Playing Better with Fewer Discs

[Nasty Nate]

I think it's all relative to how you play. Some people can work well with a handful of discs while others can rely on more discs for shot selection.

I carry 12 discs in my bag that are all different molds but a handful of those are somewhat specialty discs (distance driver, OS and US driver/mids). So realistically I end up throwing about 6 or 7 discs regularly during a round and they always get the most use. It's only normal to have a core set of go-to discs that you use more than the rest.

Do whatever feels best and what works for you. I throw premium plastic and don't cycle discs and that's just what I choose to do. I don't think it's typical to throw 12 different discs during a round, they are just there should I need them.

 

[superium]

Recently I been just grabbing a handful of discs and going out to play. It's great when a bunch of casuals let me play thru and don't expect me to rip 400+ft drives. Even half ass drives I get compliments vs. when I have my cart or bag. Definitely more fun keeping it simple and throwing the same disc on a different line vs. an entirely different disc.

 

[DesertFox]

Recently I been just grabbing a handful of discs and going out to play. It's great when a bunch of casuals let me play thru and don't expect me to rip 400+ft drives. Even half ass drives I get compliments vs. when I have my cart or bag. Definitely more fun keeping it simple and throwing the same disc on a different line vs. an entirely different disc.

Someone get this man a Millennium sponsorship!

 

[Indiana574]

Eagle lepoard aviar all I need if were playing to win

 

[AndyJB]

So I brought a notepad to the course, and cataloged all the discs I threw today.

KC Glow Aviar
JK Aviar
Champion Polecat
Proton Envy
Neutron Envy
G Star Roc3
DX Roc 3
USDGC Rancho Roc (2006)
G Star Teebird
AJ Teebird
Champion Teebird
Brinster Teebird
QOLF 1.3
CE Firebird-X
Champion Tern Proto Star
Climo Champion Tern
VIP Air Giant
BioFuzion Suspect

That's out of 27 holes of golf. Discs in my bag that I didn't throw: VIP Sparkle Giant, Classic Blend Suspect, Glow Champion Banshee, Icon Patriot, Champion Big Bird Roc 3 and my Star Teebird.

It was a pretty calm day, no wind, hence why the Banshee and Giant didn't get much play. The Suspect, Big Bird, Patriot and beat-up Star Teebird (my turnover Teebird,) now that I think about it, haven't been thrown in at least a month. So, in theory, I could get rid of those for the course I play. But when I get back to Colorado, I might need them. It's almost like an addiction...I could feasibly get rid of them and still play well (tied the course record today) but it's just so hard to get rid of them!

People with less discs than me beat me, and I beat people with more discs than me. I beat people with less discs, and have been beaten by people with more. But in the end, this sport is really you versus the course, and whatever it takes for you to achieve the lowest score. For me, it took a lot of discs (but really, not too many molds in the long and short of it.) My buddy Jason tore up the course with a seven under par (would have been 9 under if he didn't take a bad luck five on one hole) and he was really only throwing a Star Wraith, an MD3, a Gator and a JK.

I don't know if it makes a better player being able to play with fewer discs. It certainly means you have more inherent skill with being able to manipulate those discs. But then you get various factors like losing a treasured disc...who can say that the minimalist would find another to replace it? Then you have all sorts of minimialists...bag (carry a small number of discs) mold (carry many discs, but a few molds) in-betweeners (like myself, who carries only one type of mid, but many putters and distance drivers)...

It all adds up to the crazy equation that is our favorite pastime. There is no right way, there is no wrong way...after all, as "Steady" Ed said: THE MOST FUN WINS!

 

[sonny]

I play with four discs. No bag, I just carry them in my hand. After extensive testing, I know that I play better this way than using a full bag.

I started playing with a handful of discs because I thought it would be more fun than lugging a bag around and that worked out great. It was a lot more fun. I did not expect that it would lower my scores, but it did. My original idea was to use three discs but felt I gave up some strokes because my driver would either give up distance for control or I'd sacrifice control for distance. Now I carry an Eagle for control and a Valkyrie for distance and that solves the problem for me.

One thing that seems important for me and my game is using the same four discs all the time. Of course I still mix things up from time to time - the fun factor is the primary goal - but when I want to shoot for score, I need to settle on a single line up and use it for a half dozen rounds or so before an important match or tournament. Apparently what improves my game is not using four discs, it's using the same four discs. The familiarity with the discs I'm using gives me the confidence to know how to approach the shot in front of me.

I do not know any other serious golfers who use this minimalist approach so it's obviously not for everyone. It works really well for me though. If you've ever thought it might work well for you, I advise you to give it a try. In my experience, you need to make a real committment to this approach to reap the benefits. Stick with it awhile and you might be surprised.

 

[gfellerjm]

Transitioning to minimal

Like the previous poster I'm beginning to use only 4 discs for much the same reason. Tired of caring a large (crunchbox isn't that large but whatever) bag of discs I don't use much. Even when I carried 10-12 different molds I usually always grabbed for one of each type (mid/driver etc) on the course so I had discs that I only used because I made myself use them. I do find it more fun to go with less discs. I don't have to figure out which disc to through, just which way to throw it. However I've never played a tournament (don't plan around them and never had on fit into my schedule) or keep meticulous track of scores so for me playing with fewer discs is about increasing fun, not increasing scores.