Consistent Beginner Bag

[b-mart]

Hi all,

I was talking to a friend who wants to get into disc golf, but doesn't have the funds to pay for several discs to try, so that sparked the idea of putting together a "beginner bag" to carry in my car when I randomly have friends that want to try the game. This prevents them from ruining my personal bag (losing or severely damaging my beloved discs) and would give them a grasp on the mechanics of the game. A solid bag would boost confidence and peak further interest in the game and I think the best way to do that would be to get beginner friendly, consistent, reliable discs.

I'm looking for what you would consider to be the 1-3 most reliable discs in each of the following categories:

Distance Driver, Control Driver, Midrange, Putter, Utility

I know I shouldn't even include a Distance Driver in a beginner friendly bag, but I'm curious about the responses I'll get.

So far, I've come up with this, but I know I'm biased, so I prefer further input including weights, plastic, level of seasoning, etc. I also like having discs from different companies to give a better feel for variety.

Distance Driver
Flick
PD
Wraith

Control Driver
Predator
Valkyrie or JLS
Teebird

Midrange
Buzzz
Classic Roc
Core

Putter
Soft Challenger
Soft Wizard
Soft Ion/Anode

Utility
DRAGON

I searched the forums and couldn't find anything current or to my liking. Feedback is greatly appreciated!

I don't know a ton about weights, so I'm not going to answer that part. You're probably better below 170 though with beginners. I still don't throw anything but mids and putters that weigh more than that.

The plastic really depends on how often you're taking beginners out to the course. If it's all the time and you're worried about losing discs, get cheap plastic. If it's all the time and you're worried that you WON'T lose discs and they'll get thrashed, get premium. If it isn't that often, you might as well save some money and get some cheap plastic.

Distance: You already said it wasn't necessary, and you're right. They aren't going to throw a Wraith any farther than a Buzzz, so why add the extra weight to the bag? If they want to throw a faster disc, hand them a fairway.

Control/Fairway:
Leopard
Gazelle
Diamond

Mid:
Comet
Buzzz
Pain (if they, like many beginners, want to sidearm it, this is a great one)

Putter: They're beginners. They only need one. The flight ratings on putters are if they're driving them, so a Wizard or Ion is probably going to fly just like an Anode or Pure from within the circle. When I started I didn't throw a putter outside of that distance, so unless you're telling them not to they'll probably be using the mid for upshots and the putter for short putts.

 

[anborn]

Putters:
as many different ones as you have to spare. have the person feel each and just grab whichever is most comfortable in their hand.

Mids:
shark, comet, roc, buzz, fuse, stingray

Fairway: all in light(er) weights, though I would argue these shouldn't be used until the new player has played a round or ten
leopard, gazelle, diamond, river, cyclone, TL?

 

[BADman]

I'll drop my 2cents in...

I actually have a bag like this, started as an extra for the girlfriend, then she got into it enough for her to take some initiative and get a bag and use nicer plastic types.

Give them a choice between an under stable putter, and a stable putter. So, give me a big lid like a birdie, or something neutral - my noobs pick between reefs or beat up warlocks. U don't want to put a wizard in their hands until they are putting with good form.

Then for a mid, I have to be firm here - buzz only. It's the most forgiving and satisfying. I have a z plastic one and a d plastic one in their bag. But they are always going to throw the z first it's like instinctive.

For a driver, really depends on who your taking out there - so with my seventeen year old sister, she gets a dx leopard, and a light champ tee bird. - if it's an old baseball buddy - they get a star Valkyrie and a heavy champ tee bird.

Always remember - don't forget to bring a towel...

 

[Bustecap]

All a new player needs imo is a stable mid for the first few rounds. But more importantly their success comes from being taught grips and throwing techniques until they find some that start to work for them. Personally I found most get the best improvements using the grip style (i 4got the name) with the index finger over or under the thumb and the other 3 on the inside rim as this will give them a straight flight for the disc with a pissible easy distance increase.

 

[rd.bittle]

Did you just say "pissible easy distance"?

 

[mjoyce]

I'll drop my 2cents in...

I actually have a bag like this, started as an extra for the girlfriend, then she got into it enough for her to take some initiative and get a bag and use nicer plastic types.

Give them a choice between an under stable putter, and a stable putter. So, give me a big lid like a birdie, or something neutral - my noobs pick between reefs or beat up warlocks. U don't want to put a wizard in their hands until they are putting with good form.

Then for a mid, I have to be firm here - buzz only. It's the most forgiving and satisfying. I have a z plastic one and a d plastic one in their bag. But they are always going to throw the z first it's like instinctive.

For a driver, really depends on who your taking out there - so with my seventeen year old sister, she gets a dx leopard, and a light champ tee bird. - if it's an old baseball buddy - they get a star Valkyrie and a heavy champ tee bird.

Always remember - don't forget to bring a towel...

The bold portion 100% if you're taking someone out there who's athletic you can give them a heavier weight or a more stable disc. I would really shy away from giving them distance drivers for first timers.

Although I wouldn't have minded being given a distance driver so that I could see that it's just going to go out and left hard and not as far as a mid.

 

[mjoyce]

I only have one other suggestion for beginner introduction. I think if you can it's a good idea to play with the same type of setup that you're giving the beginner you're bringing.

It's pretty frustrating as a beginner to see your buddy crush a destroyer while you watch your fairway driver go 200'.

But if you throw your leopard 300 your beginner will understand that it can be done and not think they need to go out and buy distance drivers to compete/catch up to you.

 

[Bustecap]

Did you just say "pissible easy distance"?

Hehe big messages typed on a phone are prone to typos

 

[SAxDrc]

I keep a dx leopard and a dx aviar in my car and let beginner friends use them.

 

[Brokensaint]

If they are backhanders, I think Leopard/Panther/Wizard. Lighter weights, of course. But you guys always forget about forehanders, so for forehand beginners I say this: Teerex/Banshee/Wizard.
Of course, Lat64 has their new line, but I haven't thrown them so I don't know

 

[who-dat]

I keep a weekender bag for friends to try out:
TM river
Buzzz
Focus

Also, the course closest to me has h2o in play, so I usually add these:
Dragon
Hydra

Keep it simple for new people. They usually won't grasp 'stability' but do understand Driver/MidRange/Putter.

 

[Brokensaint]

And yes, this is based on the assumption of the noobie being a moderately physical person. My seven year old son throws a 130g apache and a 150 diamond, a found-in-the-mud comet beat to hell, and a light magic.

 

[AndyJB]

Keep it simple for new people. They usually won't grasp 'stability' but do understand Driver/MidRange/Putter.

Yep. If you are truely interested in hooking a begginer, have them throw a slow-speed distance driver like a Valk, Archangel or Dragon. Roc or Buzzz for midrange. I've already stated my point above, but I think you all are getting too technical. My first discs were an Archangel and an Aviar...and I still sometimes throw both.

Obviously they won't get super distance on the distance drivers...but a s long as they are having fun,that's what's important.

 

[rocthecourse]

Distance Driver
Wraith

Control Driver
Valkyrie
Teebird
JLS

Midrange
Buzzz

Putter
Classic Roc
Soft Wizard
Soft Anode

Something like this should be good enough to start with. All solid discs with a few options so they can figure out what they like.

 

[benjammin172]

Leopard
Buzzz
Any putter

 

[b-mart]

To add to the "driver or not" discussion:

Every new player I've taken out has wanted to throw a fast disc. I will hand them a Buzzz and tell them to just play with that until they get the feel of what they're doing... By the end of the hole they're reaching for an Ape or Nuke. Well, not really, because I don't carry any Apes or Nukes. But they're definitely reaching for the Saint, Beast, or Firebird because they look faster and more fun. I guess if it's their first time out, just try to guide them in the right direction by providing quality discs, but let them have fun and throw what they want (even if it's out of your bag later on the course). The same goes for weights. I took a girl out and handed her a 150 Sidewinder. She was throwing my 172 'Winder by the end of the round and getting it farther than the 150... And this is someone who had never even thrown a Frisbee, let alone a golf disc. I didn't think she needed to be throwing anything near speed 9 or 10, but I didn't stop her because she was enjoying herself.

 

[BirdmanCR]

I try to make all my buddys start by buying a buzzz. I tell them to learn to controll it. For some reason everyone buys like champion bosses to start with haha. They they wonder why they have no controll.

 

[keltik]

I don't know if you would really want to give a complete beginner a whole bag of discs if they just want to try the game out. I've thought about this too and have done it.

One time with my cousin (I think he was 14 or 15 at the time) I gave him an X Cyclone and a DX Aviar. He mainly just used the Cyclone. I played with a full bag.

A year or so ago I took a friend out and just gave him an X Comet. I also played with just an X Comet. We played the course until he lost his disc. He seemed like he had a better time than my cousin.

Similar things happened when I tried to get my wife to play. I would give her a few light weight discs and really only just throw one of them. I would tell her "use the putter" etc. and she would just say "what's the difference?". Lately I've just given her a 150g Cobra.

People just wanting to try it out that don't have their own discs will really and truly have a better experience using just one disc. It may also be a better idea that you use only one disc and preferably the same one you handed your friend. If they see you ripping monster drives with your Destroyer or whatever and they'll think your trying to cheat them by giving them some "crap" disc from your trunk. but if you use the same disc and only that disc and still make cool shots they"ll say "wow, how do you do that". Then it becomes a more engaging experience and also less confusing. also don't get übertechnical when you give them throwing pointers. kinda let them do it organically so they get hooked and then join a forum.

 

[simpletwist]

I only have one other suggestion for beginner introduction. I think if you can it's a good idea to play with the same type of setup that you're giving the beginner you're bringing.

It's pretty frustrating as a beginner to see your buddy crush a destroyer while you watch your fairway driver go 200'.

But if you throw your leopard 300 your beginner will understand that it can be done and not think they need to go out and buy distance drivers to compete/catch up to you.

This is great advice. :thmbup::thmbup:

 

[tomn8r]

Leopard, leopard, leopard! A 150g Champion Leopard to be exact. For variety a light Diamond could fill this spot.

^^^Exactly! A Leopard is a great disc & beginner friendly. And Champion plastic will last a long time! IMO i think they should start with 2 discs, a Leopard & putter & learn how to throw them first. After they start throwing farther & maybe turning over the Leopard suggest they try a Orc (or Tee bird,ect).