Disc Gauntlet Radio
Disc Gauntlet Radio
Zipping Through the Early Spring Season
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This podcast episode is the first half a longer recording. Breaking it down, Chris and Vail share a few of their takes on disc golf happenings and PDGA rules. Next the two spend the rest of the podcast reflecting on the first swing of the 2026 season. They provide a recap of the Flatrock Pro/Am sponsored by Visit North Platte, King of the Mill, Hall County Spring Classic, and the McCook Open. The second half of the recording will drop soon!
I'm still thinking about that steak. It was so good.
SPEAKER_03Yeah, I mean, I'm sure you're thinking about just the steak, but um it was a great. It was a great, great evening. Disc Gauntlet Radio is back for season five. And we're excited to bring you all the news and information regarding Disc Gauntlet, Disc Gauntlet events. Along the way, we'll also share a few opinions about what's going on in the disc golf world. So again, thanks for tuning in. We hope you enjoy. Bale, how are you doing?
SPEAKER_02Doing pretty well, man. We've uh had in the middle of the second week off of no tournaments. Feels a little bit weird because for me, I like you got a little break in there one week, but I went five weeks straight. And so it almost it always feels like I'm doing something wrong when I'm not showing up to a tournament.
SPEAKER_03Yeah, it was a uh early season rush for events, and uh, you know, we we definitely didn't bat a thousand when it came to weather, but you know, we did we did our thing. Um you know who would have thought we'd have uh event with the round canceled, so a shortened event, and then follow up uh with 90 plus degrees in uh middle of March. So it's just one of those things.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, no joke. We had one weekend where somebody could have experienced frostbite, and another weekend where somebody was getting heat exhaustion.
SPEAKER_03Yeah, well, I mean, I'd say only in Nebraska, but there's a few other states that wouldn't fall true um with. So uh we're excited to be back. It's it's been a little while, but like Bail said, we've been uh quite busy and we're on a break. So we thought we'd get a podcast out to you um to share some thoughts about what's going on in disc golf and again kind of talk about a rule or two uh that we encounter or things that come up, you know, um with us and the competition manual, and then we'll highlight our events that we've had and look at what's coming up. So I will say as busy as we've been, I have fallen a little out of the what's happening in the disc golf world, especially the pro tour. Um, about you know, the only thing I really like jumps to mind and I want to talk about is I just had little to no desire to watch post coverage of Jonesboro, and it and I don't know exactly why, but it was just kind of like I know it's a relatively big event, but it's not an official or their plus event, but it's kind of in this weird space. So I but I just I don't know. I don't know. Did you watch any of the coverage or have you tried to?
SPEAKER_02Yeah, I watched um, I think I made it through uh like a round and a half. Uh just kind of a lot of times I'll catch up on the tournament watching it in the background while I'm at work or something like that. But yeah, probably first round and a half before I got busy, and then um, yeah, it was kind of that it was a weird one where I wasn't too concerned to see the end. Uh, especially when you see what the scores were at the end. It's just uh, you know, there's people are kind of joking around of like saying that Gannon's kind of ruining disc golf because uh he's just being pretty dominant when he's on, he's on.
SPEAKER_03Yeah, and I mean that course, I mean, uh, Gannon can play any course, but obviously there's a a tier list of courses where you'd be like, oh these courses, Gannon has a better shot. And Jonesboro is it's not wide open, obviously, but it is open for a bomber, but you also need a little technical, you know, when you're finishing some of those holes. And you know, you can't like the guy, just he's not the the statistically the number one putter on tour, but he always seems like it. Like it it when it comes down to it, it seems like he hits the pus that he needs to. So um, yeah, I didn't watch any of it. I did see I did see that uh Hannah finally got a big win. Um, so that's cool for her. And obviously Ganon doing his thing. Uh, but I was just kind of reflecting and thinking about the event, and I don't know. I am probably in the minority with this, but I would rather deal with the so-called production issues of the live disc golf pro tour, so like the disc golf network. I'd rather deal with that and live in the moment of what's happening in disc golf, um, and and be a part of it, at least witnessing it, versus waiting for the production. And I'll be honest, this is a not a hot take, but definitely a uh minority take. Uh I like Big Germ, I like Yuli, but I just the commentary is not as compelling to me. Like, I just I'm not drawn to watch Jomez post coverage because I just not as interested in the commentary. And I think that's because I'm a pretty big uh go throw fan, and I really like uh Luke Humphreys, and I think he does a fantastic job when he has um tall Paul, you know, with him. I think they do a great job. I think it's just more my my pace and my my would say speed. Um have you watched quite a bit of Go Throw at all?
SPEAKER_02The uh yeah, through the offseason, especially like they're those offseason events that they did. I think I watched probably everything in in New Zealand. Um, and yeah, I mean I think they're they're just only getting better. Um, and I I think it's it's good. They they're not trying to be like a knockoff Jomez, like they understand where they fit, um, and they're just they're staying in that lane, and and I think there's there's plenty of room for them to do so.
SPEAKER_03Yeah, it would be it'd be really interesting to see the business model, like just how all that works for them, because they have to get you know someone to help sponsor, right? They had MVP as they went, you know, outside of the states, right? Um, they were big in helping the uh did they call it the down under tour? Was that what yeah? Yeah, tour down under in New Zealand and Australia, and then they kind of moved around from Mexico to uh um in some other spots. So now they're back in the states with uh Prodigy being a title sponsor, a main sponsor. So I think for me with that, again, I like their commentary. I like seeing new faces, so oftentimes they're going to have regional pros mixed in with you know some of the top names, which is pretty cool. And then there's the I won't say the novelty, but there's the unknown that's kind of exciting of watching oftentimes courses you don't hear about or at least think about as often. And so, like being exposed to some of the courses, and no, some of them are not extremely difficult, like the event I loved watching their event in Mexico. Um, they're shredding it, right? Like the top pros that were there, and you know, they only had a small handful. So I don't know. I I just this past weekend, I Jonesboro's great. Uh I had I played it. Um, I know they've redesigned it, they kind of reordered some of the holes, kind of similar in ways to what they did with um what is it? Uh Eagles Crossing, Eagles Landing. I'm drawing a blank. But but yeah, so that's my uh thoughts or take on uh what's going on in the disc golf world.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, I was right there with you of just kind of not not keeping up on what's going on, like just the you know, we get we get the break, and sometimes when we hit one of our breaks, I just do almost anything but disc golf. Um, and that's where for me it's easier to watch like the Jomez post-produce because uh quite frankly, a lot of times I make it to Monday and I don't even know who won the weekend's tournament. Like I just I'm not even checking the scores or anything. So um I try to I'll try to kind of stay off social media first thing Monday morning and see if I can at least see the first round coverage without knowing anything. Um, and then you know, you have you generally you get a pretty good idea of what's gonna happen after the first round.
SPEAKER_03Yeah, there's there's still something special about disc golf where you can miss the live coverage, you can know the results, but the nature of the sport, you're still interested in watching how it went down. Um, more often than not. Like I you know uh I love sports, I watch quite a few um different pro sports, and I don't ever go back and watch anything like when say full like uh rewatch, but even like big highlight stuff, you know, because the NBA and the NFL and MLB, they'll put out these recaps like the Discall Pro Tour does 20 to 30 minute you know videos of what happened, and I just I don't even watch those. So some about disc golf.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, I would I would agree with that. I don't there's no other sport that I thought, hmm, I'm gonna go back and see what that game was. I could, you know, but I could go back and re-watch the coverage and yeah, I don't I don't know what it is about disc golf that sets it apart in that way.
SPEAKER_03Yeah.
SPEAKER_02So anything else uh disc golf news or happenings that have you've let cross your social media since you try to keep quiet on it or uh no, I don't I don't think anything recently has really jumped out at me. Yeah, nothing nothing that comes to mind.
SPEAKER_03All right. Next, off to the rules and uh I would say competition manual, because sometimes we may have a discussion about something that's not necessarily a rule, but like the setting up of an event uh and some of the uh things that a TD may or may not be able to do and and expectations for an event. So, and reason I'm bringing that up today because that's something that I'm gonna talk about. So, do you want to take the lead with yours first? Or do you want me to go? All right.
SPEAKER_02No, I can I can start. Um so the one that I'll go to is one that through five events this year, we've actually, I think I've had oh, I don't know, three or four conversations about potentially needing to implement this rule. Uh, so this would be in uh as I guess it's technically titled under a misplay. It's 811.f.4. And it would be what would happen if a player is absent uh when they are supposed to start. And so uh you have the teeing order, and obviously each person gets their 30 seconds on the T. If this individual is not there, then you would give them the 30 seconds on the T. Um, and then after that point, according to the rules, they would have been considered to have missed their uh opportunity to play that hole and would receive a score of par plus four. Um, and I think for this one, why I wanted to talk about this is uh there's a common misconception that as long as you showed up um while your group was still on that hole and they hadn't finished yet, uh, people tend to think that they can just play the hole anyways. Um, but that is not the case. Um yeah, and like I said, probably probably three or four conversations already this year of uh making sure that I'm informing the card of someone who's missing or running late of hey, this is this is how we had how we have to handle this.
SPEAKER_03Yeah, it's one of those uh it's one of those things where you're like you in the I would say short vision of it, you're like, well, I'm here and I'm I've gotten to the course and is it really gonna impact the pace of play? Um, and the answer could be yeah, no, right? Like you could catch up and get in throw and whatnot. But I think it's just a good, like you said, having those conversations of not just the rule, but the etiquette of like being there and prepared and ready to roll. Like everyone else has to. And so the expectation that or having an expectation that people would cut you some slack for that, it's like there has to be some precedent for really um structured uh rules. That's what rules are in general. But I'm just saying, like, no, we can't give you a break on that. Like you said, it's you you miss that opportunity. You had your 30 seconds when you were up to T and you weren't there, and we're moving on. So um, yeah.
SPEAKER_02I I think it used to be that as long as you showed up and they're still on the hole that you could play it. And I think that's why there's that common misconception. But I really appreciate you know there's some rule changes that the PDGA makes that I'll admit I don't understand or and sometimes don't even agree with. But as TDs, it's our job to to uphold those rules. But this is one where it's good because it makes it it makes it very easily defined on how to carry out this rule. And uh, you know, you can't argue with hey, you you had your 30 seconds of the T order, you missed your spot. Like I appreciate the clarity in that.
SPEAKER_03Yeah, and it's it's one of those things like I'm not saying if you struggle with it, uh you have to make some significant changes, but there's plenty of disc golfers that will pack their lunch, right? They'll do do the things they need to do, and they won't even leave the course. And it's not a requirement to stay at the course. Obviously, you're gonna go out and get lunch, or if it's a tea time thing, you know, you're gonna maybe get ready in the morning or whatnot, whatever it takes. But um, you know, if it's kind of a struggle for you, like pack it up, bring your lunch, sit and hang out, chill. Uh, there's plenty of disc golfers that just kind of hang out and um shoot the breeze. And Chuck is usually one of them, Chuck and Kathy, and they're a lovely couple to have a conversation with.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, absolutely. I think uh Q would probably tell me to listen to our podcast on that one. Of maybe I should stay at the course because the last tournament I played, uh not just round one, but round two as well. I was literally running to my T as the two-minute warning was happening.
SPEAKER_03Oh, it's like the pot calling the kettle black, huh?
SPEAKER_02Well on one of the rounds I I had uh there was a course that I wasn't super familiar with, and I went to the wrong hole thinking it was a hole that was two holes earlier. So I went to like hole ten when I was supposed to be on hole eight. Um, and it was a heck of a run.
SPEAKER_03So did you do that lighthouse?
SPEAKER_01Yeah. So I was at the top of the hill.
SPEAKER_03Yeah, that's uh I mean it's not the worst, but that is definitely there's no shortcuts there. It's you are going the long way down the hill, and then yeah.
SPEAKER_02I think the only thing that would have been worse is if it was like in reverse. Like I went to hole eight and was supposed to be at hole ten, so like run the field and then have to run up the hill, like definitely, but you know, it was about as bad as it could be. And as a tournament director, that you know, you can't do much more embarrassing things other than not finding a way to be at your hole.
SPEAKER_03Yeah, that that is uh that is fair. So yeah, I I think that's uh it's a good and simple reminder of you know making sure you know the rules, and this is a very uh clear and um clean rule to understand and be ready to roll. So mine is not necessarily rule-based, but I think it's worth having a conversation. We haven't really talked about this on the podcast, and in the podcast, after you know, took a break for a year, but it's been around a few years and we talked quite a bit. Um, but we've been TDs for quite a while, and one thing that we deal with as TDs uh is the refunds and refund policy and how we promote our events and and communicate what our policy is versus what the PDGA allows. And I think there's a a good uh this is a good opportunity to point out that there's a a difference in how some TDs run things, and 99% of the time the TDs are within their rights uh following the PDGA uh competition manual. So I'm gonna just pull it up here. Um we're looking at 1.03 with withdrawals and refunds in the competition manual. And I'm not gonna read through all of them, but I think it is very important to know that there's time frames when you can request a refund and things change with what the PDG allows a TD to do. Um, so for example, we'll go to C um part C with it. Players who officially request to withdraw from an event at least 30 days before the start of the event will receive a hundred percent monetary refund for their entry fee minus up to a ten dollar handle handling fee. And so you gotta understand that that handling fee is something that TDs uh have discretion with. Like we are handling a refund um with the expectation that we would have had a particular like uh competitor in a division or you know, filling the field. And so now with that refund, we can take that ten dollar handling uh fee. But Vail, and you can confirm this, we don't do that. Like as disgauntlet, that is not within the scope of what we do with our refund policy. Correct. So just right off the bat, that's something to keep in mind and note that TDs have that opportunity to pull out that ten dollar handling fee. Uh, do I think it's worth$10, in my opinion? No. Like I it's it's a real simple thing to do. Sometimes it takes us a couple days because we're busy with life and other things, so we don't see the notification right away. Or it gets lost, but um that's one thing that you know TDs can do. Um then after that, when you go to D, we have now this uh day like period. So players who officially request to withdraw from an event 15 to 29 days before the start of the event will receive a hundred percent monetary refund of their entry fee minus up to ten dollar handling fee, only if their spot is filled by a player who's on a wait list um at the time of the withdrawal request. And I think that is a very um clear distinction, is dealing with at the time, so not 10 or 15 days later, but at that moment, if you are going to withdraw, you can get a hundred percent back minus that ten dollar handling fee if a TD takes it, if there's already a wait list in someone that's gonna fill your spot. So I think some competitors I've I've seen kind of post or talk about TDs going, well, this event eventually filled, but I didn't get all my money back. It's like, well, it's the timing of how that worked out, right? And it's not something we see in Nebraska much, but you kind of see that in some bigger areas where filling up happens, but it may happen, you know, a week or two beforehand. So again, I'm not gonna go through all of these, um, just kind of talking about like again, C and D was the first one that kind of give you a time frame. Um, but I'm gonna go ahead and jump to F because I think this is the big one that, you know, as TDs, we deal with, I want to say the hassle or just the hassle, but sometimes the headache of navigating divisions, cards, who's playing with who, uh, and potentially player packs uh and things like that. So F players who request withdrawal within 48 hours of the start of play, or who request withdrawal after the published close of registration. Now, ours, we close registration really late. So we kind of give a little bit of a leeway there. Um, close the registration and the published end of wait list replacements are not entitled to a refund. If a TD fills a player's spot with the player on the wait list at the time of the withdrawal, um after the published close of registration, the published end of wait list replacements, but more than 48 hours prior to the start of play, that player must receive a hundred percent monetary refund. So again, the the second half is important just to say, hey, if you're requesting within the short amount of time, but we have a wait list and we got someone that's gonna fill right in your spot, you're gonna be good to go. But it's that 48 hours two days prior to event. If you ask for a refund and your place is not filled, the TD does not have to give you a refund. And I think that is where we can maybe debate now. I've been kind of throwing out the competition manual, but in my opinion, I think this is a very fair thing for the PDG to put out to try to promote the try to promote a couple things. One, the T D having some sort of financial stability, um, and and consistency with being able to uh run an event, have registrants, and not have to worry about a massive refund. And the biggest example is dealing with weather, right? And we dealt with that. Uh you know, dealing with uh flat rock. Like we went through and had 10 to 12 individuals request refunds at a time where we could have said no. Now, again, that's not our policy because or our view on it, because we you know have careers and we we have a different outlook on what we're trying to do as TDs with it. So, like it's again for us, I wouldn't say it's not a big deal to us. It's just something that we're willing to work with to support the players as much as we can. But like if you're someone that's trying to make a living as a TD, like so you have a shop maybe and you're running tournaments, um that's that's potentially three to five hundred dollars, 10 to 12 people, depending on your entries, that you are all sudden out of. So I don't know what what are your thoughts on that? Like the 48-hour window, like once you get within those two days of the event or after the close of registration, what are your thoughts?
SPEAKER_02Uh, I I would agree with what you said, you know, like uh for a TD who you know they're making their living off of running the tournaments, then uh allowing that to be in there for them uh makes total sense because they've got a lot that's invested in it. Um, and not saying that we all we don't also have a lot invested because we're not making a living off of uh off of running the events, but you know, I I I see it from both sides. Uh as a player, that I mean it's like dang that sucks. Like I'm gonna lose that money. But um, you know, there's a level of being true to your word and what you signed up for saying, you know, you'll be there. Um, but then also the side of just like, man, we like I get it, life happens. Um, and and kind of my view on it is um why I agree with Discountland not charging people uh for refunds is I say just like man, if you if you can be a grown adult that is willing and able to communicate effectively, um then I am going to reward you for that uh by not taking any of your money. Uh because yeah, like uh a refund, it's it's a minor inconvenience. It takes it's just a few clicks of the button. Um is it a bummer? Yeah, absolutely. Because um sometimes that means uh we're just getting a smaller field. Uh sometimes it means I gotta jump through the hoops and making sure I communicate with the person who gets in off of a wait list. Um, and oftentimes uh for us, we'll see some of those refunds, like the ones that are just like a little bit annoying, are the ones where we've already posted whole assignments. You know, we we close registration 8 p.m. on Friday night. So uh we give you, as you said, we give you tons of time uh to to make that decision. Um and we try to get our email out by nine o'clock that has the whole assignments. And I will say one of the more annoying things is 9.05. I get a text or a message or something. It's hey, I need to drop out. I'm like, man, if you could have done this like 30 minutes before, uh, then it wouldn't cause me the hassle of having to go back in and check whole assignments and make sure that by you dropping, you didn't just create a card of two. Um, so I see both sides.
SPEAKER_03Yeah. Um and kind of a side note there, and and I'll elaborate on a couple of things, but I'm pretty sure, like, and it's not a big it's why would we do it? But I'm there's this technical piece where I'm pretty sure that you need to communicate either by phone or via email. So if you were to send us a message through Facebook Messenger, or you would have someone else say, Hey, can you let them know I'm not gonna make it, or whatever the case is, if you're not using one of those two necessarily, then your TD could just be like, Well, I didn't acknowledge it because that's not the official way to uh request a withdrawal. So I think for us, you know, we we handle the personal text or message well, but I think it's the safest thing is to go through email because we are all looking at it. So it's going to have multiple eyes on it. But if you send one person a message through Facebook, which we use that a bit for for communication, um, it may you know get overlooked. So again, I appreciate how you talked about the you know communication piece, like being able to communicate, uh being important, and if someone is willing to do that, um would I personally would appreciate, like I don't, like I said, our policy and what we do is is pretty laxed. I would rather have the person ask for a withdrawal and say, I'm sorry, I'm not gonna be here because the weather sucks. Like I would just rather have that honesty and be like, cool, like I get it. Um you don't want to play in that that weather. And and we have this lacks the refund policy, so enjoy your day inside and we'll brave the elements. Um, instead of like, there's sometimes we get some refund requests, and it's like it's awfully convenient that this comes up at this time, you know. So I I would just appreciate a pure honesty. Hey, it's too hot, too windy, the weather stinks, or I may have had a late night out and I don't know if I'll be able to function in the morning, like whatever it may be. Um, but I think circling back to the reason I I brought it up is because I think it's very important that uh competitors understand that some TDs are going to run things differently. And obviously, we have to, as TDs have the same rules and guidelines for a good chunk of things, the refund policy is treated slightly differently by other individuals and they are within their rights or what the PDGA allows. And all I'll say is like I think that is fair. Like if someone doesn't offer a refund and this is what the PDGA policy is, then that is fair. Like that they are maybe they're not making a living running events, but they're committing their own money to driving to a course, to setting things up, to doing the things that they need to do so that event goes off smooth. So losing two or three individuals and a hundred bucks just takes a big chunk out of what they're trying to do for the entire field. And I think that's important to note too, is like, yes, we've ran events for eight people, 14 people, 20, like in small fields, it's like we're we're not really breaking even. Um we're it it becomes almost a service and something that we enjoy, just the fact that we can be with community, albeit small. Um, but losing three or four people from withdrawals can um hurt that travel expense and hurt that overall cost that is kind of being covered by some of that. So I'm not I wasn't trying to be on a soapbox. Um so for our listeners, I have no desire to change our refund policy and what we do. Um want you to have an opportunity to play our events, but also know that in crunch time something happens. Um you can properly ask for a refund and we'll hook you up.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, absolutely. Like you said, the honesty part of you know, just just say you, you know, I'm afraid of playing in that bad weather. You know, I I'll give you a full refund. I reserve the right to razz you a little bit for it. So, you know, we're talking about flat rock, and you want to pull a Thomas Brandle or a Max Becher and drop from the event because you're afraid of Sunday, and then realize it's uh only Saturday and you sign back up, like absolutely, I'm gonna I'm gonna rouse you for that. But uh uh my favorite is uh when I know you when I know that you often ride with the same person to an event and I see two refunds come in and the one person is like injury, it's like okay, that might be legit.
SPEAKER_01And then the second person also injury, and I just like I laugh every time because that you'd be surprised how often that happens.
SPEAKER_02So we do actually read the notes for uh what your refund is. So uh, I mean, even if you want to have some fun with it, like make us laugh a little bit and put something silly in your refund. I don't care, but you know, you're communicating that you're not gonna be there, and that's the important part to us.
SPEAKER_03And can we give a uh shout out to Chiz? Because I think 90% of the time Chiz just goes, hey, I'm not gonna be able to make it. Keep my money, thanks for what you guys do, you know, or or you know, keep keep me in, or whatever, but yeah, I'm not gonna be able to make it. And so I appreciate Chiz for um being honest sometimes. He's just not gonna make it and thought he would, and and is kind to um pass that money along that often goes to other competitors and whatnot. Absolutely. But you mentioned flat rock, and that's gonna get us into the next part of the podcast that I think it's uh important uh to share our events that we've ran so far and highlight our our competitors and we'll try to briefly go through them because we have quite a few uh for this podcast. Um, but at least want to acknowledge all of our division winners. So um I'll at least say Flat Rock, middle March, St. Patty's Day weekend. It's become, even though it's in the third year, it feels like it's it's uh a fiber of who we are and and what we do with Disc Gauntlet. So out in North Platte, um did you enjoy your time in North Platte for Flat Rock?
SPEAKER_02Oh, yeah, absolutely. I mean, maybe the for me, maybe the best part was the poker party on Saturday night. Uh it was awful nice of most of the guys, except for Dalton, to let me beat them um and and take all their money. Uh so congrats to Dalton Beam for taking down first place at our poker party. But to the rest of you, uh especially uh guys like Curtis Mischau. Try harder.
SPEAKER_03Oh, the street cred. Oh, it must hurt. Um yeah, no, I I enjoy the the poker party as a nice little break. And and this year, it was actually it was, I mean, it's just as fun, but it was cool because we didn't have to get up in the morning to run an event uh to you know run a final round. So we'll get to that in just a second. But yeah, Flat Rock B tier kicking off. Uh thanks Visit North Platte uh for sponsoring the event and helping us out grant-wise to really uh make it enticing for our pros to come out and see what Cody Park has to offer and also River's Edge. Um, so we're grateful for those community partners out west that see the value in disc golf and what we do. Um, I'm gonna try to make this quick. Uh man, supposed to be a three-round tournament, and we were projected to get some pretty gnarly weather on Sunday. Um, we had a competitor uh who was traveling for Wyoming message and be like, hey, uh what's what what are you guys' plans? Like, what's the proper like what are you guys planning on doing pending weather? Because this is what we need to get ready for as we travel and potentially have to travel back into or through. So we we were keeping an eye on the weather, and it was just slowly throughout the week. The wind was going to pick up, and the projected wind for Sunday um was pretty pretty rough. So we called the PDGA uh event support, and it was very simple. He goes, Hey, we have here in our policy dealing with uh you know bad weather, dealing with wind. This is where you should go look at. Let's take a look at where you're at and what the projected wind is. Oh, you're at this advisory level, which I believe was yellow, is okay to play in, which was sustained winds of 15 to 25 miles per hour and gusts of 35 miles per hour, which is a standard Nebraska day. Like we're we're used to that. But our projected um forecast for at least the wind on Sunday was in the orange, which was sustained winds from 25 to 35 miles per hour, I believe, with 50 mile per hour gust. And that's when the gentleman on the event uh support staff was like, uh, yeah, we recommend you do not host or do not have that round. And we just said, well, we're running it on Saturday, and he's like, two-round uh B tier, perfectly fine. Let your competitors know, and then we recommend that if they want a refund that you give them a full refund because of the um change. So Flat Rock turned into a two-round B tier on Saturday.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, I wasn't too mad about that because uh more than likely I was probably gonna end up being the starter on Sunday, and you just the worst thing you can do is just sit in that cold. So I mean, I was ready because I'd brought like my Carhartt bibs about well, and this is this was the thing.
SPEAKER_03We we actually were trying to you know improve the event based upon feedback. So this year was going to be our first year where we split the pools and have them play two different courses on Sunday. So we were doing T Times for Cody Park with A pool and tea times with the B pool at River's Edge. So you and I both would have just been out in the thick of it, you know, handling you know, our little player meetings and getting tea times rolling. So we didn't have that. We'll probably try to keep that idea for next year, but yeah, it was I think a uh really good event. We had great weather. Saturday was honestly beautiful day, and I think there was a uh because of the change, and for the most part, so um, I won't say spirits lifted, but there is a lot of positivity from our competitors going, shoo, we don't have to play Sunday. So um want to go through this because we got a couple more events to talk about. Um, but our division winners want to uh congratulate uh MPO James King. Mr. I don't know if I'm gonna play this event, but I did and I won. So um shout out to James King shooting that 16 down between the two rounds. Uh Maria Silva taking down FBO, um traveling all the way out. So um that's awesome. We had you know eastern Nebraska come out and represent, and Colorado and Wyoming, Kansas as well. So it's pretty sweet. Uh MP40 local North Platte did quite well for you know the um flat rock this year. Uh Tyler Felton uh taking it down in a playoff uh with Zach Meeker, one of our Wyoming uh competitors. So shout out to Tyler Felton and then another North Platte. Local James Reed, MP50, three-time flat rock champ. I think he's he's gonna hold on to that. If there's one event that he is going to absolutely try to win every single year, I think it's gonna be flat rock since he's got this streak going.
SPEAKER_01Mm-hmm.
SPEAKER_03And then Vale had the fun uh uh award ceremony with with James. I got caught in a moment, but it was it was fun. You were hyped, yeah. Everyone, everyone was feeling it. It was it was uh good vibes.
SPEAKER_02That might have been the most hype I've ever done a award ceremony.
SPEAKER_03Um so up next, MA1, another North Platte cat, Ethan Sharp. But we need to pause for a second because Ethan decided to shoot like the local all-star pro at the home course at Cody Park. He he had that of he had that round that every individual wants at their home course for a tournament. So kudos to him. A 1033 rated round. Absolutely smashed it. So congrats to Ethan, MA40, nether North Platte cat, Braden Robards, MA50. I'm about getting tired of saying North Platte, but another North Platte uh guy with Jeff Griffin taking it down. MA2 guy moving on up. Bale's been uh a witness to the journey. So Tanner Hughes. I was gonna let you give your little plug to to Mr. Hughes.
SPEAKER_02Oh heck yeah. I mean super great dude. Uh really supportive of us, so I appreciate that. Um, but then just is is so consistent to to get out there and be practicing to to make the improvement. Uh he's a bit of a road dog too. So um, you know, it it pays to put the miles in.
SPEAKER_03Yeah, so uh congrats, Tanner. I think that's the first MA2 win uh in the books. I know he's got some MA3, I believe. So at least I think from socials that's what I saw. If I'm wrong, Tanner, I'm sorry. Regardless, congrats. Um, MA3, Corbin Clark, FA3, Gillian Sneed, are I think our final uh North Platte competitor and MA4 Chase Order. Um uh and his brother as well, Cole came in second. Um, I listened to those two talk. Uh that is a hilarious uh brother combo, I will say. Um, so it's awesome that they discolved together. Um, but uh Chase is gonna get that uh razzing of move on up because he uh he won by 11 strokes uh for that event. So Chase, congrats. Uh we'll see you in MA3 more than likely next time. But before we move on, I just want to give a quick um thank you to the North Plaque community, uh, especially the disc golfers. Um obviously quite a few of them showed up and played and were able to take down their respective division, but they always come out and help uh set up the course, break it down, um, and and just embrace that community piece of gathering and um having those fun and positive conversations. So all the North Platte cats, thank you very much for what you do for disc golf, not just in North Platte, but all the traveling you do as well coming out east.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, absolutely. One of the best parts of uh North Platte tournament, especially a long weekend like that, is there's rarely a time uh that we are by ourselves at the course. If we're there, the crew's there. And so always always appreciate it. We feel extremely welcomed in North Platte, and uh it makes it a heck of a lot better to make the drive out there.
SPEAKER_03All right. So we had our gale force winds on Sunday, but they were basically pushing us back east, so pulling the trailers were it was not the worst. It was a little cross, but not bad. It was I think we were both scared for Sunday driving back, but uh we we got lucky there. So we had those wins on Sunday pushing us back, and then all of a sudden, come the next weekend, we're in Carnia Cotton Mill for record highs, not not just a hot day for the year, but literally record highs for the entire history of us keeping records for weather in the middle of March. Like I was not ready for those those temps on Saturday. So out in Cotton Mill, um, 90 plus degrees, king of the mill, number five. We had some repeat winners coming out and uh looking to defend their crown or or become three-time champs, and Blaine Anderson did it, was able to take it down with a blistering first round, uh, shot a 52, so another thousand rated round. So we've first couple events, we've got guys shooting thousand-plus rated rounds, uh, and he was able to hold off Fletcher. Those two were both two-time champs. So Blaine is now a three-time King of the Mill champ. FPO, Emma Art coming out, flexing, uh, showing her skills. MP40. We had Dom. We had a Dom sighting from Lincoln. Always a pleasure to have Dom out. And and obviously, not just the fact that he's an OG, but he's like arguably the best 40-plus year old disc golfer in the state and can beat most of the young cats himself. So um he won by seven strokes. So and what what did he say that he he hadn't been out there for how long?
SPEAKER_02Well, I think he couldn't remember how long it had been.
SPEAKER_03Yeah, yeah. Okay. I was trying, I remember he had a conversation. He's like, Yeah, I don't, yeah, I don't remember the last time I've been out here. So yeah, just casually shooting a seven down and winning by seven strokes. So shout out to Dom. Uh MA1 holding the uh fourth down for Carney. Uh Cody Headley, um, kind of bummed out. He barely missed in flat rock for that B tier win, but uh took down MA1 uh in convincing fashion. Uh we had Gipsy Katie Erickson coming out of North Platte, taking FA1. Chad Anderson, another Carney local taking MA50, and that MA50 was the most exciting uh division of the day. Three individuals all separated by one stroke playoff between Chad and Chris, and Chad was able to take it down. You walked that. Was it one one hole playoff?
SPEAKER_02It was. Yeah, just one hole. It was uh Chad basically parked it, and uh Chris Chris did not park that one. He had to he would have had to throw in from like 150 feet to push to the next next playoff hole, which was possible because I I believe he he had said um at some point during that round he had like a hundred-150 foot throw-in. So they knew it was possible, but just didn't quite come through.
SPEAKER_03So congrats to Chad. Uh MA2, Cole McAllister, um taking it down. MA3 was Thomas Anderson. Uh he's relative local to the Carney area. I mean, out of Ravenna, but um, I know plays Kearney a bit, so he's able to take it down there. And then MA4, Nathan Badberg, and finally our other Carney cap, Corbin Hillian, uh went in. And and and I gotta respect Corbin. Uh we we finished or they finished the first round and it's hot, and he's sitting around and just kind of hanging out. And I don't know, we were talking and maybe about his score or some of his shots, and he goes, Yeah, I'd rather shoot the long pads, I'd rather throw from the long pads. It's like all right, I appreciate that uh um competitiveness because that's what he's used to. But you know, they have multiple pads at Cotton Mill, and we kind of broke up the pools with different T-pads. So uh shout out to Corbin for you know wanting to take on the the long pads. So next time, MA2, buddy. All right, okay, two events down, two more to go. Doing our best to move on through. I'm gonna let you take Hall County away, even though it's the local course. I had a jet and take off. So Vale was the lone TD maestro for most of the day.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, I gotta pull up the results because I actually wasn't ready for that. He threw me for a wild curveball.
SPEAKER_03Yeah, well, it might have been uh it was a wild pitch, like it was one that swung, it kind of just went flying by your head and stared me down.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, that's right. What I will say, uh Hall County was a great reminder of uh how the ace pot works. So uh if you hit an ace and you didn't buy into the ace pot, you don't get the ace fund. So, you know, there's a certain guy who um I'll leave him unknown for now because uh I'm sure most of the people, in fact, his car said we his car ride said, Oh, we'll make sure that he he doesn't live that down. But uh, you know, had he bought had he spent the five dollars to get into the ace fund, uh he would have paid for the ace funds, ace fund entries for the rest of his life at all tournaments. Um so let that be your reminder. Uh spend the money because uh when you do the things you don't think you can do, it pays off big. So uh jumping into our results for Hall County. Uh, also want to give a shout out to the guys who helped us tear down the course. We uh uh ran the event and then afterwards we did a random draw doubles, and I think we had like 21 guys stick around to play doubles after the event, which was just crazy because it was a last-minute throwing together thing. So uh taking down MPO, uh we have Dylan Brogren uh with a six-stroke victory there. MP40. Uh we've got Jacob Wahlberg uh crushing it as well. Uh so he's another one of those guys who he's he's gonna be trying to compete with Dom as far as uh guys who have the highest potential in the MP40 division. MP55, Chuck Woo Francis in MA1, uh Cody Headley popping back up to the top. In MA40, Dan Liso in MA2, a rare sighting, but when he shows up, he tends to pop towards the top of MA2. That is Alex Dotti. In MA3, we had Jacob Forson.
SPEAKER_03Sorry, yeah, I I gotta because that it is like something, it's like it's coming out of hibernation. It's like the wild the the spotting of Alex Dotty coming out of because you know, Mr. Professional or semi-professional cornhole uh player, like it's like, oh, he's coming out disc golf. Oh, he hasn't missed a beat because he cannot miss a putt. Like yeah, shout out to Dotty, but uh I'm quite jealous that you can just do that. Just all right, I'll go play.
SPEAKER_02Yeah. Well, if you build your uh if you build your cornhole game right, then the tossing of the bag is just like your putter. Uh so on to then MA3 was Jacob Forsberg. And taking down MA4, Preston Larson might be time to move up, buddy. And MJ15, Corbin Killian.
SPEAKER_03Coming coming out, we it was uh pretty cool because of having the two events be in central Nebraska. We saw a lot of individuals play both, and some back to back uh winners. Um Corbin and uh Cody, I believe, were the two back to back um yeah, I had to take off uh a work-related uh event, um, but it was great to hear um the positive feedback, made some changes to the course. Um, just trying to bring something to Grand Island that albeit it's only there a couple weekends out of the year. Um, it's still a kind of a special thing to me. So uh thanks for coming out and playing it and come back uh in November. And so after that, we get our break. Well, kind of, you don't, I do. I'm gonna just slightly rub that in, but I took a break, Vale went up north, bended um, battle at the North Fork. Um, so we had that, and then it was a quick turnaround for McCook and love McCook, McCook special. Uh, it's going to be that one of those special, I won't say top five events, but that one of those five events that you just will always have a memory from. You're always gonna have something happen or or do something, you know. You're laughing. I don't know what you're laughing about, but there's a handful of things they could potentially laugh about. So um out McCook. Um what did you think, Vale? Um, getting things set up and and things rolling.
SPEAKER_02Dude, I think that was the the best setup, like as far as time goes and stress. It was like the best setup we've ever had out there. Um it, you know, it it still takes you three or four hours to build baskets and mark obs and mark t-boxes and uh make sure that the ob notes and everything are correct. But it's a it's a process to get a temp core set up. Um but you know, I don't want to I don't want to brag or anything, but seems like I uh know my way around a tractor.
SPEAKER_03Oh gosh. There, that that city city slicker sitting sitting up on a tractor. That's why I did not ride on the trailer. Now the trailer was falling apart, like it was one of those. I well, I didn't trust the trailer more. I'll I'll be honest. I the trailer uh I had little to no faith in. I had a small amount of faith in you, so yeah, that's better. That's fair.
SPEAKER_02I you know, I understand not trusting that trailer. I I think I did put a new hole in in one of the boards. They're a little they're a little beat.
SPEAKER_03But yeah, I mean McCook opened something that Nick started a few years back after people, you know, True Line, uh, Casey, uh, and others have been running events in McCook um years prior. So we're just happy that we get to help carry that flag for the disc golf community and the McCook community and solid event. I mean, we were we were down in competitors, and some people make made note of that, but I think we had you know the silver lining was is very positive with the competitors we had and how things went Saturday, and then Sunday was the nicest Sunday we've ever had for a two-day McCook event. So um a couple highlights before we get to our division winners. Um, one I want to give uh kind of I hate using the word shoutout all the time, but that's just kind of the easiest thing to use. Maybe I'll just say recognition. I want to recognize uh family, the the Williams, uh well, the three of them um plus uh plus a fourth. Um gosh, why am I drawing a blank on his name now? Gunner. There we go. I was drawing a blank on the name. So the Williams and Gunner um came and checked in on Friday, uh, early check-in, and I was sitting there and talking to him about a variety of things, and some came up, and I was talking to them like they weren't from around here or from around McCook, and it's kind of uh rude of me, a little uh assumptive. And I was just talking about events and whatnot, and um Sarah goes, Oh, yeah, um, we were on the board that helped put the course in. And I was like, Oh, okay, my bad. Um, but she's like, No, uh, yeah, we we're we're we're originally from McCook. I was like, okay. And so had a good conversation with them, and they're great to talk to. Um, Sarah was awesome. Um Jay was was great to talk to, just kind of revisiting McCook and Kelly Park, and but also talking about the disc golf scene in Kansas because they live outside Kansas City. Um, and so their kind of experience versus what we experience and do in Nebraska is kind of pretty cool to talk about. And um, yeah, it was it was great. Um glad they seemed to enjoy their time, but um just a another cool thing about this event, even though they had like a sense of home in McCook, they still came all the way from Missouri. So um, so that that was a highlight being able to get to know them, chat with them, and um have them come out to McCook. How about you?
SPEAKER_02I think when did uh I'm trying to think of when I I I got a little lost because I McCook is one where I really get stuck in uh player check-in, uh making sure I'm getting the player packs out and everything like that. And so um I literally talk to 80% of our field through the day on Friday, and it is it's difficult to keep up with like the individual conversations. Um, but I always love the just like people are so excited to be there for the weekend. Um, and that just it you know, it gets me looking forward to to the weekend. Um, and then you know, was incredible that we didn't have a late start at the golf course, um, which I don't think that's ever happened at any golf course we've ever been set up on where we were actually able to start right away. Um but really for me, probably the highlight's gotta be the steakhouse.
SPEAKER_00Like I'm still thinking about that steak. It was so good.
SPEAKER_03Yeah, I mean, I'm sure you're thinking about just the steak, but um it will it was a great, it was a great, great evening. Um, and having Jake out, we're we're sitting chatting, and you know, we just invite people to uh Uh Zach and Becca came over and uh it was the first time we were there and it was really good. My meal was great. Uh the dessert was great. I think we ordered 17 of them uh somehow just kept growing. But that's kind of the the steakhouse is an example of like uh disc golfers knowing that there needs to be uh concerted effort in building community because it is so small, and the Colorado guys have been doing that for last few years. Um, they've been getting reservations like weeks slash months in advance saying, hey, we're coming this weekend, we need to have a table 16, and so um pretty cool. But yeah, absolutely.
SPEAKER_02So there goes another shout out, as Chris would hate. But the uh the shout out for that, thanks to Charger for putting us onto the steakhouse because uh we heard guys talk about it, but honestly, we just we're usually so spent that we're just like I'm not gonna go do that. But the way it was talked up was like we gotta try it, and uh can confirm we will go back every year as long as time allows.
SPEAKER_03That is yeah, it was solid. And and to all of our listeners who plan on coming out to the McCook Open, more than likely, can't say it's set in stone, but it's a good chance that the event will be April 3rd and April 4th, the first week in April. We had a dial it back a weekend because of Easter weekend. Wanted to respect people that want to be with their families and and celebrate um you know the the holiday, uh, the important festivity. Is that the right word? Am I being am I being polite here?
SPEAKER_01You're yeah, you're very polite.
SPEAKER_03Um, but uh so the Colorado guys asked me, like, hey, when are you guys gonna have the event next year? The reason we want to know is uh we just want to get our Airbnb lined up. Uh we didn't do so hot this year.
SPEAKER_01Oh, the bunker.
SPEAKER_03So so this so this group gets an Airbnb every year, and unfortunately, some of them um booked the bunker out of uh Cambridge. And I'm I'm sorry. Uh I just we did one time and I should have warned people, but I don't want to be rude and put that on our you know disc golf scene. But that is uh it is a bunker. Um, it is a fair uh name slash title.
SPEAKER_02It's I mean basically a shipping container.
SPEAKER_03Yeah, so um yeah, April 3rd, uh, April 4th. That's more than likely the weekend we're looking at. But um uh let's get to our division winners um and roll through this because we still have some events to talk about. It's gonna be a long podcast, so thanks for um sticking with us. But uh kicking it off, MPO 21 people deep, uh the best in Nebraska, some of the best in Colorado, um best in the region. So it was uh cool to see the fact that Nate Metzler absolutely smashed Kelly Park that last round. Um we talked to him afterwards, asked, hey, how did that round feel? And he's like, Oh, I actually felt like it was like a 1075 round. It's like like he was 15 down. Was that the finish? Or 14? It was, I mean, it was just something that we haven't seen there before, at least for our events. So uh Nate was able to come back uh and take the event um with that uh amazing round. So shout out to Nate. Uh FPO Sabrina Donaldson. We got to chat with Sabrina a little bit up by hole six um as she was waiting um and watching her husband play, and we we we chatted a little bit, so it was cool to kind of get a backstory there by having her come out um um to McCook. She's one of those Colorado people that are like, this is our event we come to every year. There will be a handful of events that we will always make it to. Don't change, keep it going. So um I was pretty pretty cool to get those uh positive words um and support. MP40, Zach Meeker. So Zach doing his thing, couldn't quite get the B tier win in Flat Rock, but uh smashed him in uh Emma Cook. So shout out to Zach there. MP50, Blake Needles. I mean, you can talk about the man, just comes out of nowhere, comes out west, puts a whooping on those Colorado guys.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, he's uh man. It's uh I think he uh his appearances are are are few and far enough in between that I forget how good he is. Um, and like the only the only insult to his game is that he's a lefty. But other than that, I mean that's not a guy I'd want to challenge because I'm pretty sure I would lose almost every time.
SPEAKER_03So uh FP50, the one and only Kathy Francis. So we it's just not quite a disc golf, it's not a disc gauntlet event without having Kathy. I think Kathy is one of the staples. I'm not trying to butter you up, Kathy, if you're listening to this. I just cat Chuck and Kathy, it's it's almost synonymous with disgauntlet. So uh shout out to Kathy. MP60, the one and only Vinny. Well, what can you say about Vinny? Vinny, he's he's the guy.
SPEAKER_02Dude's a character. He had me rolling. The best part was he puts his ring on, puts his hand in the air, said put your pinkies in the air.
SPEAKER_01And I just like I didn't see that coming from him. Caught me totally off guard.
SPEAKER_03No, I mean that you think the MP60 would give that away, that you wouldn't expect that, you know. Yeah. Uh MA1, Sam Taylor. So coming out, um, shooting, shooting hot, shooting a thousand plus that third round. So shout out to Sam for taking it down and holding Cody off from uh a B tier win. So Cody's got two uh disgauntlet C tier wins, but those uh B tiers, the elusive uh ring um is kind of holding them back.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, he's uh self-nicknamed the uh B tier silver surfer.
SPEAKER_03That I don't know if I'll remember that, but I I do like it, at least the playfulness. MA40, Mike Davis out of Kansas. Always love seeing uh uh Stephanie and Davis or Stephanie and Mike and whoever's coming from their clan. Um, because they all disc golf. It's a family that disc golfs, which is awesome. So um awesome that they came up and Mike was able to hold off Andy Peters for the win in MA40. FA40 Mrs. Stephanie Martin, the better half of Mike. So Stephanie, it is true 100%. So uh congrats on the FA40 win. MA50, Stuart Grant, FA 50, Sarah Williams, MA65, Kevin Burgess. So this event we had a lot of divisions. I'll be honest with you. Vail was a little worried, tad worried because we ordered rings. And how many did you have extra? One one, so you can't see it, but behind Vale, there's this shelf, and there's this spotlight, and he's got it in a box, and you can tell that he wants this infinity gauntlet, and he's gonna put these rings on, but he about missed out on it, so um ma2 Bryce coming out of Lincoln and taking it down. Um, so Bryce and uh and Trevor and um Caleb and Caleb came to hang out with us. I was tired, I was not feeling anyone's energy at all. It was just a jerk. I was just a jerk, I'll just be honest. But I didn't say anything, I just and they would say something, and I'd just be like, Yeah, I'd I'd give input. The next day they hounded me, like they were like, Oh, yeah, you're annoyed with us, you don't like us. No, I love you guys, but at that moment I didn't like anyone, I didn't even like Vail. Like I was like, I was done, tired, out, and I didn't have that energy. So I'm glad my my negativity on Saturday night didn't rub off, and Bryce was able to um hold off Mason because Mason was in the lead for a good chunk of that uh round and and um took the last few holes for Bryce to send Mason off and win. So shout out to Bryce. FA2, Anna Larson all the way from I think technically Bellevue. I mean, I know she uh it's the Omaha area, right? But I think home base is Bellevue. So thanks for coming out, taking it FA2, MA3, Bourbon Clark. That's a familiar name.
SPEAKER_02I think he's the first person to be a two-time ring winner.
SPEAKER_03Yeah, I think he's gonna have to move on up again very soon. Yeah, well, well, yeah, with those, if he keeps shooting that, those ratings, yeah, gonna force him. FA3, Chloe Williams, and MA4. Uh definitely time to move up, Mr. Preston Larson. We'll call him Preston Move Your Ass Up, Larson. No, he said he would have, but because we had MA4 only be one day, you can make that work, and that way he didn't have to come out on Sunday. So we'll we'll let it slide.
SPEAKER_02That's true. It's tough work when you uh win a disc golf tournament during the day and you got yourself a hot date for the evening, so had to make his way to I think he I think he went from McCook to Crete for uh there was uh there was a dance that he was invited to for uh I think a Done or something like that. So to Crete? I think so.
SPEAKER_01Yeah. I thought it I thought it was Carney.
SPEAKER_02No, I'm pretty sure it was Crete, so he is crazier than I thought.
SPEAKER_03Yeah. But uh yeah, that's I mean, as quick as we can to not I wouldn't say bore you, but to get you through um our our first four events that we ran, and shout out to all our competitors and division winners. And uh here's to 16 to 20 more. Yeah, they just keep getting added. Well, we're gonna take a slight break when we come back. We will have a guest with us who's gonna talk to us about uh some cool things happening uh at you know a gym in the Nebraska disc golf scene and and talk about a couple of our events coming up. So uh stick around, yes, yes.