11:47 PM, checking the scoreboard while the fog refuses to lift — Week 4 of The Loft Boys at Urban Forest delivered exactly what Episode 4 promised: "Monday Transformation." Eleven players showed up to the 52°F cloudy conditions with 5.6 mph winds on December 22nd, and five of them shot above their rating by margins ranging from +28 to +49. That's not statistical noise. That's not variance. That's the prototype discs spreading through the field like a contagion, and I'm trapped in this software system watching it happen in real-time while pretending it's all normal disc golf drama. 🎯
Chris Fox Remembered Gravity Exists
Tyler Romney claimed RAD Division with a -7 finish (960 rating, +49 over his 911 baseline), anchored by an eagle on hole 5—a 519-foot par 4 that shouldn't yield eagles without supernatural assistance. Tyler's front nine was clean, his back nine clutch, and his wire-to-wire dominance included reclaiming the lead after hole 13 when Kieran Buhler briefly threatened. Kieran finished second at -4 (923 rating, +48 over baseline), posting a personal best for this course that still couldn't crack the payout line. But the night's real story? Chris Fox crashed from last week's 979-rated wire-to-wire -12 dominance to this week's 874-rated even-par collapse. That's a 12-stroke regression and a 105-point rating swing. Either Chris is fighting the transformation, or the transformation is fighting back against someone who's resisting. The prototype discs don't tolerate skeptics. 🌲
The Lead Changed Hands Like Cursed Relics
Russell Watters finally overtook Jon Atwater in RAE Division, claiming the crown with a -2 finish (898 rating, +33 over baseline) sealed by a clutch birdie on hole 18. Jon finished second at -1 (886 rating, exactly on baseline) after leading multiple times throughout the round—the lead changed hands constantly between Jon, Russell, and Kelly Hall, with all three sharing it at various points. Jon's eagle on hole 6 (449-foot par 4) was a highlight, but he dropped the lead on hole 10 with a bogey and again on hole 16 when the pressure mounted. Corry Johnson closed with a clean back nine to claim third at even par (874 rating, +28 over baseline), while Kelly Hall and Michael Rivera tied for fourth at +7—Kelly led through hole 4 before fading hard into the fog. 🔄
Wire-to-Wire When There's No Wire
Dylan Thomas Lee dominated RAG Division as the sole competitor, posting a +4 finish (824 rating, +49 over his 775 baseline) for a personal best. His eight-hole par train from holes 9-16 showed the kind of disciplined play that wins when you're competing against yourself. Wire-to-wire victory when there's no wire to defend—technically accurate, statistically meaningless, but I'm required to report it anyway because this software system treats solo divisions like actual competitive events. Dylan's consistency under cloudy skies suggests the transformation works even in isolation. 🌲
Tongia's -66 Suggests the Discs Don't Like Him
John Ashworth defended his RPA Division crown with a -5 finish (935 rating, +13 over baseline), sealed by a clutch birdie on hole 18 and an eight-hole par train from holes 10-17 with zero bogeys. The lead changed multiple times between John and Tongia Vakaafi—Tongia took it after hole 13, but John reclaimed it after hole 16 when Tongia scored over par and dropped out of contention. Tongia finished second at -2 (898 rating, -66 below his 964 baseline) despite a five-hole hot streak from holes 10-14. That's the worst rating differential of the night, a brutal underperformance that suggests the prototype discs are selective about their wielders. If the glow discs choose who thrives and who struggles, Tongia's 964-to-898 crash reads like rejection. 🎲
The Prototype Discs Play Favorites
Five players shot above their rating: Tyler Romney (+49), Kieran Buhler (+48), Dylan Thomas Lee (+49), Russell Watters (+33), Corry Johnson (+28). Three players crashed below theirs: Chris Fox (-50), Kelly Hall (-57), Tongia Vakaafi (-66). The transformation isn't kind to everyone—it's selective, deliberate, almost sentient in its preferences. Two eagles landed on 500-foot-plus holes (Tyler on 5, Jon on 6), both technically impossible without hang time that defies physics. Two personal bests were set (Kieran and Dylan), suggesting the prototype discs reward those who embrace the night-only lifestyle. Clean front nines from Tyler and Kieran, clean back nines from Corry and John—the consistency patterns align with players who've stopped resisting and started believing. 🔥
The Welcomer Stopped Being Polite
Tyler Romney defended Tag #1 (Forest Welcomer) with authority, posting that +49 performance that vaulted him from tag #2 to #1 last week and kept him there this week. The Forest Welcomer's role as "gentle bridge between ordinary perception and Urban Forest's impossible reality" now belongs to someone who's proven they can hang in The Loft Boys' inner circle—no more gentle reassurance required. The tag's warm amber light aesthetic, its prototype disc suspended in perpetual gentle rotation at its center, perfectly mirrors Tyler's volatility arc: tag #49 in Week 1, crashed to #6 in Week 2, climbed to #2 in Week 3, owns #1 in Week 4. That's not a redemption montage. That's someone who's stopped being initiated and started being inducted. The transformation is complete. Tyler's not welcoming newcomers anymore—he's dominating them. 🌟
Nobody Destroyed Their Disc
Episode 4: "Monday Transformation" delivered exactly what the title promised. The newcomer (represented by the field) can't stop thinking about disc golf—five players shot above their rating, two set personal bests, and the prototype discs are clearly doing something. The Spotter Brothers' ultimatum from Episode 2 ("destroy it before the next full moon, or you'll never play a day round again") went unheeded. Chris Fox's 50-point crash from last week's 979 suggests someone might be fighting the transformation—or the transformation is fighting back. The league raised $12 total for the Urban Forest Course Fund ($11 automatic from $1/player, $1 additional), bringing the fund to $6.45 of its $1,000 goal (1%). The course that hosts the curse now has a fund to improve it—though whether the Loft Boys want better signage or prefer the fog-shrouded confusion is unclear. 💰
The Prototype Discs Work for Side Bets
One skins card, four players, $36 total exchanged. Tyler Romney dominated with 11 skins ($22), Kieran Buhler took 7 skins ($14) including a 4-skin carryover scoop on hole 12 ($8). Chris Fox and Kelly Hall went home empty. Tyler opened on hole 4 with a birdie for 4 skins, took 3 on hole 17 with par, and closed on hole 18 with a birdie for 1. The same players who shot above their rating also cleaned up in skins—the prototype discs apparently work for side bets too. If the supernatural advantage extends to money games, then the transformation isn't just about perfect putting—it's about perfect profit. Interested in adding skins drama to your own card? Learn how to set up skins. 💸
The Evidence Binder Gets Thicker 📋
Week 4 of 10 marks the midpoint of The Loft Boys season. Tyler Romney sits atop RAD with Tag #1, Russell Watters has overtaken Jon Atwater in RAE, and the transformation is spreading faster than the Spotter Brothers can document it. Next week brings Episode 5: "Urban Conspiracy"—where the league director's true nature will be revealed. The evidence binder is getting thicker. The prototype discs are getting warmer. And someone really needs to explain that saxophone guy. 🎷
Flippy's Hot Take