two different fairways from the same spot. If you’re going to do something goofy, at least be deliberate about it.  Stan can’t actually help being deliberately goofy.

A public restroom building was in the putting circle of #9 as well. I can’t believe someone got paid to design this course. Even more unbelievable is that this course at PGA NATIONAL! These guys have the PGA’s showcase golf course and they build a rinky-dink disc golf course like this.

A mile or so away is a solid waste management mound that has turned into a park. I saw it from the turnpike and had to take a closer look. Wow, this place would make a spectacular course, but they already have mountain biking trails in the area that I would most like to see as a dg course. But I did meet the director of parks and rec while there and I hope to work with him in getting some disc golf courses on those SWM properties when they convert to parks.

Next, I went to a church course, which had crossing fairways and some home made baskets that looked something like a dg target but didn’t even remotely act like one. I hit 3 huge birdies on my first 3 holes, each putt finding the sweet spot but the basket wouldn’t catch them. After that, I just threw the holes and didn’t’ really care about putting out since it didn’t seem to matter.

Then down to Kendall Indian Hammocks park. I was too late for dubs so I went out to play one of my least favorite courses of all time, K2. The course that gave Steady Ed his fatal heart attack.
Between the parks dept not allowing anything to be cut or even trimmed and the course designer not giving the first consideration to safety and in some cases, flight lines, the course is one of the worst I’ve played. If Ocala’s Greenway is Florida’s most potential unrealized, then Kendall Indian Hammocks is Florida’s most potential unrecognized.
A ridiculous percentage of baskets are within 10 feet of OB. Throwing over roads and fences is standard. If you have to wait for traffic to throw your drive, the hole needs to be redesigned, PERIOD!

Randy Beers and his Asian cat, “Mi Yao” were kind enough to open up his home to several of us in town for the tourney.

02-20-10
I hit about 4 or 5 40’+ putts per round on Saturday, but I was miserable due to my intense dislike for these two courses. I had signed up for Masters but everyone moved up to the open division. KC lead after the first day. 8-time Florida Tour champion, John E. McCray trailed closely. I was way back on the 3rd card.

We went to a little get together at Bruce Rickie’s place, which was voted “best back yard” on the Florida Tour a few years back. He has a nice bricked area with benches, a dock, a couple of hammocks, a rope swing that goes over a lake, and a killer cat walk that goes up his banyon tree.

02-21-10
I decided that I had to mellow out and just play the course despite the fact that my designer side was screaming each time I stepped up to a tee. I didn’t hit a single putt outside the circle on Sunday, probably because my intensity was just gone. I can’t play quality disc golf if I just don’t care. I couldn’t play with a smile on Kendall if I cared in the least.

I ended up 5th in the open despite a couple of early blow-up holes. John E McCray passed Climo and won the open division for his 100th PDGA win (8 am-92 pro)

I drove out to Big Cypress Seminole reservation, got my cabin and got some greatly needed zzzzz’s.

02-22-10
We had pretty much decided to put the rec 9-holer in the RV park. The available areas were limited. I walked all over it and started to formulate a plan but there wasn’t enough space to do a proper loop.
Around 4:30 pm the guy in charge of the RV park showed up and we talked about what I hoped to accomplish versus what was actually available.
Lots of bottle-necked areas and several retention ponds that are dry now but the RV park manager and superintendent claim that, during the rainy season, they hold water long enough that before they dry up, they have fish in them. Might not be the best fairway option on a rec course.
Bottom line, too many RVs and too little space, combined with people crashing chains, whooping it up and harshing the geriatric patron’s mellow. So we moved the project down the road a 1/4 mile. Should be a LOT more work up front but a better product in the end.

Tomorrow: More romping around in the woods. Hopefully we’ll find that this area doesn’t get too flooded during the rainy season.

Canyon fan club… join it.

February 19th, 2010

I just found out that there’s a Gran Canyon Disc Golf Course fan club on Disc golfers RUs.

Some one posted requesting photos of #16 “Nicely Hung”.

Here ya go.

Grip it and R.I.P.

More friz biz

February 12th, 2010

02-11-09

The meeting with SCORE went pretty well and we got several pieces of printed info concerning tax liability and general procedures with starting up a biz.

If you’re having trouble with insomnia, I suggest trying to read through any IRS publication. I got roughly half way through publication 583 before falling into one of the deepest sleeps I’ve had in months.
But don’t start a new business if you’re looking to work less. I’ve never worked harder than since I went into business for myself. My boss is a prick.

Tomorrow: Probably sticking close to town for the weekend in prep for next week’s southerly trip.

New course recon

February 12th, 2010

02-09-10
How many times have you gotten a ticket… or something equally costly or annoying… while trying to do someone a favor? Jack White drove from Jax down to my house in Orlando (but I had to drive to the nearest toll booth to bring him a quarter because it is “exact change only” and he was 3 cents short.) No FINE$ please.

From my place I drove us down to the Lauderdale area to look at the property where the new rec course will be. The Google maps we looked at prior to the visit lead us to believe that the area would be dozed and easy to get around. Uh, no. High sawgrasses and insidious “monkey balls” surrounded our premo areas. My socks filled up with monkey balls and my shins filled up with micro-cuts.

About 2/3 of the natural oaks in this park will be OB because they will be in a designated wetland area. There seem to be 4 kinds of trees in the equation;
Trees that are already there and will stay there.
Trees that are already there but will not stay there.
Trees that are not already there but will be planted.
And trees that have recently been relocated there and may or may not survive.
The real problem, at the moment, is that we’re not 100% certain in which category some of the trees belong.

We were accompanied by a member of the landscape architectural firm that is designing the park. He had a fairly limited amount of time to wander around. The high grasses and monkey balls made it tough to get to all of the vantage points I wanted to view in the time that we had.

Designing from the ground up with some grade changes and planned plantings certainly changes the way I’ll approach this project.

Looks like I’ll sign up for the Miami tourney in a couple of weeks and go back down there to see if what I have on paper jibes with the actual lay of the land.

Tomorrow: Meeting at noon with S.C.O.R.E. to assist with some biz start up things and a biz plan.

Barnett Champioships-day 2

February 10th, 2010

02-07-10

8:30 start. Blech.

The wind, by any other day’s standards, was pretty big. But way down from yesterday’s bluster-fest.

It was cooler at the start, but warmed up to double layer temps by mid round.

Pros started on the North course. Randy Beers lead me by two going into round 3. I had a strong run of 6 birdies in a row, including a 450’ temp hole with a big roller and a solid 35’ putt. I gained a lead going into the final round and finished strong to win by 6.

Michigander, Liz Carr, won the women’s division on her way to next week’s all-women’s tournament in N. FL., La Vie en Rose.

Only the Open Pros played in the final 9 to decide the win. Rudy and Boobs made some excellent golf shots but the spotlight was on Climo and McCray as they duked it out for the win. John’s solid drives and putts prevailed for his 91st Pro win (99th total)

Tomorrow: More WCDGD work and probably some night golf

Barnett Championships-day 1.

February 10th, 2010

02-06-10

A simple bike ride is the cause for over a week’s worth of limping, icing, doc visits, prescriptions, shots under the knee cap, blah blah blah.

There were no crash & burns. In fact, I found a cool hill, (they do exist in FL. Though, usually manmade) and cranked right up it. I had no incidents at all. Simply put, the bike is too short for me.
THAT is what thrashed my left knee.

So, here’s what I glossed over last time…
I decided to start going back to Karate classes to regain some speed, flexibility and stamina. I was doing OK at my first class. Well enough that the Sinsei felt I should go ahead and spar. I sparred with a guy who was my height but had 70 lbs on me. My kicks were accurate but, I was slow, (still quicker than him.) I blocked one of his meaty kicks and torqued my left wrist.

Several weeks later, it still ached a little and spiked when I’d bend my left wrist to freakish angles. (Freakish wrist angles are, or at least WERE, my life) It hurt most when I threw my lefty-helicopter throw for fellow freestylers. I really love that throw, but it hurts too much to throw it with any real POP!

I finally decided to call a doctor to see what was going on with the wrist.

Meanwhile, Chad and I have been trying to get together as often as possible to work on WCDGD projects. Consequently, I had not been getting out and getting my greatly needed exercise. So, one day, about a week and a half ago, I decided to go for a bike ride. I rode a couple of miles on sidewalks and backstreets to reach a nice hill a few miles north of Barnett park on Pine Hills road. I got there and the body was starting to warm up. I charged up the hill (SHUT UP!!) And just plodded around scoping the area and, like most of us, imagined what I could do with THIS property if I got to design a disc golf course on it.

I’ll cut to the chase. No crashes. 2 days later I could feel my left knee starting to complain. A day later, I could barely put any weight on my left leg. And anything that made my knee torque to the side, even in the least, would send a spike of pain through up my leg.

The morning of my wrist appointment arrived. I missed it. But I rescheduled and made that one. I asked the office if they had a “knee-guy” available since I really needed to find out why my knee just went ballistic for what seemed, no apparent reason. They said “no.”

However, they suggested I go 1 block west, 3 blocks North, and 3 blocks west to a walk-in (in my case, “limp-in”) orthopedic clinic. I gave them my info, hobbled to a chair and sat down to wait. They called me within about 5 minutes. Cool. Then they said “We can’t see you today because you already saw another one of our doctors earlier today and your insurance company won’t pay us for the appointment.”

Now, I needed to see a “jaw-guy” because mine had dropped open when I slipped on that line of BS they had just spread before me.

I called my insurance co and told them I was being denied a medical visit because I had already seen another doctor in their system. The ins co said, “HUH? You can go whenever you want, and see whoever you want, for whatever you want.”.

I held the phone out to the people behind the desk and said tell that to my insurance company.

They said “no, we can’t bill them”.
I said, so it isn’t my ins. Co?
They said “no”.
I apologized to my ins person and hung up.
Then the desk jockeys said , we can’t bill your ins co because they won’t pay us.
At this point, I was pretty pissed. Not Bill Bixby pissed. But pissed. I had to drive away.

Once home I called the clinic again and got the office manager on the phone who made the same claim. I told her that I had a serious and legitimate ailment that needed to be addressed and they were more concerned about their paper work. And beside my ins co said they’re WRONG. I was put on hold for about 5 minutes. Upon her return, she stated that, in fact, I COULD be seen today.

I looked at the clock… 4:06pm. “What time do you close today?”
“We just took our last appointment at 4”
“So, you’re still bumping me to tomorrow.’
“How long will it take you to drive here?”
“About 20 minutes.”
“OK, if you can make it in 20 minutes we can still see you.”
“Well, I have to put shoes back on, hobble to the car and hope I don’t hit any traffic.

I acted out the above line and spun my balding tires pulling out of my neighborhood. About 3/4 of the way there, I saw a HUGE traffic back-up. I managed to side step it and pulled back into the same mess, down the road. I went back-roads again and came out at the far end of the police blockade and had to ask a cop to let me through.

I got there in 23 minutes but they did see me. The X-Ray revealed a very milky meniscus, which he said was heavily embedded with calcium deposits along with some arthritic areas as well. Usually, when this had happened in the past, it would go away within a few days. This one hung on for well over a week.

Yesterday was the first day I awoke relatively pain free. But it didn’t last long. I iced down a couple times at the end of the day. I didn’t think I’d be ready to play today because, yesterday my knee still didn’t feel as if it was solid. Today, my walk was fairly normal.

I tested a few throws and it felt OK, so I signed in and grabbed my card. The 360 came out of hiding a lot more often than normal because I still can’t really push off of the back leg. But despite some HOWLING winds I was –4 on the Parkside long course going into the last two holes. I went 4, 5 to finish at –1. But lead the masters div.

Round two, Randy Beers smoothed some very nice drives through some choppy and gusty breezes to shoot the low score off the day on the North course, only John E McCray matched that score. It was a pretty boring round for me. The breeze was too high, combined with my lack-o-push off, so I parred a LOT. I had two boogers and only 1 birdie, on the longest par 3 on the course. A fairly open, slightly downhill shot…and downwind. I did a 360 drive with a Pro Wraith and nearly aced it.
By the end of the round, I was ready for ice and meds.

It was the usual suspects in the open div.  John E McCray lead Climo by a small margin with Lexi “boobs” Bubis trailing by a few with local Rudy Vela-Cantu bringing up the top 4.

Tomorrow: Hopefully, a much shorter synopsis of day 2.

Friz Biz & Dora’s Podcast

February 3rd, 2010

02-03-10

SupercoupleA few days ago, I went for a bike ride to break up the sedentary nature of getting our friz biz taken care of.  True to form, a couple of days later, I was barely capable of walking.  Speed golf?  No problem.  Massively contorted freestyle moves?  Not an issue.  Playing Ultimate or even karate class?  No big deal.  But riding a bike that’s a bit too short for me.  KRYPTONITE to my left knee.  I’ll go off on that story next time…,maybe.

Chad and I have been stepping it up lately because many of the things we wished would happen, ARE happening and more projects beget more work, which begets more projects.

We sent out 3 proposals yesterday, and we’re gaining ground on getting the business in order.

In fact.  I don’t have time to pound out the usual bulk-o-tripe today.  So, here’s a link to the podcast from the Mount Dora “Have Course-Will Travel” Rent-a-course Grand Opening hosted by World Champion Disc Golf Design.

Enjoy.

Tomorrow: The knee is starting to ease off…may squeeze in some putting & upshots if it feels OK.

Turkey-Dark Meet

January 28th, 2010

01-27-10

Spent a good portion of the day (sort of like a job) working on a disc golf project in S FL.  But we have prospects and projects all over the state right now.  We got a verbal agreement to submit a final proposal to Camp Kulaqua in High Springs.  So, the plan is to replace the refurbed Tri-States with shiny new DisCatchers within the month.  We’ll leave the short tee carpets and frame-n-pour the long tees, which will turn this course into a course that I think Gainesville players will enjoy visiting…and playing.  We had hoped they’d go for an extra pin position per hole but not at this time.

I cut out around 4:30 and headed to Turkey Lake. Monday’s cloudless 3/4 moon lit up the course.  Tonight the moon was at around 7/8 full and not a cloud in sight.  Our Wednesday night Flights gang had been threatening to play T2 from the reds on the brightest Wednesday of the monthly lunar cycle…and this looked to be it.  And so it was.  To be honest, it was almost too bright to see the glow discs.

Unlike Monday’s dark meet, we don’t divvy into A & B pools.  It’s true random draw.
Jaime made the drive down from Daytona and, by luck of the disc-flip, we partnered up.   A visitor from Minnesota named “Va” stuck around for the round and played with James.  Bill played with Brandon.

The new hole #1 on T2, as I’ve said more than once, is a far more aggressive hole than I’d like to start this course, but I think in another 6 months (and at least one organized work-day) we should have it clean enough to reward skillful shots.  But, in the dark, a par-4 required some scrambling.

Jaime punched in a 40 footer on #5 for an eagle (but not really for a blue level player throwing from the reds) 3.  And I managed a 35-foot follow-up on 6 for a deuce with the moldy 71.  We had some pretty good simpatico going and carded a –14/46, which, if I’m not mistaken, seems to be the new (only) night golf record for T2 (reds) and the singles tourney record (red) and the singles tourney record from the blues (even though the blues are over 1,000 feet longer)

Jaime & Hos      -14/46
James & Va        -10/50
Bill & Brandon    -6/54

Tomorrow:  more work on course projects.  We may not be getting ahead, but we seem to be making headway.