Tuesday, December 9, 2008

Innova Monarch now available in star plastic.

new course at Bunker Hills next year

Here is the reply on an email that I sent to the director of
Anoka county parks.

Steve:

Thank you for your e-mail. We really appreciate hearing from the
public and our customers.

Currently, Anoka County is planning to install a disc golf area at
Bunker Hills Regional Park next year. The facility will be located just
east of the picnic area, and will be designed to accommodate up to 18
holes. The area is in an attractive location for disc golf, with
rolling hills, trees, and wetlands. The park is also centrally located
to the county, so it will be as accessible as possible to the most
people. We have been considering disc golf at the park since the master
plan was updated in the late 90's, and so are anxious to finally see it
going in.

With regard to Rum River Central, I think your idea is an intriguing
one. At this point, we have financing to install a Mountain Bike Trail
in 2009 in the north half of the park. That is the only pending
development at this time. However, we would be happy to consider your
idea in future development phases. If you could, I would be interested
learning more about where you might see the course being installed.
Please let me know and I will discuss it with our park planner for
future consideration.

John

John VonDeLinde
Director of Parks and Recreation
Anoka County Parks and Recreation
550 Bunker Lake Boulevard


I sent a response, We will see what comes of that.
The Bunker course is good news.

Monday, December 8, 2008

You might be addicted to disc golf if

You flip plates over and take practice swings with them when you clear the table
when every piece of land you drive by would make the ultimate disc golf course.
when you think everyone should know what "hyzer" means.
....You have ever talked to your discs while they are in flight
When it's X-Mas time and you decorate your basket instead of a tree & place it on display in your living room!
When you start giving your best friends nicknames having to do with disc golf jargon.
You have to put more toys in your kids lap to balance the stroller because your disc bag hanging on the back keeps making it do wheelies.
when you use mini's for coasters.
You play at lunch time all the time ussually 2 or more times a week
You might be addicted to disc golf is your disc collection costs more than your car!
if you choose a location to BUILD YOUR HOUSE based on its proximity to a course!
have a couple hundred extra discs just in case
anytime you put anything in your hands you guess its stability
your two year old can throw both backhanded and forehanded
your dog is named Hyzer.
you sit in front of the tv and fondle your disc.
you have 260,000 miles on your ten year old car and you only live a mile from where you work...
You might be addicted if you use discs as home defense weapons.
if you know which of your ball caps is the least stable.
You wake up at 5am on a Saturday and don't even consider going back to sleep because TODAY YOU'RE GOING TO PLAY and you're wayyyy too excited about it!!!!
Your opinion changes from "It's great I don't have a yard with a lawn I have to mow." to "I sure wish I had a yard big enough to putt in."
You get upset at Christmas when no wrapped gifts appear to be round
if you have memorized the flight ratings of every discraft and innova disc on the market
Keep a spreadsheet of current inventory
Obtain two (at least) in same color and weight of each disc you regularly throw
if you have ever taken a road trip just to disc golf.
If your boss calls to tell you that you are going on a business trip, and the first thing you do when you get home is pull up the pdga website and see where the nearest course is to your destination.
you want to cry after losing a disc
Your disc bag is your carry-on. you oughta see the looks from the screeners

Blaine council approves Loch ness dgc

Residents are one step closer to enjoying the sport of disc golf at Lochness Park in Blaine.

Park Board commissioners voted to move forward with a disc golf course designer at their Nov. 25 meeting.

In October, commissioners directed staff to send out a request for proposals (RFP) for the design and installation of a nine-hole disc golf course at Lochness Park, 11121 Lexington Ave. N.E.

After taking into consideration the Park Board's recommendations and that course design was a primary concern, staff revised the RFP and in its place sent out a Request for Design Qualifications (RDQ).

On Nov. 25, Jim Kappelhoff, Blaine Director of Parks and Recreation, explained that the goal of the RDQ was to find a qualified disc golf course designer to assist city staff with the design process.

City staff distributed RDQs to four vendors on Nov. 9, asking for the following information: individuals who would be assigned to the project, experience and work qualifications, details of three completed disc golf course design projects, and design fees.

Three disc golf course vendors responded by Nov. 19, including Fairway Flyerz Discs, Inc., based in St. Paul, Gotta Go Gotta Throw Inc. based in Golden Valley, and Par 72 Disc Golf based in Richfield.

Fairway Flyerz proposed a $920 design fee, Par 72 proposed a $1,125 design fee and Gotta Go Gotta Throw waived the fee for the opportunity to work with the City of Blaine on the disc golf course project.

Commissioner Tom Newland said he preferred to move forward with Fairway Flyerz because of owner Mike Snelson's résumé and his previous experience with the Park Board. In September 2007 Snelson presented feasibility studies for disc golf courses at four Blaine parks at no cost to the city.

Newland added that Gotta Go Gotta Throw doesn't have the "depth of design background" and Par 72 proposed the most expensive bid.

"I would like to see it go his way," said Commissioner Suzanne Anderson of Snelson, "because he already invested a reasonable amount of time that we didn't compensate him for. It seems like a good choice."

The board unanimously approved Fairway Flyerz as the designer for the disc golf course at Lochness Park.

Kappelhoff said Fairway Flyerz will design the course and assist the City in purchasing equipment, such as the baskets. He said when speaking to the references the vendors provided, most of the communities said it was beneficial to work with a designer and that cities can complete some aspects of basket and tee pad installation.

"We need someone familiar with design and installation and who can recommend the best equipment," said Kappelhoff. "Mr. Snelson from Fairway Flyerz would fit that need.

"He is a very energetic person and is the go-to person that a lot of folks have business with as far as these other communities that put in disc golf courses."

According to the bid information Snelson submitted, he has served as the lead designer for nine disc golf courses, co-designer for four courses and design adviser for 14 courses in Minnesota and Wisconsin.

Construction of the disc golf course at Lochness Park is expected to begin next spring.

Wednesday, November 5, 2008

Discraft ESP Impact


Easy to throw and easy to control, the Impact will help you to stay in the fairway and lower your scores. The engineered rim crosshatching projects a faint wave around the Impact as it flies, displacing air to enhance glide while keeping the disc flat and straight. Available in ESP 150 class too.

Champion Monarch




Classification: Distance Driver
Diameter: 21.2cm
Weight Range: 153 to 175 grams
Brief Description:The Champion Monarch is a long-range distance driver with lots of glide. Great for beginners looking for a fast distance driver, and great for advanced players looking for an out of the box roller.
Available Plastics: Champion
Best Choice for: First driver, roller disc, downhill distance, long turnover drives.

About the Monarch
The Champion Monarch is our longest range Distance Driver with a significant high speed turn. This predictable high speed turn makes the Monarch a good choice for beginning players and those with slower arm speeds. The Monarch also makes a great roller disc. This disc is much like a faster Roadrunner with more glide. The Monarch is the first 10 speed disc in to be available in weights below 160 grams in champion plastic.

About INNOVA's Champion Plastic
INNOVA’s Champion Line is produced with a unique plastic that provides outstanding performance and durability. Champion discs are distinguished by a clear or pearlescent plastic. Our Champion Line discs retain original flight characteristics for an extended period of time. Whether used in heavily wooded situations, or on extremely rugged courses, our Champion Line plastic will continue to perform predictably and avoid damage better than any other plastic. Originally designed for professional players, Champion Line discs can handle the increased power of top level players. The Champion Line has recently expanded to include most of our drivers as well as many of our popular disc models in other categories. Many Champion Line discs are now available for custom hot stamping. Certain Champion models are available only through our successful Candy Fundraiser Program.

CHAMPION - 153 to 175 grams

Also available for custom hotstamping in: Champion



Speed - Speed is the ability of the disc to cut through the air. Speed ratings are listed from 1 to 12. For more info on Speed, click here.

Glide - Is the ability to maintain altitude. Higher numbers mean more glide. Rated 1 to 7. For more on Glide, click here.
Turn - Tendency to turn at high speeds. Negative numbers are easier for beginners, rollers, and tailwinds. For more on Turn, click here.
Fade - Every disc will fade off in the same direction if allowed to decelerate. Higher numbers fade more than lower numbers. For more on Fade, click here

Understanding Disc Stability

by Brian Sullivan / DiscLife.com

What does 'stability' mean in terms of disc golf?
Essentially, stability refers to the angle of the disc relative to distance traveled as it slows throughout flight. Don't worry, this isn't a physics lesson. Let's look at some real-world examples.

Stability For the sake of simplicity, let's assume you are a right-handed player, and are using a backhand throwing style:

* If you throw a disc straight and flat, and it continues to remain relatively flat throughout it's flight, then that disc is considered to be stable.
* You throw the next disc flat as well, but it soon careens off to the left. That disc is overstable.
* Finally, you throw a third disc, and it fades off to the right. That disc is understable.

Beyond The Basics
Stability is a relative term -- meaning what is stable for you might be understable for the next person -- because disc stability is highly influenced by the power and snap of the thrower. Most folks might consider the Eagle to be overstable, but touring pro Todd Branch of the Winnicrew has enough power and snap to consider the Eagle to be understable in many situations. Fortunately for the rest of us, the general stability ratings given to discs are geared toward the average disc golfer.

Disc wear can also have a great impact on the stability of a disc. All discs become more understable with use and abuse, some faster than others. If a disc 'wears well,' that means it can take considerable abuse and still retain much of its original stability. The best wearing discs tend to be premium lines such as Innova's Champion Line and Discraft's Elite Pro Line. You pay a little more, but they last longer.

Most disc golfers carry a mix of stability in their bags, since not every throw needs to go straight. A dog-leg left might be better played using an overstable disc, while a dog-leg right might call for understable. The important thing to remember is this: regardless of what disc your friends think is cool, you'll be much happier throwing a disc that is compatible with your throwing style and skill level.

When shopping for drivers, new players should look for discs that are described as stable or understable. As your skill improves and your drivers become more understable, you will begin to discover other discs that will quickly become your new favorites. As you master more and more overstable discs, you will experience one of the great joys of playing disc golf.

Roc up the middle

Every Tuesday throughout the spring and summer, a group of 20 or so Michigan disc golfers gather to compete in the Club Dead Match Play League. In this format, handicapped players are going head to head to earn points for their team on each hole played. That is, if you card a two on the first hole and I card a three, you earn two points for your team. The player with the most points at the end of the round wins the match, and the team with the most match wins are the season champs.

The golden rule of disc golf My teammate this year is Pat Hawks, who many of you might recognize as the player at the upper left of the DiscLife.com homepage. Pat is a good pro disc golfer, certainly a much stronger player than me. He throws farther and putts better. Despite this fact, our scores in the league are often similar.

The match play league shoots at a course that is long and tight, with unforgiving rough on virtually every hole. If you're going to try to throw birdies here, you'll need distance and accuracy.

For years, my strategy on this course has often been to throw a Roc up the middle. When sufficiently broken in, the Roc is an ultra-stable approach disc, and the most important disc in my bag. Whatever angle you throw it on is the angle it will finish on. I choose the Roc here for this reason: driving 450 feet up a 40-foot wide fairway is a risky proposition, whereas throwing two 225-foot shots straight and true is relatively easy. Avoiding bogeys will always increase your chances for success.

Any disc golfer with some experience understands that most players love to throw long. It's human nature to want to out-throw your buddies, and my teammate Pat is no exception. He's got one of the longest arms in the region, and regularly elicits the the 'oohs' and 'aahs' of bystanders as they watch his drives glide 450 feet. Of course, those bystanders will often finish with an 'aww' when a slight miscalculation or timing error results in a drive well off the fairway and into the shule. With every huge birdie crush, a potential bogey waits to pounce.

disc golf photo: Pat Hawks throws for huge distance For reasons of his own, Pat picked a new strategy last week. After watching me throw conservatively time after time, he finally made the decision to put his driver away and reach for his own trusty Roc.

Par. Par. Par.

18 holes later, Pat had shot his way to a -1, the first time in over five years he had thrown under par at this very difficult course (by comparison, his score the previous week was +13). With all of his years of experience, he'd finally applied the golden rule: if you want to win at disc golf, you have to play the course. It's golf, not a distance competition. Wow your friends with lower scores instead of longer drives.

After the record-breaking round, we were discussing the day's match over some beers, and trying to come up with a name for our team. Pat's enthusiastic first suggestion would be our eventual choice: Roc Up The Middle.

Sounds like a winner to me.

Correcting For Low Putts

by Brian Sullivan / DiscLife.com

Putting tips to shave five strokes off your scorecard every round. For many disc golfers, the biggest frustration of the game is losing strokes to low putts. Keeping putts up high enough to hit the chains comes mostly with confidence, but if you're having trouble with too many putts that bounce off the basket, here's a tip that can shave five strokes off your scorecard every round.

Chances are good you've been doing what you've been advised to do by many successful players, and that is to focus on your target - be it a chain link or a spot on the pole - and throw to it. The problem is that you're not giving the disc enough power to hold the line long enough, a result of not wanting to go long in case of a miss. >DOINK<. Putting with a good line but coming up short is always a disappointment.

You could compensate by learning to putt with more power, but there is a better way to get into the chains or keep a bad putt close the basket. What you need, my friend, is a little more loft. Here's how to make it happen.

Regardless of how long the putt is, imagine a bush or other hazard is at the midpoint between you and the basket. It would be about the same height as the basket, and your goal is to pick a spot in space where you could safely throw over the bush and into the basket. Pick the spot directly over the bush that you want to pass through, and then re-focus your attention back to the chain link you want to hit. Keeping the chosen spot in space in the back of your mind, pop your putt to the target.

You'll be amazed at the instant results.

Monday, October 27, 2008

new Innova Boss


This disc is getting rave reviews for huge distance gains.

Classification: Distance Driver
Diameter: 21.2cm
Weight Range: 172 to 175 grams
Brief Description: The Champion Boss is a fast long-range distance driver with stability. Designed for maximum distance off the tee. Great disc choice for sidearm or backhand throwers. Endorsed by 2008 World Champion Dave Feldberg.
Available Plastics: Champion
Best Choice for: Power players. Sidearm throwers. Fast, long distance off the tee.

About the Boss
The Dave Feldberg signature Champion Boss is our first Speed 13 Distance Driver. This is a fast stable driver that can handle full power throws and moderate headwinds. Advanced players and sidearm throwers will appreciate the dependable stability. The Boss has a slight high speed turn to help maximize distance with a predictable fade. Not recommended for players who throw less than 300 feet. Available in Champion plastic from 172 to 175 gm.

Tuesday, October 21, 2008

Played course in Becker MN

Played the course in Becker city park on Sunday Oct. 19th. This is a very good course.
It has a lot of technical holes and a couple of open holes. The course is a par 59 with 1 par 5, 4 par 4's and 13 par 3's. Some good elevation changes and a lot of trees.
There is a substantial amount of walking between several holes. Very good course to work on you accuracy. The par 5 is 830ft.
I will get a map and get some photos up here when I can get back and get some.