Istace team takes 2017 CDI Doubles Classic

The team of Chris and Joshua Istace put together a pair of minus-par rounds to win the 2017 CDI Injury Recover Centre Doubles Classic at their home Rocanville Disc Golf Club on Sept. 23.

The Istaces, who play out of Moosomin, edged the team of Duncan Holness (Broadview) and Ryan Seitz (Yorkton) by three strokes, shooting a minus-four 57 on the opening round then minus-five 56 on the final 18. Their minus-nine total bettered the Holness/Seitz result of minus-six on the doubles best-disc tournament.

“We found our success by just playing par golf and staying positive when we didn’t hit our shots,” said Joshua, a 13-year-old golfer who teamed with his father for the event. “We knew we could not overdo it with our shots. You can’t just rip it every time on that course.”

The Rocanville Disc Golf Club – which is located on the Rocanville Cross Country Ski Club trails just south of the town of Rocanville – is known for its tight fairways and the unforgiving rough made up of long grass and thick poplar bushes. It forces players to plan each shot and play a finesse-style of game on technically difficult routes.

“Rocanville is the most challenging course in the Parkland region,” said Holness, who has regularly been seen on the podium following Parkland Association of Disc Golf circuit events this season. “The tight lines and unforgiving brush make it one of the most technical courses I’ve ever played. It’s one of the best, too, if you’re brave enough to try it.”

Holness said the Istaces had an advantage with Rocanville being the family’s home course, suggesting their knowledge of the each hole’s routing was a great benefit.

“Also, Ryan and I tend to play bigger shots. Toning down a drive just isn’t in our nature, so being forced to do exactly that made it difficult for us to catch up to the leaders in the second round,” he said.

Taylor Mountain and Kadie Hozempa of Regina finished third with a score of 61-62 (plus-one) while Rick Goraluk and Karl Kreutner from Inglis, Man. were fourth with a 69-67 for a plus-14. This year’s tournament was sponsored by CDI Injury Recovery Centre and Mullett’s RONA Hardware.

The Istaces also won the tournament’s Deuce Pot competition by collecting seven birdies on the course’s 11 par-three holes through the two rounds. Holness-Seitz and Mountain-Hozempa both had five twos on the day.

By being a member of the second place team, Seitz has earned a spot at the PADG’s Champions Challenge scheduled to take place at the Asessipi Beach and Campground north of Russell, Man. on Oct. 15. The Istaces and Holness had previously qualified by finishing first or second in PADG events earlier this summer.

Although temperatures were cool during the event, the course was dry and the wind was light; far different circumstances than the inaugural Doubles Classic in 2016, which hosted cold, rainy, windy conditions that further boosted the course’s difficulty.

“I honestly love playing in Rocanville because I get to be surrounded by trees,” said Holness. “I grew up in the forested mountains of (British Columbia’s) Lower Mainland, so, even though the trees out here are much smaller and different, I enjoy being back among them when I can. From a disc golf perspective, I enjoy many of the approaches to the tonals. They offer tight lines and picturesque settings.”