Hi boys and girls!
I have been wanting a practice basket for long time but didn't want to spend so much money on something so low tech. I have now made a basket that works for putting practice and it didn't cost more than 20 Euro (variants can be made for almost nothing). I should probably say right now that it's an unconventional basket with a kind of unique design (OK, its kind of ugly). I like to post projects like this as a blog post but since I don't have a blog I'll post it here along with my reflections. The post might be quite long but reading is optional. The aim is to give some ideas and perhaps inspire a few people.
So, let me first list what I wanted from the basket.
*A standard size catching device
*Needed to be collapsible and light weight for closet storage (I live in a apartment on the fourth floor)
So I remembered my days in the scouts and thought that a tripod lashed together from three sticks would work. For sticks I used three telescope shafts (max length 2 meters) normally used for painting the ceiling. I tied them together in the top and now I had a tripod that could collapse! I also tied a rop halfway upp the poles that connected the three poles so that the tripod could not fold out too wide.
So then for the catching device. I cut four pieces of PVC pipe (about 1cm in diameter) into lengths of 45, 45, 50 and 50 cm. I then threaded a rope through them to and tied the rope together to form a 45x50 rectangle. Since its a rectangle its also collapsible. I then added a net around the rectangle to catch the discs.
So then all the bits were finished. Just fold out the tripod and tie the catching device to one side of the tripod at an appropriate hight.
Hope you understand how its built. Check the picture.
Black: Poles (rear pole is gray)
Red: Disc catching device with net in the center
Green: Rope
Now for the evaluation:
*It looks ridiculous so I can't focus on my putting afraid of what my neighbors might think.
*It only works from one direction.
*Its also kinda prototypish still so there are a few things to improve, like a better netting.
*The telescope rods makes the folding out process a bit difficult. It would work better with simple broom sticks.
*But it works! (But its not for everyone)
I think it might be an alternative for people with houses and a back yard if you want a really cheap and collapsible basket.
Basket alternative 2:
So what do I do instead now that the basket didn't work well for me (and my neighbors). I go to the nearest little woods and tie a rope around a tree to aim at. I also use some soft padding tied to the tree. Its nice and quiet and I can really focus and also practice some upshot lines between the trees. The downside is that its a ten minute walk away and when putting the discs always land on the ground even if you hit the "basket". So if the ground is wet it doesn't work very well.
Well there you have it! My thoughts on practice basket variants.
I have been wanting a practice basket for long time but didn't want to spend so much money on something so low tech. I have now made a basket that works for putting practice and it didn't cost more than 20 Euro (variants can be made for almost nothing). I should probably say right now that it's an unconventional basket with a kind of unique design (OK, its kind of ugly). I like to post projects like this as a blog post but since I don't have a blog I'll post it here along with my reflections. The post might be quite long but reading is optional. The aim is to give some ideas and perhaps inspire a few people.
So, let me first list what I wanted from the basket.
*A standard size catching device
*Needed to be collapsible and light weight for closet storage (I live in a apartment on the fourth floor)
So I remembered my days in the scouts and thought that a tripod lashed together from three sticks would work. For sticks I used three telescope shafts (max length 2 meters) normally used for painting the ceiling. I tied them together in the top and now I had a tripod that could collapse! I also tied a rop halfway upp the poles that connected the three poles so that the tripod could not fold out too wide.
So then for the catching device. I cut four pieces of PVC pipe (about 1cm in diameter) into lengths of 45, 45, 50 and 50 cm. I then threaded a rope through them to and tied the rope together to form a 45x50 rectangle. Since its a rectangle its also collapsible. I then added a net around the rectangle to catch the discs.
So then all the bits were finished. Just fold out the tripod and tie the catching device to one side of the tripod at an appropriate hight.
Hope you understand how its built. Check the picture.
Black: Poles (rear pole is gray)
Red: Disc catching device with net in the center
Green: Rope
Now for the evaluation:
*It looks ridiculous so I can't focus on my putting afraid of what my neighbors might think.
*It only works from one direction.
*Its also kinda prototypish still so there are a few things to improve, like a better netting.
*The telescope rods makes the folding out process a bit difficult. It would work better with simple broom sticks.
*But it works! (But its not for everyone)
I think it might be an alternative for people with houses and a back yard if you want a really cheap and collapsible basket.
Basket alternative 2:
So what do I do instead now that the basket didn't work well for me (and my neighbors). I go to the nearest little woods and tie a rope around a tree to aim at. I also use some soft padding tied to the tree. Its nice and quiet and I can really focus and also practice some upshot lines between the trees. The downside is that its a ten minute walk away and when putting the discs always land on the ground even if you hit the "basket". So if the ground is wet it doesn't work very well.
Well there you have it! My thoughts on practice basket variants.
