Each December 31st I write a personal post on my Facebook page recounting my life in those 365 days. I write about experiences from the year that I appreciated, and some experiences that I didn’t enjoy. It’s therapeutic, somewhat entertaining, and a way for me to share a snippet of the year with my friends and family on social media. It’s a few paragraphs, maybe taking me 10 minutes to write. But it’s tradition now, and I like it.
Last year I decided to take that positive post energy and bring it to Sabattus in the form of a blog. Here’s what we were thankful for in 2021. Writing it reminds me of all the amazing things that happened here during the year.
Things are busy, but it’s good to stop and remember all of the cool things that happened here in 2022.
1. Winter disc golf at night under the lights is a success.
Just because the sun has gone down doesn’t mean the fun has to end. We installed lights on our 9 hole course last year and in 2022 in January through March on Friday nights we’ve had a singles league. Saturday nights the course is lit up but no league play.
This Fall in November we were able to start it back up and even more folks are coming to play. It’s such a different feel, a disc golf tournament in the dark. I love it and I can’t get enough of it. Come try it for yourself, it’s a hoot on the owl.
2. Held our first tournament since 2019!
With Covid blocking any tournaments in 2020 and 2021 it was really great to have Circle 1 Disc Golf host a Friday Flex C-Tier here. It was a hot 95 degrees outside that day in July. We spent the day in the mid 90 to upper and dripping in sweat. But the tournament went well and we’re excited to have more Flex C tiers like this in the future. Maybe we’ll get a day when Star plastic doesn’t feel like a blowfly next time.
3. The transformation of Hole 7 on the Eagle/Falcon course.
The outdoor team raised the ground up a few feet, seeded, re-seeded, and brought to life a fairway that had been swampy since it was built. It takes vision and a lot of hard work to make that possible. This may be one of my favorite things from 2022.
4. We ran random dubs and Ladies singles!
This has been a personal project of mine for a while. It takes a dedicated person/people to be there every week and that’s what we have at Sabattus now. Everyone here has taken part in and run dubs. Wednesday’s around 5:00 in the summertime get busy with up to 39 people in the shop.
I’m wicked happy that we’re going to continue this trend in 2023. Friends playing disc golf together every week is a blast.
Ladies singles continues in 2023 on our Hawk course and since they play for free on Wednesday’s, 100% of the money they put in goes back to them.
5. Hosted Philo, Matt Bell, and Zoe AnDyke for clinics.
Living in the least populated corner state, it’s sometimes difficult to get pros to come visit Maine when they’re busy touring. We created an opportunity for pros to get paid for their clinics and for Mainer’s to get tips on their respective games. We can’t wait to run similar events in 2023 and the future. Sometimes having a little lesson can push players to heights they weren’t expecting to reach. If you can get out for a lesson or clinic with a touring pro, I highly recommend it.
6. Improved the putting area size wise and got our own rock!
One thing that’s happened with the increased number of players in the last few years is the putting area has been overrun. We’re adding an additional basket, and moving the baskets back further! On those weekend days in the summer there should be a little more room for folks to warm up without feeling like they’re on top of each other.
7. Got lots of work done on Course 5.
Still no ETA on the day anyone can play the course. The teepads have been ordered, made, and delivered, but not set in the ground yet. The outdoor crew has cleared trees, brush, and rocks to create fairways. There will be more information coming about Course 5 (still unnamed) in the future. We’ll keep sharing updates on Facebook as well. It’s a long journey to turn untouched land into a playable disc golf course.
8. Gave away 300+ discs to kids.
Every single year we give away the previous years lost and found discs. I try really hard to get discs back to folks. Calling them, writing them down in a list, and reminding regular players about their lost discs. But we still end up with hundreds each year. In 2022 we gave them away to 18 different schools and organizations who need discs. We’ll be donating even more in 2023.
9. Added snack options for vegans to our pro shop.
We really try hard to be a one stop shop for folks when it comes to snacks. That way you can come inside the pro shop in between rounds, fuel up, and get back out there. This year we added LARA bars and Eagle McMahon vegan jerky. Yes, I know Eagle is no longer vegan, and the jerky is discontinued. But we’ll add something in that slot in the future.
10. Probably my favorite disc golf joke of the year.
Credit to SDG Season Pass Holder Ryan Montague. I still think about this joke at least once a week, and every time I pass by a Subway.
We’ve had thousands of rounds played on the courses. Friends and families have come and made lasting memories. It’s been a real joy to hear about how you played at Sabattus. We look forward to seeing you next year.
May Your Discs Miss All The Trees,
Andrew Streeter #70397