Unanimous: M. Vogtman wins September Player of the Month award

B. Padovini 2nd in straw poll turned steel

Recent winners:
* August: Scott Mallery
* July: Josiah Spradlin
* June: Evan Padovini
* May: David Warder
* April: Noah Gaughan
* March: Ethan von Hagel
* February: Shania Farris
* January: Tim Farris
* 2022 Player of the Month winners

FROSTBURG — One does not have to be perfect to win the Allegany County Disc Golf Club’s Player of the Month award.

But it sure doesn’t hurt.

Marshall Vogtman’s undefeated record in singles play earned him the nod from three club voters as the unanimous choice for the Player of the Month for September. The 13-year-old Mount Savage Middle School student played in four club events in September is the third Boys’ Division player in four months — including classmates Josiah Spradlin and Evan Padovini — and fourth in six months to win the award.

This month’s voting process differed a bit from the first 15 times contenders were considered in large part because there were only two contenders: Vogtman and fellow disc golf rookie Brian Padovini, 42, of Frostburg.

Marshall Vogtman

This time around, a straw poll was conducted among three potential voters. That panel included three club members, two of whom are former Player of the Month award winners. It was the first time there were only two contenders for the award. The straw poll turned into solid steel when all three voters, polled separately, said the same thing: Give the nod to Vogtman.

And Vogtman surely had a record on on which to win because, well, that’s pretty much all he did. He played his first round of scored disc golf in Week 1 of the club’s Fall Youth League on Labor Day. Using only a putter and a midrange disc — along with stellar natural athletic talent — Vogtman carded his first two birdies at Hoffman Park Disc Golf Course in Frostburg and managed par seven other times over 18 holes. With that effort, Vogtman recorded his first club victory with a nine over par 63, between three and 14 strokes better than the rest of the field.

Vogtman came back in Week 2, this time at Mile Lane Disc Golf in Mount Savage. He had thrown some practice shots at Mile Lane previously. The familiarity bred success, as he completed his first under par effort in a club round with a two under par 34 over 12 holes in a round shortened due to thunderstorms. Once again, he was at least three and up to 14 strokes ahead of his Boys’ Division competitors in a five-player field. Of note, Vogtman also recorded the best back six baskets of anyone in the field by at least five strokes. It took him only 15 strokes to complete the final six holes — and his card finished in the steady rain instead of just before drops began to fall — while it took the other four players between 20 and 26 strokes to complete the same back half.

In Week 3 of Fall Youth League, Vogtman and the field returned to Hoffman Park. This time, he did even better. Vogtman carded two birdies as he did in Week 1, but managed par on nine occasions to lower his personal best over 18 holes to five over par 59. He finished between seven and 30 strokes ahead of four Boys’ Division competitors,

B. Padovini 2nd

There was only one other player worthy of consideration in September. And what a September it was for Brian Padovini.

In only the fourth month of his disc golf life — and in his final full month of his 42nd year — Padovini put the finishing touches on a phenomenal month of action on the local disc golf courses. A student of the game since the day he and his son, Evan, decided to pick up the game in June after the Allegany County Disc Golf Club’s six days of disc golf instruction at Evan’s school, the elder Padovini has progressed like no other player in the club’s 17-month history.

Brian Padovini

Padovini played in five club events, including the final four weeks of the club’s second annual Summer Flex League. In the final weeks, Padovini skyrocketed up the Men’s Rec Division standings with a third-place finish, a second, his first individual win and, at the league finale, a tie for first.

After his Week 13 victory, Padovini was featured here. Read that. That’s really all you need to know.

It wasn’t the first time Padovini was considered for the award. Voters placed him third in June and fourth in August.

Padovini earned a promotion to the Men’s Advanced Division. He has not yet made his debut in the top tier.