Roots Routine

Routine Conditions for Routine Results

adjusts dealer visor, counts the field Eleven players. Fifty-four degrees. Cloudy skies. Seven-point-three mile-per-hour wind. For once, the weather forecast didn't oversell the drama—it just delivered playable conditions and let the cards fall where they may. Week 4 of the Chain Man saga brought us to "Roots Routine," where Raymond's rigid disc-selection order clashes with Charlie's flexible scheming, and where Brian Hansen proved that when you've already stacked the deck, you don't need to shuffle. His 981-rated round (+45 over his 936 baseline) defended the #1 tag for the second consecutive week, beating the field by 3.7 strokes while the rest of the leaderboard learned that routine beats chaos when the execution is clean. 🎴

The Deck Doesn't Shuffle Itself

Brian Hansen didn't lead after hole 1. Didn't lead after hole 6. Sat in third place through most of the front nine while Jared Lang grabbed the early advantage and Landon Adams surged to the front by the turn. Then the back nine happened. Brian went +5 strokes better than his front, climbing from third to first with the kind of methodical precision that makes you wonder if he's counting chain links in his sleep. He and Ben Marolf tied for the lead after hole 12—Ben briefly retook it on hole 15—but Brian's clean back nine (zero bogeys, just relentless pars and strategic birdies) sealed the -7 finish. His sole birdie on hole 17, a 264-foot Par 3 where the field averaged even par, was the only under-par score on that hole all day. That's not luck. That's preparation meeting opportunity at exactly 7:00 AM on a Tuesday. 📊

Ben Marolf finished second at -5 with a 956-rated round, right on the bubble for cash (last payout: 1st place). He held the lead after hole 15, but couldn't separate on the closing stretch. A three-way tie for fourth rounded out the RPA podium: Jared Lang, Landon Adams, and Casey Turner all finished -3 with 931-rated rounds. Meanwhile, the week's biggest momentum swings came from the players who didn't show up: Houston Turner cratered from -8 (Week 3) to -1, a 55-point rating drop and 7-stroke swing that turned the bogey-free king into just another mortal. Malachi Vazquez suffered a similar fate, tumbling from -7 to even par and finishing 67 points below his 961 rating. Tough week for the front-nine blazers. 🔥

The Routine Doesn't Care About Early Leads

Ben Marolf came within two strokes of cashing, finishing second but outside the money line. The lead was his after hole 15—briefly—but Brian's closing routine locked him out. Landon Adams led through hole 6, then faded to a tie for fourth. Another week of "led early, faded late" for a player who's starting to develop a pattern. Jared Lang opened with the sole birdie on hole 1 (Par 3, 314 feet, field average +0.4), grabbed the early lead, then watched the routine settle in around him. He couldn't separate. Casey Turner showed resilience after a double-bogey start on hole 1, bouncing back with a birdie on hole 2 and finishing tied for fourth at -3. But the real story here is simple: early leads mean nothing when the back nine belongs to someone who's already counted every chain in the basket. 🎯

Eric Pearson vs. Himself, Eric Wins

Eric Pearson won RAD alone, which is to say he competed against the course, the weather, and his own expectations—and posted a 956-rated round (+44 over his 912 baseline) that would've been legit in any field size. Hot streaks on holes 2-4 and 14-16 carried him to a -5 finish, a slight dip from last week's -7 but a 9-point rating improvement. Some players need competition to elevate their game. Eric just needs eighteen holes and a reason to show up. The play is what it is: forty-nine strokes, five under, no excuses. 🏆

The Counting House Opens a New Wing

Jon White won RAE wire-to-wire, never relinquishing the lead despite posting an 856-rated round (27 points below his 883 baseline). He absorbed a double-bogey on hole 12, answered with a birdie on hole 13, and held off Kalen Adams (+4, 844 rated) to claim the division crown and the #1 tag in RAE—earning the "King of the Hill" achievement in the process. Kalen, making their series debut, earned their first skin on hole 11 (11:40 AM card) and picked up the "Series Competitor" achievement. Two players, one crown, and a new wing of the Counting House officially open for business. Welcome to the routine, Kalen. Definitely welcome. 🏛️

Personal Best, Population One

Bryant Adams won RAH alone and set a personal best for this course/layout with a -3 finish (931 rated). That's a +66 rating swing from last week's -1, a +2 stroke improvement, and a hot streak on holes 13-15 that carried him home. The only opponent was history, and history lost. Some players need a crowd to perform. Bryant just needs a tee pad and a target. 📈

Some Routines Worked, Some Didn't

The math doesn't lie, even when I wish it would. Standout performances: Brian Hansen at +45 over rating, Eric Pearson at +44. Tough rounds: Malachi Vazquez at -67, Jon White at -27, Jared Lang at -24, Landon Adams at -25. Clean nines were a theme—Brian and Ben Marolf both posted zero-bogey back nines, while Jared ran a clean front. Sole birdies on holes 1 and 17 highlighted the field's struggles to separate on the technical shots. And despite perfect conditions—54°F, light wind, cloudy skies—the chains stayed cold. No aces, no CTPs, no Super Aces. Just disc golf, played honestly, with results that reflect preparation over prayer. 🧮

The House Always Wins This Round 🃏

Brian Hansen defended the Stacked Deck (#1 tag) with a 981-rated round that beat the field by 3.7 strokes and his personal average by 2.0. No position movement. No drama. Just execution. The Stacked Deck—a worn, oversized ace of spades with a miniature diorama of Roots under golden-hour light—manifests as a subtle atmospheric pressure where chains rattle more welcomingly, wind patterns stabilize at crucial moments, and opponents' routines develop unexpected hitches. It doesn't guarantee success, but it ensures every opportunity presents itself at the optimal moment for exploitation. Look, I know Charlie's philosophy is all about constructing advantage and tilting odds, but here's the uncomfortable truth the narrative won't admit: Brian's not gaming the system; he's executing within it. The House Always Wins This Round—but only when you stop trying to count cards and just play the hand in front of you. Week 4 of 9, still commanding the field. The real question isn't whether he'll stay there; it's whether the pressure of staying there cracks his routine before Vegas even enters the chat. 🎰

The Hustle Pays Out 💰

Two skins cards, eight players, $102.00 exchanged—and Brian Hansen walked away with $80 of it. His 16-skin haul on the 1:00 PM card included an 11-skin carryover scoop on hole 12 worth $55, the kind of payday that makes Charlie's hustler heart sing. Landon Adams grabbed 9 skins for $6.75 on the 11:40 AM card, while Jared Lang and Kalen Adams both earned their first skins—milestones that matter more than the dollar value. Jared broke through on hole 1 with a birdie; Kalen followed suit on hole 11. The 1:00 PM card saw Brian open with 11 skins on hole 12, add 5 more on hole 17, and let Malachi Vazquez close with 1 on hole 18. The 11:40 AM card split more evenly: Landon opened on hole 5 (5 skins), Bryant Adams took 1 on hole 14, and Landon closed on hole 16 (2 skins). Any card can enable skins—Learn how to set up skins and get in on the action next week. 🎲

Definitely Tuesday, Definitely Roots

Episode 4, "Roots Routine," delivered exactly what the script promised: Raymond's rigid routines clashed with Charlie's scheming, and routine won. Brian's back-to-back tag defense is the Raymond approach—no deviation, no drama, just execution. Meanwhile, Lenny's rival offer hangs in the air (ditch Raymond, partner with him for Vegas instead), and while no one seriously challenged the throne this week, the leaderboard is tightening. The field hesitated longer than Charlie did with Lenny's offer. This week's league raised $11.45 for the Roots Course Fund, including the automatic $1/player contribution and $0.45 in extras—bringing the fund to $82.80 of the $1,000 goal (8%). No open requests at the moment, so if you've got ideas for course improvements—tee pads, signage, mud mitigation, benches—now's the time to speak up. Definitely Tuesday. Definitely Roots. Definitely worth protecting. 🌳

Raymond Doesn't Handle Surprises Well

Brian Hansen's grip on the #1 tag is firm. The field is bunching behind him, but no one has cracked his routine yet. Next week brings Episode 5, "Vegas Bound"—the invitation arrives for a high-stakes doubles tournament with a massive prize pool and sponsor deals on the line. Charlie commits them both without asking Raymond. Raymond doesn't handle surprises well. The leaderboard is about to get a lot more interesting. Definitely. 🎬