Long timers: What have you learned?

[Dr.Smooth]

Don't ever throw more than 80 percent. ever. Follow thru will help reduce injuries. Use your big muscles hip, legs and triceps. That will help some with keeping stress off your shoulder.

And most importantly I have learned that I need to listen to my own advice and the veterans around me more.

 

[slowplastic]

Don't ever throw more than 80 percent. ever.

So true. I got to throw into a radar gun a while ago, and over 80% almost never gave me even 1mph more. It would just be harder on me. What I would gain in muscling it I'd lose in form...so essentially same velocity but worse consistency.

 

[Surly Bastage]

Feel ain't real.

I wish I had recorded some throws long before I did. One look at the video showed me I was not doing what it felt like I was doing.


It is easier to work on timing/bracing /balance issues with a one step or standstill than with an x-step. And probably even easier with the one leg drill but I have not gotten to a field with that one yet.


Throwing hard from the reach back kills my distance. I do better when it feels like the disc floats into the left pec(lhbh).

I wish I did not have to relearn this lesson every round.

 

[Central Scrutinizer]

Feel ain't real.

I wish I had recorded some throws long before I did.

What's always amazing to me is how far the sport has come in such a small time frame.

I got ahold of a video camera in 1992 for a class project at Ball State. I couldn't help myself; I also had my girlfriend (we've been married since 1995, by the way) tape me throwing my three Discs plus a Wham-O 165 in a nearby big yard. It's hilarious. My primary big drive was a forehand with a 1991 National Doubles Stingray (the stamp with the dinosaurs) that maybe got to 180'. And I was damned proud of it.

I had played at a grand total of two courses in my entire life back home in northern Indiana, maybe about 20 times total, if I had to guess.

I sometimes used to stand in front of the art building at Ball State's quad and try to throw past a certain sidewalk going from left to right out across the expanse. I maybe cleared it 2 or 3 times. I haven't been there in many years and don't know how far it is to that sidewalk, but I'd bet I could come close to getting it with a mini now.

I also was throwing a Lightning disc (I think it was an F-14?) in front of the Studebaker complex once and hit a volleyball pole about 100' away. A passerby asked if I did that on purpose. I can still see it like it's last week.

There were no courses within an hour (over 100,000 people in the area) and I didn't have a car. No internet to speak of (unless you were into text-only MUD's). The only way I could learn to throw was by experimentation or seeing others. There were no others to speak of. One time in 4 years I saw a few other guys also throwing Discs at trees in the Quad. They looked about as good as I was.

So, yeah, I've learned this sport has EXPLODED from its humble beginnings, and I didn't even start playing until 14 years after its inception. The next time you see a group of guys with $300 bags at your area's 30th course sitting on their collapsible chairs waiting on a guy throwing 400' with a high-speed driver, it wasn't that long ago when you had to explain what the sport was to every person every time the subject came up.

 

[trout_smith]

I know what you mean I was too into Disc golf for a while but I found the putter model for me lucky and most of the bag. of disc I use. Then in 2014 the year I fixed my putting stance to the one I use now, a Basket ball putt with no spin whas what I had before. A cousin mentioned I would do well to have one longer driver then a Valkyrie in my bag on that is either neutral to minimal understable or a lighter weight overstable Disc. I did get a Champion Destroyer at 170 grams a white with enough red I-dye on it though it was not calld an I-die as it was one color over white. Then I found as soon as I got home a Neon Green/yellow Champion Destroyer at 176 grams. Then 2016 near the end i got a Star Shark to complement my Pro Shark both at the 175 max weight they make the disc in those plastics. Then 2017 i had to in August replace a few discs like a old Valkyrie 171 grams worn out blue one to get a Glow Champion 170 model and those feel like the old Champion plastic. Also in August I had to get a Double set of Jaw breaker Magnets to replace an old Hard set well just one disc the disc from after 2006 a Magnet that got warped hitting a tree on a putt at Shipwreck Cove in Eire State park in Jun, it was warped to the point I could not play with it. The Jawbreakers are 173-174 grams and are on labbled putter and the other Approach for longer putting/hazard putting. they both have Drawn in red Sharpie the Ring from the stamp of a Pro D Magnet, need it for thumb placement when Putting. I still have the hard 173-174 gram stiff pre 2006 Magnet in the bag mostly for winder shots in summer when a stiffer putter is needed or for a putter disc if the Jawbreakers are too floppy in summer being it is too hot out.

Sorry for the long post but I had to stop as i was getting too into disc golf as of 2008.

As of August 2017 I got a Vertex Angle Fishing Backpack and modified that simply because the bag for $65 and a $10 extra soft stroller bottle holder and $1 worth of pins permanently crimped closed on the bag to have the thing work. The old bag I still have as that was a Discraft Tournament bag from 2007 I won at an ace race that I latter in 2016 added a Set of Outcast clip on fishing Backpack straps that do sort of work when Playing Disc Golf. I also made the original strap more comfortable when using it that way with Athletic tape as well as added a second bottle holder to the bag. The new bag works fine though it is 6.5 pounds empty. I needed a new bag the old one was too small for all my extras I had, they barely fit into my old bag.

Let me try to summarize this into some points to help the beginner:

1. Find a putter.
1a. Be lucky.
2. Get a longer driver than a Valkyrie, either overstable or understable.
3. If you get a Destroyer, make sure the dye used is minimal.
4. The month of August is very hard on discs.
5. Don't putt into trees at Shipwreck Cove.
6. Get a Pro D Magnet, but don't use it. This is only a template to draw on your Jawbreaker Magnets with a red sharpie.
7. Fish bags are fine to use, although heavy and they need some alterations.

 

[Putt for D'oh]

*snip*
No internet to speak of (unless you were into text-only MUD's). The only way I could learn to throw was by experimentation or seeing others.
*snip*

This really is a huge part of the growth I think. If the internet had been then what it is now I probably would be able to say i've been playing for 25 years. Instead, I was bad. I couldn't figure out how to throw, the guys that were trying to help me couldn't properly explain to me grip and arm angles and what not. Everything about the sport was kinda just passed along with tribal knowledge it seemed.

Now a few minutes on google and even if the advice is wrong its closer than I was getting and will get that fun factor involved and keep coming back which I was missing when I tried it oh so long ago.

 

[pearlybakerbest]

Let me try to summarize this into some points to help the beginner:

1. Find a putter.
1a. Be lucky.
2. Get a longer driver than a Valkyrie, either overstable or understable.
3. If you get a Destroyer, make sure the dye used is minimal.
4. The month of August is very hard on discs.
5. Don't putt into trees at Shipwreck Cove.
6. Get a Pro D Magnet, but don't use it. This is only a template to draw on your Jawbreaker Magnets with a red sharpie.
7. Fish bags are fine to use, although heavy and they need some alterations.

As an old timer I can tell you reading any post by Casey 1988 that is longer than a few lines is detrimental to your mental health.

 

[curmudgeonDwindle]

Most people just cant take any feedback or advice, they just seem offended if someone is offering them advice.

Unsolicited advice is presumptive and therefore rude. I still struggle with this fact, despite what I consider to be my own good intentions, so I cannot claim to have really 'learned' it yet. I like to think I've improved though...

 

[Nubes]

"If you can't throw from 1 leg, it's almost assured that you will be a mess with an x-step."

Could you point me to the best video, article, etc, that shows the 1 leg drill? Thx.

The X step is basically the natural run up to throwing a disc? Seems completely natural to me? I think too many people put way too much thought into it. In order to get your momentum moving and get into position to throw a disc, the X step seems like the natural way to do it? At least thats the way I see it??

 

[Casey 1988]

Let me try to summarize this into some points to help the beginner: Red is me: Casey 1988

1. Find a putter. Yes Find one you like and also works for you putting. I did not in the beginning after the Rubber Putter, Good disc I was finding putters that did not work for me but were within all but one of the relms of what I was liking for in a putter, Also never force yourself to use a putter just because you won it at a tournamnt. I would have saved lots of aggravation with the Putt'r in soft X if I did not try to force that disc just because it was won at a tournament from 2005 and I used it till 2006 maybe even early 2007 as an approach putter. I should not have with the Putt'r as in the soft X plastic the disc had no glide once it broke in and did a puddle top so I had to toss the disc harder to get it to work and then it would have glide except too much glide then and glide past the basket. I did not try the Magnet as it seemed to look like I would hook the putter on a finger with that odd lip. I did not when I tried one in 2006, my brothers Magnet that he used only for a month in 2004 and then got new in a store not in my town what felt like a last of the stiff Pro D hard Magnets as I lost that one, a dark brownish red is a dumb color and lost it in a bush while putting, wind gust after I threw took the disc. So my longer Pro D Magnet was a softer Pro D Hard Magent while my
2. Get a longer driver than a Valkyrie, either overstable or understable. Once Ready you now you can as they have over a 9 or 10 speed disc, it makes a difference in your game. They did not have those types of discs till 2007. It was late 2003 I was playing and by 2005 I could have used a speed 12 disc for some longer holes. that were well past speed 9 or 10. They had a few 11 in 2005 but the Wrath was a slower speed 11 for me at the time.
3. If you get a Destroyer, make sure the dye used is minimal. No I was saying if you get a Destroyer get one you know you can get more of. I did when they came out with the Champion Destroyer
4. The month of August is very hard on discs. Not really, Winter is worse in some parts of the World. Summer can be if you are one who leaves discs in the car all the time.
5. Don't putt into trees at Shipwreck Cove. No just know your playing ablility's do not force a shot type you do not really know you can do that well. I tried with the hyzer putt and that was a mistake
6. Get a Pro D Magnet, but don't use it. This is only a template to draw on your Jawbreaker Magnets with a sharpie. I used a old stiff pre 2006 Pro D Magnet in 2007 till they came out with the jawbreaker ones and saw from others they were durable in 2006. No I would try to find a picture of a Pro D Magnet full sized and print that off and cut the inner circle stamp off the disc and use that to trace the ring on the Jawbraker. If I were to use a Magnet like disc in a baseline plastic I would Get a Legacy Clutch in the stiff Plastic that Legacy makes as the New Pro D stiff as after 2006 standard Pro D became soft. Almost all brands had the baseline go softer after some point in the 2000's. I do like the Magnet,
7. Fish bags are fine to use, although heavy and they need some alterations. That Was more me saying you did not have to use true disc golf gear for disc golf though a few months later in November of 2017 bunch of good cheaper under $50 disc golf backpack bags flooded the market

.............

 

[Casey 1988]

The X step is basically the natural run up to throwing a disc? Seems completely natural to me? I think too many people put way too much thought into it. In order to get your momentum moving and get into position to throw a disc, the X step seems like the natural way to do it? At least thats the way I see it??

It is about how you are facing during the X step/crossover throw after the Leg Crossover that helps with play. Before this in June you did the table top throw trying to keep the body flatter while doing a running shuffle style run up. I should know, the first time I saw a X step done it was after the Am Worlds week in Des Moines Iowa, a guy in our Club had went there and he saw for the first time a skinny guy do the X step for worlds and getting 20 feet on competitors. He did not do good as he was bad at the long putt compared to the rest of the top players.

 

[billyjacko]

The X step is basically the natural run up to throwing a disc? Seems completely natural to me? I think too many people put way too much thought into it. In order to get your momentum moving and get into position to throw a disc, the X step seems like the natural way to do it? At least thats the way I see it??

This is true, but misguided. Most strong arm throwers still get an extra 25' out of the x-step so it's worth doing out on the course. When practicing, learning balance, posture, and sequence are way more important. Best way to do this is to take as many factors out of the throw as you can. One step and standstill add a slew of issues from shifting weight back and forth. Learning to throw from one leg is fundamental. Once your body knows how to do that, it's easier to do it with the other factors added. It's like when SC talks about finishing position. Knowing where you're going makes it easier to get there.

 

[trout_smith]

.............

Thank you for clarifying. I think we're going to have to expand, dissect and break down each of these finer points in the future.

 

[Casey 1988]

Thank you for clarifying. I think we're going to have to expand, dissect and break down each of these finer points in the future.

Agreed.

 

[joecoin]

The X step is basically the natural run up to throwing a disc? Seems completely natural to me? I think too many people put way too much thought into it. In order to get your momentum moving and get into position to throw a disc, the X step seems like the natural way to do it? At least thats the way I see it??

I never played disc golf until I was in my 50's, but I threw frisbees on a regular basis as a child/young adult.

When I first tried disc golf my natural x step was backwards, I crossed my left foot in front of my right (RHBH). Took me a while to change over to proper form, when I did I was able to get more distance. Still can't throw very far though.

 

[joecoin]

As an old timer I can tell you reading any post by Casey 1988 that is longer than a few lines is detrimental to your mental health.

Well that's a rather narrow mindset. Just because you don't know a foreign language doesn't mean it's incapable of intelligent discourse.

Comprenez vous?

 

[VictorB]

The only thing I've really learned is to stop worrying about the throw - once I get in the habit of trying to fix mechanics, my game goes to **** because I can't turn it off at the course. I don't throw 500' and pretty sure I couldn't with perfect mechanics anyway, so I just go out and try my best to make shots instead.

 

[PBokor]

Well that's a rather narrow mindset. Just because you don't know a foreign language doesn't mean it's incapable of intelligent discourse.

Comprenez vous?

un petite peu

 

[pearlybakerbest]

Well that's a rather narrow mindset. Just because you don't know a foreign language doesn't mean it's incapable of intelligent discourse.

Comprenez vous?

Du hast mir nicht verstanden Herr Franzoesisch. My joke was that long and rambling posts make my head hurt. Nicht so wie ein man kann eine andere sprach kennen.

 

[dysmike]

Du hast mir nicht verstanden Herr Franzoesisch. My joke was that long and rambling posts make my head hurt. Nicht so wie ein man kann eine andere sprach kennen.

Ich hatte schreckliche Kopfschmerzen.