[Recommend] Help a Beginner Purchase the Right Discs

[SD86]

Photos of pink and blue Panthers. Hope the different domes show up...

 

[wims]

Photos of pink and blue Panthers. Hope the different domes show up...

It's easier to show the dome if you put the discs upside down at the table

 

[BrotherDave]

I've been playing disc golf for a month now, so I'm still very much a beginner. However, I've thrown catch discs my whole life, so I'm not totally inexperienced. I'd like to increase my collection of Innova discs to a set of ten or so. Currently I have lightweight leopard, shark, and aviar P&A; and a heavy thunderbird. With this in mind, would you please help me answer these questions?

Hello Sir/Madam,

Thank you for choosing disc golf. You could have chosen any fringe, underground sport but you chose us and we appreciate it. Many of our operators have already assisted you but here at disc golf course review forums we have dead horses to beat.

I don't like understable discs. My leopard is a great roller, so do I need a longer-range roller like the monarch, or is one roller enough?

The understable discs may not like you, either. Throwing understable discs is sometimes a labor of love. Rollers thrown backhand are usually done for maximum distance and heavier discs tend to roll more consistently so you may want to replace the Leopard as your roller disc in the future. The Monarch is a fine disc but much maligned by many disc golfers for its unique rim groove and its similarity to the universally hated Groove.

I want discs that will become increasingly useful as I progress. What's the maximum speed I should consider?

Excellent goal. Speed depends generally upon the user's form and arm speed. For most people, I recommend cutting your teeth with fairway drivers (speed 6-8 class, Leopards, Teebirds, Eagles, TL, etc) and growing into a speed 9-10 distance driver (Valks, Thunderbird, PD, OLF/OLS, Saint, etc). Even these slower distance drivers, though deemed FW drivers by many nowadays, go quite far with good form. While you may not have the form to throw the really wide rimmed drivers, they can still be useful and fun for skips, wide open holes, and low ceilings.

Will a hugely overstable disc like the firebird be of any use to me?

Yes. You can learn to throw overhand shots like tomahawks and thumbers, forehand rollers, spike hyzers, flex shots and other less conventional shots that help lower scores. Plus, they tame headwinds. Firebirds with dome are more beginner friendly than really flat ones.

How different is the Roc from the Shark?

The Roc has a bead and comes in 8596927390594 different variations. The Shark is kind of a poor man's Buzzz. They both make great, workhorse, stable mids.

I live in a very windy area. How well does the eagle fight headwind?

Pretty dang well. I speak of course of the "classic" Eagle, the Eagle-X. The Eagle-L or EL for short, not so much. Eagle-x's all do pretty well with wind but some can be particularly overstable and useful for wind.

Is the wolf a useful disc?

It's useful for handicapping your opponent if you lend it to him. Other than that, no, not really. There are a gazillion other discs more useful than the Wolf. You don't want to be one of those guys, there's a special place in Hell for Wolf throwers. :|

I like durability, so I use champion plastic. Will the better grip on star be worth the extra cost?

Everybody's hands are different but in my experience, not really. If I'm really concerned about grip I'd get DX or Pro discs for that, less durable but better glide and much tackier. The really nice thing about Star is that they're about as durable as Champ but they season a little quicker which is nice if you're looking for a replacement.

 

[FriedInTheDesert]

Consider a roc 3 to go with your shark and a sidewinder or pro leopard to compliment your thunderbird.

 

[armiller]

I don't like understable discs.

As others have mentioned, maybe increase the weight and see if that changes anything. Maybe I'm reading into things, but it seems to me that you're getting the discs up to speed okay. Understable discs definitely have their place, though "flippy" not so much. It's a fine balance.

Will a hugely overstable disc like the firebird be of any use to me?

I think yes. Again, this is assuming you're getting discs up to speed. But Firebirds and the like are incredibly useful for forehand/backhand hyzers, skip shots, overhands, and defeating pesky rounds with heavy wind.

I like durability, so I use champion plastic. Will the better grip on star be worth the extra cost?

I also prefer champion (or Z, since I throw tons of Discraft). I'm kind of a cheapskate, so I like to buy a disc without worrying about needing to replace it in the forseeable future. Champ/Z seem to last forever, and they just seem to get better with time. For me, grip has never been an issue. I actually like the feel better than Star/ESP or even Gstar/FLX. I understand that may be due to where I live. No super cold weather and not super wet. But if champ works for you, no one will fault you for it.

 

[Hyzenberg]

I started out with a Discraft starter set and shortly after fell in love with Innova plastic. If I could go back in time and recommend a few Innova disc:

Leopard 3 175g (I've owned: Champion) --> You need to try a heavier Leopard, if you want to save money pick up a 175 DX
Teebird 175g (I've owned: DX, Star and GStar) --> DX and GStar being my favorite
Teebird-L 175g (I've owned: Champion and GStar) --> I grab the GStar in normal conditions and Champ for wind
Mako3 175g (I've owne: Champion) --> Great for shaping shots, nice neutral mid range.

Putters are hit or miss and very subjective. I myself like 5x Yeti Aviar's and Classic Soft Judge's.

I would hold off on the firebird or any high speed drivers for now, until you get something like a Teebird or Leo3 out to 300-350.. I don't have the arm or form for the hyper speed drivers yet and I can accurately place fairway drivers 300-320ft out.

Don't get discouraged, it's a learning process. Hell you'll see people that have been playing for years still posting form critique threads and I'll be the first to tell you I've got tons to learn. Be comfortable with your game and open to others suggestions and your game will vastly improve.

 

[TheThoughtNinja]

Thank you all. I won't quote you because you've all been so helpful, but it seems like many are recommending a heavy Leopard. Maybe I should do that. A few have recommended choosing a different putter if it suits me. However, the Aviar seems to work for me, and I use the Shark a lot for putting as well. Almost everyone has discouraged getting a disc with speed 10 or more. I'm glad I asked, because I was considering getting mostly fast discs, but now I see that a few good fairway drivers could really improve my game. As some have inferred, I do have a fast arm speed (for a beginner at least) but my form and precision require improvement. Two people have really steered me away from the Wolf. Some have recommended giving understable discs a second chance, so I think I will.

Any final advice before I purchase some discs? Right now I'm leaning towards heavy Leopard, Panther, Mako3, TL3, Firebird, Valkyrie, and Eagle.

 

[93EXCivic]

Sounds like a good lineup to me. You may see some overlap between the TL3 and Eagle but it gives you options of which you like more.

If the Aviar works for you then keep using it. One piece of advice, you may want to grab a couple extras for practicing and I personally don't like to use my same putter for upshots and putting particularly base plastic ones. If you smack a tree hard with your DX putter, it probably won't fly the same and suddenly you have a putter you aren't used to putting with.

 

[SD86]

Any final advice before I purchase some discs? Right now I'm leaning towards heavy Leopard, Panther, Mako3, TL3, Firebird, Valkyrie, and Eagle.

Just this: The TL3 only comes in GStar plastic. If you find you don't like GStar plastic, then consider a TL (I prefer Star, but Champs are good too). The TL is called the "Teebird-L" on some sites that sell discs.

Other than that: :thmbup: and have fun.

 

[Hyzenberg]

I'd swap a Teebird in place of that Firebird, the firbird is going to have a really hard fade. If you're looking for an over-stable disc that won't meat hook at the end, go with a Teebird. If you really want the Firebird at the very least grab a DX Teebird max weight if you wanna save the coin. I started with a DX Teebrid and then bought more in different plastics, but I always have at least two in my bag.