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Disc Golf in Little Rock - Burns Park
Posted on June 4th, 2008 by Chris.
Filed under: Disc Golf, Picture stories, Sports, Vacations.
I’m in Little Rock for a week on business. Being the disc golf nut that I am, one of the top things on my list of things to find here is a disc golf course, and lo and behold, there is Burns Park.
A mere 10 minutes away from my hotel on Markham, just by the Arkansas River, this ENORMOUS city park is home to two rather exceptional disc golf courses. The blue course, which is longer and more open, is the one I’ve played twice already (in two days). The red course, which is shorter and on the side of a (to me) mountain, is more technical and wooded.
Yesterday was my first round. I got out of work and high-tailed it back to the hotel, eager to get out there and throw some discs. I had no trouble finding the place, and was thrilled to tee off on a course with elevation. For a Florida flatlander, this was like an excursion to disc golf nirvana.
After the first hole, I knew I’d get lost, so I mustered my social skills and jogged up to a couple that were playing two holes ahead of me. As politely as I could present myself as a regular guy that wouldn’t rob or beat them, I introduced myself and asked it they minded if I join them, since I was new to the course and liable to get lost. They were Nate and Amy, a couple that proved to be perfectly in line with all the people I’d met in Little Rock so far — super friendly and terrifically hospitable. I was not disappointed in my decision to approach them.
On the 11th hole, after finding a huge pine tree had crushed the 10th basket to smithereens (see photo), I threw my Champion Beast forehand right into a tree about 75 feet in front of the tee. It looked like it dropped straight down, but upon reaching its alleged landing place, it was nowhere to be found. Nate and Amy searched for this disc for almost thirty minutes…. and five minutes after I’d given it up for lost, not wanting to cut short their round on my account. Then, Amy FINDS my disc!! This, ladies and gentlemen, is what Little Rock people are capable of… going way beyond the basics of friendliness!
Today I played again, this time by myself, thinking that I’d learned enough of where the tees and baskets were. I was mostly right. I ran into a group of guys playing made-up holes, just screwing around, and they pointed me towards the 13th tee, which I couldn’t find. I was proud, incidentally, that my only birdie of the day happened right near them. I outdrove the basket with a nice forehand flick, and sunk the twenty foot birdie putt. Aw yeah!
I finished at 12 over par, which included no less than three dinked-out putts from near range. Not the best scoring round for me lately, but given the circumstances, I’m pretty happy with the score.
As I sat in one of numerous pavilions by the parking lot before motoring back to the hotel, a group of five guys wander off the red course and have a seat next to me. Again, they’re very friendly and approachable, and we made great conversation for half an hour or so. One of them, “Corndog” (I’m not making this up) offered me a beer along with the rest of his buddies, and we shot the shit for a while, talking about disc golf, how they’d played 72 holes that day (!!??) and how disc golf’s got to be one of the greatest pastimes on Earth. We shook hands and promised that if I’m ever in Little Rock again, I’d look them up with the business card Corndog handed me.
Seriously, when a friendly guy who plays disc golf, who goes by “Corndog” says to look him up next time you’re in town, you DO so.
Disc Golfing in Sarasota - Lakeview Park
Posted on April 19th, 2008 by Chris.
Filed under: Chris' Stuff, Florida Living, Friends, Sports.
After my disc golf passion was resurrected last week at Wanee, I did what I should’ve done years ago - google around to find out if there’s a course in my area. After a swift smack to the forehead, seeing the results indicating not one, not two, but THREE courses in my area, I make plans to get out there. I left my discs with John in Gainesville. Damn.
An enthusiastic phone call to a friend later, I’m in Play it Again, buying “factory second” discs at $10 apiece. Then, I’m driving through parts of Sarasota I didn’ t know existed, winding through a residential neighborhood until coming upon Lakeview Park, with its 18 hole disc golf course.
I am intimately familiar with the Gainesville course on 34th Street but few others (I’d played Lake Wauburg in Gainesville, and of course Spirit of Suwanee’s Grateful Dead course last weekend). The excitement of a new course, this close to home, was almost unbearable.
Unfortunately there wasn’t a map of the holes, and we ended up meandering like tourists through 18 holes of challenging, at-times-heavily wooded, swampy dream for any disc golfer. We never found holes 11 or 12.
The course is fun, with creative pin placement and lots of water. The park had restrooms, water fountains, a fenced-in dog park, and picnic tables. Nice.
This whole thing’s got momentum. I’ll be playing the North Watertower Park course tomorrow morning, which is apparently either on-par with (no pun intended) or even better than the Lakeview course. I’m learning all of this from the Sarasota Sky Pilots web page. Yep, a full fledged disc golf community, which I’ll duly be looking into. Tuesday and Thursday night handicaps? Count me in!
Disc Golfing at Wanee
Posted on April 16th, 2008 by Chris.
Filed under: Florida Living, Friends, Sports, Youtube.
Disc Golfing at Wanee 2008
06:26
After many years, I heard from an old buddy of mine, John. On short notice, I found myself at the Spirit of Suwanee music park fo After many years, I heard from an old buddy of mine, John. On short notice, I found myself at the Spirit of Suwanee music park for the Wanee Fest, featuring some unbelievable music and a perfect chance to catch up with an old friend.
They had a DISC GOLF course at the park (among other things) that John and I and his fiance Tracy took the opportunity to play. We both scored well, considering we’d never played this very narrow, challenging course before. I also got bit on the ankle by something with fangs, but I survived and am doing okay. Thanks for asking.
If you’re unfamiliar with disc golf, don’t be surprised… it’s a hippie sport that most people haven’t heard of. It entails throwing specialized frisbees into chains. It scores just like golf, you play it where it lies, and copious amounts of inebriants are often involved, in our case, historically.
Background music - Sugar Magnolia, Grateful Dead, Europe ‘72
Citrus Bowl - Florida Loses in Tight Match
Posted on January 2nd, 2008 by Chris.
Filed under: Chris' Stuff, Florida Living, Picture stories, Sports.
Well, it was our first Bowl Game experience. It wasn’t what we had hoped, unfortunately, and the reason only occurred to us after the fact, after we’d wondered what was missing. The game took place in Orlando — not Gainesville. Had we been in the Swamp, the game would’ve likely had more of its desired, characteristic craziness, that thing we’d been longing to experience. Overall, we had a good time, but next time it’ll be in the Swamp, with REALLY LOUD Gator fans.
Sympathy Shits for Joe Paterno
Posted on September 24th, 2006 by Chris.
Filed under: Chris' Stuff, Sports, Television.
Last night we saw the Florida Gators beat the Kentucky Wildcats. They didn’t play as well as I would’ve liked, but they did win, bringing their season to 4-0. Good times.
We watched the game with some friends at Buffalo Wild Wings Grill & Grill. That’s how it’s listed in Google.
Since Troy and I have the typical testosterone-driven tendency to try and out-whatever each other, it was no surprise that we simultaneously looked at one another while perusing the menu, and quietly understood that we were going to sample their hottest wings.