How long do you search for a disc before calling it quits?

[Weyums3]

Last night I almost lost my Comet, I looked for 45 minutes before I finally found it. I even went back to the tee box and threw a few more discs in the direction I thought it went in hopes that when I went to get them I would come across my Comet. I almost threw in the towel at half an hour but I didn't want to leave without finding it. I was determined to find it. This is the second time it has tried to get lost, the first time was in a pond but it was shallow and I went in after it.


I was just wondering how long do you guys look before calling if lost? Or if you have a system you go through before throwing in the towel.

 

[Kodachrome]

I look until I am positive I cannot find it there. Then I look in an adjacent area. I never really stop looking. Ive spent a couple hours at a time trying to find mine. I will sometimes look for an hour, throw the rest of my round, then come back with a fresh perspective and an open mind as to where it could have kicked or what it could have done. I won't spend a day combing the same area unless I know for a fact that is where it landed and I just can't find it due to tall grass or heavy brush. pretty much the only way I straight up lose a disc is in the water, and even then I go in after it for a while. I'll usually make repeat visits for days afterward.

 

[CaptainAnhyzer]

And here we go again...........

 

[sisyphus]

And here we go again...........

Quoted for truth... but have to weigh in anyway. Non-pdga folks who wonder why some folks 'abandon' a disc may be unaware of the speed of play rule: a disc that goes missing during tourney play must be 'abandoned' only three minutes after all members of the card start looking. The player may come back between rounds or after, but guess how that often turns out...

Now, a missing disc in casual play is entirely subjective and personal thing. Some folks will look on a sweltering summer day for a piece of plastic valued at less than five dollars on the market for just a few minutes, while others throwing a perfectly seasoned, classic disc that has become an extension of their very soul for a long, long time. Lots of variables here, you know?

 

[Moose33]

I usually look until it's found, I've only lost 4 discs and each one hurt quite a bit.

Almost lost my champ firebird the other day, was a little freaked out.

 

[JRW III]

Way too many variables for a general answer.

In short, if it is a seasoned disc that can not be replaced with a new off the shelf purchase, I will spend a considerable amount of time and come back for the next few days until I find it. If it is a standard stock disc for which I keep several back-ups, I will only look for 5 minutes tops so that I do not slow down the group I am with.

I am fortunate that at my home course, I have a better than 50% chance of getting any lost discs returned to me.

 

[bobmcnelly]

I usually look for quite a while. Even if I have a back up. Unless its a disc a really don't care about, but I don't have too many of those in my bag.

 

[nolangherity]

I factor in the cost of the disc vs. my hourly rate at work.

so usually if I really want it ill look for an hour then call it.

 

[Romans 5-8]

Leave no visible disc behind!!!

 

[Puckstopper]

I don't throw anything I'm not willing to lose. Period. I will look for a maximum of 10 minutes if I have a group with me, as I don't want to hold people up. If I'm alone I'll look a little longer, but everything I throw except one putter is currently in production so I'm not going to kill myself liking for something I can easily replace.

 

[TheBMeistor]

I am willing to look until my lunch break is over, plus 15 minutes if it is a disc I hold dear. Having noodles for arms really helps in not losing discs very often though.

 

[Nasty Nate]

I say about 15-20 minutes is the most I'll look during a round. As others have said, you can always come back and look (hopefully no one has taken your disc by then).

Recently I have been discing with a friend who lost a couple discs in just a couple days and I noticed he isn't very good at watching his drives. I got sick of looking for his discs because it happened pretty much every hole and I don't like to waste half a round looking for a friend's disc just because he doesn't pay attention.

It's an unfortunate circumstance and no one likes to lose a disc. I recently lost my beloved Tangent because I was throwing it for the dog and I didn't realize I had left it somewhere. I know someone must have found my disc and so far I have received no phone call :thmbdown:

 

[DavidSauls]

Where, when, which ?

Depends on where the disc is---the likelihood of finding it, and to a lesser degree, which course.

Depends on when it's lost---in a tournament, playing with a group I don't want to hold up, or playing alone. Not to mention how long I have available before I have to be somewhere else, especially during lunch.

Depends on which disc, as some I want back much more than others.

 

[delaveagabeast]

It depends on the disc. Five-10 minutes, less if I'm with a large group (in which case they usually help me and we find it quick or make the decision to come back for it). I usually just post on my clubs board on which hole and general whereabouts and typically someone else will find it. We found a couple club members discs yesterday from such posts~

 

[banknwank]

Depends........how big a group r u playing with and holding up. How backed up is the course. How replaceable is the disc? Sentimental, brand new, perfectly seasoned....... And most importantly for me is my scoring. If I spend too much time looking for a disc, I loose my momentum. But, if it's not lost ob I might try harder to find it so I don't have to take a penalty.

 

[pmatt1969]

an hour in casual play. 5 minutes in tourney play.

 

[Halcón]

Where, when, which ?

Depends on where the disc is---the likelihood of finding it, and to a lesser degree, which course.

Depends on when it's lost---in a tournament, playing with a group I don't want to hold up, or playing alone. Not to mention how long I have available before I have to be somewhere else, especially during lunch.

Depends on which disc, as some I want back much more than others.

Sums it up nicely.

 

[Romans 5-8]

I normally won't spend a long time looking for a disc. If the disc is irreplaceable...yeah. But honestly I don't have too many of those in my bag. If the disc is going to be a pain in the butt to replace, that is another story, I will put in a bit more effort.

Overall, I try not to carry expensive discs. If I go to a course where I know losing discs is a regular thing for most people because of the terrain, I will leave those discs that are $20+ in the car. A wise decision which I rarely think of ahead of time, is to switch up your bag before you even head to one of those treacherous, mountainous, black hole type courses.

15-20 minutes is normally when I let the disc go emotionally, I will hold onto hope that someone will call, but that is mostly to help with the mourning process.

TIME IS MONEY!! Most of my plastic is not over 20 bucks, if I look for a disc for an hour and don't find it, I just spent 20 bucks to work for an hour. That is counterproductive and honestly depressing.

If I look for the disc for an hour and find it, well I just worked for an hour when I could have been disc golfing. That disc, in a way, now cost me 35-40 dollars. I mean it's nice to get your disc back, but you understand what I mean. Like I said, most of my discs are in the 15-10 dollar range and I can have them shipped to my front door with only a few minutes of work (clicking and typing).

I will admit that many of my discs are dyed and if I love that dye, or I have a special attachment to the disc I will search longer. Also, if the disc is visible, I have a strong belief that leaving it behind is wrong. I have done it and regretted it later. Unless it is out of reach with my retriever or is dangerously high up in a tree, I am doing everything I can to get it.

In the end, discs are plastic and PLAYING disc golf is more important to me than finding the piece of plastic buried in the goose crap at the bottom of the canal. I have friends who will rip their clothes off and jump into the water like maniacs, and I think it's funny. But I also have a friend who did that, cut his foot, got an infection and threw down 10,000 dollars in hospital bills.

If I could hop in the water and find a disc with my shoes on, that is easier, but those guys who walk around in stagnant, disgusting water barefoot scraping their foot along the bottom hoping to feel their disc, now that's just stupid imo.

I'm ranting now, but that's my feelings on this topic for the time being.

 

[mm1315]

Depends on the disc, 10 minutes usually I rarely need more than that I'm pretty good at finding them (I like to use bright pink or orange Discs to make it easier).

 

[ThomasOrion]

Honestly....I do not give up on discs.....I will always find them....I'll look until I find it. I am pretty good at finding em'. Water doesn't scare me...I'll strip down and jump in....I've went up to 15 feet deep and feeling around...I usually find mine or many others. ******** I have only given up on 3 discs.....1 was in a lake 20+ feet out....and it was probably 20+ feet deep at that point. 1 was thrown in a river.....of moving water....that sh^t wasn't happening. 1 was actually just in some tall grass...and looked like a solid drive still...I looked for a long while until it was too dark to see...I came back about a week later and looked around...no luck.