Problems with people taking your discs from the fairway and walking off

[Steve West]

...A walker with his dog come across the disc, and the dog picked it up. He shook it a few times, digging his fangs deep into the plastic. ...

The important thing is that the dog got to do what it wanted. Indulging the merest whim of any dog outweighs any degree of suffering by any number of humans.

(Yes, sarcasm.)

 

[air show]

I was walking up on my drive about 200ft away and saw a young girl pointing to my disc on the ground and showing her boy friend my disc. He walks over and places his disc on top of mine and picks both discs up. I got to give credit to the crook... it was a smooth move the only problem was I was watching. I chewed his ass so bad he and his friends got in their car and left the park. At the time I had a hard time believing a disc golfer could be a crook... how naive is that.

 

[MaxFlight]

I remember a buddy of mine threw a drive and it carried long onto a road beyond the basket (not a busy road at all). A guy riding his bike picked it up and rode just away...

 

[smarkquart]

Last story and then I will move on.

The last winter seemed to last forever, and I am not a big fan of it getting dark by 3:30. I play all winter, but there is something about not throwing your best discs. I suppose it does not matter anyway because discs fly a little different in the cold weather.

Since the fall, I have been trying to break in my Defenders as my main drivers because I find that my Worlds, once they get too seasoned, flip too hard to trust.

Hole 9 is the longest hole on my home course (city park with mature trees, and to be able to sneak in a 360 foot hole is a big deal). The trees frame it that if you want any chance at an ace or birdie, you need a slight turn, avoid a few mature trees, and then finish with a mild fade. The problem, at the half way point is a slight elevation rise before it dips back down to flat. Not a big deal, but it does make anything less than six feet off the ground blind, so you never truly see how it lands. Not the ideal situation for winter golf and having little trust to finding a disc in the snow.

Okay, so my Defenders are not quite where I want them, they just have too much high speed stability for the winter. So, early in the week I purchased a fresh VIP World. It is exactly what I need for this shot in the winter. First day - ribbons, yes; phone number, no. Perfect shot and I land about 25 feet out. I find the disc no problem despite it almost sundown. I make the putt and call it a round.

Normally, during the winter there are only four or five of us who will play, and we all know each well. However, it is a city park and occasionally people cut across it even though there is no real reason to. But really, no one is out in the park itself besides diehard disc golfers, so losing a disc in the snow means that will still be there for awhile. And if it is found, you will get it back the next day because we all know each other.

I get home and check my bag, meaning to fix any ribbons and definitely make sure everything is marked. But my bag is one disc light - that brand new World. The course is six minutes from my house, and despite it being dark, I know exactly where to look. The disc is gone, picked up by someone cutting through the park just after sundown? But he was nice enough to leave the ribbon behind, exactly where I knew my disc was left.

The next day I was playing again, not purposely looking for this person, but the timing was the near the same. I landed close to the same spot, took a couple of practice putts, and then as I packed up my bag, I made sure all the ribbons were hanging neatly out of the bag. This early 20's guy was cutting through the park, which follows a path from 8's basket and then exits by 9's basket. Why cut through snow when the street is plowed? We make eye contact. I say nothing because by all technicality, it was now theft if indeed he was the one to pick it up, but the brazen of ripping off the ribbon, leaving it there, and then seeing me with discs with the same ribbon in the same spot where the last was left, if he was the one who picked it up, he said nothing. I, on my part, said nothing as well. I could have asked if he had innocently enough just picked it up, but I had already assumed a denial considering again that it took a conscious effort to rip off the ribbon and leave it where the disc was found.

Fine. I went back to Dynamic's website and order two more VIP Worlds. This time, they had a Finnish stamp, so I guess I am happy by how this turned out.

 

[DiscFifty]

I chewed his ass so bad he and his friends got in their car and left the park.

Nice. While I would never advocate physical violence over a plastic disc, there's no way I would let someone get away with it if I witnessed it. Related, young kids picking up discs like an easter egg hunt while the parents are oblivious is always fun to deal with. lol..

Fine. I went back to Dynamic's website and order two more VIP Worlds. This time, they had a Finnish stamp, so I guess I am happy by how this turned out.

Sorry...but what's the moral of the story?

 

[ILUVSMGS18]

So I've had this happen twice now.
First one was a shot I think I forgot to pick up, but I'm not sure. I got to a hole where I would need it, and then proceeded to walk back along the course, running into 2 groups, neither of which had "seen" my 4x Zone. I know the second group had it, but being by myself and the suspect having a pair of friends I let it go.
Second case was doubles where I played first from my lie and my partner forgot to pick up my disc. Not only did it happen once, but it happened again the next hole. Lost a Z Crank and a Proto Anax. Worst part is the guy walked by me and a friend from a distance, and we both had a feeling he was the culprit. Wish I had confronted that one.

 

[Discette]

Practicing a course for Pro Worlds and taking multiple drives on most holes. I realize that I left my Valkyrie right in the middle of the fairway a few holes back. After the round, we were in the parking lot and the guys that were playing behind us finish up 18 and I go over and ask if they happened to find my yellow Valkyrie on Hole 5. They say no, so I head over to my car and figure I can ask the next group.

A few minutes later one of the guys from the group comes over to the car and says: "You know I think we may have found your disc. But we thought it was orange, not yellow, that is why I said we didn't find your disc. I wasn't lying to you." I was so happy and relieved to know he found it. I said thank you so much for finding it. Then he said. "I don't have it anymore, I lost it." So I ask him where he lost it I can go back and look.

Then he confessed he accidentally threw it into the river on Hole 16. That river was flowing full force and practically overflowing, so there was no getting it back. At that point I figured I was being punked, so I started laughing, the guys with me all start laughing, but this guy is dead serious. He again apologizes for everything and offers to buy me a new disc. I let him know it is OK, that I can replace it and he doesn't have to do that. My crew kept laughing at me all week long.


To this day, I still laugh every time I think about it..... It is like a Homer Simpson moment..... All happy with a "Woo Hoo!" :hfive: when he admitted he found it, followed by a "D'oh!" :doh: when I realized the disc had gone to Davy Jones' Locker and was never coming back!

 

[air show]

Sometimes when I am looking for my disc where people had walked past and the disc is not where I think it should be I start getting pissed. Accusingly them in my head... it's the only explanation why I can't find my disc. Thank God I haven't accused someone... I always find my disc after further searching.

 

[DiscJunkie]

So I'm throwing practice throws on soccer fields that are surrounded by a paved walking path. No trees, full 360 view.
One of my errant throws skips onto the path about 250' away (nobody was close at the time) and after a few minutes an elderly couple walk by and toss the disc back onto the grass and I wave to say thanks and continue to throw.

Maybe 5 minutes later, out of the corner of my eye (~250' away), I see a dog with a disc in its mouth, on a leash being walked by a female.
I think to myself, "Surely she didn't just let that dog grab my disc, in full view of the guy throwing discs in the soccer field..." My best guess is that SURELY it was a dog toy.

When I get done throwing, and go to gather my discs, I am now one short, and the dog-walker is long gone.
A month later, I'm still shaking my head and laughing about it..
Bye, bye, new blue DX Cobra...

 

[b-mart]

The next day I was playing again, not purposely looking for this person, but the timing was the near the same. I landed close to the same spot, took a couple of practice putts, and then as I packed up my bag, I made sure all the ribbons were hanging neatly out of the bag. This early 20's guy was cutting through the park, which follows a path from 8's basket and then exits by 9's basket. Why cut through snow when the street is plowed? We make eye contact. I say nothing because by all technicality, it was now theft if indeed he was the one to pick it up, but the brazen of ripping off the ribbon, leaving it there, and then seeing me with discs with the same ribbon in the same spot where the last was left, if he was the one who picked it up, he said nothing. I, on my part, said nothing as well. I could have asked if he had innocently enough just picked it up, but I had already assumed a denial considering again that it took a conscious effort to rip off the ribbon and leave it where the disc was found.

I'm not quite following your logic here. If you're playing a public park the day after your disc goes missing and you cross paths with someone, you can't just assume that they're the one who stole your disc. It's a public park. Even with snow I doubt this guy was the only person to walk through there that day.

Unless there's more to the story. You guys made eye contact. Did he also stare at your disc bag? Was he carrying a stack of discs? Did he have a shirt that said "Stobaugh" on the back? Why did you find him especially suspicious other than his just existing in the park at that moment in the snow?

 

[Three Putt]

I have had someone pick up my drive before, but it was over 20 years ago. It happens, but I don't think it happens a lot.

I was harassed by a guy last summer who asked me if I found his disc. I said "no" because I didn't; I'm actually lucky if I find my own disc and very rarely find random lost discs while I'm playing. He stared at me and gave me the "Really? I'm sure I left it on the hole you just played" routine and I offered to go help him look for it; he said no but the whole time he's looking at my bag. He goes to look for the disc and I go on with my day, a few holes later he's back going "Are you sure you didn't find my disc?" :| Like I'm just suddenly going to remember a disc I found. I told him to search my bag if he wanted to, he said no and I went about my day. He was in the parking lot staring at me when I left; dude was 100% convinced that I stole his disc.

Whatever he lost was some Dynamic/Lat 64 thing, it couldn't have been THAT special. :|

 

[discerdoo]

I have had someone pick up my drive before, but it was over 20 years ago. It happens, but I don't think it happens a lot.

I was harassed by a guy last summer who asked me if I found his disc. I said "no" because I didn't; I'm actually lucky if I find my own disc and very rarely find random lost discs while I'm playing. He stared at me and gave me the "Really? I'm sure I left it on the hole you just played" routine and I offered to go help him look for it; he said no but the whole time he's looking at my bag. He goes to look for the disc and I go on with my day, a few holes later he's back going "Are you sure you didn't find my disc?" :| Like I'm just suddenly going to remember a disc I found. I told him to search my bag if he wanted to, he said no and I went about my day. He was in the parking lot staring at me when I left; dude was 100% convinced that I stole his disc.

Whatever he lost was some Dynamic/Lat 64 thing, it couldn't have been THAT special. :|

You're likely a pretty suspicious looking dude.

Based on your avatar, did you ask if he was threatening you?

 

[ThrowBot]

I've twice had someone pick up and walk off with my tee shot on 18 Black at Diamond X. It's a huge downhill bomb over the main trail that hikers use to access the park. After throwing, you have to back-track along a cliff and scramble down boulders to get to the fairway; it takes a while.

I don't think disc golfers took my discs. They were both close enough to the trail that a casual hiker could have seen them, not realized they were "in play," and scooped them up.

 

[Three Putt]

You're likely a pretty suspicious looking dude.

Based on your avatar, did you ask if he was threatening you?

 

[smarkquart]

I'm not quite following your logic here. If you're playing a public park the day after your disc goes missing and you cross paths with someone, you can't just assume that they're the one who stole your disc. It's a public park. Even with snow I doubt this guy was the only person to walk through there that day.

Unless there's more to the story. You guys made eye contact. Did he also stare at your disc bag? Was he carrying a stack of discs? Did he have a shirt that said "Stobaugh" on the back? Why did you find him especially suspicious other than his just existing in the park at that moment in the snow?

I assumed nothing. Thus, I did not say anything to him. The problem with the story is that I would have to tell more about the park for readers to realize that this park is rarely used outside of disc golf - and then, it is only used by four or five of us during the winter. It is a perfect square with roads on three sides and apartments on the fourth. Two of those three sides are residential houses with the last side having an elementary school. With the streets and sidewalks routinely plowed during the winter, and with no other activities in the park, there really is no reason for people to be cutting through, and thus, almost no one does.

During the non-winter months, a few more people cut through, a few more hang out in the rentalable shelters, and every once in a while someone lets their dogs off the leash (which is a no-no). Overall, everyone knows this is a disc golf course. And yet, in the winter, there are only four or five of us who play. That is the reason why that in every case of a lost disc this last winter, with the exception of mine in this story, has been recovered days or weeks later. Mine disappeared after an hour. In this particular case in this specific spot of the course, you have to go out of your way to want to cut through here.

My story really did not have moral beyond the convenient timing of this individual having taken the same path a few days in a row, creating a path in the snow, that makes no real sense of the way he was cutting through the park. He carries nothing with him and is not a player.

I also decided to say nothing because who knows what his state of mind is. I am not calling him thief, but I am pointing out the conscious decision to rip off the ribbon and leave it there (I put those ribbons on with multiple layers so they last all winter despite numerous tree hits). I am also pointing that this individual saw me playing the next day, I was almost in the exact same spot where the disc was left, and I had out some discs with the exact same ribbons visible. He chose to say nothing - not that he was under any obligation to say anything.

I am an introvert of a high degree, keeping my boldness to occasionally typing on the internet. I chose to say nothing because I am only 90% sure he was the one to pick it up, and being that much of an introvert, had decided was not even worth the effort of asking because that same introvertness assumes that he was already going to say that he had found nothing.

What is the point of the whole story, I was relating a time where I left a disc behind in the middle of the fairway in a spot that was not likely going to be discovered because it was almost dark in a part of the park rarely traveled by non-disc golfers. I expected it to be there when I came back for it a hour or two later. Instead, I found the ribbon that was evidence that someone else had found it, ripped the ribbon off, and left the ribbon where the disc was. The next day I saw something taking the exact path that had to be taken in order to find my disc. No one else takes this path. He chose to say nothing; I chose to say nothing. I purchased two more discs to replace that one. Not a theft story, but definitely a story of someone taking my disc from the middle of the fairway with no apparent attempt to get it back to the owner.

 

[thrembo]

I think it only happened to me once. We let a couple of groups play through after we already threw. Can't say for sure one of them grabbed my disc but it was a blazing pink LE Venom and we never found it. It wasn't a disc I would have left behind without a thorough search.

 

[thrembo]

One time we were throwing off the big hill (by Florida standards) on hole 16 at the Estero course and a little girl comes running onto the fairway and grabs my buddies disc and proceeds to run it all the way back up the hill to us at the tee while my buddy is pleading with her to stop. What's the official ruling on that? We let him retee lol.

 

[Nova P]

One time we were throwing off the big hill (by Florida standards) on hole 16 at the Estero course and a little girl comes running onto the fairway and grabs my buddies disc and proceeds to run it all the way back up the hill to us at the tee while my buddy is pleading with her to stop. What's the official ruling on that? We let him retee lol.

810 Interference

A. If a thrown disc has moved after having come to rest on the in-bounds playing surface, it is replaced to where it first came to rest, as agreed on by the group. A thrown disc that has come to rest elsewhere does not need to be replaced, and its position is based on where it first came to rest, as agreed on by the group.

 

[GMcAtee]

810 Interference

A. If a thrown disc has moved after having come to rest on the in-bounds playing surface, it is replaced to where it first came to rest, as agreed on by the group. A thrown disc that has come to rest elsewhere does not need to be replaced, and its position is based on where it first came to rest, as agreed on by the group.

Glad this is the ruling. I had a dog run off with my disc at hole 1 of a tournament years ago.

 

[Steve West]

Also good to know this rule:

805.03 Lost Disc
D. If it is discovered prior to the completion of the tournament that a player's disc that had been declared lost has been removed or taken, then two throws are subtracted from the player's score for that hole.