DWalk's Bag

[Casey 1988]

Interesting, did not know that - thanks for the pointer

The only way a Star Valkyrie is US compaired to a Champion Valkyrie is if the Star is high domed and the Champion is normal to low dome. Otherwise The Star will be more OS. Also have a flat top or nearly flat top Valkyrie and the disc will be in a flight path like a Viking.

 

[dwalk77]

After some more play this year, I've decided to start working in the LHBH shot again. There's some situations where the RHBH turnover just doesn't cut it....particularly if there's a low ceiling with a right turn needed, and/or if there's a sharp right turn needed.

I definitely get more distance out of my RHBH, but surprisingly the LHBH isn't that far behind. I'm starting to break 300' more regularly with the RHBH. Today I had a few LHBH that were around 270'.

All that being said, my disc selection hasn't changed much since last post:

Putters
SS Wizard - putting putter
Z FLX Ringer GT - approach putter. I did change plastic here from JB to Z FLX. I really like both. I think the JB throws straighter/not as OS, but I think I give the edge to the FLX b/c I find it easier to grip and I also like how it sticks where it lands

Mids
ESP Buzzz - switched out the Buzzz SS for this. Now that I've got throws that go both left and right, I won't be throwing turnover shots as much
Fuzion Verdict - o/s mid. when I want a little more distance or fight in the wind than the Ringer GT

Drivers
X Mantis - if I need something to turn a little or a straight long shot. I feel like this disc is perfect for my arm speed. I get some great flights out of it.
Fuzion Getaway - o/s, if I need something to fight wind or fade left. can go pretty straight for a while before it fades.

I feel like those 6 cover just about everything I need, and I don't see them going anywhere. I don't use the Buzzz much, but I think part of that is I usually play an open course that doesn't require straight shots. I got a Thrasher recently and have been trying it out. I'm not really sure I need it. The idea was it would be a sort of "max distance'" disc for longer holes, but so far I haven't seen too much of a distance gap between it and the Mantis/Getaway.

 

[dwalk77]

Doing a little more experimenting, but don't feel I need to veer too far from my current bag

Putting:
- no changes.

Mids:
- going to try removing the Verdict. I feel it's unnecessary and too much overlap with the Ringer GT. I think between the Ringer GT and Buzzz, I can cover most of its shots. I wasn't using it more than a few times a round to begin with. We'll see how much I miss it.

Fairways:
- replacing X Mantis with Big Z Mantis for durability purposes. Prefer the grip of the X, but after only 10 rounds or so, the wear is very evident and I can already see the flight changing. I prefer discs that last for the long haul.
- I love the Getaway, but I realized the Fuzion/Lucid plastics feel extremely slick with sweaty hands. Was looking for a more grippy disc in a similar mold. Ordered a Star Thunderbird, Sirius OLF, and ESP Anax. Have already tested the Thunderbird, but the star plastic doesn't seem to fair any better than Fuzion as far as grip with sweaty hands goes.
- last change is considering adding a straight fairway. Something like a longer Buzzz, dead straight. Really important for woods golf. The Getaway has too much fade and the Mantis has too much turn. I can hyzer flip the Mantis to flat, but it's not consistent, and sometimes it still turns over. Leaning towards ESP Undertaker. If I really like the Sirius OLF, I may try a Sirius OLS
- I've also ordered a few DX Wraiths to serve as a "backup" disc. Something I won't mind losing for risky shots, and also something I can reach for if I'm struggling with sweaty hands syndrome. Texas heat is no joke. I've read good things about the DX Thunderbird, may pick up some of those as well.

 

[wolfhaley]

You should order a sport sack or whale sack for sweaty hands. They work pretty good. Just a thought.

 

[Rastnav]

You should order a sport sack or whale sack for sweaty hands. They work pretty good. Just a thought.

Yeah, the funny thing is that I find the grip on the fuzion discs to be incredible with just the right amount of moisture. Whale sacs are amazingly great and I'm usually adding just a tiny bit of moisture to my fingertips.

 

[dwalk77]

You should order a sport sack or whale sack for sweaty hands. They work pretty good. Just a thought.

Nice, thanks for the suggestion....I actually have a Birdie Bag on the way....can't hurt, right?

Yeah, the funny thing is that I find the grip on the fuzion discs to be incredible with just the right amount of moisture. Whale sacs are amazingly great and I'm usually adding just a tiny bit of moisture to my fingertips.

Yeah, I've been throwing Fuzion since about March and had no issues whatsoever until a few weeks ago. At the rate I'm sweating, I don't think it's Fuzion plastic specifically, but any of the premium plastics. Too bad they don't have the Getaway in Prime

 

[wolfhaley]

I've been having the same issue for a couple weeks. So I ordered a couple sport sacks for my road trip because it was supposed to be really hot. Naturally they never arrived before I left, so it's sweaty hands for me the next 3 days

 

[dwalk77]

I took an ESP Zone out today, kind of out of curiosity to see how much it would be used. I used it 7 times, which is more than I expected. I'm hesitant to add another mold b/c I like to keep things simple and minimized, but the Zone definitely has a unique line compared to the Ringer GT or Buzzz. It proved it's usefulness today, so I'm going to try keeping it around for a while. It feels great in the hands too.

By comparison, I used the Buzzz 4 times and the Ringer GT 8 times today.

I've also been trying an OLF/OLS rather than the previous Getaway/Mantis. I'm liking the OLF/OLS combo so far. Feels a little better in my hand. The OLS still has a healthy fade at the end, but I feel it might be money after I break it in a little.

So as of now:

Putters
SS Wizard - putting putter
Z FLX Ringer GT - approach putter, slightly o/s

Mids
ESP Zone - when I want more fade and/or more skip than the Ringer GT. Great for trouble shots
ESP Buzzz - straight mid with a touch of fade

Drivers
Sirius OLS - longer Buzzz. shapeable and fairly straight.
Sirius OLF - o/s, if I need something to fight wind or fade left. can go pretty straight for a while before it fades.

 

[dwalk77]

No changes to the above lineup..
I tried a JLS, but the OLS feels better in my hands and I was also getting more distance with the OLS.
I got a Standard OLS, which I'm going to try breaking in and using as a max distance disc, similar to what the X Mantis used to be for me.
Only other gap I can think of is something similar speed to OLF, but more o/s. This would be for hard fading and utility shots, like a longer Zone, but I don't think it's that crucial of a spot, as I can shape the OLF. Maybe a Quantum OLF or a Raptor, but not high priority.

Like the bag, just want to get lots of rounds under my belt with it at this point

 

[dwalk77]

2021 is here. Going out for my first round of the year today.

Here's the bag I'm starting out with:

Putters
SS Wizard - what can I say...this is the only thing I've putted with for the last 2 years, and it's not going anywhere

Wedges
(between putters and mids)
JB Ringer GT - if I need a straight approach or even something with a bit of turn on it. This has sneaky distance, but it is a lot more affected by wind than the Z FLX plastic
Z FLX Ringer GT - my go-to approach. I like the stability, I trust where it's going, and the Z FLX just sticks...and the grip feels awesome too
ESP Zone - can hit some super beefy lines and an trust in all wind conditions. great for getting around trees/obstacles, and also has some good skip/ground action to it

Mids
ESP Buzzz - straight mid that I can shape...can turn it a bit or put some hyzer on it. good for light wind, not for heavy wind
ESP Buzzz OS - a beefy buzzz. Great if I want the shape of an OLF, but something a bit shorter.

Drivers
X Mantis - my roller disc. Just recently added this in, not 100% about this one yet, but it does seem to turn over and roll easy enough.
S OLS - a longer buzzz. straight and long. once beat in, holds it's turn a bit better. my go-to distance disc, as long as there's not significant wind
S OLF - workhorse driver. nice gentle fade, great grip, can handle wind, seems to be right speed for my arm
HD Blade - new addition in 2021, a beefier OLF. good for spike hyzers or severe hyzers, also has great skip/ground play.

I stuck with the LHBH/RHBH approach in 2020, and it paid off. My LHBH got much better and cut quite a few strokes.

As someone who likes to minimize, it pains me to say it, but at the end of 2020 I added a good number of discs. I'm up to 10 discs now. I know I could have a good round with 5 or 6 core discs, but my main objective is to score low, not to see how few discs I can get by with. Last year, my friends and i played one course pretty regularly, and as I got to know the course better, I found that there were a few shots here and there that asked for a very specific line, and it was just easier to hit that line with a different disc. So that's why I've added some of these discs.

I don't see many glaring gaps with this setup. With a distance around 300', not concerned with discing up anytime in the near future. The biggest uncertainty in my current bag might be the Mantis. I've only recently started trying to throw a roller, so I'm not sure if there's a better fit for me there. If anyone has any favorites/suggestions for good rollers, I'd like to hear them

 

[dwalk77]

Wanted to give a mid-year update on the bag.
This is what it's looking like right now..

---
Putters
SS Wizard

Approach
Soft Logic - new disc, goes dead straight, feels good for pinch grip, have got good results with it so far
Putter Line Zone - want something to bridge gap between Logic and ESP Zone. On order, so haven't tried yet. Was using JB Ringer GT, but got beat in and stock runs are not in stock
ESP Zone

Mids
Z Buzzz SS - I realized the standard Buzzz felt a little too thin in my hand. The Buzzz SS provides a little more width and feels much more comfortable, while still giving a similar flight.
Fuzion EMAC Truth - I felt there was too much overlap between the Buzzz OS and the Zone. The EMAC goes significantly further than the Zone and still gives fade, but not without as much bite

Fairways
Sirius OLF
HD Blade

Distance
Pro Beast - this has basically taken the spot of the OLS I was using previously. I like the thicker rim and this has much more glide and distance for me. Downside is Pro plastic breaks in much more quickly than premium plastics. Might try to break in a Champion plastic
Star Wraith - for my distance, it's debatable if I need this disc b/c it doesn't provide much of a different flight than the OLF, but I like the idea of having a speedier disc for headwinds or a little extra distance.

---
I did shoot under par at my home course a few months ago, which was my personal best and a long-time goal. Now there's another course where I have the same goal (current PB is Even par there).

Feel like I've made great progress with my putting stroke, and have also had some great throws with the Logic lately. It feels great to throw a disc dead straight. Feel like my biggest opportunity is distance. Although I've videoed myself and watched several Youtube videos, doesn't seem like there's been much of a breakthrough with distance. Regardless, I still love the sport and will keep striving for better scores!

 

[dwalk77]

Just wanted to update bag as of the beginning of this year
Highlighted in red are the discs I've added since last post

Putters
SS Wizard

Approach
Soft Logic
ESP Zone

Mids
Z Buzzz SS
Fuzion EMAC Truth

Fairways
Opto Explorer - basically for situations where I'd normally use EMAC Truth, but heavy wind. Pretty O/S now, need to beat it in
VIP Stag - has replaced the Pro Beast as my go-to driver. The Opto plastic is more durable than Pro, and speed 8 is more appropriate than 10 for my arm speed.

ESP Heat - wanted a disc for rollers and significant tailwind
Sirius OLF
HD Blade

---
Only been out a few rounds this year thus far, but don't see any gaps in my bag. Something I really want to focus on is more putter/mid only rounds, especially throwing the Logic and Buzzz SS further and feeling more comfortable with them.

A few other discs I plan to experiment with:
Champ Beast - although I don't get the designed flight out of it, the Champ plastic feels amazing and the rim feels perfect in my hand. For now, I can use it for OLF-like shots, and try to beat it in throughout the year.
Opto Fuse - I don't have anything against the Buzzz SS, more out of curiosity. I think this is a key slot and this disc has great ratings so will be trying it out
Diamond Shaman - similar to the Logic, but should be more durable. If I get the same consistency as with Logic, may replace it

 

[dwalk77]

mid-year update on the bag..
- blue = no changes to mold
- red = different mold than last time or still experimenting


Putter
Wizard (SS)

Approach
(straight) - Logic (Soft and Hard) - added Hard version for a bit more stability
(o/s) - Zone (Soft and ESP)


Mids
(straight) - Buzzz SS(Z-FLX) - prefer Z-FLX plastic over Z for a bit more grip. Also tried Mako3 and a great runner up
(o/s) - EMAC Truth (Fuzion and FuzionX) - added FuzionX for a bit more stability

Fairways
(straight) - Leopard3 (GStar) - Stag was getting too flippy too quickly, hoping for more durability with Innova plastic. Also own in Champ plastic, not sure if I prefer GStar or Champ

(o/s) - Explorer (Gold) or Teebird3 (GStar or Star) - torn between the two, need to do some side by side throws to see how they compare

(very o/s) - Blade (HD)


Distance
(straight) - Spear (Diamond) or Valkyrie (GStar) - I'm flipping the Leopard3 fairly easily, so thinking there should be a sweet spot for a disc that I can rip into and have some turn, max D disc

(o/s) - Beast (Champion)- the disc just feels to good not to bag. Don't use it as the flight numbers suggest (turn/fade of -2/2), but instead like a longer Explorer - something straight that will have a reliable fade at the end

 

[dwalk77]

2023 has arrived. Here's how the bag is looking at the outset of the year.

A note about disc weight -- for my arm speed/power/athleticism, I tend to prefer around 165 for my neutral or u/s discs. Any less than that and it's too easily affected by wind. For my more o/s discs, I still don't like max weight, but something a bit more heavy around 170-172 to be more reliable in wind.

- blue = no changes to mold
- red = different mold than last time or experimenting

PUTTER
SS Wizard

APPROACH
(u/s) - Soft Logic
(straight) - Hard Logic
(o/s) - Soft Zone
(very o/s) - ESP Zone

MIDRANGE
(straight) - ZFLX Buzzz SS
(o/s) - Fuzion EMAC Truth
(very o/s) - FuzionX Emac Truth

FAIRWAYS
(u/s) - Star Leopard3 - In the past I've used the River and Stag for this spot, and I think they are great discs and wouldn't be sacrificing much if anything by going back to them. But...I've come to have an affinity for Innova Drivers, particularly in the Star and Champ plastic. I find them to be more durable than trilogy plastic, and I feel the L3 may be a bit easier to control than the other 2 due to it having less glide and not rising up on me when I need a low tunnel shot or have a bit of wind against me.
(straight) - Champion Leopard3 - something a bit more predictable in wind than the star or if I want a bit more finish than the Star L3
(o/s) - Star Teebird3 - kind of a tossup between this and the Explorer, but as mentioned before, I like Innova plastic and this has done really well for me over the last 5-6 months. Don't see a need to go for anything else
(very o/s) - HD Blade

DISTANCE
(u/s) - Pro Beast - I've used this before, but was torn whether to keep it in my bag or not b/c the Pro plastic gets pretty flippy pretty quickly. I've decided to keep it around b/c it does get me a bit more distance than anything else in my bag as long as it doesn't flip over on me. If there's tailwind and I need a long shot, this is a good one.
(straight) - Opto Sapphire - like the Pro Beast, I don't use this often. This is light weight, (162), and I don't get a whole lot more distance than the Leopard3, but I prefer the feel of the thicker rim over the L3, and the Speed 10 does get me a little more distance.
(o/s) - Champion Beast - I've had this in and out of my bag. On one hand, it is the best feeling disc I have. The rim, the slight dome, it just feels perfect for a power grip. Most of the other discs I have the rim feels a bit too small, and from my experience higher speed discs like the Shryke feel to big. On the other hand, b/c I don't have huge power, there's a lot of overlap between this and the Teebird3. At the end of the day, it just feels too good for me not to bag, and it does give a bit more distance than the T3. Even though the numbers say it's should be a straight thrower with significant turn, I use the Champ plastic as more of a straight thrower with a healthy fade at the end of it.

Other notes:
- I started using a 3-finger power grip for basically all my throws. It started with me experimenting with my speed 7 discs. It just felt much more comfortable to let the pinky hang off the bottom than trying to cram all my fingers under the rim. Then I realized I could do the same thing for my mids and throwing putter. Previously I was using a pinch grip for them, but thus far the 3-finger power grip seems to be more reliable and I don't grip lock it as much. Finally, I even started using it on my higher speed discs, and it doesn't seem like I'm sacrificing much distance, if any, and might actually get a little more snap that way

- Recently been working on extending my reach back. After video review, I've realized I'm not pulling back all the way, from both the left and right side. I don't think that's such a bad thing if it's a tight tunnel shot, but for open shots a full reach back does give me more distance

- One thing I want to focus on, at least in the beginning of 2023, is Leopard3, Leopard3, Leopard3. I think the disc is amazing and good things will happen if I continue to throw it a lot and use it as a staple.