2004 ILLINOIS OPEN SERIES

[Jon Brakel]

We had the most fantastic weather and the course was in great condition. We had a total of 78 players (we made the B tier minimum!) which I thought wasn't bad for a course's first ever PDGA tournament. I'm tired so tonight I'm going to kick back and relax. I can't post both days of results on the PDGA website since we had one guy who played both days. I'll post on my own website as soon as I can. I'll start work on it tomorrow evening.

Thanks to everyone who came for helping to make it a great event!!!

[CEValkyrie]

Jon is right, you can't ask for better weather. Mid 70's, sunny, & low wind speeds made play very enjoyable all weekend.

The course looked fantastic. Very green & lush. The tees improved over the weekend. All the play really flattened them out. I know some people didn't like the wood chips but I liked them.

As a player on Sunday, I enjoyed the fact of playing in a 3-some. Each round  took about 1 hour & 45 minutes. Players were leaving by 4:30PM. Having 38 & 40 per day has it's advantages .

I want to send out a big thanks to all DISContinuum Members who helped volunteer in any way and to those who participated. We had 17 club members play the event & Maddisen ran the pop stand & worked brass cash player packs, making 18 club members in attendance over the weekend.

Thanks to the Brakel Family for another fine event.
Thanks to Kevin L., Jason W., & Adrian Sr. for helping setting up on Saturday.
Thanks to Dan M. & Jason H. for working the DISContinuum Table.
Thanks to Damon for spotting all day on Sunday.
Another big thanks to Jason H. for showing up both days setting up, working, & tearing down!!!!!!!!!

As for my play, I had a cold & hot day. I sucked it up the first round taking 2 double bogies, 2 bogies, & 6 birdies to play even par. I managed to shoot a -5 in the afternoon to tie for 5th out of 18 advanced players. Luke M. & I split 5th & 6th place winnings. We each got $52.50 in brass cash. I think 1st took $150.00 in brass cash.

Kieth Warren won Open.
Adrain Jr. won Junior
I'm not sure of the others.

I will get series points updated when the results are posted by Jon.

[Jon Brakel]

One thing that I'd like to point out about our tournaments is the efficient manner in which we run them. Maybe it's because Bruce and I are German, but we pride ourselves in running a smooth tournament. Our lunch breaks are always an hour after the last card comes in. By the time the last card came in today for the morning round, I had all the Pro division leader board cards sorted and the score cards filled out and put out on the board.

By the time the first card came back in the afternoon, I had everything all set for the awards. We were able to start the awards about 3 minutes after the Advanced playoff ended. I like to save the Pro final 4 until all the Am cards come in so they can watch, but at Streamwood I was afraid it might start raining so I sent the pros off as soon as we were ready. As it turned out the rain held off. Bruce and Brett run the amateur day just as efficiently.

I point this out only because I don't want people to be surprised when they take an hour and 15 minute lunch that the second round has already started. Likewise, we are ready right away to run awards. One guy who won prizes in Advanced said to me after the Advanced playoff was over that he needed to get his prizes because he had to leave. I said "OK, we'll get to your place in about 2 minutes here."

I am going to start looking forward to IOS #2 just as soon as I finish with the post tourney paper work.  

[Bruce Brakel]

Well run, Jon.  Great payouts.  During the players' meetings you need to work on screaming like a madman when you talk, or delegate that job to someone for whom screaming like a madman is a natural ability.

I think if we run small quality events for amateurs who get it, that's fine.  Eventually they will tell their friends and the thing will grow, but until then we have something fun for the Brakel family and fun for the Discontinuum extended family.  Bigger is rarely more fun for the TDs.  It is not like we are losing money.  In fact, we have almost paid for the overall plaques, so if IOS 2 is similarly attended we'll be able to have about nine CTPs each day at IOS 3.

The neighbors to hole 18 seemed to appreciate having the yellow rope across their back property line.  I don't think i can get back to Illinois before the CryZtal CruiZe for a yellow rope conference so you and Brett will need to settle those issues.  I like the idea we discussed for hole 3, and an island hole for the redesigned hole 6 might make it a lot less lame.  

[damonshort]

I had some binoculars with me yesterday while I was spotting from the 'gap' on #8. I happened to pick them up to take a look at Bruce's group on #7 just before the moment when Luke hit his (non-pool) ace on #7.

They're pretty good spyglasses; I could see clearly all the way across to putts on #12 (although not *hearing* them was kind of weird). One cool effect was seeing 3 or 4 drives - from the different holes in the air simultaneously, and it struck me that it could make kind of an interesting aerial photo.

[Jon Brakel]

Shots of the weekend that I saw:

One of the pros in the final 4 threw on number 4 over the creek and landed within 50 feet of the basket. I was too far away to tell who it was and he didn't convert the deuce so I couldn't tell by the score card either. But it was one heck of a shot.

Then Kelsey hit a monster of a putt on #18 to card a three on that hole. I think about half of the ams shot a 4 or worse on that hole over the weekend. This was on Sunday when Kelsey was playing with Barrett. Barrett said she can't wait until kelsey will be playing in her division all the time.

My most memorable shot of the year so far for me happened while I was TDing on Sunday. After I had everything ready to go for the awards and was just waiting for the second round cards to come in, I decided to throw a bit to loosen up. There was a lull on 16 so I threw 2 drives and turned them both over. I threw them while the guys on 17 were writing their scores down for 16. After they threw I walked over to their fairway where my drives were and I picked up the first one and threw a spike hyzer (thumb inside). I was about 150 feet out and the disc came down just a few feet in front of the basket and then bounced in! The guys who walked by me turned around and looked and I said I just threw a spike hyzer like this and it went in. I proceeded to throw the second one and it hit the ground right in front of the basket and bounced a little flatter and hit the pole! That was amusing.

[D]

Shots of the weekend that I saw:

One of the pros in the final 4 threw on number 4 over the creek and landed within 50 feet of the basket. I was too far away to tell who it was and he didn't convert the deuce so I couldn't tell by the score card either. But it was one heck of a shot.

That was Keith Warren. He was telling me all about it last night hahah, man that kid can bomb, he's only 20 years old

[D]

Forgot to mention he's a lefty, haha. That is so not a lefty hole..

Watch out for him. I'm sure Innova will be picking him up soon, if noone else gets to him first

[CEValkyrie]

That was an awesome drive by Kieth. What a monster turnover shot that was. He just missed the putt to the right.

Dan hit the pole on #17.

Two aces hit Sunday.


I was also playing with a guy that had a not so good hole on #5. He had a 30ft putt for 2. It hit the cage and rolled down the hill. He hit the cage again on his par putt & it rolled down. He got pissed and ran it hard. It hit the chains and bounced out. He ended up taking a 5. He still shot -5 the first round.  

[airspuds]

that ll happen on that hole    

[Bruce Brakel]

I saw a fat old guy birdie the 390 foot #10, the swamp hole with the yellow rope.  He took it out over the swamp and landed it 18 feet short of the basket.  I've never seen a fat old amateur throw that far!

[Bruce Brakel]

Speaking of which, did anyone not hate the yellow rope?  Because I've got 600 more feet...

[D]

I had no problem with the rope being where it was..  OB is OB, everyone has got to deal with it so quit whining and throw    

[Bruce Brakel]

I had no problem with the rope being where it was..  OB is OB, everyone has got to deal with it so quit whining and throw  

I feel the same way.  I think a little well placed yellow rope can make a lame course more interesting.  A lot of yellow rope could make Fairfield interesting.  I think that's why I have 1200 feet.

If we do anymore yellow rope we will also flag the corners so it is easier to see the outline of the o.b. area from the tee.

[damonshort]

Two aces hit Sunday.

I still believe that on a better basket my shot on #11 Sat morning woulda stayed in....    

[Bruce Brakel]

"Rabbit, rabbit, rabbit."  Ray Raynor.

[Bruce Brakel]

The next IOS is IOS #2, the Crystal Cruise at Lippold Park in Crystal Lake, July 24 and 25.  Same format as #1: lower divisions play Saturday, including Pro 2 and Am Master.  Advanced, Advanced Women, Open, Pro Women and Pro Masters play Sunday.  Same entry fees.  Same fat payouts for amateurs.

Lippold is easy to find if you've never been there.  It is on Route 176 in Crystal Lake.  

[damonshort]

I've got a few photos of the final 4 at Streamwood that aren't bad. I'd be happy to upload them to a gallery here somewhere if I can get instructions/access, etc.

[Jon Brakel]

I've got a few photos of the final 4 at Streamwood that aren't bad. I'd be happy to upload them to a gallery here somewhere if I can get instructions/access, etc.

Can someone give Damon the access and instructions? I think the access has changed since the last time I used it.

[Jon Brakel]

The Saturday and Sunday TD reports are done and e-mailed. I'll post scores on the website by the end of the weekend.