Jumping in the deep end

[ray1970]

So, after four plus years of mostly playing for fun and doing local tags matches I'm finally entering my first sanctioned tournament.

It's a large A-tier event with about 250 players registered but I'll be playing with the other geezers my age in the MA50 division.

I'll be playing three rounds at two different courses and will probably be playing them blind since I haven't played them before. I might get a chance to play them this weekend ahead of the event if I'm lucky but not sure if I'll be playing the actual tournament layout for my group.

My goal is to not finish last so if I can accomplish that I guess I'll consider it a win. I've been holding my own playing casual rounds with a couple of 950 rated youngsters lately and the guys I'll be competing against seem to be mostly 850 ish rated so I'm hopeful that I won't lay an egg or choke.

 

[Sethamphetamine]

Smart golf generally gets you decent results in a tournament. Lay it up!

 

[BillFleming]

No matter what....have fun - enjoy yourself.

I am 634 rated and play in the MA3 division for tournaments. I'm ALWAYS the DFL player. But I have fun. Most courses I don't get to play in advance. One thing I'm learning is to throw with my ability and don't try to match my cardmates that are much younger than me.

If you can, at least try to walk the course in advance to get an idea of what it will be like.

 

[Horsman]

Sounds like how I started in disc golf. Played casually for 5ish years, then my friends talked me into playing in a sanctioned tournament. Then played a big c tier blind and somehow won. Then did it again the next tournament and never looked back.

 

[Moose33]

Try to stay loose and play your game, have a good time!

 

[ray1970]

Thanks.

My strategy will pretty much be the same as my normal play- play most every hole for par and if there are opportunities for birdie then try to capitalize on those. I generally don't push for a birdie if it puts me at risk of a bogie if I miss it.

I'm also pretty sure there is a hole on one of the courses with a 450' water carry off the tee pad. If they have us old guys play it from a different tee position that's great. If not I think there is room left or right to bail out short and then lay up for the par.

I guess my objective is to play within my game and not give away strokes to the field.

 

[Three Putt]

My goal is to not finish last so if I can accomplish that I guess I'll consider it a win.

My goal was to not finish last for a long time and I always finished last. Every. Single. Time.

I quit paying attention to what other people were doing and started setting a goal like +10 or something based on how I reasonably felt I could shoot and concentrated more on that. I managed to not finish last a few times that way.

 

[biscoe]

I guess my objective is to play within my game and not give away strokes to the field.

If you can maintain that mindset you are already ahead of 90% of players Am or Pro.

 

[Nick Pacific]

Sunscreen. And an extra pair of shoes and socks.

Have fun

 

[wproct]

I will look forward to reading your report after the tournament. I have been playing for 7 years and have not played a tournament yet, and probably won't. I'm 70+ years of age and don't think I will, but I will like reading your experience.

 

[ru4por]

It is going to be slow. Bring a stool, snacks and plenty of water. Old guys can be pretty good division, play the course, not them. Have fun, man.

 

[Riverdog]

It is going to be slow. Bring a stool, snacks and plenty of water. Old guys can be pretty good division, play the course, not them. Have fun, man.

Old guys are the best division! You'll not find the quality of abuse, or support in any other division. And our memories are voluminous enough that they'll always stimulate memories for you. Screw disc golf. You'll find friends![emoji106][emoji41]


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[Pizza God]

I tend to do better when I am playing a course for the first time. Now you might not know the "local routes" and you might find yourself hitting a tree you didn't know what there. But you will be playing each hole fresh and throwing what you feel comfortable with the conditions given.

I have found that I tend to keep throwing the same disc at courses I play multiple times. Even if the wind is different. When I play a new course, I take everyting into consideration and throw based on what I see.

But then you are talking to someone who does not play courses he has played very often. I played my last tournament blind. I did not throw any of the holes before the first round. I actually shot 1 stroke better in the first round over the 2nd round and won the tournament. (Am Masters)

edit: I should note, I usually play Pro 50+ or Am 40+ based on my rating, when I signed up for the tournament, there were more Am Masters and Pro 50+. I would have won 50+ based on what I shot

 

[wolfhaley]

Just curious, what courses are you playing at? Not that it matters to me, but I could always use a good excuse for my wife as to why I'm looking at courses in CO.

And I hope you do well and am curious how it goes. Good luck!!!

 

[ray1970]

Just curious, what courses are you playing at?

Optimist and Pessimist in Fort Morgan, CO.

Not sure what the layout is going to be.

 

[wolfhaley]

Optimist and Pessimist in Fort Morgan, CO.

Not sure what the layout is going to be.

No matter the layout, you'll want to be an optimist on both. I'm going to check them out now.

 

[wolfhaley]

Looks pretty nice for both of them. The optimist pics are taken on a beautiful summer day and the Pessimist pics are either late fall or early spring. They don't even look like they're in the same state, much less park. The Pessimist course is a DiscGolfPark course too. Not that that's something super amazing or anything, but I just learned there's only 30 or so of those in the US. Tons in Europe, but not many in the states. I've played one in IL. Hopefully another next week in MI.

 

[ray1970]

Looks pretty nice for both of them. The optimist pics are taken on a beautiful summer day and the Pessimist pics are either late fall or early spring. They don't even look like they're in the same state, much less park.

If anything is green in any of the pictures it was likely spring time. Summer, fall and winter everything is pretty much brown. Lol.

I do believe some of the Optimist course is in a city park so there might be some grass that gets watered but generally the lack of precipitation in Colorado through most of the year keeps everything kind of brown. I throw a few green discs and they usually stand out like a sore thumb and are pretty easy to find except for April and May when things green up a bit.

 

[ChrisWoj]

One thing I'm learning is to throw with my ability and don't try to match my cardmates that are much younger than me.

Throw the shots you know. Don't try to throw a shot you don't know just because the hole calls for it. Play the shot you know to a good spot on the fairway, go from there.

I was playing a course I don't know well last weekend, Bald Mountain, and by the third round I'd totally thrown my backhand off by trying to do unfamiliar stuff. Luckily it was just a bunch of $5 rounds and I could afford to try crazy shots all day long. But mentally I just stopped trusting my shot, and that was it. Even familiar shots were off target because of the lack of trust.

 

[Norvelljeff]

Great courses. Played that event last year and it's a BEAST. Have fun