45 degrees, wind, and rain

That was the weather at a Rockford tournament in September, 2019 where I was one of the worst rated players in MA50 and almost won the event. https://notnormalworld.blogspot.com/2019/09/making-highly-improbable-happen-almost.html

The following Thanksgiving weekend in similar weather, I won an event by six shots. A couple years later on another similar day in October had one of my highest lifetime rated rounds even though I pulled my right groin getting out of bed that morning coming the closest I ever did to winning a ratings based division which was MA2 (one that usually features players better than me.)

Even before that October 2021 event, had expressed the desire for 45°, wind, and rain at a tournament getting surprised responses by people including the Illinois PDGA director last June.

For the next couple years after that, only had one round with that type of weather and ended up tied for 10th out of 31 in an open amateur division. (The rain stopped between rounds and my round two was bad.)

The TD for the event on Apr 7, 2024 was surprised that I was happy to hear that was the forecast for the event and shortly before the event started, the rain and wind kicked in. After the horn started, put down my umbrella, and launched a perfect drive leaving a makable C2 putt. Unfortunately, I foolishly got aggressive and whizzed it by 25 feet downhill past the basket and took a bogie. The next hole involved a badly failed approach shot leading to a bogie.

After that, I calmed down and managed to play decently but not great getting three more bogies due to failed approach shots but managed to get on the lead card with two good ones near the end and a 20 foot par save following hitting first tree on my final drive. Rating was 2 shots better than expected.

Due to timing, had a longer than normal wait for round two which was fine as the worst of the rain fell during it. Round two started on the most difficult course there with rain still falling. With one exception, the first six holes were played as good as I could expect including a first ever birdie on a specific hole after a 265 foot shot around trees to a blind target skipped to 5 feet away. At one point, I was leading the event.

The top rated player going in then made multiple great shots over a six hole stretch including some I don't have the physical ability or courage to make or attempt to retake the lead. Though I made mistakes, ended up matching the top player for round two losing the event by three shots and beating my personal best on that course by one shot which was played in melting slush two years previously after the area got three inches of snow the night before.

What surprised me was how other players on the south course struggled during the round including the other two 50+ players on my card. Others that played the same course for round two were:

FPO: 4 players/3 rated better than me/ I went 4-0

FA1: 4/1/4-0

MA40: 12/6/10-2

MA50: 7/3/5-1-1

MA55: 2/0/2-0

MA2: 35/31/28-2-5

Total: 64/44/53-5-6

Overall, I would have been expected to finish tied for 45th of the scores of the 65 who played but was tied for 6th. Rating for the round was tied for third lifetime best which was previously set on the cold, windy, rainy day in Oct 2021 and was 7 shots better than expected. Ironically one player on my card who appeared to struggle shot what I would have been expected to get.

So... What happened? To be fair, the weather finally got better as round 2 was ending and it is possible the first round played by pros which finished as the rain got bad made round 2 get rated more difficult than the initial one created after the round ended. My group started in the rain on the easier part of the course before the weather broke while others played the more challenging part in the rain.

I also have to admit trees were kind to me that especially on three drives that could have added 4-5 shots had things not gone well. However, as I notice stronger players with faster approaches slipping and falling while I did not have one issue all day with footing and with playing smart looking for par and not birdie (and in two cases off the tee bogey) 45°, wind, and rain appears to be my ideal tournament weather.

Of course I am posting this on a day 70° weather finally returned to Chicago and it will likely be months until this weather situation happens again.

Marscon 2024 by the numbers

People riding the bus: 8

Max people with luggage that could comfortably ride the bus: 14

Delay in minutes of departure due to seat belt replacement: 45

Stops for fuel/bathroom: 2/2

People who liked mashed potatoes & chicken sample at Kwik Trip and were looking for the actual one on way back but were disappointed since it wasn't out then: 3

Max speed in mph: 68

Max speed in mph going uphill in northern Wisconsin: 55

50+ aged men on bus loudly singing "Sit on My Face" when it came on: 3

Total time in hours to get to Marscon: 8

People who ate at IHOP after: 14

Distance in miles from that IHOP to nine hole disc golf course: 1.1

Hours before opening ceremonies I saw comedy music guest of honor eating hotel breakfast and I decided to leave him alone out of courtesy, something he appreciated I did: 10

Times I have taken a picture of the Pepsi logo in the Mall of America South food court with my left hand giving it the middle finger: 10

Meals eaten at the mall: 3

Meals eaten at a gas station: 3

Pounds gained over the weekend: 4

Places I know at Mall of America that are required to serve Pepsi products even though the chain serves Coca Cola products everywhere else: 11

Times on 1.3 mile walk from Mall of America back to hotel I threw the yellow dx Leopard I purchased from Air Sports along the side of American Blvd: 8

Feet last throw ended up from going in a previously unseen pond: 1

Snow cover in Bloomington in inches at Marscon 2023/2024: 28/0

Had I driven myself like I did the previous two years ...

Number of rounds I would have played on trip to Marscon: 2

Number of times out of the four nights at the hotel I would have left early in the morning and played one of the 5 courses used by players in a division restricted to those 60 and older at the 2014 amateur world Championship: 3

Now on to the con itself ... 

Years the great Luke Ski performed there: 21

Number of main stage performers 45 years or older: 4

Number of main stage performers 45 years or older in 2014: 1

Distance from Marscon in miles of person who complained about the lack of ethnic diversity in the performers: 1,750

Number of Marscons that person attended: 0

When asked if there are any POC performers to recommend, number that person provided: 0

Number of artists doing a song with the word chicken in its title: 3

People who had the knowledge and energy to dance to "Corn Beef and Cabbage": 6

Concerts seen featuring either of the two artists who as a duo closed Friday's set since the last time I saw the person they replaced perform: 7

Number of major alterations made to the Fake Adult video in the ten years since it was first made: 3

Time in minutes GOH performed before confirming he reached his obligatory set length: 45

Number of "emotional support spatulas" sold: 22

Number of golden spatulas RJ has won for winning Dumb Parody Ideas: 3

Total number of random Luke Ski shirts found on the same site someone got his $80 Luke Ski sweater: 8

Possible shot combinations available at the Klingon party "Clue" theme: 64

Different cider choices at the Space Oddity room: 4

Weird Al songs I sung as part of the crowd in the karaoke party room: 3

Knots worked out of my legs in the massage room: 3

Different animal sounds someone who wanted to complete the scavenger hunt had to make in the Furry party room: 5

Different tvs set up for 4 player Mario Cart in the Crashing Course party room: 2

People who had there first Malort in the Minicon room: 3

With one meaning minimal engagement and six maximum, my experience with potential female company: 2

That same rating the previous two years: 1

People who boarded bus to go to Kahn's: 20

Total people who rode the bus over the weekend: 22

People who did not take the bus to Marscon who asked about 2025: 4

People who played Boob Tree Sunday night: 11

People not playing who just hung out in that room: 10

Total sports stadiums seen in the Twin Cities area: 3

Hours from departure bus returned: 102 1/2

After the falls

One month ago, I decided against driving an hour plus to a course out of state and played the nearest one to my apartment. After my final drive on the third time through the nine, I decided to walk the shorter sidehill path around a pond and on a cement part, the shoe lost traction and I fell on my right leg that buckled under me. After 30 nervous seconds collecting myself, was happy leg supported weight and I went home.

I tried to work the day after and ended up taking the Tuesday off where my doctor confirmed no broken bones, told me I was lucky that was the case, and wrote a note allowing me to take the rest of the week off work which as usual, was thrown out. I realized there was no way I could play the one round event the following weekend.

A couple weeks later, the trauma from the fall was gone but everything still did not feel what has become the "normal". I realized that with the fall the Tuesday before Thanksgiving where two days later I had one of the best rounds of my life with a bruise covering 1/3 of my left foot, and another one at work in December, there is a pattern. 

Though I could still throw a golf disc mostly well continuing the success from late 2023, the legs were really unhappy during and especially after. Actually had a coworker show concern to my supervisor about me after watching me get out of the car on the way back from my last one round event. My doctor more directly last month told me what I should do and not do.

Her biggest concern was the scale. I am 12 pounds heavier than I was in November and am at my highest point which is way above what I consider the heaviest I should play tournament disc golf. Between the stress from work and the injuries and knowing I am still playing real well, not eating responsibly made sense but no one is forcing me to do what I did.

The body is also responding to my eating. Problems in late 2023 can be attributed to Waffle House, company luncheons, and unexpected mushrooms but those in 2024 are not. On the average, once per week have ended up with bloating, cramps, continuous gas, and/or multiple bathroom trips after paying $10-20 for ready made food at various places. One of those occasions I was very fortunate I was twenty feet from a grocery store bathroom when it kicked in.

Since not eating at those places has led to weight loss, there is a second reason to avoid those places and this will be tested to, in, and from Minnesota next week which is why I don't want to be counted on to volunteer for anything in case the body says "no" up there and there is a need to stay in the hotel room.

Last Sunday, I did not play a desired two round event and there are multiple ones with current or upcoming registration that I can't do at this time since I am not confident that I can not only finish the event but be able to function the following day.

Two of the following three Sundays have a one round event which I feel comfortable playing since I was ok following a club round a few weeks ago but won't register for a two or more round event until my legs and mostly weight recovers from the previous 3-4 months of neglect.

I am registered for a two round event in early April which is the weekend before I would register for the world's and it would be unfair for me and potential other MA55+ players at the world's to register unless my situation significantly improves by then.

The Swift and the Furious

Other than seeing people throw golf discs, the largest topic of videos I've seen on Facebook involve one specific musician be it past interviews, interactions with fans, reactions from fans, concert footage, or at the NFL Championship Game playing a game involving herself by chugging a beer upon seeing herself on the video board.

The grade school version of me who had a unique combination of being born on the 13th and having a bad luck cartoon character with all eight letters of the last name almost in the same order really would have appreciated someone that famous flaunting 13 as their lucky number and find the non concert clips enjoyable knowing her opinion of the man who attempted to overthrow the government is the same as mine. 

The music and on stage are something different. Though I understand the point of view of the songs, there is very little for me to relate and the on stage performances remind me of the ones in the late 20th century featuring people who in my mind replaced the music I enjoyed.

Many of the replies remind me of how I used to feel about people like Madonna and Janet Jackson with how ignorant and hateful they are while criticizing everything they did off stage as well as on.

Today, I am well aware that her music is not for me and I am ok with it and if people want to spend a couple thousand dollars to watch her on stage, that is their choice and they will likely enjoy it. Even the person who has the most tracks on my Spotify play list has stated he is his own target audience.

Personally, I find money others spent on the Eras Tour more useful to charter a bus and get my daughter to co drive it to watch people whose name are on my contact list perform music and afterwards drink alcohol and if things go exceptionally well... nah.

Non championship sports part 1 continued.

In part due to questionable coaching decisions, the Detroit Lions recently lost an opportunity to make their first Super Bowl and continued their streak of being the only one of 23 teams that have played all the past 58 seasons to not make it to the game.

How I determined the mathematical odds of that happening: I figured out the probability of the Lions not winning the NFL Championship each season from 1966 to 1969 and of not winning the NFC Championship each season from 1970 to 2023 and multiplied them.

Due to addition of more teams and division realignments, the odds of the Lions from 1970 through 1994 (except for 1982) were not reflective the number of NFC teams since the NFC Central had a different number of teams than the NFC West and or NFC East.

After crunching the numbers, the odds of Detroit failing to make the Super Bowl for 58 consecutive years is 57.6-1.

2023 by the numbers

Total courses played: 53

States played: 5

New courses played: 12

Tournaments completed: 22

Desired tournaments not played: 14

Tournaments not finished: 1

League rounds played: 4

Unrated club rounds played: 3

Total rated rounds played: 42

Event wins: 2

Lifetime IOS events played without a win: 35

IOS events played in 2023: 4

Other players to play 4 or more of the seven 2023 IOS events required to win series title in MA50: 0

Total players in MA50 and MA55 at Illinois State Championship: 23

Number of those who took more shots than me in round one: 22

Number of shots better than me a player in FA1 was for that round: 7

Among the 53 B tier or higher lifetime events played previously or since did I have a solo lead at the end of a round: 0

Years before that I was tied for first after round one of a B tier: 6

People who were listed on the lead card in round two above me: 1

Other rated events where pairings are redone I have seen where the first place player does not get the honor to tee off first on the lead card: 0

Dollars I will pay to that TD in the future unless I get a satisfactory explanation or apology: 0

Of top five rated rounds from 2023, number that occurred among last five played: 4

Number of those among 11 highest lifetime rated rounds played: 3

High temp in F° for those days: 54, 47, 41

Of my eleven highest lifetime rated rounds, at 50 Acre: 4

At Fairfield White: 3

At Dellwood: 2

At Lemon Lake: 1

At Red Fox: 1

Of those 11 rounds at league/flex start/MP50/major/non major MA50: 3/1/1/1/5

People who claim you can't get a high rated round at 50 Acre: dozens

Different holes birdied in 2023: 304

Of those, on a hole I had never done before 2023: 137

Lifetime unique birdies: 725

Metal hits: 8

Dollars won on only ace of the year: 260

Age Steve Goodie became on the day I got the ace: 58

Age Weird Al became on the day I got previous ace: 62

Times in 2023 seeing Steve Goodie do his act with "weird Al and Daniel Radcliffe" (who played Weird Al in his "bio pic"): 2

Different discs used to get a birdie: 55

Different companies from those discs: 9

Discs lost in water: 5

Discs lost in trees: 4

Discs lost in leaves: 1

Times the lost disc was a DX Leopardo: 5

Lost discs found and returned to me: 1

Shots in 2023 I considered better than the ace: 2

Number of times since 2017 a shot on #13 at 50 Acre was considered shot of the year: 3

Times I had more "deuces" at the course than 2s on the scorecard in a tournament: 2

"Deuces" on course playing by myself: 2

Articles of clothing thrown in garbage due to them: 3