Schedule to fill

There are multiple events to potentially play over the next two months all with positives and negatives so I am sharing my thoughts about it in order from most to least likely to play:

Probable:

July 4 flex start

Good: Can get there and gone early, cheapest option.

Bad: Temp course, temp baskets.

July 23 Groot Summertime event

Good: 50 Acre "Wacky Wednesday Layout" featuring 10 long tee to basket in 10A position and 14 short tee to 16 basket. Cheapest 2 round option.

Bad: Tuesday 2 round one day event and won't be able to get day before or after off work.

July 27-28 Clash at the Canyons

Good: Dellwood/Callahan One round two days

Bad: Expensive/ Will have to survive cattle call to register

Aug 18 IOS

Good: Fairfield. Event sponsored by club.

Bad: Two rounds/ one day

Possible:

June 29 Smooth Series

Good: Have never played course in summer and want to see how better I am since last event there in 2016 against person who won my division in 2015 and 2016.

Bad: Long drive. Body might not be ready for two round one day event still not 100% after worlds.

July 6 flex start

Good: Grey Fox/ Tri-Fox

Bad: Have family event that day near I-80 which might make another event a better option

July 6-7 Masters of the Oaks

Good: MA55 division. Course is near where I will be Sat afternoon. Playing 18 and not 27.

Bad: Not a fan of The Oaks. Also would need to make hour trip Sat and Sun to event. Expensive

Aug 11 Club Challenge 

Good: Since I left last year before club was announced as winner, never got chance to hold trophy and since I earned points for both rounds last year, want to do so even if not on roster.

Bad: Courses require a lot of walking for two rounds in heavier footing. My rating is likely going to be at the point where I am no longer an asset in pool D but a liability in pool C.

Unlikely:

July 20 IOS

Good: Want chance to play Sinssippi after what happened last year since knee almost caused me to withdraw during round two. 

Bad: Due to travel, playing the Sunday event in one of the two most suitable divisions would make things difficult for me at work and at the July 23 event and would have little chance in MA2.

Interesting: Gavin Rathbun (currently in the top 10 on the pro tour) is signed up to play MPO since he won't be in Europe.

Not going to happen:

July 13-14 IL State Championship 

Good: Was leading after round one in 2023 and want chance at redemption.

Bad: It literally will take a whole post to explain. (It will be made SOON).

Taking the fun out of things part one

It should come as no surprise to anyone who would read this that 625 miles one way were driven not to participate but to compete and though finishing as expected was not bad, it wasn't good.

While the trip to the Worlds was filled with music, smiles, and in a couple cases choked with emotion, the return trip was quiet while brooding about the panic induced errors before and in round one and way too much about an otherwise meaningless 125 foot shot on the final hole that hit dead center chains, hung for a second, and fell out.

During down time at the event, I would check standings of local players who made the trip and was excited to see the same person who won the MA50 title in 2022, won a playoff to win again. One of my highlights from 2023 was tying him at a club round on Thanksgiving and he is among the six players I want to beat more than anyone else.

As expected, there are multiple posts about it but for some reason, one yesterday triggered a 12 hour long cascade of internal rage. When I state that my brain runs a different type of operation system and occasionally has weird bugs, that is what I mean. I literally had to spend my lunch at work writing what will be part two of this post which will be made available in a couple weeks. I have found that the best way to get some thoughts out of the head is to write them as opposed to letting it build causing something stupid to happen.

As long as I play my next event before July 7, my rating on July 9 will be another personal highest since 8 rounds where my rating averaged over 20 points below what is current will no longer be considered so there is optimism even though the first time throwing in almost a week didn't go that well due to physical discomfort. Once I am able to throw discs normally again, things will calm down inside.

Other worlds numbers

Places eaten that don't have a nearby location: 6

Gas stations that don't have a nearby location: 3

Total bottles of water purchased: 8

Items purchased at Dynamic Discs store: 2

Miles on way home when the desired vendor event was happening: 150

People met who I have played a tournament against: 7

People who upon hearing I'm from Chicago asked about violence in city: 6

People who I showed the video I made about the 2022 Worlds: 0

Divisions held: 24

Future 2024 world champ with whom I spoke: 4

Total holes played in Emporia: 150

Jones West: 64

Olpe Eagle: 50

Flint Hills TC: 15

Hammond Park: 11

Dynamic Discs HQ: 8

Champions Landing (with only DX Leopard): 2

Forehand shots thrown in event: 1

Rollers thrown: 3

Those in my foursomes who have more serious medical issues than me: 2

Holes played in Missouri on trip back: 27

Holes played in Springfield, IL: 18

Different holes birdied on trip: 34

Discs used on them: 21

Different discs thrown on trip: 38

Minutes detoured to see a stone with faded writing and have an argument with someone who has been dead almost 12 years because I failed to make the cut: 45

2024 Worlds by the numbers

Total players in MA55: 72

Extra discs brought in stool pouch still being unsure of course and conditions: 7

Discs from pouch used in round 1: 3

OB drives in first 9 holes: 5

Putts drawing metal not going in first 9 holes: 6

Place after 9 holes: 71st

Place after shooting -2 back nine: T56

Shots worse than expected: 3.3

Wind at start of round 2: 6MPH

Wind at end of round 2: 20MPH

Place at end of round two taking advantage of earlier start: T44

Shots round two better than expected: 3.2

Wind at start of round 3: 20MPH

Distance of downhill headwind drop zone putt made on #1 to save par: 32 feet

Times a Zone was thrown as an approach or putter: 24

Distance disc flew blown by wind on #5 after hitting green 25 feet from basket: 60 feet

Place after hole 15: T36

Place after finishing last three holes +3: T39

Discs lost in round three: 2

Discs added to bag for round 3: 3

Shots round three better than expected: 1.7

Shots out of cut line after round 3: 6

Round 4 approach shots hitting metal: 7

Those that led to bogey since the disc ended up away after contact 2

Round 4 drives that were weak due to fatigue and later stiffness having to wait multiple times due to slow play by other group: 6

Distance of shot on 18 that hit chains dead center low and came back out: 125 feet

Shots worse than expected the +3 round 4 score was: 1.5

Round 4 score needed to make cut: -7

Total shots out of first: 24

Final place: T44

Difference in total score vs expected: 0

christmas by the numbers

To me, the most enjoyable part of going to the World's is everything from the time I leave until tee time.

Hours delayed due to having a tooth removed: 22

Years since previous tooth removal: 25

Price of gas in Channahon, IL and Hannibal, MO: $3.49 - $2.79

Longest time on road in Illinois without stopping for bathroom: 75 minutes 

Miles driven to Emporia: 625

Time from leaving house to arriving at Jones Park: 10hr, 20 min

Birdies playing Jones West: 3

Bogies from hitting first tree: 3

Bogies from going OB: 2

Lifetime Pizza Ranch locations eaten: 2

Locations eating while on trip to play Worlds: 2

Time asleep both Sun and Mon: 7pm

Inches of rain estimated to have fallen during Saturday night's massive storm: 4

Time on Sunday Olpe Eagle course was announced to be unplayable and not used for event: 9PM

Time on Monday at Champions Landing to look at course: 630 am

Holes played with only one disc: 1

Tee shots thrown on other holes: 2

Pictures taken of me holding a disc on a tee in a throwing pose: 2

Discs that were pulled from pond on #16 left at basket for those to claim: 10

Holes played at Hammond Park literally across the street from Champ Landing disc golf hole 1: 9

Birdies there: 2

Discs fished out of low lying areas at Hammond filled with water due to Saturday night's massive storm: 4

Time on Monday announced a modified version of Olpe lake will be played: 1230 pm

Holes at Olpe that are unplayable: 2

Long par four holes converted to two par 3 to keep course at 18: 2

Length in feet of hole 1 at Olpe playing mostly over an OB marsh: 315

Inches a well thrown drive off 1 was in bounds having cleared the marsh in front of the green: 3

Discs lost making a bad shot trying to clear ditch that would normally be retrieved but with how much water is flowing, not possible: 1

Holes played as intended: 9

Holes where tee pad is unusable and replaced with temp or shorter tee: 5

Holes with temp basket as area near basket is unplayable: 4

Holes played before getting lift back to parking lot: 14

Total IL ams who I have played against seen: 4

Planning the trip

Looked through maps and discovered some things about the route between where I live and Emporia, KS, home of the 2024 Masters Worlds.

There are two viable routes there one through Iowa and one through Missouri with the total time difference less than 15 minutes and depending on traffic, either way could be faster. It is possible the Missouri route is taken on the way there and Iowa on the way back.

Neither route has a Speedway gas station. There is a Buc 'ees in Missouri but it is south of the route I would take. There is a Circle K in Emporia so that is where I will fill up there and will have to figure out where to stop on the road.

There are multiple Waffle House restaurants in Missouri but after what happened on the way FuMPFeST last year, I won't risk leaving another "deuce" on the course if things kick in at the wrong time. Emporia itself has most of the standard places to eat but will definitely go to the Billy Sims BBQ place at least once.

It is tempting to stop at Harmony Bends or reserve a time at Eagle's Crossing for the trip there but I am going to Emporia to play the Worlds and those places would take a lot out of me especially after the long work week that is happening. Hoping to find a less stressful place in Missouri to play. If the return trip is through Iowa, interested in Camden or Picard Park but unsure what I will physically have left or what time frame that would be.

Other than Olpe and Jones West (where I will be playing), would want to play in Emporia #7 (known as Monkey Island) at Peter Pan Park and #9 at Hammond Park (where Eagle McMahon had a roller ace) and take a picture of me about to throw on #16 at Champions Landing.

As far as non disc golf stops, looked up Uranus, MO but similar to Buc 'ees, on the road towards Tulsa and not Kansas City. Hoping to meet someone near KC if I can leave early on Saturday and not have to work. The return trip potentially through Iowa might be more suitable for a half hour detour to either Captain Kirk's future birthplace or the Field of Dreams.