When to change tees?

[azplaya25]

Assuming someone said this in the 39 post before me, but I think the easy answer is that you should play whatever tees you want as long as you still have fun. Disc golf is awesome because it promotes creativity because there is so much variety in shots/courses/lines/discs/putting styles/etc. Embrace the variety and play all the tees


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[BillFleming]

Any time I do really bad I just remind everyone who finished ahead of me that I had more fun than they did because I got to throw more shots than them.

Yeah - I hear you! I shoot an average of 20 over par at my local course*...I get to see more of the course and get more use out of my discs than the other players do.

*Practice, improvement of form, and better strategy are improving my game....I've had two bests of 14 over and two CTPs. But I'm also not too concerned about my score....I'm having fun, I'm getting exercise, and I'm having fun. Wait...I put having fun twice - well yeah, that's actually the most important part to me.

 

[R-Ogre]

Yeah - I hear you! I shoot an average of 20 over par at my local course*...I get to see more of the course and get more use out of my discs than the other players do.

*Practice, improvement of form, and better strategy are improving my game....I've had two bests of 14 over and two CTPs. But I'm also not too concerned about my score....I'm having fun, I'm getting exercise, and I'm having fun. Wait...I put having fun twice - well yeah, that's actually the most important part to me.

Yeah a bogey par round is pretty normal for me on the black tees at our local. But one bad tree kick can turn a 3 into a 7 or 8....

 

[BillFleming]

Yeah a bogey par round is pretty normal for me on the black tees at our local. But one bad tree kick can turn a 3 into a 7 or 8....

I also set 'Bill Par' when I play. I keep score accurately, but for each hole, I set a 'Bill Par' based on what I CAN make it in. So a 500 foot par 3, would be a Bill Par of 5. If I get Bill Par, then I'm happy....if I get a Bill Birdie, I'm even happier. If I get a real birdie, I'm estactic.

(when counting +/- par, I do it based on the real par, not Bill Par).

Once I get to the point where Bill Par is being made consistently, I'll change Bill Par to meet my new ability.

Bad kicks/bounces can always happen....even to the pros. But, I look at what caused the bad kick/bounce. Was it due to my throw - off line, poor release? Or was it due to a course issue - landed well, but there was a rock/root that it kicked off of? Did it hit a branch that I hadn't seen or taken into account? If it wasn't due to me, I just shake it off and move on. If it was due to me, I figure out how it happened and work on fixing it. If I'm getting the bad kick at the same spot every round - then I need to start figuring that into my Bill Par until I can improve and not get that kick.

 

[R-Ogre]

I also set 'Bill Par' when I play. I keep score accurately, but for each hole, I set a 'Bill Par' based on what I CAN make it in. So a 500 foot par 3, would be a Bill Par of 5. If I get Bill Par, then I'm happy....if I get a Bill Birdie, I'm even happier. If I get a real birdie, I'm estactic.

(when counting +/- par, I do it based on the real par, not Bill Par).

Once I get to the point where Bill Par is being made consistently, I'll change Bill Par to meet my new ability.

Bad kicks/bounces can always happen....even to the pros. But, I look at what caused the bad kick/bounce. Was it due to my throw - off line, poor release? Or was it due to a course issue - landed well, but there was a rock/root that it kicked off of? Did it hit a branch that I hadn't seen or taken into account? If it wasn't due to me, I just shake it off and move on. If it was due to me, I figure out how it happened and work on fixing it. If I'm getting the bad kick at the same spot every round - then I need to start figuring that into my Bill Par until I can improve and not get that kick.

All true....but you'd have to see our local to get the full picture. Some holes it's not so much a fairway as a suggestion. But yeah, the majority of my bad kicks and adventures in the shule are either grip lock or premature edisculation.

 

[aphilso1]

Well, there is another thing I just find bizarre, if true. Sorry disc golf, fix yo junk. If you refer to some players officially as Rec players and you officially have Rec tees ... call me crazy, those things should have something to do with one another.

But, I'm also not even sure it's true. When I was looking for video of Vally Springs DGC in Durham, they had a lead card with Schultz, Schweberger and Nathan Queen playing from the red tees back in 2015. That wasn't the entire tournament, but it was one day.

I may have painted with too broad of a brush when saying that short tees aren't used in tourneys. There are some courses that still create a good challenge from their shortest layout. What I should have said is that the course that you are describing, and courses that I've seen that have a similar challenge, don't utilize the short tee pads during tournaments. Even for the Rec Division. Tournament layouts are not designed for newbies to shoot 5 down. If your home course's red tees are that easy, then you shouldn't expect any sanctioned tournaments to use those tee pads. Perhaps a few holes would play from reds, especially if there are any long forced water carries from the intermediate tees (typically Rec, Masters, and lower Female divisions limit shots where you need power to clear water). But the majority of the holes likely will not.

On a related note, Recreation Division is a misnomer and something that has been discussed ad naseum on these boards. You are no longer a recreational player once you start reserving your whole weekend to play in competitive tournaments. I referred to the division as "Rec" because that's its name, not because it's an accurate depiction of the division. A truly recreational tee pad is meant for players that are just learning the game, children, quick one disc rounds, etc.

EDIT: I've only gone down the tournament rabbit hole because you said you wanted a layout that gives you a baseline for comparison. If you don't want to compare your skills to those in a tournament setting, more power to you! Play whatever layout is most fun then. It just sounded to me like you were trying to get an idea of how your scores stack up against others, which is why I made my recommendation based on likely tourney layouts.

 

[ru4por]

I may have painted with too broad of a brush when saying that short tees aren't used in tourneys. There are some courses that still create a good challenge from their shortest layout. What I should have said is that the course that you are describing, and courses that I've seen that have a similar challenge, don't utilize the short tee pads during tournaments. Even for the Rec Division. Tournament layouts are not designed for newbies to shoot 5 down. If your home course's red tees are that easy, then you shouldn't expect any sanctioned tournaments to use those tee pads. Perhaps a few holes would play from reds, especially if there are any long forced water carries from the intermediate tees (typically Rec, Masters, and lower Female divisions limit shots where you need power to clear water). But the majority of the holes likely will not.

On a related note, Recreation Division is a misnomer and something that has been discussed ad naseum on these boards. You are no longer a recreational player once you start reserving your whole weekend to play in competitive tournaments. I referred to the division as "Rec" because that's its name, not because it's an accurate depiction of the division. A truly recreational tee pad is meant for players that are just learning the game, children, quick one disc rounds, etc.

EDIT: I've only gone down the tournament rabbit hole because you said you wanted a layout that gives you a baseline for comparison. If you don't want to compare your skills to those in a tournament setting, more power to you! Play whatever layout is most fun then. It just sounded to me like you were trying to get an idea of how your scores stack up against others, which is why I made my recommendation based on likely tourney layouts.

This is very regional. Around here we have plenty of courses that the short tees offer a terrific challenge. We regularly have AM3, AM4, MA50, MA60, FA2, FA3 and Junior divisions playing shorts. Occasionally MA40 and FA1, depending on the course. I am guessing that this area is not unique, but certainly not the norm. Many of these courses also have a sister course on site, allowing for a pool of long tee divisions as well.

 

[CwAlbino]

The course I just played has two tees. Red and blue. Red is supposed to be rec, but it doesn't always mean longer. A lot of the tees for blue are different angles to the basket. These are the alternate tees I enjoy most. The blues that are just longer are boring. It takes a hole I can birdie into a hole I will always par.

Play the tees that reward good shot execution and makes you try harder when you miss hitting that drive or upshot just the way you need to.

 

[aphilso1]

This is very regional. Around here we have plenty of courses that the short tees offer a terrific challenge. We regularly have AM3, AM4, MA50, MA60, FA2, FA3 and Junior divisions playing shorts. Occasionally MA40 and FA1, depending on the course. I am guessing that this area is not unique, but certainly not the norm. Many of these courses also have a sister course on site, allowing for a pool of long tee divisions as well.

The course he is describing is 3380' total. That's an average of 188' per hole. Have you ever seen a course that short host a sanctioned tournament? I sure haven't. His course has 4 sets of tee pads, and I don't see any chance that a non-juniors division would play from the shortest tees. He linked the course in his initial post, but here it is again for reference:

https://www.dgcoursereview.com/course.php?id=3371&mode=hi

So while the courses in your area may have short tees that are reasonably challenging, the course he is describing is not. It's clearly designed for new players, kids, and one disc rounds. Hence why I said "the course that you are describing, and courses that I've seen that have a similar challenge, don't utilize the short tee pads during tournaments. Even for the Rec Division."

 

[zontar]

once and a while a buddy and I flip a coin at each pad. heads it's long pad, tails it's short. might be a fun way to introduce yourself to the longs. and most importantly, play what you're having the most fun with.

 

[discerdoo]

What a typical DGCR thread. Pretty simple, straight forward topic turns into something else with trolls, troll feeding and even some politics thrown into a technique and strategy thread.

 

[Rastnav]

The course he is describing is 3380' total. That's an average of 188' per hole. Have you ever seen a course that short host a sanctioned tournament? I sure haven't. His course has 4 sets of tee pads, and I don't see any chance that a non-juniors division would play from the shortest tees. He linked the course in his initial post, but here it is again for reference:

https://www.dgcoursereview.com/course.php?id=3371&mode=hi

So while the courses in your area may have short tees that are reasonably challenging, the course he is describing is not. It's clearly designed for new players, kids, and one disc rounds. Hence why I said "the course that you are describing, and courses that I've seen that have a similar challenge, don't utilize the short tee pads during tournaments. Even for the Rec Division."

Uhhhhh, now go look at Valley Springs, which plays about 3350 over the 18 holes from the reds.

I thought one of the selling points of disc golf was the idea that even very new players were encouraged to get involved and play tournaments. That's the message I've seen frequently, anyway.

Whatever.

 

[philstine]

So while the courses in your area may have short tees that are reasonably challenging, the course he is describing is not.

And you know this because you've actually PLAYED the course from the red tees, not just looked at the pics, yes?

 

[aphilso1]

And you know this because you've actually PLAYED the course from the red tees, not just looked at the pics, yes?

I know it because a guy who has played for only three months just shot 5 down. And because its average hole is less than 190'. And because of the pictures.

 

[autocrosscrx]

Thinking about this a bit more.

If you are having fun playing the shorts and not getting bored, why not set a goal for -10 or -12 and keep working towards that? It isn't like developing consistency and accuracy is going to hurt your game.

 

[Rastnav]

Thinking about this a bit more.

If you are having fun playing the shorts and not getting bored, why not set a goal for -10 or -12 and keep working towards that? It isn't like developing consistency and accuracy is going to hurt your game.

I think I need to do both this and play from longer tees. What you are saying here makes perfect sense to me. Consistently hitting the right line with mids and putters is exactly what will let me make that -10. That plus making myself layup off the tee on a few holes instead of trying to throw something that has a slim chance of hitting the line that will get to the green.

The main issue with this course, having now played the whites a few days ago, is that the differential is just too big between the reds and the whites. I usually play Valley Springs from the whites, so I'm likely going to just make sure to mix that one in on a more regular basis. That course kicks my butt, but I can play it, if that makes sense.

 

[DiscFifty]

I think it's more important to ask "when to change courses". In other words, have fun at your local course 24/7 but for sure branch out and play the other courses, especially the tougher courses.

 

[Rastnav]

I think it's more important to ask "when to change courses". In other words, have fun at your local course 24/7 but for sure branch out and play the other courses, especially the tougher courses.

Variety is the spice of life, after all.

 

[Monocacy]

Variety is the spice of life, after all.

Truth!

One other thing to keep in mind - sometimes a really well-designed course can be suitable for high-level players and ordinary humans. Not that the two necessarily play the course the same way. For example, a tough par 3 for the big guns might make a challenging par 4 for the normally-abled.

So yeah, play a bunch of different courses in your area. Looks like there is an abundance of courses with varying challenges not to far from you. See what you enjoy and what you don't. Whoever has the most fun wins, as the saying goes.

There are a lot of different ways to enjoy disc golf; one that many people enjoy is to become a course bagger.

Play the mall!

 

[wolfhaley]

Agreed. You'd be surprised how many lower rated courses are actually really fun. Especially, like Monocacy said, for us normal humans.