Disc Golf Newbie

[Allie-V]

An Eagle Scout just put in a disc golf course in a park in our town this week for his project. I'm so excited to try something new! Any tips?
I really want to get some friends to give it a try and make it a regular activity! I figure if I learn as much as I can about the sport, it will be easier to teach friends to play.

 

[erock216]

welcome to the addiction.

 

[apdrvya]

first tip: start slow and work fast (slowly)
second tip: repetition
third tip: don't let the man get you down.

 

[thrembo]

Get you some Discraft Buzzz's. Great starter and all around disc. Have fun.

 

[creeper78]

Get you some Discraft Buzzz's. Great starter and all around disc. Have fun.

:thmbup: A Buzzz would be a good disc to work. Maybe a Leopard and a putter that's relatively straight in flight. I'm not the best to advise on the putter as I primarily throw Rhynos or Wizards, but I'd guess a Magic or Aviar P&A. Magnets seem to be popular, and I don't think they're overstable, but someone would have to advise more on them than I. That might be a good starter 3 disc combo.

 

[CTRobuck]

Like everyone has said before grab a Buzzz and throw it everywhere!!! Also a Leopard is a great starter to teach you some tecniques for throwing a Driver.

 

[discaddict]

First, welcome, the sport can consume you. Second, where is the new course located.

 

[Midnightbiker]

Don't buy a disc just because it looks cool or you like the name or color. Make sure you are very careful with your disc collection, because ever disc flies different, and some discs are not for beginers.

A Buzz and Magnet, would be a great way to start.

 

[jenb]

A good disc set (notice I didn't say starter set) is a putter, midrange, and fairway driver.

For a fairway driver, everyone loves the innova leopard in the cheap dx plastic or pro plastic. The star and champ plastics are more expensive, but not necessarily better for that disc especially. Other fairway drivers to consider are the cheetah and gazelle, also in the cheaper plastic. A teebird is also good, and I like the cheaper plastic in that one as well.

For a midrange disc, either a buzz or roc is most popular. I suggest a dx roc. It will teach good form. Learn to drive it far and angle it left and right with lots of spin. It's so versatile, and a real benefit on wooded holes with lots of trees. You should be able to drive it 250-300 feet, and use the driver for longer distances. Other similar mid-ranges are the pain and vector, but I still suggest the dx roc. And there are two types of rocs, rancho or ontario. The rancho will say it is manufactured in rancho california on the underside. That's the one to get if you ask me.

For a putter, a magnet is a good choice, and the other really popular choices are aviar, challenger, wizard, and ion. I suggest either the magnet in the stiff plastic or a classic aviar or aviar putt and approach in the stiff plastic, or maybe the yetti aviar. The jk and kc aviars are not as straight, and you will probably be frustrated by the way they fade left at the end. The challengers and wizards are the same. Later, you can get one of those and beat it in by using it for a long time and it will be straighter, but the magnet or the other two aviars will be straight immediately. The stiff plastic putters resist wobble better, and that's extremely important for pitch putting. If you get the softer plastics, you will need to spin putt. But the stiff plastic can be used to pitch putt or spin putt, and you can use it to figure out which one you prefer. Learn to drive your putter out to 200 feet or more, and use ot for practically everything under that distance. You should be able to make it turn right or left at will, and have the most control with it.

That's pretty much it for now. good luck

 

[45710]

Go buy a Champion/Star Leopard, Elite Z Buzzz, and a Jk Pro Avair. The 3 best discs IMO for a beginner!

 

[Djren12]

^^^ all awesome ideas, as for me ......I do second that "welcome to the addiction!"^^^^

 

[Allie-V]

First, welcome, the sport can consume you. Second, where is the new course located.

Thank you all for the advice. Our new course is located in Carnation, Wa (about 25 minutes east of seattle).

It certainly is harder than it looks, I'll say. But it's something our family can (attempt to) do together. And I was excited to see that there were other people (who clearly knew what they were doing, lol) when we got there, so the course IS being used! Yay!

I'll look into the Buzzz and the Leopard discs to try out. I just picked up a (cheapo!) starter set the other day just to start out, and as with any sporting equipment, I suppose you get what you pay for. Clearly, it's the chep discs that are the problem; it couldn't POSSIBLY be my lack of skills, right? RIGHT? Anyone?....

 

[bradharris]

Clearly, it's the chep discs that are the problem; it couldn't POSSIBLY be my lack of skills, right? RIGHT? Anyone?....

That's why I keep buying discs. Still can't find that magic one that makes me better...

 

[TOURNEYPLAYER]

Did anyone suggest a Buzzz? I think its a great idea.

 

[prerube]

What ever you buy, stop at 5 discs. you will want to try everything, just stop yourself at 5 discs for a while. Read the form sticky and you will be the best among your friends for a long time.

 

[KniceZ]

Welcome - If you bought the usual Innova beginner set you got two of the three disc you need : Aviar and Leopard. All you need to do is talk to someone out on the course. Ask them what mid range they use and if you could throw it a few times. More than likely it will be either a Roc or a Buzzz. Do that a few times or just go buy both. Decide which one you can throw the best. Stick with the Aviar, Roc/Buzzz, and Leopard till you can get them to go where you want. 6 month minimum. I went crazy buying discs and I'm not sure that it helped very much.

Check out the technique sticky for pointers on grip and throwing.

BTW - don't worry if you can't throw the Leopard 300+ feet. Unless you're just a natural, more than likely you'll be not more than 250'. Distance comes with time/practice and correct form. Just have fun.

 

[captain jack]

Thank you all for the advice. Our new course is located in Carnation, Wa (about 25 minutes east of seattle).

It certainly is harder than it looks, I'll say. But it's something our family can (attempt to) do together. And I was excited to see that there were other people (who clearly knew what they were doing, lol) when we got there, so the course IS being used! Yay!

It's been a year in the making, but thanks to Mr. Getty, and others, this course is now a reality.
I'm sure you know about the local forum,
http://www.nwdiscgolfnews.com/forum/index.php, you will find course updates, as well as local information there.
Closest place to buy discs to you is either the REI in Redmond, but they're kind spendy, and the Play It Again Sports in Woodinville.
You should go to Chainbangerz Disc Golf in Burien, thats the closest place to you thats a real disc golf store, and any of the guys there, and Silly, can help with plenty of advice for newbies.

 

[simpletwist]

Leopard and Buzzz are great starter choices. But I go against the grain with plastic, buy Champion, Star, Elite Z or ESP. The cost difference is that great and the discs take a little longer to beat in, but they last so much longer. Try a 150g Leopard. My putting is atrocious so I can't/won't recommend a putter. A Cyclone is also a pretty good choice for a starter fairway driver.

Keep at it and welcome.

 

[Doupie620]

Putter - Innova R-Pro Dart
Midrange - Discraft Elite Z Buzzz
Fairway - Innova Star TL
Driver - Millennium Sirius JLS

All of these are straight flyers.

Sorry for being so specific, but I am a 300 time mental world champion and I am also a person who eats food.

Drink lots of water, stretch, and avoid high speed discs for now and you will be fine. Say hi to everyone in Washington for me. I'll never make it there, but I like to be friendly.

 

[jabruzzo3]

What ever you buy, stop at 5 discs. you will want to try everything, just stop yourself at 5 discs for a while. Read the form sticky and you will be the best among your friends for a long time.

What Prerube said! When I first really go into this sport, I read all the posts and anytime someone mentioned a disc, I went out and bought it. Next thing I knew I had some many disc's I did not know which ones to use and never mastered any of them.

Stick to five. Learn them. Then add.