Preparation — Boulder Bash

Time To Get Back In The Saddle…

As I mentioned in an earlier post (“The Best Laid Plans”), things have been quiet on the disc golf front for a few weeks, while I catch up on some medical and technical issues (NOT the same issues, thank you!) This hiatus has also allowed the disappointment that was “The Battle At The Hills” dissipate somewhat.

Isn’t it funny how a poor performance can mess with your head?!

Luckily, the next tournament is the “Boulder Bash” at Boulter Woods Disc Golf Course in the Gifford Pinchot State Park in Wellsville/Lewisberry, Pa. This course has been pretty good to me over the years, and given my experiences there, I’m hoping that a great showing will wash the taste of my last tournament debacle from my mind.

A big chunk of this prep can be (and has been) taken from the prep done for the Boulder Woods Ice Bowl. I just needed to revisit holes 5 and 16, and update some of my data.

Course Stats

Here are the distance stats from UDisc for each hole:

Course Data

My current course data is drawn from 9 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:

Given that I would like to consistently hit a 930+ rating on my rounds, I would need to throw a 3-under (57) round to hit that mark.

So this is my goal -- 3 under par.

My Data

As of today, my personal data for the Boulder Woods Ice Bowl consists of 10 recorded and rated rounds. This is the summary data:

Explaination:

• Current Average My average for that hole across all of my recorded rounds

• Optimistic The above average rounded down

• Pessimistic The above average rounded up

• Rounded The above average rounded numerically (.5 rounds up)

• Reasonable My best guess at what I *should* score on this hole

• Current Target What I would *like* to score on this hole (usually, but not always, the same as the "Reasonable" score above.)

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.

• Hole 1 - 210 ft - Par 3
  Since you average more than a half stroke under par on this hole, I fully expect that you will birdie this hole. Time to be confident!
  Expected Score: 2‍ ‍

• Hole 2 - 318 ft - Par 3
  You never birdie this hole, but you also rarely bogie it as well. This is another hole where you should be “score-confident.”
  Expected Score: 3‍ ‍

• Hole 3 - 303 ft - Par 3
  This is the only “poke-and-pray” hole on the course. It has given you some trouble in the past, but as long as you don’t do anything foolish — or get incredibly unlucky — you should par this hole most of the time.
  Expected Score: 3

• Hole 4 - 209 ft - Par 3
  This hole plays longer than it looks, and the inside corner of the left dogleg is your danger zone. If you clear that, there is a great chance that you have a look at a birdie putt. You just need to make sure that your putting is on point.
  Expected Score: 2

• Hole 5 - 425 ft - Par 3
  Don’t be bashful with the drive here. The smart shot is a force-over or turnover backhand down the right side that come back to the middle. A forehand will also work down the left side, but there is more of a chance of an obstucted lie, since there are more trees on the left. The approach is a long one (usually 150’ or so), and because of the tree guarding the right side of the green, a forehand that comes in from the left is usually the play.
  Expected Score: 3

• Hole 6 - 241 ft - Par 3
  Your mistake on this forehand drive is, most often, not enough turn and not enough power, so you end up short and right. Play for long and left.
  Expected Score: 2

• Hole 7 - 164 ft - Par 3
  Repeat after me: “Wider. Is. Better.” Don’t miss the right side mando by not putting your shot wide and high enough — just let the Anvil do it’s job and don’t try to cut this line too close.
  Expected Score: 2

• Hole 8 - 396 ft - Par 3
  Put the distance driver back in the bag, and pull the flippy fairway driver. Throw a backhand turnover that turns a little too much (or you’ll end up in the left rough — again). Then midrange your approach and get this hole’s monkey off your back.
  Expected Score: 3

• Hole 9 - 278 ft - Par 3
  You’re not going to reach this pin, so just do the “midrange march” up the fairway and get your par. Stop losing strokes on this hole trying to get a birdie that is out of reach.
  Expected Score: 3

• Hole 10 - 283 ft - Par 3
  The play here is the same as Hole 8 — a flippy fairway driver turnover to keep yourself in the fairway after cresting the hill, then a midrange upshot and walk away with a par. Play smart.
  Expected Score: 3

• Hole 11 - 256 ft - Par 3
  Go back and read the play for hole 10. This one is the same thing — especially the part about “Playing smart.”
  Expected Score: 3

• Hole 12 - 308 ft - Par 3
  You’ve shorted this hole too often in the recent past. The play is a force-over forehand with the Ahti — just make sure that you give it a little more juice than you think you need.
  Expected Score: 2

• Hole 13 - 278 ft - Par 3
  Backhand fairway to the dogleg (through the double mando), then up-and-down for par. Aggressive play on this hole just leads to losing strokes. Don’t do it.
  Expected Score: 3

• Hole 14 - 287 ft - Par 3
  A flippy forehand driver off the tee should make for a simple and clean hole. You’re not reaching this one, either, so don’t do anything silly.
  Expected Score: 3

• Hole 15 - 241 ft - Par 3
  Keep the backhand midrange drive as straight as you can for as long as you can — the false corner on the left is NOT your friend. Where you land on the sloping green will dictate how aggressive your putt should be.
  Expected Score: 2

• Hole 16 - 339 ft - Par 3
  You have missed the left-side mando throwing both forehands and backhands. If you’re note feeling confident in your drives, just play “midrange - midrange - putt” on this hole and move on. You’re not going to drive this hole no matter what you do, so play for the safe, smart shots.
  Expected Score: 3

• Hole 17 - 206 ft - Par 3
  Play the backhand midrange drive longer than you think — pushing the long side of the dogleg left. Leaving your drive short left makes the putt SO much harder.
  Expected Score: 2

• Hole 18 - 229 ft - Par 3
  This fairway requires a straight backhand fairway drive with minimal fade. Like usual, play the fairway to be longer than you think. You leave this one short too often.
  Expected Score: 2

Expected score: -8 (48)
Avg. Historical Rating: 999

The way that I’ve just laid this out, I would not only shoot a personal best, but probably be competative in MPO!

Then again, this whole scenario doesn’t count for bad luck, less-than-optimal conditions, mental lapses, and other negative anomalies.

So just keep the plan in mind, leave the frustration in the car, and play with confidence.

And joy. Always with joy.