2014/05/31 - Bushie tries yet again

(DP) - Jacksonville

   After his last stinging defeat, at the hands of Puma's padawon, Rick "Bushie" Pike knew  he had to do something.  He puzzled and puzzled until his puzzler was sore, and then he thought of something, he had always thought of before.  "I know just what to do" he sneered with a smile most unpleasant, "if I can't beat the apprentice, I will rarely beat the Master, so I've have to scheme my way to a win".  Little did he know, that Master Puma was instructing his padawon on much the same topic. 

   "Simon, you did very well, just as I had foreseen.  However the next challenge, will be a difficult test!" commented Puma.  Simon "the Beast" Bouma, listened intently, as he always did, when his master spoke.  Puma told Simon how to proceed.  Simon gasped and replied "No, I can't do that!  Master, you have years of experience with Disc Golf and poker, and you might be able to pull this off, but I, your lowly padawon, do not feel that I can do this!"  Master Puma merely replied... "Use the force, Simon!   The force is strong within you, let it guide you".

   As Puma had foreseen, Rick scheduled another disc golf outing with Simon.  This time, Bushie selected Ed Austin Park for the outing.  "With all my years of experience at that park, with all of the trees and the lake, Simon will bow before me" thought Bushie.  To provide even a greater degree of schemeness, Bushie checked the forecasts and made sure that the weather was going to be hot and humid on that day.  Bushie grinned and then a small smile appeared on his face, "That poor Canadian, Simon has only been in Florida for about a month now, he does not yet know how the weather will affect him".   Rick has made sure to mention to Simon not to bring anything to eat or drink with him as they could go out afterwards.

   As Bushie had hoped for, the weather was hot and humid on the appointed day.  Thunderstorms were in the distance and the humidity hung in the air like an apron on a clothesline.  Simon and his trusty sidekick, Randi, the newbie Reporter, arrived with smiles.  Rick sneered a smile as best he could.  "The course has more people than I expected" Bushie thought., "I can used this to my additional advantage".  Bushie was also happy that Doc Becky had not come along.  "Becky has issues handling schemes like this",  Rick thought.  Simon was going to go warm up until Rick mentioned the hordes of players and insisted that they wait over by the first tee, in the full sun for a start of their match.

   The match started.  Rick would give Simon some course disinformation and after Simon threw, Bushie would throw his disc into the different but more correct direction (most of the time).

It appeared that Simon was off his game on this day.  The tremendous tee shots that he had at the Springfield course were not on display.  Simon's approach shots were inaccurate.  Bushie, on the other hand was having a good day (by his standards).   On one hole,  Simon  taco'd a tree much to Bushie's delight.  By the time they came upon the lake, or rather, the small pond, Simon was dehydrated.  Luckily, the greenish brown water, did not appeal to him or his discs.  After navigating around the course, which Bushie avoided going on walkabouts, they approached #18.  This last hole has been shorten by over 100 yards.  Although still a long hole it is now easily reachable in 2 shots by even players of Bushie's abilities.  In the end, Rick was delighted that his plan had worked and he had beaten Puma's padawon.

   Later that day, Simon called his master and told him the exciting news.  "I did it, I did it, master.  It was difficult to throw that many poor shots but I let Rick win.  He was SO happy!"  Puma smiled and replied "You have done well, Simon.  I have learned that if you beat Rick too many times without letting him get a victory once in a while, he gets so demoralized, he stops playing entirely.  Perhaps, that is why Doc didn't show up.  This way, Rick will continue to get the practice, he so desperately needs.  Sadly, however, even with the practice, he will not defeat me.  I have foreseen it.  Continue this course of action whenever you can.  Beat him sometimes and allow him to win other times.  Keep up his hopes.  In October, the hammer will descend on Bushie."