Discing down adventures.

[TorontoJock]

It's fine. Go ahead on wide open holes where it makes sense. BUT...

Continue to work with your mids and develop good form. Learn to control them for more accurate shots, eventually at the same distance.

The true problem becomes always going for the big driver to get that type of distance and neglect to improve your form. The big disc will get it for you and mask issues that hinder your long term improvement. After some time of practice, you'll get your eagle out to 290, and then into the low 300's. Soon you'll see your mids approach the upper 200's.

FWIW, 300 ft has always been a milestone distance for me. I broke it the first time with a Valkyrie. Then with a Teebird. Then with a Gazelle. I'm close now with a Roc, and will start to push my Voodoos and see...then transfer the super clean snap and release I've learned and look to get Avengers and Valkyries up near 400.

This is my dream.

So far I have improved from 175 to 250 using this method and I will still practice with my slower discs. The katana is just money though. And it's so straight I want to use it on every long hole, wide open or not. Luckily, most of the courses around here are pretty short so unless I'm on the Toronto Island I probably won't even carry the katana.

 

[mdsammy]

That's a great setup in my opinion. My "downsized" bag looked alot like that when I ditched my speed drivers to work on my technique.

I'll give you a little challenge with that if I may. See if you can cover your normal Gator shots with your Banshee.

That's an interesting challenge. I really like my gator and trust it for short approach shots as well as hyzers but I often consider using my Firebird (which I swapping out for the Banshee) for the same hyzer shots and using my Aviar for more approaches.

 

[spitfire]

I've done something similar. I've thrown out all disc that are over a 10 speed. I've even removed the 10 speeds that are 0 stable or more. I just don't have the arm speed to get them to fly the way they are meant too. The Orc and Monarch are the only 10 speed disc I carry. Here's what I have left in my bag after removing everything that's too much for me, from most highest speed/most stable down:

Champion Orc 168 gr.
Star Orc 175 gr.
Champion Firebird 165 gr.
Champion Valkyrie 175 gr.
Star Sidewinder 170 gr.
Star Roadrunner 167 gr.
ESP Stalker 168 gr. (the only Discraft in my bag)
Star Teebird 175 gr.
Dx Teebird 175 gr.
Champion Leopard 168 gr.
Dx Rancho Roc 172 gr.
Star Ontario Roc 180 gr.
Star Mako 180 gr.
Champion Coyote 177 gr.
Star Stingray 180 gr.
DX Stingray 180 gr.
R-Pro Hydra unknown wt.
DX XD putter 169 gr.
DX Aviar Putter 175 gr.
DX Aviar Putt and Aproach 175 gr.


At least this is what my bag consist of before I laid off with a bum shoulder. When I return In a few weeks I will probably use nothing faster than my Leopard.

For me this would be a lot of overlap. Why have a Roadrunner and Sidewinder? I would pick one of those two. Or even drop them both and replace it with a beat in Valk.

Stalker Star Teebird DX Teebird, Pick the Stalker or the Teebird really no need t have both in the bag when you can get the same results with one disc.

Also, the DX Teebird really could replace the Champ Leopard once the Teebird gets beat a little.

For mids, do you really need 2 rocs-mako coyote-stingray? Seems like you could get by with the Rocs and either the coyote or the stingray.

If I had to pick a bag from the disc listed I would go with

Champion Orc 168 gr.
Star Orc 175 gr.
Champion Firebird 165 gr.
Star Roadrunner 167 gr.
Star Teebird 175 gr.
Dx Teebird 175 gr.
Dx Rancho Roc 172 gr.
Star Ontario Roc 180 gr...
Star Stingray 180 gr.
DX Stingray 180 gr.
DX XD putter 169 gr.
DX Aviar Putter 175 gr.
DX Aviar Putt and Aproach 175 gr

I used to have a bag much like yours but over the summer I took a lot of molds out and learned the molds I liked to make the shots I need. I use levels of wear on the disc for the shot needed.

Try going out and playing a round with the bag I listed and I bet you would not miss any of the disc I left out.

Not trying to rag on your bag just an opinion.

 

[kirvin2]

For me this would be a lot of overlap. Why have a Roadrunner and Sidewinder? I would pick one of those two. Or even drop them both and replace it with a beat in Valk.

Stalker Star Teebird DX Teebird, Pick the Stalker or the Teebird really no need t have both in the bag when you can get the same results with one disc.

Also, the DX Teebird really could replace the Champ Leopard once the Teebird gets beat a little.

For mids, do you really need 2 rocs-mako coyote-stingray? Seems like you could get by with the Rocs and either the coyote or the stingray.

If I had to pick a bag from the disc listed I would go with

Champion Orc 168 gr.
Star Orc 175 gr.
Champion Firebird 165 gr.
Star Roadrunner 167 gr.
Star Teebird 175 gr.
Dx Teebird 175 gr.
Dx Rancho Roc 172 gr.
Star Ontario Roc 180 gr...
Star Stingray 180 gr.
DX Stingray 180 gr.
DX XD putter 169 gr.
DX Aviar Putter 175 gr.
DX Aviar Putt and Aproach 175 gr

I used to have a bag much like yours but over the summer I took a lot of molds out and learned the molds I liked to make the shots I need. I use levels of wear on the disc for the shot needed.

Try going out and playing a round with the bag I listed and I bet you would not miss any of the disc I left out.

Not trying to rag on your bag just an opinion.

I understand where you're coming from. I just returned to the sport back in July and have all of these new (at least to me) discs to choose from that didn't exist or were harder to obtain 15 to 20 years ago. I just recently narrowed my bag down to the list I posted.

The Stalker was the disc I got when I joined the PDGA, so I'm test driving that one for a while.
The Mako is also very new to me and I will probably pull the coyote and keep the Mako. The Mako will probably boot the Star ont. Roc out of my bag too, but I'll keep the DX Roc
Not that fond of the Champ Leopard right now but giving it a chance to get beat in. Will probably replace it with a Star Leopard as I need a good turnover fairway driver.

I'm still narrrowing it down but the discs that I have put on the shelf so far are.
Groove
Katana
Destroyer
X-caliber
Surge
Wraith
Monarch
I don't have the arm speed for these discs yet. The Disc that I have thrown the farthest is my 167gr. Star Roadrunner. If I hyzer flip it just right it flips up to a slight turnover and flies straight and long. I've gotten it out to about 370'
9 speed discs are more my speed.

 

[kirvin2]

Amidst all this malarkey about mids, putters, and fairway drivers helping your game I realized that I'm the perfect guinea pig for a case study. Since I'm wildly erratic (throw 400' one day, struggle to break 330' the next) I'm tossing out all the distance drivers out of my bag for awhile.

My bag will now consist of:
1 Star Starfire
1 Champ Viking
1 Champ Valk
1 Star Sidewinder
1 SPD
2 Z Stalkers
1 Star TL
1 JLS
5 Nebulas (gotta fill up a tourney bag somehow)
2 QMSs
1 Star Skeeter
1 beat to hell flippy POS Champ Monarch (the only speed 10)
and a champ Eagle X to be added later

and putters. (SSS Voodoo [actually pretty stiff] and a SSS Magic)

Goodbye Surges, Surge SS, and Halo.

We'll see how much truth the DGR faithful hold, I suspect quite a bit.

Let the experiment begin.

I like the general idea of your esperiment but think you should lose all the drivers and go with only midranges and putters for a while. Nothing will teach you the game like those discs will. When you learn to throw the mids consistantly far, it's time to start adding the faster discs to your bag. If you get you mids up to about 320' your drivers will start going even farther, perhaps 400' or more.

I had some excellent guidance when I first started out 20 years ago. My only source for new discs at the time was David Greenwell. He took my friends and I out on the course and played with nothing but a Roc and a Stingray. He said to master those discs before moving on. He was incredible back then. On hole #17 at Iroquois park, he threw the complete distance 447' with a Roc, he ended up about 50' to the right of the pin. He then took out his Stingray and threw a big sky roller that parked itself right under the basket. He dueced from both lies. So, for the longest time I only used a Roc and a Stingray. I think it makes you a better golfer.

Master the Mids.

 

[garublador]

I often consider using my Firebird (which I swapping out for the Banshee) for the same hyzer shots and using my Aviar for more approaches.

Definitely do that. It will change the way you think about approaches for the better.

YMMV, but I'm not a big fan of the Teebird for exercises like this. IMO, it's too hard to throw and doesn't give very good feedback when you mees up a little. It either hides what you did (especally in Champ/Star) or exaggerates it so you never know if you were a little off, sorta off or really off. A little off can look like a good throw and sorta off will look the same as really off. IMO, discs with more gradual flight charictaristics (ones that won't either lock into straight or turn hard like a Teebird) like the Cheetah, Polairs, Cyclone and Gazelle, among others, will give more useful feedback when you're looking to improve form. Teebirds (especally beat DX Teebirds) are good for verifying that you're doing things right, though.

 

[toothyfish]

That's an interesting challenge. I really like my gator and trust it for short approach shots as well as hyzers but I often consider using my Firebird (which I swapping out for the Banshee) for the same hyzer shots and using my Aviar for more approaches.

I use my Voodoo (putter) for all the approaches I can. I have recently added the Whippet to my line up to cover all overstable needs from longer approaches up to "short" fairway driver use. I no longer have the need for a dedicated overstable mid (previously carried a Drone, Viper, and Predator), since I can cover those shots with the Whippet.

The really liked the Banshee as an overstable driver, more so than the Firebird (speed 7 vs speed 9, and better control IMO) The Whippet, though, to me feels like a really overstable Gazelle. I can throw it like a mid (under powered) and still use it for fairway duty. The longer stuff I cover with a Predator.

 

[smyith]

Amidst all this malarkey about mids, putters, and fairway drivers helping your game I realized that I'm the perfect guinea pig for a case study. Since I'm wildly erratic (throw 400' one day, struggle to break 330' the next) I'm tossing out all the distance drivers out of my bag for awhile.

My bag will now consist of:
1 Star Starfire - distance driver
1 Champ Viking - distance driver
1 Champ Valk - distance driver
1 Star Sidewinder - distance driver
1 SPD - distance driver
2 Z Stalkers
1 Star TL -same as JLS
1 JLS - same as TL
5 Nebulas (gotta fill up a tourney bag somehow)
2 QMSsr
1 Star Skeeter
1 beat to hell flippy POS Champ Monarch (the only speed 10) - distance driver
and a champ Eagle X to be added later - distance driver

and putters. (SSS Voodoo [actually pretty stiff] and a SSS Magic)

Goodbye Surges, Surge SS, and Halo.

We'll see how much truth the DGR faithful hold, I suspect quite a bit.

Let the experiment begin.

most of those are still distance drivers. altho they may be a bit slower they are still capable of really long drives. the point that is to throw true fairway and mids to better your game.
and the JLS and TL are repeats of each other

 

[BrotherDave]

most of those are still distance drivers. altho they may be a bit slower they are still capable of really long drives. the point that is to throw true fairway and mids to better your game.
and the JLS and TL are repeats of each other

I can put mids out to ~300-310' on a good day and about ~280' on bad ones already. The thing is I hate having to make big adjustments in terms of grips and feel so the reason I'm keeping what drivers I have already is to take baby steps. Once I feel like I've progressed to a certain point I'll graduate to mids and putters only. Then, after I feel like I have that stage down I'm going to slowly bring the slow drivers back in, and then finally sprinkle in some distance drivers if I ever get there. All of this will probably take a year I'm guessing. I'm quick learner but I'm also a quick forgetter as well.

And again, I only use the Starfire for flicks and OH.

The JLS and TL don't overlap too badly b/c of wear, I'm probably only gonna throw the JLS in high risk scenarios b/c it's so ugly I wouldn't mind losing it.

 

[BrotherDave]

Just to clarify what I use each disc for:

My bag will now consist of:
1 Star Starfire FH and OH only

1 Champ Viking Treeless drives

1 Champ Valk Treeless drives that need to stay right

1 Star Sidewinder good luck charm

1 SPD On a trial basis to see if I like it

2 Z Stalkers Long fairway drives out of mid range

1 Star TL Same as ^ but for TOs

1 JLS Throw away disc

5 Nebulas (gotta fill up a tourney bag somehow) ~80% of what I'll be driving with

2 QMSs Approaches

1 Star Skeeter "Delicate" approaches

1 beat to hell flippy POS Champ Monarch (the only speed 10) Rollers
and a champ Eagle X to be added later

 

[sloppydisc]

I have started doing a similar experiment. My only weakness is that I occasionally still throw a 150 Champ Sidewinder on holes that are wide open and have no wind or a tail wind. It needs room to work but it is fun to watch it glide on the right hole. Other than that I am driving a Leopard or Teebird the most. My question is where does a Z Stalker fit in? It feels similar to my Teebird, but it labelled an 'Extra Long Range Driver'. Should I pull that from the bag too? And do the disc down rules not apply to thumbers? I still throw my Firebird for that. I only use my Banshee for hyzers around trees. Otherwise it stays planted in the bag.

 

[PanicKJ]

I threw a valkyrie for a year as my primary driver. I still carry four or five valks in my bag every time I play, one so beat that I can throw a hyzer and it will turn into a roller. One a little beat for hyzer flips. One worn for straight shots and a new one so I have one with a little fade on the end. However I have been finding more and more that most of my drives are short enough for a buzzz, teebird, or gazelle. Or they are so long that I need my Katana. I still use my beat valk for rollers but the others don't get much use. However the 5th valk is getting a lot of play lately, it is a 150 class I use for standstill shots and tomohawks.

 

[BrotherDave]

I have started doing a similar experiment. My only weakness is that I occasionally still throw a 150 Champ Sidewinder on holes that are wide open and have no wind or a tail wind. It needs room to work but it is fun to watch it glide on the right hole. Other than that I am driving a Leopard or Teebird the most. My question is where does a Z Stalker fit in? It feels similar to my Teebird, but it labelled an 'Extra Long Range Driver'. Should I pull that from the bag too? And do the disc down rules not apply to thumbers? I still throw my Firebird for that. I only use my Banshee for hyzers around trees. Otherwise it stays planted in the bag.

I'd say Stalkers are slower than teebirds, just slightly. Ignore the stamps and go by the rim width, they don't lie. I love stalkers b/c they have the tightest S-curve of any disc I've thrown, great for wooded fairways.

In Dave news, I think my Nebula field work paid off, I felt a lot more "hit" today in my throws. God, it's so much nicer when you don't strong arm everything. I'm sure I'll regress now that there's 4" of snow on the ground now.

 

[toothyfish]

I threw a valkyrie for a year as my primary driver. I still carry four or five valks in my bag every time I play, one so beat that I can throw a hyzer and it will turn into a roller. One a little beat for hyzer flips. One worn for straight shots and a new one so I have one with a little fade on the end. However I have been finding more and more that most of my drives are short enough for a buzzz, teebird, or gazelle. Or they are so long that I need my Katana. I still use my beat valk for rollers but the others don't get much use. However the 5th valk is getting a lot of play lately, it is a 150 class I use for standstill shots and tomohawks.

Interesting comments. I'm finding the same thing. Spent months looking for the right distance driver, only to find that as my form has improved, I only throw it 3 times a round, maybe 6 from the long tees. Suddenly, 320 ft is a short drive...

 

[wolito]

I am with you here. My fastestt discs in my bag are two Champ Vikings and 1 Star Valk. The rest are slower discs. After 3 years I have realized that the faster discs really don't get me any more distance then the others because of my bad form I suppose. Until I can consistantly throw >350 feet with these drivers, then I will keep my bag as is.

 

[sirflicksalot]

aren't vikings,valks,starfires and sidewinders all distance dirvers. Guess I'll play with no putter except my wizard and warlok . you douche nozzle

 

[BrotherDave]

aren't vikings,valks,starfires and sidewinders all distance dirvers. Guess I'll play with no putter except my wizard and warlok . you douche nozzle

"Speed 9" discs aren't all that much faster than Teebirds, etc. I don't get bogged down with what it says on the stamp of the disc because that gets changed a billion times, ie Aeros and Stingrays use to be drivers. And I don't have to worry about the Starfire anymore, I lost it on an ill-fated thumber

My speed 9 discs are more utility discs than distance discs for me.

 

[okiebullgod]

This worked for me too. I had hit a plateau, and was unable to utilize a Boss. I threw only my teebird, shark, and putter for 3 weeks. Now I'm able to crush that boss.

 

[Ryan P.]

And I don't have to worry about the Starfire anymore, I lost it on an ill-fated thumber

That sucks, you use to use that thing quite a bit for some tricky shots.

 

[Circleyrvowels]

my discing down has been leaving some drivers in and by some I mean one kind of. It was the overstable discs that were killing my inexpirenced arm. Once all wraiths and force even star beasts left the bag the fastest driver I had was a sidewinder and it was understable enough for me to throw properly. So now I have two drivers and some fairway drivers but all are understable,and this has helped take many strokes off my game.