Looking for thowing clinic in NW burbs of Chicago.

[Nosh]

My friend and I just missed The Worlds Biggest Disc Golf Weekend in Osewego which apparently had a few clinics. I was hoping to find another one or two this summer to get instruction on proper technique and was wondering if anyone knew of any in my area this year. Thanks.

[innova]

If you cannot find a clinic, get a few buddies together, print this out and go give yourselves a clinic in an open field.

http://www.uoregon.edu/~dfeldber/golf/throwfar.htm

[lko102]

I'm the mentioned friend We've been really focused on improving our technique this year, and honestly, I don't know if I know enough about proper technique to be able to critique and improve our game ourselves. How did everyone else here learn proper throwing technique for the first time? We've read/watched just about every instructional thing we can find on the internet, but I'd be open to any suggestions to anything that has worked well for anyone in the past...

[innova]

I was kidding around about giving yourself a clinic... sorry. I should have put a smiley face or whatever it would have taken to get that across better, BUT i still recommend printing that out and using it.

Look at the photos carefully. Try to mimic what Dave is doing. I have seen that dude throw and you can pick up distance by osmosis with guys like that... just watching them... or, even from photos.

I am kidding around again, but seriously stuff like that web page can help you a lot if you cannot find a clinic or a local ADV or OPEN player.

If there are "really good players" in your area many folks are glad to assist new players.
Others will not be as receptive. You make the call... but many folks with game gladly help
new players get better. Ask around your area for help.

I applaud your efforts.

[John Rock]

Probably the best way to learn the secrets to more distance is to get out to an open field and PRACTICE! In an open field, you can focus more on just flying the disc and not have the pressure of a target. Encourage your friends to join you, and try to work together to find the "feel" of a good throw. Put all of your discs together and throw them all, one after another. Go gather them up and discuss why some went farther than others, and why some failed. Then let the next player try. You'll soon see improvement, then practice some more.

[trifocal]

I'm 51 and began playing last June. Thanks to my dad, who taught me a bunch of sports, I've always been coordinated and athletic. When I started Dging I realised right off that it was a very athletic sport and I wasn't going to be much more than a hacker unless I practiced with very good players. I started looking for guys playing solo on my home course. Not always, but often enough, these solo players are out there by themselves practicing. Practicing hard....being thoughtful and focused on whatever is they are working on.

Over the summer I managed to get myself playing with 3 advanced/open players with strong games. As I became a bit more experienced with the discs and strategy, I started noticing things they were doing that I was not. Then I started asking questions. The answers weren't always clear to me, but I kept at it.

A few weeks ago I happened to play a round with one of these men. It was the middle of the day and it was essentially just me and him on the course. At one point, after my partner crushes and parks a 390 drive I say, " Danny, I just can't keep up with you, I don't have the strength." He replies, " Its not power, its speed." Somehow that got thru to me and I spent the next 3 days concentrating and working on getting my arm speed up. Then it happened and in one round it just clicked and discs started flying out of my hand. My distance went from 280 to 340 in an hour. More importantly ( than just pure distance), I learned about getting a clean throw and optimum spin.

With that knowledge the advice I had been hearing about learning to throw putters and midranges properly suddenly made sense. But throwing a putter is whole different animal compared to a speed 10 or 11 disc. New learning curve begins.

All this is to say, if you are very serious about reaching your potential find a way to get playing with very good players. Over time, you'll find you have yourself something much better than a clinic....a teacher.

[innova]

" Its not power, its speed."

I say that a lot... or a variation.

Arm speed is a big part of distance.

Great post. I agree that your method is likely a better long term approach to getting better at the sport than a clinic here or there...

[lko102]

That makes a lot of sense, and supports what I have been speculating. Everytime I feel myself "muscle" a shot, it usually ends up on the ground way too early and way off target. Now, to answer a long running debate we have had, where exactly should the arm speed come from? I am assuming that it isn't so much from the arm itself, but from the legs/hips/chest rotation?

[Nosh]

Thanks for all the input. I appreciate it. Like trifocal mentioned, I'm waiting for that 'click' moment when it all comes together and was hoping that the more eyes that watch what I'm doing the better chance I have of making that jump to that 'ah ha' moment. I understand it will take time and practice but I still wouldn't mind taking a clinic to see what the pros have to say. Thanks again. =3

[Three Putt]

Brett Comincioli is a 990ish rated pro in the Chicago area who is a P.E. teacher by profession. He is also the President of Discontinuum Club and the State PDGA Coordinator for Illinois. He has advertised private lessons on the Discontinuum site before, and others have posted that he helped thier game quite a bit. This is the info on the flyer:

Originally Posted by CEValkyrie

Skills
Including but not limited to:
Drive, Approach, Putting
Disc Selection, Footwork, Grip, Release, Accuracy, Distance
Equipped with video camera for instructional playback.


Cost
20 Minute Session--$10.00
30 Minute Session--$15.00
Round with instruction--$20.00 (Best Value)

Where
Central Park-Grayslake
Warren Township Park-Gurnee
Longwood Centre Park-Lake Villa
Adler Park-Libertyville
Leo Leathers Park-Mundelein
Fairfield Park-Round Lake
Bevier Park-Waukegan

Contact me for time and place. I am very flexible. IM, PM, E-mail or call me.
It is not necessary to meet at a course.
Any open field will do. I have a portable practice basket.

Not to over-sell it, but here was one of several positive responses posted:

Originally Posted by can't putt

I had the opportunity to take a private lesson with Brett yesterday and am very pleased with the experience. I chose the "full round" option and can assure you that the value far exceeds the cost. Brett's coaching and teaching skills are evident as he identifies and encourages the positive aspects of your game while tweaking the not-so-positive aspects in a manner that is easy to understand and implement. I left the lesson armed with a better understanding of the way I throw, techniques to improve my throw, and methods to practice and reinforce those skills. Brett then followed up via private message with his analysis of the video he shot at the end of the lesson. Again his comments were both encouraging and productive.

One of the benefits of actually purchasing a lesson is that the instructor becomes totally focused on you for the duration, and you feel you have the right to demand that attention. Gone is the feeling that you might be imposing on the far better player. This was a great experience that I highly recommend, and will be taking advantage of again.

There is a tab that says you have to be a site member to view the contact info, so I guess I should not post his phone number here. If you want to contact him shoot me an IM and I'll send you his contact info.