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Ben Calhoun's Blog (255)

First break, Confederate flags surrounding me, lost disc

I took yesterday off completely, didn't throw one shot, to save the knee. Good thing because it still didn't feel good today.

Clarksburg, WV- Veterans Memorial:This is a relatively nice and short beginner course. Plays up and down a hill, in some woods and some wide open. Has 2 nice small valley holes, and the river is close on a few holes but not a real worry. Good signs, good grass tees, pretty well maintained except for about 3 holes unmown/unmaintained. Very easy for an… Continue

Added by Ben Calhoun on June 11, 2008 at 4:20pm — 2 Comments

Back into VA, briefly

It's hotter then previous, absurdly hot today. At 9:00 it was 94, so the 'early beat the heat round' didn't happen. I probably should have taken a break today now my right knee is hurting worse than before.

Harrisonburg, VA- Westover:This course is very tight, but not 'in the woods'. It's just in a park with lots of planted cedar trees, enough to make really tight holes without bushes and rough. It's very hilly, some holes that are 290' are hard to reach. It's not like… Continue

Added by Ben Calhoun on June 9, 2008 at 4:09pm — No Comments

Paw Paw is a trip!

Worth taking.

Wow this place is intense, two course both tougher than about any course this side of the Mississippi river. Today felt like over 100 degrees, so it was very hard to get through the day.

I played the first round with a guy who often stays there when in the area mountain biking, the second with Spencer and Tony. Shot 71ish on Woodshed, was playing well on front 9 of Whippin' Post, with several long putts and good saves. Had to actually throw backwards toward the tee on… Continue

Added by Ben Calhoun on June 8, 2008 at 9:00pm — 10 Comments

From wide open to the thickest rough on earth

Not to mention my car said it was 101 today, and it felt hotter.

Going to play Paw Paw tomorrow and then maybe take Monday off as it's going to be way hotter than today, dangerously so.

Middletown, MD- Middletown Park:This could easily be the most open course I've ever played, at least the front 9. Hole 1 tees through 3 trees then is wide open, then the rest of the front 9 is basically wide open. Not very hilly. There's a lake that's not in play, a bunch of trees… Continue

Added by Ben Calhoun on June 7, 2008 at 7:00pm — 1 Comment

Seneca, heatwave

It's hotter this weekend than I've ever experienced outside of the desert states, a/c doesn't even help at this point. Love that water bottle.

Arlington, VA- Bluemont:A fairly nice and very old course in a city park, with some hills, a creek and decently maintained. Has 3 sets of cement tees, multiple pin placements and signs. Can be hard to get the deuce from the long tees, but only 1-2 real par 4's.

McLean, VA- McLean Central Park:This course is overgrown,… Continue

Added by Ben Calhoun on June 6, 2008 at 8:12pm — 3 Comments

500+ courses, tornado

So last night a tornado touched down about 500' away and we had no power for 5 hours, pretty much sucked.

Played my (likely) 500th course today, and shot the best round I've ever shot (-16). It's also the shortest course on the planet.

Yesterday:

Baltimore, MD- Goucher College:One of the most biased courses I've ever seen..and not for RHBH. 7 holes of 9 are lefty favored, for sure. Not extreme or anything but very likely designed by a lefty so it can add challenge.… Continue

Added by Ben Calhoun on June 5, 2008 at 9:25pm — 3 Comments

Maryland

Street, MD- Scarboro Hills: Other than being extremely rough on the edges, and on some holes, it's a great course. Medium length, technical. Hilly , grassy and mostly in woods with some into and out of woods holes, and some pure woods. Has insane ivy, easy to lose a disc, some holes on the back 9 tight and blind with overgrowth. Well designed will be great when it gets some more work done. It has rubber tees, several are severely angled but most are nice. Has tee signs, with lengths and… Continue

Added by Ben Calhoun on June 3, 2008 at 7:20pm — 3 Comments

Waking up late, traffic, sand

I woke up at nearly 8:00, was planning to tee-off at 7:00 so I did not get in 6 rounds, not to mention insane traffic (45 minutes wasted) due to a NASCAR event or whatever. I didn't know they did that up north.

Pennsville, NJ- Riverview:A very nice recreational level 9 hole course along a lake, but never getting too close to risk losing a disc without a pretty bad shot. Grassy, open but with enough trees to craft shots on half the holes. Has some decent length, most holes well… Continue

Added by Ben Calhoun on June 2, 2008 at 8:47pm — 5 Comments

South Jersey

Did not get much done today as I did not leave NYC until around 11, and it took well over an hour to get to the first course.

Manalapan, NJ- Manalapan Recreation Center:Very nice beginner course, has signs and is easy to play and is extremely short. 3 holes under 150ft! It circles around a soccer field on the fringe of the park in some nice trees. Most holes are very open, but gaurded pins creating 'tough' shots. Basket #7 was lying on the ground in ruins, behind a fence, why… Continue

Added by Ben Calhoun on June 1, 2008 at 7:30pm — 2 Comments

Jersey

Played in northern Jersey today. Rained a lot. Even the air in NYC is getting to me now.

Liberty Corner, NJ- Harry Dunham:This is a nice city park course, extremely open though. Has dual ashpahlt tees and good signs. Nothing really challenging even from longs, but has length. It has one real nice hole that is more like you'd see on a tourney level course. Nothing rough, well maintained. Not worth stopping by for because of it's easiness and openness, but a good one to have for… Continue

Added by Ben Calhoun on May 31, 2008 at 5:41pm — 3 Comments

Worlds?...?...?...........

I dunno, might not be playing. Not for 215$ not for 20$ mini not for pure donation. Not for k-zoo course in hot wet august heat and slow play looking for discs in thorn bushes all day...

It'd cost easily 500$ to play in terms of travel to it and it makes my other schedule hard to stick to. I want to play every one, but it's hard to look forward to this one. I don't think I will be playing well enough by then to cash, but there's no way to know.

Not gonna register right away..see what… Continue

Added by Ben Calhoun on May 30, 2008 at 10:35pm — 2 Comments

Warwick

Me and Nic went to Warwick first today. Getting out of the city took most of the morning.

Played Campgaw again for the last (3rd) round today.

Warwick, NY- Warwick:

A really great and insanely long course (blue to blue). 4 different setups to choose from. The last few holes are like 700, 800..

Some holes/basket placements are some of the best I've seen, maybe even 1 or 2 of the basket placements make my top 10 favorites of all time. 1 was on a rock cliff, above… Continue

Added by Ben Calhoun on May 30, 2008 at 9:27pm — 7 Comments

New York (City) is a nightmare

I can't believe anyone lives here, or wants to come here..whatever floats your boat.

Yorktown Heights, NY- FDR State Park:

Nice variety of shots, and of terrain. Mix of rubber and mostly dirt, some are rutted. Good signs and scorecards with maps. It begins in tight woods and ends in a semi-open area of grass and pine tree rows, with tons of ivy. Watch for kids smoking in the back holes, hiding behind trees asking if they can throw your frisbees. It is very technical for… Continue

Added by Ben Calhoun on May 29, 2008 at 9:39pm — 6 Comments

Ace, 4.50$ gas

Yeah it's 4.50$ and people still drive around in SUV's gunning the engine. The line outside the station with 4.15$ gas was blocking traffic down the street. I aced #2 at Fairfield U, it was blind and there was construction going on, I didn't know until I walked up the hill and was shocked to see it in the basket.

Southington, CT- Panthorn:Very nice and relatively long thickly wooded holes. Great smoothed out rubber pads and good signage. 7 holes of 9 are basically straight,… Continue

Added by Ben Calhoun on May 28, 2008 at 8:05pm — 9 Comments

Rained out

Big thunderstorm dropped buckets of ran after I checked into my hotel, with possible hail so I am done for the day after just 2 courses.

Tolland, CT- Cross Farms:Very nice and well kept in some flat woods. Has good shot balance and is well designed. Several par 4's. Almost all woods, no big shots to air out. Great gravel pads and great signs. Errant shots are not overly punished, you can usually get up and down for 3 still with a great upshot. Nothing nasty or too rough. Great… Continue

Added by Ben Calhoun on May 27, 2008 at 4:38pm — 6 Comments

Be honest

This is an opportunity to openly talk about my blogs. Say whatever you want, it might get deleted later but not til it's been well read. No swearing, or it's out as per rules of the site. I can take it. Like it or not, tell me. Agree or not, tell me. Don't hide behind a screen like the guy in chat on Memorial Day, that's too childish here is his chance to say who he is.

Understand they are my opinion, not facts, from one round at one time on the course. I have higher than normal standards… Continue

Added by Ben Calhoun on May 26, 2008 at 11:06pm — 19 Comments

Blood suckin parasitic little Tick! and 4$ gas.

Glad I filled up yesterday.

Got my first Tick that was successful today, got him right away hopefully no Lyme disease.

Princeton, MA- Goodnow: This course is not so good, now. It looks like no one has seen it in 15 years, couldn't find many hole, even passed the entire first hole thinking it was just a 3' trail up to the course, but no it was a 3' wide fairway, overgrown and nasty and blind. Signage is colored wood posts, some without number. Mixed baskets, all rusting… Continue

Added by Ben Calhoun on May 26, 2008 at 7:13pm — 2 Comments

Beyond 4 weeks, a new state

It's been over 4 weeks now, hit over 90+ courses.

Today I played doubles at Buffumville with Jeff. We didn't win. Then played back 9 doubles for 0$ with a different Jeff, didn't win or lose, tie.

Charlton, MA- Buffumville Dam:This is mostly a really nice course, with 27 holes, a distinctly separate back 9. Most sign posts still have #'s and lengths, but there's always vandals. The tees are short cement, with a crushed rock run up, they work well. It is about half in… Continue

Added by Ben Calhoun on May 25, 2008 at 7:07pm — 2 Comments

Amesbury, Dan 'O and Maple Hill

Couldn't get online for too long so I didn't get anything up here yesterday. I began with a round at Pleasant Hill Gold Dragon again, with Josh and Kyle, to show me the OB's, it was extremely windy and we all shot in the 60's.

Yesterday I met Dan O at Amesbury Pines park in Amesbury, MA. He was passing by heading home (1,000ft away) and he saw my car and had to stop and talk to me. I joined him and his friends for a round 15 minutes later. He let me camp out in his yard and hooked it up… Continue

Added by Ben Calhoun on May 24, 2008 at 8:54pm — 3 Comments

Enman Field

Thanks for the sweet discs. Maybe I can get all the way to the 19th hole with the CFR Destroyer.

I thought I tied Kyle for the day but now I think I had his score wrong in my head from round #1, possibly beat him by 3 for the day, so he should come to Pleasant to get those strokes back..

Played with Bob, Kyle, Beatz (Beauty only), and Vic?

Brunswick, ME-Enman Field Beauty: This course is easier score wise and skill level wise than the Beast, as you might expect. Lots… Continue

Added by Ben Calhoun on May 22, 2008 at 5:51pm — 2 Comments