New player clinic focuses on the fundamentals

Summer Youth League begins June 20
Summer Flex League begins June 23-26

* Allegany County Disc Golf Club on Facebook

CRESAPTOWN — By the numbers, the first new player clinic was a success.

Nine youth ages 7 to 13 and two adults participated in part or in whole of the Allegany County Disc Golf Club’s first of three planned new player clinics for Summer 2023. The one on Saturday was at the PVAA Sports Complex in Cresaptown as a follow-up to the club’s demo booth at the Western Maryland Food Truck Festival one week earlier at the same location.

Without any instruction, each athlete was given four discs and asked to make putts from 9 feet, 12 feet, 15 feet and 18 feet. After a solid block of instruction by club member Dan Beachy, almost every single player improved when they were presented with the same scenario. Beachy took them through multiple putting styles, as well as putting around obstacles. Forehands and rollers were covered for the advanced players, while extra putting work was in store for the younger players.

Players also had a CTP (closest-to-the-pin) opportunity with their newly found (or focused) backhand throws. Evan Padovini, 11, of Frostburg, narrowly beat out Luke Spradlin-Vogelsang, 9, of Frostburg, for the advanced division win. The results of the youth division CTP contest have been (at least temporarily) lost on the clipboard that was misplaced during the clinic.

Other players included Wyatt Twigg, 8, of Cresaptown; Alex Lick, 8, of Cumberland; Lily Lick, 9, of Cumberland; Norah Corwell; Amborse Bladen, 7, of Frostburg; and Brighton Beachy, 13, of Frostburg.

Along with putting, backhands, forehands and rollers, players were introduced into a wide range of gear — some needed, some not — as well as local places to play and the club’s upcoming Summer Youth League and Summer Flex League, both of which are free to play.

It was the largest turnout for any of the club’s three new player clinics, including the first two held in Summer ’22.

Allegany County Disc Golf Club member Dan Beachy, of Frostburg, guides players through the finer points of setting up for, and making, their next putt.

Lily Lick, the Allegany County Disc Golf Club’s Player of the Month for September 2022, returned to club activity for the first time since winning the award.