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August, 2006
Disc Golf: Short Game
By Zeke Callanan
Mini-golf is to ball golf as Short Game is to disc golf.
Short Game is a short-spaced, fast-paced, high stakes reincarnation of the original. It is played with the same tools as the big game; it's just a smaller job.
Deering Oaks Park in Portland is a perfect venue for a quick game of pick-up disc. The park is heavily used for a wide array of purposes, but certainly there is ample space to chuck discs, provided an occasional pause for pedestrians in the fairway.
Traditionally, we'd always played long (normal) holes there; our standard "course" is really not too shabby.
But in come the rains of May, and many of those holes morphed into water hazards. So one day we wanted to stay dry, and we were lazy, laughing about what disc golf would be like with a twist of mini, and there was Short Game.
Here is the jist:
Short-spaced:
We make all of the holes par two. Some are short and aceable, and some a bit longer and more challenging. They varied in distance from 30 feet to 120. The trees in Deering Oaks are well-spaced and distinguishable, so holes are easy to create and alter. The number of different courses we could create at Deering Oaks is approximately infinity. You don't need so much space though, because the real beauty of Short Game is that you can play it in a small area, like a backyard. The short distance is a great workout for approach shots and putts. It also gives you a chance to get a feel for new discs.
Fast-paced:
A round takes well under an hour. Some holes take less than a minute. If you want to milk it, of course, you can make it take as long as you want, but if time is crunchy and fragile, Short Game is the way to go. Playing 36 holes in a row is normal.
High-stakes:
There is no better attribute of Short Game than the resultant pressure on each shot and each hole. The game is played as a skins game. (Definition of Skins Game from golf.about.com: A skins game pits players in a type of match play in which each hole has a set value (usually in money or points). The player who wins the hole is said to win the "skin," and whatever that skin is worth. When players tie on a given hole, the value of that hole is carried over and added to the value of the following hole. The more ties, the greater the value of the skin and the bigger the eventual payoff. For example, a friendly skins game might be played for one beer per hole. If three holes in a row are played without a winner, then the fourth hole is worth four beers (one beer for its own value, plus a beer for each hole that carries over) Since ties are the regular, there ends up being a lot of skin-pushing, so the pressure on each shot is elevated. One slip of the wrist, or two-putt, and you find yourself down a few. The difference in hole length plays a factor too, as some are an easy ace, but if you miss it, you've got trouble.
So, there it is, mostly unraveled. Good times!
For more information on Short Game, and to obtain express written consent to play, email the disc golf editor: zeke@noumbrella.com.
Email nick [at] noumbrella [dot] com with your questions, comments and concerns.
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