[Recommend] Beginning Marylander

[bkoehler]

Been a long time lurker of the forums. I have played a few times this year so far but using my friend's extra set. He has the Beginner Innova set with 3 discs.

I just bought a KC Aviar putter and looking for some good straight long distance and fairway drivers.

 

[JSurmann]

Welcome to the forums!

You'll get plenty of advice, buy this, don't buy that.

My advice is to go to a store, buy a midrange (roc, buzzz etc...) and a fairway driver (leopard, river, XL etc...) and go out and have fun.

Also, how far were you throwing your friend's discs and what were they?

 

[dashiellx]

What part of Maryland you in?

As JSurmann said, you'll get a lot of advice on what to get and not get. I still consider myself a beginner. After about five months of playing with a leopard driver, I have just purchased a Diamond and I really like it. I also sometimes throw a Teebird. I still use my leopard as well. For midrange, I love the Roc.

 

[MrGlass01]

go with a classic set up. roc, leopard, avair that you already have. These discs are tried and true and everyone should try these three at some point. If there is a foundational learning set i would say that roc leo avair is it. cannot go wrong with those choices. You may get a ton of advice and it will be up to you which way you want to go. Do not count out these discs thank me later.

 

[psudgc17]

What part of Maryland you in?

Agreed! Where are you from? There are a lot of local Maryland players who would love to join you for a round and help you out and maybe introduce you to a few discs. My local course is Rockburn Branch Park in Elkridge, MD, so hit me up if you're playing there.

As for discs, check out Disc Outfitters if you get a chance. Just walk around their store in Columbia and pick stuff up. There are a lot of similar discs from different companies with subtle nuances. For example, just about every manufacturer out there tries to copy the TeeBird. You may find that one company's plastic compound actually feels better than another and that the flight pattern/grip are acceptable.

 

[jtreadwell]

It's very easy to get swept up and buy a bunch of discs, but the best thing to do is avoid that impulse and stick with the beginner discs mentioned. Of course, variety is the spice of life so feel free to try different midranges, putters, and the odd fairway driver if you have friends that don't mind letting you play with their discs. Avoid distance drivers for now.

 

[MrGlass01]

Just to clarify. Starter discs are discs that are good for beginners, this does not mean that they should not be used by non beginners. IT seemed by my post and some of the other ones that these discs are relegated to beginners. These discs are great for beginners and great for regular throwers too.

 

[Naga]

Everyone on here will just tell you get this get that, (most will say leopard or eagle). I'm a bit unconventional and started playing with a DX Wraith and now that's become my putter while my champ groove is my finesse disc and my r-pro boss is my raw distance disc. Also I use a champ sidewinder for overhand shots.

Bottom line is you can either pick a random driver and learn to be good at it or play it safe and go with a leopard/eagle. I suggest finding someone who's selling used discs for cheap on here and buy about 5 and just find out which ones work for you.

Practice one a range or open field will make a much greater difference than the specific driver you're using.

 

[MrGlass01]

Everyone on here will just tell you get this get that, (most will say leopard or eagle). I'm a bit unconventional and started playing with a DX Wraith and now that's become my putter while my champ groove is my finesse disc and my r-pro boss is my raw distance disc. Also I use a champ sidewinder for overhand shots.

Bottom line is you can either pick a random driver and learn to be good at it or play it safe and go with a leopard/eagle. I suggest finding someone who's selling used discs for cheap on here and buy about 5 and just find out which ones work for you.

Practice one a range or open field will make a much greater difference than the specific driver you're using.

Interesting first post!!! just goes to say throw what works for you! Welcome to the site!!! May not be the best advice but kind of needed in a backwards sort of way!!

 

[s65hawks]

Depending on where you live, Druid Hill Park has Thursday Night Triples every week at 6:00 during the summer. It's $3 to play but you will play with a lot of very good people who can help you get better and there are always people there selling their extra discs(me included).

 

[MrGlass01]

Depending on where you live, Druid Hill Park has Thursday Night Triples every week at 6:00 during the summer. It's $3 to play but you will play with a lot of very good people who can help you get better and there are always people there selling their extra discs(me included).

I second this. when i was living in the baltomore area i made it out to those leagues a ton. They even out the playing field as much as possible and there are a ton of good payers out there. Everyone seemed to be nice and its a blast. The only way to progress in this sport is to play with people that are better than you.

 

[Naga]

Interesting first post!!! just goes to say throw what works for you! Welcome to the site!!! May not be the best advice but kind of needed in a backwards sort of way!!

That being said, I'm still an amateur casual player.

Also one thing I can't stress enough, buy 2+ drivers and write your name and phone number on the bottom of all your discs. Nothing ruins a game of disc golf like losing your only driver in the middle of a lake.

 

[jtreadwell]

Everyone on here will just tell you get this get that, (most will say leopard or eagle). I'm a bit unconventional and started playing with a DX Wraith and now that's become my putter while my champ groove is my finesse disc and my r-pro boss is my raw distance disc. Also I use a champ sidewinder for overhand shots.

Bottom line is you can either pick a random driver and learn to be good at it or play it safe and go with a leopard/eagle. I suggest finding someone who's selling used discs for cheap on here and buy about 5 and just find out which ones work for you.

Practice one a range or open field will make a much greater difference than the specific driver you're using.

I'm sorry but this is the worst advice I've ever seen posted on here that wasn't a joke. Not only are those some of the worst discs for beginners, they are not being used for what they are designed for (except the boss). I'm sorry to tear you apart here Naga, but while this set-up may be fun for you, your form must be atrocious from learning this way and this is NOT good advice for new players. It's OK to experiment with wacky stuff once you know the basics, but if this advice is taken the OP will never get anywhere in disc golf. Not being a jerk here, just telling it how it is.

 

[MrGlass01]

I will say this: All the information on this site and the "other" one are great. In the end it is up to you/us to take what we read and to put it into practice. I was of the thought for the longest time that any shot under 200 should be my putter. WRONG now i use the best disc for the desired line. It is hard to take what you read and put it into practice. even bad advice is still advice, and should be taken into consideration if only for what NOT to do.

 

[Naga]

I'm sorry but this is the worst advice I've ever seen posted on here that wasn't a joke. Not only are those some of the worst discs for beginners, they are not being used for what they are designed for (except the boss). I'm sorry to tear you apart here Naga, but while this set-up may be fun for you, your form must be atrocious from learning this way and this is NOT good advice for new players. It's OK to experiment with wacky stuff once you know the basics, but if this advice is taken the OP will never get anywhere in disc golf. Not being a jerk here, just telling it how it is.

I'm not suggesting he use my discs, especially for what I use them for. That set up works for me but probably not for 99% of disc golf players.

What I'm telling him to do is to not feel like he has to buy a leopard and that he can't play disc golf if he doesn't. Ultimately it comes down to what works for him.

You (along with most disc golf players) would most likely say that for a distance shot, a person should use some variant of a power grip, and if someone used a 2 finger grip for driving would say that it is incorrect. Robbie Bratton, a pro player on the discraft team uses this grip for his driving, just goes to show you that everyone has their own twist and it boils down to what works for that individual person.

 

[deadbody]

Buy a max weight champion Ape. Everyone needs one of these.

 

[bkoehler]

My friends set was an XS, Comet, and Rattler. My friend also gave me a Beast DX, and an old Viper DX.

I was looking on ebay and might grab a Valkerie Champion.

I am in Baltimore County, we were playing at Goucher College.

 

[Phenn]

Buy a max weight champion Ape. Everyone needs one of these.

:clap:

 

[dashiellx]

My friends set was an XS, Comet, and Rattler. My friend also gave me a Beast DX, and an old Viper DX.

I was looking on ebay and might grab a Valkerie Champion.

I am in Baltimore County, we were playing at Goucher College.

I like Goucher a lot. Nicely maintained and not crowded at all. You should try Druid Hill, great community there (my "home" course). Pine Grove is nice too, but very difficult.

Valkerie is a nice disc, in fact I lost a yellow DX one at Goucher, but you may want to try something a little lighter then what you've been using.

 

[jtreadwell]

I'm not suggesting he use my discs, especially for what I use them for. That set up works for me but probably not for 99% of disc golf players.

What I'm telling him to do is to not feel like he has to buy a leopard and that he can't play disc golf if he doesn't. Ultimately it comes down to what works for him.

You (along with most disc golf players) would most likely say that for a distance shot, a person should use some variant of a power grip, and if someone used a 2 finger grip for driving would say that it is incorrect. Robbie Bratton, a pro player on the discraft team uses this grip for his driving, just goes to show you that everyone has their own twist and it boils down to what works for that individual person.

I agree that he shouldn't feel that a leopard is his only choice - nobody said that. In fact my advice was to try as many different putters, mids, and fariway drivers as possible. If a player is asking for advice on a forum, it is safe to assume they want to get better at the game. Your philosophy on disc golf, while it works for what you want out of the game, will not help anyone get better and is therefore bad advice. I'm not saying you shouldn't play the way you like to play, but your disc choice and usage is the antithesis of what has been proven as the most efficient way to get better at this sport. Of all the possible choices the OP could make in choosing discs, the ones you recommended were among the least beginner friendly and would cause the most long term form flaws. As far as the grip example you gave, you are correct in that I and most disc golfers would suggest a power grip for driving. Most disc golfers and I would be 100% and irrefutably correct. I'm sorry if that sounds conceited but you can't argue with physics, and physics (along with results) says that the power grip will get you the most distance reliably. Robbie Bratton may be a pro who uses an alternate grip successfully, but I don't see his name on any discs. People recommend leopards and power grips because they are the most reliable path to getting better, and everyone I see on these forums looking for advice are looking to improve. Again, sorry to sh!t all over your advice, but your advice would be damaging to the OP's game if taken.