Navel-In-One (My GF's 1st DG Experience)

…alternate title of this forum discussion is…Jackasses Who Don’t Yell Fore in Time…

My girlfriend has always supported my DG outings, tournaments, practice sessions, etc. She has walked with me while I was playing DG several times and has thrown a few times, but never a full round. She prefers to walk with me when I am playing alone so it is just her and I. It is a good time to talk and strengthen our relationship.

Recently, she has expressed the desire to start playing DG. So yesterday we drove out to a beginner course here in Tulsa (Chandler Park) to play. She got par on the first hole (yea). She put in a 15 foot putt (she has been practicing putting with me for a while now in the back yard on my portable basket). We both were having a good time.

The course was not real crowded, but we did have a few groups ahead of us and behind us. Those behind us were catching us (‘cause she wanted to throw several times to get more practice throwing distance) so, we let the groups catching us play through after we finished the hole. We never did slow down play since we always had a group in front of us and she was quick about throwing her second shot.

The last group to catch us was a couple of high-schoolers who were moving fairly fast (they were only carrying a couple of discs each). We had a group in front of us at hole 6 and had to wait. I did not want to throw into anybody; the hole is only 170 feet or so through a few trees. After finishing hole 6, we starting walking to the 7 tee (which is about a 200 foot walk that is perpendicular to hole 6’s fairway and slightly angles back to the 6 tee…so we were never more than 170 feet away from the 6 tee). We were half way to the 7 tee when we heard FORE from the 6 tee. I looked up immediately and saw a disc about 4 feet off the ground about five feet from us and coming fast…we did not have any time to react, all I could do was say LOOK OUT! She had turned towards the 6 tee when she heard the errant-shot-dude yell. She did not have a chance to get out of the way and the disc hit her square in the stomach…right across the belly button. My reaction was to yell back at the errant-shot-dude; “Yell earlier next time.” She did not yell out in pain and took the hit in stride (at that time). The errant-shot-dude did apologize when he caught up to us (we decided to let them play through at the 7 tee). Well, she welled up from the pain while we were waiting for hole 7 to clear. I asked her if she wanted to go home and she said no, she wanted to finish. I asked her several times while we were making our way back to the parking lot (when she was doubled over in pain) if she wanted to go home and the answer was the same, no. She toughed it out ‘cause I guess the desire in her to play DG is strong. She was a bit mad after a few holes of play and told me that she should have picked up the disc that hit her and kept it. Of course I told here that she couldn’t do that, I guess she just wanted to vent. She made several more pars. I was very proud of her.

Currently, she has a 5 inch long welt across her stomach and is fine (no internal damage). I am not asking anyone on here for advice; I just wanted to share this story about a newbie’s first experience at a full round of DG and to see if anybody else has a bad experience their first time playing DG. I just think that it was real crappy that on her first time to play a full round she had to experience this pain. I know that the young are impatient. I am sure that they wanted to get around us and quickly finish their round. But c’mon, they couldn’t wait another ten seconds to throw?!? We had planned on letting them play through (they had just caught us). I guess I am the one venting now… She has told me that this experience has not soured her on taking up DG; again I am very proud of her. I really enjoy this game and want her to get involved. I am heading to Horseshoe Canyonfest in Jasper, AR to play in the tournament in a few weeks and of course she is going with me.

[Mike Inscho]

Sounds like you have a hell of a girlfriend !! Sorry that had to happen to her on her first visit to the course. I play near NC State and have the same problem. A bunch of noobs that don't know etiquette from a hole in the ground. It's a battle ground out there with flying plastic. Crossing fairways are crazy dangerous. I've had several times where the people off the tee didn't even yell FORE.. I had to hear the sounds of crashing branches near me to duck in time. I've never been hit though. I don't care if there are a group of people .. I'll call him out when they get there disc near me.

[The Lodge]

George, I am proud of you for the way you handled the situation and I am proud of your girlfriend for being such a trooper. In my younger days I probably wouldn't have handled it so graciously. I would have gotten in someone's face and made a pretty strong point about it hoping that someone would get froggie. You did the right thing.

[eric beich]

Unfortunately there are many players lacking in etiquette and common sense. It sounds like the person was apologetic, but I hope you explained about things like checking a hole is clear, perhaps yelling " is hole 7 clear?!" before throwing, and not throwing period if you see someone still finishing a hole.
sounds like you have an awesome girlfriend though.

[John McMullen]

My wife's first tournament was an Ice Bowl a couple years ago. She just wanted to go along with me (but threw her bag in the car), and didn't really dress for the [deep] snow. When she got there she was so energized by the group of players who showed up, and was so excited to play, she asked if she could play too. 18 holds later, in the cold and deep snow ... she was still going and having a blast ... snow soaked and wet up to her knees. Good times!

[stephen b]

maybe a 1st hole sign could state. do not throw if people are in front of you. or something like that. i've found certain courses have more considerate players than others. usually it's the new players that don't understand.

[Zubie]

Your girlfriend is a trooper. Does she have a sister that likes disc golf?? Also i know the pain of the disc. One shot across my forehead with a midrange and a different time with an ultimate frisbee, another shot to me left shoulder with a driver and a shot to my butt with another driver (lucky not all at the same time). Seems like I should stay out of the way, or just look around a bit more.

[Bryce @ Treebangers Disc Golf]

Thats aweome it didnt turn her off the game, thats one tuff disc golf chick!

[skinner]

Bryce aka Hardcore Hyzer said:

Thats aweome it didnt turn her off the game, thats one tuff disc golf chick!

Bruce, I thought for sure that it would in those minutes after she was hit...but she really wants to start playing on a regular basis...and that is just fine with me. :)

...ok here is a little more...I guess I am thinking too much about this incident, but I think it is therapeutic for me to get it out…

My girlfriend just reminded me that the disc that hit her was a Surge (ESP...I think)! Now keep in mind that this hole is less than 170 feet in length! To put in that into perspective, I throw a Zone on this hole (a PandA) right down the middle going for the tunnel through the trees. Now, there is a RHBH skip-hyzer alley on the right side of this fairway around the trees that are located in the middle of the fairway and I seen some people use a high speed disc for that shot. Earlier in the round, I noticed that the high-schooler was throwing RHBH when they were catching up to us. Now he either through a RHFH that didn’t fade (as I stated above, I did not see his drive until it was five feet from us) OR he threw an extremely badly aimed RHBH shot! We were on the left side of the fairway he was driving on, around 100 feet walking away from the basket he was going for…about 170 feet from the tee he was on.

The only reason I posted this “update” is that she just showed me the bruise…I guess I am venting again…a freakin’ Surge was thrown on a hole less than 170 feet in length… …sheesh… …besides, if he was indeed intending to throw a RHFH skip shot, he should have waited until we were at the 7 tee before driving down the left side of that 6 fairway…okay I am done…

[kindofabuzz]

should have took a pic of her stomach and posted it! lol

[skinner]

kindofabuzz said:

should have took a pic of her stomach and posted it! lol

...I tried...she wouldn't let me...I guess I could search the internet for a picture of a women's stomach that has a five inch long, half inch high bruise going right across the navel and post that! :)

[kindofabuzz]

get her when she's asleep.

skinner said:

kindofabuzz said:

should have took a pic of her stomach and posted it! lol

...I tried...she wouldn't let me...I guess I could search the internet for a picture of a women's stomach that has a five inch long, half inch high bruise going right across the navel and post that! :)

[Mike Inscho]

it might be a joke, but getting a shot of her stomach while she's sleeping equals death. posting it..... Not worth the risk dude..... not worth the risk. LOL.