First Tourney - Baptism by Ice

I had two goals at my first tournament, the 6th Annual Bud Hill Ice Bowl, just outside Memphis, TN.

1. Place higher than last.
2. Don't lose any discs.

Well, not only did I come in last, but I lost two discs... on the same hole of course. Not only did I card a triple-circle 9 on hole #18, my first round was my worst score ever, at a whopping 82.

Here's the thing: It was so far the best experience I've had in disc golf. First of all, I followed up my 82 with a 69, which is my second round under seventy. Plus, I made par on the same hole I got that penalty-infested 9 on. But the cool part wasn't the game improvement, it was the hang between rounds and after. Bud Hill is a "private" course on Mr. Danny Daniels' farm, complete with a farm-style lookin' clubhouse. Danny is never seen without holding a Heineken, and his wife Barbara was serving us chili. Everyone was talking disc golf and complimenting each other on their games. It was such a pleasant vibe that you don't see a lot of places.

The best part was watching everyone claim their prizes. I know it sounds crazy since I walked away with nothing but a mini, but watching those prizes get collected showed me that I'm exactly where I'm supposed to be, and it motivated me to get better, and soon. What I learned was the most important lesson I could learn last Saturday, which was worth more than the 20-dollar entry fee, and the lesson was this:

I'm a new guy at the bottom with nowhere to go but up.