1. #11

    Re: Disc Golf!

    I'm a big disc golf player. I've aced several holes on the local course, and my PR is -10.
    Non local courses usually land me 0 to +5. My best tourney placement is 5th. The prize was only $35 but I also won the "ace pot." Everyone contributed $3 to a pot that went to whomever got an ace, and I was the only one. That was a good day.
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  2. #12

    Re: Disc Golf!

    Originally Posted by ThunderDuck
    Non local courses usually land me 0 to +5.
    Boy, that really boosts my confidence as my BEST SCORE EVER on ANY COURSE is +5... and that's on a local course that I've played probably 20 times or so. Haha. Nice job!
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  3. #13

    Re: Disc Golf!

    Originally Posted by Malachyte
    Originally Posted by ThunderDuck
    Non local courses usually land me 0 to +5.
    Boy, that really boosts my confidence as my BEST SCORE EVER on ANY COURSE is +5... and that's on a local course that I've played probably 20 times or so. Haha. Nice job!
    I was there a couple of years ago, so hang tough! Try lots of different discs and different types of throws. Once you find a couple of different discs that work for different scenarios, trade the rest for your beverage of choice so you're not tempted to use them.

    I played a tourney a couple of weeks ago and I was 2nd overall after round one at -6. Then I fell apart and ended up +5, meaning I got +11 on round two, so I'm not consistently good, I just get lucky sometimes. Still working on it.
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  4. #14

    Re: Disc Golf!

    Originally Posted by ThunderDuck
    I was there a couple of years ago, so hang tough! Try lots of different discs and different types of throws. Once you find a couple of different discs that work for different scenarios, trade the rest for your beverage of choice so you're not tempted to use them.
    Yea, that's a big part of my problem... I have a few discs I feel comfortable using, and I generally stick with them. I know that pros have like 20 different drivers they use for different types of shots, but I just don't have the patience to learn that many different discs. I use a Star Katana for distance drives where I have a wider window to throw through, and a Champion Monarch for narrow windows or anhyzer drives where accuracy is more important than distance. I use a Star Stingray as my mid-range disc, a Champion Rhyno for approach shots and long distance putts, and a DX Birdie for closer putts... that's pretty much it.

    I have a ton of discs either in my garage or a few I insist on still carrying in my bag that I almost never use. Every time I try to throw one I'm not familiar with I just get frustrated.

    The same goes for techniques. I learned how to play using some inferior grips and run-up techniques... now I know about the "power grip" and x-step techniques, but every time I try to modify what I'm used to my game just suffers, I get frustrated, and revert back. I know that I'll have to play many games with these "better" techniques before I'll start to see improvement... I just don't have the patience. Sigh...
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  5. #15

    Re: Disc Golf!

    From your list of discs I'm guessing you throw backhand primarily? If that's the case I can't offer any tips as my backhand is hopeless. Altitude also has a big effect on discs, particularly ones as sensitive as the Monarch, so I say go with what you like at this point and you'll naturally get better. I think technique differs from person to person, but the most important aspect of all throws is the grip (figuring out which fingers go where).

    So I can't comment on your drivers, but I might have some suggestions on your putters. If you get a chance, you might want to try the rhyno in a softer plastic. It's a great disc but champion putters tend to glance off chains more. As for the birdie...if it's the disc I'm thinking of it's really fat and has no thumb track. I'd shop around, maybe borrow a couple from friends a few times to see what's out there. Being able to sink good putts will shave of strokes like crazy.

    *edit - also, get a good cheap all-around driver (like a star surge for example) and work on the "thumber" throw. It's only good for about 150 feet or so, but it's a super accurate throw once you get it down.

    Good luck out there!
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  6. #16

    Re: Disc Golf!

    Yes, I do throw primarily backhand... my side-arm throw is hopeless. I use it only when I absolutely have to, like when I'm stuck half way in a bush and have no other option. Another technique I really should work on. There are times when I know that a side-arm throw would be better, but I opt for a really awkward anhyzer backhand because I know I'm better at it.

    Yes, the Birdie is the really fat and slow putter. I've just found that for short-range putts it's less likely to fade off to the left like my Rhyno. I believe they only make the Birdie in DX plastic, but they do make the Rhyno in all three plastic types... maybe I'll try out at Star Rhyno and see if I like that better. Is Star plastic softer than Champion...? I always thought it was the other way around.

    When you say "thumber throw" are you referring to an overhand throw, like one would throw a baseball? I've heard that throw be referred to as an overhand throw or a tomahawk throw, and I'm actually not bad at it. I wouldn't call it a "thumber throw" though because I use it with fingers in just as often as thumb in to change the fade direction to get around a tree or whatever. Also, if I go all out on power with this throw, my shoulder tends to hurt for a while afterwards... I dislocated it years ago in a mountain bike crash, and it's been a bit weak ever since.

    So yea, i've got a decent back hand, but I feel like I've hit a peak with my max distance around 350-400 feet. I know I'll have to learn the power grip and the x-step run up to improve my distance. My side arm throw is definitely my weakest point, and my tomahawk throws are ok, but I tend to only use them if I have to for fear of injuring my shoulder...

    Oh yea, and you're so right about altitude. Where I live here in Truckee, CA it's just over 6,000 feet, so all my local courses are high altitude, Squaw Valley's course being the highest at 8,200 feet. I took a trip down south recently to visit my family and played a course much closer to sea level (The Lake Casitas course), and boy did it feel wrong... all my throws were coming up short... it took nearly a round and a half before I adjusted to it.

    Anyway, thanks for all your tips!
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  7. #17

    Re: Disc Golf!

    Ok, so today I had the most epic game of disc golf I've ever had. I played the Sierra College course, which is one of the tougher courses up here around Tahoe. My best on it before today was +9, which I had shot twice - once a few weeks ago and once just 2 days ago.

    I went to the course with the intention of learning some new and better techniques, knowing that my score would probably suffer as a result. I decided I was going to diligently learn the X-Step and Power Grip techniques no matter how badly I played for the entire game. Before today I had tried the X-Step run-up ONE TIME, and that resulted in a terrible drive, so I reverted back to my normal run-up. I had tried the Power Grip only a handful of times too, usually with sub-par results - good distance, terrible accuracy.

    So anyway, I got to the tee pad for hole 1, and grabbed my Star Katana. It felt strange, but I held it the way many pros do - with the so-called Power Grip - all four fingers under the disc. I used to just have my index and middle fingers under it. Then, my old run-up style was so ingrained in my head that the first many times I tried the X-Step run-up I misjudged the distance and stepped off the edge of the tee. I could tell it was going to happen of course, so I didn't throw. The first time I actually got the spacing of my steps right, I went for it... and overshot the basket by 20 feet or so:



    With my old run-up and grip styles on this hole, even a "perfect drive" landed 20-30 feet short of the basket. Looked like the new techniques were paying off sooner than I expected! I proceeded to make my putt and end up with a birdie on hole 1.

    Screwed up my drive on hole 2, but made up for it with an amazing approach. Easy putt for par.

    Prior to this game I had NEVER parred hole 3. It's a very long distance up-hill hole that feels like a par 4 to me, but for some reason it's a par 3. Two perfect drives and a descent putt got me par today.

    Perfect drive on hole 4, but overshot my approach. Ended up 2-putting for a bogey.

    Par on hole 5. I've birdied this one a few times... I just screwed up my drive today.

    Bogey on hole 6, which is a par 4. Not bad considering my 2nd drive hit a tree and hardly made any progress.

    Par on hole 7, another par 4.

    On to hole 8! I birdied this hole for the first time during my +9 game two days ago. I had the most amazing drive, so the putt was super easy:



    With this in mind, I though ok, I can birdie this again. Shanked my drive, bounced off a tree maybe 30 feet in front of the tee. My disc came back and landed 15 feet off to the left of the tee pad. YES! Not a foot closer to the basket, and a much more awkward position. I couldn't do a run-up for my 2nd throw due to bushes, but I still went all out with the power grip. Landed maybe 30 feet to the left of the basket, which was the best I could have hoped for with my terrible lye. Then proceeded to make an amazing slightly anhyzer putt from here to save par:



    Parred hole 9.

    So front nine done, and I was at +1. I've never even done CLOSE to this well on this course. On to the back 9!

    Parred 10.

    Had an amazingly epic drive on hole 11, which I didn't have a chance at birdying with my old techniques - I just couldn't get enough distance. Of course I missed my 15 foot putt today... but still, ended up with par.

    Totally shanked my drive on hole 12. I thought for sure I would bogey the hole, but I saved it with an epic approach shot with a really high and wide hyzer throw around some trees. Par!

    Par on 13.

    Par on 14.

    So here I am at hole 15... still at +1. Of course I bogey it...

    Then I also bogey 16.

    Par on 17... which was pretty surprising. I was actually expecting to bogey this one as it's one of the toughest holes on the course. I had only parred it once before today.

    Hole 18 is another one that feels like it should be a par 4 to me but it's a par 3. I have only parred it once. I made the mistake of trying to go all out on my drive to try to par it again, instead of just going for a safe bogey. Shanked my drive, got stuck in a terrible position. Had very few options for my 2nd and 3rd throws. Missed a pretty long putt... ended up getting my only double bogey of the round. Stupid nerves.

    Still, I finished with +5. Four points better than I had ever done on this course, and it was all using techniques that were virtually brand new to me. +5 is a tie for my best score ever - I shot a +5 once at the Truckee River course, but that course is much easier than this one.

    At the rate I'm going I think I will actually be able to par some easier courses pretty soon!

    /End of novel.
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  8. #18

    Re: Disc Golf!

    Nicely done! I like the photo-documentary. And great putt on 9.

    I've noticed that when there's a tree just slightly in the way between you and the hole, it can be a disadvantage, but it can also sometimes serve as a reference point to make the shot easier. Like, "if I throw 6" up ans 1' to the left of that branch, it'll glide right in," sorta thing.

    Anyways, thanks for the story.
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  9. #19

    Re: Disc Golf!

    Thanks, I'm glad someone enjoyed it!

    I was hoping this thread would become a place for a handful of people to share their Disc Golf stories, pictures, videos, etc... instead of just me bragging about my accomplishments. I know that both you (ThunderDuck) and Murdoc Loch are both far better disc golfers than myself... so share some stories or pictures!
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  10. #20

    Re: Disc Golf!

    I just got an iPod touch with camera capabilities. Pretty much my first digital camera! I'm a little behind the times. Next time I'm out I'll take it along and snap some shots! I was going to play a round on Sunday, but the bad Mexican food I ate for lunch had a different agenda for the afternoon.
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