Big Mistake - Nine Years Later!

This fellow's name is Richard (Rick) Williams. He came up to me at the 2008 Worlds at the Robert Morris course and reminded me of a story from the first year I played competitive disc golf, in 1999. The disc he is holding in his hand is a key to the story.

I had begun throwing discs around late in the summer of 1998 and enjoyed it so much I decided to get competitive in 1999. Late spring, I heard that there was this big tournament in Rochester, New York. In fact it was the Pro Worlds competition. So I called the PDGA and found out that I could still get in, packed up my three kids and two of their friends, and headed to Rochester for Pro Worlds.

Truth be told, I knew little to nothing about competition, and I think I ended up 44th of 46 competitors—basically just ahead of the walking wounded. One round, Rick and I played on the same card. After the round, I went to lunch, then arrived at the Chili Disc Golf Course for round two of the day. When I told the fellow managing the course my name, he said: "Oh, so you're Terry Calhoun!" It turns out that I had committed a cardinal sin of disc golf by walking away from the morning round with our scorecard in my pocket!

Boy, was I embarassed. And chagrined to discover that each of the people on my card, not just me, was getting two penalty strokes because of my forgetfulness. I quickly seized on a way to get forgiveness, and as each of my card-mates arrived at the second course, I told them to pick out any two discs (get it, two strokes) from the merch and I would buy it for them.

They forgave me. I bought them discs. And Rick is standing there in the picture above holding one of the two I bought for him—his go-to purple putter—which he has had in his bag for the last nine years! (And I hadn't seen him since 1999!)

[Rizbee]

Cool story! One of the great things about the Frisbee Family is the friendliness and thoughtfulness of many of its members. It's great to run into an old friend or acquaintance at an event, just as you did. Here's to many more of the same.

[Kyle Jacob Smalling]

Wow..that was kind of touching

I'd have done the same thing, left with the scorecard and then bought the guys discs

[Jamie 'gr8rocshot' Ruane]

That's a good story. That seems to always happen at a Tourney somehow....somebody forgets to turn in the card and the whole group gets the shaft. The fact that you did what you did to make it right is huge. I was moved by your story and to see that Rick still has one of those discs, again good story Terry.

[John McMullen]

Great story Terry!