The Terror at Terrace Creek

The morning of the Terror at Terrace Creek tournament looked promising. The sky was menacing, but the ground was dry. My hope for somewhat dry tee pads was blown away almost immediately when gallons of water began belching from the clouds.

I was eating an apple, walking the quiet path into the woods toward basket 11 when it started to fall. 

Oh well, I thought. My plan was to attack and the pacific northwest rain wasn't going to stop me. I was equipped with a giant umbrella and comfortable clothes that kept me warm and dry. In my bag sat two Maw N Paw towels and I planned to use them quickly and efficiently throughout the rounds.

After stretching a bit I began putting. This is when all my past tournament experiences usually begin creeping into my mind. Scenes of me missing putts or hurling uncontrolled throws rush in. This time was different though. I felt fed up. 

I began attacking the basket.

Ching, ching, ching from 10 feet. Ching, ching, ching from 15 feet. Ching, ching, ching from 20 feet. 

My Legacy Clutches were dialed in. I wasn't surprised. I've been putting more than anything else for a while now. I've adopted a new thought process that I picked up through watching all the major tournament videos on YouTube.

If I can see it then I can make it. 

I used to think – well if I miss I don't want to miss and have a long putt back.

Fuck that.

Excuse my language.

That technique left me with short putts and weak attempts. I'm all in now. If I miss the bird then I just make the par. If I miss the par then I need to practice putting more.

This tournament was going to be different. I had more confidence than ever before. 

Rain? What rain?

When I found out my card was starting on hole three I wondered if the Universe just watched my putting routine and eavesdropped on my inner battle. It's as if the starry bastard wanted to see how serious I was and maybe try to call me on my bullshit.

For those of you that have played Terrace Creek in Mountlake Terrace, WA. you know hole three is a relatively easy hole as long as you shoot the gap. For those of you that are not familiar with this course I'll tell you hole three is a short adventure over a ravine. There's a tiny tee pad with a steep drop off and there is a jail of trees to miss in order to make it across. A lot of people hit one of two trees right in front of the tee. Those trees have been hit so much that there are now 2x4s attached to reinforce and protect them from further damage. The photo above is taken from a bit of an extreme angle to show the basket position straight ahead, but that's basically what you're looking at.

Hole three is a birdie hole, but it's also easily a bogey hole.

So be it. I was ready to throw. What ever happens, happens. 

I made it.

It wasn't pretty, but I was across and looking at a long putt for bird. I ended up getting the par, but that was OK. I passed the first test.

Going hole by hole isn't my intention here, but the next hole needs to be written about.

Feeling good about my previous par, I walked on to tee four and mentally designed my drive. This hole is a blind, lazy hyzer shot. You have to bend your shot to the left around a hill and in front of a mando tree. You don't want to cut it too short, because you'll be stuck on the side of the hill, which is plagued with a serious case of fern-itis.

My drive looked great. My card mates agreed. They all had great ones too. We all walked out and everyone found their disc except me. It was hiding somewhere. We all searched. It didn't make any sense. I had hit that line many times before and I usually know where about my disc could land. The photo below shows the different landing areas around the bend. The basket is just behind the third tree on the right.

It was no where. I finally called the three minutes on myself and rushed back to the tee to re-throw. I was livid. I quickly drove and watched my disc hold a hyzer line right past the mando tree.

Damn.

I took a six.

The rest of the round was a battle to keep a dry grip and a positive attitude. I hit a few birds here and there. One of them was extremely memorable, because it was on a hole I had never birdied before.

Hole 11 is a 357 foot hallway shot. I've always been just a bit off on the drive and that small inaccuracy has consistently landed me in the shite off to one side.

This time around I had a Legacy Rival in my bag, but the problem was I had never tried it on the hole before. It's a new disc for me that I purchased at Discovering the World in California on my recent trip down there.

I used it a lot on the El Dorado course in Long Beach and from what I learned it seemed like it would be the better choice than the beat-in Star Teebird I usually throw on this hole.

One of my card mates saw it in my hand and told me he had only used a Cannon before from the Legacy lineup.

I explained to him that it had been flying for me like a beat Teebird.

I stepped up, visualized my throw and hit such a perfect line that it kind of freaked me out. It just stayed straight. Even at the end. I walked back to get my bag and my card mate said he was going to have to check one out.

I was still on the narrow path when I walked up to putt. I didn't have an easy, short putt, but it was within my range. I found my link, gave it a dead stare and didn't look away until I saw my Clutch hit the chains and fall in.

I was in shock, but I ran up and retrieved my disc like it was usual business.

That round was tough and I was sitting six over at the end, but I wasn't too bummed out because a lot of good things happened. I couldn't wait to start that second round.

Toward the end of the second round I was soaked and chilled to the bone, but I was throwing strong. My card had started on hole three again, but I got through with no problems. Missed the putt, but moved on with a par.

On hole 18 I was sitting at -1. I had three more holes to go. All of them are easy pars and two of them I have birdied before. Unfortunately I let that near 980 rated round slip away and ended the round with a 56. Two over wasn't too bad considering it ended up being my highest rated round (951) in a tournament ever.

I placed sixth over all in advanced and earned the last spot for scrip. I earned enough for a new disc and that made me happy.

My pick for the evening was a Legacy Icon Patriot since I haden't thrown one yet and a mini for the Dish.

After all my drama I'm happy with the way things turned out. I knew I could have placed higher and knowing that inspires me to work harder. My goal is to raise my rating to where I believe it should be and I am on my way to accomplishing that.

I'll never know where my Pro Destroyer landed on hole four that first round. I even went back the next day to look more thoroughly. It simply vanished. Maybe the Universe took it. That's OK though – it makes for a great story.

A Great Four at Terrace

Terrace Creek DGC in Mountlake Terrace, WA. has seen many recent changes. Holes 14, 16 and 17 were redesigned after some major construction by the city and more recently the mando tree on hole eight was cut down because the damn thing was dead. 

Adding to the mix up is a new tee pad on hole four. I love that the old, slippery pad is history.

That slick slab of rocks and concrete had my number. I had a feeling one day it would take me down. I'm extremely happy with its replacement. 

Thank you, Terrace locals!

When Birdies Feel Like Aces

Yeah, right.

No shot feels quite like an ace, but carding these recent birdies I'm about to detail for you felt like a decent accomplishment.

My home course is Terrace Creek in Mountlake Terrace, WA. It's a damn rascal of a spread. This thing invites you over, drags your ass through the mud and makes you walk home.

I'm kind of serious about the walking home bit. Starting with hole eight this design has you walking in one direction – away from your car. When you're finished with 18 you have either a delightful hike back through the course while replaying great throws in your mind or you have a miserable stomp through the cold, wet woods wishing you were home with a bourbon in one hand and a cheeseburger in the other.

I've discussed hole one here before. It's a challenging shot up a sloping fairway with OB road on the left and a mess of trees on the right just before the basket. This hole is deceiving in that the distance is only 300 feet or so, but the gradual uphill climb makes it play longer.

I've seen people throw big RHBH anhyzers out over the road, rollers up the right side that eventually fight the blades of grass and ride the ridge on the left staying in bounds and straight shots up the middle. I put a pink dot to show where the basket is in the photo below. Can you see it?

I've been hurling drivers up the middle for a while now, but I've always failed to reach a gimme-putt position. Every drive that felt good and powerful has either found road or branches.

Not this time.

On this particular day I timed a sturdy right-foot plant and a tight last-second grip off the tee pad. The white Legacy Cannon boogied out of my hand on a slight hyzer heading toward the sidewalk. Then I watched that disc stand up and start bending right toward the edge of the tree line.

At first I thought the trees were going to swallow another feel-good drive, but the disc had enough speed to get past the dense green mess. The natural fade back was brief since the fairway slopes uphill the whole way. When my drive came to rest I knew I was sitting pretty for an easy putt for bird.

I made the chains sing. The accomplishment of carding a bird on this hole for the first time felt really good, but it was also proof that my driving power had increased. My practice is paying off.

The other hole on this course that's been messing with me is hole 15. I've been close to shooting the bird on this bastard a few times, but I've always missed the putt. On this particular day I was playing the round with my friend Don. I wasn't having a great day or anything, so I was surprised when I watched my disc weave down the fairway and land near the big, mossy tree near the basket.

The slideshow below will walk you down the fairway.

I'm not sure exactly how far this hole is, but dgcoursereview.com has it measured out to 402 feet. I brought out a 300ft tape measure and, as straight as I could, I measured out the 300ft mark, then measured to the basket using the same line. I wasn't in perfect line with the basket, but the distance was around 392ft, so the DGCR measurement is probably close.

My drive landed about 10 to 12 feet short. It was the farthest point I've ever reached. To top off the day I actually made my putt.

I love crossing holes off my birdie list:

Here's to a progress-filled 2014.

Thanks for reading.