Katanas Don’t Slice through Trees

Posted by randomtiz

…Only if they could. This month has been compromised of two of the worst rounds of disc golf I’ve ever had. I’ve lost my two best drivers (Katanas) about two weeks ago and almost lost a third this evening. All on the same two holes.

Patience is key in disc golf; I’ve so learned wholeheartedly these past few weeks. After I get off work, I only have a mere hour and a half before sunset. Time is of the essence.

Upon arriving at the course I notice a larger group already on Hole 1. I play fast. It’s not always that a slower group has the courtesy to ask if you’d like to play through. Mistake #1, not asking them first. So, with the sun’s descent ticking, I jump to #13, the back 6–Sequoyah’s “Gauntlet”–to jump ahead. Mistake #2.

First throw, BAM. Blow to near tree less than 30 yards away. Ok, let’s call that practice. Next throw, tree limbs. Roughly same distance but lands on gravel fairway. I’ll have to take that. Bogey that hole. Next hole, teeing off over pond. Par shot threw down to basket 5 ft lower than from where I’m standing. Overshoot, damn, bogey. +2 after 2…awesome.

#15. Super fast drive level drive. Brand-new Katana smashes into tree in middle of fairway. Sure didn’t slice it… Ricochets way off course into deep, marshy ravine. Search Party. Mistake #3, playing solo. I search high and low, through knee-high weeds, spiderwebs, and inches of mosquito-infested mud. I’m not seeing it. It’s brand new. No disc left behind. I keep surveying and replaying my throw from the vantage point of the tee pad, carefully calculating the elevation, spin speed and degree at which it could have possibly ricocheted off. I kept telling myself, “If I find this, I’ll quit. Just let me find it.” After 40 some odd minutes, sweaty, bugs in hair, half soaked shoes…I see it. A glimmer of the yellow neon peaking through the weeds, half buried into the mud halfway out into the marshy creekbed. Holy crap there it was. So I reached for it with a stick, grabbed my gear, and walked away. 2.5 holes. 1 hour later.

-jt

Do you see it?