Goats can Swim!

Luke Christensen accepts the 1st-place trophy.

Braving some of the craziest disc golf weather seen in San Diego in a long time, 64 players came together for the March Goat Hill monthly and all left with stories to tell.  When it was over, Luke Christensen had bested Nick Newton and Carlo Pelg in a sudden-death-by-drowning CTP shot to take 1st place in the open division.  The twenty-one Open players played an interesting Goat Hill layout – all baskets set in their longest placements and teeing off from the blue (back) ball golf tees.  This resulted in a layout well over 13,000 feet that left many long-throwing players grinning but resulted in 4-hour rounds.  Luke, Nick and Carlo finished with scores of 72 and took the three payout spots, with Josh Damron one behind with a 73 (which included a 2 on the 495-foot 11th hole) and Marc Jarvis and A.J. Risley one more stroke back at 74.

The Advanced division saw a solid 1st-place performance by local Trever Patterson, a member of the Goat’s Friday after-work patrol, who carded a 68 in the heavy wind.  Morley favorite Adazm Nash was one shot behind in 2nd with a 69, with 3rd place going to Huntington Beach’s Mike Sheridan.  Trever’s round included a drop-in deuce on hole 11 and an amazingly-easy three on hole 7, while Mike’s highlight was canning a 150ft shot for 3 on 796ft hole 17, with his overstable Pig.  David Dohr and Josh Hesser, both of San Diego, tied for 1st place in Intermediate with a pair of 68’s.  Dave won the CTP playoff in the rain and took the win in the Intermediate division.  Russell Jackson took third with a 70.  Helen Wilson made the trip down from Victorville to win the Ladies’ division, with 9@9 regular Pam Iam taking second place.

But the weather was the star of the show on Sunday.  Players battled steady 10-15 mph winds throughout the event, which gusted at times in the 20-25 mph range.  The first four or five groups were able to play in mostly dry conditions, but most of the field had the pleasure of experiencing near-monsoon level rain for at least part of the back nine.  Those competitors who had finished early sat under the pro shop patio roof, munching on tasty brats and watching the green-yellow-orange bands of rain on the Weather Channel’s mobile phone app.  At multiple points in the deluge, the rain was falling sideways, which didn’t stop some of the Open players from carding amazing scores.  Word is that Goat Hill management has placed an official request with the powers at be for more favorable conditions for the next monthly.  Sign up early for that one, as it’s sure to fill fast.