When I bowled in the early 1990s, was among the top ten percent in average (about 190) while being one of the youngest in the league.
A couple of times I had a game in the 220s thinking it was good enough to win a handicap pot only to lose to an "old man" who averages 150 and feeling better than normal shot a 200 game.
There is a handicap league I play in disc golf. The person who runs it is a high end elite pro in his late 20s who has played high end events.
Similar to bowling leagues, this league favors high end players due to the maximum adjustments that can be made on both ends.
As I write this, the rating of the top player is 141 points better than me which means on an average course on an average day for him and I, he would beat me by 14 shots. In the league the handicaps range from +4 to -6 so the most shots I could have against him for handicap would be ten.
I realized last year the only real chance to win in the league was in my second event of the season making sure my first event was on a difficult course where shooting 6 over (league maximum) or worse would not be considered sandbagging then playing the second round on an easier course.
Last year, I lost a playoff for second place in my second event after my body stiffened after waiting for results.
The first league round this year caused havoc on my body due to three long breaks and I was defaulted to +6 even though I shot +13. Had I shot what was expected, I would have finished +7 so my handicap would have been the max anyway.
For my second league round was the first player to arrive at the course an hour before necessary and that time was used to relax, practice, and get loose. While cards were handed out, I was away from the others keeping loose as opposed to those sitting and or enjoying a product made legal in Illinois in 2020.
My first shot had a lot on it and multiple times in the round realized that in five years of playing that course had my longest drive on a hole even having birdie putts on two holes I never had one before.
My putting was not great and my only birdies of the round were on three of the five holes I can regularly get but my long accurate drives made approach shots seem easy and par on difficult holes for me stress free.
Finally was able to make two decent putts at the end to equal my personal best on that course (52) and as scores were tabulated, kept loose in case there was a playoff.
The top pro (who the day before on a 19 hole course I try to shoot 60 shot 42) was 11 under 43 and with handicaps, I beat him by one. I still tied for first and was in a playoff with someone who stood around.
My drive on the hole ended up ten feet away while his went 35 past. His putt just missed and I made mine to win.
Since my handicap now drops to -2, I would now need to shoot a career best round to win or even cash for the rest of the year unless I get an ace.
Sunday, June 28, 2020
Friday, June 12, 2020
0 for 31
Since NASCAR decided to join the 21st century and ban the display a flag from a defeated uprising which was created to promote enslaving other human beings, a part time driver in the NASCAR truck series decided to retire.
People have joked about the fact that he has not won a race in 31 tries but that joke falls flat and this is why:
First of all, any part time driver in NASCAR competes at a significant disadvantage due to funds and teamwork. The top drivers also have the top teams and are often part of a group of cars which by sharing the same owner can share knowledge and information about the best way to set up their vehicle for the track based on conditions. In many of his 31 failed attempts, he was unable to even qualify for the race itself and no doubt the car was as much as factor as anything.
Also, most races have 40 entries so any driver not winning happens 39 out of 40 times or .975. For 31 failed attempts of winning, the mathematical odds of that happening are 6/5 so if someone rolls 31 D20 dice and flips a coin on the ones, 5 times out of 11, there will not be a one followed by a head.
FYI: In the 2019 NASCAR Cup Series, 33 drivers raced at least 32 times and 21 on them failed to win.
Now if you really want to comment on a bad NASCAR driver that failed to win a race, I have one to show. How about 252 events in NASCAR without a win and all but one driving for a top team? The chance of that happening are .975 to the 61st power for the Xfinity Series and .977 to the 191st power for the Cup series.
The odds of that happening are 400-1. For comparison, the odds of the Chicago Cubs going from 1909 through 2015 without winning the World Series was 238-1.
Who is the failed driver? Danica Patrick.
Granted she did win a race in Indy car in 116 attempts all for a top team where being lighter was an advantage unlike NASCAR where the weight requirement includes the driver.
The retiring truck series driver needs to be mocked for his ignorance but not his record.
People have joked about the fact that he has not won a race in 31 tries but that joke falls flat and this is why:
First of all, any part time driver in NASCAR competes at a significant disadvantage due to funds and teamwork. The top drivers also have the top teams and are often part of a group of cars which by sharing the same owner can share knowledge and information about the best way to set up their vehicle for the track based on conditions. In many of his 31 failed attempts, he was unable to even qualify for the race itself and no doubt the car was as much as factor as anything.
Also, most races have 40 entries so any driver not winning happens 39 out of 40 times or .975. For 31 failed attempts of winning, the mathematical odds of that happening are 6/5 so if someone rolls 31 D20 dice and flips a coin on the ones, 5 times out of 11, there will not be a one followed by a head.
FYI: In the 2019 NASCAR Cup Series, 33 drivers raced at least 32 times and 21 on them failed to win.
Now if you really want to comment on a bad NASCAR driver that failed to win a race, I have one to show. How about 252 events in NASCAR without a win and all but one driving for a top team? The chance of that happening are .975 to the 61st power for the Xfinity Series and .977 to the 191st power for the Cup series.
The odds of that happening are 400-1. For comparison, the odds of the Chicago Cubs going from 1909 through 2015 without winning the World Series was 238-1.
Who is the failed driver? Danica Patrick.
Granted she did win a race in Indy car in 116 attempts all for a top team where being lighter was an advantage unlike NASCAR where the weight requirement includes the driver.
The retiring truck series driver needs to be mocked for his ignorance but not his record.
Wednesday, March 25, 2020
Pain over fear
My phone rings:
Nurse: I'm making a follow up call on how you are doing with your recent eye infection.
Me: Though I was tempted to sell the azithromycin to someone stupid enough to take medical advice from President Trump, I took it and it was better a few days later.
N: Any other issues?
M: Medical, no. Just am in a lot of pain.
N: Where?
M: Everywhere.
N: What do you mean everywhere?
M: Right toe, both knees, left hip, back, right shoulder, right elbow, both hands. Just about everywhere.
N: Did you fall? What happened?
M: I decided to not take my arthritis medication since it leaves me immune compromised and would rather live in pain than fear.
N: Did you talk to your rheumatologist about this?
M: No. I did not talk to Dr. ***
N: Ok. Thank you
A half hour later the phone rings.
Doctor: Why did you stop taking your medication?
M: Explains same thing I did to the nurse.
D: You should keep taking it.
M: Since I am working, I don't feel comfortable being immune compromised.
D: You are still working? What do you do?
M: *Explains what I do and mentions note given to me by director of operations*
D: You should not be working. I will send you a note to give to your boss. I want you to take your medication even if that means you have to be sheltered at home.
M: ok
At least unlike the other doctor notes I have been given allowing me to stay home from work that I have ignored, this one does not waste any paper.
I realized my error was initially telling the nurse that I am in a lot of pain.
Nurse: I'm making a follow up call on how you are doing with your recent eye infection.
Me: Though I was tempted to sell the azithromycin to someone stupid enough to take medical advice from President Trump, I took it and it was better a few days later.
N: Any other issues?
M: Medical, no. Just am in a lot of pain.
N: Where?
M: Everywhere.
N: What do you mean everywhere?
M: Right toe, both knees, left hip, back, right shoulder, right elbow, both hands. Just about everywhere.
N: Did you fall? What happened?
M: I decided to not take my arthritis medication since it leaves me immune compromised and would rather live in pain than fear.
N: Did you talk to your rheumatologist about this?
M: No. I did not talk to Dr. ***
N: Ok. Thank you
A half hour later the phone rings.
Doctor: Why did you stop taking your medication?
M: Explains same thing I did to the nurse.
D: You should keep taking it.
M: Since I am working, I don't feel comfortable being immune compromised.
D: You are still working? What do you do?
M: *Explains what I do and mentions note given to me by director of operations*
D: You should not be working. I will send you a note to give to your boss. I want you to take your medication even if that means you have to be sheltered at home.
M: ok
At least unlike the other doctor notes I have been given allowing me to stay home from work that I have ignored, this one does not waste any paper.
I realized my error was initially telling the nurse that I am in a lot of pain.
Tuesday, March 17, 2020
Getting out of bed
As I try to function through the day in pain am occasionally asked why I don't seek disability. My reply is that my alarm rings before the sun rises now so I can play tournament disc golf. To be fair, my reply five years ago was different but disc golf is my priority today.
Though it was expected, sanctioned tournament events have been suspended until the medical situation that many uninformed and ignorant people dispute or ignore.
People across the country heading en masse to a beach, a bar, or a restaurant in spite of warnings and guidelines established by medical experts validated by both political parties (after one initially refused to do so) act a child that refuses to listen to a parent.
Generally when that happens to a child, a parent will reply with harsher guidelines and if the pattern continues, the child is given a time out or grounded.
San Francisco is currently under a three week lockdown. Illinois currently has a ban on dine in food and bars. My co-workers who are unable to work from home along with people I know wondered why my company chooses to keep working.
I realized that it is possible that the government will shut down all non essential work. The longer my company is closed could increase the possibility that it would not reopen and unsure about if I would need to use paid time off, won't use any until I must.
So even though I have no clear idea when my next event would be (Apr 18, May 3, May 16-17) I still need to set my alarm and get to work in the morning as long as I am allowed to do so.
Though it was expected, sanctioned tournament events have been suspended until the medical situation that many uninformed and ignorant people dispute or ignore.
People across the country heading en masse to a beach, a bar, or a restaurant in spite of warnings and guidelines established by medical experts validated by both political parties (after one initially refused to do so) act a child that refuses to listen to a parent.
Generally when that happens to a child, a parent will reply with harsher guidelines and if the pattern continues, the child is given a time out or grounded.
San Francisco is currently under a three week lockdown. Illinois currently has a ban on dine in food and bars. My co-workers who are unable to work from home along with people I know wondered why my company chooses to keep working.
I realized that it is possible that the government will shut down all non essential work. The longer my company is closed could increase the possibility that it would not reopen and unsure about if I would need to use paid time off, won't use any until I must.
So even though I have no clear idea when my next event would be (Apr 18, May 3, May 16-17) I still need to set my alarm and get to work in the morning as long as I am allowed to do so.
Friday, March 13, 2020
Thoughts of an immunocompromised man
The United States created an organization to monitor medical issues worldwide and when necessary prepare the country for medical issues that may occur.
As others have posted, there have been illnesses before but in part to this organization, the effect on the US has been minimal.
This department was disbanded in 2018 as part of the cuts made to government programs.
That means when people started getting sick in China and then Italy as well as other places, there was no team available to procure testing kits or develop plans to contain and treat those who get sick or come into the country.
Unfortunately, COVID-19 is not just a cold or the regular flu and when it hit this unprepared country, there was panic. Because we do not have enough testing kits, we have no idea how many are infected and we might never know for sure.
There are a finite number of hospital beds and equipment to treat the sick and right now, extreme measures are being taken to try to prevent them from being overcrowded forcing doctors to have to choose which people would get the necessary treatment to survive and which ones to be allowed to die. (That situation has happened in Italy.)
The biggest reaction made by the current administration was to give bankers a huge sum of money in a failed attempt to prevent the stock market from falling due to the econimical impact this virus has created. Many have stated how that same money could have been used to help the people of the country one swore to serve and protect.
Please remember this in November.
As others have posted, there have been illnesses before but in part to this organization, the effect on the US has been minimal.
This department was disbanded in 2018 as part of the cuts made to government programs.
That means when people started getting sick in China and then Italy as well as other places, there was no team available to procure testing kits or develop plans to contain and treat those who get sick or come into the country.
Unfortunately, COVID-19 is not just a cold or the regular flu and when it hit this unprepared country, there was panic. Because we do not have enough testing kits, we have no idea how many are infected and we might never know for sure.
There are a finite number of hospital beds and equipment to treat the sick and right now, extreme measures are being taken to try to prevent them from being overcrowded forcing doctors to have to choose which people would get the necessary treatment to survive and which ones to be allowed to die. (That situation has happened in Italy.)
The biggest reaction made by the current administration was to give bankers a huge sum of money in a failed attempt to prevent the stock market from falling due to the econimical impact this virus has created. Many have stated how that same money could have been used to help the people of the country one swore to serve and protect.
Please remember this in November.
Tuesday, March 10, 2020
Self quarantine
After hearing that a US Senator whose views I strongly oppose has been required to self quarantine due to potential exposure to the COVIN-19 virus, I started wondering what would happen to me in that situation if I got a notice today.
First off, I would stop at the grocery store or make arrangements to get delivered enough Coke Zero to avoid withdrawal as well as enough food. I would also try to find a way to borrow a treadmill and make arrangements to use two weeks of my vacation time and with no major plans in 2020, it would not be the worst thing to happen.
I would miss a tournament but it being on a course that exposes my two biggest weaknesses (distance and forehand), with one player who would be expected to be ten shots better than me for a 28 (yes, 28) hole round and three others who would be expected to be 15 or more worse than me (whom I have a 40% chance of playing with in round two). If I had to choose a planned event to miss, this would be on top.
Between gaming, streaming, and my putting basket, I might be able to find a way to occupy much of my time during this potentially losing 5 pounds while being physically in less pain and having a new desire to be back at work when done.
However, that would also mean that either my daughter or I would be exposed to a virus that with my immune suppression medication could be deadly. Since both of us deal with the public while earning money, this situation is plausible.
Hopefully, this plan of action won't be necessary.
First off, I would stop at the grocery store or make arrangements to get delivered enough Coke Zero to avoid withdrawal as well as enough food. I would also try to find a way to borrow a treadmill and make arrangements to use two weeks of my vacation time and with no major plans in 2020, it would not be the worst thing to happen.
I would miss a tournament but it being on a course that exposes my two biggest weaknesses (distance and forehand), with one player who would be expected to be ten shots better than me for a 28 (yes, 28) hole round and three others who would be expected to be 15 or more worse than me (whom I have a 40% chance of playing with in round two). If I had to choose a planned event to miss, this would be on top.
Between gaming, streaming, and my putting basket, I might be able to find a way to occupy much of my time during this potentially losing 5 pounds while being physically in less pain and having a new desire to be back at work when done.
However, that would also mean that either my daughter or I would be exposed to a virus that with my immune suppression medication could be deadly. Since both of us deal with the public while earning money, this situation is plausible.
Hopefully, this plan of action won't be necessary.
Thursday, February 27, 2020
Points per dollar
An elite MA55+ player has told me multiple times that the best way to gain a lot of points is to play the large events with a lot of players.
That philosophy does make sense but for a player like me, it does not work.
Though points per player/position are either 6 for an A tier (Bowling Green or Ledgestone) or 9 for a major (US Masters 2020 in Missouri), points earned at an event depends on the number of players who did not do better.
In large events, there are multiple elite players and though an elite player can do better than most of the field, one of my ability won't.
In those events, my rating is only better than 3-6 players out of the 30 which yields less than 50 points and since attending would require a minimum three night hotel stay, the value would be bad.
In the 2018 US Masters, I was able to stay at my sister's house and playing on courses I was familiar, finished with the two best rounds of my life gaining me the points that allowed me to qualify for the 2019 worlds.
As per my analysis last December, league play has been instituted to try to get to 500. There are two different clubs that play at the same time and due to a large ace pot, was playing in both but starting this weekend, only playing the one that provides points.
I realized that other than getting an ace, I can only come out ahead financially in the course club is by shooting a lifetime best round. Hoping those there will understand. If not too bad.
That philosophy does make sense but for a player like me, it does not work.
Though points per player/position are either 6 for an A tier (Bowling Green or Ledgestone) or 9 for a major (US Masters 2020 in Missouri), points earned at an event depends on the number of players who did not do better.
In large events, there are multiple elite players and though an elite player can do better than most of the field, one of my ability won't.
In those events, my rating is only better than 3-6 players out of the 30 which yields less than 50 points and since attending would require a minimum three night hotel stay, the value would be bad.
In the 2018 US Masters, I was able to stay at my sister's house and playing on courses I was familiar, finished with the two best rounds of my life gaining me the points that allowed me to qualify for the 2019 worlds.
As per my analysis last December, league play has been instituted to try to get to 500. There are two different clubs that play at the same time and due to a large ace pot, was playing in both but starting this weekend, only playing the one that provides points.
I realized that other than getting an ace, I can only come out ahead financially in the course club is by shooting a lifetime best round. Hoping those there will understand. If not too bad.
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