Getting the wife to play...

[Nodosaurus]

I'm trying to get my wife involved so we can play together. She will usually walk to course with me and keep score (but I gotta break her of that habit!).

The problem is that she has no athletic aptitude beyond biking (well, recumbant triking) and walking. I had her throw some of my discs in a park, her long throw was just about 30 feet.

She doesn't want to look too bad, nor slow down players behind us.

Any suggestions on how to improve her throws and build her interest?

How good are typical women players?

 

[Huff]

My GF was throwing 30ft tee off last year too (1st time golfing). She's only been out maybe a dozen or so times since. As of last weekend she was driving 150ft (and she hasnt really put effort into trying to get better and barely takes pointers lol). Its a quick learning curve when you start at only 30ft lol

I recently got her a couple discs that seem to be better suited to her. Each time she gets a little better, enjoys herself more and is getting more into it.

 

[A.Mutt]

She doesn't want to look too bad, nor slow down players behind us.

This is the major issue for I'd guess most potential female players. It was my wife's biggest hang up. I tried to get her to play years ago before we got married when I started going out to play with friends. But she, like my friends girlfriends, was too self concious to play with us.

She didn't start playing until recently once I started taking her with just me to short courses when they are empty. I had her pick out a couple of her own discs and its really been fostering an interest for disc golf. While out playing I don't keep her score, I've told her that if its something she wants to know I will do it for her but thats on her to ask me to do. I also do my best to refrain from giving any advice that isn't asked of me first.

I'd suggest grabbing a lightweight midrange disc for your wife. She should have a more enjoyable/easy time throwing that.

 

[sidewinding]

Have you tried reverse psychology?

 

[Adaven]

Nodosaurus,

Great topic I have the same issue and would love to get my wife more involved in the game. In fact my situation is so similar that when I read your post to my wife and she accused me of writing it.

 

[rikardob]

I bought my girlfriend a set of Pink discs. Taught her the sidearm throw for longer drives and she's hooked. We play catch quite often so she is used to putting and midrange shots already. She's nailed some nice ones on the course. We're going today in fact.

 

[simpletwist]

My girlfriend plays with me all the time. She had the same hang up about embarassing herself in front of others. Light weight discs, an easy open course, and very early in the morning are some ideas. Also try just playing catch in an open field so she can get the hang of it. You might just want to leave "your" discs at home until she gets some confidence. Coaching can be as much fun as playing. Good luck.

 

[CwAlbino]

You might just want to leave "your" discs at home until she gets some confidence.

This is the best advice I've seen so far. I've found with any female player, watching someone just bomb a disc and then them having to throw next is just too much. Usually they just end up quitting half way through and watching you throw. If you have two midranges, of the same type even, take those. If you can get her to throw a sidearm, it's easier to get distance off that for beginners. An S curve can be obtained easier off a sidearm with less power.

Another good thing is to go with multiple women (giggity?). Having another woman around to throw poorly with them can really make it more fun. Then you might just have both of them getting better, and then ditching you for the disc golf course

The only time I've seen girls that haven't played before actually have fun is with a large group of inexperienced players. Laughing, having fun, and an occasional drive into a tree by one of the better players to make everyone else feel better about themselves.

 

[jhgonzo]

Have her watch some videos of Val!

It took a while for my wife to get into it (she'd normally just walk along with me, too), but once she got her own lighter discs and accepted some beginner advice, she was hooked. Definitely take her to easy courses (even a little 9-hole "putt-putt" at some elementary school or little park, wide open/short holes). Let her play the posted par (if you're the type to play pro par). I think the forehand shot works well for a lot of beginners, as noted by other posters above, once they figure out how to release it correctly. Most of all, encourage her to just have fun and not worry about scoring well!

 

[WillA]

My wife uses Aerobie rings instead of discs. She can throw one of those rings over 300 feet but she can only throw a disc 50 feet. She uses the big rings to drive with and uses a little ring to putt.

It allows her to play and have fun and it makes it more fun for me because she isn't taking 10 throws on every hole. Now of course you can't use those rings in a PDGA tournament but who cares? She isn't interested in playing tournaments anyway.

 

[Midnightbiker]

I only got my wife to play once. She just likes to walk the course and watch

 

[FRIZZLE TOSSLER]

My wife uses Aerobie rings instead of discs. She can throw one of those rings over 300 feet but she can only throw a disc 50 feet. She uses the big rings to drive with and uses a little ring to putt.

It allows her to play and have fun and it makes it more fun for me because she isn't taking 10 throws on every hole. Now of course you can't use those rings in a PDGA tournament but who cares? She isn't interested in playing tournaments anyway.

Now that's a great idea..... We have seen a guy here in Austin who plays w/ one of those Aerobie rings.... what I'd call a speed round.... throw, run, throw, run, etc. Kinda funny to watch, but very effective.

 

[ThePatrick]

Keep encouraging. Find other women in the area and encourage her to play with them. My wife has helped with various get togethers in houston. We actually had 9 women out to just a C tier a couple of weeks ago. So hopefully some of this is starting to work.

 

[solomon.trenton]

i wish the most of luck to anyone tryign to get theor wife to play. mine thinks that im nuts for playing.

 

[magictenor1]

My wife uses Aerobie rings instead of discs. She can throw one of those rings over 300 feet but she can only throw a disc 50 feet. She uses the big rings to drive with and uses a little ring to putt.

It allows her to play and have fun and it makes it more fun for me because she isn't taking 10 throws on every hole. Now of course you can't use those rings in a PDGA tournament but who cares? She isn't interested in playing tournaments anyway.

I also think that is a great idea. I am actually thinking of getting my young son one so he can keep up with me.

 

[nutmegc]

Some thoughts from a not-so-good female player, but one who is totally hooked:

Take her with JUST you the first few times. I've only been playing a couple of months, and while I enjoy playing with our other friends, I'm less tense when it's just me and my guy playing. It's one thing to not throw well in front of him, but a whole different thing to throw poorly in front of his friends. When I do throw poorly in front of him, I'm still comfortable and don't get too upset. When we're throwing with friends, I put a lot more pressure on myself because I don't want his friends to think I'm a horrible player.

Encourage her, but don't be too overly enthusiastic. What I mean by this is, if she makes a good throw or does something right, tell her. If she makes a really crappy throw (a ten foot drive off the tee or something), don't tell her that it was a good throw -- she'll see right through you and, most likely, will be pissed because you're placating her.

Remind her that everyone struggles when they first begin and that it just takes time and practice to learn.

Show her proper form and grips, but if she's found something that's working for her, even if it's not totally right, let her use it. Offer tips when you see that she's doing something that's not quite right, but don't do it after every single throw.

Buy her a couple of her own discs...in her favorite colors. My very first disc was a surprise gift and is a pink Valkyrie, which made me even more excited to go throw the next morning. I threw it for a couple of weeks and then decided that I wanted some more of my own, so, on a whim, I bought an Archangel. The very first day I threw the Archangel, I had my best round, which made me feel good and even more excited to play. I couldn't WAIT to hit the course again! Sure, it's light enough that I couldn't throw it in a tournament, but at this point, I'm just playing for fun….and it's a lot more enjoyable to actually throw decently. I figure that I'll work my way up to a heavier disc eventually.

I'm very lucky to have an extremely supportive boyfriend who offers hints and tips to me (but not when he knows I won't take it well) and treats me like it's as fun to play with me as it is with his friends who are good. As a result, I LOVE the sport and am totally hooked!

 

[bayouace]

My wife likes being outdoors walking, so she plays. She uses a 144 Archangel and a 150 Polaris LS and throws them 150 now. She hits approaches well and putts average. She likes to play. Start off with just you two until she gets some confidence and fun going.

 

[tamahawk]

I only got my wife to play once. She just likes to walk the course and watch

Same here, the wife played once, and lasted about, well, only one hole. She is supportive of me playing and my splurge spending on DG equipment, but there is no way she'll play. Her reasons are similar to others that have been posted.

I can't even get her to walk the course with me...

Oh well, I've got a 2yr old that is up and coming, ready to play.

 

[BrotherDave]

Get her drunk? Wait, that's my answer to everything. It worked for me though, my friends got me drunk when I started playing and here I am today.

 

[Miller]

Buy a lighter disc (150-160) and teach her to throw sidearm. Most people get some distance quicker throwing sidearm. Also give her 5-6 different choices for stable distance drivers (valkyrie, wraith, XS, starfire, etc) and ask her which one feels the most comfortable in her hand. Get her 2 of them (so when one goes in the water she doesn't have to learn something new on the fly) and just play with that disc until she gets the throwing motion down. Then add a midrange and a putter to her bag.

I would go with just the two of you for a while if she's super-competitive or really bothered by "looking bad" otherwise get a group of wives/girlfriends to go. That will make it more social and enjoyable, but she probably won't learn as much.