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Backyards: Is there a reason to buy a real disc golf basket vs just a standing pole?

So here's the original post.. He had/has a mach lite..


I had a portable disc golf basket, dga mach lite, shortly since playing on my 4 acres five years back. It's one of those half cloth and half metal contraptions that fold up and the cloth section gave up the ghost from all around UV damage. The portable aspect never seen much use other than wandering about on the property.

Was searching around for a replacement and with all the talk of marksman baskets for more challenge, I wondered why not just go one step further and get a barebones metal pole with a suitably weighted base and attach some cheap bells, and tape the relevant heights. Hit the right area of the pole, make a sound, it's in. (Actually, I'm just salvaging my old portable and declutterfying it.)
 
I played a course called "Trash Cans" last year, and yes the course used trash cans as a target. It just wasn't the same as hitting a metal chained basket. It got to the point where if I thought I would hit the can, I just picked up and moved on to the next tee. When I do buy a basket for my backyard, it will also not be the plastic chained basket I've seen in some stores.
 
I started out with a piece of conduit in floor flange on a round piece of plywood. It was OK. Very easy to roll. I still prefer my basket though. Particularly for practicing longer putts.
 
The one thing no one has mentioned (at least I haven't seen it) is damage to discs. Putters are usually the softest plastic; throwing against trees and poles would damage the disc quicker than the basket chains would do (IMO).
 
If you putt with a stack of putters, let's say at least 10 plus, that's a lot of scattered discs to pick up if you're bouncing them off a tree/pole (another reason bullseye style baskets suck). I have 20+ putters in the backyard basket, and a 30 minute session would be much less effective if I'm wasting time and energy collecting them off the ground. I'm even getting another Mach II so I don't have to waste time collecting them out of the basket and walking back to the the other side of the yard. Just pull and putt.
 
I have two courses that use primarily tonals (primarily 20lb gas cylinders with the bottom cut out and mounted on posts) as targets. I love them for actual game play but I set up the course(s) so that the baskets are close to the house to facilitate putting practice.

I find the biggest difference is training to focus on specific chain links as an aiming point on a basket cannot be replicated on a tonal. And as already stated, a basket requires more pace control which is just not required to make a putt on a tonal. And picking up a stack of putters off the ground repeatedly sucks. Make your putt and you should be rewarded with not having to touch your toes!

There are plenty of great practice baskets available for under $200. And they are remarkably durable for the price point. I've had a Discatcher Sport sitting outside in the Pacific NorthWest environment for 6 years and it only has minor rust spots on it.
Do yourself a favor and buy one. And then use it!
 
BillFleming said:
The one thing no one has mentioned (at least I haven't seen it) is damage to discs. Putters are usually the softest plastic; throwing against trees and poles would damage the disc quicker than the basket chains would do (IMO).
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mostly true... i bought a ~200$ lightning db-5 & the galvinizing on it (including the chains) is the worst thing for discs; pretty much causes the same damage or worse than hitting trees. i have 2 other cheaper (smooth chained) baskets i use a lot more, but they are starting to age while the db-5 isn't ageing... still would not recommend the db-5
 
BillFleming said:
The one thing no one has mentioned (at least I haven't seen it) is damage to discs. Putters are usually the softest plastic; throwing against trees and poles would damage the disc quicker than the basket chains would do (IMO).
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If putters are premium plastic, this is a non-issue.

Drivers are thrown much harder into trees and other obstacles, and they'll last a long time if they're made of premium plastic.
 
BillFleming said:
The one thing no one has mentioned (at least I haven't seen it) is damage to discs. Putters are usually the softest plastic; throwing against trees and poles would damage the disc quicker than the basket chains would do (IMO).
Click to expand...

IMHO, the best 'chains' I have used were heavy big industrial rubber coated cable on a friends yard basket he has been using many years. Low damage, quiet and catches great.
 
re. damaging putters

I don't see nicked up putters as a big deal. A nail clipper and a pumice stone are easy to use. And if I get a year or two out of my primary putter, that's OK by me. Damaging discs is part of the game.
 
Dthunderchicken said:
re. damaging putters

I don't see nicked up putters as a big deal. A nail clipper and a pumice stone are easy to use. And if I get a year or two out of my primary putter, that's OK by me. Damaging discs is part of the game.
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Obviously, you don't putt with a P2.

I totally agree with you though.
 
scooby snack said:
Using a pole to practice putting will help train this concept, and baskets will become an easy target compared to a pole.
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I hear that argument all the time because I regularly play with four or five guys who "make" 90-95% of their putts in the backyard or the field when they're putting on poles ('cuz they're too d*** cheap to buy a basket), but only 75-80% on course because they "know" the margin of error is so much larger on a basket that they subconsciously drop their focus.

Not about to argue otherwise: just means more $$$ in my pocket. :thmbup::D
 
Superbford said:
I think I might actually save up and get a Mach 2 once my current practice bucket dies out... its a hobby I enjoy and it would be cool to have a bit better basket to throw at.
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I just purchased a DGA Mach Shift....cool basket as it is 3 in 1. Regular size, take off outer chains and have a narrower basket, lower the band and have a really small target.
 
coupe said:
I hear that argument all the time because I regularly play with four or five guys who "make" 90-95% of their putts in the backyard or the field when they're putting on poles ('cuz they're too d*** cheap to buy a basket), but only 75-80% on course because they "know" the margin of error is so much larger on a basket that they subconsciously drop their focus.

Not about to argue otherwise: just means more $$$ in my pocket. :thmbup::D
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Plus, hits on poles count period, but on a basket the same throw may have gone through the chains or bounced off. Add into that losing focus and it's easy to be worse on baskets than 'objects'.
 
I grew up throwing at telephone poles or trees. Hey when you got little to no money it's perfectly fine. I have a cheapo modified practice basket now, but it was just as much fun hitting trees or hitting the telephone pole as a target.
 
oldmandiscer said:
I grew up throwing at telephone poles or trees. Hey when you got little to no money it's perfectly fine. I have a cheapo modified practice basket now, but it was just as much fun hitting trees or hitting the telephone pole as a target.
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Phone poles are too tall/easy to hit. Doesn't matter if you aim too high, too low, or account for the head/tail wind lifting/pushing your disc down.

We need shorter telephone poles. :|
 
BogeyNoMore said:
Phone poles are too tall/easy to hit. Doesn't matter if you aim too high, too low, or account for the head/tail wind lifting/pushing your disc down.

We need shorter telephone poles. :|
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I think we do!!! But then again I wasn't competing for World Championships either. I was 10 years old throwing frisbees at trees, not really a highly competitive sport.
 
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