Curiosity when playing!

[zontar]

in my first two years of playing, I FOUND a lot of discs. seems like I was always in tall grass, weeds and water because of errant shots. after a few years, I was on the fairway more and not finding as many. enjoy your time in the weeds!

 

[ChrisinFL]

Guess I just disliked losing a disc this early on but have to accept it as part of the game. I should probably purchase a few sport cones and practice throwing on a grass field.
I did not delay anyone when searching for my disc as there was only 1 other fellow on the 18 hole course. I searched for over 30 minutes in the really high grass and thicket and when I was done and leaving the course, I spent another 30 minutes pulling tiny green burs off of my pants that were attached like Velcro.
Point well taken about buying a few cheaper discs ($11 - $14?) to use when throwing conditions are questionable but then again, being a newbie, all of my throws are questionable.
From all that I've seen so far online, I'd say that most name brand disc's range from $16 to about $25 being at the very high end and of course shipping has to be included when ordering only one or two discs.

Cheap discs: used discs at PIAS or other local shop, or Innova F2 Friday. Innova F2 DX plastic discs are only $6 each brand new. Find one you throw well, buy a few of it so you can practice with them easier, then you got backups if you lose one. As a newbie, which I mostly still am at 4-5 months, I bought a lot of DX to try out more discs cheaper. Now I am improving, throwing a bit faster, and DX can get damaged easier, so when I find discs I like, I will buy them in upgraded plastics, and throw the old DXs on high risk shots, so if I lose them, no big deal. They were cheap, and I already have the same disc in better plastic. Also, alone, you can hunt as long as you want and just wave people through - I was mainly referring to not taking up everyone's time when you are playing in a group with others.

 

[Rickcin]

Cheap discs: used discs at PIAS or other local shop, or Innova F2 Friday. Innova F2 DX plastic discs are only $6 each brand new. Find one you throw well, buy a few of it so you can practice with them easier, then you got backups if you lose one. As a newbie, which I mostly still am at 4-5 months, I bought a lot of DX to try out more discs cheaper. Now I am improving, throwing a bit faster, and DX can get damaged easier, so when I find discs I like, I will buy them in upgraded plastics, and throw the old DXs on high risk shots, so if I lose them, no big deal. They were cheap, and I already have the sam3 disc in better plastic. Also, alone, you can hunt as long as you want and just wave people through - I was mainly referring to not taking up everyone's time when you are playing in a group with others.

I was alone yesterday and that why I spent so much time looking but the sticky green particles from the weeds were covering my pants, I had to give up unless I thought to bring a string trimmer with me but thanks for info on the "disposable" discs!

 

[DumfriesLizzie]

I have F2s for my must-have Stingray, Thunderbird, and Wombat. They are not pretty, but they fly predictably the same as the decoratively-stamped stuff. Which often fades to nothingness over time anyway. 80-85% of my golf disc collection is DX plastic. Perfectly adequate for beginners and cheapskates like myself.

 

[Rickcin]

Not sure what DX plastic is, but I just ordered two discs from OTB and they were $9.99 ea so I will use those two, along with my putter (which would be hard to lose) as long as they last, or should I say as long as I have them.

I will get out on a sports field and practice throwing them so hopefully I can gain some distance and have some control.
Im reluctant admitting that my throws are just barely breaking 100 feet and that pretty bad for a decent sized healthy person

 

[ChrisinFL]

Not sure what DX plastic is, but I just ordered two discs from OTB and they were $9.99 ea so I will use those two, along with my putter (which would be hard to lose) as long as they last, or should I say as long as I have them.

I will get out on a sports field and practice throwing them so hopefully I can gain some distance and have some control.
Im reluctant admitting that my throws are just barely breaking 100 feet and that pretty bad for a decent sized healthy person

Normal for a beginner. Practice and you will add distance. Study technique, apply it, and you will add more distance. Practice more, build muscle memory, and you add more. Video yourself, compare what you are actually doing to what better players do, apply the knowledge and you will add more distance. FYI, video for a beginner - almost guaranteed your actual form will not match what you think you are doing! My first 3-4 times doing video, I found things I was doing totally different than what I thought I was doing. At different times, buy discs better suited to you, and you will add distance (personally, I get the most distance with lighter, under stable drivers, I suck with mid range discs, and I like heavy putters). If you want real leaps and bounds, probably hire a coach. Mostly, I say have fun playing, learning, and improving! I am 4-5 months in, and my max distance has probably gone from less than 100' day one, to now maxing at 265'.

 

[Rickcin]

To break 200 feet with a throw would be great and from all that I've read, I should be playing with nothing above a 5 speed. Ironically, the first disc I've lost was a 9 and I guess I've learned something as a result of that loss.

 

[ChrisinFL]

Normal for a beginner. Practice and you will add distance. Study technique, apply it, and you will add more distance. Practice more, build muscle memory, and you add more. Video yourself, compare what you are actually doing to what better players do, apply the knowledge and you will add more distance. FYI, video for a beginner - almost guaranteed your actual form will not match what you think you are doing! My first 3-4 times doing video, I found things I was doing totally different than what I thought I was doing. At different times, buy discs better suited to you, and you will add distance (personally, I get the most distance with lighter, under stable drivers, I suck worth mid range discs, and I like heavy putters). If you want real leaps and bounds, probably hire a coach. Mostly, I say have fun playing, learning, and improving! I am 4-5 months in, and my max distance has probably gone from less than 100' day one, to now maxing at 265'.

DX plastic is Innova's cheapest plastic. Good for beginners, but as you improve, and throw faster, it will wear out quickly. Each manufacturer has different names for their plastics. For Innova, order for their main plastics, cheapest to best: DX, Pro, GStar, Star, Champion. They have others that mix in: XT, R-Pro, Glow, and more. You can search online to learn them all if you care. Innova is a great place to start because they are huge, and they sell F2s on their website super cheap. F2 is discs with misprints, blemishes in color, etc. Search Innova F2 Fridays online, and you can find out more. Basically, every Friday they put out a code online for a free F2 disc if you buy any 3 or more discs. Their F2 DX discs are $6. Pro is $9. They charge $6 shipping, but over $75 shipping is free. Order 5 or more discs, get 10% off, and I think 10 or more is even more discount. There is a F2 Friday thread posted on this site, and Bill usually pastes the F2 code in there every Friday. F2 Friday is probably the best deals you can get for new discs (IMHO).

 

[ChrisinFL]

To break 200 feet with a throw would be great and from all that I've read, I should be playing with nothing above a 5 speed. Ironically, the first disc I've lost was a 9 and I guess I've learned something as a result of that loss.

Many say beginners should only use putters and mids, and focus on learning form. I say even as a beginner at 100', a DX Leopard is probably a fine disc to be learning with. You can get a new F2 DX for $6 from Innova, or almost every disc golf shop/store that sells used discs has them used for about $5. New, not F2, they run about $10. Soon after that, my favorite for a while was a Latitude 64 Diamond, at about 158g (pretty light weight). The current loves of my life are 145-150g Innova Pro Terns, and MVP Fission Waves, but no doubt you don't need those any time soon. Most would say I should be using slower discs than them, as my actual arm speed is probably around 6-8 range now. Some higher speed discs are more beginner friendly than others, especially light weight under-stable discs. Try not to worry too much about the destination - enjoy the journey!

 

[Rickcin]

DX plastic is Innova's cheapest plastic. Good for beginners, but as you improve, and throw faster, it will wear out quickly. Each manufacturer has different names for their plastics. For Innova, order for their main plastics, cheapest to best: DX, Pro, GStar, Star, Champion. They have others that mix in: XT, R-Pro, Glow, and more. You can search online to learn them all if you care. Innova is a great place to start because they are huge, and they sell F2s on their website super cheap. F2 is discs with misprints, blemishes in color, etc. Search Innova F2 Fridays online, and you can find out more. Basically, every Friday they put out a code online for a free F2 disc if you buy any 3 or more discs. Their F2 DX discs are $6. Pro is $9. They charge $6 shipping, but over $75 shipping is free. Order 5 or more discs, get 10% off, and I think 10 or more is even more discount. There is a F2 Friday thread posted on this site, and Bill usually pastes the F2 code in there every Friday. F2 Friday is probably the best deals you can get for new discs (IMHO).

Interesting about a manufacturer having different grades of plastic, it's much more involved than I ever imagined. Honestly, I'm having lots of fun reading about discs, their speed and flight numbers along with the colors and graphics. I'm spending more time reading and ordering discs than actually playing but when retire, I enjoy fun stuff to occupy my body and mind.
Thanks for the great info, the members on this site are awesome, so far

 

[ChrisinFL]

It is a lot at first. Putters, mids, fairway drivers, distance drivers. Different manufacturers, different plastics. The disc numbers - for example, 8/6/-3/2 is 8 speed, 6 glide, -3 turn, and 2 fade. Then, as you grow in the sport, as your throw changes, improves, you get different things out of the numbers. Day one, even that 8/6/-3/2 probably just goes 75-100' and dumps left (for a RHBH thrower). Get a bit better, and it goes pretty straight, maybe 150-200', with a little fade left at the end. Get even better, and it turns right, maybe even flipping over on you. But get better still, and you hyzer it, it flips up to flat, goes straight and glides to over 225', and maybe fades a bit at the end. Then a pro can bomb it over 300', maybe even 400'? Throws - backhand, forehand, thumbers, rollers, and maybe more. Grips - fan grip, power grip, modifications on both. This is a game, much like ball golf, that you can continue to work on and learn about for a lifetime!

 

[ChrisinFL]

Interesting about a manufacturer having different grades of plastic, it's much more involved than I ever imagined. Honestly, I'm having lots of fun reading about discs, their speed and flight numbers along with the colors and graphics. I'm spending more time reading and ordering discs than actually playing but when retire, I enjoy fun stuff to occupy my body and mind.
Thanks for the great info, the members on this site are awesome, so far

Yeah - I love playing, studying, practicing, and buying discs. Always fun getting and trying out new plastics!

 

[BillFleming]

Here is a great site for comparing plastics....

Disc Golf Plastic Database

A database of the plastics used by different disc golf manufacturers. Compare across manufacturers.

flightcharts.dgputtheads.com

Base plastics, such as Innova's DX, wear out very quickly, get damage easily.
Premium (such as Innova Star) is a better opaque plastic and will feel close to a base plastic, but have the durability of a translucent type plastic (such as Innova Champion).
The translucent plastics are usually the longer lasting, most durable. But they can be slippery feeling especially in wet or cold conditions.

 

[ChrisinFL]

For me, base (cheap) plastic was fine up until at least 200'. It wore out, but only with heavy use, and was it cheap so I got my money's worth. Once I got to 250', if I hit a close tree hard, the issue was I might ruin light weight cheap drivers in one throw. So, if you play a heavily wooded course, then the base plastics can become less economical. I always read about how guys said said DX plastic is a waste of money because one bad hit would ruin a disc, and there was no way that matched my experience. Then I reached 250', and in one day I had two hard smacks into a tree at about 50' with my favorite driver at the time, one took a chunk out of it, and the other bent it big time. I bent it back, it looked back to normal, but it never flew right after that. That was when I quit ordering DX drivers! Was a sad day, because I had about 5 light weight Mambas, and that one Mamba flew so much better than any of the others! I find Mambas very finicky about getting the right hyzer release angle, but that one was very forgiving. I could release it with too much or too little angle, and it almost always flipped up to flat, and flew straight 250', while I had no other disc going as far or as straight. My game made a leap forward with that Mamba, and it began my love affair with light weight distance drivers! Too bad it broke my heart so early in a blossoming relationship!