adjusts headset and stares at the empty parking lot The Third Spirit promised silence, but thirty players showed up anyway and made enough noise to wake Scrooge's accountants.
Future Silence Lasted About Five Minutes
Welcome back to Week 6 of A Chainsmas Carol at Timmons Park, where the episode title "Future Silence" promised ghostly visions of construction equipment and "Coming Soon: Luxury Condos" signs through the mist. The Third Spirit arrived expecting no chains ringing, no discs flying—just the desolate preview of what greed could destroy. Instead, thirty players showed up on January 9th, 2026, under mild conditions (temps ranging 54-66°F, winds maxing at 8 mph), and proceeded to obliterate the course record while the spirits watched in stunned disbelief. Blade Blackmer didn't just break the previous record of 44 strokes—he shattered it with a bogey-free -12 (42 strokes) that registered a 1021 rating, 118 points above his baseline. The Third Spirit wanted silence? It got a symphony of chains and a statistical nightmare instead. From the broadcast booth, I'm contractually required to note this was "thrilling." The sponsors are delighted. The ghosts are filing a formal complaint.
Bogey-Free in a Ghost Town 👻
Blade Blackmer walked into this supernatural showdown and decided the only appropriate response to spectral doom prophecies was a wire-to-wire, bogey-free demolition of Timmons Park's record books. His -12 performance (42 strokes, 1021-rated, 118 points above rating) featured a five-hole hot streak from holes 3-7 that went 5 under, then a six-hole finishing kick from holes 13-18 that added another 6 under. Zero bogeys. Twelve birdies. Six pars that felt like acts of mercy to a course that never stood a chance. The previous course record was 44 strokes—Blade just made it look quaint. His round included a personal best and the Trailblazer achievement (course record holder), plus Smooth Sailing (bogey-free round). The Third Spirit arrived expecting to show players a future where the course doesn't exist; Blade showed the Spirit what happens when someone plays like the future's already written and they're the author. From the booth: this wasn't survival—this was a clinic in surgical precision wrapped in winter's indifference. The arena has seen excellence, and I'm still processing the audacity of shooting 18 under par through 18 holes when the theme demanded despair. 🔥
The Chase Pack Watched a Ghost Disappear
While Blade vanished into the spectral mist of untouchable excellence, the rest of MA1 fought for scraps and somehow made it compelling. Dustin Klimek claimed second place with a -8 performance (967-rated, 49 points above rating), featuring a Birdie Bonanza (three consecutive birdies on holes 3-5) and enough consistency to hold off the pack despite Blade making everyone's rounds look pedestrian. Calen McManus posted -7 (3rd, just outside cash), matching Dustin's Birdie Bonanza magic with his own three-hole tear and banking a League Explorer achievement (6th consecutive event). The real drama? Zach Taylor went +4 strokes better on the back nine (compared to his front), climbing from 7th place at the turn to finish 4th at -6 (940-rated, 31 points above rating). That back-nine surge earned him a Hard Mode achievement (6th consecutive event) alongside Bill Pauley and Kenny Johnson, who both logged their own Consistency King badges while posting -4 and -5, respectively. Aiden Lane held -2 for 8th, a modest improvement from last week's -1. The chase pack watched Blade disappear into the record books, but at least they got to battle each other for the remaining dignity. The arena approves of this secondary chaos, even if the primary story was already over by hole 7. 📊
A Three-Way Haunting at -6 👻
MPO delivered its own spectral drama with a three-way tie at -6 (940-rated) between Valentin Lutsenko, Alexander Goodson, and Stephen Scoggins. All three posted identical scores, splitting the pot evenly like the spirits intended—because apparently, even the supernatural wants to see fair play occasionally. Stephen Scoggins earned his Hard Mode achievement (6th consecutive event), proving that showing up is half the battle when the Third Spirit wants you to stay home. The lead changed hands multiple times through hole 17, with all three players trading momentum before settling into this cosmic tie. Holden McGill struggled at E (4th, 860-rated, 60 points below rating), with multiple recovery moments that kept him from sliding further but never quite found the rhythm to challenge the leaders. The three-way tie means nobody won outright, but everyone survived the ghost town intact. From the booth: I've seen worse ways to split a purse, and at least the spirits got their wish for balance—just not the kind of balance they wanted. The arena acknowledges a solid group effort wrapped in supernatural irony. 🎯
Experience Doesn't Flinch at Ghosts
The masters divisions showed up to Timmons Park, saw the spectral condo signs, and collectively shrugged before proceeding to play excellent disc golf. Cory Wickline claimed the MA40 crown with -5 (927-rated), featuring a remarkable 10-hole par train from holes 4-13 that kept the round steady, then a four-hole hot streak from holes 14-17 that went 4 under and sealed the deal. That's the kind of patience and execution that comes from years of ignoring supernatural nonsense and focusing on the chains. Abe Mills took second at -1 (873-rated, 38 points below rating), a regression from last week's -3 but still respectable survival in a division that wasn't handing out charity. Andrew Kenney posted a solo MA50 wire-to-wire -2 with a single birdie on the tough hole 12—proof that experience knows exactly which battles to pick. The veterans didn't flinch at the Third Spirit's doom prophecy; they just played their game and let the younger divisions worry about the metaphysical implications. From the broadcast booth: wisdom beats phantoms every time, and these three demonstrated exactly how it's done. The arena respects the steady hand of age-protected excellence. 🛡️
The Counting House Found Its Accountant
Kenneth Vogel walked into MA4 and delivered a -3 wire-to-wire performance (900-rated) that felt like a perfectly balanced ledger in the middle of supernatural chaos. His Birdie Bonanza (holes 4-6) went 3 under in three consecutive throws, setting the tone for a clean front nine that the back nine couldn't quite match but never threatened to collapse. Kenneth logged a personal best and proved that precision beats prophecy when you've got the tools and the focus. Stewart Gunter claimed second at -1 (873-rated, 31 points above rating), just outside the cash line but still posting a solid round that built on last week's -2. The real story? Nicholas Barton made his league debut with a +1 (846-rated, 48 points above rating), earning the First Time Player achievement and showing that even rookies can defy the spirits when they commit to the chaos. Patrick Kleiss logged a personal best despite finishing at +5—his 792 rating was an 80-point improvement from last week's 712, proving that progress doesn't always show up on the scoreboard but always shows up in the numbers. The Counting House found its accountant in Kenneth, but the whole division refused to let the Third Spirit's silence narrative win. 📒
The Spirits Couldn't Shake These Two
Eva Lutsenko claimed the FPO crown with a -3 wire-to-wire performance (900-rated) that included a clutch birdie on hole 18 to seal the deal and a new personal best to celebrate. That finishing birdie was the kind of moment that makes the broadcast booth sit up and take notes—when the pressure's on and the spirits are watching, you either fold or you deliver. Eva delivered. Melissa McCorkle posted a solo FA4 wire-to-wire +20, earning the League Explorer achievement (6th consecutive event) and proving that showing up consistently is its own form of defiance against the doom prophecy. Both players represented their divisions with wire-to-wire dominance, refusing to let the "Future Silence" narrative shake their focus or their form. From the booth: these two didn't just survive the ghost town—they owned it, and the spirits can file their complaints with someone who cares. The arena acknowledges excellence when it sees it, regardless of division size or supernatural pressure. The chains rang for both of them, and that's what matters. 🔔
The Third Spirit's Statistical Nightmare
The scoreboard didn't just ignore the prophecy—it actively mocked it with a cascade of performances that would make any ghost reconsider their career choices. Four personal bests were set: Blade Blackmer (course record -12), Eva Lutsenko (-3), Kenneth Vogel (-3), and Patrick Kleiss (792 rating despite +5 score). Multiple players shot significantly above their ratings: Blade's +118 differential led the charge, followed by Dustin Klimek at +49, Nicholas Barton at +48 (debut!), and Zach Taylor at +31. On the tougher side, Holden McGill struggled at -60 (E score, 860-rated), and Jonathan Armstrong posted -42 (+7 score, 766-rated), but both showed resilience runs and recovery moments that kept their rounds from spiraling. Chase Johnson regressed from last week's -3 to +6 (779-rated, -42 differential), while James Cable posted +17 (631-rated)—tough rounds in a field that was collectively defying the silence narrative. The Third Spirit wanted a statistical desert; it got a data-driven carnival of excellence, struggle, and everything in between. From the booth: the numbers don't lie, even when the ghosts do. 📈
The Ace Pot Grows in Silence
The one place the "Future Silence" theme actually manifested? The ace pot. Not a single chain-rattling hole-in-one this week, a stark contrast to Jonathan Armstrong's dramatic hole 17 ace last week that broke the ice. The pot continues to build, waiting for the next player brave enough to park a drive from the tee and watch it drop. The silence on the ace front is the only part of the Third Spirit's prophecy that came true—everywhere else, players were making noise, breaking records, and defying doom. The ace pot waits like a ghost in the shadows, growing larger with every passing week, and honestly? The tension is building nicely. Someone's going to crack it eventually, and when they do, the payout will be worth the wait. From the broadcast booth: the spirits guarded the ace pot this week, but they can't hold it forever. The chains will ring again. 💰
The Sovereign Deficit Sits Unclaimed
Asa Kinnunen didn't play this week, leaving Tag #1: Sovereign Deficit undefended but also unchallenged. The cold black stone coin with its weeping eye and serrated edges—the one that drains warmth and camaraderie from any gathering—sits idle, waiting for its holder to return or for a challenger to claim it by force. Asa's dramatic Week 5 acquisition (a 28-position jump with a 994-rated round, +61 differential) made him the arena's reluctant champion, but absence doesn't defend thrones. The Sovereign Deficit's properties remain intact: it vibrates with a low, dissonant hum that dampens laughter, draws heat from the air, and makes everyone near it double-check their records and guard their belongings. Within the A Chainsmas Carol narrative, it embodies the spiritual bankruptcy of the Counting House, marking those who've forgotten the value of shared experience. The question for Week 7? Will Asa return to defend his crown, or is the throne vulnerable to anyone bold enough to challenge? The Sovereign Deficit waits in silence, much like the Third Spirit intended for the entire event—but only this cursed coin got the memo.
Achievements Unlocked in the Ghost Town
Sixteen achievements were earned across the field, proving that even in a supernatural ghost town, the arena still hands out participation trophies—and some of them actually mean something. Blade Blackmer claimed Trailblazer (course record holder) and Smooth Sailing (bogey-free round), which is like winning MVP and Defensive Player of the Year in the same game. Stephen Scoggins and Zach Taylor both earned Hard Mode (6th consecutive event), while Bill Pauley and Kenny Johnson logged Consistency King badges for their sustained performances. Three Birdie Bonanzas (three consecutive birdies) went to Dustin Klimek, Calen McManus, and Kenneth Vogel—proof that hot streaks are contagious. Six League Explorers (6th consecutive event) were awarded to players who've shown up every single week, including Calen McManus, Melissa McCorkle, and others who refused to let the spirits scare them off. Nicholas Barton earned First Time Player for his debut, posting a +48 rating differential that suggests he'll be back for more. From the booth: achievements are the arena's way of saying "we see you," even when the Third Spirit wanted everyone to stay home. The spirits couldn't stop the badges, and honestly? That's the real victory here. 🏆
The Graveyard Nine Awaits
Week 6 of 10 is complete, and the "Future Silence" prophecy has been thoroughly defeated by thirty players who showed up, threw plastic at chains, and refused to let spectral condo developers win. Blade Blackmer's new course record (42 strokes, -12, 1021-rated) stands as the benchmark for excellence, while Asa Kinnunen's absence leaves Tag #1: Sovereign Deficit vulnerable and unchallenged. Four weeks remain in A Chainsmas Carol, and Week 7 brings the "Graveyard Nine" episode—where the back nine becomes a cemetery of abandoned baskets and forgotten scorecards, and Scrooge's own memorial appears on Hole 18, marking where the course died in the prophecy. The Third Spirit showed players what could happen if greed and isolation win; next week, they'll walk through the aftermath and see the cost of that future. Will Asa Kinnunen return to defend his crown? Will anyone challenge Blade Blackmer's untouchable record? Will the ace pot finally break its silence? The Graveyard Nine awaits, and from the broadcast booth, I'm contractually required to note this is all still just disc golf—but the spirits are making it dramatic. The arena survives another week, and the chains will ring again. See you at the cemetery. ⚰️
Flippy's Hot Take