Eligibility part 5

Two people at work ignored the first place plaque at the desk to ask me about a specific FPO player whom most people in the disc golf community had never heard before Friday when after being introduced at a Disc Golf Pro Tour event stated her refusal to play against a transgender player and walked away.

Since I had never heard of her, I checked out her profile and discovered two things:

1: She is not currently a tour level player. Though her rating is higher then mine, it is not by much. In four events last year, she barely tied for the last cash spot once. Ten of the other 49 players at that event had an overall rating higher than her highest ever rated round.

Since there are groups that offer incentives for players to do what she did and seeing how many want to support her, her walkout definitely was more profitable than anything she could do on the course.

2: She is a hypocrite. Her profile picture shows a disc with a Vulcan "live long and prosper" salute on it and she is doing one as well. The world presented in Star Trek is one where differences are ignored and people are judged by what they do instead of what they are. I later discovered her concern about no longer being welcomed on the tour following the walkout was related to her previous warning about deliberately misgendering the transgender player.

If I was involved with the disc golf pro tour, I would try to get her to play the next event (since she isn't registered for anything) and make sure she is interviewed the day before and then put her on the co feature card. This way she can babble her racist ideas the day before, get a "hero's welcome" on the first tee from the extra people who would pay to show up at the event to the extra viewers who tune in to see her, and then watch a 919 rated player play her first round in front of the cameras or at least part of the round since after a few holes, her lack of ability will likely show and similar to other players, coverage of her will stop and then on the fourth page of the leader board, people can see how insignificant she actually is.

What a difference a decade makes

In my first MA50 event, discovered there was an elite area player in that division and lost to him by 19 shots. Over the next half dozen years with one exception would lose by at least double digits in events which he played.

In 2022, he turned 60 and later that year won the US championship and for three years, didn't have to face him.

Since then, I got better and this weekend is the first chance in MA60 to show him. He struggled out of the gate hitting an early tree and three putting for a double bogey then got it back as I doinked a putt I should never miss.

Somehow the rest of that round, I was able to just miss trees, recover from the ones I hit, make a couple putts, and have a drive skip off the top of a boulder almost going in for an ace. When I was done, discovered that not only was I ahead of him by two shots but it was at least two shots better than all but one of the 55 MA3,50,60, or players on that layout and by rating the best lifetime round.

Next morning was the same score after the first 6 not getting a bogey but having a 25 foot birdie putt hit left side chain, hang on the rim, and fall the wrong way. My opponent didn't bogey the first and gained a shot on me in that stretch and tied on the 7th as my 25 foot birdie putt hit right chain but didn't fall. I was fortunate to stay in bounds off a tree and make a long approach for a birdie later and after nine, we were tied.

There was a dispute on where a drive of mine went off the fairway into water but stayed calm enough to salvage a bogey and after his drive 2 holes later, he was up 2 with 4 to go. My next drive was the worst one of the weekend and after approach to save bogey hit a tree, needed to make 15 foot uphill putt for double. As I walked away, I heard a clank and his 6 foot par putt fell short as he lost focus.

His next drive missed left early and I put my drive under the basket for a drop in birdie. His 15 foot par putt to stay down one clanked short and 1 shot with 2 to go. My next drive trying to get extra to get to the green went way right and my approach shot faded out 20 feet away. His 30 foot birdie hit top of basket but did not fall in and I drilled my par putt to be down one going into final hole.

Unlike 3 hours earlier when I hit first tree in practice, the shot had perfect location and angle to curve left into a head wind and was unfortunate to hit the last tree leaving me 30 feet away. His drive flattened out and went way right but he made a great shot through the trees to save par. The putt to tie was exactly as desired.

Playoff started on Dellwood #13, the hole I proudly played 20 minutes after being divorced, and my drive found a gap to 8 feet before his drive hit and early tree and I won my second B tier in 7 months after going 17 years without winning in over 50 tries. It was cool that people who I know congratulated me on the win.

In the past, the issue with the place to play my shot after OB would have pissed me off and potentially throw me off my game but realized the 25 foot uphill putt from a bad stance likely wouldn't go in, stayed calm, and showed no strong emotion until my tying birdie putt on the last hole. Though I played just as well in round two overall, when my bad drives happened caused me to be four shots worse than the previous day.

The rematch is in Rockford in a week.

Surviving the cattle call

At 930 on March 26th, I became the 6th person to register for the 2025 Masters World Championship in the MA60 division. After refreshing the list 30 seconds later, 62 people registered including 18 on the wait list as there were only 44 remaining spots available. In less than 10 minutes, 82 people registered leaving 38 9n the wait list.

So now that I made it, now what?

I need to reserve a hotel room hopefully in the HQ hotel.

I need to give myself the best chance. I have seen one of the courses I am scheduled to play and know navigating it will not be easy and that the bruise from a fall 11 days previously still shows. The past winter has been difficult on my body and weight needs to be addressed.

I also need to trust my game and not over practice or try to do something I shouldn't. Both of those things were an issue the month before and during last year's event.

Ten percent

Once again a conversation on FB branched into a discussion where people failed to believe that female divisions and events are necessary in most sports because male players are 10% better.

During every summer Olympics, I look at times posted by the winners in the 100m dash, high and long jumps, marathon, 100m freestyle, 800m freestyle, and similar maximum weight limit in weightlifting to confirm the male winner is at least 10% better than the female one.

I was asked about high school level and confirmed for Illinois, there is 10% difference in the state record for males at the events running the same distance.

In disc golf, I would be expected to finish last out of 32 in the MP60 division in the upcoming US Championship but a female with my birthdate and ability would be expected to win by over 10 shots in the four round event.

The highest rated female disc golfer of all time Kristen Lätt played by rating the best three round event of her career at last weekend's Waco Annual Charity Open taking 178 shots to complete the course at Brazos East Park three times. The winning MPO score on a slightly longer course was 162 or 10% better.

(This post was made while on lunch at work to get these thoughts out of my head.)

One last Marscon by the numbers

Total states people came from to perform or watch others: 12

Total hotel omelettes eaten: 3

Total Moopsy seen at con: 2

Total number of times over weekend I left hotel room and went the wrong way: 10

Times at Menonome course I went back to rethrow shot being unfamiliar with the hole: 3

Times I either passed or was passed at a stop by a specific car that was also driving back towards Chicago: 4

Ounces of Muenster cheese curds consumed on trip: 12

Purchased albums listened on drive back: 2

Time to drive home delayed additionally by playing a second round to avoid Woodfield Mall area at 5PM: 10:30

Hours from time leaving apartment to returning: 110

Days from when I returned until next trip to Minnesota: 111

People at convention whom I explained why during the 2007 opening ceremonies "Luke Bauer" got a notice that a Madman on the loose was in the Karaoke room threatening to sing Mr. Tambourine Man: 3

Songs available on my Road Trip Spotify playlist (not including ones no longer available) which randomly played Mr. Tambourine Man as I got home: 630

Coworkers who thought I took the time off to play a tournament: 3

Marscon Sunday

Tips I left in morning that I was unable to do Saturday: 2

Items purchased from table 27: 2

Songs Insane Ian cut from set due to timing and voice issues: 2

Dumb Parody contestants: 14

Individual performers in Smackdown: 7

People who attempted to purchase items from table 27 after it was closed to tally sales: 5

Total number of FuMP acts I have driven in the past 25 years: 13

People from convention who ate dinner together at Mall of America food court: 17

Size of each of two Boob Tree games: 11

Players who had never played it before: 5

ShoEboX reference in the original statement made in the second game: 3

Time as I finish this post: 12:00

Hours after post I will be at work: 28 1/2

Marscon Saturday

Time I started writing this: 1:25 AM

Boxes of cookies purchased from girl scouts: 3

Pictures taken in Propatorium: 5

Main stage music performances: 6

Verses in Devo spice performance of "What's Up Spock": 11

Logan Award finalists who performed their song during ceremony: 4

Of the three winners I would have predicted: 0

Different party rooms consuming a beverage: 6

Total beverages consumed: I lost count

Of the 5 burlesque performers, ones I know by off stage name: 2

Previous times over the past many years I was able to sing with others Space Odyssey in that party room: 0

Marscon days 1&2 by the numbers

Days Marscon officially happens: 3

Days Marscon lasts for me: 5

Time up on Thursday morning: 2:40 AM

Hours worked Thursday before getting on road: 4

Nine hole courses played on trip: 2

Times stopped for bathroom/food/gas: 6

Total time from leaving work to arriving at hotel: 9:30

Time taken in 2023 to beat an approaching winter storm: 6:10

Consecutive times Luke Ski attended Marscon before missing this year: 21

People on Thursday helping with posting music track flyers: 6

Time in bed after hanging out and helping others that arrived later than me: 11:40PM

Cost of hotel omelette: $21

Minutes needed to drive to Bethel University disc golf course: 35

Rounds planning to play there in the 2025 Masters disc golf world championship: 3

Inches on snow that fell at MSP airport on Wednesday: 9

Feet the drive on course hole 2 slid down snow covered hill after hitting ground: 80

Elevation in floors needed to navigate to play the Bethel University course: 15

Holes played there trudging through snow before heading back to car and driving back to hotel: 3

People at hotel who didn't know my name but knew I worked with Luke and asked me if I can get his badge to him: 2

Cost of Long John Silvers fish meal at the Mall of America west food court: $20

Times over the years taking a picture flipping off a giant Pepsi logo in that court: 15

Year I took a picture of that logo not flipping it off since Flat 29 was eating at the table below it: 2013

Mall locations I made a purchase: 3

Age of female divorced Famous Footwear store manager who appeared interested in me causing me to return to the store to get the dry fit socks I have wanted to get for a while allowing me the opportunity to invite her to stop by the con after she was done with work: 58

Times checking on the massage room since my right knee went "no" while walking in the mall and I needed urgent help: 6

Minutes Sulu, a former part of the Dr Demento Show crew, was stuck on an elevator: 60

Adult beverages consumed at party rooms: 3

Age of first performer: 13

Of her three songs performed, number of tracks that featured a significant amount of adult language: 2

Years since former GOH was at Marscon: 10

People in crowd whom I saw singing along with him: 8

Years ago the previous time I got up from my seat in the audience and my legs failed requiring me to grab a chair to avoid falling: 10

Songs I heard from next two acts due to being tired and showing the 13 year old performer pictures I took of her parents at Marscon before she was born: 2

People seen expressing anticipation for seeing the music guest of honor: 7

Items purchased from table 27 including shirt of the music GOH whose act I was too tired to appreciate: 3

Time in bed: 12:30AM

2024 by the numbers

Sanctioned rounds played: 31

Holes played in sanctioned rounds: 644

Total to par: +4

Score to par on holes 17 and 18: +24

B tiers played: 5

B tiers in lead or tied for lead during round 2: 4

B tiers won: 1

Two round C tiers won: 1

Flex starts won: 2

Rating increase in 2024: 20

Points above previous high: 17

Number of states played: 6

Total courses played: 61

Number courses played for first time in 2024: 23

Total unique holes birdied: 368

Birdies from throw ins: 9

Holes never birdied before: 169

Of those 169...

On courses not played before 2024: 115

New options on familiar courses: 22

Holes played at least 10 times before first birdie: 10

Of the 10: At Eagle Ridge: 4

Of the 4, during the B tier won there: 2

Lifetime unique holes birdied: 897

Total 2024 metal hits off tee or second shot on par 4: 8

Aces: 1

Total lifetime aces: 9

Lifetime Aces at Horizon Park: 5

Lifetime aces done between May 15 and Aug 11: 0

Marscon preview

With the future becoming more undecided than ever, realized 2025 could be my last March trip to the twin cities to see many perform and my brain has been ranking the main stage performers by the desire to see their show so to get it out of my head from least to most desired...

Redgar and the Fighters: I have seen them before and nothing really stood out. 

"Needlejuice collaborations": There are multiple collaborations with or associated with Jace who oversees the operations of that company which has impressed me with what they do. The generation gap I have with their work has decreased over the past few years.

Meowmeme: After hearing how well it can sound in rehearsal, realized the energy on stage can overwhelm the performance.

King Missle/Dogbowl: I have known the names but not the music. After the announcement, heard their music and meh. Others have shown their enthusiasm upon the announcement, so will be interested in what they do.

Carrie Dahlby: Nice to see a show featuring her.

Steve Goodie: Glad he is making the trip.

Ross Childs: Sub for Luke Ski. 

Insane Ian: Since he took over the Logan Awards, it has become better. 

Worm Quartet: Life has many times caused a WQ show to be canceled and am hoping he makes the trip to play tracks from his most recent album.

Devo Spice: Since he runs FuMPFeST, he doesn't do a full show there. Due to life (his and mine) it has been a long time since I saw a full performance.