Welcome to Discovery Lodge Disc Golf Course - Located by Highway 46 at the foot of mighty Mt Ruapehu, the Smokin' Mountain Disc Golf course winds from the lodge west of the mountain. Many of the course's baskets sit upon small mounds of earth (plug domes or 'kames') with pre-historic like trees - opening the way for many a cruel roller. You can see a map of a player's round here. This particular player travelled a bit of ground - see if you can see where a disc was lost and the player returned to the tee to throw again.

Joines the Dots - Battling a knee injury (that ain't no fibula - ed), local favourite Blair Joines (Piriaka) tweaked his game well enough for a well deserved third place. Here Joines lets rip on hole 10.

Supreme Athletes Unlimited - Riki Elston (Levin) slots another birdie in a fine Round 2 61 before having to head back home for work, missing Sunday's play. With form like this, the Waitere Wonderboy would have been in the running for podium position.

Meeting - Simon Feasey (Auckland, centre) awaits instructions from TD Des Cooper before heading out to slaughter the course.

Birdie Bob - Hole 1 and another birdie for the master of precision, the king of kaching, the Grand Master himself Bob Gentil (Birkenhead).

Slick Nick - One player you couldn't miss no matter where on the course was regular tour player Nick McKay (Auckland) in his trademark orange shorts. The champion soccer playing was well pleased with his 60 in Round 3.

Discover Discovery - even if you aren't playing golf there, Discovery Lodge is a great place to enjoy all the fun and adventure of the Volcanic Plateau. Check them out at www.discovery.net.nz

Bouncy Castle - Trying desperately to find a birdie, Nick McKay (Auckland) is cruley denied via a bouncer on hole 7.

Golfers Golfers, Everywhere - Levin mastermind Shane Sullivan surveys 2 other groups looking across towards the tees for holes 2 and 13.

Simple as AB C - Hole 6 and Abe Hartley (Levin) fires another strong drive watched by his fellow golfers.

Round the Outside - Like a true Buffalo Girl, Bob Gentil (Auckland) had to go round the outside. And with good reason - The Rock of hole seven. And true to his skills, the GM slotted it for another birdie.

Downhill Slide - these are the tricky ones: the downhill putts. But they don't call him Tricky Riki for nothing (in fact they don't call him Tricky Riki at all - ed.).

Mexican Madness - Mexican golfer Juan Unda (Tijuana) attempted to continue his 2-discs only policy, but that went out the door in Round 3 after losing his yellow Eagle out in the open after what looked like a great drive on hole 6 heading towards 'The Forest' section (pictured). The earth just gobbled it up! Fortunately the Latino Loony had a spare Eagle in his sombrero and continued on if somewhat despondent.

Volcanic Reflection - Levin's poster boy Abe Hartley watches another golfer putt as other golfers traverse the course in the background. The cone shaped volcano is Mt Ngauruhoe, a cone that has erupted as recently as 1977.

'Levin' Nothing to Chance - Hole 1 was considered by many as a Aceable hole. But no Aces were recorded in the tournament. Here Riki Elston (Levin) in unable to pick up the birdie watched by fellow Levinite Shane Sullivan.

Wonders of Nature - With Mt Ngauruhoe as a backdrop, Shane Sullivan (Levin) reflects on what might be next for his battle to stay ahead of leading womens player and daughter Gemma.

Leap of Faith - Auckland golfer Mike Proctor gives his disc that extra flight needed to reach the pin on hole 11.

Easy Does It - Hole 17 has a very tricky approach into the green, further threatening by a nasty swampy creek in the background. Here Hana Robertson (National Park?) gently guides her disc in for an easy putt.

Take that Tree! - Under early morning cloud cover Pete Boyle (Taumarunui) tees of on hole 11 in the top group without even losing the bag. Boyle was one of only 3 players to stay under 60 for all four rounds - wicked.

Snagged - the trees around the course were amazing. A tree that looks dead and finished then anchors its branches into the ground to become roots and it all starts over again. LIke the NZ Disc Golf Tour.

The Rock - After a shocking drive on hole 7, Riki Elston (Levin) attempts a rock-skim.

Simple Yet Effective - Mike Proctor (Auckland) tees off having easily found the tee thanks to the simple yet wonderfully effective tee markers. Nice work Des.

That Tyred Look - The tyre on hole 18 could be a saviour or hinderer, depending on what happened to your disc. Here as Jymi Best (Everywhere) continues his superb round 3 52 the discs of Nigel Hailstone and AB sit safe from a couple of lengthy approach shots. They liked the tyre!

Oh the Pain - Auckland's Nick McKay watches in disbelief as yet another ballsy putt is spat out only to roll away. With TD Des Cooper's nasty pin placements, many golfers suffered similar fate. By Round 4 McKay was mocking his discs, daring them to twist the knife in his back.

The Winners - Congratulated by TD Des Cooper are (left to right) Jackson Sullivan [Levin, Open Champ], Simon Feasey [Auckland, Masters and Overall Champ] and Gemma Sullivan [Levin, Womens Champ]. Grand Master Champion Pete Boyle (Taumarunui) had to race off to a basketball game (yes, after 4 rounds of golf - and don't forget, Grand Masters is Over 50!!!)