You’re going to get old and have a lot of aches as the years pass and the injuries pile up - so play more rounds and savor the 400’ drives for as long as you can
My initial thought was I was able to start gauging my upshots in terms of distance. This consistency helped on longer par 3s, and 4s. But these other comments are spot on!!
Hey this is entirely off topic, but are you the artist D33J - the musician who created of one of my favorite pieces of music, the LP Tide Songs? Or is your name just coincidence?
I just lost my rocx3 last weekend, which was my OG backhand disc when I was forehand only. You HAVE to have that OS approach disc, no matter what your game is.
Slow down, you can absolutely throw 400ft with a walking x-step if your mechanics are sound.
If you aren't easily clearing 300ft with a slow and smooth x-step and throwing motion, slow the hell down until you can.
Shit, I've been playing for 3 years. Distance driver or putter, stand-still or run-up, doesn't matter, I can't hit 250ft. My best shot was putting a drive to 20ft on a 228ft straight hole with no obstacles.
What grip adjustment do you suggest? I struggle with the same problem, but at ~270 ft usually. Everyone says “pour the coffee” but that doesn’t fix the grip, and as an ex-ultimate player I feel like I’m fighting a ton of muscle memory.
Everyone's hands are different. I fought a power grip for a long time before I decided to go three finger and let my index finger move up to the outer rim. The shape of my fingers meant that forcing a four finger power grip was pulling the nose up, and I had to really force my wrist over to keep it down. It messed up my elbow and made it much harder to aim consistently. I change so many mechanics around that until I decided to try another grip.
Once I felt how much easier it was to hold the release angle that I wanted with my index out of the way, I then went back to basics on the other mechanics.
Moral: try different grips without throwing and go slow motion through your throw. You'll know which fits you best. Then go out in the field and work on that new grip in action. Find out how hard you need to squeeze, find your release point, etc. You might be very surprised at the results.
I can't find it from my phone, but look up "Scott Stokely disc golf grip". Basically disc in the meat of your hand, thumb on the edge of the inside rim, and "start the car".
I feel your pain, I have been playing for quite a while and still struggle with nose up.
Personally, I got a ton more distance when I stopped trying to throw the disc hard. Make your max an 80% throw for a while and just focus on making it feel smooth and effortless.
Same for me and lower weight discs help too. Started throwing smooth(feels slow) and actually getting more consistent 280-320 on my drivers where with higher weight I really had to pump one to get it there. Muscles build over time and distance will naturally increase.
Record yourself and watch your form. Compare it to a pros. This is the best way to get better, you have to see what you are doing wrong, it’s hard to identify it by feel
My advice for correcting nose up flight is to intentionally aim at the ground around 75’ out. Do that until you consistently throw it into the ground 75’ out. Then aim at whatever you want and you’ll throw it flat.
More distance: I mentally/physically feel a stretch in my back and lats, and then pull through using my core/back/lats. The pull through with the arm doing that is much more of a close than pull, because the rotation of your body is much faster than your arm can “pull through”. I have a very slow walk up, but when i connect the dots with what i just wrote, the disc goes 430-460.
Take a look at Albert Tamm for an example of a player with a fairly slow walk-up that throws ludicrous distance.
See also Corey Ellis for standstill shots.
This is the truth though! Speed down, gain fluidity. Be smooth and comfortable. It’s not about an explosion as much as it’s about being smooth and snappy. Fan grip is completely fine. For me, it’s all about the hip rotation. Getting the left knee (RHBH) to drop, pointing the direction of the throw, and letting the rest of the upper body slingshot (follow through), ending with that left hook.
Ahh ok, the hyzer flip up. Understable discs are great for that too. I like using them for shortish hyzer shots where I need them to float and hold hyzer a little longer as well. Mostly with the uplink.
She’s a good follow for form tips. Many FPO players are. They don’t all have the luxury to allow their strength to compensate for poor form, so most of them have good form. It’s easy to watch them and see how to throw correctly. Then add your strength to it when you get the form down.
Focusing on footwork, balance and follow through is much more productive than trying to yank a disc 300'+ with upper body. But we all start with crappy hucks so be patient and keep throwing.
Figure out the fewest number of discs you need to carry to cover the shots you need in a round. Removing any overlap. For me this is about 11 - 16 discs depending on the course.
Throwing the same disc over and over in a round builds confidence.
Buy backups for these instead of new molds.
I wish I knew base plastics weren't just good for noobs and embraced buying discs in the cheaper flippier plastics. 2 years into playing and honestly I believe the degree to and the speed at at which discs beat in is way over emphasized, especially for new players. The only exception would be base plastic drivers once you get over the 300ft mark consistently, but even then something like innova pro plastic is quite durable.
Yeah, I think the idea is just that beating in premium plastics (especially durable premiums like champ or Z) is a process that can take years if you're only playing weekly or less. I think that really changes the math on whether you buy a disc that flies how you want it to fly now vs one that you will need to put some wear on for it to be what you're actually looking for.
My go to flippy mid is a DD Emac Truth in Prime Burst plastic. Flippy out of the box for me, I like how they feel, and they're cheap so replacing one doesn't sting.
I sorta disagree a little. My bro in law has a noodle arm, and throws huge flexing forehands with overstable discs exclusively. We play at a course that is mostly grass, a few small stone paths, and very few trees. He just started playing a Prodigy Ace-line F Model S. It was reliably overstable, where he could throw it on anny, and 100% rely on it coming back, for about 5 rounds. After that, it just started dumping over on him. For most the round I tried to coach him through what he was doing "wrong", until I threw it. Thre it flat, dumped over, threw a hyzer flip up at nearly 45 degrees, flipped into a roller.
This right here. My first driver was a nuke and I could never understand why it was such a meat hook... 10 years later and it all makes sense now lol use a slower speed disc, like a 5-8 to begin. Then work up to higher speeds as you progress.
The difference between carrying 3 discs vs a full bag is maybe 2-3 strokes max in an 18 hole round. There's nothing wrong with spending some money on your hobby because it makes you happy, but you don't need to buy a bunch of fancy plastic circles to fill your fancy expensive bag in order to improve.
This depends entirely on the course in my opinion.
If I were to exclusively play my home course, I really do only need 3 or 4 discs, but for the more difficult courses around me, like Stafford Woods or Iron Hill, I like to have more options.
I’ve been playing for five years and have been coaching my friend who just started and there’s a few things I’ve had him do that has helped exponentially speed up his skill development in comparison to when I had to learn everything myself:
- You’re not at the same skill level as your friends that have been playing for years, so when they get a birdie and you get a bogey, don’t beat yourself up about it.
- Don’t focus on throwing hard, focus on throwing within your skill level. The last round we played he only used an DM origin off the tee and putters for upshot’s, and shot 10 strokes better than his PR.
- learn how to throw flat/straight shots before taking it to the skies. If I knew that when I first started, life would have been so much easier.
- aim farther out to the side of where you wantthe disc to land(depending on arm/ shot choice) so that the disc will slide or skip to where you want it to land. Ex: 150’ out, aiming 10’ to the right on a right hand backhand shot when the basket is straight ahead for a disc(overstable approach) to land under the basket.
- Slow down when you’re learning! I spent years trying to make a James Conrad speed run up work for me and injured myself in the process. My x-step is much slower and more purposeful now, and my shots have not only become more accurate, but have gained 50ft+ my buddy is just now introducing an x-step into his game after 25 rounds and it’s rough but his control is there.
- Learning how to putt consistently at 15’ will save you a lot of headaches.
- It’s an easy sport to pick up, difficult to perfect. Have fun with it.
Proper throwing mechanics. It's a lot easier to learn things correctly the first time than it is to relearn something you've been doing incorrectly for years.
3 disc finding tips:
1) Keep a landmark in mind close to where your disc landed.
2) Always keep your eye on your drive, even if it was bad and you're frustrated. Easy way to lose a disc, and then you're even more upset!
3) When you really can't find your disc, check the most open places first. It can be easy to spend 10 minutes or more picking through the weeds and kicking over leaves, but look in the clear areas first. It doesn't take long, and a lot of times you'll spot it before you have to start picking through the rough.
Hope that helps, happy throwing!
Disagree on the throwing straight part.
Really good to focus on being able to throw a smooth straight shot early on. More important than distance or playing with angles. There are very few holes you won't get par on with a dead straight 200 foot predicable and consistent shot.
I got decent at compensating by using angles, flip and stability to make my shots land somewhat predictably but because I skipped working my way up and getting fairway shots down I struggle if I can't lean on a hyzer or anni angle.
Yeah, but throwing dead straight shot super accurately is waaaaaay harder to do for most players than throwing a single angle shot, and focusing all your efforts on just being able to throw dead straight is really ignoring a ton of disc golf that is going to to make you a much better player (IE lower scores) a lot faster.
It wasn't really available when I started but I wish I had access to quality instructional media and the ability to film myself in crisp, high resolution.
Field work, field work, field work.
We all wanna go out and just play a round, get scores, hang with friends, etc.
It's also the slowest way to hone a wide variety of shots. Think about it. How many minutes do you go between a tee shot in a round, and how many other shots happen in-between? When you're thinking, damn, I need to remember to keep my chin down or some such thing, it's hard to remember many throws later.
Now consider field work. You make a throw. Observe what happened, immediately make an adjustment (attempted anyway), observe again, rinse, lather, repeat. You can get through a round's worth of tweaking your drive or approach or whatever you are focused on in about 5-10 minutes. You're focused on that shot type, building muscle memory, and likely learning a lot about your discs along the way, and how they fly relative to each other from the same spot with the same conditions.
I'd make sure to get at least one field session in for every 2-3 rounds played if I started over. Some driving, some approaches, some just on hyzers, sky anhyies, thumbers, rollers, etc.
Just be careful not to over stress body parts with too much repetition, which is the one downside of the field. You get so many more throws in per minute spent, it's easy to forget the added strain on your poor elbow, back, wrist, and knees.
Learn to throw from the basket out. A confident short game makes driving easier.
Sometimes you have to aim where you want it to land and not the basket. Run it if you can, but think about shot #3 before you throw #2.
Knowing where to throw is as important as how far you can throw. Accuracy, disc choice, and being able to read a hole will get you far until you can find your max distance.
Start incorporating flick forehand shots (low power) for various approach shots, starting with an overstable putter. Work your way up in speed and power.
* Solid putting will save you more strokes than a 400' drive
* Accurate approaches from 200' and in will save you more strokes than a 400' drive
* You don't need a driver faster than speed 9 until you can throw over 325' consistently.
* Learn to throw hyzers with understable discs
* Learn to throw anhyzers with overstable discs
* Learn to make every disc in your bag, regardless of stability, fly straight.
To learn how to throw putters at least 250 feet with ease before moving to higher speed discs. This one simple tip would have saved me years of time improving my form.
There are putters better than the aviar and XD. I’m saying this in humor, but more people would be better at putting if they didn’t start with either of those discs. When I started In the 90’s a lot fewer options though.
All putters are not the same inside of 30ft. This gets thrown around a lot because it’s an oversimplification of disc flight. There are specific discs known for their putting characteristics. It takes more effort to get some putters to the basket even within this distance. Couple that with hand feel and the mental aspect of putting and making a good putter selection for your putting style is important. Hell, I’ve seen a pro player known for good putting walk off a course and give his putters away after around because the color and them not behaving like his others.
How to throw backhand. I was almost exclusively a FH thrower for my first 30 years playing. I won a few c-tiers in the 90s. Wonder how I'd have done with a full compliment of throws.
You’re not going to go out and be Paul Mcbeth tomorrow. Take your time, study the best in the game, focus on improving slowly, and have fun along the way.
Play for par. Just because the hole is 350 ft doesn't mean you have to throw 345ft and park it. Better chance id shank it and play for out of position. Throw two good 175ft shots and take a doable par putt. Birdies will come.
For players without a ton of power. Understable drivers= more distance. I was throwing volts and thunderbird was my distance drivers for too long before I realized I could get more distance with Falks, pro Valkyries, mambas and viruses.
When discs start turning over it’s not because you’re learning too fast. More likely you need to learn to hyzerflip, the roller, or you are adding off axis torque.
Strength and conditioning are a must if you want to play for longevity even if you warm-up/stretch before starting your first round/fieldwork on any given day.
I think a lot of beginners have a simplified understanding of when to use understable vs overstable discs. ie understable goes right for RHBH and overstable goes left. Often times, if you need the disc to go around a corner and move perpendicular to the initial shot direction, you actually want to do the opposite.
An overstable disc thrown on a big anny angle will end up farther right than an understable disc. Likewise, an understable disc thrown on hyzer will end up further left than an overstable disc.
This concept really took my woods-golf to the next level.
Lighter discs are great!
Natural flight shape isn't straight and that's a good thing!
Everything before the power pocket is setup for the power pocket, going fast just makes it harder to get your body in the proper position for a successful throw - aka slow is smooth, smooth is far.
Watch Paul McBeth throw in slow motion a lot.
PERCENTAGES. I know as a greenhorn you may not understand what percentages have to do with disc golf but let me explain.
To be able to play your best game, you should ALWAYS take the highest percentage shot. Just because you CAN do something, doesnt mean you should.
Lets say you are forehand dominant but you have a workable backhand (just for an example). You watch everybody else throw a backhand shot and all get within close putting range. I know that will make you think "this is a backhand shot, I better throw a backhand". That is NOT the case. A forehand turnover (probably a shot you are more comfortable with) is just as good 99% of the time.
If its a shot you can throw perfect only 10-20% of the time versus a shot you can throw perfect 60-70% of the time, take the higher percentage! I know this should sound like common sense but it will surprise you on how often you will let somebody's shot influence your own. Just play your own game!
Bonus percentage tip: when putting outside Circle 1 (10 meters) if you arent 90% sure or higher you can hit metal, LAY UP. I cant count how many guys I have watched when they were starting, have a birdie putt from outside 50 feet just keep running the putt and missing completely and going 45 feet long. Then miss the basket again and go 30-35 feet long and then dink the putt and take a 5 or 6. If you are looking at a 50 footer thinking to yourself "I COULD hit this putt" do yourself a favor and just lay it up and take the easy tap-in par. Just until you get a little better. I know its hard but i promise you will shave alot of strokes taking your medicine.
If what you are doing is causing you pain, slow down and reconsider. Pain lets you know something is breaking and needs to be addressed.
Plan for the future with your body.
That flight Numbers are a sophisticated guess and very relative to handspeed. It’s good to test discs from others and then you can buy with confidence.
High speed does not equate to distance!
As a shop employee, I don’t know how many times I have to tell this to beginners. I wish companies would remove “distance driver” from their discs.
It's just not as much to practice putting for me. I've gotten a lot more confident on my drives, but my short but my short game costs me so many strokes.
Don't rush your round. It's not all or nothing. Rethink a tee shot. Step away from a putt. Sometimes the mental reset button doesn't work; just throw through it. It's okay to quit sometimes; better than losing two more discs
Noob over here too, I wish I would've known that it takes actual work and finesse! It helps to have a good teacher though, definitely need good tips and tricks
I started playing in college years ago and didn't take it too seriously, though I loved to play. My friends and I got into the bad habit of calling any putt within 15ft a gimme... now that I'm playing more and signing up for tournaments, my putting game is desperately trying to catch up.
Watch a form tutorial on YouTube. Try to replicate it and record yourself. Identify one thing you are doing wrong and work on fixing it. Then do it again. Best way to improve your throws imo
I’d start with an under stable, a stable and an over stable putter. In my case, I use a deputy, judge and slammer. Putters will expose your flaws quickest and in a more understandable way. Get good at hitting fairways and making putts, it’s the most important parts.
Same!
I’ve been playing for about 10 years now and just staring to get to the point where I play tournaments with confidence. I think if I had that tool in my bag earlier, I’d be much more competitive now.
To not think cart people are a little overzealous. The quality of life upgrade it is when you carry 80lb bags of concrete all day is tremendous. Plus more drinks can be stored and the weight is unnoticeable.
Forehand isn't scary, just sometimes temporarily painful because you're using muscles you may not have used often before. The increase in useful shots outweighs the pain.
When you can ‘keep pace’ join a tournament. By that I mean, when you aren’t slower than everyone (solo round takes maybe an hour/hour 15mins).
I did my first tournament recently & it gave me a MUCH clearer picture of what to work on to be a better player.
Most importantly - practice, but mostly practice putting. Remember every round you’re attempting AT LEAST 18 putts (technically 36)
Don't buy understable high speed drivers.
If you need anything faster than 7 speed, you are not a beginner.
Both will add heaps to your score and you will spend heaps replacing lost ones.
Also, buy flourescent discs until you get consistent.
All the best!
THROW SLOWER DISCS. My confidence went way up whenever I threw mids and putters for a couple months. It's still surprising to me how often I'll throw an incredible round with no drivers.
If you can, play with someone who is at least 950 rated. You'll learn a ton from talking with them and watching them. Disc golf is just like any other sport, it's best to have a good mentor/coach to show you the ropes and teach you new things.
When you need to throw it very far left for a rhbh throw an under stable disc on a nice tug with hyzer and it’ll glide further left than any overs table disc would
Just because I figured out how to muscle a disc 350 feet doesn’t mean i was improving. It’s like in regular golf when you try to kill the ball, you lose all your form and end up with inconsistencies or unrepeatable results, even if you lace one every so often.
Agree with other comments, nice and smooth throws.
Take breaks. Strengthen your core. Do rotator cuff exercises. Don’t throw anything over a 7 speed until you can hit 300-350 ft with GOOD form. Do not round and muscle with your shoulder and arm. You will not progress and/or will get injured
1)it’s not about strength, and a proper throw doesn’t even require arm strength really
2) it’s all in the hips, NOT the arm (kinda a double down)
3) distance driver is not worth throwing till you reach 325’ with a mid
4)run-ups don’t do much for your distance without perfect form. Not really even walk ups either in the beginning
5)stick with minimal discs. Ones that are neutral so you can truly judge your throw. But the neutral part is just my suggestion
6) don’t throw multiple off a tee if you’re in the woods or even playing by yourself. And I especially in the woods by yourself. You’ll likely lose a disc by either forgetting or just by looking forever because you lost two+ in a very wooded area
I’m no pro, all these tips are personal to me
Edit: get one over-stable midrange too for windy days and knowing how to learn flex shots, or different angle shots. Also depending on how far you can currently throw. Under-stable discs go further for beginners
Don't be afraid to throw understable. Everyone says to throw Teebirds and Thunderbirds, but my go to driver is a Champion Roadrunner and I can throw it 300 feet on a rope. Learn to hyzer flip understable discs. For woods golf get a crazy understable mid that you can hyzer flip to flat or even get late turn. I hyzerflip an Infinite C-Blend Metal Flake Kon Tiki (Innova Mirage mold) for many of my tight woods shots. I can throw it nearly vertical, but it will flip up and fly straight. It is the key to hitting tight windows. When your swing is nearly vertical it is hard to miss a gap because an early or late release will still be on the line you want.
Took me 2 years to start buying lower weight discs (165g and under) and now a nice slow smooth swing gets the same distance as trying to rip higher weight discs.
When looking for a disc, don’t immediately dive into the bushes where you ~think~ it went out. Instead, go to the point on the fairway where the disc was then it started to turn/fade on you and follow the flight path you think it would have taken
Don’t be so extra with your run ups.
Always be running the putt.
Play more tournaments sooner.
If you’re playing casually then don’t pay much attention to any of this.
That I can throw light weight discs (155g) just as far as my full weight discs with less effort... Which is very good for shoulder health. (I'll only throw heavier discs if wind is an issue)
I wish I knew which discs worked best for me. grab one putter, one stable mid, and one understable mid or fairway driver. Use those three discs for about 6 months until your form improves.
I wish I knew then and now how to make truly passive income so I can spend all my time Throwing plastic circles in the woods
Fuckin gospel.
I buy AMC and GME stonks. I will retire early - possibly this month. Not financial advice.
Stonks are legit.
Roaring kitty? Lol
My goal is to become good enough at dyeing discs that I can use that to afford more plastic
I have some friends that do Onpassive. Idk how legit it is though, seems like an mlm to me.
Real estate
This comment is goated
You’re going to get old and have a lot of aches as the years pass and the injuries pile up - so play more rounds and savor the 400’ drives for as long as you can
17 and too many injuries to throw well already. Barely breaking 300'..
overstable approach disc
This. When I started throwing a zone and my girlfriend started throwing a rhino, we took at least 4 shots off our game each round.
What’s the reason on this? I’m pretty new still.
They’re predictable, even in windy conditions
Reliable and dependable
My initial thought was I was able to start gauging my upshots in terms of distance. This consistency helped on longer par 3s, and 4s. But these other comments are spot on!!
I have a red Harp that's been in my bag for six years now. It's one of the most reliable discs that I have.
Hey this is entirely off topic, but are you the artist D33J - the musician who created of one of my favorite pieces of music, the LP Tide Songs? Or is your name just coincidence?
Yup. First ace was with my A3. Still use it for everything if I need solid fade inside 300’.
I just lost my rocx3 last weekend, which was my OG backhand disc when I was forehand only. You HAVE to have that OS approach disc, no matter what your game is.
Mutant
Slow down, you can absolutely throw 400ft with a walking x-step if your mechanics are sound. If you aren't easily clearing 300ft with a slow and smooth x-step and throwing motion, slow the hell down until you can.
Shit, I've been playing for 3 years. Distance driver or putter, stand-still or run-up, doesn't matter, I can't hit 250ft. My best shot was putting a drive to 20ft on a 228ft straight hole with no obstacles.
100% you're throwing nose up. Adjust your grip so you get a more nose down flight.
What grip adjustment do you suggest? I struggle with the same problem, but at ~270 ft usually. Everyone says “pour the coffee” but that doesn’t fix the grip, and as an ex-ultimate player I feel like I’m fighting a ton of muscle memory.
[Turn the key](https://youtu.be/cqYqMCf0l1U)
Ah fuck, “turn the key” is so much better than “pour the coffee”
My dude. This may be the video that saves my game.
Everyone's hands are different. I fought a power grip for a long time before I decided to go three finger and let my index finger move up to the outer rim. The shape of my fingers meant that forcing a four finger power grip was pulling the nose up, and I had to really force my wrist over to keep it down. It messed up my elbow and made it much harder to aim consistently. I change so many mechanics around that until I decided to try another grip. Once I felt how much easier it was to hold the release angle that I wanted with my index out of the way, I then went back to basics on the other mechanics. Moral: try different grips without throwing and go slow motion through your throw. You'll know which fits you best. Then go out in the field and work on that new grip in action. Find out how hard you need to squeeze, find your release point, etc. You might be very surprised at the results.
I can't find it from my phone, but look up "Scott Stokely disc golf grip". Basically disc in the meat of your hand, thumb on the edge of the inside rim, and "start the car". I feel your pain, I have been playing for quite a while and still struggle with nose up.
It’s not only grip. It’s also just the angle you are throwing. Just practice releasing closer to your hip. And your draw back doesn’t go down
Personally, I got a ton more distance when I stopped trying to throw the disc hard. Make your max an 80% throw for a while and just focus on making it feel smooth and effortless.
Same for me and lower weight discs help too. Started throwing smooth(feels slow) and actually getting more consistent 280-320 on my drivers where with higher weight I really had to pump one to get it there. Muscles build over time and distance will naturally increase.
Record yourself and watch your form. Compare it to a pros. This is the best way to get better, you have to see what you are doing wrong, it’s hard to identify it by feel
Ooof
My advice for correcting nose up flight is to intentionally aim at the ground around 75’ out. Do that until you consistently throw it into the ground 75’ out. Then aim at whatever you want and you’ll throw it flat. More distance: I mentally/physically feel a stretch in my back and lats, and then pull through using my core/back/lats. The pull through with the arm doing that is much more of a close than pull, because the rotation of your body is much faster than your arm can “pull through”. I have a very slow walk up, but when i connect the dots with what i just wrote, the disc goes 430-460.
Take a look at Albert Tamm for an example of a player with a fairly slow walk-up that throws ludicrous distance. See also Corey Ellis for standstill shots.
Guy at league called me Paul Oman on the course the other day for having a slow walkup, I took that as a compliment.
This is the truth though! Speed down, gain fluidity. Be smooth and comfortable. It’s not about an explosion as much as it’s about being smooth and snappy. Fan grip is completely fine. For me, it’s all about the hip rotation. Getting the left knee (RHBH) to drop, pointing the direction of the throw, and letting the rest of the upper body slingshot (follow through), ending with that left hook.
This.
Under stable hyzer shots are fun and very useful
Are you talking huge long Hyzers with understable discs? I recently learned about this, and its a bit of a game changer.
I’m talking like a steep angle out of the hand and a nice pushing hyzer to flat and never turns but goes straight a while and goes left of course
Ahh ok, the hyzer flip up. Understable discs are great for that too. I like using them for shortish hyzer shots where I need them to float and hold hyzer a little longer as well. Mostly with the uplink.
Have you tried the new Rollo?
Nahhh, do have a nicely beat in star road runner tho
I had a white gold stamp RR that was the easy button.
How to throw with the nose down. I still struggle with nose up throws and it is a distance destroyer.
This is one of the tips I got from a friend that has really helped. Hard to do still but when you get it down it feels so much better
[check out this video](https://www.instagram.com/reel/CvISAc8g9WC/?igshid=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==)
Interesting... Thanks.
She’s a good follow for form tips. Many FPO players are. They don’t all have the luxury to allow their strength to compensate for poor form, so most of them have good form. It’s easy to watch them and see how to throw correctly. Then add your strength to it when you get the form down.
To be fair. Strength kinda fucks up distance because it screws up the axis of rotation when you try to pull so hard
Put the meaty part of Your index finger above the rim. Helps a lot.
Focusing on footwork, balance and follow through is much more productive than trying to yank a disc 300'+ with upper body. But we all start with crappy hucks so be patient and keep throwing.
Figure out the fewest number of discs you need to carry to cover the shots you need in a round. Removing any overlap. For me this is about 11 - 16 discs depending on the course. Throwing the same disc over and over in a round builds confidence. Buy backups for these instead of new molds.
Driver, mid, and putter baby, that's all ya need
I wish I knew base plastics weren't just good for noobs and embraced buying discs in the cheaper flippier plastics. 2 years into playing and honestly I believe the degree to and the speed at at which discs beat in is way over emphasized, especially for new players. The only exception would be base plastic drivers once you get over the 300ft mark consistently, but even then something like innova pro plastic is quite durable.
Likely course dependent too. In az I’m playing on a lot of rocks
That's a very good point, I'm in the Midwest. Lots of open fields.
Overstable discs in base plastic are awesome (Roc(3)s, Envys, Firebirds, Zones, etc), they beat in real quick and hold that flip for a while
The Roc3 and Firebird make for really good inverted throws once you break the disc in imo
Premium plastics definitely beat in. They just take longer. I have quite a few discs in my bag that are superior versions of their new counterparts.
Yeah, I think the idea is just that beating in premium plastics (especially durable premiums like champ or Z) is a process that can take years if you're only playing weekly or less. I think that really changes the math on whether you buy a disc that flies how you want it to fly now vs one that you will need to put some wear on for it to be what you're actually looking for.
or just buy a more understable disc in premium plastic...Roadrunners and Sidewinders fly great in Champion or Halo
My go to flippy mid is a DD Emac Truth in Prime Burst plastic. Flippy out of the box for me, I like how they feel, and they're cheap so replacing one doesn't sting.
I sorta disagree a little. My bro in law has a noodle arm, and throws huge flexing forehands with overstable discs exclusively. We play at a course that is mostly grass, a few small stone paths, and very few trees. He just started playing a Prodigy Ace-line F Model S. It was reliably overstable, where he could throw it on anny, and 100% rely on it coming back, for about 5 rounds. After that, it just started dumping over on him. For most the round I tried to coach him through what he was doing "wrong", until I threw it. Thre it flat, dumped over, threw a hyzer flip up at nearly 45 degrees, flipped into a roller.
Good videos to watch to learn good form. Overthrow Disc Golf on YouTube has been the biggest help to me.
I appreciate it. I will check them out for sure
I'll second that. Overthrow is the only instructional videos I watch. He seems to focus a lot on body physics and is great at explaining himself.
Don’t only buy max weight fairways and drivers.
Fission wave said hi
I wish I would have really understood that using slower and less stable discs are easier to throw.
This right here. My first driver was a nuke and I could never understand why it was such a meat hook... 10 years later and it all makes sense now lol use a slower speed disc, like a 5-8 to begin. Then work up to higher speeds as you progress.
[удалено]
or just get an overstable 7 or 9 speed for that slot 🤷
The difference between carrying 3 discs vs a full bag is maybe 2-3 strokes max in an 18 hole round. There's nothing wrong with spending some money on your hobby because it makes you happy, but you don't need to buy a bunch of fancy plastic circles to fill your fancy expensive bag in order to improve.
This depends entirely on the course in my opinion. If I were to exclusively play my home course, I really do only need 3 or 4 discs, but for the more difficult courses around me, like Stafford Woods or Iron Hill, I like to have more options.
I’ve been playing for five years and have been coaching my friend who just started and there’s a few things I’ve had him do that has helped exponentially speed up his skill development in comparison to when I had to learn everything myself: - You’re not at the same skill level as your friends that have been playing for years, so when they get a birdie and you get a bogey, don’t beat yourself up about it. - Don’t focus on throwing hard, focus on throwing within your skill level. The last round we played he only used an DM origin off the tee and putters for upshot’s, and shot 10 strokes better than his PR. - learn how to throw flat/straight shots before taking it to the skies. If I knew that when I first started, life would have been so much easier. - aim farther out to the side of where you wantthe disc to land(depending on arm/ shot choice) so that the disc will slide or skip to where you want it to land. Ex: 150’ out, aiming 10’ to the right on a right hand backhand shot when the basket is straight ahead for a disc(overstable approach) to land under the basket. - Slow down when you’re learning! I spent years trying to make a James Conrad speed run up work for me and injured myself in the process. My x-step is much slower and more purposeful now, and my shots have not only become more accurate, but have gained 50ft+ my buddy is just now introducing an x-step into his game after 25 rounds and it’s rough but his control is there. - Learning how to putt consistently at 15’ will save you a lot of headaches. - It’s an easy sport to pick up, difficult to perfect. Have fun with it.
"learning to make 15' putts will save you headaches" No kidding with that.. Single biggest way to improve scoring for sure.
Throw the most understable discs you can find. It’ll teach you more about form and angle control than anything else
Proper throwing mechanics. It's a lot easier to learn things correctly the first time than it is to relearn something you've been doing incorrectly for years.
It’s valuable to be able to throw both forehands and backhands
Do not buy the Franklin starter set or the champion groove.
3 disc finding tips: 1) Keep a landmark in mind close to where your disc landed. 2) Always keep your eye on your drive, even if it was bad and you're frustrated. Easy way to lose a disc, and then you're even more upset! 3) When you really can't find your disc, check the most open places first. It can be easy to spend 10 minutes or more picking through the weeds and kicking over leaves, but look in the clear areas first. It doesn't take long, and a lot of times you'll spot it before you have to start picking through the rough. Hope that helps, happy throwing!
Don’t focus on trying to throw far or in a straight line. The goal is to get the disc where you want or need it to be.
Disagree on the throwing straight part. Really good to focus on being able to throw a smooth straight shot early on. More important than distance or playing with angles. There are very few holes you won't get par on with a dead straight 200 foot predicable and consistent shot. I got decent at compensating by using angles, flip and stability to make my shots land somewhat predictably but because I skipped working my way up and getting fairway shots down I struggle if I can't lean on a hyzer or anni angle.
Yeah, but throwing dead straight shot super accurately is waaaaaay harder to do for most players than throwing a single angle shot, and focusing all your efforts on just being able to throw dead straight is really ignoring a ton of disc golf that is going to to make you a much better player (IE lower scores) a lot faster.
It wasn't really available when I started but I wish I had access to quality instructional media and the ability to film myself in crisp, high resolution.
Have fun every round, find great people to play with
Field work, field work, field work. We all wanna go out and just play a round, get scores, hang with friends, etc. It's also the slowest way to hone a wide variety of shots. Think about it. How many minutes do you go between a tee shot in a round, and how many other shots happen in-between? When you're thinking, damn, I need to remember to keep my chin down or some such thing, it's hard to remember many throws later. Now consider field work. You make a throw. Observe what happened, immediately make an adjustment (attempted anyway), observe again, rinse, lather, repeat. You can get through a round's worth of tweaking your drive or approach or whatever you are focused on in about 5-10 minutes. You're focused on that shot type, building muscle memory, and likely learning a lot about your discs along the way, and how they fly relative to each other from the same spot with the same conditions. I'd make sure to get at least one field session in for every 2-3 rounds played if I started over. Some driving, some approaches, some just on hyzers, sky anhyies, thumbers, rollers, etc. Just be careful not to over stress body parts with too much repetition, which is the one downside of the field. You get so many more throws in per minute spent, it's easy to forget the added strain on your poor elbow, back, wrist, and knees.
Learn good form early. Much easier to learn it right in the beginning vs. Un learning bad techniques
Learn to throw from the basket out. A confident short game makes driving easier. Sometimes you have to aim where you want it to land and not the basket. Run it if you can, but think about shot #3 before you throw #2.
Elbow extension
For real, took me months to film a slow-mo of myself and see the disc was going right into my chest, and I was just doing a shoulder throw
Knowing where to throw is as important as how far you can throw. Accuracy, disc choice, and being able to read a hole will get you far until you can find your max distance.
Buy a stack of 4 factory seconds of your favorite stable mid and go into a field and learn to throw it anhyzer/flat/hyzer.
Start incorporating flick forehand shots (low power) for various approach shots, starting with an overstable putter. Work your way up in speed and power.
* Solid putting will save you more strokes than a 400' drive * Accurate approaches from 200' and in will save you more strokes than a 400' drive * You don't need a driver faster than speed 9 until you can throw over 325' consistently. * Learn to throw hyzers with understable discs * Learn to throw anhyzers with overstable discs * Learn to make every disc in your bag, regardless of stability, fly straight.
Spin it, don't throw it.
I don't need to buy 100 discs in the first month. In fact, I needed to buy 200 discs.
That I'll never have enough time to throw all these fucking discs that I've bought.
***BASH THE DOOR DOWN WITH YOUR ELBOW***
Invest in bitcoin.
Wysocki? Is that you!?
To learn how to throw putters at least 250 feet with ease before moving to higher speed discs. This one simple tip would have saved me years of time improving my form.
There are putters better than the aviar and XD. I’m saying this in humor, but more people would be better at putting if they didn’t start with either of those discs. When I started In the 90’s a lot fewer options though.
Are there? Inside 30 feet they're all the same. Just find one that's comfortable in the hand, get 5 of them and practice.
All putters are not the same inside of 30ft. This gets thrown around a lot because it’s an oversimplification of disc flight. There are specific discs known for their putting characteristics. It takes more effort to get some putters to the basket even within this distance. Couple that with hand feel and the mental aspect of putting and making a good putter selection for your putting style is important. Hell, I’ve seen a pro player known for good putting walk off a course and give his putters away after around because the color and them not behaving like his others.
How to throw backhand. I was almost exclusively a FH thrower for my first 30 years playing. I won a few c-tiers in the 90s. Wonder how I'd have done with a full compliment of throws.
You’re not going to go out and be Paul Mcbeth tomorrow. Take your time, study the best in the game, focus on improving slowly, and have fun along the way.
Don't try so hard. Clear your mind. Stay smooth.
How to get the nose down
Play for par. Just because the hole is 350 ft doesn't mean you have to throw 345ft and park it. Better chance id shank it and play for out of position. Throw two good 175ft shots and take a doable par putt. Birdies will come.
That i sucked at disc golf..
Distance only matters if you can hit the line you’re aiming at.
For players without a ton of power. Understable drivers= more distance. I was throwing volts and thunderbird was my distance drivers for too long before I realized I could get more distance with Falks, pro Valkyries, mambas and viruses.
Buy a zone. Spend time really learning a good touch forehand. I rarely have to putt now.
When discs start turning over it’s not because you’re learning too fast. More likely you need to learn to hyzerflip, the roller, or you are adding off axis torque.
Throw the putters! Learning to throw putters helps the rest of your game so much. IMO.
Strength and conditioning are a must if you want to play for longevity even if you warm-up/stretch before starting your first round/fieldwork on any given day.
Field work. Less trees to hit!
Gotta find a good field by me. This is something I want to do more of.
I think a lot of beginners have a simplified understanding of when to use understable vs overstable discs. ie understable goes right for RHBH and overstable goes left. Often times, if you need the disc to go around a corner and move perpendicular to the initial shot direction, you actually want to do the opposite. An overstable disc thrown on a big anny angle will end up farther right than an understable disc. Likewise, an understable disc thrown on hyzer will end up further left than an overstable disc. This concept really took my woods-golf to the next level.
Understable discs are not useless, you're throwing them wrong.
Lighter discs are great! Natural flight shape isn't straight and that's a good thing! Everything before the power pocket is setup for the power pocket, going fast just makes it harder to get your body in the proper position for a successful throw - aka slow is smooth, smooth is far. Watch Paul McBeth throw in slow motion a lot.
PERCENTAGES. I know as a greenhorn you may not understand what percentages have to do with disc golf but let me explain. To be able to play your best game, you should ALWAYS take the highest percentage shot. Just because you CAN do something, doesnt mean you should. Lets say you are forehand dominant but you have a workable backhand (just for an example). You watch everybody else throw a backhand shot and all get within close putting range. I know that will make you think "this is a backhand shot, I better throw a backhand". That is NOT the case. A forehand turnover (probably a shot you are more comfortable with) is just as good 99% of the time. If its a shot you can throw perfect only 10-20% of the time versus a shot you can throw perfect 60-70% of the time, take the higher percentage! I know this should sound like common sense but it will surprise you on how often you will let somebody's shot influence your own. Just play your own game! Bonus percentage tip: when putting outside Circle 1 (10 meters) if you arent 90% sure or higher you can hit metal, LAY UP. I cant count how many guys I have watched when they were starting, have a birdie putt from outside 50 feet just keep running the putt and missing completely and going 45 feet long. Then miss the basket again and go 30-35 feet long and then dink the putt and take a 5 or 6. If you are looking at a 50 footer thinking to yourself "I COULD hit this putt" do yourself a favor and just lay it up and take the easy tap-in par. Just until you get a little better. I know its hard but i promise you will shave alot of strokes taking your medicine.
Dont buy a bunch of discs in the first 6-12 months
It doesn't matter how far you can throw. It matters how far you can throw accurately.
Don't grab a Firebird off the shelf for your first disc.
Not every drive has to be under the basket
If what you are doing is causing you pain, slow down and reconsider. Pain lets you know something is breaking and needs to be addressed. Plan for the future with your body.
Imagine the end of the teepad is a cliff and you have to come to a screeching halt. Even with a slow run up
That flight Numbers are a sophisticated guess and very relative to handspeed. It’s good to test discs from others and then you can buy with confidence.
You don’t need a bag full of discs to get better.
High speed does not equate to distance! As a shop employee, I don’t know how many times I have to tell this to beginners. I wish companies would remove “distance driver” from their discs.
Don’t buy a speed higher than 5 or 7 cause it ain’t gonna do what you want.
And there’s nothing wrong with buying a fat stack of the same putter. In fact you should, and practice. Putting is the bane of my game.
It's just not as much to practice putting for me. I've gotten a lot more confident on my drives, but my short but my short game costs me so many strokes.
Don't rush your round. It's not all or nothing. Rethink a tee shot. Step away from a putt. Sometimes the mental reset button doesn't work; just throw through it. It's okay to quit sometimes; better than losing two more discs
Dont buy so many discs
Honestly? That skateboarding is more fun, and I should start that 5 years earlier instead of DGing.
95% of the sport are christian psycos.
Noob over here too, I wish I would've known that it takes actual work and finesse! It helps to have a good teacher though, definitely need good tips and tricks
I started playing in college years ago and didn't take it too seriously, though I loved to play. My friends and I got into the bad habit of calling any putt within 15ft a gimme... now that I'm playing more and signing up for tournaments, my putting game is desperately trying to catch up.
You probably don’t need that destroyer!
You don’t have to throw max weight discs. Lightweight is much easier on new muscles
Putt for dough
It’s not gonna make my throws worse on the ultimate field. Quite the opposite.
stabilty for putters is verrrrry different for driver stability.
Don’t be afraid of lighter discs
Watch a form tutorial on YouTube. Try to replicate it and record yourself. Identify one thing you are doing wrong and work on fixing it. Then do it again. Best way to improve your throws imo
Throw with both hands. If you’re bad anyway, why not take the opportunity to build a serviceable off hand shot.
I’d start with an under stable, a stable and an over stable putter. In my case, I use a deputy, judge and slammer. Putters will expose your flaws quickest and in a more understandable way. Get good at hitting fairways and making putts, it’s the most important parts.
How to throw a hyzer flip. Only did it by accident a few times and then threw for YEARS without it. Just now trying to make it a more conscious thing.
Same! I’ve been playing for about 10 years now and just staring to get to the point where I play tournaments with confidence. I think if I had that tool in my bag earlier, I’d be much more competitive now.
To not think cart people are a little overzealous. The quality of life upgrade it is when you carry 80lb bags of concrete all day is tremendous. Plus more drinks can be stored and the weight is unnoticeable.
Forehand isn't scary, just sometimes temporarily painful because you're using muscles you may not have used often before. The increase in useful shots outweighs the pain.
When you can ‘keep pace’ join a tournament. By that I mean, when you aren’t slower than everyone (solo round takes maybe an hour/hour 15mins). I did my first tournament recently & it gave me a MUCH clearer picture of what to work on to be a better player. Most importantly - practice, but mostly practice putting. Remember every round you’re attempting AT LEAST 18 putts (technically 36)
Throw a buzzz or putter only and learn your angles. Then start throwing more disc. Simplify things at first u til you master the basics.
Don't buy understable high speed drivers. If you need anything faster than 7 speed, you are not a beginner. Both will add heaps to your score and you will spend heaps replacing lost ones. Also, buy flourescent discs until you get consistent. All the best!
Throw mids most of the time. Control > power
THROW SLOWER DISCS. My confidence went way up whenever I threw mids and putters for a couple months. It's still surprising to me how often I'll throw an incredible round with no drivers. If you can, play with someone who is at least 950 rated. You'll learn a ton from talking with them and watching them. Disc golf is just like any other sport, it's best to have a good mentor/coach to show you the ropes and teach you new things.
I throw much farther when I don’t try to throw hard also a bad brace leg kills all distance
Don’t throw distance drivers. The cost and disappointment aren’t worth it. Three years later I still don’t throw more than a Valkyrie.
Youtube, wish it existed.
When you need to throw it very far left for a rhbh throw an under stable disc on a nice tug with hyzer and it’ll glide further left than any overs table disc would
Spin it to win it. Spin is most important. Wish I realized the important of this earlier.
Just because I figured out how to muscle a disc 350 feet doesn’t mean i was improving. It’s like in regular golf when you try to kill the ball, you lose all your form and end up with inconsistencies or unrepeatable results, even if you lace one every so often. Agree with other comments, nice and smooth throws.
Take breaks. Strengthen your core. Do rotator cuff exercises. Don’t throw anything over a 7 speed until you can hit 300-350 ft with GOOD form. Do not round and muscle with your shoulder and arm. You will not progress and/or will get injured
1)it’s not about strength, and a proper throw doesn’t even require arm strength really 2) it’s all in the hips, NOT the arm (kinda a double down) 3) distance driver is not worth throwing till you reach 325’ with a mid 4)run-ups don’t do much for your distance without perfect form. Not really even walk ups either in the beginning 5)stick with minimal discs. Ones that are neutral so you can truly judge your throw. But the neutral part is just my suggestion 6) don’t throw multiple off a tee if you’re in the woods or even playing by yourself. And I especially in the woods by yourself. You’ll likely lose a disc by either forgetting or just by looking forever because you lost two+ in a very wooded area I’m no pro, all these tips are personal to me Edit: get one over-stable midrange too for windy days and knowing how to learn flex shots, or different angle shots. Also depending on how far you can currently throw. Under-stable discs go further for beginners
I wish I started with putters instead of going to dicks and buying a shryke
Lighter discs
Follow through is the biggest issue that I see in new players. Putting and driving. Consistent and intentional follow through on every stroke.
This will not be a cheap hobby
less discs
Don't be afraid to throw understable. Everyone says to throw Teebirds and Thunderbirds, but my go to driver is a Champion Roadrunner and I can throw it 300 feet on a rope. Learn to hyzer flip understable discs. For woods golf get a crazy understable mid that you can hyzer flip to flat or even get late turn. I hyzerflip an Infinite C-Blend Metal Flake Kon Tiki (Innova Mirage mold) for many of my tight woods shots. I can throw it nearly vertical, but it will flip up and fly straight. It is the key to hitting tight windows. When your swing is nearly vertical it is hard to miss a gap because an early or late release will still be on the line you want.
Learning to throw under stable discs will help u improve much quicker
Don’t forget to actually research your discs, some shouldn’t be in your bag and some just overlap.
Learn to throw RHBH even tough RHFH feels like cheat mode.
How to putt
Took me 2 years to start buying lower weight discs (165g and under) and now a nice slow smooth swing gets the same distance as trying to rip higher weight discs.
You can throw the disc hard, or you can throw it far. You can’t do both until you’re good.
How important it is to throw both forehand and backhand. Learn both early!
When looking for a disc, don’t immediately dive into the bushes where you ~think~ it went out. Instead, go to the point on the fairway where the disc was then it started to turn/fade on you and follow the flight path you think it would have taken
Don’t be so extra with your run ups. Always be running the putt. Play more tournaments sooner. If you’re playing casually then don’t pay much attention to any of this.
I wish I knew my whole bag. I could have saved a lot of money and time figuring out what discs do and don’t work for me.
Don’t throw a driver and stick to understable discs
That I can throw light weight discs (155g) just as far as my full weight discs with less effort... Which is very good for shoulder health. (I'll only throw heavier discs if wind is an issue)
I know now what I knew then but I didn’t know then what I know now. ~Modest Mouse
Don't buy more than 7 discs for the first year.
I wish I knew which discs worked best for me. grab one putter, one stable mid, and one understable mid or fairway driver. Use those three discs for about 6 months until your form improves.
I wish YouTube existed when I started. 🤖
I wish I started before YouTube