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Back by popular demand (no, really)... the DISC GOLF MEGATHREAD re-emerges from the forest, clutching its muddy driver that it shanked 30 feet from the tee. What is Disc Golf? It is a game where you throw a frisbee-like disc into a basket mounted on a pole, usually 150' to 450+ feet away. Similar to ball golf, you have a tee shot, then continue throwing from wherever your disc lands until it's in the basket. Lowest score wins. At beginner levels, it's basically just a great excuse to get out and walk through a park. It's extremely low-impact exercise, and a great activity to play with friends (or to meet new ones). It's also a very affordable game - the only equipment you need is a golf disc, which can be had for  or less. The vast majority of courses are in public parks and are free to play. Even once the addiction really sets in and you start building out a bag of discs, it's still really inexpensive.It’s a game that can be played by almost anyone - age, strength, and fitness matter much less than technique and finesse. I've seen grandparents, people in wheel chairs, and children all enjoying the game. How do I play Disc Golf? DG is similar to "real" golf in many ways. Many courses are 18 holes, some are 9, some have only a few baskets. Each hole has a par (usually 3, 4, or 5) that depends on distance and various hazards (water, trees, etc). Some have multiple basket locations options and/or multiple tee locations that help change things up or provide additional challenge. Unlike ball golf, good throwers can shape and curve their shots drastically through the air, meaning course design is a lot more inventive. On a typical par-3 hole, you'd expect to have a long drive off the tee, a mid-range approach throw towards the basket, and then a putt into the basket to finish. Where do I play? There is probably at least one disc golf course near you!
What do I play with? Disc golf is played with discs manufactured specifically for golf. They're smaller, heavier, and have more prominent edges than discs designed for catch. There are many manufacturers making high quality discs, with all different types of flight characteristics, plastic blends, art, and so on. You can have fun playing with just one disc, but by the time you get to 'intermediate' status you'll start carrying more than one. Advanced and pro players will carry and throw many more. Disc types
What Beginner Disc Should I Get? Until you learn the proper throwing form for disc golf, you won't get much benefit out of throwing anything other than a mid-range disc and a putter. The "what disc for beginners" topic has about as many possible answers as there are types of discs. I personally am a fan of Innova's 3-disc starter pack which can be had for about $25. It includes a Leopard fairway driver, a Shark midrange, and an Aviar putter. All three of these discs are extremely popular (the Aviar is the best-selling disc of all time) and will serve you well long into your disc golf career. If you have a local disc golf store (becoming more and more common), or a sporting store that sells discs, you can also paw through their used bin and save a few bucks. If you have a local Play It Again Sports, they very well might have discs. Don't be afraid to ask store folks for recommendations - any experienced discer has their favorites they'd love to tell you about! Don't fall into the trap of buying a million discs right off the bat. You should pick a disc or two, and then just go out and play. Wait until you know what you're doing before buying more. By then you’ll have some disc golfing friends, and can try out some of their discs as well. Also, write your phone number on the bottom of your discs in marker, in case you lose it! I want to buy more discs! Sure, if you want, but until you're at least an intermediate player they probably won't make you any better. Remember that disc golf companies are in the business of selling discs, so they're good at writing the description of their products to make you buy them. Buying and collecting discs is fun, and addictive, but like any sport, buying more/better gear won't help you if you don't practice and build your skills. Other Equipment Besides the actual discs there are a few things that may make your experience more enjoyable. Bags - They come in all manner of shapes and sizes as well as capacity. The Discraft Weekender bag is a great option once you have more than a few discs or want to carry a water bottle or some other supplies. I also really like the Throwback Sack - it's much nicer than the Innova bag and includes an insulated pocket for your brewskies. There are many larger options and some players even roll around with carts. Shoes - Some courses have rough tee pads, sometimes due to weather they can be slippery or muddy. I highly recommend a shoe with a grippy sole. Keens and Merrells are common choices. Pretty much anything for hiking or trail usage will be fine, but traction is definitely important, since disc golf courses can be fairly steep and when you huck a driver 300 feet into a muddy forest... Towel - Your discs will get muddy, wet, and sandy. Having a towel in your bag will come in handy. Any towel designed for ball golf is fine. Mini/marker Disc - A marker disc is necessary for tournament play to mark your lie. You place the marker disc on the ground directly in front of, and touching, your thrown disc, and then can pick up your thrown disc. Not strictly necessary for casual play, but fun for playing putting HORSE with your friends or whatnot. Portable target - Having a basket of your very own is awesome. You can set it up in your garage, backyard, or living room and get some putting practice, you can take it to a course-less park or athletic field and practice, and so on! They come in many flavors of durability, portability, and price. My personal favorite is the Innova Traveler - it has decent chains, takes just a few seconds to setup, and packs down small. Etiquette Disc golf is a friendly and social game. You’ll meet great people and have fun in the outdoors. You'll also be offered weed a lot. Don’t litter. Many people drink beer while playing. If you do, pack your bottles or cans out. If you smoke, check with others in your party before you light up, and save your butts for a trash can. Note that smoking is prohibited in many public parks. If a group of faster players, or a group with less people, is playing behind you, offer to let them play through. You’ll have more fun without them nipping at your heels. Similarly, don’t throw on another group of players. If there’s a group in front of you, let them all putt out and move to the next tee before you throw. Remember that YOU might know that you have no chance of hitting them, but they have no idea of your abilities. Pay ATTENTION, discs travel fast and catching one in the dome is no joke. On many smaller courses there are crossing fairways, baskets shared between holes, or tee pads that are close to other hole's baskets (and thus driving area). Rules As disc golf has grown, it’s developed a number of rules and regulations designed to make sure everyone is playing on the same page, especially during tournament or competitive play. If you’re just out playing with your friends for fun, have fun. You don’t need to call foot faults on everyone. For casual play, if you toss one into a bush, find a safe/comfortable place to play it from and go for it. As you progress and start playing more competitively, you can read all about the official rules at the PDGA (Professional Disc Golf Association). Disc Throwing Basics - Why do my discs always turn left? Backhand - The thrower draws the throwing arm across the body from the left to the right (for right-handed throwers) to build velocity for the disc. During this movement, the arm straightens out. As the arm becomes straight, the wrist is flicked to impart spin. Think of a backhand slap. For backhands, the thrower should step with their strong leg (the same side as their throwing arm) forward or across the body to allow a smooth, accurate throw. Right hand backhand throws will naturally fade left, left hand backhand throws will naturally fade right. Forehand/Sidearm - Grip the disc with middle finger and/or index finger pressed along the inside rim of the disc. The index finger is placed against the middle finger for power, or pressed on the bottom of the disc pointing towards the center for stability. The thumb is pressed against the top of the disc. The wrist is cocked back, and the arm is extended out from the body. A snap of the wrist imparts spin as the disc releases off the fingers. Extension of the lower arm provides additional power, as does shoulder and upper body rotation, although too much reliance on arm movement can lead to "floaty" throws with little spin. Anhyzer - An anhyzer throw is when you tilt your disc so that the outside edge of the disc is higher than the grip. An anhyzer throw will increase a disc's turn, initially sending it opposite of the throw's natural direction of fade (the disc will turn to the right for a right-hand back-hand throw). Hyzer - A hyzer throw is the opposite of an anhyzer throw. The disc is tilted so that the outside edge of the disc is lower than the grip. A hyzer throw will emphasize the throw's natural direction of fade (the disc will turn harder to the left for a RHBH throw). As a new player, you will quickly learn that your discs will hyzer hard. You will also notice that you will have a tendency to fire your discs either into the ground or high up in the air. Both of these are bad - a ground shot obviously won't get any distance, and a high shot means your disc is using all its energy to climb instead of go forward. Plus, when it stalls, it'll actually come back towards you. Work on keeping a consistent release angle and continue to build arm speed and you'll find you throw less of these "rainbow shots." Remember, slow, steady, and smooth form win every time. I see people doing these super cool runups and then blasting a disc. Should I do that? If you're a beginner, no. Learn proper form from a standstill. Introducing a run-up or x-step before you're ready will just make you even more inconsistent than you already will be. Add the run-up when you can get decent distance. Videos https://youtu.be/Sgn6Os4YSW0 - This is the single best intro to throwing video out there. Worth re-watching as you start developing some skill. https://youtu.be/30cUNsWOYSI - Another great throwing form video. Tournament Coverage Disc golf tournaments are often videoed by small, independent production companies who then get pros to record commentary on the rounds. Sometimes they even get commentary by the same pros playing on the card. You can learn a lot from watching and listening to what the pros say and do. https://www.youtube.com/user/JomezProductions - Jomez Productions https://www.youtube.com/user/CentralCoastDiscGolf - Central Coast Disc Golf (their "Champs vs Chumps" series is awesome!) Let's play some disc! When in doubt, try to be not like Richard: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UBQP9gEldRk
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Jul 11, 2019 17:59
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Status update for summer 2019 of my game: My driving is getting better and better, I can beat 300' on a good huck, and I've started turning over discs that used to be my max distance, which feels awesome. However, my putting has completely left me. Zero confidence when I step up to putt and (unsurprisingly) I've been missing more 15'ers... I picked up a new putter (X Soft Roach) and am deciding to experiment with a more 'spin' style putt instead of my old 'push' putt, since usually when I miss I'm missing low. Overall my scores haven't improved much in the last year even though I feel like a way more consistent thrower. If I can get my putting dialed back up again, though... 
aunt jenkins fucked around with this message at 18:05 on Jul 11, 2019 |
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Jul 11, 2019 18:03
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I just got into disc golf for the first time ever this summer and its loving rad. I highly recommend spending the 20$ and getting the starter pack from Innova. Its pretty fantastic to find a new sport that is both cheap, interesting , easy to learn but hard to master. Also, people of all types of abilities can play and is a great co-ed sport. Play it with your spouse ! Play it with your buddies ! Bring beer or a joint ! Pay 0 dollars to play for 6 hours! Amazing. I've also bought like 9 discs in the first month of playing, it can get addicting.
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Jul 11, 2019 22:14
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