It isn’t often that I get the opportunity to play a new course less than twenty minutes from home! That said, Lamberton, Minnesota, a small town less than fifteen miles to the West of me, installed a nine-hole disc golf course late last year (2017). And it has been on my To Play List ever since. The first time I went over to play the course in Kuhar Park last Fall, a little North of town? The gate for the park and campground was closed…as I am guessing that it must be a seasonal park. And since all the baskets at the park are metal portables? They must have brought said baskets in for the Winter. The second time I went over to play the course this past Spring (2018)? The Spring thaw was finished and minor flood waters had receded, making the park and campground accessible to the public. But no baskets were to be found.
I was going to make sure that my third attempt to play the course was going to be the charm! 🙂 I reached out to the City via the Park’s Facebook page earlier this week, asking if baskets had been re-installed after the Cottonwood River’s Fourth of July flooding. Folks reached out and said the course was indeed playable again, so I ventured over to Lamberton this morning to put the course through its paces.
The course doesn’t have a map, tee signs or any obvious tee areas, so I used my best judgment to determine where I thought those tee areas should be. Four or five short, easy holes, one very long hole (Hole 4), and lots of holes where the Cottonwood River comes into play if you aren’t careful. Gave away deuce opportunities on Holes 5 and 6, but got my deuces on Holes 1, 2, 3 and 8. 23 over nine holes…though a 21 should most-certainly be possible (even necessary) if one is on their game.
Now I can say that I am “less than 200 courses” behind the person who has played the most courses in the history of the sport (1,605 courses and counting). 199 courses is less than 200, right?! 🙂 It’ll take quite a while to get in said player’s vicinity when it comes to total courses played. But I’ll just keep my head down, keep my nose to the grindstone, and play as many as work, weather, health and our account balances at the bank will allow.
Magic Number = 594 (1,406 Courses Played)
About Tonn’s Travels
How it All Got Started: Tonn’s Travels >>
A main purpose of this blog will be to share information, helpful tips and tricks (everything from health and fitness to methods for saving money while you’re out “bagging courses” of your own), and ideas for better, safer course design. But I am also hoping to inspire others with my passion for the sport, via the stories I can share about all of the interesting experiences I have. All of the interesting people I meet. All of the amazing courses I am blessed to have the opportunity to play. If I can inspire even a handful of individuals to get off the couch, get “out of their bubble” or “security blanket” and explore more of this big, beautiful planet we all call home? Then I will consider this effort a success.
About Derek
Derek Tonn is a member of the DGA’s Ambassador Team. His company, Mapformation, LLC, has been DGA’s partner in the development of disc golf tee signage since 2012. The longer our two companies have worked together, and the more Derek has gotten to know all the great folks at DGA the more he has wanted to formally sing the company’s praises. The more he has realized that “Steady” Ed the father of disc golf and the modern day Frisbee vision for the sport and his company perfectly describes his own interests and priorities related to disc golf, and the more Derek has recently been encouraged to share his story.