Several years ago (guess it was about 5 now) I was invited to go play disk golf with some friends. I informed them I did not have disks so I would be unable to accompany them(did not want to go and it was a convenient excuse), well as you guessed it they had extras and I was dragged along.
The whole way in route to the course (Lindsey Park) I thought to myself "keep an open mind and you might enjoy it." As luck would have it I would not only enjoy myself, but find a new hobby in the process. Fast forward to current time, those friends have come and gone; but I still find myself when in a bad mood or in need of some sunshine going to play disk golf. I enjoy it for a couple reasons, it's great exercise, you get to be outside around nature, and it's just plain fun (ok I admit sometimes it's frustrating). My favorite course The ROC is conveniently located right down the road form my house. Much like my enjoyment for this hobby I enjoy this course for many reasons
1. The course is laid out very nicely with plenty of technical obstacles.
2. The property is a perfectly exquisite mixture of man-made meets nature.
3. The wonderful ponds offer fishing opportunities when I'm not in the mood for disc golf.
4. It is set in a Christian environment,(lately I have felt myself accepting God into my life more) and this fact is my favorite about the ROC!!!
I can't describe in words anyways the amount of fun I have even if I'm by myself, as I feel so close to God on this course.
On one of my recent trips I noticed some new additions at the T boxes, some black crosses that seemed a little out of place at the time. I realized on my last trip they are the hangers for signs containing different scriptures and those signs are in place!
Here is a photo tour of one of my favorite hobbies on my favorite course...
I play a little different than most as I park at the entrance and start my game on hole #10. My logic behind this is the back nine are my favorite, if I only have time for a short game I play the back nine only. If I'm feeling extra good I will play the entire course plus the back nine again.
The #10 is my starting point, it's a straight shot through the tree's (that's a trap, sometimes the most obvious path is the most futile). "Romans 5:5"
SUCCESS!!!
Here is a shot of my Gear bag, I like it because it holds my disks, water, keys, phone, and one other item I never leave home without.
#11 My favorite hole of the course, as it overlooks my favorite part of the course. You throw over the roadway and down into a valley to your target. More than likely this will be the spot of my first
ACE, as I have missed it on numerous occasions by 1-2" at most. (1 Corinthians 15:3-4)
Normally I land within a few feet of my target on this hole but I had a severe cross wind that really made for a bad throw. I landed about 30yds away : /
I would throw and overshoot by 5yds, but I did manage to grab some good photos sinking my putt!!!
#12 Is another one of those holes that the obvious path is the wrong choice. The more tactical decision is to throw to the right and try to make it close enough to the tree line to sink in two, if you overshoot it's a easy putt for three (although I don't keep score myself). (John 14:6) this is one of the two scripture signs that is tied for my favorite on the course.
After my throw, straight shot to sink it in two....
Or putt for three
#13 Is one of my least favorite as it is one of three holes that have a water hazard, on this hole you in fact have to throw over the pond and there is technique to it. I have learned the hard way (losing over 10+ disk) to throw level across the plane of the water, if you throw high it's caught by the winds coming across the open fields and in the pond it goes.
(somebody corrected their mistake, no it was not me)
Luckily my throw sailed perfectly over the pond and hooked left just a few feet away from my target. This hole also has a high probability of being my first
ACE as I have missed it by mere inches on a few occasions.
#14 Is another hole to be careful as it is very close and sits on a peninsula, so it is very easy to over throw and land in the water... (John 1:12)
I always throw short and putt for 3 as to not lose disks.
#15 Is another technical hole as it is a dog-leg through trees. (Ephesians 2:8-9)
Here you see the folly of being just a few feet off your mark, as you see the tree is blocking a perfect shot...
Sometimes knowing a course helps, I threw very high and when the disk got above the trees it hooked perfectly to get me within a few feet and that was close enough.
#16 Is another hole that you have to be careful on because if you don't throw far enough on the first, you can easily overthrow on the second into the pond...Although this is another good view so it's worth it!!! (John 3:6-7)
I threw it for everything I had and sailed it over the sidewalk, but I was still 10yds away; that is a long put on this hole. On my initial try I missed my mark and landed in the water, luckily just barely and I was able to save my putter from it's swim.
I would recover my disk and put for three, but I had left my original disk in it's place as I was convinced I could make this shot; on my third attempt I did sink the put from over 10yds away.
#17 Is another easy hole to make in 2 shots if you can throw on a low flat plane, if you miss your mark again you will land in a pond (although I have recovered the one disk I did that with). #17 is my other favorite scripture (Revelations 3:20)
I would throw a little short on this one and be faced with another incredibly long putt, and again I was determined not to fail. I actually brushed the chains and missed by a few inches, I putted for three...Again I returned to my original spot and re-tried to gain some practice and on the second try I made my shot.
#18 Is a perplexing hole as no matter how you approach you must shoot through the trees, and most times I make it out in 4-5 this time was no exception...
Now that we have completed the back nine lets move on to the front nine.
#1 Is a galactic uphill throw that normally requires three throws from me, and like clockwork this was the case today. There is no scripture sign on the first hole, I have no idea as to why.
#2 Is a pleasant downhill which can be made in two shots if you throw good enough on the first.
This is another hole that offers a pulchritudinous sublime view of the entire center/complex and should be a major clue as to why I enjoy myself so much here.
#3 Is another gargantuan blind uphill with a slight dog-leg behind the tree line, that often leads to very unique and tactical planning to execute properly.
Directly in the center of the shot to the right of the dirt is a yellow top, that is our target. I would try and throw in such a manor to have the disk make a high arc over the trees and come down in a sweeping arc and land within a few feet of my target. Well my plan would have work perfectly if I would have put a little more oomph behind my throw, instead I landed in the trees just a few short feet away from my target.
"very unique and tactical planning to execute properly" To explain this rhetoric in detail...
I actually stood on my right foot and leaned all the way forward, I gripped the based of the small oak tree with my right hand, while using my left foot to balance in the air, I then threw backhanded with my left hand...While I did not make the putt it did look pretty comical, I wish I could have snapped a photo!
#4 Is another tricky hole as the target is probably only 60 yards through the trees, but you have to make it through the horseshoe type cut in the trees. Probably one of the most often used verses (John 3:16)
I would land in some heavy brush on my first throw.
When in a situation like this, I find it best to invert the disk and overthrow the hole and putt back in.
Well that did not work out this time, but it did land me in a fairly manageable position to putt in two more throws...
#5 Is another straight throw with a dog-leg into the trees at the end and is normally a strait forward approach. My normal avenue of attack is to throw to the right and instead of making the dog-leg its a straight putt from there. (John 10:10)
Instead of my normal throw I pulled into the trees, and would have a time playing out of them...I would eventually sink a putt after more than a few
Mulligans...
#6 Is another massive downhill shot; your two challenges are to not hit one of the power line poles on your first shot to get plenty of distance, and don't overthrow on your second.
#7 Is a protracted and arduous uphill shot, zig-zaging through trees with low hanging branches. I have yet to figure out a good way to attack this hole and normally shoot 6-8 times before I sink a put today was no exception to the rule (at least I'm consistent). (Romans 3:23)
#8 Is a straight forward shot up hill with only one tree lying as a obstacle in your path. (Romans 6:23)
#9 The last hole, is another prolonged hole normally requiring multiple drives to reach my target, at the end of which is very easy to over throw into a overgrown and brushy creek bed. The target is in the top center of the picture on the sandy section of landscape.
I would wind up landing in the creek on my second throw and made the decision that watching for snakes was more important than pictures...
As you can see this is a beautiful course to walk and play on, the fact that it makes me feel closer to God is it's best selling point. If you have never tried disk golf it's fairly simple game taking most of it's rules from actual golf. There's several large soccer fields you can practice throwing on, but I prefer to practice on the course. Setup is easy, you can go to several local shops and procure all the needed disks for under $25 to start with and upgrade along the way. A few other musts is plenty of water and sunscreen during the summer months, a bag to carry stuff is nice but not needed, good running shoes and lastly a sharpie to write your name if you make a
ACE (Hole in one).
I encourage people to get out and try this wonderful activity with friends or family as it is a good way to fellowship, and what better place than the
ROC.
