Looking Ahead: Gnomes and Killington

Player	Pinnacle	Sap Bucket X	Black Falls VI	Current Total
Chris Young	90	95.83	52.94	238.77
Jeff Spring	70	41.67	94.12	205.79
Jon Moorer	40	79.17	76.47	195.64
Jonathan Betts	0	100	76.47	176.47
Mike Davies	0	87.5	76.47	163.97
Matt Idol	0	66.67	82.35	149.02
James Beaulieu	90	54.17	0	144.17
Mike Habets	100	41.67	0	141.67
James Sweat	30	62.5	47.06	139.56
Ian Thurston	70	4.17	47.06	121.23

To me, the tournament season seems pretty young.  But, we’ve got three events out of the way with seven to go.  So, I guess the points and the rankings are starting to mean something.  There are still some funky numbers out there, like players in the top six still counting scores of zero.  Things will level out eventually, but being in first place now could still mean something later.

And Circle Three has gotten into the prediction game so it’s time to keep things rolling and look ahead.  By the time of Gnomes Challenge on June 23, there will have been 21 days off since Black Falls VI.  Then 8 days after Gnomes we’ll all head to Killington for the Classic.  By July 1^st, we’ll be halfway through the season.  And then the standings will really mean something. 

Today I’ll break down the current top 10 in Pro Open.  When I list players I’ll also list their scores.  It’ll read: (Pinnacle/Sap Bucket/Black Falls//Current Total). 

1.  Chris Young (90/95.83/52.94/238.77)

Young Bucks on the top of the point series is starting to sound like old news.  And I’m not taking anything away from him, but look what he’s done to us.  We now expect him to be up top this time of year.  So far, Young has recorded two really solid scores and has one throwaway.  I like his chances right now, already grabbing 2 meaningful scores and therefore only needing 3 more good scores.  I still think he needs a 100 in there and getting it sometime in the next two events would really make his opponents scared.  Is the tournament that he’s directing the place to do it?  That kind of thing is a tall order and last year he finished fourth at Gnomes, so I’m not convinced.  Young is the reigning champ at Killington, so we could see big things there.

2.  Jeff Spring (70/41.67/94.12/205.77)

Right this second, Young has the advantage on Jeff Spring.  Where the Bucks has two 90’s, Spring’s only got one.  His score of 41.67 will be a throw away and that leaves him with one other mediocre score.  So he’s got some work to do.  But the time is near.  He too needs a 100 in order to win the division and I think he needs it soon.  In 2011, Spring took 2^nd at Gnomes to out-of-towner Joe Yaskis and was 4^th at Killington.  If we’re still going to see the Year of the Spring prediction come true, then I think Spring is in a must win situation.  At the least, he’s in need of four good scores over the next seven tournaments, and that won’t happen easily. 

 

3.  Jon Moorer (40/79.17/76.47/195.64)

Jon Moorer’s rookie Pro season is off to a solid start.  Overall, I think he’s only rocking two mediocre scores and has a throwaway, but still, he’s sitting in 3^rd place in his first season.  That’s the kind of thing that is going to encourage other players to move up, which is ultimately good for the sport.  But Jon needs to start recording some 90’s if he wants to stay up high in the standings.  Gnomes may be a tough place for him to do it, but I like his odds at Killington.  Not to mention, if he manages to walk out of the next two events with two good scores, he’ll be on very solid ground in the division.

4.  Jonathan Betts (0/100/76.47/176.47)

See, this is where it gets really interesting.  Betts is in 4^th place, but he’s only recorded two scores.  He does have the very elusive, very important 100.  If and when things get tight at the end of the season, then 100’s will separate first and second place.  And Johnny has one of those hundreds.  The 76.47 he holds is a bit mediocre, but it may play as a fifth score if he needs it to.  That means Johnny has seven more tournaments to grab three solid scores (like high 80’s or 90’s) and I think I like those odds.  Not that I’m a betting man, but if I were, I’d be thinking about laying down some Betts.  Maybe a Betts/Young exacta for the season finish.  Or how about a Betts/Young/Spring trifecta?

5.  Mike Davies (0/87.5/76.47/163.97)

Hmm.  No score, solid score, mediocre score.  I’m not sure where that leaves Mike Davies.  I like the 87.5 a lot.  The 76.47 is mediocre, or maybe a little better, so that may help him out.  But I’m not convinced yet.  I think Davies is on the fence here.  Some good scores at the next two events, if he plays them both, and we’ll be talking.  Otherwise, I think Mike is in danger of falling out of the top 10.    

6.  Matt Idol (0/66.67/82.35/149.02)

Earlier this year I thought Matt Idol was going to roll into town and save Vermont from an out-of-state up-and-comer.  Now Idol’s not even winning the side bet with fellow Moretowner and non-shirter Mike Davies.  Idol is always a threat when he plays, but he’s going to have to play a lot and play well to make a run at first place this year.  And I should also point out that Moretown players don’t even believe in the point series, and Davies and Idol aren’t registered in the GMDGC.  So… could they even win if they wanted to?  How does that work?

7.  James Beaulieu (90/54.17/0/144.17)

So James has a solid 90 and two throwaways.  He’s on the hunt for four more good scores over seven events.  That’s definitely not an easy spot to be in.  Especially when the epic battle at the top of the Pro division unfolds.  But James is a resilient guy, and he throws a good disc, so I’m sure he’ll be fine.  I do expect to see him overcome Davies and Idol in the point series after our next two events (if those guys are really even in the point series).

8.  Mike Habets (100/41.67/0/141.67)

Mike Habets is also in a unique position.  Again.  He was ultra-hot at Pinnacle, when he nailed down the first 100 of the season.  His next score is a throw away and he wasn’t available for scoring in the third event.  On one hand, he needs four more good scores this season.  On the other, those four scores can be added to a 100, which could work nicely.  If he were to come back with a vengeance and win at Gnomes or take down Killington, then he’ll be a serious contender in the division.  If he doesn’t break out of the funk we saw at the Sap Bucket, then he may be treading water in a competitive division.  Treading water with a 100, but treading water still. 

9.  James Sweat (30/62.5/47.06/139.56)

I’m always rooting for James Sweat, but he’s not yet banking any scores that matter.  If he’s not dropping the scores that he’s got now, then he won’t finish top 10.  James could be the perfect late season disc golfer, maybe finding his stride as the summer wears on and he gets to go swimming every day.  (He’s a better disc golfer after he’s gone swimming, just so you know).  I’m not counting him out, but making headway in this division will not be easy.  Let’s see what happens with James after two more events.   

10.  Ian Thurston (70/4.17/47.06/121.23)   

Nope.  It’s not a typo.  That score is a 4.17.  I’ve had grade point averages higher than that.  So needless to say, Ian needs four or five very, very good scores to make some of those mistakes go away.  But he starts with a 70, so he’s not totally out of it, he just needs to set the gearshift for the high gear of his soul.  Right now.  And make some putts.  So, what do you say, Mr. Thurston, is Randolph the place for an old school bust out?  A return to form?

---

There you have it.  The current top 10.  Or the current top 8 and 2 guys too cool to register for the point series.  What do you think?  We will see other contenders after our next two events?  Or are we going to see the same names again?

Black Falls VI

Marcus takes the win with Mayone and Betts,
among others, looking on.

The Green Mountain Points Series is somehow off to a three straight tournaments with nice weather streak, after a beautiful, and tumultuous, day in Montgomery, Vermont. Once again GMDGC disc golf saw an out of towner come north to win a tournament. This time it was the very solid, and now legendary Montgomery visitor, Daniel Marcus. He was able to pull off a huge deuce on hole 18 at Black Falls to beat Jeff Spring, who along with Jason Powers led the tournament for most of the day. But, just like NASCAR, the most laps led doesn't always equal winning, and Spring and Powers found that out this weekend.

The day began at the huge, scary Cherry Hill course, which features an open, rolling, long front nine and a steep, wooded, tricky back nine. Only two players got in the 50's on the Cherry Hill round. Powers was 57 and Spring was 59. On a course where scores got into the 80's, with even some Pro's shooting in the 70's, being in the 50's is fantastic.

Players moved down the road to Black Falls for lunch and began gearing up for another tough round, this time on Black Falls Gold to Gold (for many players). Spring tried his best, but could only manage a 58 on the Golds. Daniel Marcus, as he often does in Montgomery, marched his way back, probably only throwing Aviars and Rocs, shooting a 53 on Golds to win another Vermont tournament.

Winner, winner

For the People:

*The point series is getting interesting, with us 30% of the way into the season. Young Bucks still has a hold on Pro Open, with Jeff Spring in second, and newcomer Jon Moorer in third. This Guy is winning AM1, at least for the current time, with Andy Powell and Edwin Bedell in second and third. Enough about that, though, we'll cover the points series later this week.

*George Boone's crew is taking disc golf by storm right now. Who knew that Mr. Boone was raising a whole new crop of outstanding disc golfers right there in the shadow of Burke Mountain? Boone himself won Pro Grandmasters, Travis Keller won last week's AM1 division at the Sap Bucket and this week Nick Soave took AM1 to school with his scores. The Boone Crew is not only rolling deep, but they're also cashing in on their performances. 

*Which leads me to Nick Soave not cashing in at Black Falls VI. Nick shot a very respectable 63 at Cherry Hill and then followed it up with a lights out 53 on the Golds. His 53 tied Daniel Marcus and Jon Moorer for the best round scores of the day on that layout. So, Nick, don't you think its time to move up? And I'm not just saying that because you play in my division right now or because I'm adding the usual Vermont “move up” peer pressure. I'm asking for the best reason of all. You could be winning money in Pro right now. Isn't that a worthwhile reason to move?

*Prediction Follow-up. Predictions suck, I don't know why I make them. In Pro Open, I predicted Spring/Betts/Moorer but hinted at an out of towner taking it. And take it Daniel Marcus did. Spring was second, so that's worth something. Betts and Moorer tied for fifth. In AM1 I said Harris/DeVico/Kaulius. Instead it was Soave/John Mucciarone/Harris. So, I had one close. Overall, my predictions weren't stellar, but better than any others I heard on my drive to Montgomery on Saturday morning.

*Rivalry Watch. Going in to this one, I held a 6-1. We had 5 rivals playing this time around: DeVico, Divoll, McQuade, Powell, and Conroy. McQuade and Powell finished third and fifth on the day, with both of them beating me. I did manage to take down Divoll, DeVico, and Conroy. So far Andy's beaten me twice and McQuade once. On the season, I'm now 9-3 against the rivals. That's a .750 winning percentage, which would put me in the lead in any division in baseball, if you're keeping score at home.

*The final word goes to those amazing people in Montgomery. They really know how to do disc golf and how to put on a good event. So, thanks to all of those wonderful folks up north who continue to put up with our shenanigans.     

Black Falls (and Cherry Hill)

Black Falls is waiting.  Who's ready?

With the quickest possible turnaround between Green Mountain Points Series events, we're quickly rapidly approaching Black Falls VI. Sunday's Sap Bucket X is still fresh in our minds, but players only have six days to rest, recuperate, and practice putting. So, what's going to happen in Montgomery, Vermont this Saturday? Circle Three takes a guess, and with the Point Series so young and things so up in the air right now, it's probably barely more than a guess.

*Pro Open: It's hard to deny that Johnny Betts is in a prime position to cash in this weekend. He's hot off his first Sap Bucket win, which happened to come in his first tournament of the season. Getting another first, a win at his own event would really throw the rest of the division into a tailspin. Earlier this year I questioned if Mr. Betts would play enough tournaments to really be in contention in the division. Two wins in three tournaments would really mean something. Those scores might keep him coming back to play tournaments later in the season, as well.

But, it certainly won't be an easy day for Johnny. Not only does he have a grueling round at Cherry Hill and a round at the now more-difficult Black Falls to contend with, there are a bunch of other players who could make his shot at back-to-back wins much more challenging. I'd expect Matt Idol to play better than he did at the Sap Bucket and he's got a real chance to crush the Golds at Black Falls. Chris Young will certainly be working hard to keep himself atop the division. Jon Moorer is also right in the mix and can go under par at BF. Not to mention, he's capable of stunning scores at Cherry Hill. So, what's it going to be? Will someone slip in from out of town at the last moment to steal it? Or will a Vermonter hold in down in state?

*Pro Open Predictions: Making a call like this makes me question why I ever got into the prediction game. I should just stick to the commentary. But, we're here now, so here's what I think. I'm going with Jeff Spring to win. I still think he's going to emerge as the real contender this season, so maybe Montgomery is the place to start. Plus, Jon Moorer gets his first Pro podium. So, here you go: Spring/Betts/Moorer.

*Am1 is a mess. Edwin Bedell is on top of the division, but he won't be in Montgomery. Justin Kaulius is second, but who knows if he can hang on. Brad Harris wants to capitalize on his solid Sap Bucket finish. Christian Keidel still wants a win. Travis Keller's win at the Sap Bucket was huge, but he's not registered for this one yet. Spencer Weatherholt, Andy Powell, Aaron Moore and Justin DeVico are all up top in the division.

*Am1 Predictions: I hate to admit it, but I'm worried about Brad Harris again. Look for him to be ultra consistent all day long. I'm going with Harris/DeVico/Kaulius. But, I just don't know if any of these guys will really hang on over two very tough rounds. I think Aaron Moore might build off his Sap Bucket finish and spoil the podium for at least one of these three. Guess we'll have to wait and see.

*If you've got some predictions on the divisions I've snubbed, let's hear it. Put your money where your mouth is. Or at least put your words where my website is.

The Sap Bucket X

Sap Bucket X kick-off

On Sunday, May 20, 2012 the Center Chains Disc Golf Course in Waterbury, Vermont hosted the Sap Bucket X. Here are the stats you need to know about. 88 players, 80 degrees, a Green Mountain Points Series record 24 Pro Open players, 18 CTP's, 1 ace, and a keg. Pretty impressive, that's for sure.

Going into the second GMPS event of the year, I thought for sure that the story would be Matt Idol. He was the two-time defending champ and a very late addition to the field. He plays pretty stellar disc golf and features a devastating flick shot. Combine his huge distances and lazer putting and I thought a third straight win was a done deal.

However, Johnny Betts would simply have none of that. I thought Matt Idol had answered the bat signal, but really Johnny Betts took my other piece of advice. 40's win. And he did it. His first round score of 48 put him on a top card of players who all shot in the 40's. Pat Hout's 48 and three scores of 49 by Todd Holmes, Chris Young, and Jeff Spring completed the lead card.

Center Chains, Waterbury, VT

But only Betts could hang in the 40's for round 2. He shot a second stellar score of 49 to finish the day at 97. On the 2^nd round, Pro Chris Young shot a 50, as did AM1 winner Travis Keller, but only Betts managed to shoot in the 40's. Betts held strong both rounds for his first ever Sap Bucket win. And to answer my previous question, it was Mr. Betts who drank from the shot glass.

Pat Hout made his trip south from Canada worthwhile, tying for 2^nd in Pro Open with Reigning Champ Chris Young. Hout shot a 48/51/99 and Young was 49/50/99. It's no surprise Young shot well. I slighted him a little in the Sap Bucket Prediction article, so he had to show me up. Speaking of which, all I heard before the first round was about how I didn't have any love for Todd Holmes and about how great he plays at Waterbury. And, sure enough, he played well right in front of my stupid face and set me straight. Holmes finished the day at 49/53/102, good enough for a 4^th place tie with Mike Davies. This is starting to sound a little like 6 degrees of separation, but Mike Davies also hated the fact that I suggested he might not finish both rounds, and he also played well just to spite me.

Now that we lay it all out like that, I wonder if Johhny Betts was motivated to prove me wrong too. Maybe so, maybe not.

Either way, congratulations to those guys. Six total rounds in the 40's is pretty solid.

 Also, the next time I go to Montgomery, I hope Mr. Betts pours me a nice bourbon on the rocks in that fancy ass glass trophy I helped him get.

And Then:

*There's so much still to talk about. We haven't even touched on the Points Series, AM1, the ladies and those other...cough...cough... Pro divisions. Plus, the Rivalries. And Black Falls is only a few days away. So, where do you want to start?

*Points Series. Chris Young is a little sneaky. He (kind of quietly) tied for 2^nd at Pinnacle and tied for 2^nd at the Sap Bucket. Right now he's in 1^st place in the Points Series. That's right folks, he's officially at it again. He got off to a quick start last year and he's off to another one this year. I'm happy to see James Beaulieau currently in 2^nd, but right now he's about 41 points behind Young. Mike Habets, Jon Moorer and Jeff Spring round out the top 5.

*You have to wonder if Johnny Betts is ready to capitalize on the quick turnaround between the Sap Bucket and his own tournament, Black Falls VI. He's already working with a 100 and maybe winning Black Falls (which would be another first for him) would make for the perfect story.

*Pro Prediction Follow-Up: I picked Idol/Betts/Spring. Betts exceeded my expectations and Idol and Spring both failed me. Circle Three really did start with predictions, but its a hard business. I should just stick to the commentary.

*Am1 had some excitement. The top card after the 1^st round featured Edwin Bedell (52), Matt Cohen (53), Brad Harris (53), Justin Kaulius (53), and Vinnie Samolis (54). I saw Harris shoot a 2^nd roud 52 and figured he had the win in the bag. Instead, one of George Boone's posse, Travis Keller shot an impressive 2^nd round 50 to tie things up. After a two-round play-off, Keller prevailed to keep the trophy in Vermont.

*Am1 Prediction Follow-Up: I picked Tundji/Harris/Powell. Harris hung tough but couldn't quite make it work, so I nailed the prediction on his 2^nd place finish. I think it was too early to predict Tundji, but it happens. Andy... maybe next time?

*I was psyched to see that Chris Sherwin won Pro Masters. If not for any other reason, he got to keep one of his own trophies. That's got to make it extra sweet. John Sudarsky's starting to run away with Pro Grandmasters. Do any of you guys think you're going to give him some competition anytime soon?

*Rivalry Watch: During the Sap Bucket, Jim Conroy approached me and asked me to include him in a rivalry. In my mind, he took out a glove and slapped me in the face when he said it, but in real life it probably wasn't that dramatic. None the less, you know I accepted the challenge. Plus, Seth McQuade wasn't there so I figured that'd keep us at six rivals for this one.

So, how'd it go?, you're probably wondering. It seems that we should only keep track of rivalries during GMPS Events. So, that means I was 6-1 going into the Sap Bucket. I was 53/57/110 on the day. Dave Carter was 55/56/111, so I got him by a stroke. Newcomer Jim Conroy was 59/54/113, so I got him by 3. DeVico was 57/55/112, so I also got him by 3 and Spencer Weatherholt was 60/52/112, so I got him by 2. Andy Powell, the only rival to beat me at Pinnacle, was 61/59/120, so I got a little redemption there. That makes me 12-1 against the rivals, and its safe to say none of you would have predicted that.

*The Final Word this time goes to your Favorite TD. It doesn't have to be Wedel or I, just your favorite TD. They deserve it.

(Thanks to Gretchen Kruesi for the fantastic pictures.)

Sap Bucket: Who drinks from the shot glass?

http://sherwinartglass.com/

We're just about 36 hours from the Sap Bucket X in Waterbury, Vermont. Players will be competing for the usual pride, some cash or prizes, and some super nice blown glass sap bucket shot glasses. So, the question is, who gets to throw one down from his trophy Sunday evening? (And yes, I know some ladies are playing, but we're talking Pros here.)

Two days ago, when I should have written this article, the story was totally different. Then, I was going to tell you that two-time defending champion Matt Idol wasn't playing the Sap Bucket. That, in turn, would have left the field wide open. Instead, I'm lazy, I didn't write that article two days ago, and now Matt Idol's playing. Remember that bat signal I sent him after Pinnacle? It worked. Score another one for Circle Three.

My mental rough draft had to be reworked with Idol in the mix. So, let's talk about the Sap Bucket IX and VIII for a minute. Last year Idol won Pro Open by a stroke on Johnny Betts. Idol was 54/49 for a 103 and Betts was 51/53 for 104. Frothy was 53/53 for 105, for the record. Those numbers may not seem stellar, but I'll remind you that last year's Sap Bucket was a sloppy, wet, disgusting mess of a day. It rained the entire time and things got ugly. Some dummy even fell down on hole 7 and was covered in mud for the whole second round.

At the Sap Bucket VIII, two years ago, Idol and Betts tied at a stunning 95 after two rounds. Idol was 44/51 and Betts was 49/46. On the first playoff hole Betts went OB and gave it to Idol.

And now he's back to defend his two-time win streak. The rest of the field should watch out. This guy taught us what a pitch and putt Center Chains can be. Look for some more stunning scores in the 40's from this guy. The rest of the Pro field should have that on their minds all day. Each of them can be a few under par, but few of them can get in the 40's. In this case, 40's win.

What to watch for:

*Idol's not the only Pro who has a chance, obviously. I expect Betts to play some great disc golf in his quest to finally beat Idol in Waterbury. Mike Habets should shoot low. Pete Hess crushes Center Chains. Chris Young hates the fact I've mentioned 5 Pros before I mentioned him, so expect him to play well. Frothy practically lives there. And, Year of the Spring, of course.

*This year I'm going to pick the Pros “Win/Place/Show” style. I'll give you my top 3. Idol, Betts, Spring. The outsider pick is Jon Moorer. He's goes under par both rounds, I suspect.

*Look for some great Pro/Pro match-ups for the round one cards. Idol gets top slot on the 1^st card, as the reigning champ. He plays on the same card as Spring, because I think that's a great head-to-head. Betts gets the top slot on the 2^nd card, because of two straight 2^nd place finishes. Pete Hess plays with him, to pair up some of the Vermont God Fathers of Disc Golf. Young gets the top slot on the 3^rd card as the reigning points series champ. He's paired with the newly shorn Mike Davies, who could either shoot great or walk off the course mid-round. Either way, it'd be fun to see those two play.

*Dang, there are some amateurs playing this tournament too. With 23 Pros, its hard to remember that people are silly enough not to play for cash. So, the Am 1 field. Last year Josh Wedel won it. He was 51/55 for 106. But, he's playing Pro this year. Two other current Pros Moorer and James Sweat were 2^nd and 3^rd. Jim Conroy was 4^th.  He's the highest finisher still playing in the little boy's division.

*I have about a 10% chance of getting this prediction right. Anything could happen. Bedell and Powell could follow up their strong starts. Aaron Bunker and Justin Kaulius could improve on their 3^rd place Pinnacle finishes. Matt Cohen could pull it together to play straight down the fairways all day. Maybe Oliver Redding will shoot another stellar round this year. An out-of-towner like Brad Harris, maybe? An unknown from Canada or Mass? Who knows? While I'm at it, I'll mention that Olatundji Akpo-Sani could be a player. He's Vermont's newest Colorado transplant and beat 21 other players on a round at Waterbury not too long ago.

*Am 1, win/place/show: Tundji, Harris, Powell. Why not? Let's go out on some limbs here. You know how the out-of-towners who sweep into Vermont tend to play. So, my predictions are trending towards the non-locals or new-locals. And Andy Powell, who plays more out of town than in town. Plus, I didn't want to pick myself.

*Rivalry Watch: I roll into the Sap Bucket with a nice 8-1 cushion. Something tells me this one's going to be tough. All the rivals are there. All can shoot amazing rounds at Center Chains. Weatherholt, Divoll, Powell, Carter, DeVico, McQuade. Those are some strong players to have to be taking on.

*I think we should come up with a nick name for the rival group.  Since the website's called Circle Three, I'm going to suggest the Square Six. What do you think? It might help me remember how many players I have to check on each time.  Any other suggestions?  

The Battle of Twin Falls

The trophy and the falls.

Saturday brought us some great weather and some even better disc golf. Four teams from some of Vermont's finest courses converged on Twin Falls for the second round of the Group Smack Talk Challenge. The original two teams, Twin Falls and BCO, were joined by Team Waterbury and Team North Calais. In the beginning, there was smack talk. In the end, Twin Falls retained the trophy.

This time around the challenge was for stroke play with the top 5 scores of each team counting in each of 2 rounds. The home team, Twin Falls, played with Jon Moorer, James Sweat, Christian Keidel, Sean Bleything, Justin Kaulius, and Matt Cohen. All can be solid players, but there was heated competition. North Calais was represented by Dan Desch, Dave Carter, Aaron Moore, Jeff Spring, Al Rosa, and Josh Rappeport. Waterbury had Dave Frothingham, Anne Lewis, Justin DeVico, Jim Conroy, Steve Viglas, and Pete Hess. BCO brought Tyler Teed, Big B, New Pete, Zach Podhorzer, Matt Marro, and Mike Miller.

After round 1 featuring some very hot scores, Twin Falls and Waterbury were tied. Both teams had 12 strokes on Calais and 15 on BCO. For round 2 the top scores on each team made up the top card, with the second best scores on each team making up the second card, and so on down the line. For the most part, scores on the second round were a little higher for most players. But, I saw Jeff Spring crush a string of birdies to make a 7 stroke improvement on his second go round- from a 61 to a 54.

When all the scores were painstakingly counted, it ended up in a perfect tie. Twin Falls and Waterbury both shot 603 on the day. Calais got really close with a 604 and BCO was a bit off with 620. Like a disc golf tag match, the GST Challenge requires the challenging team to beat the defending team. So, a tie goes to the current trophy holder.

So, instead of an easy day of some outsider team beating Twin Falls, the Saint George-based team stays as the only team to hold the trophy.

Other Things:

*The venerable Pete Hess had the best overall score of the day, with a combined 110 with scores of 54 and 56. Quite respectable for two rounds at the Falls. He was four strokes ahead of Jon Moorer's 114 (54/60). Spring came back to shoot a 115 (61/54) and Dave Frothingham (56/59) shot 115 as well. Justin Kaulius (56/60) shot 116.

*On the day, with 48 rounds of disc golf being shot in all, only 12, or 25% of the total rounds, were in the 50's. Pete Hess and Frothy did it in both rounds. Moorer, Kaulius, Zach, Matt Marro, BCO Pete, DeVico, and Carter each had one round in the 50's.

*Rivalry watch: It's probably too early to call it a trend, but things worked out well. I beat Carter and I beat DeVico. That puts me at 2-0 on the day. I know it's not a GMPS event, but still. That puts me to 8-1 on a very young disc golf season.   

To All the Pros I've Loved Before

That's rich, actually, because I haven't really loved any Pros. Some of them I like, kind of, but I doubt I've loved them. The title just had a “To all the girls I've loved before” kind of ring to it and I liked that. So I went with it.

BCO's Tyler Teed admires Pinnacle.

Anyway, there were really two big stories at Pinnacle in Newport, New Hampshire this weekend. First of all, there are lots of brave new Pro Open players. Second, how about those New Hampshire disc golfers? They really represented their home state and their home course quite well. Just a few days ago I had said that Edwin Bedell hadn't earned a write up yet on this website. After Pinnacle, the President himself, Chris Young, reminded me that Edwin had probably earned his write-up. So let's get too it. Pros first, though, as we always do on Circle Three.  

There was lots of off-season talk about players moving up to the Pro division or players who were too scared to do so. James Sweat backed up his pre-season announcement by stepping up. Mike Habets wrote in our comments section that he'd also step up and step up he did. Matt Marro said he was up for the challenge and Jon Moorer and Dave Carter both made morning decisions to join the big boys. Sweat, Marro, Moorer, and Carter all had very rough days, but they should be commended for what they did. Advancing to the Pro division should be something that all tournament players strive to achieve. So kudos to those guys. And you know that means a lot coming from me.

Photo: Gretchen Kruesi

The story of round 1 was Andy Powell. There's no doubt about that. He shot a very stellar, very impressive, nearly unbeatable 56. The only score better was by (sorry for the spoiler alert) Pro Open winner Mike Habets, who shot a 55. That gave Powell a first round lead of 4 strokes in his Am 1. Unfortunately, he shot a 68 on the second round, giving Edwin Bedell his first Advanced Amateur win. You'd have to check the records, but he may be the youngest player to ever record a GMDGC Advanced Amateur win. (News flash, I don't know who the youngest Am 1 winner is. Also, I don't know how old Edwin is. I'm just jumping to conclusions here. That's what we do).

So, there you go, Mr. Bedell. You've cracked into the Circle Three world. Nice shooting. I'd have to imagine Edwin's learned a lot from playing with Mike Habets. (Nice transition, right?) Habets took an early lead on the Pro Open points race (100's win) and may have players like Jeff Spring and Chris Young wondering what this year may hold. If Habets commits to the Point Series, you heard it here first, it may be hard to take him down at all this year.

On that note.

Matt Idol, can you hear me? This may be the time for you to make a commitment. There may be only one Vermonter who can take down this out-of-stater. So how about slapping on some Bachnein gear (it'd be free for you) and crushing some Pro Open players in some tournaments? Wouldn't that be fun? Wouldn't you like to keep the title in Vermont?

Penalty Strokes:

*James Beaulieu does some impressive course work. I know its not all him. Guys like Spencer Weatherholt, the other NHers I've mentioned, Thurstonian, and Nick Jennings all put in some time there. But James does the majority of things. And he does them well. So, from all of us to you, James, thank you.

*No aces in NH means there should be a big ace pot for the Sap Bucket X. Don't forget to register for it. Lots of aces could be had on that pitch and putt course. Mr. Wedel, I'm especially talking to you.

*There are so many players I was supposed to beat, that its getting hard to keep track of. I'll try my best to recap. First off, Andy beat me. Hot first round, Andy. Well played. I beat Ira, Seth, and DeVico. Was there anyone else I've started a rivalry with? I can't remember. Its getting hard to keep up. Oh, my own team mate Chris Young picked Spencer to win and I beat him too, so we'll count that. Right, and Dave Carter commented on my own site that I wouldn't beat him in 2012. And I did. By my count I'm 6-1 for my first tournament of the year.

*The Final Word goes to Rang Duce. Nice job organizing another Rang Duce Doubles. Be there or be square.   

Pinnacle Draws Closer

The start of the 2012 Green Mountain Points Series is now just two days away.  As we get closer and closer, things are really starting to heat up.  A few responses to my last post have come in.  Its only fair to keep you in the loop.

• Ira wrote in to further clarify the Powell Park mention I made.  He says, The Powell Park?  Is that when you win the CTP and miss the putt?  Ouch.  So much for my "Ira is the nicest guy you'll ever meet" bull shit I've been feeding you.  Its obvious he means business.  And for Ira, business is always good.
• An Anonymous poster on the blog writes, I like Spencer on his home course!  Interesting.  Now, I know your first thought is that Spencer probably wrote that. I don't think that's the case.  I think James Beaulieu wrote it.  But let's forget about that side of it for a minute.  Do you think that Spencer's got what it takes to win Am 1 at Pinnacle.  It's going to take two very good rounds and lots and lots of good putting to take down the division.  We'll have to see if Spencer's ready for it and ready to take the early lead in the points series.  It sure would make for a good story, I'll tell you that much.
• When you read my rundown on DeVico, I'm sure it reminded you of what a jerk I can be on this website.  And off of this website.  I reached out to DeVico to tell him it was probably a little to harsh.  DeVico, of course, was laid-back and unbothered by it.  He doesn't care because he's going to beat me on Saturday.  (At least, that's what I think he's thinking.)  Either way, I encouraged him to write a response.  Look for it on the website soon.  

The Fairly Slighted Am 1 Players

We've talked and talked and talked about those highly paid, explosive, bag kicking Pro Open Vermont disc golfers. But, we haven't spoken much about the Am 1 division. It seems like its high time to do so.

The Pinnacle Spring Run-off will be the first tournament of the 2012 Green Mountain Disc Golf Club Points Series. Since its right around the corner, I'll do a quick break down of players who are currently registered to play in Am 1.

Josh Wedel: Played well last year in Am 1 and finished the year ranked 6^th. Won the Sap Bucket, even though it was invaded by Southern NEFA players (and despite the rainy, slippery, gross weather we had). Wedel is also an up-and-coming Tournament Director. Last year he helped TD the Sap Bucket, so we know extra responsibilities won't slow him down. He can putt, has hit a bunch of important aces, and can be a very steady golfer.

If Wedel doesn't place well this year, I'll contribute it to a lack of focus. He's newly married, will be taking on more disc golf responsibilities, and can be distracted by the social element of tournament disc golf.

Justin DeVico: When he started playing disc golf, DeVico was nothing more than an Am 2 chump that wasn't a concern to his opponents. He's quickly become a force in Vermont disc golf. He's seriously committed to perfecting his craft, which definitely isn't the case for many of his opponents. DeVico can putt, again, because he practices a lot. Some jerk sold him a basket last year and its been downhill for the rest of us ever since. He's also an apprentice of Young Bucks, so you know he's had the winning mentality drilled into his head.

If DeVico doesn't place well this year, I'll contribute it to being easily distracted. This dude can talk more than anyone else you might play with. And I mean before, during, and after your shots. Plus, he's taking on home ownership and course building. So, that may severely cut into his practice time. We'll have to wait and see.

Spencer Weatherholt: He's a good dude. I've played as his partner in doubles and as his opponent in last year's division. When playing against him (and with him being a newcomer to Vermont/New Hampshire) I tried to give him the old New England Ice Out, but he's just too nice of a guy for it. All of my work being mean to him and ignoring him was for naught. He's a good player and a genuine nice guy. He's got an arsenal of shots in his bag and has a pretty laid back disc golfing style.

If Spencer doesn't place well this year, I'll contribute it to getting down on himself. He's laid back but he can definitely get in his own way. Staying calm and playing good tournament disc golf will be the secret to his success.

Ira Divoll: I got this guy into disc golf and now he thinks he's earned the right to beat me. I don't think I'm going to let it happen, but Ira's going to try his best to prove me wrong. I mentioned how nice of a guy Spencer is, but he pales in comparison to Ira. And I don't mean that as a knock to Spencer, its just that Ira is the nicest guy you might ever meet.

He's got a solid mental game, can throw farther every day, and uses disc golf as an escape from a very hectic work life. Ira takes everything in his life seriously, including his disc golf play and practice. Plus, he plays super challenging Mass courses every time he plays. I predicted him to have a breakout Am 2 season last year, but maybe I should have been thinking about his breakout Am 1 season this year.

If Ira doesn't place well this year, I'll contribute it to a hectic schedule. He drives north from Mass for every GMDGC tournament. Its got to take a toll on his tournament play. Then again, I think he sees that as a challenge, which just adds to the sweetness of it when he plays well.

Edwin Bedell: Pass. Edwin hasn't earned the right for a write-up yet, but he's getting there.

Andy Powell: Lots of people take pride in beating me, but no one takes more pride in it than Andy Powell. Andy's been at the center of a lot of controversy in the Circle Three world, but he's no worse for wear. When he's on, he's on and he can play some solid disc. He's a stocky guy who can really throw it far. The Powell Park is named after him, after all.

If Andy doesn't place well this year, I'll contribute it to... well, you guessed it, his mental game. Andy will tell you there's no such thing as a mental game. I'd counter that there's nothing but a mental game, especially for Andy. One day he aspires to be a Bag Kicking Pro. He's got the bag kicking down, but I'm not sure about the Pro part yet.

Justin Kaulius: The King of the Circle Three empire. A roller coaster of disc golf performances. Went from a championship Am 2 season to a terribly disappointing Am 1 season. Last year it looked like he couldn't hang with the top ams at all. When he putts well he can play well, so look for that to be the secret to success. Also throws forehand and backhand, which can be adventageous.

If Justin doesn't place well this year, I'll contribute it to his mental game, or quitting disc golf for good. I think that's enough said about that.

Matt Zabawa: Another up and coming Am 2 player who's making the move to Am 1. Zabawa had a rough year last year on a personal level, but he's ready to make a strong comeback. Just don't ask him to do any yard work for you. Zabawa's driven by beating his friends in the division, so it seems like most tournaments can be personal for him. He'd love nothing more than to beat the pants off of Justin DeVico.

If Matt doesn't place well this year, I'll contribute it to not quite being ready for Am 1. He finished 6^th in Am 2 last year and is making a bit of a bold move to Am 1. I think its a solid choice and I commend him for it, but I can tell you that the move up ain't easy. Zabawa may experience that first hand this year.   

As more slackers sign up for Pinnacle and other tournaments in the Am 1 division, we'll get some more profiles up.  For now, keep putting.