One of my duties as official Course Contact for El Dorado Park Disc Golf Course [at least according to the PDGA, the Sport's governing body] is fielding inquiries about the Park/our Sport, due to the fact my e-mail address is the one listed in the Course Directory [http://www.pdga.com/course/index.php].

 

....thus, I was the one 'fielding point' when James 'Jaguar' Smithells, a Meet Director from Queenstown, New Zealand, the man responsible for the installation of Queenstown Gardens in 1995 [though he's been playing the Sport in some incarnation since the 1970's] used the "coure contact" function via PDGA.com. James was inquiring about the possibility of finding transport from Buena Park to the Granddaddy of them all, Pasadena's Oak Grove, the first permanent Disc Golf Course [so old is "OG", in fact, it is announced as a "Frisbee Golf Course" near the Park's entrance.

 

James was on an extensive vacation, due to be in the Southland for a visit to Knott's Berry Farm, and in fact was writing from England when I first started the acquaintance. Might

I, or someone else, be able to help make a 'pilgrimage' to the oldest existing Course?

 

 

 

....now, if one happens to know me [slo], the irony is, I'm a Bicycle Commuter; have been for decades; haven't driven a motor vehicle in ten years, roughly. But I thought the 'cause' was keen, and, in the spirit of the DG Community, I agreed to spread the word; try and recruit a Driver for James.

 

It took several weeks to hit paydirt, but, after making an announcement at our Monthlie, just one + days before James' planned departure from the Southland, previous Eldo Director Mike Brayton felt up to the task.

So, the meeting was arranged, over the internet, as James had agreed to closely monitor his Mail in the days leading up to the planned excursion. Telephone #'s were exchanged, the drive was made, and, not only was the original played; Mike and James had the spare time to play a back-9 of 'the nicest course around', locally world famous Eldo.

 

James is now safely back home in Queenston, enjoying a  Skiing trip in his homeland [remember, the seasons are obversed], where he resides a "cruisey half-hour ride to the slopes".

 

Here's a direct quote from the Jaguar: "I would certainly be happy to reciprocate the hospitality to anybody visiting Queenstown in the future.....Have been playing every weekend since I've been back, with renewed keenness for the game after my travels....You can check me out on www.discgolf.co.nz by going to the Queenstown page."

 

.....it's really can be a small World, eh?

 

Happy discing!

slo