Thank you for playing Clash at the Canyons V. I hope you found Dellwood as enjoyable of an experience as I get when I play there.
I enjoyed the time spent there as a volunteer. However, what I could do was limited.
The previous Sunday was my fifth event in a six week period played at Northwood Park where you played in the 2019 Pro Worlds. That along with five league rounds, and way too much practice in that time frame became too much for my obese, arthritic 55 year old broken down body. After almost falling badly once each round that day, I was in so much body pain after the event could not stay in the car more than 30 minutes at a time on the 150+ mile drive home.
Though I wanted to do UDisc tracking for a group or spot on a hole (like I did last October at an event run by Dan Schlitter), it was best for me to stand guard at Clash #3 to make sure spectators and local park patrons would not head down the stairs to where they could get hit by those playing #4. After leaving tournament central on Saturday while carrying a hot dog and my chair, stumbled into a golf cart on my tired legs so it was a good thing I did not have to deal with navigating the course like I did in the am version of the event two weeks previously.
I was also spotting for #2 and on multiple occasions informed players where to mark their mini after going OB as well as answering questions by spectators who entered the course at that location.
It was an enjoyable experience watching friends and players while chatting with families of players as the made their way through #3 & #4.
For some reason your sarcastic comment to me stands out. I am familiar with the idea of not letting one negative comment offset all the positive ones received in two days from those who finished 117th as well as 1st (in three of the four divisions) but it does.
While driving home thought about myself and my game which I realized was not at the level where I could play MP50 at Clash and though am registered later this month for MP50 at Fairfield Park in Round Lake, am fully aware that I head there overmatched.
I now have new personal goals:
Get to 500 points to qualify for the 2022 Worlds in MA55+
Get back on the medication for my inflammatory arthritis which I decided to stop taking last year since the medication leaves me immunocompromised which I did not want to be during a pandemic
Decrease the physical load I put on my body by 10%. Reducing intake is the best way to do so and it will not be easy but that needs to happen if I want to maximize my limited potential.
I am hoping the last two will allow me to get my game to the point where I would feel comfortable playing MP50 at next year's Clash where I would hope to run into you on a practice day and thank you for inspiring me to be more than a stair guard.
Anyway, I want to personally invite you to play in Wacky Wednesday Fore in Evergreen Park, IL on August 18. If you do play, I will pay your entry fee as well as adding $100 to the pro payout. You will get a towel with a cartoon drawing of me on it and if you win, a trophy with one as well. The director of the event, Mike Walsh, knows about this and who you are.
Good luck with the rest of your 2021 season and am looking forward to seeing you again.
Ken Sherlock
PDGA #33461
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