What is the most useful driving distance?

[BarkBuster]

I have recently realized that I am never going to be a 400'+ guy, at least not without hours and hours of practice that honestly I just don't want/have time to do. I started thinking last night... Do I need to throw 400'? I don't feel that I do. I play solely for fun and exercise, I'm not trying to make a living with disc golf. For the courses in my area I have no need for a 350'+ drive as most holes are 175'-350'. There is the odd 400'-600' out there but they are few and far between.


Im voting for 300'-350'.


So if there were a perfect distance range what would it be? What are your thoughts on this? I'm mostly trying to figure out if there is a consummate distance driving range or if it just varies wildly on your location and course layout.



(I tried to prerube.. I found nothing)

 

[woodstock]

I dont have a huge arm either, I can get it out 375' on a good day and I have found on MOST courses thats adequate. However I would love to be able to throw longer. Its like having a car that can go 200 mph, You know your not going to go that fast but know you can. Also Ive seen that bigger arms can get into bigger trouble. My home course is pretty tight and technical so I tend to just try to keep it in the fairway.

 

[scarpfish]

I play solely for fun and exercise, I'm not trying to make a living with disc golf.

Then there's really no perfect distance.

For all the hype about distance, I would bet most recreational players rack up a lot of their unnecessary strokes within 100' of the basket, and would get lower scores by trying to ratchet up their short game, than concentrating on distance.

 

[bwiese]

I think having more distance comes in handy when you can throw slower discs and have them go farther. If I can throw a tbird 325 and you have to throw a destroyer that far, I am going to have less chance of error right to left. Same as me throwing a putter compared to you throwing your fairway drivers. If I can throw it just as far as your fairway driver I am most likely going to have less erroro left to right.

It also helps to have some distance because if I can throw 400 a 300 foot shot will not have to be full power.

All that being said I think if you can throw 350 accurately and can have a 300 foot up shot land in a 10 meter circle it is the same as some one throwing 400 with a 250 up shot.

It all comes down to the putt. Drive for show

 

[Jay Dub]

I know a local that can throw 450' and very accurately. But if he has to take 50-100' off that throw, he screws up. His approach shots are off mark more times than not also.
If you can't throw far, learn to be accurate.

 

[wkelly42]

It depends on the courses you play. The places I play most of the time, from the tees I play most of the time, 300-350 is optimal. If I change tees, maybe 350-400 -- but 300-350 would still have me putting for pars most of the time.

I know that I'll be happy getting my Leopard out to 325 or so, with my JLS touching 350-375. Anything beyond that is gravy.

 

[BarkBuster]

I would bet most recreational players rack up a lot of their unnecessary strokes within 100' of the basket, and would get lower scores by trying to ratchet up their short game, than concentrating on distance.

I agree.. my short game is what makes my game. I'm definitely more concerned with my putt-approach game than my overall distance.

This post/poll might seems pointless, but its Sunday and this is the most work I have done so far today.

 

[cc0049]

If you can throw 450+ accurately, then everything shorter than that is that much easier. This is a no brainer for me.

 

[Lewis]

^ This.

 

[Smigles]

^^ this.

 

[BarkBuster]

You guys are no fun.

I'm glad I didn't put 1000'+ as an option.


Do you honestly think that golfers should practice until they reach a 450' benchmark? You don't feel that reaching 350' is enough to compete on most courses?

 

[fishmich]

my max distance has taken a jump from 325 to 425 and better over the last few months but my short game still sucks and my scores havent really changed. im getting 2's on holes i never did before but at the end of a round i dont notice much difference in my score. so is throwing over 400 useful to me? no, not much, but dang is it fun to watch that disc get out there.

 

[BarkBuster]

Do you honestly think that golfers should practice until they reach a 450' benchmark? You don't feel that reaching 350' is enough to compete on most courses?

Not trying to be a dick by the way.. That was a serious "honestly" not a sarcastic one.

 

[culinarywiz]

I think 400 is a good bench mark. It is enough to out drive probably 75% of players. It allows you to disc down on 350 foot holes for accuracy, which to me is key. I also agree with the previous posts of the importance of a solid short game. I would take being able to drain 30 footers consistantly over distance every time.

 

[AKormendi]

I play a lot, and I'm pretty serious about improving my short game, but that big D opens up new lines on shorter holes. If I can put it out to 450', then I can take that huge hyzer out around the trees on that 300' hole, while noodle-arm has to deal with the tiny window through the gut. Or put a putter out that distance because it will hold a better line.

Unfortunately, I can't hit 450', but every time I'm out on an open course I'm trying to get that hit just a little better, and every time I improve my hit for max distance, it seems to translate to better approaches and more options in the shorter shots.

 

[VyZx]

I think some of you are looking at this the wrong way.

In my opinion, if you're trying to be more than a recreational player, you work on your short game and not your distance because of the gained strokes.

There is nothing more satisfying to a recreational player than outthrowing the competition by 100'. Even if you miss a 30' putt and make par, having the longest throw on every hole is quite satisfying.

IMO

 

[BarkBuster]

f I can put it out to 450', then I can take that huge hyzer out around the trees on that 300' hole, while noodle-arm has to deal with the tiny window through the gut. Or put a putter out that distance because it will hold a better line.

Thats where I run into issues... Is it a smarter idea to go hyzer around trees and risk smacking a limb and getting stuck at the apex of your hyzer line? or would it be more beneficial to take a straight shot down the middle with the noodle arms?

I feel like with the added distance I would be more likely to make my shots a lot more challenging than they need to be, and I feel that would cause me to make a lot more mistakes.

 

[jenb]

I've stretched my max distance from about 225 to about 300 over the past couple of months, but it's really screwed up my accuracy because I've gotten in the habit of throwing 100% all the time on the drive. An extra 75 feet is no good if I hit a tree one-third of the way there, or go at an angle that puts me further from the hole than an accurate 225 would have landed. or get in the woods and have to pitch out, or go OB. I don't know about you, but I'm going to focus on developing high percentage shots and selecting them at the appropriate times.

 

[culinarywiz]

I've stretched my max distance from about 225 to about 300 over the past couple of months, but it's really screwed up my accuracy because I've gotten in the habit of throwing 100% all the time on the drive. An extra 75 feet is no good if I hit a tree one-third of the way there, or go at an angle that puts me further from the hole than an accurate 225 would have landed. or get in the woods and have to pitch out, or go OB. I don't know about you, but I'm going to focus on developing high percentage shots and selecting them at the appropriate times.

^$$$^

 

[medicinalfunk]

i don't like that the poll question is different than the thread question. useful? perfect? which is it?