Just had somebody pick up my 2017 Big Jerm thunderbird from the fairway of a hole next to their tee and walk off and deny that they took it(This course is small and has a lot of tees right next to holes). Has anybody had problems like this too? I'm pretty bummed out about it.
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Problems with people taking your discs from the fairway and walking off
- Thread starter J_Helms
- Start date
Armus Patheticus
Garrulous Windbag
- Joined
- Aug 29, 2015
- Messages
- 400
Once in Fort Stockton Texas a little kid ran up and grabbed my Condor off the ground. When I approached, his mother told him to give it back but the little feller had a tantrum. She said, "Can he just keep it?" and I said, "...Yes. If you want him to keep it." So she calmed the boy saying, "It's yours, it's yours." It was the only disc I had on that trip, so I left.
smarkquart
* Ace Member *
Probably more than twice, but the two that come to mind are from the same course about ten years ago.
1) Three kids were in the water fishing out discs but otherwise no one was waiting on Hole 1, so I took four or five shots. It is a short hole, does not need more than a putter or mid to ace run, but there is a creek that runs through the middle and a few tall trees that can swat down your drive. Still, a fun opening ace run hole. After taking my four or five shots, I walked up and found all but one. A guy parked close to the hole and who could see everything from his car, yell out at me that the three kids had gotten out of the water to watch me throw, and in the time I leaned over to pick up my bag, had grabbed one of my discs and thrown it in the water where they would find it later.
The guy in the car had no reason to lie to me, but the kids denied it emphatically. Playing solo, it takes me about 30 to 40 minutes to play a round. I told them that when I returned, and if they were still there, I was going to search through everything they had, and if I see my disc, I am calling the police. I was not going to actually follow through with that threat, but they were gone when I came back. It was a near-perfect FLX Buzzz. I never could find a replacement, so I gave up on the mold.
2) That winter, Hole 8 is a long, winding Par 5, but the first drive is slightly downhill and slowly curves to the left before doglegging back up the right. The creek is on the left side the whole way, so it is a tough shot to land something where you want it. The park is packed during the summer, but it is much quieter during the winter, giving you opportunities to throw a few extra if you want to test a line.
I took two shots, as did the person tagging along with me. We found his two right away, but I have a bigger arm and was able to get both drives down near where it doglegs back up to the right. I found my first one right away, played from it, and nearly walked away from my second practice drive.
A young teenager, known to loiter around the course, and occasionally play, but mostly a suspected disc thief willing to trade discs for weed, for whatever reason was hanging around the dogleg (it is a pinch point near Hole 9 and 12's tee, so it not uncommon to see other people there). He is the only other person on the course besides us, and he did not look like he was doing much. He placed his backpack down (this was before disc golf had backpack style bags) in the middle of a fairway and started roaming around like he was looking for a disc. I went back looking for my disc. Eventually, I yelled at him that I was moving his bag because I believed that was where my disc landed. Sure enough, my disc was directly under his bag. It was not buried to begin with, so he purposely put his back on top of it. He apologized, saying that he thought it was his disc - right, on the same day as I was there, he was also throwing (which we never saw him throw at all) a pink FLX Surge SS with my PDGA number sharpied largely on the flight plate. Why would he want to steal it anyway considering how I had marked it?
Side note to the second incident - five months later, a friend and I were playing a really late-round there. We occasionally play night rounds here, but tonight was not going to be one of those rounds, so we were rushing to finish up. That same kid was wandering through the course, saw us, saw me, and then wandered off the course. As much as we said we wanted to be finished before it got dark, we talked ourselves back into playing the back loop one more time. On Hole 9, we found his backpack sitting underneath the basket. He was gone, and we waited to be sure. I do not partake, but my friend recognized the stench of heavy weed usage.
I do not care if you judge me or not, but we ransacked the bag. No drugs but about ten discs. The ones that had numbers, we called or texted, maybe five of them, and each one said that it was the first time they had been contacted after losing that disc. We were able to return those and left the others in the backpack.
I do not play leagues there often, but of the few times that I did, I saw him once. I am not sure he recognized me, but I recognized him. He never said anything to me, and I got mixed reviews about him from those I played with. It was ten years ago, so I am sure he has gotten on with his life - hopefully for the better.
1) Three kids were in the water fishing out discs but otherwise no one was waiting on Hole 1, so I took four or five shots. It is a short hole, does not need more than a putter or mid to ace run, but there is a creek that runs through the middle and a few tall trees that can swat down your drive. Still, a fun opening ace run hole. After taking my four or five shots, I walked up and found all but one. A guy parked close to the hole and who could see everything from his car, yell out at me that the three kids had gotten out of the water to watch me throw, and in the time I leaned over to pick up my bag, had grabbed one of my discs and thrown it in the water where they would find it later.
The guy in the car had no reason to lie to me, but the kids denied it emphatically. Playing solo, it takes me about 30 to 40 minutes to play a round. I told them that when I returned, and if they were still there, I was going to search through everything they had, and if I see my disc, I am calling the police. I was not going to actually follow through with that threat, but they were gone when I came back. It was a near-perfect FLX Buzzz. I never could find a replacement, so I gave up on the mold.
2) That winter, Hole 8 is a long, winding Par 5, but the first drive is slightly downhill and slowly curves to the left before doglegging back up the right. The creek is on the left side the whole way, so it is a tough shot to land something where you want it. The park is packed during the summer, but it is much quieter during the winter, giving you opportunities to throw a few extra if you want to test a line.
I took two shots, as did the person tagging along with me. We found his two right away, but I have a bigger arm and was able to get both drives down near where it doglegs back up to the right. I found my first one right away, played from it, and nearly walked away from my second practice drive.
A young teenager, known to loiter around the course, and occasionally play, but mostly a suspected disc thief willing to trade discs for weed, for whatever reason was hanging around the dogleg (it is a pinch point near Hole 9 and 12's tee, so it not uncommon to see other people there). He is the only other person on the course besides us, and he did not look like he was doing much. He placed his backpack down (this was before disc golf had backpack style bags) in the middle of a fairway and started roaming around like he was looking for a disc. I went back looking for my disc. Eventually, I yelled at him that I was moving his bag because I believed that was where my disc landed. Sure enough, my disc was directly under his bag. It was not buried to begin with, so he purposely put his back on top of it. He apologized, saying that he thought it was his disc - right, on the same day as I was there, he was also throwing (which we never saw him throw at all) a pink FLX Surge SS with my PDGA number sharpied largely on the flight plate. Why would he want to steal it anyway considering how I had marked it?
Side note to the second incident - five months later, a friend and I were playing a really late-round there. We occasionally play night rounds here, but tonight was not going to be one of those rounds, so we were rushing to finish up. That same kid was wandering through the course, saw us, saw me, and then wandered off the course. As much as we said we wanted to be finished before it got dark, we talked ourselves back into playing the back loop one more time. On Hole 9, we found his backpack sitting underneath the basket. He was gone, and we waited to be sure. I do not partake, but my friend recognized the stench of heavy weed usage.
I do not care if you judge me or not, but we ransacked the bag. No drugs but about ten discs. The ones that had numbers, we called or texted, maybe five of them, and each one said that it was the first time they had been contacted after losing that disc. We were able to return those and left the others in the backpack.
I do not play leagues there often, but of the few times that I did, I saw him once. I am not sure he recognized me, but I recognized him. He never said anything to me, and I got mixed reviews about him from those I played with. It was ten years ago, so I am sure he has gotten on with his life - hopefully for the better.
smarkquart
* Ace Member *
I will throw another story out, this time a more innocent incident.
I was playing Riverside in Saint Cloud, the course that I learned to play this sport. It was a mid-afternoon spring day, and for better or worse, Riverside is a multi-use park despite it being a heavily played course. That means a lot of walkers and people being oblivious of discs flying everywhere.
The course is right off the banks of the Mississippi River. It is on high enough ground where it is not an issue on 16 of 18 holes, but it can be mildly scenic. That means there is a dirt path that many people use to walk through the park and look out on the river.
The particular hole I was playing was about 260 feet, crosses over this dirt path and the basket is nestled between two mature trees and a light pole. Not a difficult shot.
An elderly couple was walking toward me on this path, so I paused throwing. There was no one behind me for several holes, so I was taking a few practice drives. I waited on the tee despite two of my discs already sitting near the basket. The elderly woman, and because this story ends well I have no ill feelings toward her, picked up my disc that happened to be laying near the path and the basket and threw it into the more central part of the course. They could see me, and the husband knew I had seen the whole thing.
As they walked closer to me, she says, "isn't it wonderful that the park department leaves all these frisbees around so everyone can play?" The husband knew better and gave me one of those apologetic shaking of the head in shame nods. All I could do was smile, and I decided to not throw any more drives on this hole. I walked off to go after my disc. It was my beloved dyed Star San Marino Roc that has two aces on it. I found it easily, so no harm no foul.
I was playing Riverside in Saint Cloud, the course that I learned to play this sport. It was a mid-afternoon spring day, and for better or worse, Riverside is a multi-use park despite it being a heavily played course. That means a lot of walkers and people being oblivious of discs flying everywhere.
The course is right off the banks of the Mississippi River. It is on high enough ground where it is not an issue on 16 of 18 holes, but it can be mildly scenic. That means there is a dirt path that many people use to walk through the park and look out on the river.
The particular hole I was playing was about 260 feet, crosses over this dirt path and the basket is nestled between two mature trees and a light pole. Not a difficult shot.
An elderly couple was walking toward me on this path, so I paused throwing. There was no one behind me for several holes, so I was taking a few practice drives. I waited on the tee despite two of my discs already sitting near the basket. The elderly woman, and because this story ends well I have no ill feelings toward her, picked up my disc that happened to be laying near the path and the basket and threw it into the more central part of the course. They could see me, and the husband knew I had seen the whole thing.
As they walked closer to me, she says, "isn't it wonderful that the park department leaves all these frisbees around so everyone can play?" The husband knew better and gave me one of those apologetic shaking of the head in shame nods. All I could do was smile, and I decided to not throw any more drives on this hole. I walked off to go after my disc. It was my beloved dyed Star San Marino Roc that has two aces on it. I found it easily, so no harm no foul.
Binky Yutz
Par Member
- Joined
- May 4, 2014
- Messages
- 225
Here's a quick story that happened to a guy in our group, we'll call him Vinnie, for the story. Hole 10 Hiller Park.
As you can see in the photo above, the basket is tucked into a wooded area, surrounded
by trees. So Vinnie (a lefty) throws a near perfect shot up into the wooded area and
nearly aces the hole (no simple task). As the next player was getting ready to throw his
shot, we see a teenage kid run out of the wooded area, with Vinnie's disc, and head for
the road at top speed.......we are all old, so none of us could have chased this kid down
without suffering a heart attack or stroke; but Vinnie is only 30 ish. and takes off after him. He flags down a car that is headed up the road, asks for a ride to catch the thief, and jumps up on the trunk of the car. The car quickly catches up to the kid, about halfway up the road, Vinnie confronts him, and gets his disc back. He said he was tempted to call the police, but opted not to, after giving the kid a good scare.
And the moral of this story: don't get old or you won't get your disc back !!
Attachments
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Has happened to me a couple of time, almost did in my last round.
Hole 13 at Etowah from the long tees is a 280 dogleg right over a creek valley so deep that you have to walk around the road and down the bridge on the left hand side. There is also a hiking trail that starts after that bridge.
A big group of 12-16 year olds was passing by and one picked up my disc and when I came up behind and asked them to put it down please, they did.
Also at Cass Benton there was a kid the time I played there that would hang around some blind holes and then sell discs by hole one. Would bet that's where he got them all.
Hole 13 at Etowah from the long tees is a 280 dogleg right over a creek valley so deep that you have to walk around the road and down the bridge on the left hand side. There is also a hiking trail that starts after that bridge.
A big group of 12-16 year olds was passing by and one picked up my disc and when I came up behind and asked them to put it down please, they did.
Also at Cass Benton there was a kid the time I played there that would hang around some blind holes and then sell discs by hole one. Would bet that's where he got them all.
- Joined
- Jul 29, 2009
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- 15,921
Never had problem with this issue.
Sorry that happened to you there. I play there pretty often, and while I've seen my share of losers and C@ssholes, never had someone lurking grab my disc.
That said, you can come across a-holes anywhere, any time, and in any aspect of life. It's simply part of the human condition. :\
Sorry that happened to you there. I play there pretty often, and while I've seen my share of losers and C@ssholes, never had someone lurking grab my disc.
That said, you can come across a-holes anywhere, any time, and in any aspect of life. It's simply part of the human condition. :\
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It's been about 4-5 years since I played there much, hopefully he grew up some and got a life.
etdefender19
Eagle Member
I've literally never had this happen and usually people on the courses I play bend over backwards to return discs - maybe it's a California thing (good karma and all that) or maybe I've just been lucky
Only incident so far was some guy walking his dog who decided to steal my Buzzz for his pooch. The timing of everything made it clear that he didn't just happen upon a disc in the park, he had to have seen and heard it land on the hardpan, through the trees. And old dummy was just going to steal it anyhow, like I wasn't about to walk up on him. smh.
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- Jul 21, 2013
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I have not had this happen, but it was a close call just last Sunday.
Playing #17 at Zebulon, I threw my Mamba just right, to turn over the parking lot and right of the large bush trees in the middle of the fairway. As I'm walking up, a couple of cars pull up in and parking lot, one parked at the closest spot possible to my drive. The dad in the passenger seat hops out and immediately heads through the break in the fence toward my disc. He got about halfway there, finally thought about it and turned around to notice me.
I can't remember who spoke first, but we exchanged "how's it goings" and he turned around and returned to the car. Then preceded to retrieve the picnic lunch from the vehicle and joined about 8 other family members for lunch. Acted like I didn't even know what he was doing!! :doh:
Playing #17 at Zebulon, I threw my Mamba just right, to turn over the parking lot and right of the large bush trees in the middle of the fairway. As I'm walking up, a couple of cars pull up in and parking lot, one parked at the closest spot possible to my drive. The dad in the passenger seat hops out and immediately heads through the break in the fence toward my disc. He got about halfway there, finally thought about it and turned around to notice me.
I can't remember who spoke first, but we exchanged "how's it goings" and he turned around and returned to the car. Then preceded to retrieve the picnic lunch from the vehicle and joined about 8 other family members for lunch. Acted like I didn't even know what he was doing!! :doh:
Mulligan
Double Eagle Member
- Joined
- Feb 22, 2011
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- 1,232
I definitely heard a story about a small course that was on a church's property, and also near a school, that had a hole with a hard blind dogleg to the right along the woods near the school's property. Guys were losing discs until it was discovered that some middle schooler was hiding out in the woods and running up and snagging discs that went into the woods while groups were driving. I think someone spotted him when he got too bold and came onto the fairway.
Mulligan
Double Eagle Member
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- Feb 22, 2011
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I'm not sure you can even be mad about that one.
My son and I were playing hole 17 red tees at Maple Hill last year. It was our first time there. The Gold tees on that hole happen to cross the fairway at a 90 degree angle. We did not know that. We threw, and on our way to the green, we saw two nice Destroyers just laying in the fairway. Not seeing anyone in front or behind us, we picked them up to drop them off at the pro shop.
Two minutes later, while walking to 18, we saw two people looking around in the fairway, as if for a lost disc. Uh oh...turns out it was Brian Earhart and a companion practicing for the MVP Open that weekend (we were there on MO, the last day chumps like us could play that week). Of course those two discs were drives from the 17 Gold tee (they were nice drives too, now that I know the course). We felt bad, and told them about where we had picked them up. He was a great sport about it, and he gained two fans that day.
I do know of a couple pros who would not have been so pleasant about it!
Two minutes later, while walking to 18, we saw two people looking around in the fairway, as if for a lost disc. Uh oh...turns out it was Brian Earhart and a companion practicing for the MVP Open that weekend (we were there on MO, the last day chumps like us could play that week). Of course those two discs were drives from the 17 Gold tee (they were nice drives too, now that I know the course). We felt bad, and told them about where we had picked them up. He was a great sport about it, and he gained two fans that day.
I do know of a couple pros who would not have been so pleasant about it!
Hampstead
* Ace Member *
Haven't had it happen that I'm aware of. I can guarantee I would take care of it in person instead of starting a thread should it ever happen in the future. Namaste.
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I can't recall it ever happening but I have, on at least one occasion, completely forgot to pick up a disc. I did that with a dx wolf years ago. And don't ask me why I was throwing a dx wolf.
BigFlickLuke
Par Member
- Joined
- May 20, 2015
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- 168
Had it happen once. Guy tried to run off with my custom dyed buzzz. Could literally see it in his bag, because of the green and pink dye. There were four of them, only one of me. It was only hole 5, for them. I was on three. I obviously always carry a gun, but I didn't think it was worth it to pull it here.
Called a few buddies, ones that don't even play disc golf. When they got to 18 and came back to the parking lot, we were there, and I outnumbered them this time. They gave the disc back at that point, we all had a laugh. Then we beat them up pretty bad and threw I threw all of their discs in random directions.
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