Disc Golf World Tour - La Mirada Community Regional Park, La Mirada, CA

It's Thursday, 3/10/16 (Day 67) and I'm driving to the Los Angeles area to watch the first leg of the first International Championship of Disc Golf.

I'm driving in from Barstow, CA where I stayed last night and after stopping at McDonalds for my unsweetened iced tea I'm ready to tackle the LA traffic. 

Oh I remember the days of flying out here for work and this traffic.  Now I am just a tourist taking my time watching all the crazies drive. 

I arrived before the first players toss the first disc.

You can click this link for more information on the world tour.  

http://www.discgolfworldtour.com

Like many of the disc golf courses i go to they are at city parks.  This park has plenty of room for both park goers and disc golf players with only a few places where you need to use caution with throwing.  

I got a couple commemorative discs to share with my oldest son.

This is the practice area for driving.

Practice putting.

They rearranged the whole course for the tournament.  All new signage for the temporary course.

These temporary baskets were brought in and Astro Turf was brought in for tee boxes.

Here is the pile of baskets taken down from original course to be put back up when tournament is complete.

Here is a typical fairway through mature trees.  There are some spots where the trees are marked where you need to go between them to add to challenge.

This is the layout of the course as you would normally find it.

So how do you watch, really watch, a disc golf championship?  Well, this is what I did.

Here is a videographer.  I said to myself this must be a good group of players to have had someone paid to follow and video the play.

So they tee off at the first basket and I become a groupie.

I have my folding camp chair, as they all carry one too.  There is also a league scorer. In the group.  So 4 players, scorer, videographer, one caddy, and me.

I follow the players and just hang back a bit.  After about 5 holes I bet they were wondering who I was, but I was accepted and people started to talk to me but never asked who I was.  Of course I'm taking pictures of lots of play.

I didn't want to be far away watching like other people and not see anything good.

Here is the pro Dave Feldberg in the group of 4 I picked to watch.  He is the one with the star on his back. The guy with him is his caddy.

Their checking out this sloping hill shot.

Dave is good!  Hes sponsor is Latitude 64 discs.

Sorry about the disc dolly but look at this shot.  Dave is on tee driving to the basket.

He takes a running throw and check out his feet.  They are both off the ground.  Now that's putting energy into the throw.

He can throw 400 feet with no problem.

Darn he is good. Darn they are all good.

There were a lot of great putts that went right in the basket.

I don't remember this guys name but his nice straight putt went right in.  He's a good player too.

It's not easy getting these action shots.

Here is another of the foursome.

And the last of the foursome.

He was good but beat himself up too much for his less than perfect shots.  The game can bring out strong emotions.

He would be a great player if he could manage his personal frustrations.

All of the guys were nice to me for being some random old dude hanging around watching them.

When the day was done it was back in traffic and then made the decision to make it a day.

I got a hotel room free with points I have earned from other travel.

My first shower I think since I was in Monterey.  Last year I spent quite a bit on showers every few days.  I found it wasn't necessary as I can fully wash including my hair every day or two and stay plenty clean.

I went to eat at a Mexican Restaurant down the street and this sign was on the wall above my table.

Welcome to CA for such signs.  I never knew that a drink of alcohol gives you cancer.  I'm sure that they could add standing in the sun and a bunch of other things to the list.  Heck, does eating Mexican Food give you an increased chance of cancer.  I did eat reffried beans.

Thanks to my oldest son for the tipoff of this event.  I had thought about staying for Friday's action but rain was headed in.  I also had plans back in Tucson for Saturday.

Brent

macaloney@hotmail.com