[Question] Minimum number of throws per round to make the bag

[Spike Hyzer]

I did an analysis of my discs and the number of times I throw them per round. I realized I only throw my hatchet and verdict about once per round off the tee. I am thinking of dropping the verdict because I feel like it can be covered with a Emac Truth or Spark. The Hatchet will stay as it is more of a utility disc.

So my question is, "Do you all keep discs in your bag that only get thrown once per round, excluding utility discs?".

 

[ODRB]

.4 throws per round is the correct answer.

But I will take out stuff I know won't get thrown on a particular course -- e.g. no Destroyers on a course with nothing over 400. Nothing faster than Rocs if there's nothing over 300.

 

[F.Luke]

I keep discs that probably won't even get thrown in a couple rounds in the bag.

 

[Halcón]

I keep discs that probably won't even get thrown in a couple rounds in the bag.

This. I only keep 5-7 discs in the bag, so it's not like I can trim much anyway.

 

[ranger]

I don't keep a ton of discs in the bag, so one throw would be out.

 

[SD86]

One thing I've suggested in the past is that if you (plural) aren't using a disc very often, take it out and leave it at home or in the car (during a casual or practice round, NOT a tournament ). If you don't miss it and never reach for it or think of using it, then it's probably not needed. if you have times where you think of using it on a shot, or if you reach for it and say unprintable curses when you find it not there... then it's time to put it back in.

 

[Keller]

I just keep a box of my most used discs in the trunk and load my bag for the course I'm playing or the weather/wind conditions. I don't like carrying lots of discs.

One course I play, I only need 1 mid, another, nothing but a Sidewinder for a driver.

 

[Stable]

The only discs/molds I take out at times are my distance drivers and at times the Firebird. There are some courses (usually tight wooded ones) where I know I'm not going to use some drivers off the tee. All my fairway/mids/putters are always with me.

As for ones that only get used once per round? Yes, if I know they'll help lower my score they are getting bagged.

 

[dwindacatcher]

I could go 5 rounds without using certain discs and they will keep a spot. It all depends on what disc it is.

 

[PBokor]

At this stage in my development, I keep a couple of discs I hope to learn to throw, plus as few others as I feel I need to score reasonable well. Never more than 10-11 in the bag, no overlap, as I like to keep my load light. I do pack a 'throw away' disc for water hazards.

 

[Moose33]

I logged every throw for 6 months and found there were a couple of molds that almost never getting air time. So they left and I just threw in some more backups of molds that I like. I am down to 8 molds from 11 and it's been great.

 

[McCready]

My bag changes a lot between my home course and other/new courses. My home course bag has a few discs that will get thrown just once for specific shots. Coincidentally you mentioned the Verdict and that's one of mine-- #17 at Oregon Park is a dead-straight gradual downhill hole, around 260'. I'll aim a little right and watch it skip to within 20' of the basket almost every time. I rarely throw it otherwise. #7 is a slight downhill dogleg left with trees straight ahead at around 120'. I'll rip my Firebird flat at full power and I know it will fade left of those trees every time.

Lately I've been bagging as many as I can carry just because I'm trying a lot of new discs lately, but on my home course I probably only need 10 discs to cover every shot and not feel like I'm losing strokes.

On an unfamiliar course I'll carry a wider variety of discs with less overlap to hopefully cover every situation I'll see.

 

[armiller]

To be honest, my bag is currently bigger than I really need (Innova Deluxe). That's nice cuz I can get away without adjusting my bag too much from course to course. I don't play competitively much, so I haven't aggressively tracked throws per disc. The few times I have, I was amazed how much it could vary from round to round, even on the same course. Wind means I can't plan exactly what shot to throw from the tee, and the level of patheticness (patheticity? pathetition?) of my game off the tee means that most of my decisions come in the approach/scramble game. I have several discs in the bag that I rarely throw more than once or twice in a round (e.g. Drone) but I've come to love it for certain shots. So when it's not there, there's a 50% or more chance that I'll miss it.

In short, I'm not sure tracking throws is the answer. If you have a disc that you always look for to make a certain shot, it should probably be in your bag, unless you're totally sure you won't need that shot. And of course it'll vary from course to course or with weather/wind conditions.

 

[JamesXC]

I am a little bit OCD about stuff, so I tend to leave multiple discs in the bag even if I don't throw them for multiple rounds in a row. I have a five-year-old Star Firebird that I might throw twice a month, but if I rebuilt my bag from scratch it would be one of the first ones to go back in.

That said, it is kinda fun to finish up a round and then just go through the bag and figure out how many times I threw each one. The reality is that I will throw most of the ~20 that I carry at least once or twice every round.

 

[bsammons]

I always roll with the same discs... nothing against trying out new ones, and occasionally one may make the bag for an audition. But I like what I like, and if I like a disc, I won't feel comfortable going without it unless it's a pitch-and-putt course. I've tried playing a couple courses that I've played numerous times with only the 4-5 discs I'd throw off the tee, and it went fine... until I hit a tree midway down the fairway, or the wind picked up, or I'm not throwing the mids well, or...
point being, if it's a course that's any sort of challenging, I keep the discs I trust in the bag because not all my tee shots go according to plan. If that means carrying 2-3 discs that don't always get used, then maybe that's the case. I couldn't tell you the last time I threw my Motion into anything but a headwind or a skip shot scenario, but if I need that get outta trouble skip shot or the wind picks up halfway through the round and is beating me in the face, you can bet that I'm gonna have the Motion in the bag and I'm pulling it out. Same goes for the rest of the discs. I say it's less of how many times it gets used and more of having the few/many discs you trust that you can rip on with absolute confidence.

 

[bradharris]

I have a few discs in my bag that are used mostly for getting out of tricky spots. If everything is going well, I won't need them, but they're nice to have when I do find myself in a tough spot. However, if I need to make space, those are the first to go.

 

[Dr.Smooth]

really depends on course. I'm a mold minimalist and carry a small grip bag. it usually works out that i'm throwing only three molds.

if you throw every mold and or disc in a round something is terribly wrong my friend. unless it it is a mecca of a course.

 

[armiller]

if you throw every mold and or disc in a round something is terribly wrong my friend. unless it it is a mecca of a course.

Haha! Totally true. I find the discs I throw generally indicate how well or how poorly I'm doing. I made it through 18 one time with something like 18 driver/mid shots, and at least 30 shots with my putting putter. Needless to say, the tee shots were working pretty well, but I wasn't converting the birdies.

 

[ILUVSMGS18]

I change my bag slightly for the tighter course around here as I don't need as many OS/US discs for winds. If a mold isn't thrown for 5 rounds or so but it is more of a utility disc (ex. Mamba) it will stay in the bag. If I think I can kick out a disc I play a round without it and if I don't miss it it stays out if I do it usually goes back in. The most recent case of this was with my DDx and CD2 as they saw a throw once every 5 rounds or so plus my Escape seems to do what they both were used for.

 

[DanJon]

I have two Grip bags. An OG and a Mini. I usually only use the Mini at a local 9 hole course. It's a great way to break in backups or try out new stuff. Plus there's a few water shots, so I don't want to lose my good stuff.

Otherwise I carry the same amount of discs in the OG at every other course.