Helping a friend pick out his first discs

[adoubleudisc]

I recently started playing a few months ago and have a few discs, some I like some I don't. Enough about me. A friend of mine wants to buy a few discs to get started. Any ideas.... I told him to start with innova DX (cost, grip, etc..) I think he wants to buy 3 discs any good ideas?
I was thinking (one in each category)
putter: classic aviar, aviar p&a, xd
mid range: shark, roc, skeeter,
driver: leopard, Valkyrie, Viking (not really sure here)

any advice?

 

[jdggna]

I would suggest Valk/Sidewinder, any of the midrange you suggested (I'm partial to the buzzz but we all know its a personal preference thing), and any of the putters you suggested. You could combine the mid and putter into a single disc and get something like a champ aero though. I always loved that disc. It always floated so much farther than anybody ever thought it could.

 

[CwAlbino]

Any of the putters and midranges you mentioned will work. I suggest getting the same midrange and putter as you have, so since you will likely be teaching him, you will be using the same disc as well. Probably Aviar and roc/skeeter

As for the driver you are on the right path with the leopard. Go with a fairway driver such as the leopard, gazelle, banshee, or cheetah. Leopard or gazelle is probably the best bet.

 

[jdggna]

As for the driver you are on the right path with the leopard. Go with a fairway driver such as the leopard, gazelle, banshee, or cheetah. Leopard or gazelle is probably the best bet.

True...depending on how hard he can naturally throw already it would be wise to start off with leopard or gazelle. I think I usually start people on the eagle, which falls somewhere between the gazelle and leopard, just a little faster.

 

[Rbuzz9]

leopards a good beginner driver - the putter and midrange suggestions all seem fine.

lots of DG websites offer all sorts of beginner sets with essentially the same things - understable driver / stable midrange / avg putter. bare bones sets with cheapest plastic will run about 20 bux

marshall street offers a set where you dont have to get all discs from the same company and can get one or more of the discs in better plastic.

 

[CwAlbino]

True...depending on how hard he can naturally throw already it would be wise to start off with leopard or gazelle. I think I usually start people on the eagle, which falls somewhere between the gazelle and leopard, just a little faster.

the eagle came to mind for me as well, but I believe it's a step up (in power/speed) than the leopard or gazelle. If he's can chuck the gazelle or leopard pretty far at the beginning then I would say eagle, valk, or sidewinder. In my mind those are just above fairway. Not quite power drivers but not fairway drivers. Lots of glide with good speed.

 

[chow]

banger gt and archangel

Archangel....it was super easy to throw for my gf's brother when I got him hooked on the disc...

Banger GT is a great beginner putter....it's has the groove top to help you learn how to hold a putter properly...and the Soft one is fun to drive short holes with too.

my .02

 

[billnchristy]

Skip the driver, buy a putter and a mid. When he starts throwing the mid over 300' then start looking at drivers.

Drivers are the most over-bought and under used discs there is...and if you must a Leopard or Gazelle can stay in the bag long after you have outgrown other discs.

 

[ChaseTheAce]

I think anything you posted will be fine. He won't know the difference at first and what's more important is just developing technique rather than learning a specific disc that he has a very high chance of losing

 

[jdggna]

Is not buying a driver until they can throw a mid 300 feet really something that anybody expects people starting to do? I think its great in the theory of learning, but I feel like that's quite a tall order for anybody to actually hold too. I still only feel comfortable throwing my mid about 250 or so, though I'll generally throw it for anything up to 275 or so. Past that I'll usually pull out the fairway driver unless it is down hill.

Not saying you're wrong, in fact I think you're completely right. I've just heard lots of people say this and I was just wondering if they think that will ever actually happen.

 

[waynewf]

Leopards and Gazelles are both great discs to start with. I tought my GF to play last summer, and her fav discs are her Beast and Sidewinders. She carries a 150 and a 170 Sidewinder in her bag all the time. I would suggest one of his discs be a 150...sidewinder, beast, or leopard would all be good IMO.

 

[garublador]

I'd go: Aviar (I'd get a beaded one), Shark and Cheetah. There are a lot of options similar to those but you listed a bunch of Innova stuff and those are as good as anything for beginners.

 

[DavidSauls]

Is not buying a driver until they can throw a mid 300 feet really something that anybody expects people starting to do? I think its great in the theory of learning, but I feel like that's quite a tall order for anybody to actually hold too. I still only feel comfortable throwing my mid about 250 or so, though I'll generally throw it for anything up to 275 or so. Past that I'll usually pull out the fairway driver unless it is down hill.

Not saying you're wrong, in fact I think you're completely right. I've just heard lots of people say this and I was just wondering if they think that will ever actually happen.

How 'bout not throwing a driver until he has control of the midrange?

Some of us weaklings will never throw a midrange 300'. I can only get them 200', maybe 220', and need drivers to get up to 300'. And my distance is declining.

A lot of beginners don't have much power; I recommend starting them with a Shark or similar midrange with which they can learn control, and even putt reasonably well; then adding a putter; then drivers.

 

[StrikerME02]

3 DX Discs

Driver: DX Sidewinder/Valkyrie
Midrange: Roc
Putter: Aviar P&A

Another thing to keep in mind is to make sure that he doesnt get max weight discs rite off the bat. He could be ok with a 175g Roc and a max weight Aviar P&A. But this mostly applies to get his maximum distance out of a driver. I would suggest something in the mid to upper 160s to start with. The choice of discs would also vary depending upon how he is going to throw. For example, backhand or forehand?

 

[MrHighlandPark]

Even though I'm a beginner myself, I'm learning to play alongside a couple other newbs, so I have a fair amount of first hand data on what works for new players. I'll second that there's no need for a driver right away. So far none of the new players I've seen can max out their midrange until they've played 5-10 times. And when you're ready to add extra discs, it's painless with free shipping from a couple of the sites that advertise on this board.

As for recommendations, the local pro hooked me up with an Aviar P&A and a Wolf. The Wolf is extremely easy to throw straight for a beginner like me. I recently added a third disc (leopard) now that I can almost throw hard enough to keep it straight. I still drive with the Wolf on technical narrow holes though.

 

[mashnut]

I'll second the Shark as a great choice for a beginner. The roc is a fantastic disc, and I love all four that are in my bag, but I think a beginning player will be more successful with a disc like a shark or wolf that's a little easier to throw and control at first, and isn't quite so overstable out of the box.

 

[billnchristy]

Is not buying a driver until they can throw a mid 300 feet really something that anybody expects people starting to do? I think its great in the theory of learning, but I feel like that's quite a tall order for anybody to actually hold too. I still only feel comfortable throwing my mid about 250 or so, though I'll generally throw it for anything up to 275 or so. Past that I'll usually pull out the fairway driver unless it is down hill.

Not saying you're wrong, in fact I think you're completely right. I've just heard lots of people say this and I was just wondering if they think that will ever actually happen.

**By 300 I meant by fisherman standards...you know 230-280' **

No, I don't expect it, and it is something we all do.

Then we look down one day and realize we are always shuffling our drivers out of the way to get to the mid that we throw on 80% of the holes.

Its a hindsight thing with hopes that someone will save the 75 bucks or so but I know they won't and then one day they will say...damn...he and all the others were right...

I just did this very recently so I know!

 

[bettsjc]

Innova makes a starter set in DX and Champion. The DX set comes with a DX Leopard, DX Shark, and DX Aviar. The Champion set comes with Champ Valkyrie, Champion Panther, and Champion Aviar.

I started playing almost 5 months ago, and was introduced with the Champion set. In my experience, it would definatly be better to go with the DX set(based on price, grip and models of discs). You shouldn't need a driver in your first two months, in which case the Champion set is nice. The Champion Panther is my go-to disc on anything 50-150'.

Definatly go with the DX starter set by Innova.

 

[BrotherDave]

One word: Polecat

 

[KzooKid]

I always give my Discraft Comet or Stratus to my buddies who dont ever play discgolf. Anything understable so Im not stuck looking for my disc they just hyzered out of bounds...