Saturday, July 3, 2010

Multi-Tasking

Erin's unplayed original C

Jim's C course

Thank you Erin for updating the MFC blog style. It looks fantastic. I am coming out of my blogging retirement to comment on the boot-leg course activity on the Mendocino Coast. I have just recently embraced Erin and Rick's "B-course" as my favorite. I have fallen victim to the sleepwalking adventure we call "A-course". It has always proven itself challenging in the windy conditions, but the "birdie or die" nature of the course has gotten stale. I must preface the rest of this post by saying that Mendo High is one of the most visually impressive frolf courses anywhere. With white-water views, Point Cabrillo, sunsets and sea stacks one is drawn to the idea of a cross between Torrey Pines and Pebble Beach. The only thing separating us from them is the fact that every hole on the course is within reach of the average player with the exception of 17. With the recent landscaping of the 4 and 9 baskets, the risk/ reward ratio has been made much easier. B-course changes all of that. A good hard won par can vault you up over the competition. A 30 foot birdie chance is something you hope for. I think tougher courses breed better putters. On A, if you have a 20 foot putt, you missed on your drive. On B, if you have a 20 foot putt you nailed your drive. This, to me, is what frolf is all about. On Thursday I had the pleasure of playing the Fort Bragg "back-nine" for the first time. After a tough round of chain-outs, pole-outs and basket-outs, Davey had Matthew and I beat with 10 down or maybe better. Matthew played very well with a 7 and I puttered out with a 2. Things were tight after 9 with 5/3/1, Davey/Matthew/Ryan. The back being played as the front again, Davey lit things up. This is how he beats us all at Fort Bragg. Let it be known that if Davey beats you at Fort Bragg it won't be because he got warmed up and shot all the same holes again. The back nine is tough, long and plenty of left to right. I got decidedly beat by Jeremy again with the theme of my game, chain-out and pole-out your birdies. I love these new holes. They are hard and may keep the scores a little more in check at Fort Bragg. Now I open the blog page and see "Jim's Mendo C-course". What is going on? Have we 4 legitimate courses right here on the coast? I think we should start a club. Call it the MFC or something and play against the MCDGC. Thanks again to Erin and Rick for B, Rusty and Roy for FB back nine and now Jimmers for C. Now for the Epilogue.
We should consider not playing Mendo A for every tourney. It would be exciting to mix up the courses on Sundays but play with the handis. Open season for comment.
Aloha, Pau

11 comments:

  1. I didn't know Erin had a copy of this C course, but excellent work drawing it up E! So here's the straight story on this C course: Erin deserves partial credit. First of all, he printed up a map of the high school and the basket placements, and encouraged me to do a course. Secondly, he did his own new 9-hole C course, which he emailed over with the map, and which I looked at only briefly before I did my 18-holer. What I took away from looking at his was that his layout looked tougher than I would design, but hey, this is gonna be cool to do a new course! So I designed my own, which is what you see above. It turned out that something like 5 holes of the above course were similar to holes on Erin's 9-hole course. 4 of the 5 had somewhat different tee pads but similar fairways and baskets. And my 18th hole, which goes through both sets of uprights, was exactly the same as Erin's #4, although I couldn't see that in the small map Erin sent. The similarities were unintentional on my part, and when Erin pointed them out, it made me wish i had paid closer attention to Erin's course. But when you look at the layout of the baskets, you see there aren't a whole lot of new ways to get naturally around from basket to basket. In any case, Erin is being generous by posting this course and calling it my C course. Really, parts of this C course were in both of our heads. And the most important thing is: Yes, there is a C course!

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  2. Bread,

    I agree with just about everything you said except I shot 12 under on Thursday (I'm busting balls). What is the Fort Bragg course record anyways? Hemulous? The next question is: when are we playing C course?

    daveyd

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  3. Thanks for the post Ryan. With all those illuminating thoughts retirement was premature. I have to agree I'm bored of A course tournaments. An easy quick change is to create OB. Hole 1 fence line is OB. Hole 3 fence line is OB. Hole 7 parking lot is OB. Hole 9 tennis courts are OB. Hole 14 fence line is OB. Parking lot is always OB. This would be more fun/challenging without messing with the handis too much.

    Jim- No worries about the C course layout, but thanks for the clarification. Maybe we could actually play both layouts and create a hybrid that is the most fun?

    Deevader- 12 down on the FB back nine is damn good and is the record.

    If anyone wants to play FB dub's tonight or C course call me.

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  4. I AM IN FOR DISC TONIGHT. I HAVEN'T PLAYED IN A COON'S AGE. AND YES, I INTEND THESE CAPS!!!!!

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  5. Davey seems very strong on wanting FB. Probably based on his last round there. That is fine with me, and we might find a few more players looking to play over there. On the other hand, if someone came out strongly wanting a C course round, I would jump on board, as it's 25 minutes less driving for me. Does anyone else have a vote?

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  6. thursday dubs, ft breezy. im in

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  7. Yeah, 5pm is my understanding. FB it is? Be there, be square.

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  8. By the way, Erin, have you ever lost FB doubles? Curious.

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  9. hes gonna lose tonight if hes not my partner

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