Disc golfers take varied flight paths at doubles tourney

By John Burbridge

sports@charlescitypress.com

ROCKFORD — Jeremy Schlader displays the signs of an addict.

Just check out his disc golf bag.

“Yeah, you can say it’s an addiction,” the Rockford man said while acknowledging he normally lugs more than 30 discs specifically designed for putting, driving and mid-range shots.

“But it’s a good addiction.”

Schlader has been an avid disc golfer for 15 years, originally getting hooked while he was a student at the University of Northern Iowa.

“They have a lot of great courses out there,” Schlader said. “I would have probably got into the sport much earlier if there was something like this here when I was growing up.”

Schlader was referring to the Rockford Public Disc Golf Course, a nine-hole course that was built five years ago. On Saturday, the course was the site for the second-annual Rockford Fun Days Disc Golf Clinic and Doubles Tournament.

Presented by Dynamic Discs, which has a calling-card hashtag #growthesport, the free youth clinic preceded the adult tournament. Schlader and several other experienced disc golfers served as the instructors.

“We got a good turnout … more kids are getting involved as well as adults,” Schlader said. “You drive by here and there is someone always playing.”

Teams for the doubles tournament were formed by the draw of playing cards; i.e. if you drew the seven of hearts, you were paired up with the player who drew the seven of diamonds — same number, same color.

The format was best-ball … eh … best-disc, with a shotgun start. Teams completed two circuits.

The course has one major water hazard: the Shell Rock River. It came into play several times on the first hole, which posed multifaceted challenges for the competitors.

There are several small windows from the tee box to the chain-linked-basket hole as a series of trees obstruct most flight paths. Some golfers opted to skip their drives off the parking lot entrance way to attain more manageable approach shots. There was even an attempt to roll the disc toward the hole with an overhand throwing motion.

Ben Janssen, who was the odd man out amid the 14 doubles teams and, thus, formed a one-man team with continual “mulligans” at his disposal, looked as if he solved the first hole challenge. His drive somehow found an opening amid the trees and foliage and appeared — with help from a little curving action — to have a hole-in-one chance. It was one of the best drives of the tournament … until it wasn’t.

The drive didn’t curve as anticipated and the disc sailed into the river.

Winning the tournament was the doubles team of Nick Perry and Spencer Shoafstall, both of Mason City, who shot an eight-under 46.

“It was a little windy out there,” Perry said. “I thought we played okay, but I didn’t think we played well enough to win. I’m surprised that we did.”

Shoafstall was also surprised.

“It was likely mostly because of him,” Shoafstall said of his partner. “I made a couple of putts, but other than that, I thought I could have played better.”

Shoafstall plays regularly, and plans to visit Rockford Public Disc Golf Course again.

“I’m glad they put this in,” Shoafstall said of Rockford’s course, which he never played on before.

Perry, who has been playing disc golf competitively for 10 years, says that he doesn’t hit the “chain” links as often as he has before.

“Getting married and having a kid will do that to you,” he said.

Schlader and Rob Fulk, Rick Palmer and Richard Hernandez, and Bill Orozco and Jamie Hennick all tied for second with five-under 49 scores.

“Team Janssen” finished fifth (50) for the final cash placing.

Proceeds from the tourney’s “Closest to the Pin” challenge were to be used for upgrades for the course. Last year’s challenge helped with the purchase of accessible trash receptacles throughout the course.