Morley Player Profile: Michael Slonim

Michael SlonimslonimPDGA# 13348 Open Master / Grandmaster

Began Playing Disc Golf: First played on a disc golf course in the late 70's at Oak Grove. I was living in New York and a friend moved to Pasadena. I came out to visit, and played the course with a 141 gram frisbee as my driver and a Superpro for the putter. I moved to Long Beach, California in 1981 and played El Dorado (before baskets - just posts with red paint on top), Huntington Beach and La Mirada. I competed in golf at the US Opens at La Mirada in the early 80's although I was primarily a freestyler. I moved to San Diego in 1986 and took up golf full time.

First Dic: Probably an 86 mold.

Favorite Hole at Morley: Like them all. If I had to pick one, I'd choose 5 in the long straight positions.

Morley Field Aces: I never counted my aces, so I'd have to say 200,000,000.

Favorite Disc: Roc

Favorite Drivers: Orc, Wraith

Favorite Midranges: Roc

Favorite Putter: JK Aviar

In My Bag: Whippet X, Pro Wraith, 2 Candy Orcs, Squall, KC Gazell, 2 Rocs, 2 JK Aviars,  Candy Beast for rollers.

Tourney wins and / or Top 5 finishes (not necessarily from Morley): I can barely remember last week. My only PDGA win was the 1994 Spring Fling at Morley, and my best finish in a supertour was a tie for 4th in Open Masters at the Memorial.

Favorite Disc Golf Website: PDGA.com, MorleyField.com

Favorite Pro Player: Me, of course (just kidding). Too many to mention - I've had loads of fun playing with people from Alaska to Florida and everywhere in between.

Tips for newer players and players looking to improve: Get a rule book and read it. Tighten up your short game. Try to be as consistant as possible. Find a putting style that works for you and practice, practice, practice. Travel and play lots of different courses. Play with players better than you. And my favorite, as anybody who knows me can attest to, play for money. Even if it's just one dollar or less, playing for money will help you focus and make you less nervous when you play tournaments.

April Monthly Results

Open - 8 playersMicah -21  $72 KG -19  $40 Mike Slonim -14 Mike Lust -13 Angel -9 Mike B -6 Jeff N -4 Dave Vincent DNF

Advanced - 20 players Chris Wymer -13^ $54+grab bag Mike T -12^ $46 Miker -8 $28.50 D-Nice -8 $28.50 Paul M -8 $28.50 Aaron V -8 $28.50 Randy W -7 $16 Jack D -6 Vince F -4 John Maki -4 Josh C -3 Jonathan Maki +3 Danny Z +5 Augie +5 Bill Richards +11 Brandon Coates +14 John B DNF Rob DNF Justin F DNF Eddy S DNF

Intermediate - 18 players Patrick P -7 $40+grab bag Jeff Graham -7 $34 KC Sowa -6 $26 Josh W -6 $26 Marc P -3 $18 Erik M -3 $18 Shawn S -1 Pete Rudart +2 Ben R +3 Ken W +4 Alex S +5 Yeti +6 Tyler C +7 Heath W +9 Mike Holmes +10 Robert C +12 Travis DNF Ray G DNF

Miker aced #17 during 2nd round (ace pool=$94)

^ Bumped up to next division

Morley Player Profile: Angel Garcia

img_5916Angel GarciaDivision: Open baby!

Began Playing Disc Golf: 2007 -  my Uncle J was into it when ]I was younger and I wanted to play with him. the lucky Waller Open was in front of my house so I got see people playing at a young age.

First Disc: Beast

Favorite Hole at Morley: 11 - the bowl hole baby!

Morley Field Aces: 3c 10b 13 c&d 19 middle

Favorite Disc: ROC - If I had to play disc golf with one disc in my bag it would be the roc. Reliable, true, and they break in very predictably.

Favorite Driver: Force in Z plastic is my favorite driver of all time! These things just go and go.

Favorite Midrange: ROC - Will hold any line you put it on. Snapper had to force me to believe in the roc! Takes a while to get used to.

Favorite Putter: Aviar quite possibly the best disc ever made! Its my smaller ROC.

In My Bag: 2 ROCs the best midrange disc ever! 4 Aviars - 2 putters and 2 JK’S for driving! Z FORCE these things go to the moon! Champ Whippet Supper Puppy Shark Roadrunner

Tourney wins and / or Top 5 finishes (not necessarily from Morley): A few advance wins here and there! Morley and La Mirada

Favorite Disc Golf Website: Your on it

Favorite Pro Player: The Boss (Feldberg)

Tips for newer players and players looking to improve: Smack the midget! think big! have fun!

Morley Player Profile: Evan Taylor

Evan Taylorimg_5164PDGA #25602 Open/Adv

Began Playing Disc Golf: My first exposure to disc golf was at Mission Bay’s campground Campland by the Bay. Through many vacations and beach Frisbee games, Frisbees became a mainstay activity for my friends and I. My high school friends reintroduced me to the competitive side of disc golf around 2001-2002.

First Disc: Christmas Special Package from Morley: Pro Beast, Pro Orc, APX Swirl putter (2001)

Favorite Hole at Morley: Hole 4, any of the hillside positions.

Morley Field Aces: Hole 4B

Favorite Disc: Magic putter by Gateway Disc Sports. The right putter makes or breaks a game. The Magic feels similar to a beadless Aviar with straight edges, as compared to more rounded edges.

Favorite Drivers: Star Boss, Champion Eagle, Discraft ESP Force, Pro Leopard

Favorite Midranges: Discraft FLX Buzz and the Nebula

Favorite Putter: Magic by Gateway, Soft.

In My Bag: Innova Pro Leopard, Champion Eagle, Champion Banshee, Feldberg Boss(soon to be Star Boss), Champion Groove, Champion Gator.Discraft FLX Buzz, Nebula, ESP Force. Gateway Magics (soft and not).

Top Finishes: 1st place Intermediate 2009 Gentlemen’s Club Challenge (A Tier) 1st place Intermediate 2008 Waller Pines December Doubles (Partner Wesley Valiant) Accomplishments: 1 complete Southern California Tour season.

Favorite Disc Golf Website: 1000rated.com for its insight and updates on the disc golf world.

Favorite Pro Player: I have plenty of favorites, our game attracts some of the greatest people. Of the old timers my favorite is Steve Wisecup. He’s always working and progressing himself, and for his determination working with Innova he deserves a lot of credit in what gets put on the market. Of the players I grew up admiring, my favorite player is Bobby Musick. His demeanor on and off the course is the type of person I will always respect. He lets his game do the talking, and will always be a good sport. Lastly, of my generation of up and comers, my favorite young gun is Paul Mcbeth. He is the future!

Tips for newer players and players looking to improve: Take the game slowly at first. By working on a correct technique, before going out to crush a drive, the fluidity of motion will come along with greater ease. A throw starts in the feet, so proper shoes are a must; the leading foot needs to be in line with the front shoulder upon release. The shoulders and hips work in unison, allowing for the maximum amount of torque. To do this (as in ball golf) trail the throwing hand in a straight line behind the intended line of release slowly. Work your hips circular with the shoulders to allow the body to coil around your feet and knees. Through this motion the disc should be behind the thrower, the body tense and ready to uncoil. The uncoil comes as a gradual release, as stated previously, from the feet to knees to hips and then into the shoulders and arms. The amount of speed during this setup needs to be slow, around 20% of the actual release speed. As the shoulders begin to feel the body uncoiling, allow them to increase with speed up to 80% of your power. The 20:80 ratios will keep proper form longer before release, and in my experience, allow for more controllable drives/releases of the disc. If this doesn’t make sense, watch the professionals, practice their form, and internalize what is going on in your body as utmost importance for your practice.

Bag Tag Melee

There was an ACES Bag Tag Melee held at Morley Field on April 11.  Twenty five players showed up on a windy and overcast afternoon.  Highlight of the round was Aaron van Matre's ace on hole 15 with a pro Firebird.  Kevin Gomez and Mike Tyberg shot the top rounds (-5.) Player                         Tag #   Score   Tag Received

Ben Rutherford            152       -1       107 Bobby Martin               154      +8        157 Fia Martin                    130     +12       160 Mike Tyberg                135       -5       15 Patrick Paramore          92        -4       53 Chris Hanau                 37        -3        87 Dale Chambless           111      -1        100 Michelle Chambless     166      +18     166 Aaron van Matre          87        -4        40 John Heaton                 13        -2        92 Kevin Gomez               96        -5        13 Quin Henry                  68        -2         187 Ian Lelis                       160      +3        135 Nandi Pope                  190      +2       126 Dave Roper                  187      -4        68 Adam Cook                 107      +2        190 Brendan Wear              157       0         109 Chris McCoy                40        +3       130 Mark Hawking             174      +9        174 Jonathan Maki              15        -1        96 Trevor Patterson           109      +2       111 Chris Hartman              100      +8        154 Bill Conley                    162      +16     162 John Maki, Sr.              53        -4        37 Mike Holmes                126      +6       152

Fia Martin defended her #2 ACES Women's tag against Michelle Chambless' #7.

Six players put their SoCal tags on the line: Mike Tyberg brought 139 and left with 61; Kevin Gomez (198-107); Dave Roper (61-110); Aaron van Matre (107-139); Patrick Paramore (110-180); Ben Rutherford (180-198.)

Disc Golf Video Games

We have all heard the rumors, and seen the "meeting minutes" from the PDGA meetings about a disc golf video game. The odds of this happening in our lifetime are 50/50 but we are not left in the cold. There are actually 3 disc golf games for the Nintendo Wii. Well, not actually a standalone disc golf game, but disc golf in a collection of other sports games - Beach Sports, Vacation Sports and Super Monkey Ball. Luckily none of the games are more than $20 and if you have a child, niece / nephew etc... the other games included make it work your hard earned "discretionary funds". None of the titles are very realistic and you will probably feel more embarrassed caught playing the Wii on these titles but hey... "beggars can't be choosers". Let start with the first one released: Beach Sports.big20beach20sports20wii Cutesy, mii type characters, sidearm / forehand / Tomahawk throws, "Driver" / Midrange / Putter discs,  wind affects the throws, 18 holes (with one Windmill hole!). Also includes Volleyball, beach football, cricket, soccer and boccie ball. Online reviews - 4 stars out of 10, this reviewer... this is the funnest and most "realistic" (comparatively) of the 3 but VERY wii-ish, ok graphics, with the other games included, give it a 5 out of 10.

Most recent release: Vacation Sports008888175124f Includes the best looking (comparatively) game but only 9 holes (on a golf course interestingly enough). No sidearm, tomahawk, drivers etc. This game does though allow you to use a hyzer / anhyzer type throw using a 3-D aiming system. Could have been the best in the bunch if it had more holes. Other games include cricket (again!), boccie ball (again!), dodgeball, air hockey, foosball, go-carts and darts. Online reviews - 3 stars out of 10, this reviewer... fun for a while, could have been the best one, ok graphics, lame premise, with the other games included, give it a 4 out of 10.

Lastly: Super Monkey Ball Banana Blitzsuper_monkey_ball_banana_blitz After all is said and done this will be the one you will continue to play after the whole "disc golf on the wii" honeymoon is over. The dsiv golf portion is challenging but a little funk to control. In addition your character is a baby monkey! If you can choke down playing disc golf as a monkey the you and you family or friends will enjoy this one the most overall. The actual game "Super Monkey Ball" game is very fun. Disc golf and other mini games make it the best value in the long run. Online reviews avg. 7.5 out of 10. This reviewer gives it 7 out of 10.

Have fun playing disc golf (kinda...) on the wii. If you don't tell anyone, we won't.

Spring Fling 2009 Is Full!

dsicsfMorley Field Spring Fling 2009Saturday, May 2nd at 8am 2009 PDGA Amateur Qualifier (B Tier)

Players Package: T-shirt, mini, lunch from Panera Bread Restaurant (salads, bread, sandwiches, cookies)

- Top 1/3 of all fields win prizes. - Trophies for all winners. - CTP’s each round - Free Drawing. - 1st Round 19 holes - 2nd round 17 holes. - Portable Mach III basket for 1st place Advanced Men’s division

NO registration on the day of the tournament. Anything postmarked after 4/11 is too late and will go on a waiting list. Limited to 95 entries.

Contestants:

MA1 Advanced 1. Mike Ballestas 2. Dave Crandall 3. Toby Brenard 4. Mike Tyberg 5. Bart Gebbie 6. David Parnell 7. John Ryan 8. Dave Roper 9. Rhett Stroh 10. Anthony Bassett 11. Bert Cotton 12. Adazm Nash 13. Aaron Van Matre 14. Angel Garcia 15. John Benefield 16. Brandon Langston 17. Chuck Powell 18. Justin Fitzpatrick 19. Adam Aguilera 20. Ken Herrod 21. Kevin Gomez 22. Jack Daniels 23.Kent Legree 24.Sean Olson 25.Justin Kirk 26 Abrey Daniels 27 Eddy Spracklen

MA2 Intermediate 1. Kirk Hinkleman 2. Patrick Paramore 3. Jon Berg 4. John Curtis 5. Ben Rutheford 6. Robert Martin 7. Casey Sowa 8. Mark Hawking 9. Chris Ragsdale 10. Chris Givans 11. Paul Mac Millan 12. Rocky Aguilera 13. Mike Holmes 14. John Arce 15. Travis Hutton 16. Shane Dehner 17. Alex Sakai 18.Taylor Darnall

MA3 Novice 1. Robin Hendrickson 2. James Fisher 3. Dale Chambless 4. Joseph Obezo 5. Dean Bushick 6. Ryan Osborn 7. Mike Bass 8. John Gregory 9.Brian Newmark 10.Jeff Brown 11.Brenden Sage 12.Derek Cameron 13.Wesley Sage

MA4 Recreational 1. Neil Mackay 2. Keith Gregori 4. Josh Hoeckle 5. Justin Cheeseman 6.David Fukami 7.Tom Schaff 8.Sean Wilburn 9.David Hamillton

MM1  Masters 1. Danny Zwolenski 2. Randy Wylot 3. Billy Romhild 4. Miguel Ramos 5. Dave Clapp 6. Mike Kvasnicka 7. Dan Shorkey

MG1 Grandmasters 1. Ben Farrington 2. Earl Tritt 3. Eric Simmons 4. Kalyan Farrington 5. Scott Jamison 6. Jeff Graham 7. Bill Richards 8.John Butler 9.Frank Knapp

FW1 1. Keri Vogel 2.Kayleen Boyle0

FW2 1. Rita Nash 2. Sofia Martin 3. Kimmy Cottrell 4.Krystal Griffin

FG1 1. Laurie Stroh 2. Yvonne Jamison 3.Robyn Butler

Morley Player Profile: Dave Roper

Dave Roperimg_5546PDGA#: 29903 Division: Advanced AM while touring. PRO for non-PDGA local events

Began Playing Disc Golf: I first played the sport in Utah in 1999.  I didn’t get hooked until I played regularly at Morley in 2006.

First Disc: My first 2 discs were a DX eagle and a first run stratus.

Favorite Hole at Morley: Hole 5.  This is my favorite because I remember when I couldn’t even make it past the service road.  Now I can throw into the ravine.

Morley Field Aces: |Surprisingly, I have 0 aces at Morley, but 3 at other courses.  I did hit hole 8 from the 7 tee pad when trying to show off to my friends from Utah.  ☺

Favorite Disc: Best all around disc is the Teebird.

Favorite Drivers: My new champ Groove

Favorite Midranges: Super Roc with 2008 Worlds Stamp

Favorite Putter: Aviar.  I haven’t decided between DX and KC.

In My Bag: Champ Groove Eco Star Groove Star XCaliber Champ Max Pro Teebird 2 Champ Firebirds (one for thumbers) Champ Banshee Super Roc Sparkle Squall (Aces Stamped) Buzz SS Champ Gator DX Aviar KC Aviar

Tourney History: 1st – 2008 Summertime Open (Adv – B Tier) 1st – 2008 Sylmar Open (Adv – C Tier) 1st – 2008 San Marcos Ice Bowl (Adv – XC Tier) 1st – 2007 Morley Field Course Championships (Amateur) 2nd – 2007 Sun Valley Open (Int – B Tier) TD – 2008 Sun Valley Gladiators Competition #6 Spot on Team San Diego 2008

Favorite Disc Golf Website: www.sandiegoaces.com and www.morleyfield.com

Favorite Pro Player: Steve Rico.  His attitude towards others, commitment to the game, and the tremendous amount of work he puts into the sport make him my favorite pro player.

Tips for newer players and players looking to improve: Don’t limit yourself to one type of throw.  Work on the backhand, sidearm, thumber, roller, etc…  Also, spend a lot of time with your putting.  Once you feel confident in making 25 foot putts, you can start running the 50 foot putts without worrying about the return putt.  Always remember this game is about having fun.

What's Your Favorite Hole At Morley?

1slide1Most of us look forward to Mondays at Morley (wasn't that the name of a bestselling book?) to find out if our "lucky" pin position is in.  What hole / position is your favorite? Whether it's because of it's challenge, it's aesthetics, it's seclusion,  or maybe it's where you just seem to always "park it". Let us know - sans hole 11 cliche answers. Leave your reply in the box below

Morley Player Profile: Brandon Langston

Brandon LangstonPDGA#37506 Advanced Amateur

brandon2Started Playing Disc Golf: I played disc golf for the first time in 7th grade P.E.  A new teacher at my school in Arcata, Mr. Shaddix, was a disc golfer and ultimate player.  His first order of business was to bring it into our P.E. class.  We learned a handful of different shots to throw while playing on our football field aiming for a pole that had a 5' circle drawn around it.  I forgot about the game after that until I picked it up again around '00.  My first tournament was in 2005.

First Disc: Innova Hammer in '89 which I proceeded to loose that same day.

Favorite Hole: Hole 11.  It's very social, a good time for a break and if it is a weekend you'll likely be there longer than any other hole. 5 aces so far.  Hole 2 twice, 6, 8 and 19.

Favorite Disc: Sparkle Squall (aka bass boat)

Favorite Driver: Star Destroyer since I've thrown it the furthest and have aced with it.

Favorite Midrange: 1st run Champ Gator is always with me

Favorite Putter: I've moved to a few different putters and haven't been convinced any are my favorite yet

"In My Bag": Star Destroyer, Star X Caliber, Champion Firebird, Champion Teebird, Champion Leopard, Champion Gator, Sparkle Squall, Z Wasp, Discmania P1 and P2 Putter

Top Morley Finishes: 2007 Spring Fling Intermediate Winner 2008 Sunrise Showdown Intermediate 2nd place 2008 Morley Field Course Championships Amateur Champion 2008 Southern California Championships Advanced 2nd place (tied with a good friend)

Favorite Disc Golf Website: DiscGolfersR.us is where I go most often.

Favorite Pro Player: All that I have met and/or played with have been great.

Tip For Other Players: Learn to throw an arsenal of shots.  Hyzer, Anhyzer, Forehand and a Roller are a good place to start.

Morley Player Profile: Dave “¢” Vincent

vincent

Dave “¢” Vincent

PDGA# 24099

Professional

 

Started Playing Disc Golf:  I started playing disc golf in august of 2002, and was instantly hooked.  Started playing PDGA tournaments in 2004

 

First Disc: DX Cheetah

 

Favorite Hole at Morley: I love hole 10f because of how unique it is compared to the rest of morley field.  It truly requires distance and accuracy to even have chance at a birdie.  Conversely, if both requirements are not met, it is easy to find yourself in a very difficult position for par...

 

Aces: 40+ total, with 14 at Morley Field. I have the only hole in one on hole 10f, 426'

 

My Favorite Disc:  D Challenger, hands down the most used disc in my bag.  I haven't used another type of putter since 2004 because of how perfectly this disc fits my style.  I can use it on any shot under 300' and know that it's going to land exactly where i want it to go

 

Favorite Driver: Predator. This is the most overstable and accurate distance driver ever made, even micah dorius wants to throw predators...

 

Favorite Midrange: Z Buzzz. Best midrange on the market

 

Favorite Putter: D Challenger. It's the most predictable and wind resistant putter available

 

In My Bag:

Champion Monster

Champion Firebird

Star Teebird

Star Destroyer

Z Predator

Z Buzzz

Z Shockwave

Z Drone

D Challenger

 

Favorite website: www.pdga.com

 

Favorite Pro Players: Kevin Gomez for his tiger woods mentality. Steven Thomas for his surgical precision. Carlo Pelg for his determination to win… in style!

 

 

PDGA Sanctioned Tourney Results:

Professional

1st San Marcos Ice Bowl

3rd Sunrise Showdown

4th Sun Valley Open

4th Emerald Isle Open

5th Southern California Championships

8th Las Vegas Halloween Classic

25th The Memorial

 

Amateur

1st Emerald Isle Open

2nd Mountain High

3rd Toney's Mountain Golf Challenge

3rd Las Vegas Halloween classic

3rd Scott Killian Memorial

3rd Morley Field Spring Fling

3rd Hawaii State Championships

15th PDGA Amateur Disc Golf World Championships

 

Tips: Do not practice at the course, always practice at a field, or in a wooded area away from the course.  Practice every type of throw.  Many people are limited in their game and can't throw sidearm, overhand, rollers etc...but the players that are able to throw all types of shots have an instant advantage no matter where they are playing. 

 

Do not be afraid to ask other players for advice, I’m always willing to help anyone with their game... 

 

Missing a shot is not the worst thing in disc golf.  Not having the courage to miss is the worst thing in disc golf...

Morley Player Profile: Mark "mdub" Wilson

Mark “mdub” WilsonDivision: Rec / Masters

Began playing disc golf?:s7301189 I went with a group of friends the day after high school graduation (Madison HS - 1979 in San Diego). I was hooked from then on and played maybe once a month or so. In 1982 I worked at the Union-Tribune in Mission Valley and we would take off for lunch a little early (10 min.), play a full round (barley 1 hour!), and arrive back to work a little late (15 min). That’s right people… you could play Morley in an hour! I had to stop playing for about 10 years because I threw my back out on hole 1 with a horrible form of a backhand. I returned a few years later to sponsor a tee sign hole (Hole 12) and Snapper asked where I had been. I told him about my back and he suggested throwing sidearm from there on out. I actually threw farther than ever! Started playing again regularly (3-4 times a week) in 2006.

First Disc: Shark?

Favorite Morley Field Hole: In the early days of Morley Field there were a few holes that traveled south from the 19th pad, along where the nursery is. There were a few holes that crossed back and forth across the canyon (if you look at the nursery incinerator on 19 you will see a little dip that was the entrance the little valley). I think it was hole 13. You threw from one side of the valley across to the other. It was pretty cool.

Morley Field Aces: NONE! It is almost mathematically impossible to throw something at a target 10,000 times and not even hit it by accident! I predict hole 1 left, 13 short, or pyramid on 15

Personal Favorite Disc: Elite Z Xpress Spongebob disc my kids got me for Fathers Day 2006

Favorite Driver: Star Destroyer (great sidearm disc)

Favorite Midrange: Star Cro (great sidearm disc)

Favorite Putter: Omega Supersoft

“In My Bag": Star Destroyer (x2) Champion Groove Elite Z Avenger SS Champion Valkyrie Elite Z XS Star TL Star Cro Omega Supersoft 120g #2 Helix for my 5 year old

Tourney wins and / or Top 5 finishes (not necessarily from Morley): I have only played one in my life (Course Championship 2007). I finished 1 spot from DFL and 2 spots from DNF but I had fun. I did though play a doubles round at Bayside and cashed. It was kind of funny.

Favorite DG Website: 1000 Rated and morleyfield.com (I am the web guy so that may seem biased)

Favorite Pro Player: 1. Snapper - Without him who knows where this sport would be. 2. Dave Feldberg – I still "blame" him for the recent huge surge in crowded courses in SoCal, due to his appearance on Conan in 2007! 3. Paul McBeth – He is the future of the sport! The “Shaun White” of disc golf

Tips for other players that have helped you: 1.  Take your time. Visualize the shot 2.  "Shut up and throw" 3.  Pick up trash 4.  Have fun!!!

Claim to Fame: Concusions from errant throws on holes 16 ($5k ER trip / CAT Scan) and 15 (from same group that hit me 2 years previous on hole 16!)

Player Profile: Chuck VanKempen "CVK"

Chuck VanKempenimg_6444PDGA#: 5351 Division: Open Masters

I began playing disc golf: In the Spring of 1980, so this will be my 29th year.

My favorite disc of all time: This would be the Chain Chopper.  For those players who haven’t played very long, it’s a puffy mold that was made from a very soft material, almost like a pearl pink eraser. Favorite hole at Morley: Hole #10B for the fact that it has cashed out for me twice on the last day of league play and no one else; something the entire league, not to mention at least eight other aces.

Number of aces at Morley: I have aced over 100 times.  (Editor’s Note:  I saw him ace 101 this day.)

Favorite Driver: Wraith and Star Starfire.

Favorite Midrange: Max weight Roc

My Favorite Putter: Putter X, although in my time as a disc golfer, I’ve tried many of the putters on the market such as the 86 Softie, APX, Gum Pot, AVR Puffy and Super Puffy.

“In my bag”: Flick, Monster, Predator, Star Starfire, Flash, Ray Orc, VSS, T-Bird, Roadrunner, Spider, Goblin, Sharp, Barracuda, Sting Ray, AVR, and Putter X.

Wins and best finishes: Most recent would be the Halloween Classic ’06, second place; many monthly tournament wins at Morley, although the most memorable would be the Morley Field monthly.  I set a record for being the only player to come from the third group back and take third place.  It also put me on the course records page with a -16.  I finished at -24 that day.

Favorite disc golf website: I have no favorite disc golf website only due to the fact that I don’t have a computer.

Favorite Pro Player: Steve Weiscup.

Tips for new players: Try not to start out with any discs that are too overstable.  In other words, if you are a right-handed player who throws with a standard backhand, that disc would go out and turn to the left.  You would be better off checking the disc chart at the pro shop and they will show you choices of discs that are more straight flying.

fyi: For you golfers that may not know me, I’m the guy who goes around the course with my wrist rocket hunting discs out of the trees, so if you ever get your disc back from the shop and see a small cut on the rim you can thank me.

It's That Time Again... Doubles!

Morley Field doubles return on Wednesday, March 11th with the firstOpen / Advanced competition of the year and Friday, March 13th for all divisions. Play starts at 5:00pm sharp. It's a good idea to get to Morley early to make sure you get a spot!

Wednesday Night Doubles 2009

Entry fee $10.00 per player, with play band you’ll need $12.50. Wednesday Night Doubles is only for the upper echelon of serious competitive players at Morley. There is a separate Wednesday Night Ace pool in effect. Expected field 24 players or less. (scores typically run -10 to -19) The course has become too busy on weeknights to cater to a larger competitive field. The format is best shot with players from an A pool randomly assigned partners from a B pool.

A player qualifies as an A player if any of the following requirements are met: A) Any qualified B player who chooses to play in the A pool. B) Any player with a 965 or higher player rating C) Any player who shot a -13 or better cumulative score for 2 rounds in any of their last 3 monthlies at Morley. D) Any player who finished league play with a -5 handicap or better in the last 2 years

A player qualifies as a B player if: A) Any player with a 925 or higher player rating B) Any player who has shot a -4 or better 2 round tourney cumulative score in their last 3 monthlies at Morley C) Any player who finished league play with a -2 or better handicap in the last 2 years

All scoring requirements are for singles play only and scores shot in practice rounds are meaningless. Out of town players will be considered for eligibility on an individual basis.

Players who show up drunk will be asked to not return to Wednesday Night Doubles for the remainder of the 2009 season. Players who try to circumvent these scoring requirements to gain entry will also be asked to not return. Players who do not meet these requirements but still wish to play can gain entry be shooting the required score in any upcoming monthly.

Friday Night Doubles 2009

bag2Entry fee $6. Format is best shot doubles. A separate Friday Night Ace pool is in effect. A pool players are under par players. B pool players are over par players. If a top tier player (-5 average score) shows up they will be assigned a random handicap (mandatory throwing styles, or off hand throws, or they may play alternate shot format for “X” number of holes with their partner… etc.) as determined by the tourney director. The purpose of which is to develop alternate skills while allowing lesser skilled players a chance to match their score. In that same vein all women entrants are allowed 2 putts at each putting attempt inside the 10 meter putting zone and will be assigned top A players as partners whenever possible. Once again this year we will have the 3 deuces in a row rule on Friday nights. Once a team has scored 3 consecutive 2’s they will then be required to take all subsequent shots with either their off hand or using a sidearm motion until such time that they do not score a 2 on a hole. The purpose of this rule is to keep baggers or just players getting hot from blowing the field away. Friday night doubles is an attempt to balance the competitive field so that hopefully each team is competitive. (scores typically run -5 to -10) Expected field size is over 30 players per week. Friday night is date night and the course empties out after 6 pm. So Friday night doubles starts out somewhat busy but we end up with a less busy course than usual weeknights allowing for a larger competitive field to participate.

Morley Player Profile: Micah Dorius

Micah Doriusmicah_dorius2PDGA#14609 Division: Pro Sponsor: Innova

Began playing disc golf: I was very young, probably in grade school when my dad took me down to Morley field to play disc golf. All I remember is throwing over and over through the trees. I only remember playing on a few occasions. It was either late 70s or early 80’s, don’t know for sure.  I grew up on Texas St. about 4 blocks from Morley field. In junior high I started playing after school with some friends. I didn’t take it that seriously. In high school I played a lot of basketball and did a lot of surfing. I didn’t play any disc golf for about 5 or 6 years. Then one day after surfing with a childhood friend he suggested we go play a round of disc golf. He used to always beat me. So I started practicing to get better. Then he stopped playing. Then I met Mark and Ken Jarvis. And I was amazed how far they threw and how much talent they had. Since I was a competitive jock I couldn’t stand losing to these skinny little kids. So I practiced even harder. They convinced me to play my first tournament which was the 1997 Spring Fling. Since I thought I was pretty good, I went straight to advanced division. I think I got close to dead last. I was so frustrated I practiced even harder. And the rest is history. Still hooked!

First disc: Don’t really remember the first disc I bought or played with.  I’m pretty sure the Frisbee I first threw was probably a Whamo. It was a long time ago. Then later on my friends just let me use discs that they had. I remember vaguely throwing aviars and classic rocs in junior high and my favorite driver for distance was the eclipse. Then when I started playing again at the age of 23 I believe the first disc I bought was a yellow dx shark.

Favorite Morley field hole: Hole 5 lets admit it, the greatest thing in disc golf is watching your disc fly a long way. Since its down hill it always made you think you were a little longer than you really were. And if you learned to play disc golf at Morley like I did, we all measured our distance improvement on that hole. I couldn’t wait to get to that hole to see if I could get to that long pin or the gully. And how sweet it was to finally reach that long pin and get the deuce.

Morley field aces: The first ace is always the sweetest. It was hole nine in the short right pin. I threw a yellow dx shark as hard as I could. That led to my personal best round at the time which was 7 under. I’ve honestly lost count of my aces somewhere around 80. It just was not important to me anymore to keep track. But I counted every ace whether it was my first shot or I emptied my bag.

Favorite disc: Aviar has always been the most consistent and reliable disc that Innova has made. So it’s got to be my favorite.

Favorite driver: Any teebird whether champion, Dx, or Star are the most controllable and reliable drivers I've ever used.

Favorite midrange: Anyone that’s played with me knows that my champion shark is my baby. I’ve been throwing the same one for about 6 or 7 years. Take that out of my bag and the confidence is gone.

Favorite putter: The JK Aviar-X. Thanks Juliana Korver!

“In my bag”: Champion Whippet X Champion Firebird Star Xcaliber Champion Teebird (New) Champion Teebird (Beat) Champion Leopard Champion TL (beat for roller) Dx Moray (Roller ) 2 Champion Sharks (1 new, 1 beat) Champion Gator 2 Aviars (1 stable, 1 flippy) 150 class Aviar JK Aviar-X Currently Testing Boss VS Destroyer

Tournament wins and notable accomplishments: Countless monthlies 10 consecutive Morley field course championships 1 out of state win the Teva Tree Bash in Flagstaff, Arizona 2 wins at Waller Pines at Santa Maria 2 faultline classic wins and 1 Masters Cup in Santa Cruz 1 win at Sunrise Showdown 1 Sun Valley Open win in La Mesa 2 top ten finishes in majors. 7th at the worlds in flagstaff  and 8th place at the USDGC

Most respected tour player: After playing with just about all the best in the world the only one who truly and consistently carries himself as a professional on the course and the most fun to watch and compete against has still got to be Ken Climo.  It’s just too bad we don’t get more opportunities to see him or compete against him on the west coast.

Tips for other players: If you are serious about getting better, go to a park and practice every kind of shot you can think of. And bring a basket and practice put. It’s not as fun as playing at the course with your friends but you will get faster results. No pain no gain.

March Monthly Results

March 2009 Advanced Markus -11 $50 + grab bag David Parnell -7 $40 Mike T -6 $33 Adam C -5 $27 Justin F -4 $22.50 Magnus -4 Jack D -3 Danny Z -3 D-unit -2 Ranli -1 JJ Johnson 0 Mans +2 David G DNF Quinn H DNF

Intermediate Ben R -5 $34 + grab bag Chris M -3 $27 Jay H -2 $19 Patrick P -2 $19 Alex S -2 KC -1 Mike H +4 Shane D +8 Hawk +10 Derek +15 Sage +17

Novice David F +3 $28 + grab bag Pete R +5 $25 Dale C +7 $21 Dennis +9 $17 Will W +10 $14 Joe K +10 Andrew +11 Pierre +12 Ryan +12 Josh H +14 Frank M +14 Neil M +16 Aiden +18 Russ +20 Lawrence +24 Sean H DNF

Women Vilga +17 $15 + grab bag Leta +32 $9 + grab bag Fia +36 Rita +36 Michelle +41 Tianna +49

Mondo winners- Josh H, Sage, Larry K

Morley Player Profile: AdaZm Nash

AdaZm Nashadazm

PDGA# 28304 Division: Advanced

Began Playing Disc Golf: Late 90s up at a Morro Bay pole course, quickly maturing into Waller Park at Santa Maria, still one of my favorite courses. Started playing "seriously" when i started working at the Morley pro shop in 2003.

First Disc: Max weight Cobra, was so peeved I could not throw it farther, didn't quite grasp that it was only a mid range disc.

Favorite Morley Field Hole: Hole 5 because I am right handed

Morley Field Aces: First ever ace was hole 12 short left/middle with 150 Polaris. Since then MANY condor aces. Best ace was hole 3 short right to win a sudden death playoff to qualify for the Team Tournament

Personal Favorite Disc: Hard to beat a Condor (unless there is a head wind).

Favorite Driver: Eagle-L, again a little dicey in a head wind. yet so easy to throw it gently, keep it low and have pin point accuracy for 285-330 feet.

Favorite Mid range: Spider. I like the part where it drops predictably left when it comes to the basket. When i play one disc challenges at Morley, it is definitely with a spider.

Favorite Putter: Champ Rhyno, works in the wind and unlikely to go too far past the basket if you miss.

“In My Bag": I try to keep it under 15, hard for me to keep track with more than that: 175 Eagle-L 175 Champ (KC Pro 11X) T-Bird. Gomez is right, brilliant stable disc. 197 new stable Condor (now that they are back in production i carry two). 197 beat-up used flippy Condor for jump putts (or high altitude) 175 Champ Spider 175 Champ Gator, no big arm should be without! 175 Champ Banshee, literally the best approach side arm disc of all-time. 175 Z Surge, basically a wraith. Good barely stable disc. 175 Champ Boss. Hard to believe it is legal. i now have a 370 ft sidearm! 175 Champ Rhyno. 175 Champ FL (firebird-L) new "favorite" versatile disc. A faster banshee/less stable Firebird, awesome for sidearm AND backhand. 175 Champ Roadrunner, sometimes there's a strong tail wind. 175 Champ Firebird, i tried playing without it, but it's too darn practical. 175 Champ Starfire, should be stable, yet isn't. somehow i keep finding use for it.... …on the bubble: 175 Champ Destroyer, for courses longer than Morley 175 Champ Whippet, specialty sidearm/tomahawk disc 178 Wasp, i want it to work, yet why won't it come back left?!?

Tourney wins and / or Top 5 finishes (not necessarily from Morley) am sure it seems silly, but i am more of a top 6 type finisher. recently took 2nd place at Oak Grove Am tourney though. finished 4th in SoCal for 2008.

Favorite DG Website: i check SoCals site for tourneys and PDGA for discussion. ebay when I'm bored

Favorite Pro Player: Paul McBeth, NO question. Phenomenal guy and player. Plus UBER generous of him to let me beat him a couple times in the distant past! i especially enjoy the part where he is no longer playing in the same division as me

Tips for other players that have helped you: Disc golf is a simple game, throw disc to basket. don't complicate it. if it is important to you to excel, practice putting. a remotely athletic person can learn to throw decent drives in just a couple rounds of playing. if you want to take things to the next level, drive for show, putt for dough. also, it's invaluable to have a decent grasp of both backhand shots and sidearms, especially for approach shots. and remember, have fun! disc golf is an inexpensive walk in the park, enjoy it even when you have a bad roll that turns your birdie into a bogey. is not the end of the world, at least you aren't playing ball golf. oh and just in case it's not common knowledge. throw more stable discs into headwind, less stable with tail wind. less stable discs uphill and less stable discs at high altitude.

editors query - - - Q: Where does the Z in your name come from? AdaZm: I've always been annoyed that my name was a common one. so many years back I for some reason thought to throw a Z in there for fun. and it turns out, if someone say finds a disc with the name "Adam" on it, maybe I get it back, maybe not. but with the name "adaZm", EVERYONE knows whose disc it is.

Fundamentals of Hideous Putting

By Jason Southwick of Marshall Street Disc Golf Store Let's be clear what we're talking about here. We're not talking about missing half your 20-footers. That's considered bad putting in some circles, but here we're talking about being fairly incapacitated from five to 10 feet, and missing the entire basket a lot of the time. And of course being terrified before the putt, and mortified afterwards. What happens during the putt is hard to remember, due to your little nervous breakdown. You can try covering it up with self-deprecation, but truth is, most people on the planet - and many of them have never even seen a golf disc - can putt way better than you right now. Then again, most of them don't have brand new facial twitches and a loud ringing in their ears.

And it's not something that comes quickly. You can't just walk onto a disc golf course and be a hideous putter. It takes thousands and thousands of putts over many years, covering dozens of putting styles and any number of putters. Hideous putting also requires brooding, and attaching your self-worth directly to the shortest of putts.

With the proper negative energy, nurtured by a deep-seated fear of failure, we can make our putting so hideous that people look away. And the one friend who's not giving you the silent treatment asks, shocked, "What was THAT?"

Well, it's not easy. Here are a few ideas for climbing into the abyss.

Bad Posture, the Key to Sucking at Any Sport

A few years back I gave a disc golf lesson to a big strong man, and we began with putting. Right off the bat he's all kinds of nervous, and can't reach the basket from 15 feet with his straddle putt. He somehow looks like so many bad putters, just worse. It dawns on me he's making the classic mistake of reaching the disc toward the basket - to make the putt shorter and, presumably, easier - while necessarily sticking his butt out in the opposite direction.

Problem is, in that position, it's difficult to muster enough coordination for even regular bad putting, never mind enough oomph to actually reach the target. It can be mind-boggling to witness otherwise normal disc golfers reaching forward in this awkward standing broad jump pose, eight feet away from the basket, as if they're trying to defuse a basket-shaped bomb with a disc-shaped remote control.

So if you define success as failure, remember to maximize the distance between the release point of your putt, and your rear end. Guaranteed to raise your score while amusing your friends. And one of the bedrocks of hideous putting.

Jason demonstrates extreme "Reach Closer So You Won't Have to Throw it as Far" putting, the perfect stance for unearthing that truly humiliating stroke that resides in all of us.

Footfault Every Single Time

Develop the habit of stepping on your mini upon release, and stepping over it afterwards. The idea here is to send the subliminal message to Captain Brain that you're unworthy. While disc golf will naturally rob us of our confidence, we can greatly accelerate the demoralization process by making our bad putting also illegal, the way Shaq used to step over the foul line after every foul shot.

The fact that cheating brings you a little closer to the target won't help one bit, and chances are, like poor Shaq stepping over the foul line, you won't be called on it that often. Why? Because what you're doing is so obviously not helping.

And because, as fellow disc golfers, we recognize that you're suffering enough already.

Thought Flashes

Thought flashes are the opposite of mantras. A mantra is something you repeat in your head over and over, in a calm, slow Keith Oberman voice: "Put the bisquit in the basket." Thought flashes are much more sudden, involuntary, and sound a lot like Sam Kinison screaming words so offensive they'd make the most hardened PDGA Monitor blush -- even if you wrote them without vowels.

No putting can attain true hideousness without well-timed thought flashes.

When the Psyche Goes Bad

The psyche is the whole shebang. It's what you're thinking and what you know and don't know, what you remember as well as everything you've forgotten. And if your body isn't part of your psyche, it's the car the psyche's driving, often erratically, especially on those short putts where your skin crawls right off of you, stands up on its own with holes for eyes and laughs in your face. And it's not a nice sort of laugh, either.

Whatever messes with your psyche, is guaranteed to mess with your putting. They are reflections of each other.

"Hurry up and miss," says my former skin, suddenly bored with the inevitable.

And of course I clang the front of the basket from nine feet and, since my skin's new job is to mock me, my blood and organs spill out of me onto the ground next to my poor putter.

Solutions

You can improve your posture, avoid footfaulting, suppress some of the more shattering thought flashes, start actually practicing, and visit a sports psychologist. All of this may help. When you're in hideous putting mode, however, your best bet is to simply surrender to it and accept it.

Sooner or later the vortex in your head will settle, your confidence will return, and you'll be putting as well as the first time you ever picked up a disc.

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