Yoder captures disc golf win on playoff hole

Blistering winds, snow flurries, icy conditions and single-digit temperatures were not enough to keep 39 local disc golfers from showing up and playing in a winter disc golf tournament at Deer Run Park in Millersburg on Feb. 19.

Sponsored by the Holmes County Disc Golf Club and Keim, players battled both the course and the elements to seek the elusive victory.

At the end of regulation, Glendon Yoder and Mathias Hilty were tied atop the leader board, both carding four over par for the tournament.

“Those were impressive scores,” tournament director Doug Gray said. “The course was tough enough, with only two birdie-able holes. Shooting even is a great score on a good day. These guys averaging just two-over per round with slippery tee boxes and swirling winds, they played very, very well today.”

A playoff ensued. Teeing off on hole eight, a 240-foot par three, Hilty threw a long, fading drive that became entangled in some branches, dropping him into a difficult spot 80 feet from the pin. Yoder took advantage of the miscue, throwing a perfect, fading drive and landing his disc 35 feet from the basket.

Hilty, throwing from a knee, did his best to thread his mid-range disc through the tight window to the basket, but again he clipped a tree. His putt for par then went wide of the basket, opening up the door for Yoder. Though behind a tree, Yoder almost sunk his birdie putt, leaving his disc 3 feet from the basket for an easy tap-in par to take the win. Behind Yoder and Hilty was Philip Miller, taking third place by carding a five-over score. The award for longest drive of the day went to Jono Stephens, and the closest to pin was Joel Hostetler.

After the tournament Gray was very happy with how things went.

“There was a lot of ice out there, and it was very cold. But no one got hurt, and the attitudes among the players were really great,” Gray said. “Everyone seemed to have a really good time. Even so, I am so ready for spring.”

The next tournament will be May 14 at Deer Run Park. More information can be found on the group’s Facebook page at www.facebook.com/groups/holmesdiscgolf.