It has been since the fall of 2006 since I pplayed disc golf with my darlin wife Elisa. She developed a shoulder injury back then that pretty much kept her from playing since that time. She has been doing weights classes for months this year and decided she would give the discs another try. We went down to Borderland State Park in Easton MA for our round on the short course. I can't express enough how great it is that we can do this together. As our marraige matures we have had less and less common activities. She likes to walk and ride bikes, I will walk but prefer to play disc golf and because of my recent back injuries I never ride a bike. While my daughter Joy and I have gotten competitive in the DG world Elisa has been left at home many weekends.
So on this mild day in the 40's we are out together playing a sport I love and having good connection and conversation.
I have a very smooth round not trying to throw too hard because it has been a week or so since I last played. We played through a guy and his six year old boy on hole one. I through a nice slightly to the right drive down the wooed alleyway to within 30 feet of the basket. 30' for me is a rear putt to make and indeed on this occasion I unintensionally laid it up. Elisa who struggles with the game had a six while I scored a 3.
I decided to drive with the Diablo on hole two, a 460 foot open field. Not a wise choice but I always try diffent discs on practice round. The long holes are a garaunteed 6 for Elisa. I through short of 350' but had a very nice second shot with a Medius to have an easy three
I cranked a beast directly to the 310' third hole snaking it through the opening in the trees and landing about 25' behind the basket. The downhill putt I naturally missed so another 3. Elisa because she did not reach the side of the hill ended with a couple throws uphill before settling on a six.
Hole four is a 270' slightly to the right shot with some trees but a lane. Instead of throwing my forhand I through a sidewinder backhand figuring I could turn it over. Unfortunately it was too new and I had a long comebacker to two putt out and take another three. Elisa played ping pong with the trees until she nailed the sixth.
We walked across the fields to hole five, the sun shining and things feeling really good. Elisa was amazed her arm felt so good and I was throwing very smoothly. My tee shot was the best I have ever had on hole 5. A big looping hyzer with a Tsunami that parked two feet from the basket. Elisa also seemed to find a rhythm closing in on her first four of the day with some nice form. I tapped in the two and was very please as I seldom have that score on this hole.
Six is a short 245' with two lanes to the hole. Elisa again threw beatifully and pocketed a three. I hit a tree and then had to make a putt to score my three.
Hole seven is in a field with a gap down to the basket where bushes push in from the left. At 355' it is reachable but an out of bounds garden far to the left is a hazard an overstable disc caould land in. I nailed a middle of the road drive and approach for the easy three, Elisa did fine with a five on what is a long hole for her.
Hole eight is the toughest hole on the course for me. Do you have that hole on your favorite course where 60-80% of the time you struggle because you refuse to play it safe. Well that is what hole eight at borderland is for me. Elisa struggled too but for me it felt like a nightmare. I am sitting -1 at this point and have to make a wooded tee shot over the mando wall. Naturally I was looking for the thread the needle shot to try for a two and nailed the nearest tree. Elisa did the same thing so when we started the re-tee shooting 3 I do the exact same thing. Elisa cleared the wall but far from the hole. She played ping pong in the trees to nail a seven, I shooting five got the shot through but then approached and two putted for an eight.
Hole nine was smooth, as I really tried to leave the bad feeling on hole eight. bagged my three and Elisa got a nice four.
The second half in Borderland is a place you can make up some strokes and that is what I did. Elisa had more tree problems and got a 5 but I had a two shot but got a three.
I launched a beautiful drive on the open field 245 hole 11. Elisa stuggled with a six, but I had a tap in for a two.
Twelve requires hitting a gap in the trees but neither I or Elisa could hit it this day, in fact because I did not and missed a twenty foot putt on my 3rd shot I got a 4. Elisa another six on this super wet fairway
On thirteen and fourteen I had good drives that I turned into birdies while Elisa got it together to get a 5 and 3.
The next three holes were average for me, were threes with steady but not spectacular shooting. Elisa went 5-4-4 looking to have a good round.
The last hole was interesting with me right about my average round 55, although I have been playing under par for about a year now, still there are those over par games. Elisa on the other hand needed to stay under a six to get her best game ever. The hole plays from a grassy lawn into the woods with an alley that bends to the right 230'. Elisa struggled but still managed a 5 for an all time best 89. I through a high shot up over the small trees on the right and parked it for an easy two drop in. Finishing with the 55 I am so used to.
Great day out with the wife!!!!
