San Diego Disc Golf does Social Media
How do you find out about what’s going on in the local disc golf world? Well, this site, obviously. And talking to your friends, for sure. But what else is out there? Here’s a non-exhaustive, incomplete, somewhat biased list of where you can find disc golf info using some of our popular social media tools.
Facebook - Yes, it’s everywhere…Facebook this, Facebook that. I know. But Facebook has some great tools that make communicating about disc golf easier to do. With a Facebook account you can connect to your friends who play disc golf by “friend-ing” them (and even put them in a group, so they don’t infect your other friends), send messages (and now Facebook e-mail), create calendar events, create groups of people you want to communicate with and then you can “Like” (but not “Dislike”) all of these things. You can even create advertisements and target certain groups of people to receive those ads (I’ve been doing that to promote tournaments for a while). Some local disc golf pages from Facebook include ours: San Diego Aces, as well as pages for Kit Carson Park DGC Morley Field and Montiel Park.
Twitter - Do you tweet? Some of us do, and you can add the San Diego Aces to that list. @sandiegoacesdgc is our Twitter name and even if you don’t use Twitter, you’ve probably seen our tweets. That’s because this website allows us to display tweets over in the right margin via a widget, and because the Aces Facebook page can also receive and re-post tweets. That allows us to quickly update both the web page and Facbook page by simply tweeting once. It’s twoo! Other popular disc golf Twitter feeds are @innovadiscgolf, @disc_golf (DGA Discs), @discraftdg and @csusmbdiscgolf (Cal State Monterey Bay, one of the hosts of 2011 Pro Worlds).
Gowalla – What is Gowalla, you ask? Gowalla is a social networking site that uses your smartphone’s GPS location to help you find cool places nearby, and then let you “check in” and leave your electronic mark and comments. Most restaurants, clubs, stores and points of interest have “spots” on Gowalla, and users collect “stamps” for all the places they check in at as well as “pins” that reflect the number of check-ins or types of places they check in at. You can friend other Gowalla users and share with them where you have been and your comments about your stop there. You can even create “trips”, which are collections of Gowalla spots that have a common theme. There are trips that are are sight-seeing excursions, pub crawls and scavenger hunts. And now there’s a Gowalla trip to San Diego disc golf courses.
Discgolfers’r'us – One of the earliest disc golf social media sites – definitely one of the first that was set up specifically as a social media tool. On DG’r'us you can set up a free account with your own home page. There are discussion boards, picture and video uploads and on-site “clubs” that anyone can set up. Home pages are also customizeable – if you know a little html programming you can bring in your own apps and widgets.
And of course, there are other ways of communicating that may not be specifically social media sites, but they have communication tools. PDGA.com is the web site of the Professional Disc Golf Association, and along with their list of upcoming tournaments and their on-line course directory, they host the DISCussion board, a message board that covers a wide varety of disc golf topics. You have to be a PDGA member to post messages, but anyone can read them. You can find a fantastic on-line course directory at dgcoursereview.com, along with course reviews and a message board. This site probably has the best mapping tools for finding disc golf courses. Another site with a full listing of courses is discgolfscene.com. Discgolfscene allows users to set up profiles and post comments for their friends, and also has pages for each course where you can leave comments and pictures. Both dgcoursereview and discgolfscene have tools for tournament directors to list upcoming events at a course, and both have tools for you to input your scores and track how well you play individual courses.
This list is by no means complete. If you know of a web site or smartphone tool that is useful for disc golfers who want to communicate – post a comment!
Aces looking for a Goat Hill Course Rep
The San Diego Aces Disc Golf Club Board will be growing soon…by one seat. With the addition of disc golf baskets at Center City Golf Course at Goat Hill in Oceanside the club is searching for the right person to act as Course Representative for Goat Hill. Applicants for the position must be prepared to communicate regularly with the management at Goat Hill, interface with local disc golfers who play Goat Hill, and attend monthly board meetings of the San Diego Aces (2nd Monday of each month).
Interested parties should contact Aces Club President Ryan Meyer at ramskemeyer@gmail.com. Appointment of a Goat Hill Representative will be discussed at the upcoming Aces Board meeting, Monday, May 9th.
Pro Spring Fling Nearing Capacity
58 players and counting have signed up for the Pro Spring Fling at Kit Carson Park. Spots are limited so sign up now by contacting Mark Verrochi to guarantee yourself a spot in this event. Any remaining spots will be given out on the day of the tournament starting at 7:30 AM on a first come/first serve basis.
Reminder: Trophy only entry fee is $25 flat rate (no discounts apply).
Hole updates:
1. Hole 18 will be in the standard position for the tournament.
2. Hole 13 has a drop zone. If you go OB on tee shot, you must play next
shot from drop zone (with penalty).
During lunch we will be giving away a Mach Lite in a ring of fire along with watching Adazm Nash’s son try to break the world distance record for his age (4 years old). All day, spectators and participants can try to win one of three Mach Lites by throwing at them from 150 feet away. And don’t forget to stick around at the end of the day for a chance to win the grand prize in the raffle, a brand new green coated Mach III portable basket (a $450 prize).
Any questions or to secure a spot in this event, please email mtv@alum.wpi.edu or call 603-986-7314. If reserving a spot, please provide full name, pdga number, division, and if playing trophy only.
See you Sunday!
Spring Fling is just around the corner
The PDGA B-Tier, Steady Ed Tour Event at Morley Field (Ams) and Kit Carson Park (Pros) is coming up soon. Final course preparations are being completed along with the preparation of all the players packs (all entrants will receive players packs).
The Spring Fling is one stop on the Steady Ed Tour
The AM side is packed with players for another year of fun at Morley Field on Saturday, April 16th. Snapper will be giving away lots of schwag to top finishers of all divisions. The lowest combined score for the day will receive a free bid into the Pro event on the next day, Sunday, April 17th (sponsored by the San Diego Aces). Additional details for the AM side of the event can be found at www.morleyfield.com or on the events page on the San Diego Aces website.
The Pro divisions are new to the Spring Fling and registration is still open. AM players that did not get a spot at Morley Field are encouraged to participate in the trophy-only option or enter at the full tournament price for a chance to win a payout in merchandise. The course will be extended in length to provide a challenging tournament par 56 (with the only par fours being Hole 11 and Hole 15). Tournament tee locations will be installed by Saturday afternoon following doubles league on April 9. Doubles league will not occur on April 16. More details for the Pro side of the event can be found on the right side of the screen (the “more information here” link).
SP Hurricane Fundraiser Discs are still available and can be purchased on both days of the event. The cost is $20 each and all funds go toward the
tournament payout and expenses. Discs are white/clear or yellow/clear colored and 173g or 174g weights.
There will also be many other activities available at Kit Carson Park on April 17. Three Mach Lite baskets will be given away in a Hole-in-One contest, one Mach Lite basket in a Ring of Fire, and a Coated Mach III in the raffle along with other amazing prizes donated by Disc Golf Association (DGA) and others. Vendors will also be available all day selling disc golf merchandise. Spread the word, you do not have to participate in the tournament to participate in these activities!
Thank you to all the sponsors, participants, and volunteers for helping us get ready for this tournament. See you at the Spring Fling!
Goat Hill Monthly brings out great golfers…and wind
Center City Golf Course in Oceanside hosted its first disc golf tournament this past Sunday (April 3, 2011), a 2-round battle/party for 61 players from San Diego County and parts north. Philo Brathwaite of Tujunga came down I-5 and walked away with 1st place in the Open division, topping 24 other players in that division with scores of 55 and 54, for a total of 109. Philo’s opening 55 gave him a three shot lead over Chris Brophy and Dan Duron, and his second-round (and tournament course record) 54 gave him a 5-shot victory over Steve Rico and Duron. Kevin Cocks of San Diego won the 22-player Men’s Advanced Amateur division with a 2-round total of 119, a 2-shot advantage over first round leader Mark Verrochi (57), Daniel Lichtman and Kyle LaMontagne. Austen Stringfield of San Marcos carded a total of 135 to win the 9-player Men’s Intermediate Amateur division and Natalie Cook of La Mesa won the 5-player Womn’s division with an impressive 2-round total of 133 (played from the Goat Hill front tees).
The schedule for the event was very optimistic – starting at 12:30 pm and playing 2 rounds of 18 holes. While the lead Open and Women’s groups finished in the dark, most players were able to finish before the sun had gone completely down, and all (OK, most) were happy to have been able to get in 2 rounds of disc golf on the long, hilly Goat Hill layout. Center City Golf staff had a BBQ grill running to sell burgers, hot dogs and brats to players, and 32 San Diego Aces participated in a bag tag melee to add some extra spice. Josh Damron, who tied for 4th in Open walked away with tag #9, partly because of his ace of the 447ft. 18th hole in round 2.
The event was a lot of fun, with many players calling for a re-run next month and in future months. We’ll see if we can make that happen! Full scoreboard of the monthly is available at DiscGolfU.com.
Spring is in the air, and so are discs!
The calendar says it’s Spring. The weather does most days. And the number of discs flying through the air and hitting metal chains definitely confirms it. So if you’re like us, and itching to get out and play some disc golf now that the days are longer, the air is warmer, the grass smells sweeter…what are you to do? Well, here are some ideas:
Go out and play a casual round – Whether you have a set group of friends ready to play or you’re a single, there are more places than ever in San Diego County to play disc golf. 2010 saw the biggest increase in holes to play ever in this area, with the addition of 18-hole courses at Kit Carson Park in Escondido and Cal State San Marcos, along with a 6-hole, kid- and beginner-friendly course at Sunset Park in San Marcos and a 9-hole “urban-style” course circling a new barracks at Camp Pendleton. So far in 2011 we’ve seen the addition of disc golf baskets to the 18-hole Center City Golf Course (aka Goat Hill) in Oceanside, and the San Diego Aces continue to work on developing more places to play disc golf.
Pick up some new plastic to throw – There are more and more options available for places to buy golf discs and equipment. The Morley Field Pro Shop still has arguably the best assortment of discs, bags and apparel, but there are new kids on the block, too. The SDSF Skate Shop near Kit Carson Park has been stocking lots of discs, and the Pro Shop at Goat Hill carries a selection of Innova discs and golf bags. Golf discs have also been spotted for sale at local sporting goods stores, including Sports Authority, Sports Chalet, Dick’s Sporting Goods, Big 5, Play it Again and REI. And some of our local disc golf pros and S.D. Aces Course Reps have been known to have extra discs on hand (new and used) when they show up at our local courses – ask ‘em!
Play in a tournament – If you’re the competitive type there are lots of opportunities to test your skills against other golfers. Here’s a list of some of the upcoming events:
- Goat Hill Monthly: Sunday, April 3rd at noon. 2 rounds of disc golf, including cart to grab bragging rights at this new long layout. The Aces will also hold a bagtag challenge in conjunction with the monthly. Sign up and get more info at: http://www.discgolfunited.com/disc-golf-tournaments/tournament-dashboard.cfm/tourn_id/173
- San Diego Spring Fling: This is actually two separate tournaments on back-to-back days. Saturday April 16th is the amateur event, held at Morley Field. Pre-registration is a must – get more info at MorleyField.com. Sunday, April 17th is the pro event, being held at Kit Carson Park. Pre-registration is available on-line at PDGASignup.com. Amateurs can also play the pro event in a “trophy-only” format. New information on Pro (Kit Carson) event available here.
- Cal State San Marcos Intramural Championships: Are you a student, faculty member or staffer at CSUSM? If you are, you should be playing in this event! Friday afternoon, April 15th is the 1-round student tournament. Faculty and staff play Saturday morning, April 16th, and Saturday afternoon students and faculty/staffers team up for the doubles championship. Entry is a mere $10, and includes a custom-stamped disc. More info available on the Campus Recreation website.
Play in a doubles league – Several of our local courses play host to weekly organized doubles play. The San Diego Aces sponsor doubles at Montiel Park on Mondays at 5pm and at Kit Carson Park on Saturdays at 9am. It costs $5 to play, partners are chosen randomly and there’s a 100% payout. Doubles is also played at Morley Field on Wednesday and Friday afternoons around 5pm. Check out the Morley Doubles Rules before showing up.
Join the Aces – Joining the San Diego Aces is a great way to support disc golf in San Diego County and to get to know more of your disc-golfing neighbors. Your $20 annual membership fee includes a club-stamped disc and a numbered bag tag (which can be used for competitive tag challenges). The Aces are one of the fastest-growing local clubs in the nation, and have been working very hard to develop more places to play disc golf locally and develop a positive culture for disc golf in our area. You can sign up online, or find one of our course representatives at your local course.
So that’s just a few ideas about how you can jump-start your disc golf season. Our sport is a great way for players – younger, older, female, male, beginners, seasoned pros, serious or casual – to enjoy the great outdoors while getting a little exercise. Find a way to get out and play today (and bring someone with you!).
Arctic Blast Hits Mission Bay Ice Bowl
On Feb 27th 73 disc golfers descended on Mission Bay Golf Course to play a round of disc golf under the lights, and for a very good cause, to raise money and food for the San Diego Food Bank. Temperatures recorded at 50 degrees, and at times felt more like 49, which made the event feel like a Southern California ice bowl. After a three-hour round with mulligans and a raffle, the final calculations are as follows: $1040.00 in cash and 250lbs of canned goods for the Food Bank.
Taking first place in the Open field with a hot round of 48 ( no mulligans ), and lighting up the course, Micah Dorius. In the Advanced field, hungry for a win, Kevin Cocks shot an impressive 50. Mark Hawking froze the Intermediate field with a 56, largest division in the event. In the shadows of the competitive Recreational division, Rastin Luna shot a 60 to emerge victorious. First place winners received an ice bowl trophy donated by Big George Spracklen. To view complete results go to pdga.com under tour results.
Ballast Point Brewery donated many raffle items including a starter home brewing kit that was won by Shawn Ludlow. Karl Heuring took home the Innova Traveler Disc Catcher. Again, many thanks to the sponsors of this year’s event; Morley Field, Innova Disc Golf, San Diego Aces Disc Golf Club, PDGA, Escondido Rotary Club Disc Golf Course @ Kit Carson Park, Jeff at the golf course concessions, and Ballast Point Brewery.
Thanks to all those who brought baskets and helped set up the course; Van”Gator”, J. Nichols, Quickdisc, Patrick P, KG, John B, Kool Hand Karl, and Big Ian. Thanks to Kent for taking photos of the event which can be viewed at Morley Facebook site.
Many are wondering if Mission Bay will become a disc golf course? The success of this event, selling out three days in advance, with many more wanting to play, helps in convincing the city that disc golf is a viable sport in our community.
Warm Regards,
Who Fixes It?
Sooner or later, something breaks. It might be a tee sign, chain, or recently, the basket cage on Hole #5 at Montiel Park. So who fixes it? Who makes sure that the course you want to play is in good shape, ready for you to have fun? The answer is different depending on which course we’re talking about.
At Morley Field, Snapper Pierson is the man. Snapper takes responsibility for all of the baskets, tees, tee signs, benches, trash cans, etc. He and his minions are constantly scanning the course, looking for something that needs repairing…or is missing. And it gets fixed – fast. Sun Valley? Mary Jane in the Pro Shop directs her maintenance crew to fix most problems, but sometimes it’s Aces Course Rep. Aaron van Matre who makes sure things are in top shape at Sun Valley.
Up north at Kit Carson Park, maintenance of the course is the responsibility of the Aces, and Aces President Ryan Meyer and Course Rep. Mark Verrochi are constantly keeping their eyes peeled for problems. Many Aces members have also pitched in at KCP to help install new teepads and basket anchors – something appreciated by all of us who play. And Wolfpack signs has been very generous in repairing damaged signs at KCP. Goat Hill hasn’t seen any damage yet, but the crew from Bellows Golf Management and the City of Oceanside have been busy lately installing new baskets on the property and will soon be installing 28 tee pads.
In San Marcos, the load is shared. At Cal State San Marcos, Campus Recreation Director Hugo Lecomte and Aces Course Rep Allen Risley get help from the hard-working (and disc golfing) staff from Facilities Services. The City of San Marcos has done all of the maintenance so far at Sunset Park, like moving basket #5 away from the snake’s head.
And what about the upside-down basket at Montiel? Aces member Josh Lyman was the first person to report the damage to basket #5 – someone had been leaning on the basket (and possibly jumping on it), which led to the cage breaking off of the pole. Course Rep Allen Risley arranged for a replacement cage from Innova, and the repair work was done by Aces members Mike Pearson and George Allee.
So you see, it’s a team effort. Be part of the team – help us keep the courses clean of trash and remind the knuckleheads who do grafitti and damage that the course belongs to all of us, and we want it in great shape for the next person who tees off!
