I guess I'm new. Was I wrong?

[Haven13]

So, this is my first post here. I apologize up front for any "noob-ness".

I'm an old guy. I'm not gonna tell you exactly how old. Let's just say it's not the years that matter, it's the mileage. I was playing this game back when we had to make up our own courses and get screamed at by moms because the "chains" back then were the chains on the swing next to some kids.

Well, as I got wrapped up in my "career" I stopped doing this stuff. Now it's an actual sport and all. It's kinda like inline, skateboarding, snowboarding, climbing and the other stuff I used to do. So, I guess a founder is now a noob. How did that work?

I've only been playing disc again for a few years. I only get to go once or twice a year but things are different this year and I'm playing a lot and on different courses and it's more like twice a week now.

My nephew was in town and I wanted to go do something with him so we went out to throw. We did a day at Oak Brook. He had a great time and is hooked. When he gets down to TX, he's gonna play. On the fourth, we started in Naperville and ended up in Oak Brook. Naperville got a bit crowded and he pitched a disc into some serious bush. While we were searching we told some guys to play through. Later some discs flew past our head or landed near us. Everyone was dude-like to each other and it was all cool. On the way home, we were going past Oak Brook and I asked if he wanted to do a round there before calling it quits.

We get to the course, and there are these guys about two holes in front of us. Even though the kid lost another disc and we stopped to help search for a disc for these other dudes who we told to play through on us, we caught up to the first guys. My nephew had just said that disc golfers seem much cooler than ball golfers. The guys in front of us round a corner and are out of sight except one of the guys who is in a bush. The kid and I throw. Our discs land a good thirty yards shy of this guy and he starts yelling at us. I said, "Oh, okay, we'll wait." The kid asks what's up and I tell him that the guy is nervous about is throwing that close to him under my breath. While the kid and I are checking out where our discs landed, the guy starts in on us again. He gets really loud about it too. My initial reaction was to tell him they were going to dang slow in the first place and that we were no where near him and to let it drop because I had already said we'd wait.

It was hot, I could tell he wasn't doing well, and I figured he was just taking his frustration out on us. But, seriously, were we wrong to throw? There was no chance of hitting this guy!

We left the hole and went to the last hole and then we were gonna start again. I figured it was just best to get away from this guy. While we're searching for another disc that the kid put in the bush, these guys show up. I say, "Let's forget the disc and go." While we are walking to the car, one of their drivers lands about ten feet from us.

I really don't care if someone is all nervous about me throwing while he's on course. That's understandable. But he didn't need to keep on it like he did. And then, to do the same thing he called us on and actually do it to where it might hurt us made me wonder what kind of person I was dealing with.

So, help me out here. Were we wrong?

I read the etiquette thread and it seems like two wrongs make a right and noobs suck around here. But I'm still interested in what people have to say.

My take on the game has always been that the word "dude" and a little peace can solve any problem. Have things changed that much?

[stpitner]

every now and then you'll come across some people that will explode like that.  I know I don't like having someone throw on my backside when playing a hole just in case one gets away.  I've been hit hard before by a disc, not fun.  The only thing I could recommend is to call out and ask the person if you could go ahead and play through while they try to find their disc.  If they have a problem with that, then they have issues, but it would help them out so that they can watch your throw and make sure it doesn't hit them while they try to search.

As far as the shot that landed 10 feet from you, I'm not sure if it was the same guy that did it or if it was someone else.  I know that if it was a tee shot on hole 9 it's very hard to see out near the basket, but if it was the same guy, then the "retaliation" shot is uncalled for.  If it was someone's fairway drive and they could plainly see you, they either should have yelled out "fore" as it was coming in or waited for the area to be clear.

Most disc golfers are pretty cool about it, but every now and then you'll get some guys that go a little nutso

[Dan Michler]

if somebody is looking atleast 3-5 minutes, then tell them heads up and throw through them and if they get pissed then thats their problem.

otherwise its only right to play through when you have permission.  that being said, who does the right thing all the time? 

[Chainmeister]

Its not a matter of age, time passing or even the difference between ball golf and disc golf.  Its about the difference between people with experience in the game and difference between people who are missing a few cogs in their cranium.

In general the only difference between ball golf and disc golf is that in ball golf you can generally tee off after the group in front is a good shot away.  In disc golf you generally wait until they are done with the hole unless you are on a 700+ ft hole.  IN disc golf, espcially locally, most holes are par three.  In ball golf you do not tee off until the group has finished a par three hole. Regardless of the above, if you are apologetic and sincere your attiitude should be met in kind.  Experienced players would likely have explained the normal courtesy and likely helped you find the disc.  However, no matter where you go you always find... well you know, those types of guys.

Like you, I played disc golf long ago and then not for a long time until just a few years ago.

[Haven13]

Thanks for the replies. It's good to know that this isn't the norm.

Yeah, the fairway shot was from the same group of guys. So I'm thinking there was at least some hypocrasy if not outright intent.

I wasn't trying to play through. The hole was not visable from the tee and the other guys were around the corner. There was no chance of hitting this dude. (I WISH I could throw that far with my mid!) And we had some dudes behind us. That's what the whole thing was about.

Dude! Is that Yoda disc for real? Or is that a "Photoshopped" image?

[mirth]

we have many skilled disc dying people amongst us. the job is untouched as far as I know.

[Mukey]

You may have just caught the random idiot. Plus, like Scott said, if it was a tee shot on 9 they probably couldn't see you. As disc golf is probably a bit more popular now than before when you originally played, more people playing does sometimes mean more un-cool people. You can't avoid all of em.

[stpitner]

yup, yoda is real   Although Yoda isn't quite as crisp looking on the disc now that it's more than a year old.  the dye job unfortunately bleeds a little bit as time goes on.  If I kept the disc in colder temperatures the dye would have held better.  You can still tell that it's Yoda though.