Gregg Barsby shows you how to handle Hole 8A at the infamous DeLaveaga Disc Golf Course in Santa Cruz, CA in preparation for the 2011 PDGA Pro World Championships August 7-13.

Hole 8a is short, but plays through a very tightly wooded fairway with ample hazards along the entire length. One tees off across a small ravine between tall trees on either side, an errant throw here earns one a hike down into the ravine (called the “walk of shame”) for a tough upshot. In the above photo, yellow circles indicate 2 pin positions, one right and one left (on the day this was photographed, the basket itself was in the right position). In the fairway photo below, you can see the right basket position (the left position is indicated by a yellow circle). A steep drop off to the right side of the upper fairway should be avoided at all costs, as rollaways down this hill can penetrate deep into heavy woods and poison oak, almost surely for bogey.


Regardless of the hazards, the short distance of this hole, combined with viable disc lines through the trees, make this hole one of the more commonly aced at DeLaveaga. If one is properly positions behind the tee pad, it is possible to see the basket in either position, to catch a glimpse of the splash of chains.