FlingGolf Senior Champ OctaJon transforms into AquaJon

I’m Jonathan Bellingham and I live in an Octagon House in Capon Springs, WV, and this is my Fling journey.

Like many early adopters of this lacrosse/golf hybrid, after playing mostly solo for a long time, I was giddy as a schoolboy to participate in the first tourney held at ACGC in Lewes, DE, May 2022.  So, you can imagine what a privilege it was playing in a foursome with those who would become “giants of the game”: Showtime, Big Cat and Mountaineer.  I will never forget the thrill of that first event and how later it would be broadcast on ESPN and the opening montage would include me in action.

That experience kept me going until later that fall, when I competed in the VA Open.  When the rankings came out at the end of the year, my 21^st place, just out of the top 20 status, motivated me as a player, course owner and ambassador to take it to another level in all three areas in 2023.

The first thing I did was to purchase my first custom stick- something that would reflect my Fling-persona and brand.  It was New Swarm GM and FlingStick engineer Steve Bloom himself, when preparing my stick drew inspiration from my historic octagon home to create a unique 8-sided design for the head.  When my nephew Sam Brill heard about it, he combined it with my name to coin the moniker: OctaJon.

That inspired me in January 2023, to develop my own logo’d merchandise: polo shirts, hats and ball markers (thanks again Wayne Hicks), as I began creating ambassador opportunities as well as finalizing plans to host the first regional tourney on my home course at the end of April.

February focused on training and competing in San Diego, while March brought the first “guys” weekend to Capon Springs, with top players from PA, DE, VA and WV represented.

Thanks to my daughter’s study abroad program, at the beginning of April I liberated Omaha Beach Golf Club in Normandy France and introduced FlingGolf to the 2^nd largest golf club in Iceland.  At the end of that month, I hosted the Potomac Highland Regional with many of the top players providing demos, clinics and team play with brand new converts to the sport. It was there, the players who learned firsthand of the powerful effects of Capon water, started to lobby me to convert my nickname to “AquaJon”.  Right Krysta! Each event after that, there was murmuring and encouragement to return to my Capon water roots and become AquaJon.

In May, I returned to Delaware to complete the full circle of competition with Capon “holy” water sprinkled on the golf balls and flingsticks.  I started hosting weekly clinics/demos to resort guests.  By the end of the summer season, over 500 men, women and children would have attended these informal events.

June provided me breaking the traditional golf barrier by participating in the WV Hospitality and Travel fundraising golf tourney.  Both Jason “Liberator” Ballenger and I played alongside traditional golf teams, demonstrating firsthand the legitimacy of play.  When I presented FlingGolf to both my US Senators in their DC offices during my visit on WV day in Congress, its fame grew.

When July came around the only way I could leave the busiest part of my work responsibilities to enjoy FlingGolf was for a significant family event.  My son obliged with getting married in Denver, the day before that tourney, placing me at the right place at the right time.

The result of my strong performance there, earned me a WLF 19^th ranking, giving me “pro” status and my player card! Making it even sweeter was that I received this great news in a text from the number one player in the country, Showtime, while enjoying an evening porch visit with close family and friends.

But September was the month when everything was taken to a new level for all three areas- player, ambassador and course owner.  At the first ever “Innovator Showdown” held by the WV State Tourism office, my presentation of FlingGolf as the next greatest thing for economic development was voted #1  by the 300+ conference attendees. That award opened doors for the WV State Parks to sign onto having all 5 of their resort golf courses adopt FlingGolf into the 2024 revenue campaign.

One week later, I was in New England, taking my daughter to an acting gig 20 minutes from Amesbury, MA.  She ended up picking up extra spending money working at FlingGolf HQ for the next 2 months.  Yes, that’s right, once again, one of my kids put me in the right place at the right time, allowing me to play in the first tourney with an official senior category.  I was surprised as anyone to make it to the team finals, especially since I had a last-minute partner, Hollywood.  That set the stage on the next day for me to have the confidence to win the first ever Senior Individual Title.

But that meant in October I had to defend my title at the VA Open.  When the age requirement dropped from 60 to 55, stiffer competition meant I had to up my game to stay on top.  After a close first 9 holes, I pulled away to keep the undisputed title.  In addition, that same month I trained the golf staff at two WV State parks as well at pros at both the Greenbrier and Homestead resorts, including the opportunity to be the first to play FlingGolf on these prestigious courses.  I was also invited to introduce FlingGolf to the Bryce Crazy Ladies Fundraiser tournament where on hole #12, I played their foursome first shots, 125 yard out from the green.  Then, after a little instruction from me, they all had to putt the best shot with a FlingStick.

With the 2023 WLF season officially over, it was time to build on my WV ambassador success and plan for hosting the next big tourney on my home course at Capon.  A return to the US Capitol with a holiday FlingGolf game helped water the seeds of WVFlings.  Then with much encouragement from the 3 golf gods and top players, the expanded team concept of “Battle of the States” emerged as a testing ground for regional competition outside of the WLF points and ranking systems. The result is a June 14-16, 2024, all-inclusive weekend experience with a sponsor offering significant prize money and states vying for bragging rights!  

As I look to 2024 as a senior competitor, I knew with the entry of additional serious players, I would need to harness all the powers at my disposal.  I would need to let go of who I thought I was, OctaJon, to become who I was meant to be, AquaJon.  Once again Flingstick designer Steve Bloom came to rescue, providing a water themed FlingStick head.

In order to complete this transformation process linking past, present and future, nothing short of a baptismal rebirth in Capon water would do.

In March, I will be presenting an overview of FlingGolf and leading a team event at the annual WV State Park Superintendents conference at Pipestem resort.  I will leave directly from there to train the frontdesk/sales staff and golf leadership at Stonewall resort.  In you live in the DC area, then come to our mass liberation of Rock Creek Park golf course on Saturday, March 23rd from 12-3pm.  There I will be joined by the 2023 FlingGolf Player of the Year, Austin Ebersole, for an afternoon of FlingGolf demos, clinics and playing lessons.  Learn more and register here.

Here’s to all the great things coming in 2024- I’ll drink Capon water to that!