Updates

Actually been pretty active since early February.  Since Hiestand closed for the Spring mud season, I've been heading up to the northeast side of town to Johnson Park, which has a small six hole course arranged around a beautifully landscaped, fairly open and flat park.  People gripe about the course being too small/short, which I can understand if you are looking for a challenge or you are used to 400-500+ foot fairways. But, Johnson Park really is pretty good at what is was intended to do: introduce new players to disc golf and give people a year 'round venue to practice. My only complaint is that the baskets aren't numbered, so if you've never played there it can be hard to look at the diagram at the tee and interpret what was intended.  I've talked to numerous people who have played the wrong basket from several of the tees.

My main nemesis at Johnson Park--other than my own lack of consistency--has been hole 4, which features a row of spindly, multi-trunked trees (mulberries maybe?) standing like a row of riot police between you and the tee.  After several attempts, however, I've figured this one out:  throwing a LHFH hyzer (or LHBH anhyzer) with a Sidewinder [review to follow] directly at the last tree on the right will find the line between that tree and the one to its left and straight to the green.  I've been landing within 10 feet of the pin since figuring this out.  I played a round with another lefty (thanks BTW for finding my Cheetah) who flicked his shot with a huge hyzer to go over the trees, which worked too.  He ended up with a 30+ foot putt from beyond the basket, so you've got that option, too.  I think I'll keep working on the low hyzer shot so that maybe I can perfect that.  This might be my best chance at an ace for now.

I've been experimenting a lot with my grip.  For backhand, I'm feeling most comfortable with a modified power grip--index and pinkie against the rim, with the middle two fingers fanned. Forehand has far less room for experimentation, it seems, so middle finger in the rim backed up by the index.  Pretty standard.  I'm getting into the 200' range with a step and a decent release, so I'm hopeful that range will continue to improve with practice. 

Alright, enough rambling.  See ya.