For those of you clicking on something called “Lickathon” and being sorely disappointed by my lack of pictures and my insistence on talking about disc golf, I apologize.  But on we go:

LiCkAtHoN was cancelled this year back in January, due to numerous reasons.  I was sadder than a maimed seal, but I soldiered on, because I understood why it was cancelled.  So when Lick posted that the tournament was going to happen, and he only gave us 1 1/2 days notice, I had to get my butt up there, shirking my very pressing professional deadlines.  It’s LiCkAtHoN, and Mitch wouldn’t be there.  I had a chance for glory.

I drive up with the Disc Devils, and after putting us in Massachusetts (oops), we show up 4 minutes before teetime.  We started at Wickham, a course I traditionally don’t shoot less than 59 on (but shot 55 last year during a major tournament).  With NO warm up, we start on the three longest holes on the course, hole 18 and two temp holes (one of which was 1200′ and had a fairway of less than 30′ by the end).  Needless to say, I started with some ugly holes, including a horrific double-circle (out of bounds) 10 on the aforementioned long hole.  And that was with two great drives.  I just decided after those two good drives to start hucking my disc indiscriminately out of bounds.  I was playing with good friend and perennial dollar-better Cromwell (who I had beat in the two previous LiCkAtHoNs), who took a 7.  Already, I was down three strokes.

Over the next series of holes, we battled back and forth, not really changing score.  By the end of the round, we bad both amassed a pretty poor score, but I managed to put a few birdies together at the end, and I ended up beating him in the round by two strokes, even with the ten.  (I shot a 60 on the actual Wickham course, while Cromwell shot a numbing 66)

Scarily, I realized I left my expensive digital camera on the course, and I didn’t realize this for about 9 holes.  I was very bummed, assuming I’d just lost a hefty chunk of change.  On the last hole, while waiting, I asked the group behind us if they’d seen it, AND THEY DID.  They had it on them.  Good karma.

From there, we headed over to Panthorn, a course I have only played during other LiCkAtHoNs, and one I have never broken 30 on.  I start out taking a three on a very tough hole, and proceed to birdie a very simple hole that I have never, for some reason, birdied.  I’m feeling good.  I did take an unfortunate 5 pretty early on (most of my shots on the hole were good, but I hit blind trees that I couldn’t see from where I was shooting), but battled back with a few smart deuces.  Overall, I took a 29, my best score there.   Only three people (including me) shot below 30.  The problem was one of them was Cromwell, who came in at a very good 27.  So we were tied, going into LICK’S LINKS!

Now Lick’s is usually the highlight of the tournament, with 10 holes, pools, jello-shots, rooftops (heh heh)… but since this year is the aBbReViAtIo, it was going to be VERY different.  We only had two baskets, and three tees.  In groups of 8 or 9, we would throw from one of the tees at one of the baskets (hoping to avoid totally arbitrary “fake lava ponds” that I strung up.)  So LiCk’s Links was only 6 “holes”, all of which were two-able (actually… aceable).  In fact, on Cromwell’s first throw, he hit chains.

Anyway, I started with a deuce, as did he.  Second hole, he deuced and I just missed my 30 foot putt.  Third hole, it all came undone.  He took another deuce, and I threw about 40 feet away.  I threw a very good putt which hit the top of the cage and bounced up.  It caught an edge and (somehow, in thick grass) started to roll towards the OB.  It looked like it was gonna be saved by the thick grass, but it rolled OVER a disc that was on the edge and out of bounds.  So not only did I take a penalty stroke, but I had to putt from the OPPOSITE side of the lava.  I made the putt, but the damage was done.  Down three strokes with only three holes left?  I birdied the next hole to Cromwell’s three.  Second to last hole, Cromwell throws a decent drive, but still a longish putt.  I was gonna play “safe” (over the house), but I decided to gun my Buzzz straight at it.  CHING!  Nicks some chain, but it flies 50′ past.  We both three.  An ace would have tied me.  Instead, I was down two still.  Final hole, I birdie, but Cromwell’s par puts him ahead by 1, and our overall bets resulted in me owing him $2 (though we thought it was $1 – I owe ya a buck, buddy)

I ended up coming in 6th place (my first cash at LiCkAtHoN), and had a good time.   It was something of an “eh” feeling, as it didn’t really seem like LiCkAtHoN aside from the shenanigans and Lick himself.  Not that it was bad, it just wasn’t the drunken revelry and stupidity of years past.  But I already have a ticket stub for 2008′s LiCkAtHoN, and I am already counting down the days.

Oh, and why are there no pictures?  I left my camera either at Lick’s or in the van that drove me there.  Karma shmarma.