Failing to deliver

Though I wanted to take a more active role in volunteering at last year's Clash at the Canyons, my physical situation meant that it was best for me to be stationed at the stairs of course #16, Clash #3, making sure only players descended the stairs.

All Sunday, I thanked everyone for making the trip to Dellwood and got interesting replies by pros but the one made on the final group hit me hard as it was insulting.

While driving home tired and hungry decided to get myself to the point where I could justify playing MP50 in 2022 and then run into that player either in practice or at the tournament. The afternoon before the 2022 event, I am sitting on my chair with the alarm set for 3AM for work writing this finally feeling normal again after last week's Masters World's as opposed to getting ready for a Friday tee time.

Between failures of physical, game, and food, am not worthy of playing. Even if I took the recently opened last MP50+ spot, I would likely withdraw since it would not be fair to those in my group to deal with someone unqualified to play in the event. When I played my worst round in 7 years last Wednesday, I apologized for how poorly I played and even asked those at the Discraft booth if they wanted their hat back since I wore it for the round.

In the past I have stated it is wrong to expect certain results when the effort to get them is not made and that applies to me. It was humbling one week ago at this time making the "walk of shame" to get my disc out of the pond in front of basket 6 at Sunset Hills with my retriever especially walking past two local MA55+ players in the chase card waiting to play #12.

Since nothing has really changed in the past 55 weeks, now what? I know physical will improve with food and physical was a big problem last week. Similar to bowling and ball golf, I know many bad shots happen before they are attempted by either stance or the idea for the shot.

However, there has to be more than that. Thanks to lifting weights, can throw the disc farther than I used to but I know it is not enough. If I really want to get better, I need to commit and not just want.

A visiting pro has offered to give one hour lessons and though not sure how much he can help an obese arthritic 56 year old man but it makes sense for someone who spent well over a thousand dollars to play a major tournament to spend $60 to see what he can do.

Worlds balance by the numbers

Tee shots in fairway round 2: 3

Distance drive on #3 rolled back down hill: 80

Pars on front 9: 1

Years since playing a round with a worse rating: 7

Positions dropped: 26

Holes played at Meddigo in fading twilight: 3

Holes birdied there: 2

Homes on drive to Sunset Hills displaying a flag supporting the person who on Jan 6, 2021 sent a group of people to the Capitol building in an attempt to overthrow the confirmation of a lost election: 4

Shots thrown off #4 tee at Sunset Hills with expendable disc: 3

Total distance cleared water with first two in inches: 18

Distance drive in third round from basket in feet: 12

Score in round 3 after five holes: -2

Total penalty shots taken last 13 holes: 5

Score in round 3 last 13 holes: +13

Discs hitting top of wall of pond on #6 then falling back in: 2

Total round 3 strokes lost due to making the correct shot but with the wrong disc: 8

Minutes after round at the pond on #6 retrieving discs: 90

Total discs recovered (including the one of mine I wanted to get back): 10

Holes played in round 4 while it was raining: 15

Successful round 4 rollers thrown off tee: 3

Distance of birdie throw in on #7: 60

Total drives missed badly left with Buzzz SS before not using it: 6

Shots missed the cut: 18

Shots out of first after four rounds: 47

Shots behind winner in second place finish at two round event in March: 13

More shots taken this week to same person who won the MA50+ title: 50

Final position out of 69: 54

Total shots thrown worse than rating: 5

Times almost going down due to sloppy conditions caddying afternoon round at McNaughton: 5

Days after final round ended having enough energy to write this post: 4

World's day one by the numbers

Time at Lake Eureka property: 745AM

Holes on temp course taking picture: 5

Players seen throwing their first shot of event: 11

Employees at Cracker Barrel who did not know the event was Tue-Sat and not Thu-Sun which is what the tour event is: 3

Minutes before 230 tee time I arrived at Sunset Hills: 90

Groups I watched tee off before mine: 4

Shots thrown with putter on #1 leading to bad double bogey: 4

Inches past OB line with "water disc" on #4: 6

Inches on wrong side of OB line with that disc on #6: 4

Times course marshal was able to clarify where OB is causing me to throw a different shot than planned: 2

Badly pulled shots with G star Shrike on back nine each causing me to lose a shot: 4

Times I threw a different disc not trusting that one: 2

Times I should have thrown a different disc instead of trying to make that one work: 2

Total shots from group made from beyond 10 meters: 5

People watching group finish on #18: 12

Shots better than rating: 3.5

Place out of 69: t31

Chicago area ams in top 4 in their division: 3

Extra shirts with event name at Fly Mart available for sale: 50

Those in 3XL: 0

Pre worlds by the numbers

Miles driven Sunday for IL States round two, back home, back for IL Hall of Fame ceremony, to Northwood Park to practice a bit, and to hotel: 240

Circle K gas stations seen in Morton as my attempt to take a faster route to the hotel was blocked by construction: 3

Shots better on Sunday than my previous best round at Highland: 3

Shots on Sunday worse than two best scores in my division: 3

Times during round 2 of IL States I was extremely careful descending cliff to play a shot that went long: 2

Rounds played with one of the new IL disc golf hall of fame inductees at Lombard Commons a few years ago without realizing who he was: 4

Others in attendance wearing clothing representing club for other inductee: 2

Holes played on the high side of Northwood Park blue not wanting to deal with hills: 5

Holes trying roller off tee taking advice of MP60 player: 3

Holes birdied using roller off a tee: 1

Different recorded holes now birdied sat that time according to my Excel file: 555

Other holes birdied using a roller off the tee: 0

Distance in feet a FJ15 player who plans to be in the final 4 on Saturday afternoon threw drive past mine: 40

Other junior players seen in the hour at Northwood Blue practicing for their potential final nine there: 3

Years since I was last in a swimming pool: 6

Strokes swam before cramp in both legs: 2

MA55 players currently in division: 69

MA55 players I have played on a card with that I remember: 7

MA50, MA60, MA65, and MA70 players I remember playing in a foursome with: 1 each 

Seconds out of the 150 on hotel waffle machine one was cooking before realizing the batter is cinnamon flavored and I will have to throw it away: 125

Discs in player pack: 6

Size specific items that had to be given from boxes for player pack: 3

Other items that will definitely be used: 2

Items unlikely to use: 3

Dollars to play Sunset Hills practice round: 5

Dollars for ball golf cart rental: 11

Dollars "offered" to the TD at player meeting to allow golf carts to be used since that course is extremely difficult to walk: 40

Penalty shots taken during round: 5

Times a "water disc" was thrown: 4

Times a "water disc" got wet: 1

Discs successfully retrieved from water hazard: 3

Times within 20 meters for a birdie shot: 4

Extra discs added to bag for round one to be used on a shot that might be lost: 4

Nations that have a player at the event: 15

Chicago area players met at ceremony/player meeting: 5

Number of times running into same FP40 player from Denmark in 24 hours: 3

Number of groups that will play Sunset Hills for round one: 37

Number of groups that will play Sunset Hills in round one before me: 36

Total players in Masters Worlds: 808

Total players on the 8 courses used on Tuesday whose tee time is later than mine: 4

Recapturing the Joy

 To better understand this post, read this past entry: 

https://notnormalworld.blogspot.com/2019/10/the-price-of-joy.html

What follows began the morning after the night where the pain and exhaustion from the dislocated kneecap and the 2019 Worlds left me at the point where the only reason I did not consume all the pain medication I had with me was being physically unable to get out of bed to get to it.

As normal woke up just as sunrise was breaking. As I rolled over to check my phone for the time, felt a pop in my right knee along with the rush of fluid that occasionally comes with it. Was relieved and annoyed that it was the right knee popping back into place. Though physically tired, the normal things one needs to do became less difficult.

As I ate the hotel breakfast (which was much nicer than the one at the previous hotel where someone got shot earlier that week), was contemplating what happened. That is when the decision was made to find a way to get back to Worlds and this time have a performance worthy of the event.

Later that year, the play got better and on Thanksgiving weekend, won my first tournament featuring a field that consisted of more than one group.

Having decided to put down the controller in and pick up a barbel in 2020 showed with 10% extra distance and by year end, the rating was at a personal high point and 2021 started with a win.

One bad step on a rainy day in May eventually led to a frustrating balance of 2021 where round two was always worse usually due to physical issues. Multiple times (2 back, 2 right knee, 1 bee sting, 2 physically exhausted) round 2 should have not been completed and twice (toe and groin) round one should have never even played. The season ended a few weeks early due to a non disc golf leg injury which could have been far worse than it was. Unfortunately, poor eating habits developed from that and combined with stress of work shows on the scale.

2022 for the most part was a continuation of physical frustration. The elbow and large knee braces purchased have been used this year and one event needed the large one repaired.

Somehow, on an easy version of a course a month ago was able to play smart enough and make enough shots and putts to finish a surprising 3rd out of 17 in a B tier with the 5th best lifetime rated round.

Later today will be checking into 2022 Worlds near Peoria, IL. When the email about the event arrived three weeks ago, my "Christmas season" began and life sucked less than normal. When one spends the majority of the three years since the previous "Christmas" miserable, the happiness that balances it over a short time frame is amazing and no doubt will continue until the lack of ability and physical competency starts to show on the course. As I pulled into the course yesterday where the 36 world champions will be awarded on the following Saturday seeing all the signage, the tears of joy returned.

This week's goal is to appreciate the event more while it is happening since the pain, discomfort, and performance made the 2019 event almost literally become a march towards my death through the rocky hills of south central Pennsylvania.

Eligibility again

I was among the many who wanted Chicago area player Barrett White to win her 10th major championship in last weekend's US Women's Disc Golf event but my reason was different.

I wanted a Chicago resident whose kind words in November 2019 during warmup for round two turned out to be the key to me winning the event by six shots to win. Others wanted her top two competitors to not win claiming they were not eligible for the F part. The 4 shot lead going into the final round turned into a 14 shot win and I was among those who agree she is one of the greatest masters disc golfers in history and not just a midwest legend.

Today, I got a FB message request from someone who wanted me to vote for two people running for the board of directors for the sole purpose of "saving women's disc golf". I thanked him for the info but didn't tell him that I now know for who to NOT vote.

Though conflicted after seeing players with MA1 and MA2 physical ability and the swimming policy chance stating puberty defines gender for life but realize that no one is going to go through what it takes to be eligible for the sole purpose of winning a few hundred dollars.