Best driver for a newbie?

[U_NICED_ME]

Welcome to the site RD! You will hear lots of people weighing in on your disc selection, weights, etc.

When I first started there were discs that just 'felt' good in my hands and they weren't necessarily the kinds of things I should have been throwing. You might wanta read through the Discing Down Thread. It has a lot of good information in it.

I really like my Mako disc and would recommend it now to any new player. It's almost like a hybrid of a putter and a mid-range like a Roc or Buzz. Good Luck in your discin' adventures!!

 

[slowRoll]

My wife just started playing. I bought her 3 ultralight DX discs(125g - 140g) to use as drivers. Her bag now consists of a Wizard, a Mako, a Stingray, 2 (UL)Leopards, and a (UL)Valkyrie.

Go with DX. It will give you the opportunity to see how discs break in within just one season of playing.

 

[New013]

Welcome to the site RD! You will hear lots of people weighing in on your disc selection, weights, etc.

When I first started there were discs that just 'felt' good in my hands and they weren't necessarily the kinds of things I should have been throwing. You might wanta read through the Discing Down Thread. It has a lot of good information in it.

I really like my Mako disc and would recommend it now to any new player. It's almost like a hybrid of a putter and a mid-range like a Roc or Buzz. Good Luck in your discin' adventures!!

best advice you can get IMO.. the mako will teach you how to throw because if you throw it wrong it will go wrong.

 

[Technohic]

New players don't need to be throwing valks either.

I have to agree with ArcheType. Valk is a good FIRST DRIVER (as in beyond fairways) I think but not really a great disc for new players.

I love me some Leopards but, you can throw them well across a wide array of skill levels yet never improve. Consider a Cheetah as a very similar yet more instructional disc.


Its also true that focusing on throwing a mid and a putter well for drives goes a long way to improve form, but I wouldn't shun the slower fairway drivers all together. I guess by this logic, I could see wanting to have a Valk as well to learn to keep the nose down, but I still think right away that it can cause more harm than good.

Important part is to have fun. Welcome to the site and the game, and I hope you do just that.

 

[keltik]

Learn to throw a buzzz or a roc. You will be in the fairway more than not, and you will improve faster overall. Also.. LEARN TO PUTT!! If you can hit fairways and putt, you will score well.

I wish someone had told me this when I started.

 

[Skunk]

A few questions: Low to Mid 170's = 170-175, aka max weight. Maybe 165-170 would be better.

Second: Make sure to pick those up in DX. DX is GREAT for beginners, because you can learn how discs break in, have killer grip, and end up with a utility/roller when you're done, depending on how many treese you blessed.

Three: The first list shows potential. The second, however, makes an assumption that you have decent form and are burning them over to the point of crashing. NONE of those discs should crash on you brand new, and if they are you have major OAT problems. I can throw 450'+, and I can do with with a Valk, Sidewinder, leopard, or roadrunner any day of the week. While I'd actually tack a DX teebird to the list of a good starter, if not THE best starter, I'd completely toss out the Boss and Destroyer. MAYBE a 150g DX wraith could slide in, but honestly it's just going to be getting in your way.

Finally: While the "S-Curve" is highly desirable early on, because you don't have to see hyzer-crashes, it doesn't necessarily mean good form. If you are throwing a disc like a teebird, such as a brand new DX one or a champ, they should be on a dead straight line. If you are throwing them on angles to FORCE an S out of them purely for the sake of distance, then you are going to be learning some bad form once again.

My $0.02

Forgive me for not being more clear with my previous post....I was drinking.

I merely meant that if a Leopard turns over and dives hard right then you should throw something more like a Teebird. What I see a lot of new players doing is dropping their back shoulder and throwing it with a lot of hyzer. I have suggested that they try to keep that back shoulder straight and it has worked for them. The main thing is to keep balance throughout the throw.

I also want to add thatif you are just starting and play only every now and then....get your disc in DX plastic. If you just started playing and want to play at least every other day....get your discs in Champion plastic. They take longer to beat in but they will last a very long time thus cutting down your overall costs for plastic. I would rather spend $15 or so on a disc once as opposed to $8 or so a few times over.

 

[simpletwist]

Go with a 150g CHAMPION Leopard, although 165 aint a bad choice either. Champion plastic takes a severe beating with little effect. And you might never take the Leopard out of your bag. 150g may be too light for really windy days however. If you must get a cheaper plastic, go with R-Pro.

 

[dalilama]

I'm also new to this sport and have gotten plenty of bad advice from friends. I played my first round with my buddy's discs and got immediately hooked, went to Academy and bought a Beast, Valk, and Xcal. The next day I went back out and couldn't keep a shot even remotely on the fairway, I probably spent more time looking through the underbrush than I actually did playing. I then got some more bad advice and bought an Avenger SS and a Surge, with still no improvement or marginal at best, probably mostly due to the fact I was playing everyday. But then I found this site and browsed thru the threads and EVERYONE is saying, your new why the hell are you throwing such high speed discs (paraphrasing of course), so I silently took some advice I read here and have seen a much improved overall game. I am currently throwing an XL, Buzzz, Buzzz SS, and Avair P&A, these 4 discs are 99% of the shots I throw and I have seen much improvement in my overall scores, I've just this week started pushing my XL out to around 300' consistently with one drive today I walked out 122 paces straight down the fairway for my second shot. I guess the point I'm trying to make is, a lot of what I've read here has worked for me.

I'm thinking about getting 2 new putters same mold, I'm not crazy about the Avair P & A but it works for now....any suggestions??? I was thinking about a Wizard or Voodoo.

 

[ArcheType]

My vote goes for the voodoo, its stable enough to be a good driving putter, but not too stable to putt with, it doesn't fall off early in the circle like the wizard does for me.

also, welcome to the site!

 

[dalilama]

Thx, I would also like a suggestion for a new driver as well, I'm trying to decide between a Teebird or Leopard most likely champ or star plastic as my home course is fairly wooded and I want the extra durability. Any advice would be appreciated

 

[ArcheType]

I'd say champ leopard if your really concerned with durability, because champ or star teebirds can be really stable for a beginner and be tough to keep straight. I personally think a dx cheetah or gazelle are still better though.

 

[VyZx]

I'm thinking about getting 2 new putters same mold, I'm not crazy about the Avair P & A but it works for now....any suggestions??? I was thinking about a Wizard or Voodoo.

I just started throwing Ions and am in love so far.

 

[deBebbler]

Thx, I would also like a suggestion for a new driver as well, I'm trying to decide between a Teebird or Leopard most likely champ or star plastic as my home course is fairly wooded and I want the extra durability.

Champion plastic for the Leopard is a great choice, but there is nothing much better than a DX TeeBird. I play a lot of very wooded courses, and I have both DX and Star TBs in my bag. The DX is goto, and the Star is rarely thrown.

The DX starts out with a Roc-like-but-longer flight (straight with a reliable fade). After quite a few tree hits, the fade will be beaten out of it and will fly straight like a laser. After holding this stage for a good while, it will start to lose its stability, and allow for some hyzer-flips and annys.

Frankly, spending $8 a new DX TB is a good feeling, because it represents another fantastic 4-6 months throwing a complete life cycle of this great disc.

 

[dalilama]

Thanks for the suggestions, I'm going to pick up a TB, Leo, and Gaz.....all in DX, and see how I like them. Any thoughts on weights? I was thinking 165-170g?

 

[pchitti]

Def get a roc, learn to throw that well and you will enjoy disc golf a lot more.

 

[dalilama]

Def get a roc, learn to throw that well and you will enjoy disc golf a lot more.

I haven't thrown a roc yet but I am throwing my buzzz (not to start that discussion) for the majority of my shots and have seen quite a bit overall improvement with my game, but I get what you're saying.

 

[deBebbler]

.....all in DX, and see how I like them. Any thoughts on weights? I was thinking 165-170g?

164-167g. You'll not need as much power to get a good flight, and you'll have more control. My last TB was 164g and I loved it. It caused me to move from low 170s to mid 160s in my drivers.

Don't worry about those who say lighter weights don't fight the wind well enough. When you have a Gazelle, wind isn't an issue. :thmbup:

Great choices, BTW, and I would add a Roc also, but the Buzzz is okay

 

[Tpro]

This is a total N00B question, but what do you mean by a "flat shot?"

flat hyzer. should be your natural throwing motion. as for a beginner driver. Find something that feels good in your hand. Go with a stable to understable fairway. Leopard or maybe Panther.

 

[Triflusal]

http://www.dgcoursereview.com/forums/showthread.php?t=32790

read this thread before you buy anything

 

[fretgod321]

I'm thinking about getting 2 new putters same mold, I'm not crazy about the Avair P & A but it works for now....any suggestions??? I was thinking about a Wizard or Voodoo.

Go for the wizard. i like the way my index finger rests nicely on the bead