Good day disc golfers. I hope you're doing well as you read this. I'm doing great!
Taking a small break from my usual "attack a topic" approach, I am instead presenting you with some small snippets of items I just wasn't able to flesh out into full-fledged articles. It was either time working against me, or it was my inability to fully mine the depths of these topics. I thought they'd make for good, funny writing, but instead became albatrosses around my neck. The agony of writing! (I also found out that when writing, you really shouldn't begin a story "There once was a man from Nantucket"….because more often than not the editor will chuck it!)
Some of these topics may later be filled out into articles if anybody out there has some input. As always, I'm keeping this gig interactive…so feel free to drop me an email with your input.
1. I thought this idea would be a gold mine: come up with unique uses for old, used
plastic. In my house, I use them as doorstops (just place them rim-side down on a rug under a door, and I've found it raises up just enough to catch the bottom of the door and will hold it open!). Yeah, you can always give old plastic to 'newbies', but it seems a bad idea to me to give crappy plastic to beginners (why should they learn to throw a disc that's all beat up??). Used discs, like gatefold album covers of old, can be used for cleaning stuff, too. I always thought it might be funny to have a disc as a steering wheel on a car! Of course, I'd be sure not to use one that's too beat up, because it would suck to be cruising down the road, and have the disc flip, thus driving the car off the road!
2. Road trips should be a great source of disc golf related stories. We've all got them and we've all heard them. But, what do you bring with you on road trips? Yeah, the obvious things like discs, extra clothes and cash, rain gear, grub, water. We know all that. What are some other items that you find you really needed when you got to the tournament that NEVER crossed your mind to pack? I know something that every golfer should take with them. Be aware, however, that it is illegal in most places, it fits in your dashboard, and if you're stopped and the cops see it, you could be in for some legal trouble and will at least have to pay a fine for having it in your possession. What is this? Why, it's a Radar Detector, of course. (What did you think I was going to say?) I also wonder if the Winnicrew has ever given thought to just bring another vehicle along!
3. Course dissing has to occur everywhere. We definitely have them at our course here
in Philly. The most 'famous' diss we have was coined by our current course President, Topher Oxnam, who can be heard shouting "Nice Up!" to anyone whose really really really good shot only manages to hit metal or bounce off chains. This little diss became the title of our quarterly newsletter…it just seemed appropriate.
4. Any 'big wigs' golf at your course? Here in Philly, we've had a couple of sightings
of people who live on the edge of fame. First and foremost, one of our club members is Andy King, who was the bass player for the 80's band the Hooters ("And We Danced", "All You Zombies", "Satellite"). Andy is a regular who golfs several times a week with us, and last year actually was the winner of our Club Tag Challenge. Andy is a funny mofo who is a blast to have around. And, no one else can do a Jagermeister yodel like he can! Andy also had the privilege of working on the crew of the first "Survivor" show, and recently worked as an assistant producer on the recently completed Fox show "Boot Camp". Is there a "Survivor 3" in Andy's near future? We're waiting to find out. Also spotted at our course a couple of years ago was Jerry Cantrell, guitarist from Alice in Chains. He was touring in support of his first solo album ('Boggy Swamp'), and was seen chucking some plastic around the course. We also have some high profile disc golfers who we see once or twice a year in the form of Jim Myers and Joe Mela. Scott Stokely made our course one of his stops on his traveling road show doubles a couple of years ago. We're hoping to see him again this year. In late June, the Winnicrew came through Philly and stayed at my place for a couple of days, since they were between tournaments. They were a blast to have around, and I look forward to their next drive through the area…the door's open, boys!
I want to take a couple of sentences to give a shout out to the members of NEFA (New England Frisbee Alliance) who put on a GREAT tournament over the Memorial Day weekend. It was the New England Overall Frisbee Championships, and encompassed disc golf, DDC, AccuDistance, Freestyle, and Guts. What an awesome time I had at this event. The people were great and fun, the competition was intense but enjoyable. I'm currently nursing a bad right elbow (bad throwing arms are becoming popular here at this site!!), and was unable to play in any of the events, but went up anyway and helped out where I could, and did lots of watching. So, to everyone I met up there, shot with or watched, I just want to say "Howdy!" Gordy Adell did a great job of getting the whole thing organized, and I hear the event will again be held at the YMCA camp next year (Camp Coniston in Grantham, NH). It's on my list of tournaments to attend next year.
That's all for now. I hope your summer is going well! It's time to start getting ready for the X-Games! Yup, they're in Philly for the next two years. This year it's August 17-23, and since the Spectrum is only a couple of miles from my place, you can expect to see me there! A new sport for Joe THE? Hmmmm….I don't think I'm graceful enough to be flipping bikes off of ramps, but, you never know. Hey, maybe I could be the first bike rider to have Used Discs as tires! Oh oh….I'd better make sure they're not beat up, or I will be "flipping"!
If you drop me an email, be sure to let me know who you are and where you're from. Full props if I mention you in a later article. I hope all of your golfing is FUN golfing!
Roc(k) on.
Send feedback to Joe THE.
Just a Ramblin' Along
