Ace Mentality

[coupe]

Can we agree that they are just lucky shots? I've been playing 20 years and i've had a lot of lucky shots.

Some aces are lucky shots, but most of my 30-some aces have been calculated, in the sense that they were air bounces deliberately thrown on the intended line with just enough speed and height give them a chance to go in, and would have settled no more than 20' from the basket if they hadn't.

You can argue that hitting the intended line with just the right speed and height is luck, but I prefer to think of it as skill.

 

[DiscChainBasket18]

Out of all the Aces I've hit (OK, only 2 ) all could've been birdie lay-ups but instead hit the heart of the chains. Not necessarily 'bad shots' but I wasn't really going for an "ace run" either time. Just trying to get it close.
P.S. Both were downhill shots.

 

[bradharris]

You can argue that hitting the intended line with just the right speed and height is luck, but I prefer to think of it as skill.

Hitting the line is skill. Having it actually land in the basket is luck.

 

[Mike C]

Oh and I've had four aces and 10 spitouts this year. The aces were all intentional and hit the line exactly how I wanted. Some aces are luck, but not all of them.

 

[disc qualified]

If I'm playing a competitive round with somebody I love it when they have that gunslinger ace run mentality. That usually means they like to gamble and tend not to play it safe. That also tends to translate into a few lost strokes and a win for me. Please, please have an ace run mentality when we play together.

 

[ThomasOrion]

Aces frequently are the result of bad shots.

There are some holes where going for it is safe, but I rarely think about trying to put it in the chains until I'm actually using a true putting motion.

With this mentality, I have only 3 aces in a decade of playing.

i play to win and i have 3 aces this summer.

18 total since 2005. (missed 2 years of playing in between for being out of the country)

I like to lay up safe mostly, but i always (almost) go for an ace-able hole.

 

[New013]

New13. He lost the popular vote but got more electoral college votes. It's a funny system sometimes.

blame Florida

 

[disc qualified]

I can see your hanging chad...

 

[Aim For The Chains]

Playing it safe is used wayyyyyy too much by players who are unsure of their skills.

Top level players don't really play it safe as much as people would like to think because winning scores are wayyyyyyyyy below par so doubt they are being super safe. If you want to win you have to take a risk but its weighing the risk vs reward which top level players are much better at than your average DG'er.

If you had the SKILL and ability to make a shot WHY IN THE WORLD would you choose not to? That makes NO sense unlessssssssssssss the risk is too high but generally that would only be on a weird green/odd hole with a tourney/course layout having no real scoring spread.

 

[disc qualified]

time and place for everything, bro

 

[tbird888]

Playing it safe is used wayyyyyy too much by players who are unsure of their skills.

Top level players don't really play it safe as much as people would like to think because winning scores are wayyyyyyyyy below par so doubt they are being super safe. If you want to win you have to take a risk but its weighing the risk vs reward which top level players are much better at than your average DG'er.

If you had the SKILL and ability to make a shot WHY IN THE WORLD would you choose not to? That makes NO sense unlessssssssssssss the risk is too high but generally that would only be on a weird green/odd hole with a tourney/course layout having no real scoring spread.

Top level players are able to take risks that safe players can't because of their putting confidence. When you make everything inside the circle, you can run at things a little more aggressively.

 

[Aim For The Chains]

yeah wouldn't that be nice.. 35' footer?! Gimme.

 

[BogeyNoMore]

Aces frequently are the result of bad shots.

There are some holes where going for it is safe, but I rarely think about trying to put it in the chains until I'm actually using a true putting motion.

With this mentality, I have only 3 aces in a decade of playing.

I wouldn't exactly say they are bad shots, as you're essentially aiming for the target, but I would agree they aren't necessarily the planned shot, as missing chain high from 275+ isn't likely to net a duece.

I've seen players that gpt for Skip Aces in order to hedge their bets... throiwng drivers short of the pin on holes where many would throw mids. Missing a skip usually doesn't leave as nasty a comeback.

I tend to play for dueces, and figure Aces will take care of themselves. IMO, the game's scoring simply doesn't reward going for Aces off the tee. In the long run, your scores will be lower playing it safe, but Tbird raises a great point about putting ability and relative risk of running and missing.

Top level players are able to take risks that safe players can't because of their putting confidence. When you make everything inside the circle, you can run at things a little more aggressively.

 

[tbird888]

yeah wouldn't that be nice.. 35' footer?! Gimme.

Only one thing standing in your way...practice.



And yes, that would be fantastic.

 

[Kodachrome]

I feel some salty shoulders in this thread.

Not even close. There are holes where you try to run the ace and there are times when weather, dangerous lies, wind, etc make it not worth the risk. i always try to practice like i play. i don't want to be a hero, i want to score as well as possible within reason and make each hole a sure thing. yeah. "sure thing" doesn't always mean conservatively or boring or not well. i'll put it as close to the basket as possible, including inside the basket. sometimes it happens. it's fun. on a 2-300 foot hole in the open obviously you want to try.

you'll more often catch me trying for a skip ace to avoid screwing myself over.

my definition of a "good layup" is more like 5-10 feet, not 20. trying to get an ace isn't exactly like getting a bullseye in darts or a strike in bowling.

 

[Dave242]

What I have found is that when I go to the beach and play catch with a Frisbee, the first few throws often land at the other person's feet. I have to then consciously remind myself to throw harder to throw "through" the other person.

My guess is AimForTheChains does not have this problem.

A wild/unscientific guess is that I get a hole-in-one every 20-30 rounds played. I have gotten 3 "real aces" in my life.....aces where I called it since was trying to get an ace (on my first throw off the tee). I do not count my hole-in-ones anymore once I got to about 15 quite a few years ago. I am guessing I am at 40-50 now.....that is how inconsistent I am and how often the basket gets in the way of my bad throws.

 

[Aim For The Chains]

How isn't it?!

THE POINT OF THIS GAME IS TO GET YOUR DISC IN THE BASKET IN THE LEAST AMOUNT OF STROKES FROM THE TEE.

There is no better shot in darts, bowling OR DG.

This is crazy people actually DON'T try to make it in the basket?! I think you guys are confusing yourselves with what lay-ups and safe shots actually are. You will never layup a 300' wide open hole in the first place.

 

[dysmike]

Treb 20's (19s and 18s for that matter) are far better in darts than a bull

There are holes that I'll run at, sometimes

 

[Dave242]

How isn't it?!

THE POINT OF THIS GAME IS TO GET YOUR DISC IN THE BASKET IN THE LEAST AMOUNT OF STROKES FROM THE TEE.

There is no better shot in darts, bowling OR DG.

This is crazy people actually DON'T try to make it in the basket?! I think you guys are confusing yourselves with what lay-ups and safe shots actually are. You will never layup a 300' wide open hole in the first place.

If you have a course with 18 straight, tree-lined and flat 300' holes, I can 100% guarantee you that the person who throws at the basket base with 300' power will 100% of the time score better than the person who throws at the chains with 330' power (provided they have the same consistency of driving accuracy).

 

[Aim For The Chains]

Sure but I am not seeing the correlation.

I would never put 30' of power into a throw I am trying to hit 2' higher...? Longer shot yes but not height so where they aim has all to do with it not their power level?

If I am running at a 300' hole for an ace I wouldn't try to throw 330 I guess is what I am saying? Ill try to hit the LINE I see the disc traveling into the circle and hope I hit it perfectly to land into the basket. I played some super short wide open courses up north a few weeks back and cannot think of one hole it benefited to try and play safe vs throw a big shot. I could basically step up to the tee and throw anyshot I wanted and can tell you the ace runs were easy putts. I finished the first course -7 through 9 with no bogeys and ran every hole.

To me playing safe or laying up is for when trying to reach the basket but either not able to without risking multiple shots to get into a clear area or the landing zone/area is more difficult to reach than your average circle making par a good shot with an ace not even being possible.