Birdies hard to come by in Week 2 doubles play

Team Willmon-Spradlin pulls away in Rec Division
Mallery-Shreve duo daze Advanced Division field

* Fall Doubles League details – click here
* Week 1 results
* Allegany County Disc Golf Club page on Facebook

CUMBERLAND — Eight players. 168 holes. 594 strokes. Only 13 birdies.

The course at Central Assembly of God in Cumberland was less than forgiving for Rec Division players during Week 2 of Fall Doubles League competition. The eight players managed a birdie, or one under par on a particular hole, only 7.73 percent of the time.

Caleb Marshall uses a forehand – his first in a league round – on No 6 in the woods. The predominantly backhand player later used another forehand to scramble from the hillside on No. 8.

Levi Campbell, 17, of Oakland and playing Central for the first time led the Rec Division with four birdies. Keith Raynor, 46, of Vale Summit, finished with three. But it was the pair of Nick Willmon, 28, of Oakland, and Kevin Spradlin, 43, of Frostburg — with only two birdies apiece — who pulled away over the final nine holes to claim the Rec Division victory.

Willmon and Spradlin were only three strokes ahead of two teams — Raynor and Matt Marsh, 20, of Oakland, along with Caleb Marsh, 19, of Oakland, and Noah Spradlin, 23, of Frostburg — after 12 holes. Willmon and Spradlin picked up two strokes on Team Spradlin-Marsh on long No. 1, and two strokes on Raynor-Marsh from long No. 3.

Players in both Advanced and Rec divisions played a combined score format for the second consecutive week. Once again, players in the Advanced Division had a slightly more difficult standard to meet, as they played the standard 18 holes all from the long holes, as well as the three newer holes in the woods.

In the Rec Division, players contested the traditional 18 baskets — nine from the short tees and nine from the long tees — as well as the three in the woods from the short tees.

Spradlin (68) and Willmon (69) totaled a 137 to lead the four-team division. Noah Spradlin Caleb Marsh each threw a seven over par 72 to tally a combined 144. Raynor was unable to complete the last two holes, so that skewed the final results a bit. Raynor’s official score was an 73, but that includes scores of 7 on each of the final two baskets (par plus four) as Professional Disc Golf Association rules dictate. That 73, combined with Marsh’s 78, pushed Team Raynor-Marsh into third place with a total of 151. Levi Campbell, who threw the best solo round in Rec Division play with a 63, finished with teammate Luke Spradlin-Vogelsang with a 162. Spradlin-Vogelsang, of Frostburg, was (like his teammate) throwing from the white tees for the first time. While Campbell is only 17, Spradlin-Vogelsang is only 9.

Advanced Division

Perhaps Colby Mallery figured he had something to prove after his injury that sidelined from the disc golf course (and soccer field) in recent weeks. Or maybe the 19-year-old from Mount Savage took offense that another teenager had earned the No. 1 ranking in the Allegany County Disc Golf Club’s list of ranked players.

Caleb Campbell on the tee at long No. 4.

Or maybe none of that mattered at all. Maybe, just maybe, Mallery let loose, had fun and let the discs fall where they did. More often than not on Sunday, they fell pretty much where he wanted them.

Mallery, ranked third in the Advanced Division, and teammate Bill Shreve, 46, of Cumberland, combined for 11 birdies over 21 holes from the long tees to finish with a score of 124, nearly equally divided between Mallery (five under par 61) and Shreve (63). They led Caleb Campbell, 19, of Oakland, and Ethan von Hagel, 20, of Cumberland, by nine strokes after the first 12 baskets. Mallery threw for four of his six birdies on the front 12, including ones on x-2 and x-3 from the long tees in the woods.

Von Hagel, who finished with a best-of-the-day eight birdies, led his team with a 64 — including an impressive 23 on the final nine. He and Campbell (68) finished with a 132 to the winning score of 124.

Week 2 notes

Keith Raynor won CPT on long No. 5, overcoming a solid throw from Bill Shreve to move the flag. Raynor donated his prize disc back to the club.
The October Player of the Month award will be announced at The Glades before Week 3 play begins.
The ace pot now stands at $24. An additional $48 was raised for the club’s pursuit of a public disc golf course in Frostburg.
The points standings will be released after Week 3. Points are earned weekly based on a mix of participation and performance.
Top points-winners in each division are vying for free entry into the Allegany County Disc Golf Club’s tournament on Saturday, March 4: the Allegany County Disc Golf Doubles Championships.
Week 3 play will include more of a true “team” format – no combined score at The Glades.
Week 3 competition begins at 2 p.m. at The Glades at Meshach Run in Garrett County. Registration begins at 1:30 p.m.