Go to driver for amateur player

[the invisible tree]

Try a dx eaglex. I threw teebirds almost exclusively for about a year and recently switched over. I liked the TB a bit better for headwinds but the eagle does better for me on everything else. Even for most straight shots I like the eagle more. I need less overall width if I start an eagle out slightly to the left and let it track slowly right all the way to the ground. The EX goes much further for me as well because it's easier to get it high and nose down.

 

[Eric O]

I would prefer to only get one driver - like if the QOLF could be used as a fairway driver for example. Later I'll definitely have a fairway and a distance driver, but right now I don't know. The courses in my area are mainly tunnel shots, but there are definitely some wide open holes.

Get on the Gazelle or Cyclone bandwagon (similar molds). If your course has more placement tee shots than full power distance drives you will be glad you did. Then when you really need to air it out, that CE Valk you have should be pretty good for that with a bit more practice.

I noticed you have placed Gazelle/Cheetah/Leopard in the same class. I see the similarities but Gazelles are definitely better in my opinion because they have more rim stabilizers, meaning you can get DX plastic and it will break in to being a sweet disc, rather than a flippy one.

A DX Teebird is a lot less forgiving to throwing errors than a disc like a Gazelle in my opinion, so I wouldn't consider it an ideal choice as a first distance driver.

Another thing. A lot of people posting on this board have gone through phases of throwing lots of premium plastic for a while only to eventually switch back to primarily softer plastic after coming to a better understanding of the benefits of doing so.

 

[tram]

So just to be clear. With only 4 months of experience and a 250-300 typical drive driving with a fairway driver like the dx teebird, gazelle, or polaris I will either drive slightly less distance with more accuracy or a decent amount shorter with significant more accuracy than if I was driving with an SOLF, Orc, or similar long range driver. Also these fairway drivers will be significantly longer than my midranges such as the roc without sacrificing too much accuracy.

Is that about right?

 

[black udder]

I hate the idea of DX right now because I don't like the idea of a disc changing dramatically on me. I'm interested in what discs will do once they are slightly beat in and I would prefer for them to stay that way for a while. It's worth the extra couple of bucks for better plastic.

i highly recommend dropping this mentality.

Okay, let me rephrase. I just don't like the idea of people advising me to get discs in dx plastic because of what the disc does when new. I've heard stories of discs changing characteristics after one tree hit. If I did get a dx driver, I'd be more interested in what's it's like after it's broken in.

Then again, there are night mini-tournaments here ever week and it would also be a nice bonus to have a semi-transparent disc for lights. But that's just a bonus.

Man -- I was a firm believer in dx plastic changing a lot quickly when getting beat, but Blake wore me down. I picked up a couple Teebirds in dx (I've got a ton of champion plastic too). Anyhoo... I've actually smacked the disc into a tree hard enough to leave a crease in the disc. I've hit quite a few trees (more than I care to mention in public) and this disc is *still* stable. While not as stable as a new one, I can still throw it as hard as I want and it doesn't turn over and I'm not hyzering the disc more that a few degrees (as Blake says - no release is perfectly flat).

Now - I picked up a champion just because I wanted a teebird that would retain that stability longer, but I really like the dx more now. I put the champ in the trunk and pulled out a new dx. When the first is beat, replace it with the 2nd and get a new dx.

What will really affect dx plastic more than anything (as it wears) is your form. If it's not proper, you'll see bad results. With champ plastic, you see the same thing (really stable discs that hyzer at release and fade too quickly) and it just stays like that until you have enough power to throw the disc.

Do yourself a favor and pick up a dx copy of a disc you like. It's cheaper to experiment with and if you like it, you can get 2 for the price of one. It should last quite awhile - even with severe beatings.

I still carry the z/champ plastic, but I have a reason other than "so it doesn't wear down quickly".

I'd recommend the SOLS for you also - it's a thinner rim (if you have normal sized hands) and it's a sturdy plastic. It's stable, but not a wind driver. You could probably get a SOLF for a wind driver. Once you get over 350'-400', you may need a predator or something, but under 300' the SOLF is pretty stable.

 

[Donkeypuncher1]

So just to be clear. With only 4 months of experience and a 250-300 typical drive driving with a fairway driver like the dx teebird, gazelle, or polaris I will either drive slightly less distance with more accuracy or a decent amount shorter with significant more accuracy than if I was driving with an SOLF, Orc, or similar long range driver. Also these fairway drivers will be significantly longer than my midranges such as the roc without sacrificing too much accuracy.

Is that about right?

I think 4 months is a little too early to be messing with super fast discs to be honest. That valk is all you really need for high speed. You should still be able to get these discs out as far as the teebird if you are throwing that far, especially if you get good snap. Control should be your first priority, so the slightly slower more stable drivers are best to learn with. Once you learn how discs react and get better form, then the high speed drivers are in your range.

Plus a lot of the slower old drivers were actually high speed long distance drivers in their day, so they will get out there. Most of the discs mentioned are less nose angle sensitive which helps get your basic form before going in and tweaking certain aspects. A D wasp is another great disc to learn with in my opinion.

Read the articles on the main page, they do wonders for your game. I went from throwing similar distances to you, now I can bomb them out to near 400' if I put all my power in it. I can get the polaris out almost as far as an orc, but I overpower it and turn it over a lot so a hyzer flip is needed sometimes.


Also, find an empty open field or pick a nice open hole and throw your discs over and over. Try to get in 30-40 drives with good form and your body should get used to it. Field practice did wonders for my drives, and it only took a few weeks. I may have focused to much on driving and neglected my putting, but I putt 30 minutes a day no so I'm working on it.

 

[tram]

Okay, I just got an idea. I throw 250-300 right now. What if I get a overstable dx driver right now. I would use it for headwinds and shots where I need a good fade. Then by the time it breaks in, theoretically I'll be throwing 300-350 and it's purpose will change into just a straight flying driver, still having a place in my bag, just a different one. If this is a good theory what would be a good driver that would fit each purpose at the appropriate time?

By the way, I barely ever use the broken in valkyrie right now because it tends to betray me, but I have every intention on keeping it because I have a feeling I'll really like it once I get better.

 

[Donkeypuncher1]

Yes, keep it even if you don't like it right now. I went through a lot of discs in the first few months that I was seriously playing. Most of them I didn't like because my form was bad and I hadn't learned how certain discs fly different. Once you play for a year you should have a good idea of where you are and what you need. It also helps when you have friends that let you borrow their discs to try out.

I'm not a big fan of dx, only because trees and jagged rocks around here are brutal and I got tired of buying new discs. I think they fly more true to their design but longevity is my big concern.

 

[adamschneider]

Get on the Gazelle or Cyclone bandwagon (similar molds).

Maybe they have similar flight characteristics, but they feel quite different in one's hand. I love the way the Cyclone flies but not the way it feels. (I use a Tracker to fill the "slightly overstable fairway driver" spot.)

 

[black udder]

don't assume 300-350'. 350' is an achievement and a lot of players don't get there, let alone 400'.

I say that only so you don't get disappointed if you're not slinging them 400' by year end. It takes time and 250-300' is a good distance (even though I understand we all want more)

 

[K-Dog 19]

X Cyclone...

 

[tram]

Out of all the advice I have been given one thing has been constant, that I should stick to a fairway driver. My friend went ahead and traded me the QJLS. I'm liking it so far. My last question is if this works for me now, when do I go to a distance driver? I've heard people with distances ranging from 200-320 feet using discs like the wraith. Are they are just overconfident and ignorant or is there another mark for upgrading besides flat out distance?

 

[domromer]

go with a gazelle. The tbrid is a one trick pony.

 

[jmammo]

go with a gazelle. The tbrid is a one trick pony.

exactly

 

[Anonymous]

DELETED

 

[domromer]

ha, I play with people who will throw a wraith on a 200ft shot through the woods, and they wonder why they end up in the trees 9/10 times. These are not beginners either. Good marketing on innovas part. " you can do anything with a wraith/ insert your own favorite superfast driver"

 

[thatdirtykid]

Out of all the advice I have been given one thing has been constant, that I should stick to a fairway driver. My friend went ahead and traded me the QJLS. I'm liking it so far. My last question is if this works for me now, when do I go to a distance driver? I've heard people with distances ranging from 200-320 feet using discs like the wraith. Are they are just overconfident and ignorant or is there another mark for upgrading besides flat out distance?

When you get to the point where you throw the QJ well, but it doesn't have the distance to reach where you want, step up to a Sirius Orion LS (SOLS). It throws just like the QJLS, but with more distance potential. The Orion LS was designed as a max-distance JLS - same flight characteristics over longer distance. The rim on a SOLS isn't as huge as a Wraith... huge rims are for huge arms with big hands at the end.

I normally use QJ for every tee shot except the par 5s. Most par 4s are better with a well-placed QJ drive. Only the 5s need the kind of D a SOLS will give. And yes, those guys are idiots for throwing their Wraith so short. Wraith/SOLS are only for huuuuge shots. Otherwise, fairway driver.

I disagree, the SOLS requires more power to throw than a OLS, SOLF, ORC, and many other discs that fly similarly.

How does the valk fly that it betrays you. is it too stable, or is it turning over? If a beat up valk (even in CE) is too stable and you are having nose angle issues a disc like a SOLS will be even tougher.

 

[zealot]

http://gprime.net/flash.php/postingandyou

and then realize you didn't read a 'sticky' called 'why i push disc minimalism'

(all in jest of course)

 

[Anonymous]

DELETED

 

[Donkeypuncher1]

I wouldn't say all or one of these discs are right for you, but there is a good list of discs in this thread that you should try. Each person is really different, and will find a certain disc more comfortable than others. Finding that comfort disc is what I suggest to you. I must have went through 20 different molds before I found the one that I liked.

Once I found a disc that I liked, I picked up more that were rated similar on the disc flight chart. This has worked well for me so far, and I learned that I like stable discs that I can manipulate to hyzer/anhyzer for whatever shot is needed. I'm still not a fan of overstable discs, although they handle windy days much better.

 

[williethekid]

I would say get a sabre, especially one of the new flat white ones. Call the shop and you might get a deal.