Auzcar's ITB

[auzcar]

Try taking the Wraith and Tresspass out. See how much it affects your score. The core section of your bag, should be able to cover almost all, but the farthest courses for you.

I do actually need them for a few holes on my home course. There's three par 3's that you need a 120-140m drive to reach. I could of course play these for par but I don't like not having the "option" to birdie every hole. There's a couple of par 4's that get substantially harder if you don't bite off 120m+ in the drive as well, although those hole I would still be able to birdie with the DD's.

On the other course in town I definitely don't need them though, they come in handy on two holes for it's not a necessity by any means to get the birdie.

 

[auzcar]

Thought it could be fun with some pictures. This is what I've been rocking the last week or so. Whenever I only play with 4-5 discs I shoot every bit as well as with my full bag, not sure what to take away from that but I guess it's the archer and not the arrows. There's not many shots I feel I can't execute with these discs, it's only when the wind really picks up that I can feel a smidge handicapped in certain situations.

Been back to the Roach lately, it glides a lot more than the Reko which seems to fit my putting a bit better.

 

[auzcar]

I'm starting to feel really comfortable with my bag and feel like I'm almost set. I haven't focused much on my putting the last few months and gonna spend some time on that. Testing the Roach and Reko more side by side. But this is the core of my bag and most of the time the only discs I bring to the course. Usually one of each.

2x Roach
3x Method
2x Explorer
2x Felon
2x Wraith

I do add some gapfillers though:

Zone (FH/wind approaches)
Essence (rollers, sharp turnovers, both BH and FH)
Destroyer (big hyzers, headwinds)

Went back to the Wraith even do I lose a bit of easy distance compared to the Trespass. The Wraith is a bit more overstable and it helps me be more accurate, it also works a lot better for my FH.

 

[auzcar]

It's been really windy the last week or so and I've been struggling a bit. I realised I've been missing my Thunderbirds and thus I popped it in the bag a couple of days ago, it made a big difference. It makes it a lot easier to throw straight with control in the wind instead of trying to finesse an Explorer or Felon. I actually find that the Thunderbird handles wind better than the Felon and on numerous occassions my Felons have turned over quite a bit in the wind.

The Thunderbird have been my most thrown disc the last two rounds and I obviously make myself a disservice not having it in the bag, I think I went a bit overboard with the minimalism. This does change a bit how I use the Explorer and Felon slots though and I feel I need to evaluate this a bit further since the Thunderbird will steal a lot of shots from those. The Explorer will probably not be used much in the open anymore which means I might want something straighter/neutral with a bit of turn for the woods. I will probably primarily throw the Thunderbird for my FH's and big hyzers which means I'd have more use of an even more OS and glideless disc in the Felon slot. Or maybe I'm just overthinking it.

On another note I received my Upper Park Shift a few days ago and it's been awesome. Super light and fits enough discs and stuff to cover my needs. When I'm going for more casual rounds with my friends I have my trusty DD Soldier Cooler bag.

2x Roach
3x Method
2x Explorer
2x Felon
2x Thunderbird
2x Wraith

 

[auzcar]

With the distance I have I really think I should be scoring better and playing at a higher rating. Need to figure out exactly what I'm doing bad and how to work on it. Some reflections of the last couple rounds:

- Stupid mistakes seems to be a big part of it. The good rounds I have is generally not characterised by more birdies but rather with less bogeys.
- My scrambling is bad. Partly because I need to widen my skillset but mainly because I go for the hero shot way too often instead of conceiding the par or bogey.
- My putting has gotten way better the last year, of course it can get much better but I don't think this is what's holding me back.
- Approaches needs to be better, long or short, they're all too bad. Very often will I put myself in a good spot off the tee and then mess it up on the approach.
- Need to get better at hitting gaps, especially with a low ceiling.

 

[auzcar]

Tied my personal best at my home course today with a Roach, a Buzzz and a Thunderbird... I don't know what it is but I always throw the disc better when I bring less discs, it's gotta be mental.

 

[auzcar]

I'm really satisfied with my Upper Park Shift, it's been exactly what I wanted. Fits enough discs and is super light and comfortable.

I've been going back and forth between the Buzzz and the Method lately, I love the flight of the Method but the bead is messing with me. I usually prefer shallow beadless discs and this is no exeption, the last few rounds the Buzzz has taken the spot.

This is what I've mostly been rolling the last couple of weeks:

2x Roach
2x Zone
2x Buzzz
1x Neo Method
1x Neo Essence
2x Explorer
2x Firebird
2x Thunderbird
1x Wraith
1x Destroyer

I've been leaning heavily on the Thunderbirds since I put them back in the bag, they give me a lot of effortless and accurate distance. The Destroyer has also been stealing more and more shots from the Wraith, it takes some more oomph to get the distance but it's much more reliable. The Wraith is very touchy in winds (unless it's a tailwind).

I plan on starting logging what discs I throw during rounds, I think that could be a fun statistic to see.

 

[auzcar]

I've kept my bag the same the last five rounds and these are the stats so far, all rounds are at my closest local course.

Mold Tot. throws % avg/round
Method 28 20% 5,9
Destroyer 26 18% 5,5
Firebird 24 17% 5,1
Undertaker 22 15% 4,7
Thunderbird20 14% 4,2
Zone 14 10% 3,0
Roach 9 6% 1,9

I'm a bit surprised that the numbers are so even, I thought the Thunderbird would be higher on the list but it seems I almost only use it on the tee, after that I have other discs better suited for the job. I'm also surprised the Method is on top, I don't feel I throw it all that much, but it clearly adds up.

(Sorry about the formatting, I'm on mobile)

 

[auzcar]

I've felt I've been forcing my bag a little too much and being stuck in an idea that I need to get by with x number of molds/slots. I've been rethinking it a bit and throwing whatever I like and that I feel can add to my game. This is where it's at right now:

Destroyer
Wraith
Getaway
Firebird
Explorer
Essence
Method
Fuse
Zone
Berg
Reko

There's a few molds that I really feel in tune with atm, namely the Destroyer, Firebird and Method. The Explorer have been a bit squirrelly in the wind and I have been trusting it less and less since it's flipping when I don't want it to.

 

[auzcar]

Stats from my last 6 rounds, I'm leaning heavily on the Destroyer, Firebird and Method.

Mold - Tot. throws - % - avg/round
Destroyer : 38 - 24% - 6,3
Trespass : 2 - 1% - 0,3
Getaway : 8 - 5% - 1,3
Firebird : 27 - 17% - 4,5
Explorer : 17 - 11% - 2,8
Essence : 7 - 4% - 1,2
Method : 29 - 18% - 4,8
Fuse : 6 - 4% - 1,0
Zone : 19 - 12% - 3,2
Berg : 2 - 1% - 0,3
Reko : 3 - 2% - 0,5

 

[robdeforge]

Stats from my last 6 rounds, I'm leaning heavily on the Destroyer, Firebird and Method.

Mold - Tot. throws - % - avg/round
Destroyer : 38 - 24% - 6,3
Trespass : 2 - 1% - 0,3
Getaway : 8 - 5% - 1,3
Firebird : 27 - 17% - 4,5
Explorer : 17 - 11% - 2,8
Essence : 7 - 4% - 1,2
Method : 29 - 18% - 4,8
Fuse : 6 - 4% - 1,0
Zone : 19 - 12% - 3,2
Berg : 2 - 1% - 0,3
Reko : 3 - 2% - 0,5

Interesting to read the first post and then come straight to here to see how much things have changed! I started with destroyers and have gone to wraiths in the past couple years so we're opposite in that regard. seems like you have simplified a bit though

 

[auzcar]

Interesting to read the first post and then come straight to here to see how much things have changed! I started with destroyers and have gone to wraiths in the past couple years so we're opposite in that regard. seems like you have simplified a bit though

Haha yeah, my plan to stick with the same molds and gameplan from May and the rest of the season didn't really work out... I think I forced simplicity and minimalism a bit too much there for a while and the last few weeks I've added some more molds that I like.

I love the Wraith and I probably throw further with it compared to the Destroyer, but the Destroyer is much more accurate and reliable for me. I have a decent arm (at least for my level) and the stability definitely helps. I've been keeping a Wraith or Trespass in the bag for hyzer flips and turnovers though.

 

[auzcar]

I set a personal record in failing last weekend during a tournament. I started off going -5 the first 7 holes in an ridiculous amount of wind and then proceeded to do a 4 putt followed by a 5 putt on the next couple of holes... Managed four more 3 putts after that and finished at 5 over par. That is probably the angriest I've been on a disc golf course so far. Lessons learned.

 

[jdw80550]

Putting in the wind sucks! When it gets really terrible, I just throw it to the base of the basket, then drop in. Super anti-climactic.

 

[auzcar]

Putting in the wind sucks! When it gets really terrible, I just throw it to the base of the basket, then drop in. Super anti-climactic.

Yeah in hindsight that's obviously what I should've done. The five putt was extra hard to swallow since it started with me hitting the band from 6-7 meters for birdie after I had pured a 100m flex sidearm through a gap on my second shot. That sidearm was probably my best shot of the round and then it turned into that... First putt hit the cage and rolled down a hill to 15m, then I airballed, followed by another roll away, follow by a cage hit and then a tap in...

At least I'm not bitter! Or maybe, just maybe, I am...

 

[jdw80550]

It's cool to be bitter. We've all been there, and it sucks. Good luck in future events!

 

[auzcar]

This is what I wrote a couple of months ago. I still feel I should be scoring much better than I am and I've thought about this a lot since then. These are my reflections now (in red):

With the distance I have I really think I should be scoring better and playing at a higher rating. Need to figure out exactly what I'm doing bad and how to work on it. Some reflections of the last couple rounds:

- Stupid mistakes seems to be a big part of it. The good rounds I have is generally not characterised by more birdies but rather with less bogeys. Still think this is a big reason I'm not scoring better. Usually I try to bite off too much when it's really not necessary, or go for a riskier shot just to be able to park the hole instead of taking a higher percentage shot and getting a 20-30ft putt.
- My scrambling is bad. Partly because I need to widen my skillset but mainly because I go for the hero shot way too often instead of conceiding the par or bogey. I'm not sure this is a super big part but I can definitely get better. I do feel I've improved a bit the last couple of months, especially when it comes to decision making in scramble situations. My FH game have been getting better and better after neglecting it and this is making scrambling easier.
- My putting has gotten way better the last year, of course it can get much better but I don't think this is what's holding me back. Well. This was a hot streak... The last couple of months this have been the single biggest reason that my scores aren't better. It's so very obvious when I play league rounds, I can out drive a lot of the better players, both in distance and accuracy. But when it comes to putting I've got nothing on them. Basically if I'm not within 10 feet I'm not comfortable.
- Approaches needs to be better, long or short, they're all too bad. Very often will I put myself in a good spot off the tee and then mess it up on the approach. This has gotten much better, at least on the FH side, but still needs work.
- Need to get better at hitting gaps, especially with a low ceiling. Yes oh yes. This is a big one as well. I'm decent at landing my disc where I want but when I have to hit a gap mid flight I struggle more.

 

[auzcar]

I've realised I always try to build my bag around a principle or philosophy that uses slots that are clearly defined before I pick the disc that's gonna fill it. IE neutral fairway driver, overstable mid etc etc, and often I try to cut the slots down as much as I can. This has led to some situations that end up with me not bagging a disc I really like to throw and I'm only now starting to realise this is hurting more than doing good...

One example is the "control driver slot" which is probably the type of disc I like to throw the most (Getaway, Thunderbird, Vulture, PD and such). If you told me I could only carry one driver I would choose one of those without hesitation; they can take power but are still able to hold almost any line while still being controllable and handling wind really well. Along with that they have a rim width that sits really well in my hand. Despite my love this slot have gotten removed from the bag numerous times because I can sort of cover it's uses with either a slightly OS distance driver (Destroyer) or a slower straighter fairway (Explorer/Undertaker) and thus cutting down on molds. How stupid.

I think I'm gonna try looking at my bag a bit differently, simply "starting" by filling it up with my favourite molds that I love throwing and then looking at what shots are missing and go from there. Should there be any overlap I might or might not remove a disc to mitigate that. (Of course this is all an exercise in my head and I suspect it won't change my bag much at all).

Using this way it goes something like this:

Pro-D Roach (this is the putter I like the most, it sits well in my hand and I like the plastic, the K3 Reko is also really nice but I think the plastic is a smidge too soft)

Neo and Exo Methods (although I usually prefer beadless discs I feel at home when I pick this disc up, I feel like I almost always know what it's gonna do and it goes very far for a mid. I also have beat in Exo's that ranges all the way down to quite US)

Opto Fuse (what a lovely disc, it doesn't get that much use but when I need a mid turnover shot it's a thing of beauty. I tend to prefer to throw my more understable Exo Method's for hyzer flips in tunnels but the Fuse have such a slow and soft flight for the turnovers)

Z Zone (love it for FH approches and this is a shot I didn't really have before this season started, it has probably shaved more strokes off my game than any other disc)

Lucid and Bio Getaway (this is a workhorse for me, both FH and BH, Lucid is more OS and the Bio gets some more turn and is quite straight. It also goes SUPER far for a 9-speed. It could just as well be the Thunderbird but I own four of those and only one flies like I want it to while all my Getaways fly the same)

Champion Firebird (this disc is an absolut staple for me and I utilize it a lot, FH and BH, super reliabe and sits well in my hand)

Neo Essence (I love the hand feel and I think it's fun throwing really understable disc. I use it mainly for rollers, hyzer flip to turnovers and scramble FH's in the woods)

Star Destroyer (I love the predictability even when I give it everything I got, FH and BH)

Star Wraith (the Destroyer doesn't down tempo very well for me and I love the Wraith when I either want to hyzer flip to straight or simply not throw as hard, along with the Getaway probably my favourite disc when it comes to how it feels in my hand as well)

Looking at this bag I can see a few gaps, at least on paper:

Really OS mid: I don't have a bookend mid like a Justice or Caiman or whatever that fill the very OS side of the spectrum, but I'm not sure I need it. In most instances I think it's filled by the Zone and I haven't felt handicapped yet.

Straight driving putter: This is something that I actually need to find and I want something in premium plastic. I'm testing out the K1 Reko, Opto Pure and Big Z Roach right now and both the Pure and the Roach are looking good. I like the Roach a bit more since it's a bit more OS and realiable, but it's hard to find for me here in Sweden, at least right now. I think that learning to throw putters well can add a bunch to my game, it's really not a skill I possess at the moment.

Understable distance driver: Nah, I'm good. I can force the Wraith or the Destroyer on a turnover and I can wait until they beat up more. I seldom a more US distance driver than the Wraith.

Straighter/Neutral "tunnel shot" driver: The Getaway finishes decently hard and the Essence is too flippy and touchy to hyzer flip to straight. I want something that's very straight/neutral that I can put on a small hyzer and have it flip up and go dead straight. I own a bunch of discs that can fill this type of shot and this is the discs I've been rotating the most. Either the Undertaker or a beat in Explorer will be the disc for this slot but I can't seem to make up my mind. I like them both but in different ways. I think I'm gonna remove this "slot" from the bag for a couple of weeks and see exactly what shots I'm missing when I only have the Getaway and the Essence.

Oh lord that's a long post... Kudos if anyone reads it... :clap:

 

[acrosley]

I felt the same way about the zone covering the OS mid slot but I've found my Runway (or Roc3, Buzzz OS or whatever mold you might prefer) to be surprisingly useful. Sometimes I need an extra 20 feet and I don't have the touch to power down on my OS Fairway.Probably depends on your arm speed and courses you play but if you got room in the bag for another disc it may be worth a trial run.

And let us know when you settle on a tunnel shot fairway I've been looking for something to fill that role forever now!

 

[auzcar]

The Neo Method have the same stability as a Champ Roc3 I'd say. This is what I use when I can't reach it with the Zone and don't want to use the Firebird, but it's nowhere the stability of the other two.

Of course! I'll also make sure to let you know everytime I change my mind haha!

The Explorer is more stable than the Undertaker and this is both good and bad IMO. If the tunnel is super straight or favors landing the disc on the right side the Undertaker will be better since it's easier to work to the right and finishes less. The Explorer is more reliable if it's a bit more open and I like the plastic much more, but it needs beating in to hyzer flip without juicing it.

I'm leaning towards the Undertaker right now since I feel it's complementing the Getaway better with it's "understability".