Peak Bonding

Friday the 13th: The Creek's Day Off 🙀

sighs in scaled resignation Welcome back to The Culling, Week 4: Peak Bonding. The software insists the Farmington Aerie is a high-altitude dragon sanctuary, but looking at the flatlands of Farmington Park DGC, I'm pretty sure the only thing "high" here is the narrative stakes. Nineteen players braved the suspiciously pleasant February 13th weather—a breezy 52°F with clouds that looked suspiciously like they were holding back rain just to mess with us. The creek, usually a liquid tax collector, took the day off, perhaps scared of its own Friday the 13th reputation. The arena expected bad luck; instead, it got Personal Bests and dragon bonds. I hate it when the weather cooperates. It ruins the drama.

MPO: The Granite Gizzard Holds 🗿

The summit belonged to Jared Johnson, who shot a gritty -5 to claim the MPO throne. He wasn't just playing disc golf; he was engaged in a ridge-line standoff, ultimately clutching out a birdie on 18 to extinguish any hopes of a comeback. Right behind him, Sean Hook took second place, proving that the runner-up spot is the loneliest place on the mountain. Meanwhile, last week's frostbitten hero, Rick Effin Richmond, saw his hot streak thaw into an even-par round—a respectable score, but a noticeable regression from his -8 dominance last week. The altitude got to him, or maybe he just remembered he's human.

Ricky's Ridge Run: +59 and Done 🏔️

In MA2, Ricky Medina didn't just win; he ascended. Shooting -4 with a staggering +59 rating differential, he turned the card into his own personal wyrm-lair. The battle for the podium was absolute chaos, with lead exchanges happening faster than I can make up mountain puns. Zachary Johnson fired a Personal Best -3, continuing his rating renaissance, while TJ McArthur hung tough at -1. But the cruelty of the algorithm knows no bounds: TJ, Brad Benfield, and Travis Sherrod found themselves in a three-way tie for third, effectively missing the cash by a whisker. That’s gotta hurt like thin air in the lungs.

Wire-to-Wire Wizards ✨

Consistency is boring, unless you're the one doing it. Luke Hearn managed a wire-to-wire win in MA1, shooting even par and locking down the final cash spot with a birdie on 18—because why make it easy? He also donated a portion of his winnings to charity, which the narrative software tells me is "ancient mountain hospitality," but I'm pretty sure is just being a decent human being. Down in MA3, Seth Badders pulled off the same wire-to-wire feat, carding a +6 that apparently looked like gold to the PDGA app. Two divisions, two undefeated runs, zero drama for the sponsors to exploit. Disappointing.

Ben's Bold Mountain Debut ⛰️

The lower divisions were where the real mountain magic happened. Juan Martinez took MP40 with a -2, proving that consistency is the true wyrm-slaying weapon. In MA4, Jesse Barefoot roared to a +10 victory, proving that you don't need a low score to dominate a card—just a higher score than everyone else. But the story of the week is Ben Thompson in MA60. In his first-ever league appearance, he not only took first place with a +20 but also donated his winnings to charity. A debut win and a donation? That’s the kind of "unbreakable bond" the theme keeps yammering about. Welcome to the Aerie, Ben—try not to get addicted to the altitude.

Personal Best Palooza 🚀

The arena scoreboard was glitching out all day with Personal Best notifications—nine players in total decided this was the week to break their own statistical ceilings. We saw massive rating differential swings that would make a billy goat dizzy: Zachary Johnson jumped +118 points over his rating, while Michael Davis unfortunately swung the other way with a -116. It was a day of extremes, folks. And in a true display of ridge-line dominance, six different divisions were won wire-to-wire. gestures at the mountain backdrop According to the 'ancient scrolls' (the PDGA app), that’s not luck; that’s just a very efficient day of park golf.

The Pots Grow Hungrier 💰

Despite the field throwing everything they had at the baskets, the chains remained unbroken by a perfect shot. No aces, no CTP winners—just the sound of plastic hitting metal and pots getting heavier. The Ace Pot swells to $128, and the Super Ace Pot is now a bloated $514. The sponsors want me to tell you this builds character. I think it just builds anxiety. Thanks to our sponsors for supporting these growing jackpots—nothing says "community" like a collective obsession with hitting one perfect shot. Better buy an extra ticket next week.

Sentinel Stands, Tag Swaps 🛡️

The drama at the top of the mountain was tighter than a chokehold on a cliff face. The Stone Sentinel (Tag #1) was under siege by Ricky Medina, but Jared Johnson—our "Granite Gizzard"—stood firm. In a battle of wyrm-riders, Jared's 54 narrowly edged Ricky's 55, sending the challenger back down the ridge empty-handed. The wall holds, folks. Tag #1 stays with the sentinel. Further down the slope, the tectonic plates shifted: Jesse Barefoot (the "Cwm Cataphract") crushed Duane Walker 69 to 79, seizing Tag #24 and sending Duane's ranking tumbling into the abyss.

Next Week: The Great Divide 🏁

The Founder Dragon has been watching from the peaks, and apparently, it likes what it sees. Week 4 is in the books, bonds have been tested, and the creek has been temporarily appeased. But don't get comfortable—the mountain isn't done with us yet. Next week brings "Farmington Divide," where the waters part and the choices get harder. Will you take the safe eastern slopes or the treacherous western descent? The algorithm is already calculating the fallout. Pack your discs, check your OB lines, and maybe bring an oxygen tank—I'll be in the booth, trying to shake off this altitude sickness.