Course: Cameron Park, Waco TX

This is the non-"Beast" course. I didn't have a chance to play the Beast, but this park was pretty good.

I started out with no one behind me and I didn't have a chance to really warm up, so I just started and really tanked the first three holes -- taking a bogey on each. These are SHORT holes, around 200 feet each, but with some trees (not really "tunnels" just trees here and there) so I called them "warmups" and started again (#3's basket was pretty much right at #1's tee anyway). The second time around, "for real" I shot -1 for the three. This area is skip central. The ground by the baskets are very bare, minus some exposed tree roots, and anything that had some steam but wasn't high enough to spike would skip a long way. But, I was happy with -1. I parred 4, and#5 -- "Bogey Hill" didn't look too daunting. I drove pin high, but too far right and hit a tree with my 100 foot upshot. Still having about 70 feet to go, I overshot, then missed the 40 foot come-back badly (bare ground!!!) and ended up with a good 30 footer for triple-bogey and got it. Argh! +2. Then on #6 I slipped a disc and got stuck about 100 feet up a huge tree and took about 10 minutes to get it out. My shoulder was worn by then. I took the penalty, placed my upshot and took a bogey. +3!!! Dangit! I birdied 7 and almost parked 8, but missed the 30 foot putt, then the 30 foot comebacker and dropped in another bogey. Hit some bushes on 9, missed a 20 footer and got another bogey.

The back nine starts in a flat, mostly open (keep 'em low, out of the high cut canopy). I took another bogey, then had a par, birdie, par (missed a 25 foot putt), par. So, I was +4 teeing on 15, where I lost my old Pro Wraith. Hit a big tree branch and dropped a dingy ditch. When I was looking for it (no chance!) I found an old, unmarked Quantum something or 'nuther (grimey... seems like a "Champion Beast" -- even says "Innova discs" on it... hmm). I cleaned it and thought "why not" and shot it after my drop. Oops. Another bad shot. Ended up with a dbl-bogey. +6. Then I bogeyed 16 for +7 and parred out with a couple of decent drives. +7 on a decent course, pretty much blind? I'll take it. I need to work on my putting.

This is a fun course, and will be more fun when I play it next time after I can putt!!!

Course: Pioneer Park, Billings, MT

The first time I ever saw anyone folfing (here's the first time I ever folfed), it was at Pioneer Park in Billings, MT. I didn't know what they were doing (possibly, they didn't either). My buddies David and Derek and I were maybe 10 or 11 and hanging out/playing on the playground and trying to figure out what they were doing. I think they were trying to drop them inside hoola-hoops laying on the ground, but maybe they had baskets back then and I didn't understand them.

So, when I figured out I was going on vacation to my home state and visiting my folks in Billings, I looked up the courses on the local club site and found that Pioneer Park had a short course (curiously, it's 12 holes). It was a crowded evening, while I played and waited my folks watched the kids I had with me.


I really liked this course. There are a lot of old ash trees on top and grass below. There is a small stream going through and each hole seemed fairly unique, not impossibly hard but hard enough. It's a very inviting course and would be challenging to play regularly, but not intimidating to bring a friend to try disc golf for the first time. I doubt you'd be able to lose a disc here and there was little OB (the stream, I guess and a few streets if you are really wild). My folks said that the editorials in the local paper had a lot of sniping from park neighbors about the low-life that played there, but the groups around me were just a bunch of high-school or college kids in flip flops enjoying things. I didn't smell any pot (or even a cigarette), didn't see a 32 oz. anything. The group right in front of me was three young girls (maybe high school). Looked like your neighbor's kids on the JV volleyball team. Sheesh, those folks complaining in the paper ought to go to the bad side of town sometime, if they want to see real low-life. Most disc golfers just don't qualify.

Anyway, I played this one even, had a good time, though I had to rush off after 10 to change my daughter's "accident". I came back on my last day in town to take a few pictures.

A downhill basket near a stream with some tree cover. Pretty easy shot if you are good, not impossible if you aren't. Pioneer would be good to play with a group at various stages of progress in disc golf.

I birdied this hole, a short uphill shot (tee box is down on the right, out of picture).

I think I like these kinds of tee boxes. They are better footing (especially after rain) and yet you can uproot them and move them if you change the course. I know a guy who slipped in a dirt tee box and ended up breaking his leg in several places. Cement is great, but what if you want to move around the course? Not a huge deal, but I've seen these in a couple of places and think it would be nice here in Corpus Christi, where the clay mud is slick and it rains often.

Course: Blue Mountain, Missoula, MT

Missoula in the distance at Blue Mountain Disc Golf Course. This was taken from between the 2nd & 3rd holes at the course.

I have a story about the real "first" time I disc golfed, but this is the first course I really played. It has baskets now, instead of the tone posts it used to have. I like baskets better, but understand why some were complaining about the tone posts being removed. I played Blue Mountain again on a recent vacation to my home state and college town. This is an excellent course in every way and is nearly identical (the back nine changed a bit) as when I started in the early 1990's.

Since I had begun planning my vacation, I dreamed about hitting a big shot on the 650 foot hill shot at #4 (I think it was four, maybe it was #5). Here's the view from the tee:


The tree in the foreground is at the top of the hill (the dirt area there is the amateur tees, but I was being manly on this day!). You go over this hill and straight down into a dry gulley with a lot of old pines towering high up (you can see their tops). I knew a guy who would aim for the tops of those trees to hit and then drop his disc down near the basket (tone pole then). I had high hopes for nailing a great shot here. Sadly, I couldn't do it. I had three drives (1st real, other two "tests" -- no one was behind me) that went off badly, though it was a good learning experience (read this). I was bummed to take a bogey on this hole.


This is the 5th hole at Blue Mtn. Medium length (about 315), with OB behind and trees in front and to left. If you can hit it down the middle it's good, but I tried to hook around to the right. I ended up with a tough par putt from under a sapling and hit it.

One of the nice improvements at Blue Mtn was the addition of a course guide on the pro boxes. Don't know when they were added (haven't played BMTN since 1995ish). Helped a lot, especially on the back nine.

I ended up with a +8 but didn't play well. I missed 3 long but makeable birdie putts and ended up dbl-bogey, bogey, dbl-bogey at one stretch. I played Pattee Canyon earlier in the day and was tiring. I ran out of water after 10, too. Not trying to make excuses, just say that because +8 under those conditions isn't too bad. I think I should have played it about even.

This is my favorite course with a lot of history for me, lots of rounds with friends I haven't seen in 12-15 years. I wanted to play BMTN to rate my game back then to what it is now. I actually surprised myself, figuring I probably was terribly horrible back then and would be much better now. But, I think I might have been better back then than I thought. It's interesting, because with Youtube and other sites dedicated to helping throwers and playing with a lot more people here in Corpus Christi, it's easier to progress nowadays.

Course: Pattee Canyon, Missoula, MT

Typical hole at Pattee Canyon. Some weren't this open and some were longer.

I played this course recently, on a trip to my home state. It had just opened for the season because the area was well used as a folf course and x-country ski area and the vegetation needed a break to regroup. I had never played this course, not realizing it was there back in the early 1990's when I played at the Blue Mountain course.

First couple and the 18th holes were in open tall-grass areas like this, putting "findable" shots at a premium.

This is a very fun course. Pretty tight, with plenty of trees. The first couple of holes are in an open area with young trees then most of the rest are in a more sloped area with bigger, older trees that tower above. Some of the views from the tees were awesome. In the middle holes some were tight and short, which made for some good variety. I shot my putter on a couple but could have done more often if I didn't need a specific curve or skip.

I played the course at about 8 over... didn't keep track tightly, as I played with a guy and his girl and we talked a lot. But it was about that. I didn't play particularly well, but had a fine time nonetheless.

If you are in Missoula, make time for this course. It's up Pattee Canyon (a beautiful drive) about 6 or 8 miles. Look for the big picnic area and then follow the signs dealing with "Folf."