Non-profit Incorporation
Since our inception, we have operated in a non-profit manner with all of our income being used for the purposes declared in our mission statement and none for the personal benefit of our members. One of our goals for 2009 has been to officially establish the Aces as a non-profit corporation. I am please to announce that this goal has been accomplished. As a non-profit corporation we better establish ourselves as an organization, plus we are free to operate without the burden of personal liability to our members.
Emerald Isle Update
Because of a few incidents of course abuse by disc golfers at EI, the management there has decided to impose a few special rules. Disc golf can be played only after 4:00 PM and you must be a PDGA member to rent a golf cart. Even though I do not believe the incidents that facilitated these changes involved any San Diego Aces members, please be sensitive to the fact that there is a limited number of places to play disc golf and we must respect and care for the places we do have. This includes educating those who are conducting themselves in ways that may jeopardize existing or future courses.
In unrelated (actually unrelated) news Brendon Wear has resigned from the Board of Directors as the Emerald Isle Course Representative. On behalf of the Aces, I would like to thank Brendon for his service to our club and wish him all the best in the future. Vice President Randy Wylot will be the acting EI Course Rep until a replacement is appointed.
More Disc Golf Courses In 2010?
At last count we were at four courses in San Diego, a couple of temp layouts but nothing else with baskets in the ground. Hard work by certain individuals make it seem possible for that number to grow to as much as seven by the summer of 2010, with two of the three courses being 18 hole possibilities.
San Diego Aces member Ryan Meyer of Escondido, has spent the better part of 2 ½ years on this project and has recently made some headway as he expects to receive a grant from the Escondido Rotary Club that should be sizeable enough to at least get the baskets in the ground in the near future. They are expected to receive naming rights for the course in return. Ryan will be looking to the San Diego Aces for support to get additional funding and volunteer work. It is believed hole sponsorships will be required and he will need help with maintenance after the baskets are installed. The course is slated to be open in less than a year!!!
Most of us are familiar with Montiel Park course representative Allen Risley, one of Team Rizbee and upside down turbo putting fame. What most are not aware of is that the man has a passion for the installation of disc golf courses and has worked tirelessly to get courses put into the ground. He has already made the course at Montiel Park possible, but is currently in the works for two more courses. He has already handled the design and is in the beginning steps of 
installation for a 6 hole beginners course at Sunset Park in San Marcos. Teepads and basket sleeves are already in place, and it will be open in the near future. He is also working on an 18 hole course at Cal State University San Marcos, and has already designed the layout for the course. Monica Watkins, head fundraiser for the project, believes she needs $16,000 for the full installation of the course, and has already raised half of that figure. She hopes to have the money raised by Oct. 5. When she went to the Aces board meeting to see what we could do to help, board members didn’t hesitate to shell out a donation. The main goal of the San Diego Aces is to provide more courses and tournaments for its members to be able to play, and we set an Aces record for expenditures with the $2500 that we donated to help the cause.
We’ll let you know in the near future what’s going on with course development in San Diego County, stay posted. Until then, we ask you as always to let us get the baskets in the ground before you try to play it, and we’ll keep you informed of what you can do to help us get these courses in the ground.
Morley Field Spring Fling
Our annual Amateur championship has once again produced a number of new champions. Kent LaGree leader after the first round held off a group of hard charging power players with heady play and timely putting. Patrick Paramore another first round leader in his division is rapidly developing into a top flight competitive golfer in the upper middle divisions. His course management skills served him well as he pulled off a 1 stroke victory in Ma2.
A tie for first after regulation play created a playoff between Morley’s own Yeti (Joe Obezo) and visiting Brian Newmark saw the interloper vanquish the Yeti’s hopes of his first victory. Although his animated Yeti trot to the podium during the awards ceremony drew one of the bigger belly chuckles of the day. Sean Wilburn sponsor of Kent LaGree pulled off a 1 stroke victory in the entry level category Ma4.
Kayleen Boyle was uncontested in the Advanced women’s category. Kimmy Cottrell finished with a comfortable 9 stroke victory over Fia Martin in the Intermediate women’s. And in another hard fought battle Laurie Stroh came back from a 4 stroke deficit from the first round to nip veteran player Robyn Butler by 1 stroke. Miker Ramos stepping back from open division play this year dominated a surprisingly small field of Am Masters. A nattily dressed Jeff Graham showed that regular practice pays off as he easily handled the 9 player Am Grandmaster field.
I’d like to thank all of our sponsors: Innova, Discraft, Millennium, DGA, NP Trophy, and Billy Richards. Also all of our hole sponsors: Keith Gregori and the Palm Desert Disc Club, Ron Toki and Allstate Ins., Mark Madden and Madcon Construction, Kent LaGree computer Services, Rick Bays disc Graphics, and Mark Wilson Morleyfield.com’s webmaster. A special thanks to James Fisher and the Panera Bread Restaurant for once again providing us with an awesome lunch. Shop staff is a huge help in this tourney behind the scenes keeping every facet of the organization of this event seamless. This years event staff was the biggest and best ever. In addition to the usual staff of my wife Joanne, Jim McDowell, Donny Olow, Dave Devine and myself several other volunteer’s really made a critical difference to the success of this event. Mark Wilson and his daughter Natalie gave up their entire Saturday then Mark went home and was up till 10 p.m. imputing results to the PDGA so players could wake up the next morning and see their player ratings. Greg Olson did the work of a half dozen normal mortals, and Rick Bays who did our artwork on the shirts and discs this year showed up and helped out all afternoon. I hope the players appreciate all their efforts I know I sure do. Good help and good friends make this event a joy to put on. Till next year keep the disc’s nose down and your putts up…
Snapper
San Diego Aces Disc Golf Club 