Driver Recommendation

[kitjv]

Sound advice. Very much appreciated!

 

[ray1970]

Sounds like I really can't go wrong with either the Mako3 or the Buzz.

I would agree with this statement.

 

[itsRudy]

With that in mind, I have been practicing with putters only. If I am correct, putters tend to be the most stable of the discs. Therefore, I am assuming that bad throws are likely the lack of good technique on my part. As I have becomes more accurate & consistent with driving the putters, I plan to start using driver discs.

This is where I have a question for those of you that have improved your game beyond that of a beginner. Could you recommend a driver that is considered to be stable? At this point in my game, I am only concerned with throwing straight, accurate & consistent.

Depending on how far you throw, I'd say go for midranges - a Shark or Mako are pretty easy to get in a typical innova laden store. Or a Leopard as a driver.

Buzz is another typical midrange that likes to go straight. Other companies also make good discs. I don't think you can go too wrong on the midranges. Even stranger ones can have a spot in any bag helpful on certain holes.

People tend to jump into the drivers too fast and want the highest "speed" although the speed often does nothing good if the person throwing it doesn't have the form or power. Start with speed 6 or 7 fairway driver. If you find yourself throwing over 300 feet, maybe go up. If you're consistently overturning it (for RHBH, that means going much to the right before the fade), consider a faster disc.

 

[itsRudy]

They have factory seconds marked F2, and the DX often goes for around $6 a disc. Three of those plus a free disc works pretty well.

I've ended up getting a bunch of Star plastic F2s because I hit a bunch of trees and the DX changes its flight too quickly for my taste. So if you can get along with Star plastic, you'll find those discs really beat in slowly and last a long time.

This probably heavily figures the type of course someone is playing, lots of heavily treed fairways and whatnot probably would benefit a good amount from star plastic.

As a counterpoint, I had a bunch of (innova) star plastic in my 3rd and 4th playing years and while they last longer, losing a $20 disc simply hurts way more than an $8. Trying out a new model in star that also just doesn't work also sucks if it was expensive. I tried to get used to the feel and told myself they felt better but at the end admitted to myself I just don't like the feel compared to plain old DX. The innova star plastic is also lame as they just print the name of the disc and lack the graphics.

Maybe other companies are better in that regard but I'm glad I ditched it. Though my Opto Fuses are in some premium plastic.

 

[kitjv]

itsRudy: Thanks for your thoughts. In fact, several days ago I ordered a few Makos from the Innova factory store. Although I am only throwing consistently under 200', I can finally notice the performance difference when throwing putters vs. mids.

On a somewhat unrelated note, let share a few thoughts as a beginner. This is a difficult sport. For years I have heard many friends share their thoughts about the many nuances in regular "ball golf" - the footwork, grip, hip & shoulder rotation, head position, follow-through, etc. I have come to the conclusion that all of these factors apply to disc golf as well. As a total beginner, attempting to be mindful of all of these factor simultaneously while driving is tantamount to keeping 15 balls in the air while juggling.

So for me, I have been isolating & concentrating on only 1 or 2 components (for example, in practicing driving) at a time. I figure that if I can lock these components into my muscle memory then I can move on to other aspects of driving technique. My initial goal throughout my practice is to driving straight, accurate & consistent. It's tough; but it's fun.

My personal backstory, however, presents a few limiting factors. Although I have been ( and continue to be) physically active all of my life, I have to develop my skills in disc golf within certain limits. Because of my active lifestyle, over the years I have had to replace both hips, both knees & one shoulder. Throw in a couple of rotator cuff tears & fused vertebrae and you can see that I have no delusion of making the pro disc golf tour. Oh, and did I mention that I am 74 years old?

As weird as it might sound, as with other activities in my life, I get a certain amount of enjoyment in disc golf by seeing how far I can push the limits within my abilities. And if the next 6 years are kind to me, I just might take another shot at vintage motocross racing that I did at the young(?) age of 50.

I doubt that telling you about my past history has little relevance to this thread & this forum in general. But many of us have our challenges in life that we have to work around in our quest to become better disc golfers. But as Phil Knight of Nike fame might say: "Just do it".

 

[jupiterboy]

Glad to hear you are enjoying the Makos. I'm pushing 60 and have assorted physical limitations, too. But that's all fine as my expectations are very modest and the fun of throwing calls me back out to the course.

I, too, can only focus on so many things at a time, but the throw is always the throw. I took to the idea early that all the power comes from the ground, and then focused on my feet and hips. It's definitely a building process, but good fundamentals fix other issues almost automatically. Not letting bad habits cement themselves into the process feels key to me.

 

[ray1970]

You've got a few years on me but I also have some physical limitations that limit my performance. Being realistic about what you can and can't do will go a long way in making sure you can enjoy playing your game.

At your age and with any possible mobility issues that will impact your ability to develop that perfect form there are definitely going to be discs that will work better for you than others.

If I may make a suggestion, I would say that lighter weights are going to be your friend and help you achieve distance a little easier. If I was specifically going to recommend a disc then I would suggest you pick up a Latitude 64 Diamond in the 150g weight range. They are super easy to throw for beginners or those without great form or big power and they have glide for days. My wife started playing about a year ago and she's in her mid fifties and not exactly athletic these days. I've seen her park holes with her Diamond in the 250-275' range.

Latitude has a line of discs that are marketed as easy to throw beginner type discs that might be worth looking into but the Diamond is probably the best of them.

 

[kitjv]

Thank you, guys, for your thoughts. As I am sure that you know, there is a wealth of information on throwing technique available online. However, as with any source of information, one has to sift through the sometimes overwhelming heap of advice in order to extract solid information. But. most importantly, I truly appreciate those of you who are willing to take us beginners under your wing as others might have done to you in the past.

 

[zontar]

try a shark. throw it a LOT. you'll learn plenty.

 

[kitjv]

Interestingly, I have a Shark. Don't have anything to compare it too (yet). But that will change soon. Thank you.

 

[ThrowaEnvy]

Hey welcome to the game...

All good solid advice so far.... As a gyro bumper (disclaimer ) when you move up to a driver I would seriously think about a 155 Relay. Works good under low to higher power situations, lightweight gyro drivers are a thing of beauty as we get older and less physically capable... they keep a workable stability without getting goofy. The relay really is an awesome one, I've hooked up a few people out here with them and they have said it is their longest distance driver... Haha don't tell them it's a fairway driver... they might change their mind!

Other 150's of note would be a diamond, leopard, sidewinder, teebird.. In about that order of stability, least to most stable.

 

[kitjv]

Thank you for the recommendation. Much appreciated.

 

[Wayne Mags]

Avenger SS

 

[txmxer]

Wow. You've bested my two knees easily.

So, with all those bionic parts, you are built to last now.

Nobody has mentioned the dynamic Truth. For a mid, I like it. It has a shallower rim that feels good in the hand to me. I like it in base plastic and premium.

Another disc I like is the a Simon FD2 I found (no name on it FTR). It's very similar to a leopard, but a bit more stable. I don't know if you can get them now. The FD2s I see online have slightly different numbers.

A DD Escape (9 speed) is great beginner disc in base plastic. The Hatchet is similar but more under stable. If thrown properly the hatchet glides exceptionally well.

If you really want to try a driver (11 speed or higher), I really like the Innova Mamba.

If you can go to a store and see/feel different plastics, I highly recommend that.

Final note on speed. There are videos on YouTube that explain it, but speed doesn't mean the disc flies faster. It means the disc has to be thrown faster to achieve its intended flight. And it is the one parameter that is fairly consistent among discs because it is determined by rim width. Wider rim= faster speed number.

Pros throw drivers high 60 to 70 mph and that gets a pretty full flight out if a driver.

Old mortals like use are 40-50 mph typically. Technically, that tops out in the fairway driver range, but angle control might help squeeze a few more feet from higher speed discs.

Whatever you throw, I find throwing at a target to be much more effective than grip it and rip it.

 

[kitjv]

Judging by accuracy & consistency, my practice has been going well. Driving distance is something I am reserving for the future. However, I have come to appreciate how footwork, body rotation, arm position, grip & follow-through all have to coordinate through timing in order to create power. With that in mind, I am focusing on a few aspects of the technique at a time. Once I hopefully cement them into muscle memory, I can move on to increasing my distance. In the meantime, I'm having fun just practicing.

 

[RAHfrolfer]

My wife just got a buzz ss. I think this is a great beginner disk. Amazing glide. Goes straight. Somehow fights turning over but without too severe a fade. For someone looking to move up from only putters, this is an obvious next disc. If you want one faster than that, I found the leopard easy to throw as a beginner.

 

[raceface59]

I didn't read all of the previous pages, but I've found the Innova TL to be very user friendly. It's a 7 speed fairway driver that isn't too difficult to throw more or less on a straight line. I discovered it while I was looking for a straighter Leopard.

 

[ChrisinFL]

Agree. Note that some putters and discs have a bead or little ridge on the bottom. This design tends to make the disc stop when it hits the ground. Neither of these discs have a bead, but you see it in midranges and putters.

When you add in a true fairway driver or driver, you'll see that the edge is more of a true wedge. This adds "ground action" to the disc, so if you throw it straight and hard it may move a considerable distance skipping along the ground, sometimes at a pretty hard angle to the direction of the throw. It's good to have that option, so you'll want a disc that will do that at some point. That said, if you get a disc that is too fast for your arm, it won't fly right and won't get much more distance than a putter.

A Mako3 or a Buzzz will be are very usable next step, and pave the way for adding a fairway driver.

As a beginner (playing 2-3 months), I found Latitude 64 Diamond Retro Burst to be a great stepping stone to more distance. Very straight, lots of glide, beginner friendly. It is an 8 speed, 6 glide, but works very well for slower arm speeds, too. It is affordable, and flies great day one - no break in period needed.

 

[2naphish]

there is a channel on youtube for old guys who are just starting out,
at least his last 5 videos are dedicated to disc golf. hoping this helps.

https://www.youtube.com/@mayqlaf/videos

 

[ChrisinFL]

You've got a few years on me but I also have some physical limitations that limit my performance. Being realistic about what you can and can't do will go a long way in making sure you can enjoy playing your game.

At your age and with any possible mobility issues that will impact your ability to develop that perfect form there are definitely going to be discs that will work better for you than others.

If I may make a suggestion, I would say that lighter weights are going to be your friend and help you achieve distance a little easier. If I was specifically going to recommend a disc then I would suggest you pick up a Latitude 64 Diamond in the 150g weight range. They are super easy to throw for beginners or those without great form or big power and they have glide for days. My wife started playing about a year ago and she's in her mid fifties and not exactly athletic these days. I've seen her park holes with her Diamond in the 250-275' range.

Latitude has a line of discs that are marketed as easy to throw beginner type discs that might be worth looking into but the Diamond is probably the best of them.

Ray nailed it. Light weight, Diamond! I have about 30 mid range to drivers, and thrown a few others of family and friends - Diamond flies easiest, straightest, and regularly the farthest.