TROY'S WORK TABLE: WHITE RIVER DISC GOLF COURSE

Friday, March 13, 2009

WHITE RIVER DISC GOLF COURSE

The child and I headed to the White River disc golf course in Auburn after purchasing our first discs. My plan was just to throw a few random holes while we walked the course to get a feel for its layout.

We followed a few of the guys we had seen in Mando's Disc Golf Pro Shop to the first hole. The child and I watched them throw their discs. Then one of them, slightly older than the other two, probably in his late forties, introduced himself to me as Larry and invited me to play with them. I explained that I had never played before and was just here to observe and maybe throw my disc around a little bit. He told me that the best way to learn the game was to play a round with people who had played before, which meant with him, Thomas, and Trev. He insisted.

It was good that I had Larry to hang out with. He acted as a mentor to me. He showed me how to properly hold the disc for a backhand throw. He explained rules and terms to me. He pointed out where baskets were located. He encouraged me as I played.

At the third hole, Thomas and Trev decided they wanted to play through, partly because I was slowing down the game. (They didn't state this, but I could tell.) Larry said he would stay with me. It worked out well.

Larry and I played a full round—eighteen holes of disc golf, mostly in the middle of the woods. I learned about "tree love," when your disc hits a tree but it helps your shot. I learned about "tree-nial," when your disc hits a tree and its hinders your shot. I learned how to hold the disc at different angles to get a desired result out of a throw. I learned how to square my shoulders with the basket and follow-through with my throw.

At the sixteenth hole, as we played alongside the White River, a bad throw sent my new Stingray disc (and the only one I had) into the river. My disc was swallowed up.

Larry let me borrow two of his beginner friendly discs—a Champion Leopard fairway driver and a Champion Sidewinder distance driver—so that I could finish the round. (In fact, the Champion Leopard was the first disc he ever owned.) Not only did this wonderful act of grace allow me to finish the game, but it also allowed me to throw two other discs "in the field," and notice their differences in weight and flight characteristics.

On the seventeenth hole, Larry also showed me how to hold and throw the disc sidearm. It felt awkward, but also let me see how the disc turned to the right rather than to the left (as in a backhand throw). It also gave me something to practice.

So I was able to play a full 18-hole round with someone that took time out of his own game (who slowed down to help out a disc golf virgin) to teach me things I would not have necessarily learned on my own for some time.

Thank you Larry!