Too Many Discs

[JTacoma03]

I agree 100% with the OP - I have ~25 discs and I've been playing for 1 year. I have too many.

However, I also agree with the argument that it profits the sport by buying more - disc companies stay in business, and your friends can throw your extras and get hooked.

The way I look at it...they're $10-20 a pop. I don't know about y'all but I've spent more than that at a bar in an hour. It might even be saving me money by giving me something to do that's inexpensive, lol.

 

[culinarywiz]

I have too many discs also, but trying out different discs is half the fun.

Bingo!
This may sound appalling, but some folks play primarily for fun.
Getting into "tournament shape" isn't everyone's focus.

I love to throw new molds whenever possible...just to check 'em out.

 

[Technohic]

I dont know about narrowing it down to 4 but I dont need to carry a lot of different discs, but at the same time, I typically do have a few more than I need to try things out.

Its like I wont be happy until I have thrown every disc available. That could really get expensive.

 

[compn]

https://www.dgcoursereview.com/dgr/resources/articles/choosingadisc.shtml

VII. What type of discs will I need in the future?

A "complete set" of discs generally will have discs to cover most shots you will need on the course after you have reached at least the tier 2 level of power. Before I cover this section in detail, I think it is worth mentioning the two schools of thought on how many discs are the "right" number to carry. The first I will call the "specialization view" and is based upon the idea that each disc is designed for a specific purpose when thrown flat. The second I will call the "minimalist view" and is based upon being able to throw each disc you carry as many ways as you need to.

The specialization view is fairly common amongst players that believe that the most consistent and accurate game is played when you throw every shot flat and carry a specific disc for every type of shot. Players who favor this technique often carry from 7 to 12 or more unique disc designs in order to fill their needs during a round, covering everything from very understable to very overstable in both their drivers and midrange discs. The strength of this style is that you will develop the most consistent delivery and with sufficient mastery of how your discs fly, can yield very good scores. The weaknesses of this style are that you must know your discs very well and it does not develop a full repertoire of shots. These is a common phase amongst newer players that experience disc buying addiction and want to discover how many discs fly (often found with "gadget" type people).

The minimalist view is more often found amongst long-time players that believe with the development of a complete game, you should be able to do the most with the least. These types of players usually carry 3-6 unique disc designs and use them for every shot they need. The strength of this style is that you develop the greatest amount of "disc skills" by learning how to make the disc fly differently with adjustment of angles, body placement, etc. The weakness of this style is that it is much more difficult to perform consistently while you are learning to throw. Generally players that favor this view prefer to know a few discs very well rather than having to learn many discs and throwing them in limited ways.

 

[jesus]

Why do you care?

 

[wolito]

I am aspire to be a minimalist in my selection of discs. To master a disc is one thing, but to carry a disc in a bag that you throw maybe once a round, for that one shot and to be able to make that one shot just like you want it to do perfectly that one time is too much pressure for me. I would rather learn a selected few discs and make them do what I want them to do.

 

[tmahan]

I'm one of the aforementioned crappy players with the bag full of discs and I don't disagree that carrying fewer drivers would be a good idea. I do disagree with the assertion that carrying certain discs that you may only throw once (or not at all) during a round is a bad idea. I carry a couple discs that are at the extreme ends of the over/under stable spectrum; and Optimizer (under) and a Monster (over) for certain escape shots that just couldn't be done with any other disc. Hopefully I don't need them during a round but if I do I prefer that they're in bag rather than in the car.

 

[peabody]

Yea I am with tmahan there. I am not very good so using one disc to do it all is impossible. I have a 166 star destroyer that I will never be able to throw properly but, if I need a hard turn right then I flick that thing and it goes quickly right. Can't go any other way! Then on the other end I have a 150 star valkeryie(sp) that can only be used when there is no wind and with 75% power. I could probably get by with 6 discs but I carry 16.

 

[Carl311]

I have to agree with the OP. I realize that people who have been playing a while have a few discs that they use rarely but for special situations, and then their bread and butter, meat and potatoes discs in various states of wear.

However, its sad to see noobs running around the course with huge bags full of 25 discs, most of which are high speed drivers that basically have the same flight pattern.

Personally (its just me, YMMV) i dont see the need for more than 9 discs: overstable/headwind driver, straight driver, understable driver, overstable/wind mid, straight mid, understable mid, a putter or two and a trick shot disc.

I carry discs that can fulfill multiple roles when thrown differently, bringing that number down to 3-4, 5 at the most.

Just my opinion though. I just think that its detrimental to have so many discs that that bag gets too heavy and a person never really learns what a disc is really capable of...

 

[Mike Donaldson]

Lindsay Lohan

No one's come up with a new priest and a rabbi joke in like 30 years. Ok, ok, uh, a priest and a rabbi go into..the supermarket. And the preist says, let's buy a ham. And the rabbi says, "Nope. Can't eat it. Not allowed. It's forbidden." Pigs are like super-heroes to them. Is it perfect? No! But I dont see you coming up with anything better. And that, people, is what grinds my gears.

 

[Mike Donaldson]

I've got my Sidewinder (+backup), Eagle (+backup), JLS, QJLS, Buzz, Star Wraith for my tomohawks, Dragon for my floater, and a putter. If I can't Git'r'done with these, then I need help... Threw a 57 at Bud Hill today so I'm happy.

 

[Jody Mitchell]

Bingo!
This may sound appalling, but some folks play primarily for fun.
Getting into "tournament shape" isn't everyone's focus.

I love to throw new molds whenever possible...just to check 'em out.

Very, very true. The best way to approach Disc Golf is after your first round ever, decide then if you're only going to play this game casually with friends, or become competitive. Making and sticking with that decision alone can make your Disc Golfing experience much better.

Most of your casual players don't get into the hype of trying out new stuff, therefore they have a bunch of hand-me-downs (maybe a few they bought for themselves), but they're settled with what they have. They don't give a crap if this new Gateway Ninja is a speed 68, Fade -4, etc... Hell, even stability issues for that matter. I had a guy tell me one day that he didn't care about overstable/understable, he just wanted to throw discs for fun and I respected his wish. Yes, I can beat him on any given day blind-folded but I don't rub it in because he still shook my hand with a smile at the end of the round.

Us competitive players will have a crapload of discs yet we've narrowed the molds down to within 12 but own multiple copies of the same.

This game is about personal preference, you can tell me all day that certain things are bad choices, but until I feel it for myself, I'm going do what makes me comfortable. If I lose every tournament I enter, I don't care, I still had fun throwing my discs.

Again though, I can agree to agree/disagree with the OP. I only use 6-10 molds myself but if some other guy is content on using a bag with 20 discs and each one is different, so be it.

 

[bazillion]

/baz weighs in ...

I'm a cr@ppy player who carries 10 discs, most of which I use for specific shots. Haven't played enough, really, to learn how to control them well. Anyway, what happens is I find myself on a fairway, facing a situation for which I don't have a shot (read "disc in my bag") so I start thinking about buying new plastic.

Wrong solution, bazzy my friend, better to get out to the local football field and throw till your arm falls off. Then go play a round. Repeat DAILY.

Oh, gee - that good advice! Now if only somebody will step up and do my JOB for me so I CAN get out there every day ...

Don't be such a wimp. You can make time if you think it's that important to get better. If you don't, then take up stamp collecting.

Sheesh! What an attitude! Timg, can you ban this d00d? He's giving me a colossal--

<voice from sky> "You must learn to fight your own battles, little grasshopper! Arguing with yourself is the first sign of insanity!" </vfs>

/baz falls to his knees in awe

 

[okiebullgod]

I carry 21 discs, 10 molds of driver/fairway, and 3 putters (two molds)
1-flick
1- excal
1-FL
1 Destroyer
3-Champ Boss
1- Star boss
1-pro boss
2-star katanas
1 esp surge
2-champ teebirds
2-champ monarchs
1-star TL
2-sharks star and champ
1-Millinium SS
2-Pro D Challengers

To me, the only overkill is the Bosses, but they are different stages of wear, and or domey/flat and fly differently. Everything that's important enough to me has a back-up.

 

[Jody Mitchell]

/baz weighs in ...

I'm a cr@ppy player who carries 10 discs, most of which I use for specific shots. Haven't played enough, really, to learn how to control them well. Anyway, what happens is I find myself on a fairway, facing a situation for which I don't have a shot (read "disc in my bag") so I start thinking about buying new plastic.

Wrong solution, bazzy my friend, better to get out to the local football field and throw till your arm falls off. Then go play a round. Repeat DAILY.

Oh, gee - that good advice! Now if only somebody will step up and do my JOB for me so I CAN get out there every day ...

Don't be such a wimp. You can make time if you think it's that important to get better. If you don't, then take up stamp collecting.

Sheesh! What an attitude! Timg, can you ban this d00d? He's giving me a colossal--

<voice from sky> "You must learn to fight your own battles, little grasshopper! Arguing with yourself is the first sign of insanity!" </vfs>

/baz falls to his knees in awe

This was one of the best things I've read in a while.

 

[jrawk]

I admittedly have a mid-range festish. It's so bad that I now dabble in stiff putters for even more mid-range. When i'm at the practice field, it's like a mid-range orgy. When I'm on the course, i try to use only one so i can remain consistent with it throughout the round.

Drivers, i stick with the 3 i can throw. and putters... one for chain bang'n and two for approaches.

But i still lug my full tourney bag around with me.

 

[OcDiscGolf]

This is Disc Golf, not a Kerouac novel. It isn't necessary to be a minimalist - I have 50+ discs and carry about 18 per round but I'm not the most fantastic player. New plastic and different molds is half the fun! On an 18 hole course I will generally throw 14 of the discs in my bag. I especially like to throw different drivers on each hole to mix it up.

Especially after my buddy started calling me SpiderValk awhile back. For about a year straight, it would just be drive with the Valk, Mid with the Spider, putt with the Spider. But I still carried the 14-18 per round.

 

[Jukeshoe]

Luckily I have successfully resisted the urge to go crazy and buy a ton of discs (so far.) I've got a fair number, maybe like 15 (?) but I don't even use them all. I figured out pretty quickly that its better to know where 3 or 4 of your discs are going on any given shot than having 80 discs with one for every possible scenario. Once it started snowing out, I began to go out with one disc at a time and play my home course until I learned that disc inside and out. Now I feel like I have about 6 or so discs that I know the properties of, and my capabilities with each of them.

To begin with, fewer is probably preferable to too many, but I think limiting yourself to only 4 discs might be just that: limiting yourself.

Granted, I totally suck, so maybe if you're a complete badass, 3 or 4 discs do the trick. If so, more power to ya, pal!

 

[Jody Mitchell]

Especially after my buddy started calling me SpiderValk awhile back. For about a year straight, it would just be drive with the Valk, Mid with the Spider, putt with the Spider. But I still carried the 14-18 per round.

That's cool you mention that, I still play with a guy who drives with Valkyries and putts with a Spider all the time. He's pretty darn consistent with both too. I myself like Valks but I've never had the comfort with Spiders. Too understable for me I guess but I've seen a lot of people swear by them.

 

[OcDiscGolf]

That's cool you mention that, I still play with a guy who drives with Valkyries and putts with a Spider all the time. He's pretty darn consistent with both too. I myself like Valks but I've never had the comfort with Spiders. Too understable for me I guess but I've seen a lot of people swear by them.

Honestly, I was deadly consistent with them but didn't see many gains. I have more fun switching it up, and for some reason have left my beloved Spiders behind. I had one First run Blue Gummy that was my go-to... and I lost it. Haven't used a Spider since. I think I'm going to get a Star pretty soon.