Each and every available foursome filled, with entries from across Ontario and as far away as Florida and an ever-increasing waiting list, all hopefully anticipating their chance to tackle the course that is among the crown jewels of northern Ontario.
If this sounds like the introduction for the 75th edition of the Idylwylde Invitational this coming weekend, you would not be wrong.
In fact, this lead-in refers to Blueberry Brawl XI, the disc golf tournament that was hosted at the Lions Club of Sudbury Disc Golf Course this past weekend and enjoys far less notoriety than the ball golf event noted above.
Just don’t try and convince Kathy Hudson that the Brawl is any less popular than the Invite.
The 61 year old native of Estero (Florida) made a point of including the nickel city stop on her summer of 2023 excursion, one which would see her leave the Sunshine State in the spring, only to return home roughly in mid-October.
“I am in and out of Canada this summer,” explained the competitor who left Sunday late afternoon for Grand Rapids (Michigan), the next stop on her travels. “This is my third summer travelling in my van, playing competitive disc golf and refereeing pickle ball. Earlier this year, I planned a route that would let me do both things as I bounced up and down the border.”
The van, her home, is equipped with a refrigerator, running water, lights and more, just to clarify.
“During the pandemic, a lot of people had life changes and I went down this rabbit hole of vanlife build out.”
Clearly, there is enough fascinating content for a complete feature focused entirely on Hudson, a member of the PDGA (Professional Disc Golf Association) since 2012/2013 who first gained entry to the sport in much the same manner as many of the competitors on hand in Sudbury this weekend.
“I was originally an ultimate player (in 1981), but when we didn’t have enough people to play ultimate, we would play disc golf,” she said.
Over time, her skills improved – “it’s technique – and you can get that by watching the professionals, trying to mimic their motion” – to the point where her adventure will take her both to compete at the Canadian Disc Golf Championships (Aug 4th – 7th in Thunder Bay) and then officiate at the Canadian Pickleball Championships (Aug 23rd – 27th in Regina).
“Those were things that were important to me to connect with,” said Hudson. “When you are a referee for pickleball, the signups are open at certain dates, just like disc golf, when the registrations open – so I am sort of juggling things.”
This weekend, she had but one focus, to try and tame the course that plays into the wilderness of the landscape in this region. “Dean (course creator and tournament organizer Dean Aelick) has really done a bang up job here; he’s on it,” she said. “It is challenging, not boring. Florida can be a little boring because it’s flat – but the palms and the gators make it more interesting.”
Alicia Hums wasn’t looking for interesting.
In registering a one stroke victory (286 vs 287) over Colleen McInnis of Burlington, Hums overcame a foe that she had not previously beaten – and did so by trying to keep things simple.
“My game plan, more often than not, is to simply take a par: throw my drive, get my approach close, make a putt and walk off this par three course,” said Hums, who defended the title she captured in 2022 against a less formidable field. “Last year, if I had a tough putt, I was running it – trying to be aggressive and get those birdies.”
“But on this course especially, it’s got that rollaway potential. Your birdie can turn to a bogey pretty fast.”
It was quite the weekend for the family as husband and fellow pro Thomas (Hums) ran away from the field on the men’s side, finishing 15 shots ahead of James Duong (Brampton) and 16-up on Chris Ozolins (Hamilton).
Things for Alicia were substantially tenser.
“Knowing I had four strokes on my opponent (coming into play on Sunday), an opponent who typically beats me, nerves came into play big time,” said Hums. “I had a rough round this morning. She made a huge shot to bring it to one on the second last hole.”
“But I have played this course so many times: throw the drive, throw the approach, and make your putt. Just don’t overthink it.”
While Alan Collier settled for second place (275) behind Justin Greenwood of Barrie (267) in the Mixed Amateur 3 bracket, his ability to remain ahead of the eight player chase puck was also predicated on just settling down.
“I was tense at the beginning because I was in a battle for the lead – but I realized I wasn’t going to win that battle and I relaxed and played way better,” said Collier, a 30 year old native of Richmond Hill who came to Sudbury in 2018 to pursue his masters at Laurentian University (Science Communication) and now calls the nickel city home.
“I went back briefly to Richmond Hill, but quickly came back,” added Collier. “My friends are up here and it’s not the city, it’s not Toronto - and that’s a pretty big advantage.”
One of about half of the players in the 88 competitor event who refers to Sudbury as home, the young man who has seen his scores drop from +44 (2021) to +23 (2022) and +11 this year smiled when he reminisced of his earliest days of disc golf.
“Disc throwing goes back to when I was a kid, out on the road, playing with my dad every summer,” said Collier. “Like a lot of people here, they get to ultimate – but when I was doing my masters, I discovered this course. My first couple of rounds, I was throwing with the Dollar Store frisbees – because what else is there.”
A starter pack of three discs – a Christmas present from his parents – would form the foundation of his 20 disc set currently. Safe to say, Collier, like most on hand this weekend, is hooked on disc golf.
“There are just so many positives,” he said. “It gets me out and active and I don’t have to organize a team for it. You get good exercise – and it’s beautiful, basically a walk in the forest.”
“It’s a great day out.”
Other event winners included:
Marc-André Comtois – Mixed Amateur 1 - from PetawawaKen Michelin – Mixed Amateur 40+ - from Milton
Lindsay Pattison – Women’s Amateur 40+ - from Sudbury
Tobin Izatt –Mixed Amateur 50+ - from Burlington
Don Corcoran – Mixed Amateur 60+ - from Azilda
Jane Anderson-Renton – Women’s Amateur 60+ - from Brampton
David Finlay – Mixed Amateur 70+ - from Kingston
Paul Skates – Mixed Amateur 2 – from Brampton
Alexandra Claveau – Women’s Amateur 2 – from Sudbury
