DD Marksmen

[Dr.Smooth]

Just ordered one. This will be my first practice basket. Man, I don't know rather to be excited or sad that my putting has probably hit the top of the bell curve.

 

[JNichols]

My Marksman just showed up and we are taking off in the morning for the weekend. Ugh. I will get it assembled Sunday night and go from there...

 

[blackcatsmith]

What I think a smaller target does for one is enable one to practice enhancing one's focus... and focus makes the difference more often that not I've found, over poor technique or inopportune conditions... it's the ability to focus intensely on command that I think would benefit me most anyway when it comes to putting, and math...

 

[JNichols]

I have had the Marksman assembled for 2 days. I am loving it. I don't feel it will do anything but help my game. Glad I made the purchase.

 

[Dr.Smooth]

Day two on my marksman. This thing looks good in the yard, deck, woods, etc.

It is making me earn my putts for sure.

Seems sturdy. Descent finish. I'm hoping to leave it out during the disc golf season spring-fall.

So far I'm happy. $160 no tax and shipped to my door I'm thinking I could have done much worse.

I like the concept of a smaller target that will still catch a disc that is well placed.

I have been basket deprived now for a few years so I'm a little biased with my new toy.

Would definetly recommend this if ok with a smaller target. It still catches well if stay withing the parameters.

And you know, this target only punishes you from side to side error. Not too high or to low!

I'm guilty of low putting more often than not. And you know I said to myself, had that been a Mach 5 disc catching machine I would have still missed!

 

[MarkDSM]

As is, how long would it last outside in 4 season weather?

 

[Dr.Smooth]

I think only time will tell.

Someone really good with metallurgy could forecast this one.

I think winter would be too harsh on almost anything portable.

I live in the rust belt. So I'm hoping this one can take some abuse. My back up plan is to sandblast and repaint once it reaches a point of utter disgust.

 

[JNichols]

I am in the Phoenix area, so winter shouldn't be to much of a problem. Monsoon season is finishing up, so the rain should wash the dust off of it. It seems like the finish is on there nice and thick. I can't imagine these not being okay outside.

 

[Dr.Smooth]

Yeah, you don't have to worry about rust/corrosion in the southwest. About the only place in the country where metal is safe.

Old car collectors have found good loot in those area because of that.

Plastic, thats a whole nother story. Sun will devour that for sure.

 

[Dr.Smooth]

Starting to work my basket in a bit. Some unfavorably spit outs from time to time. But I noticed last night playing a course with great baskets that it happens on any basket.

Still really satisfied with my purchase. Just a good looking disc catcher that really blends in well with my backyard.

 

[JC17393]

Starting to work my basket in a bit. Some unfavorably spit outs from time to time. But I noticed last night playing a course with great baskets that it happens on any basket.

Still really satisfied with my purchase. Just a good looking disc catcher that really blends in well with my backyard.

Every basket has weak points, or favors one type of putting speed, angle, etc over others. None are perfectly designed to catch every single "good" putt ever thrown. What I've found putting on the Marksman, and I think it's the idea behind the design (Bullseyes too, for that matter), is that if a putt sticks on this, it will stick on pretty much any regulation basket on the market.

In the same vein, if you're missing putts on the Marksman because they're splashing out left or right or coming straight back off the pole, then those same putts are going to miss on many other regulation baskets. Maybe they don't miss on every basket since each model has its own weak spots (too many chains, not enough chains, odd gaps, no gaps, too light, too heavy, big rings, little rings, etc), but a bad putt on a Marksman is going to be a bad putt on something else too.

Since there are so many different targets out there, it's hard to keep track of where the weak spot(s) is on each model, so we usually reduce it to "I wuz robbed" when a putt makes a lot of noise in the chains but fails to stay in for whatever reason. I can't count how often I've seen people get upset over a putt that missed because it was, take your pick, off-center left, off-center right, too high, too low, too hard, too soft, too angled, etc. Occasionally it's just fluke, but far more often it just wasn't as well thrown a putt as they think it was...or it was a putt that brand Z (which the player plays/practices on often) tends to catch but brand Q basket doesn't.

I think practicing on a Marksman (or similar style basket) could eliminate some of the "target blaming" that goes on, in large part because it encourages putts that should be universally successful in staying in whatever style of target is on the course.

 

[JNichols]

Every basket has weak points, or favors one type of putting speed, angle, etc over others. None are perfectly designed to catch every single "good" putt ever thrown. What I've found putting on the Marksman, and I think it's the idea behind the design (Bullseyes too, for that matter), is that if a putt sticks on this, it will stick on pretty much any regulation basket on the market.

In the same vein, if you're missing putts on the Marksman because they're splashing out left or right or coming straight back off the pole, then those same putts are going to miss on many other regulation baskets. Maybe they don't miss on every basket since each model has its own weak spots (too many chains, not enough chains, odd gaps, no gaps, too light, too heavy, big rings, little rings, etc), but a bad putt on a Marksman is going to be a bad putt on something else too.

Since there are so many different targets out there, it's hard to keep track of where the weak spot(s) is on each model, so we usually reduce it to "I wuz robbed" when a putt makes a lot of noise in the chains but fails to stay in for whatever reason. I can't count how often I've seen people get upset over a putt that missed because it was, take your pick, off-center left, off-center right, too high, too low, too hard, too soft, too angled, etc. Occasionally it's just fluke, but far more often it just wasn't as well thrown a putt as they think it was...or it was a putt that brand Z (which the player plays/practices on often) tends to catch but brand Q basket doesn't.

I think practicing on a Marksman (or similar style basket) could eliminate some of the "target blaming" that goes on, in large part because it encourages putts that should be universally successful in staying in whatever style of target is on the course.

:clap::clap::clap: Very good points and I agree with them all.

I have also noticed, my Marksman catches BETTER than my Mach Lite Ever has. I thought that was just part of owning a Mach Lite. The Marksman, Honestly, I couldn't be happier with.

 

[Dr.Smooth]

Dido on that JC. Well said. What I have been thinking (my philosophy) on a good basket.

Would really like to see a course with this style of baskets.

Maybe its just a way of getting back at the folks who make sloppy puts that always catch a fray of chains and hang in.

 

[JNichols]

Just a little FYI post. My Marksman has been sitting out in the backyard 24/7 since I got it. It has weathered a few decent Monsoon storms, being hit by a BIG palm tree branch, and being peed on by my Special little dogs a couple times. NO damage, color changes, or any marks of any kind. No Rust showing on chains, either. I think it is going to hold up pretty well.

 

[rallyguy]

How are these working out for everybody? The wife gave me the green light for a practice basket for the yard and I like the idea of the smaller target helping with focus and form. It'll probably be this or the bigger recruit basket.

 

[JC17393]

How are these working out for everybody? The wife gave me the green light for a practice basket for the yard and I like the idea of the smaller target helping with focus and form. It'll probably be this or the bigger recruit basket.

If you're looking for something that's going to be exclusively a practice basket and will stay in your yard/garage/shed/basement, then you can't really go wrong getting the Marksman. While practicing in general will improve your putting, I think putting on the Marksman will make you that much better. As I said in a previous post upthread, putts that stick on the Marksman will stick on anything. Same can't necessarily be said about "full size" targets since they all have different strengths and weaknesses.

But if you're thinking you want to have the ability to loan your basket out to a local event for temp holes or ring of fire contests or the like, you'd probably be better off with the Recruit (it would certainly be more popular).

Something to keep in mind on either target is that while they are portable in the sense that they don't need to be anchored/buried in the ground to be used, they don't necessarily break down easily for transport out of the backyard. They require tools to assemble/disassemble (2 allen wrenches that come with it). So not as easy to toss in the trunk to bring to a tourney or a party or whatever and just pop up to use. Of course, if you've got a truck, the point is moot.

 

[rallyguy]

Thanks! This will strictly be a backyard/I need to get better at putting basket so I think I'm going to pick one of these up

 

[Dr.Smooth]

It will make you earn your putts. No slop here! I'm kind of going back to a more spin put and I'm noticing more spits outs. The loft no spin putts were better for this basket but I really like the fact that if hits upper dead center it usually stays so again my fault not the basket. And I have said to myself a few times that would have definetly stuck on any other basket.

And you know it makes you dial in more and perhaps stay closer to the basket aiming for a link rather than a portion of the basket- I like that.

 

[blackcatsmith]

Just picked one up for $160! I couldn't make one for that cheap... well unless I was making numbers. I've had it just over twenty four hours and I've already fallen in love... really makes me want to putt...not that I needed an excuse before, lol... but I've probably putt more in the last day than I had in the last week. Which is saying something. The Marksman is not only a very well made basket, but it's attractive, stout and melodious as well as the before mentioned inexpensive. Now whether or not it will make me a better putter remains to be seen, but it has already increased my reps. Also: It's thin enough to get through my front door without breaking it down... which allows me to putt inside, a favorite of mine to pass the time(Oh sh*t that rhymes).

 

[The Birdie Beast]

Moving the chains in on my discatcher sport gives the same effect, it takes maybe 3 minutes.