Tournament Prep: Crawdad Cooker XIX
🎵 Back In The Saddle Again! 🎵
After taking a few weeks off to address some pending medical issues, it’s time to get back to the process of digging the tournament ratings out of the sub-900 pit that they have fallen into. I’ve spend a bunch of hours picking apart the videos and post-mortems of the last few tournaments, looking for the cause of the downward spiral that I’ve seen over the last few months. I’ve even tried to implement a few changes to mechanics that I thought might help stop the “ratings-bleed” that been killing my rounds.
Then, a few days ago, I was working through a round at French Creek State Park in Elverson, Pa (look for the “Course Playthrough” in a couple of weeks!). The round started out VERY well, and I was playing relaxed and loose, but focused (since the round was being recorded for posterity!), and the light bulb just came on!
The confidence that I was feeling as I played the first few holes, combined with the need to hit lines/angles/distances that I was calling for in the video, kept me from playing too conservatively (ie, “babying” the shot/putt) or too aggressively (ie, substituting power for control). I was in the sweet spot for my game — and actually getting more distance with better accuracy that I had been seeing for months.
Now, that isn’t to say that I hit every shot and made every putt. I certainly missed lines, shorted putts, and hit trees. (It was French Creek, after all — and if you don’t know the signifigance of that statement, go watch the playthrough when it gets posted!) But, for the first time in several months (I’m guessing 20+ rounds), I felt like I was starting to play without “forcing” anything. Most of my drives were in that sweet spot between under- and over-thrown, putting felt smoother than it had in a long time, and even my shot selection seemed to be better, with less trepedation, than it had been all year.
So… here comes the first tournament in a while. On a course that I am comforable with. With a crowd that I know pretty well and REALLY like! And I’m going into it feeling better (mentally AND physically) than I have in a long while. I’m looking forward to taking this new attitude “out for a spin” to see what it can do!
Course Stats
Here are the distance stats from UDisc for each hole:
Short Layout
Long Layout
Note: I’ve added UDisc’s score percentages and used then to calculate a score average for each hole.
Course Data
My current course data is drawn from 10 years of tournament data from the PDGA website. It averages the round ratings across all of the sanctioned tournaments in that timeframe and for this layout, and dumps out statistics for the course. This is what it looks like:
Short Layout
Long Layout
Given that I would like to consistently hit a 930+ rating on my rounds, I would need to throw a 4-under (50) round on the short layout and 1-over (60) on the long layout to hit those marks.
So this is my targets -- 4 under par (short) and 1 over par (long).
My Data
As of today, my personal data for Creekside (Main/Short Layout) consists of 20 recorded and rated rounds; and 6 recorded/rated rounds for the Long Layout.. This is the summary data:
Short Layout
Long Layout
Explaination:
My Current Average My average for that hole across all of my recorded rounds
UDisc Average A calculated average using UDisc’s scoring data
Optimistic My above average rounded down
Pessimistic My above average rounded up
Rounded My above average rounded numerically (.5 rounds up)
Current Target What I would *like* to score on this hole
Tumbling Down the Rabbit Hole
I look at each hole individually and gauge my score probability based on hole distance and elevation change, and my score on that hole from my previous rounds. I have played more than a few rounds on this course, so I'll also factor in what I know about how I throw the hole. I think that, traditionally, the long layout is played first, so let’s spin through that one now.
Long Layout
Hole 1 - 256 ft - Par 3
No matter how this looks from the teepad, 256 ft is a full (conservative) pull with your fairway driver. Don’t bother with the fancy shot, just go straight at it with the Hatchet, and let the disc’s turn pull it to the right and close to the pin. Watch your height control — that’s where this shot can go bad.
Expected Score: 3 Hole 2 - 195 ft - Par 3
Tried to get “cute” on this hole in the past, and paid the price in strokes. The pin will be in the dangerous position between the walkway and the creek. Use the “Monkey King” Warship for control and give yourself a safety margin to the right. A par here isn’t going to kill your round, but a disc in the water here just might.
Expected Score: 3 Hole 3 - 362 ft - Par 3
You’re not going to reach this pin from the tee pad any time soon. Recently, throwing the forehand line has brought the creek into play way too often, so, unless the backhand is COMPLETELY off, backhand a driver to the right of the fairway tree, and get up and down for a par.
Expected Score: 3Hole 4 - 326 ft - Par 3
There are several holes in this layout that are more mental than physical; this is one of them. You are not going to birdie this — even with a perfect drive, so throw a forehand drive for safety, get a par, and chill out!
Expected Score: 3Hole 5 - 242 ft - Par 3
The tree branches in the fairway are more of an issue than the creek to the left. Miss the branches without fading too much or pushing too straight, and this one should be a birdie.
Expected Score: 2Hole 6 - 358 ft - Par 3
The biggest danger here is having your drive fade left into the OB. Again, you’re not getting a birdie here, so disc down to a Stag or Hatchet for control, turn this hole into an easy par, and keep your round going!
Expected Score: 3Hole 7 - 194 ft - Par 3
Repeat after me: “Wider. Is. Better.” Don’t miss the left side mando by not putting your shot wide enough — just let the Anvil do it’s job and don’t try to cut this line too close.
Expected Score: 2Hole 8 - 286 ft - Par 3
Here is another one of those holes that turn a tease and a temptation into a score that you shouldn’t get. A fairway driver will work just as well as a distance driver on a hole that you will rarely get close to.
Expected Score: 3Hole 9 - 503 ft - Par 4
Depending on the pin position, this is either a soft par four, or a legit par 3. Either way, a full drive with a slightly overstable disc will put you in position to complete the front 9 with a 4.
Expected Score: 4Hole 10 - 339 ft - Par 3
Finally admit that you can’t reach this pin on your drive. Stay right, but not so far as to bring the trees and the creek into play, and that will make the approach a bit easier.
Expected Score: 3Hole 11 - 275 ft - Par 3
This hole feels shorter than 275ft., but the mando gets in your head, and then bad things happen. Just drive straight down the fairway and forget about the mando (and the trees… and the creek…). This should be a fairly easy birdie, but, in the words of the immortal Sergeant Phil Esterhaus; “Hey, let’s be careful out there.”
Expected Score: 2Hole 12 - 308 ft - Par 3
This is another “Admit that you can’t reach it right now” fairway, with so much trouble right and left that a “putter, putter, putter” play makes sense. (Granted, in your case it would be “midrange, midrange, midrange”, but you get the idea.
Expected Score: 3Hole 13 - 499 ft - Par 4
“Midrange March” the heck out of this hole. Stop with the “I think I can, I think I can!” — “The Little Engine That Could” is a little kid’s book, not a disc golf manual! Three simple Warship shots will put you at the pin without all the grief and stress.
Expected Score: 4Hole 14 - 275 ft - Par 3
The long position takes the treeline out of play, and substitutes the “pachinko principle — lots of trees and no real defined fairway. “Midrange” your drive to get as far as you can, then approach using whatever corridor is available. Don’t let this one stress you out.
Expected Score: 3Hole 15 - 256 ft - Par 3
The pin position will dictate the second shot, but the first should be a high backhand drive into the trees. Don’t be aggressive here — the odds of a bad result are too high. Play for par.
Expected Score: 3Hole 16 - 563 ft - Par 4
How many times has the drive from the hill cost you multiple strokes?! Challenge the left side with a forehand and let the disc and the height of the tee pad bring the disc back to center. Play your second drive to stay on the left side of the fairway to give yourself a good angle to the green, then be confident in your approach.
Expected Score: 4Hole 17 - 396 ft - Par 3
Play the forehand drive wider than you think; the “guardian bush” on the right has your name on it! This one is a par all day, so don’t sweat it.
Expected Score: 3Hole 18 - 287 ft - Par 3
If the island is in play, drive with the Stag; otherwise, drive with the other Stag (#1 is stable, #2 is less-than-stable). They normally play the island as a hazard, but you shouldn’t need to worry about this on your drive. Just keep it out of the backyards and be precise with your approach.
Expected Score: 3
Expected score: -3 (54)
Avg. Historical Rating: 968.
NIce and solid. A good score without doing anything drastic, heroic, or outlandish. And that would be WITHOUT “bonus-birdies.” It just requires confidence and being smart about how you play.
You CAN.
After lunch, the Short Layout awaits…
Short Layout
Hole 1 - 167 ft - Par 3
”Ace-Hunting” has caused me to miss the birdie on this hole more often than I care to admit. Play it conservatively, get the birdie, and move on to the next.
Expected Score: 2 Hole 2 - 195 ft - Par 3
”Second Verse, Same as the First!” Tried to get “cute” on this hole in the past as well, and paid the price in strokes. Play this one the same as the first hole, and the odds are good that I could be -2 after the first two holes.
Expected Score: 2 Hole 3 - 362 ft - Par 3
You’re not going to reach this pin from the tee pad any time soon. Recently, throwing the forehand line has brought the creek into play way too often, so, unless the backhand is COMPLETELY off, backhand a driver to the right of the fairway tree, and get up and down for a par.
Expected Score: 3Hole 4 - 253 ft - Par 3
The “danger ditch” is gone, so all that you need to avoid is skipping into the creek. As long as you don’t get too aggressive, you should be able to get past this one without doing any damage.
Expected Score: 3Hole 5 - 242 ft - Par 3
The tree branches in the fairway are more of an issue than the creek to the left. Miss the branches without fading too much or pushing too straight, and this one should be a birdie.
Expected Score: 2Hole 6 - 286 ft - Par 3
At 286ft. and slightly downhill, you should reach this pin with a full pull — but you never do. Skip the frustration spiral, get a par, and move on.
Expected Score: 3Hole 7 - 194 ft - Par 3
Repeat after me: “Wider. Is. Better.” Don’t miss the left side mando by not putting your shot wide enough — just let the Anvil do it’s job and don’t try to cut this line too close.
Expected Score: 2Hole 8 - 208 ft - Par 3
You’ve been hitting this one well lately. Stop letting the mando get into your head and play the hole the way that you would if the mando wasn’t there!
Expected Score: 3Hole 9 - 503 ft - Par 4
Depending on the pin position, this is either a soft par four, or a legit par 3. Either way, a full drive with a slightly overstable disc will put you in position to complete the front 9 with a 3.
Expected Score: 3Hole 10 - 339 ft - Par 3
Finally admit that you can’t reach this pin on your drive. Stay right, but not so far as to bring the trees and the creek into play, and that will make the approach a bit easier.
Expected Score: 3Hole 11 - 275 ft - Par 3
This hole feels shorter than 275ft., but the mando gets in your head, and then bad things happen. Just drive straight down the fairway and forget about the mando (and the trees… and the creek…). This should be a fairly easy birdie, but, in the words of the immortal Sergeant Phil Esterhaus; “Hey, let’s be careful out there.”
Expected Score: 2Hole 12 - 308 ft - Par 3
This is another “Admit that you can’t reach it right now” fairway, with so much trouble right and left that a “putter, putter, putter” play makes sense. (Granted, in your case it would be “midrange, midrange, midrange”, but you get the idea.
Expected Score: 3Hole 13 - 499 ft - Par 4
“Midrange March” the heck out of this hole. Stop with the “I think I can, I think I can!” “The Little Engine That Could” is a little kid’s book, not a disc golf manual! Three simple Warship shots will put you at the pin without all the grief and stress.
Expected Score: 4Hole 14 - 275 ft - Par 3
The short position requires that you pass the treeline. Do the easy thing and use the “straight ahead” fairway for the first half of the shot, then cut through the trees on the left and make life easy on yourself.
Expected Score: 3Hole 15 - 256 ft - Par 3
The pin position will dictate the second shot, but the first should be a high backhand drive into the trees. Don’t be aggressive here — the odds of a bad result are too high. Play for par.
Expected Score: 3Hole 16 - 328 ft - Par 3
The left OB line has disc magnets installed, so be careful with the drive. It’s probably safer to short the drive and make a careful up-and-down par.
Expected Score: 3Hole 17 - 396 ft - Par 3
Play the forehand drive wider than you think; the “guardian bush” on the right has your name on it! This one is a par all day, so don’t sweat it.
Expected Score: 3Hole 18 - 206 ft - Par 3
If the island is in play, drive with the Stag; otherwise, drive with the other Stag (#1 is stable, #2 is less-than-stable). Don’t get greedy, but this one should be a birdie.
Expected Score: 2
Expected score: -7 (47)
Avg. Historical Rating: 966.
It’s time to stop shooting yourself in the foot with all of the hero “horse-pucky!” Play the way that you know how, stay within your own game, and kick some butt! That is the purpose behind the plan; short-circuit the frustration before it begins, set expectations at a reasonable level, and focus on execution and minimizing mistakes.
You CAN!