Celebrating discgolf in New Zealand - the land of the Great Long Drive
This is part of our '2004: The Year That Was' feature click here to go to the current www.discgolf.co.nz website.
 

SMOKIN' MOUNTAIN DISC GOLF TOURNAMENT
Discovery Lodge, October 16, 17 2004

The last disc golf tournament of the NZ Tour promised some interesting twists and turns as players vied for placings that would set them up well for the upcoming Match Play Tournament in Taupo.

Well, we got twists and turns and most of that was with the weather! What a contrast the two days were! The tournie started on Saturday in cold, windy conditions with driving rain greating the players at most tees.

CLICK HERE TO DROP DOWN TO RESULTS    

Words and pics by discgolf.co.nz cameraman Len Skap.

CAPTION COMPETITION

American Scott has just moved the family to New Zealand and this was his first disc golf tournament in Aotearoa. But not his first course - it was his 136th in fact! Yes, this man from South Dakota has even organised tournaments in the States, so look out for his influence in his chosen home, Rotorua.

One thing we were pretty certain of was that he hadn't seen anything quite like the original Taumarunui Tyre Basket. In fact, Scott was speechless! So we need you to offer a quote or two to complete this shot.

Send your entries to us now - click . The winner will be announced when we can be buggered.


CLICK ON THE PICTURES BELOW FOR INTERESTING LARGER VERSIONS

Conditions were such that Bob G practiced from the comfort of his unit, making his disc golf slave Juan Unda collect the discs in the driving rain.
What better way to start off the second day with Spa Pool Practice on the 18th green as the sun rose over Mt Ruapehu (to everyone's pleasure!) . Here Bob and Simon get in some sneaky practice for the battle ahead. And in the end - this was no. 1 and no. 2!
Bob was missing Spa Park so much, we had to let him play the next best thing - a Spa Putt.
Des Cooper, the man who looked after us at Discovery Lodge, shows his light footed drive technique called the Cooper Shuffle.
Blair Was There, Oh Yeah...the hopes of the Taumarunui locals were once again upon on the shoulders of Mr Joines. And he didn't disappoint - this putt on the first kept him within touch of Super Simon right through to the end (of the 1st hole!).

For the current NZ Tour Points

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You can count on Dylan Cooper for bleary-eyed golf and this weekend was no exception. Leaving Wellington at 5am on Saturday to play two cold, wet rounds. Then partying it up that evening with very little sleep made for a player who defied all odds to play in the Top Group for Sunday morning (we won't mention his position after Round 3!)
Simon Feasey was back from Italy, having forgone the excitement of the Faultline Fury for wine and pasta. But none of the form had been lost and he made it 5 from 5 tournaments for 2004 with a relatively comfortable win at Discovery. Here, under the background of the Volcanic Plateau, Simon lets rip on the tough 7th.
Blair can get good distance from either forearm or backhand - here on the tricky dogleg 13th, he elects to fire a strong backhand to curve into the green.
Stuck! On his first event in New Zealand, American Scott saw all that Aotearoa can throw at a disc golfer - including this shot that conveniently stuck in the ground on the 3rd setting up his first birdie for the third round in his run for Top Group honours.
Kaching! Scott makes sure of that bridie.
Two holes to go in the tournie and Bob's looking good for outright 2nd. Then an unfortunate over-shank sees him deliactely balanced on the edge of a ditch on the 17th fairway. See the effort in his chizelled face as he tries to make the green from this tough lie. Alas, a bogie resulted.
Bob's woes were not over - this putt for birdie on 18 refused to go in. However, thanks to some awesome putts in the last round leading to a 2-under 52, 2nd place was his.
The clouds rose above Mt Ngarahoe on Sunday, giving Dylan a chance to taste the fresh air as he drove the 17th.
No, Paul's arm didn't snap with the power of this drive on hole 16. It simply demonstrates the wicked whip created by the forehand drive.
SQUISH! Who's feet are these squelching through the swamp? Click to find out who refused to be beaten by the conditions to place a creditable 5th overall.
What was Simon dreaming about the night before the last 2 rounds of The Tour? Thanks to new technology, we can reveal the answer.
We play The Tour in some spectacular regions of New Zealand. Here Dylan lines up a putt on 16 under the watchful gaze of Mt Ngarahoe.
The true gentleman of disc golf, Pete Boyle had some horrible luck on hole 7. Here he recovers from a wicked roller for what was a good recovery for bogie.
That's gotta go in! On the 12th, Pete finishes off a nasty triple bogie - through plain bad luck really. You will note Pete is our cover girl for this article - we had to give it to him after he threatened to pose wearing nothing but his golf bag!
Amercian Scott was playing his 136th different disc golf course. Here he expertly lands under the basket for par on the tough 17th.
Close to Home! Bob watches American Scott drive the 18th right in front of his unit for the weekend. "If it weren't for Juan Unda staying with me," commented the Grande Master, "it would have been the most peaceful weekend of the year!"
The American again! Here we follow Scott's final putt on 18 as he delicately lays in up under the basket to record a great comeback from his first round of 67 to record an even par 54 and outrght 4th place. Well done!
Check out this Freaky Styley pan shot of Paul making a recovery approach shot on hole 13. You can also see Pete Boyle lining up his second and the mountains in the background. Awesome.
Amercian Scott fired some great saving putts when there was no background to save him. Like this beauty on the difficult sixth hole that Kachinged to applause from the gallery.

And there's always the straggler...in this case, the Straddler. makes a risky pose to make par on the 17th. If there were to be any sudden earth movements.....

SMOKIN' MOUNTAIN DISC GOLF TOURNAMENT 2004 RESULTS

Name
Divn
Rnd1
Rnd2
Rnd3
Rnd4
Total
Simon Feasey
O
59
57
51
49
216
Bob Gentil (The GM)
M
62
57
53
52
224
Blair Joines
O
60
60
56
54
230
American Scott
M
67
56
56
54
233
Dylan Cooper
O
60
62
58
59
239
Juan Unda
M
61
65
62
52
240
Pete Boyle
M
64
62
56
59
241
M
67
65
55
58
245
Vic Tor
O
73
63
55
59
250
Des Cooper
M
67
67
60
57
251
Dave Routley
M
64
65
126
126
381
Quan Weston
O
71
73
126
126
396

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