Newb from AZ, just trying to get better

[gwsmallwood]

Hey, everyone. I started disc golfing about 3 months ago. I was introduced to it by a couple of friends who have been playing for a little over a year. I just played around for a few months, but the past 4 weeks or so I've been trying to spend more time drilling, doing fieldwork, and trying to get better (somewhat unsuccessfully so far). My short-term goal is to get to the point where I can actually be competitive with the friends that I play with. I found this forum and figured this was a good place to look for tips and advice.

 

[seedlings]

Welcome! As a beginner in 2019, I didn't even know what I didn't know. You've come to the right place for sure. What discs are you throwing most right now? What distance hole do you think 'I might be able to get this one close'?

 

[gwsmallwood]

Welcome! As a beginner in 2019, I didn't even know what I didn't know. You've come to the right place for sure. What discs are you throwing most right now? What distance hole do you think 'I might be able to get this one close'?

I started out with some secondhand discs from a friend, and I've bought a few more recently to cobble together what I think is a decent learner's bag. I've only had the mids for a couple of weeks after recommendations to stick with putters and understable mids while learning. This is what I've been throwing.

Aviars
Logics
Stingray
Sol
Mako3
Fuse
Leopard

My consistent distances are all around 150', both backhand and forehand. I can sometimes get an extra 25 feet or so out of my Leopards and the Fuse when throwing backhand, but not consistently. I can get up to 200'-225' with the Leopards throwing forehand, but not consistently yet. Early on I was throwing a Roadrunner, and I'm pretty sure I was able to push that out to 250 a couple of times, but it was pure luck.

Like most newer players, I need to work on everything, so I'm having trouble deciding what to focus on first. It also seems like there are 2 or 3 different philosophies for each type of throw (backhand and forehand), so with so much great material out there, it's been hard to decide which 'teachers' to focus on. So far, I think I like Overthrow Disc Golf and Robbie C, which both seem beginner-friendly.

 

[seedlings]

The very best drills and insight are on this channel:



And in this thread:

https://www.dgcoursereview.com/forums/showthread.php?t=119328

 

[gwsmallwood]

The very best drills and insight are on this channel:



And in this thread:

https://www.dgcoursereview.com/forums/showthread.php?t=119328

I've been watching some of them. I'll start trying some of them next.

 

[txmxer]

I started out with some secondhand discs from a friend, and I've bought a few more recently to cobble together what I think is a decent learner's bag. I've only had the mids for a couple of weeks after recommendations to stick with putters and understable mids while learning. This is what I've been throwing.

Aviars
Logics
Stingray
Sol
Mako3
Fuse
Leopard

My consistent distances are all around 150', both backhand and forehand. I can sometimes get an extra 25 feet or so out of my Leopards and the Fuse when throwing backhand, but not consistently. I can get up to 200'-225' with the Leopards throwing forehand, but not consistently yet. Early on I was throwing a Roadrunner, and I'm pretty sure I was able to push that out to 250 a couple of times, but it was pure luck.

Like most newer players, I need to work on everything, so I'm having trouble deciding what to focus on first. It also seems like there are 2 or 3 different philosophies for each type of throw (backhand and forehand), so with so much great material out there, it's been hard to decide which 'teachers' to focus on. So far, I think I like Overthrow Disc Golf and Robbie C, which both seem beginner-friendly.

Progress is a roller coaster early on. Big leaps and then fall backs. The baseline advice is to throw discs like putters and mids as you learning. I think if you want to improve your competitiveness with your buddies, I would focus on accuracy within your "easy distance".

You mention 200-225, so bring that in 50' and throw at your target. Really work on dialing in a smooth throw within your comfort zone. Your distance will grow as a result as well. Ultimately you are going to want to figure out your putting stroke. Everyone has their own. It's worth 1 to 2 and sometime more strokes per hole to get it dialed.

good luck, have fun. Be careful with your body--injuries suck.

 

[ray1970]

As the saying goes, you drive for show and putt for dough.

Big distance is fun and it will make for easier birdies on the long holes but having a solid short game and putting will save you strokes.

I am a huge proponent of playing those little nine hole pitch and putt courses that nobody else seems to want to play because it really helps dial in those 100-250' shots. An accurate 250' shot is hands down a handier tool to have than a 400' drive on most courses.

 

[gwsmallwood]

Thanks for the welcome everyone. I did some fieldwork today with some experimentation around the Beto drill and a few loopghost videos (I think he's @HyzerUniBomber here, right?). I really focused on loosening my grip a bit, relaxing my wrist, allowing my hand to collapse against the forearm before extension, and keeping my hand on the outside of the disc as long as possible.

It was my first mini-breakthrough. All of a sudden I could feel the difference between what I've been doing (strong arming) for the past few months and what I'm supposed to be doing keeping everything relaxed and whip-like. I probably added at least 30', probably more to my throws with far less effort. Up until today I was maxing out my putters (and most of my other discs, too) around 150 - 160'. I actually threw quite a few putters out to 200' today, and I was consistently getting them to 175, again, without muscling it.

I'm going to spend a few more days making sure I've got that trained in a bit better, then start working on getting my hips into my throws more.

 

[txmxer]

And you got it dialed in the field, step in the tee box and it's like amnesia.

I've struggled with vertical gaps. There's a downhill hole—maybe 200'. Theres a big oak halfway with branches the form a rectangle with the left side tree line. It's not a small gap, but you are throwing down at the gap. That's been a tough one that I can practice easily in my field because I have a similar slope. For some reason, I can't repeat consistently what I practice.

Another course has the opposite. An up hill gap.—a steep up hill with branch ceiling. I consistently throw in to the face of the hill.

I've hit these gaps occasionally just not consistently. I know it's mental.

I guess my point would be field practice is good, but I need to spend some time on those specific tees and work through my mental deficiencies.

 

[gwsmallwood]

And you got it dialed in the field, step in the tee box and it's like amnesia.

I've struggled with vertical gaps. There's a downhill hole—maybe 200'. Theres a big oak halfway with branches the form a rectangle with the left side tree line. It's not a small gap, but you are throwing down at the gap. That's been a tough one that I can practice easily in my field because I have a similar slope. For some reason, I can't repeat consistently what I practice.

Another course has the opposite. An up hill gap.—a steep up hill with branch ceiling. I consistently throw in to the face of the hill.

I've hit these gaps occasionally just not consistently. I know it's mental.

I guess my point would be field practice is good, but I need to spend some time on those specific tees and work through my mental deficiencies.

Absolutely. I've been doing fieldwork 3-5 days per week, then I hit the course with some friends on the weekend. We'll see on Saturday if I can carry any of this over, but I do know that I can actually feel the difference. I can actually tell when I'm strong-arming my throws now that I know what it's supposed to feel like.

 

[BillFleming]

And you got it dialed in the field, step in the tee box and it's like amnesia.

I've struggled with vertical gaps. There's a downhill hole—maybe 200'. Theres a big oak halfway with branches the form a rectangle with the left side tree line. It's not a small gap, but you are throwing down at the gap. That's been a tough one that I can practice easily in my field because I have a similar slope. For some reason, I can't repeat consistently what I practice.

Another course has the opposite. An up hill gap.—a steep up hill with branch ceiling. I consistently throw in to the face of the hill.

I've hit these gaps occasionally just not consistently. I know it's mental.

I guess my point would be field practice is good, but I need to spend some time on those specific tees and work through my mental deficiencies.

Sometimes 'fieldwork' includes 'on the course'. There's a few holes on my local course that I have so much trouble with and I can't duplicate them in a field. So when the course is slow, I will pick one of those holes and just keep throwing there. If players show up, I let them "play through".

For example, one hole is a 275 foot island hole with an elevated basket. There is also a drop zone. I will take a bunch of discs that I believe can make the 255 feet that will get me in the island (the goal isn't the basket for me, but to be in the island and not take an extra stroke). Then when I play the course, I'm confident that I can make the island with a specific disc.

I've done the same for a hole where there was a small gap 10 feet from the tee box. I didn't throw the entire hole, I just kept throwing to make that gap until I got comfortable with it. Then in real rounds/tournaments, I can step up to the tee with confidence that I know I can make it.

 

[zontar]

as Bill said, nothing beats playing holes, especially ones that are difficult for you. good luck!

 

[BillFleming]

And to add to my previous post.....on holes you have difficulty with, practice and focus only on overcoming what you are having difficulty with.

Using my two examples, for the island hole, I don't practice to make or park the basket. My goal is to make the island and that is what I practice/focus on. Then when I play the hole, my focus is the same - make the island.

For the hole with the small gap, I only focus on making the gap. I don't focus or care about how far I make it past the gap, I want to make the gap....the rest is extra. I know if I miss the gap, I'm going to have to try and make the gap again...the possibility of lots of strokes happens only when I miss the gap.

 

[ray1970]

For example, one hole is a 275 foot island hole with an elevated basket. There is also a drop zone. I will take a bunch of discs that I believe can make the 255 feet that will get me in the island (the goal isn't the basket for me, but to be in the island and not take an extra stroke). Then when I play the course, I'm confident that I can make the island with a specific disc.

Knowing you can make the shot with a specific disc only means that you can have confidence with the shot with that particular disc assuming you're throwing that hole under similar environmental conditions. Also, should you happen to not have that disc with you (maybe you lost it three holes back) then what do you do?

I get what you're doing and I'm sure it can be helpful but I'd rather practice that hole knowing I could hit that island with three different discs and on multiple lines and hopefully depending on the strength and direction of the wind on a given day I'd have a disc and a shot that I could feel confident in.

Of course, I'd hit that island all day during practice and then choke during a tournament so maybe my ideas are irrelevant. Lol.

 

[BillFleming]

Knowing you can make the shot with a specific disc only means that you can have confidence with the shot with that particular disc assuming you're throwing that hole under similar environmental conditions. Also, should you happen to not have that disc with you (maybe you lost it three holes back) then what do you do?

I get what you're doing and I'm sure it can be helpful but I'd rather practice that hole knowing I could hit that island with three different discs and on multiple lines and hopefully depending on the strength and direction of the wind on a given day I'd have a disc and a shot that I could feel confident in.

Of course, I'd hit that island all day during practice and then choke during a tournament so maybe my ideas are irrelevant. Lol.

I understand your point, but I'm not that good. I'm happy with knowing I have one disc/throw that can make the shot I need. If I don't have the disc or the weather (wind) isn't what I need, I just do my best and take what comes. I need to get more consistent with my throws/form before I can become more versatile.

 

[raceface59]

You'll definitely see progress, sometimes glaringly obvious, sometimes miniscule and unnoticeable. I've got a year under my belt. The day I learned to consistently get my Teebird 3 to fly straight and long with a dependable fade at the end was an "I have made fire!!!" moment. Same with getting my poor Leopard to stop smashing into the first available tree on wooded holes by simply powering down, which made the shot smoother and actually got it to go close to where I was intending. Mids are interesting. Learning to use them (and putters) for controlled up shots is very rewarding once you figure it out. I used to consider mids to be a waste of my bag space, but now I wouldn't be without them.

 

[raceface59]

One other thing. My game really started to improve when I removed everything over a 9 out of my bag.

 

[BillFleming]

One other thing. My game really started to improve when I removed everything over a 9 out of my bag.

What he said. Seriously, if you know someone who has a speed gun, get your arm speed measured. My instructor measured me at 42 MPH. Now I only throw 7 speed discs backhand. I can still get good distance with a 9 speed when I forehand it.

But, my instructor also said, don't give up on the higher speeds....just don't expect them to do what they are designed to do. So if I want a disc to fly to 240 feet with the expected glide, turn, fade....I use the appropriate 7 speed. But if I want a disc to fade and dump quickly to the ground at that distance...or become a roller...a 9 speed will do that for me.

 

[raceface59]

^ The green light came on for me when I could consistently throw my Valks and Undertakers further than my Destroyers and my Lat 64 170+ Diamond as far as my Mamba with less effort lol. Now I have to work on throwing putters off the tee for shorter holes.....