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| Image: Photos from Saturday's Shasta Series - Chico Challenge. Photo1: Mark and I addressing the crowd at the player's meeting. I'm on the right showing disc golfers how I would look if I could fly like a fighter jet. Photo2: Darren H. posing after his hole-in-1. This was his happiest disc golf day ever... Photo3: Interactive public art. One player's disc landed in the dragon's mouth, and he left it there for the rest of the day so we could all enjoy the peculiar result of that throw. Photo4: The pros, clean-cut, and using baby strollers for golf carts. I can't show you the amateurs since they look a lot like a biker gang, also using baby strollers for golf carts. 78 players from around northern California braved wet weather on Saturday to play in the Shasta Series Chico Challenge disc golf tournament. A temporary course was set up at Community Park using portable baskets. There were a few kids, and a few pros, but most players fell into the amateur category. Competitive disc golf is something I've never been that interested in. I've played some tournaments (not very well). But for me it's always been about getting some fresh air and hanging out with friends and/or family. If you throw in a little beer at the end of the day then you've reached my version of nirvana. We braved the misty rains and short lived gusts of wind as discs sliced through the air in a 360 degree arc. It was fun to watch. While playing I wondered what all the frowny, sour-puss, disc golf haters were doing. Probably writing nasty letters about their nasty anti-social feelings. What a waste of the short life we are given. During the game, a young guy named Darren threw a hole-in-one. These rare and elusive occurances hang with you for the rest of your disc golf life. By the end of the day Darren ended up winning his division and the handicap competition. Later, at an awards ceremony at the Bear, he picked up trophies and prizes in excess of all other participants. He appeared to be the happiest disc golfer ever to walk the earth. I had fun mixing with competitive players, and refreshing my understanding of the rituals of a tournament. There's no talking while people are on the tee or putting, the lie of the disc is sacred, and of course the handshake at the beginning and end of the round. But the best part of the day was watching a young guy visiting our town for an education have a great day in our community. And I got to have afew beers at the end of the day, so that helped make it a great day for me as well. Plus I took third in the old man's division. |
A Day On The Green
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Lon
About Me: Fasten your seatbelts for an exhilarating trip through Chico's public policy; I guarantee it's marginally better than public access TV.
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I had the pleasure to be standing right by the basket when Darren made that ace and I was also in the group with Matt "The Bus" from Redding when he drilled his disc into the teeth of that dragon.
Matt was obviously the alpha male in a rough looking pack which made me a little nervous at first. (I wonder if they thought I looked sketchy too.) He was all about the subtlety of etiquette and rules though, and even offered to share his umbrella with his competition when the rain really got bad. He told me he has a family, works at the hospital and is a youth pastor on afternoons and weekends. Disc golf is a big part of what they do with the kids. So much for me, of all people, stereotyping based on appearance. They also gave me quite the education on playing disc golf. I thought I was shooting OK considering the rain but I think I wound up pretty close to last place.