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Am Worlds is Over
July 30, 2006I finished 40th. Out of 244 golfers, only 39 of them beat me. That actually sounds better on paper than it did on the course.
I had a good time. My last round was completely stress free. I played it like a casual round, very care-free. If I had a chance to run at the basket, I went for it. It resulted in some long birdies, but also a couple of mistakes. At the end, I had shot a 2-under 60 for the second straight day and went from a tie for 41st to a tie for 40th.
I also finished fourth in putting and place high enough to win something back in the distance contest, so I came home with a few prizes.
The top four in each group qualified for a final 9 holes where the other players and fans made up a pretty big gallery, at least for disc golf. And it turned out to be highlight film drama.
Paul Ulibarri of Arizona trailed Brent Koontz of Indiana by two strokes going into the final hole. He was down by four entering the final nine.
So Koontz had been playing conservative and lost strokes on back-to-back holes to cut the lead to two. Another time, Ulibarri's 36-foot putt cut through the chains and out, a missed chance that looked big when he entered the final hole of the 135-hole event down two.
The last hole was 465 feet with no chance of OB unless a drive really went astray. Uilibarri didn't have the biggest arm, but he got around 400 and was 70 or 75 feet out. Koontz just needs a 3 to clinch it, but he hits the first tree and only gets 150 or so on his drive. Then he leaves a fairly routine 315 foot shot about 35 short.
Uilbarri somehow cans his 75-footer into the wind and then Koontz two-putts for a bogey and tie.
Koontz could have won on the first sudden-death hole, but misses from about 30. They both made big putts on the second hole before Uilbarri parked a tightly wooded par-3 right next to the cage to seal the victory.
I met the young man just before the opening round of the tournament as we warmed up, but had no idea he was any good. He came across as confident, but not cocky. And he was sure calm under pressure in an exciting rally on Saturday in Tulsa.
It wasn't on SportsCenter or even the Tulsa World. But that's because of the newness of the sport, not the lack of accomplishment or excitement.
Posted by Andy Newberry at 12:00 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Self-centered disc golf
July 29, 2006I'll never really taste what it's like to be a big-time college or pro athlete, but this disc golf tournament lasting a entire week has given me an idea in one capacity.
It seems very self-centered.
Every day my focus has been on throwing pieces of plastic into a metal cage. I haven't had much kid-watching responsibility, no work to think about and not much care in the world.
It was a nice break, but don't think I could take this too often. We're built to give and take. Care for ourselves and others.
I did survive the cutdown, qualifying by finishing 41st out of 244 disc golfers in the first six rounds. That gets me one round today. The top four players play a second round today.
I carried my brother's bag for his final round on Friday, but Anthony couldn't make enough putts to make the cutdown. Ken Ratliff also missed the cut.
Jack Banks is tied for the final two spots in the Advanced Masters and will have a five-way, three-hole playoff today before the semifinal round.
Posted by Andy Newberry at 6:58 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)
Disc Golf Worlds Day 3:
July 27, 2006Some pressure was off because I made the A Group and was above the cut line, but being tied for 50th and not many shots ahead of 72nd, I still needed a good round.
The first half of Mohawk is pretty easy, almost Lucy Park easy, but I only came out with a 3-under. One stupid bogey and another missed putt off the chains. Overall, it was average play I felt.
On the back, I played pretty smart, but missed my last two putts from 15 and 18 feet or I would have played the back in 27. The 29 I had is considered pretty decent, but it should have been 27.
And I never saw any of the poisonous snakes they warned us about. That means my driver was staying in the fairway.
I also participated in the long driving competition. The wind was in in our face, not good, and my first throw was 146 meters. I tried to crush the rest and they were far worse.
The putting contest was fun. I made all the short ones, ones I'd missed in the round, but couldn't nail the long 3 and 5-point putts needed to win.
I have a good shot at making the cut if I can play smart and convert easy putts on Friday. Anthony will need a hot round to make it after he shot a 56 on Mohawk Red.
Mohawk Black is a par-62. I think 59 or lower will be a good round for me. I played a 67 on it the first time I saw it and had several areas for improvement.
Anthony wants a 56, thinks that might get him in. He caddied for me and that was fun, except when he let the scorecards fall out of my bag and I had to run find them.
Jack Banks is sitting in 55th place in Advanced Masters with one round Friday at Haikey Creek. He is just below the cut line currently.
Ken Ratliff is tied for 143rd. There are 244 players in advanced.
Posted by Andy Newberry at 10:00 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
It's not just the Oil Bowl
July 26, 2006Although my focus is on disc golf this week, it also happens to be All-State week in Tulsa.
The football game highlights their week, but they also bring in teams of almost every sport to compete in all-star contests.
Much of the talk I've heard on the radio or from sports fans in Tulsa has been about how the big schools don't have their players in this game. The Oil Bowl moved to June and was able to get some more players for a litttle while.
But with the colleges wanting kids to attend summer school and work out on campus, the all-star games nationwide are taking a hit.
It's not just our Oil Bowl game in Wichita Falls that is losing star players.
Posted by Andy Newberry at 11:38 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Disc Golf Worlds Day 2
The Great Shuffle they call it.
After 4 rounds of Am Worlds, they shuffle the pools to reflect the standings as all four groups have played the same courses now.
For three rounds my drive had failed to make an appearance in Tulsa, but it showed up in round four at McClure Park and even with a few missed putts, I made up lots of ground with a 7-under, 49.
Everyone in golf or disc golf has a story about how the round should have been better. We always leave shots out there. My 59 in the morning would have been four shots better if I just stayed in bounds. And even my hot round had a few mistakes. But in the end, you were what your score is for 18 holes. That's why some people don't want to play competitive. You can't use mulligans and a number goes by your name every day.
One of my main goals was to make the cut and after my good round, I was placed in the A pool after the Great Shuffle, which puts me above the cut line for now. I'm tied for 50th place and the top 72 make it to Saturday. Still work to do, but on the right path finally.
The good round reminded me that once in a while I can actually get these discs to do what they're supposed to.
My brother Anthony had some of the same troubles I had the day before and fell into the B pool (second quarter of the standings). He is still in range to make the cut.
Ken Ratliff is near the top of the C pool.
Through three rounds in Advanced Masters, Jack Banks of Wichita Falls is tied for 39th place at 7-over par. But he's only 12 shots out of the lead with three rounds before the cut.
Posted by Andy Newberry at 10:47 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
AM Worlds Disc Golf
July 25, 2006Warning, if not interested in disc golf, this could be boring to your health!
Subj: Disc Golf worlds blog
Date: 7/25/06 9:53:48 PM Central Daylight Time
From: Sptscribe8
To: Sptscribe8
I have now participated in a PDGA Amateur Worlds. With four groups of more than 60 players each in my division, it almost feels like four tournaments in one.
They called our Pool C the Texas group, although there were some outsiders among us.
My day started slow at Hunter Park, the shortest of the six courses we'll play. I was first off the tee and shanked to the left, but managed to save par. Soon, I turned birdie into bogey with a poor 3-putt.
But after a few holes, I found my putt and played a respectable 1-over par. On a five-hole stretch I saved three pars and a double bogey from 30 feet or further. I could have had a big highlight with one of those saves on the long No. 17. Over some out-of-bounds marsh in between OB lines to the left and right, I crushed my Wraith within 30 feet of the longest hole. But missed the putt, taking a par, although I gained strokes on my partners there.
My brother Anthony beat me both rounds, by 1 in the morning at Hunter and by three at Haikey Creek, where I shot a 58. I think I managed to stay out of the poison ivy this time, something I didn't do my last time there.
I played a smart afternoon round for about 12 holes, unfortunately we played 18. I almost picked up two strokes on a 700-foot hole into the wind, but missed again on a good opportunity putt. Late in the round I went out-of-bounds twice, both times ending up with two more strokes than I should have. I'd have been pleased with a 54, but not so happy about 58. I did park the final hole against the pole for a drop in. My best side-arm of the day by far, 295 precise feet.
One of the tournament directors told Anthony and I on our way out that he made a $5 bet that we'd finish with the same score. I guess that means I need to beat him tomorrow. We tied at the last tournament we both attended.
Jack Banks had a tough day at the Mohawk courses, probably the toughest set to play. He is tied for 35th in his Advanced Masters pool of 70.
I'm tied for 26 out of 64 and Anthony is 14th in our pool. Ken Ratliff is 28th in his pool D.
Posted by Andy Newberry at 11:08 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)
Blocking out distractions
July 13, 2006I never was around golf as a kid, but I have new respect for those who conquer the mental game in that sport.
I play disc golf, poor man's golf with frisbees, and while the physical nature is different, it seems like the mental nature in similar.
So how do you forget a missed putt? It's so easy to tell someone to forget their last shot, but much harder to practice.
Don't think, just putt! Much easier said than done.
Putts that look true and don't fall can be maddening, but one that's missed because of a mental breakdown is worse.
Then you have to try and remember it's fun out there and you'll get to putt again on the next hole.
Again, easier said than done. I'm playing for nothing but pride and it's still difficult.
Posted by Andy Newberry at 12:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
World Cup
July 6, 2006I'm not a soccer fanatic, nor a soccer hater.
But I like sports and I really enjoy the World Cup. It even translates to TV better than I ever thought it would.
One problem. It only happens every four years. Can we double that frequence?
Wouldn't every two years be even better. Maybe not the stop all pretense of being employed, shut down the country for the World Cup rarity it is now, but it'd still be special enough.
The Olympics I don't need more than once every four years. And those happen every two years if you count Summer and Winter.
In America we have too much of our sports. A month too long of baseball, basketball and hockey. A month of football that we're ready for, but it doesn't count for anything. A month too long between meaningful college football games.
But the World Cup. I'd go for more of that.
Posted by Andy Newberry at 11:48 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Happy Birthday
My son James won't remember his second birthday, although his mother probably took pictures of it to save in a scrapbook.
But at least he enjoyed the presents this time as he opened a box of three balls and played with his new car.
The kids were gone a week and while for a day or so that's a relief from responsibility, soon the house seems too quiet.
And it seemed like James aged a month in that week. He's talking more and walking faster.
He still has to compete for attention. Such is life being the baby of three. We even let him open his presents while big brother Jacob was napping. Probably the only way he'd be able to touch them first.
What a precious gift from God James is. He was in a hurry to get out and see this world, not even waiting for a doctor to get there.
And these first two years have really flown by.
Posted by Andy Newberry at 11:43 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
