[Other] Bag building theory

[jmdaire27]

I posted this elsewhere but my core is usually:

Stable/OS driver - speed 6-9, not utility beef...think Teebird
Stable/US driver - again speed 6-9, not super flippy...think Leopard
Stable/neutral mid - something that literally works on every line (Comet right now)
Stable/neutral putter - same as mid but a putter (Aviar, Magnet, Wizard etc.)

I try and rely on shot shaping more than having a specific disc for every shot and when that runs out, I will add something that can get the job done (Zone, RR, FB etc.)

I've more or less adopted something like this now. But looking back:

It's been trial and error for years. I can't say I had an established method of building my bag from the get go, like the Build-a-bag template. I just went through discs left and right, built a bag from one composition to another, tried minimalism, etc. However, I always built my bag higher than my rating/ability, if that makes sense (thinking a destroyer should be my max D, or that I need a OS Disc for every category, etc).

Now... I'm trying something different, cuz why not. I'm bagging discs that I've grown to really enjoy that fit together. Really, hand feel is a huge factor for me liking a Disc. So, I'm throwing Trespass', Undertakers, Truths, Judges. Can manipulate a lot of lines with those. However, I've squished the Enforcer/Stal into a Machete (no forging necessary) and keep a zone for short OS duties.

We will see...

 

[BrotherDave]

I think that if your hobby is "bag building" then you are terribly easily entertained. This is something like a bird collecting shiny bits of trash, trying to decide whether to put the gum foil underneath or beside the scorpion earring. Or trying to figure which dresses go with the redheaded doll and which on the blonde.

If your hobby is disc golf then all this bag bulding crap is completely unnecessary. Grab a handul of discs and play. If a particular course demands a particular shot that is made easier by a particular disc, add it. For the most part anything more than three or four discs will have slight to zero measurable impact on your score.

Well nobody mentioned bag building as their hobby. And secondly, why are you wasting all this wisdom on the nerds here? You need to be telling McBeth, Wysocki, etc that they're carrying way too many discs. :|

 

[Casey 1988]

Well nobody mentioned bag building as their hobby. And secondly, why are you wasting all this wisdom on the nerds here? You need to be telling McBeth, Wysocki, etc that they're carrying way too many discs. :|

They have the ability to spend so much time on each disc and finding them at the factory that they can use 7 different disc of one mold.

 

[BrotherDave]

They have the ability to spend so much time on each disc and finding them at the factory that they can use 7 different disc of one mold.

Yep, just like Eric Oakley...

 

[ODRB]

This doesn't seem that hard to me guys.

Throw the discs that work for you. Keep throwing them. When they get flippier, get a fresh one. If none of them will make a shot you keep needing, find one that will. When that one gets flippier, put i a fresh one.

The idea that you make a bunch of blanks (OS/S/US Driver, Mid, putter, etc) is nuts. Start with 2 or 3 discs that you love to throw. Keep using them. If, OVER TIME, they are leaving you without shots you need to make, find something that will make that shot.

 

[Streets]

Yep, just like Eric Oakley...

His rating would skyrocket if he wore looser pants...

 

[Casey 1988]

Yep, just like Eric Oakley...

Yes and very rare that a company makes players use only discs from a company that are sold to the public. Most companies now have special run of discs that are often in a not used plastic for a disc that a pro is known for using.

 

[Casey 1988]

His rating would skyrocket if he wore looser pants...

Nah he would trip in them all the time. Slightly looser pants would help but no not baggy pants. you see old video of Paul McBeth in the 2000's wearing really baggy pants and he looks like he is almost tripping in them.

 

[Jacobpaul81]

I'm no expert. I do what seems logical I know it's hard to start as a beginner (and I did it 20 years ago so i'm sure its worse now) and having to figure out what discs are what and will do what without anyone to help out and teach you. I started out just trying stuff- my first disc was a Millenium LF when it was considered a "big" disc. Anyone remember those days?

I didn't know any better so to minimize disc flipping I adopted a minimalist approach for 19 years:
2 Distance Drivers - I started at LF, Beast, Wraith, Flash, Surge, Destroyer
1 Mid or Fairway - Gazelle became Buzzz, Teebird, Predator, then Firebird
1 Putter Mold - Rhyno became Challenger became Voodoo

This bag was built top down with an emphasis on drivers. When I dumped this bag last year, it was 20 discs, 4 molds: Voodoo, Firebird, Wraith, Destroyer. To make it work, I had to use every ounce of skill I had in a body that just wasn't skillful or athletic enough to pull it off.

After my 36th birthday and a massive dip in my distance and jump in my scores, I decided to rebuild. It's still a work in progress for sure, and I'm still finding my way, but I began to build a cart from the bottom up. The logic behind this is that most courses are built with holes averaging around 350'. Yes, pro courses exist where the average hole is 450-500' but most situations are not this way - and even on those courses, you rip a big drive... or two big drives - and put yourself in approach range of 350' and in. So I have adopted a Fairways and Greens mentality. Shaving strokes by playing smart, not far. Pick a logical point on the course that plays to my approach game and I put my disc there. To do this, I have to have consistency in my form... meaning more molds to do more things.

So, with that said, this is what I currently am working towards:

Inside 350' -
1 circle putter
1 approach / driving putter
1 Flip Mid
1 Flat Mid
1 Flex Mid
1 OS Mid

I know a lot of players would think "Woah, woah! Do you really need 6 Discs for inside 350'?" The answer, at least by my new logic is, absolutely. The goal with this approach is consistency. By having a mold for each shot, you can eliminate variables in the form of your shot (variables often lead to problems with form), thereby ensuring a consistent pull every time. I don't have to be the most skillful player on the course to throw a good round... I just have to know my skill, know my bag, and throw consistently every shot. So I practice by throwing every disc in my bag the same way. The only time I break from this form is to throw a utility shot- either a flex, flick flex, or a spike hyzer. Inside 250', I throw Plasma Envys. Outside 250', I have 4 mids to choose from to achieve the correct angle of approach - flat to right, flat to left, flex left to right, or flat straight

Outside 350'
1 S-US Driver (Flips)
1 S-OS Driver (Control - Primary)
1 OS Driver (Wind)
1 S-OS Lightweight Driver (Big Distance)

For the driver classes, I've backed off on speed in favor of control - I'm carrying MVP's 18.5mm class and while I sacrifice some distance here, I have more control to reach a safe point I want to be at on the fairway. Keeping discs in the fairways and setting myself up for good approaches is better than throwing an extra 35'-50' and burying myself with a bad lie either OB or behind some obstacle I don't want to be behind. My home course, Carrollton Park in St. Louis has a lot of "obstacles" due to it being a former neighborhood. Playing it everyday has really forced me to focus on the fairway and on how to stay inbounds along narrow sections and avoid the sure stroke adder that is a former row of trees or bamboo or garden ties between what use to be neighboring houses.

Anyways - that's my logic, take it or leave it.

 

[DiscAnarchy]

I started playing in '15, came into this forum and read hundreds of threads where people raved about all different molds, and ended up buying hundreds of discs within the first year. Then over the course of playing a few times a week since then, I figured out what worked for me. So for the past year or so, my bag has remained pretty constant with what is in my sig.

I definitely have discs arranged in my mind as you laid out - putter, mid, fairway, distance with S/US/OS molds of each. And I do have overlap, and I definitely have discs that get thrown 10+ times per round and others maybe zero or one time. But they are all discs I trust to give me a consistent flight every time I need them. Therefore consistency & familiarity is my go-to philosophy for building a bag.

The fun and/or perplexing part of this, depending on who you are: the manufacturers will keep releasing new molds, and old molds with new stamps/colors/plastics, and new runs of the same plastics that have more or less dome or higher or lower PLH, and you keep reading these forums and you watch tournaments on YouTube and you're like "I want that disc" and pretty soon you have secret credit cards and you're stashing discs in the attic and running to get to the mailbox before your wife because she threatened to leave if you bought even one more disc.

Then there's the paradox of selling your used discs. I can think of several molds I gave up on two years ago that I bagged again on a whim and found to be useful.

I would find all of this to be a bit nuts, except even the top pros have constantly evolving bags. It seems to be a "normal" aspect of the sport, and for me it's fun. Nothwithstanding the ridiculous sums of money spent.

I could've written this exact post.

 

[Jolt]

As many others i think its FUN to buy and try discs. . . i think i have +250 now

My core disc that i throw 90% of the time is.

Warden
Meteor/Buzzz
Leo3/Explorer/Convict
Trespass

But i still have +20disc in my bag. . .why?
Well i like to have 2-3 of each so i can practise throwing the same throw 2-3times without having to fetch my discs.
I need som "get out of trubble disc" like a xxx. . .and a high wind driver.

And every round i grab somting else from my stack just to try. . .its fun to try new disc, and even old ones against your current bag

 

[Bardu]

Love the topic.

I've tried to use minimalism in my bag construction. So while my bag has been certainly top down, I don't necessarily follow the US, S, OS structure. I limited myself to mids and putters in the beginning, and limited myself to fairway driver for years after that. I like the familiarity that can come with using a small selection of discs.

Like everyone I started off by trying as many discs as I could get my hands on. Eventually I settled on a workhorse in each class of disc. This led to a Wizard/Roc/TeeBird core for a long time.

In my third or fourth year, I added a Forehand to my game and I use Firebird for 95% of my FH shots.

In my sixth year, I found a distance driver on the course and I surprised myself when I had good results with it. I began working with the Sidewinder later that year and it has largely taken as my main BH driver. I didn't arrive at it by design, but the results have been so good that I feel the Sidewinder is a very "me" disc. This year I have added a stable compliment to it in the form of the Valkyrie.

I feel my bag has evolved to become more personalized to my game over time. I began with a skeleton and now it has become more organic.

 

[discerdoo]

Love the topic.

I've tried to use minimalism in my bag construction. So while my bag has been certainly top down, I don't necessarily follow the US, S, OS structure. I limited myself to mids and putters in the beginning, and limited myself to fairway driver for years after that. I like the familiarity that can come with using a small selection of discs.

Like everyone I started off by trying as many discs as I could get my hands on. Eventually I settled on a workhorse in each class of disc. This led to a Wizard/Roc/TeeBird core for a long time.

In my third or fourth year, I added a Forehand to my game and I use Firebird for 95% of my FH shots.

In my sixth year, I found a distance driver on the course and I surprised myself when I had good results with it. I began working with the Sidewinder later that year and it has largely taken as my main BH driver. I didn't arrive at it by design, but the results have been so good that I feel the Sidewinder is a very "me" disc. This year I have added a stable compliment to it in the form of the Valkyrie.

I feel my bag has evolved to become more personalized to my game over time. I began with a skeleton and now it has become more organic.

I enjoy following your ITB and try as I might, I just can't go as minimalist. I assume with the Valk/SW combo that you aren't a huge distance bomber. Just curious what your max distance is with them. I bag an SOLS which seems pretty Valk like to me but can get a little extra distance with a stable Wraith.

I'm sure Keller loves you.

 

[Casey 1988]

I enjoy following your ITB and try as I might, I just can't go as minimalist. I assume with the Valk/SW combo that you aren't a huge distance bomber. Just curious what your max distance is with them. I bag an SOLS which seems pretty Valk like to me but can get a little extra distance with a stable Wraith.

I'm sure Keller loves you.

Even after they made the speed 11 and up discs a Valkyrie was my longest disc until I found a disc I liked in 2014. I should replace my 170 Champ Destroyer with a 165-167 gram anywhere in there Champ Destroyer. I rarely need to use my heavy Destroyer, being I am not a true power thrower.

 

[SonicGuy]

There are a limited number of magical discs. Pick the magic discs you want and build your bag around them.

No I won't tell you which ones are magic.

 

[Bardu]

I enjoy following your ITB and try as I might, I just can't go as minimalist. I assume with the Valk/SW combo that you aren't a huge distance bomber. Just curious what your max distance is with them. I bag an SOLS which seems pretty Valk like to me but can get a little extra distance with a stable Wraith.

I'm sure Keller loves you.

Thanks! I'm definitely not a bomber, I make my strokes with my short game and trying to play smart golf. There are a couple 315 ft holes that I can drive pretty regularly. Maybe I can reach a bit beyond that when I'm on.

 

[discerdoo]

Thanks! I'm definitely not a bomber, I make my strokes with my short game and trying to play smart golf. There are a couple 315 ft holes that I can drive pretty regularly. Maybe I can reach a bit beyond that when I'm on.

Cool, betcha can throw farther than Rollie Fingers though.

 

[Casey 1988]

There are a limited number of magical discs. Pick the magic discs you want and build your bag around them.

No I won't tell you which ones are magic.

I think they are the discs that after some trial you find work for your game as well and the feel in the hand. Some are not able to find like the disc you tried from a friend is OOP and you have to move on.

 

[mosman253]

Imo you find a disc you like then you throw it. Then you try other discs and if you like them, then you throw them. And if you dont like it, you throw it away. And then make fun of it, And anyone else who throws them. Then you tell everyone how much better yours is compared to theirs bc yours was made of this run from this year and you cant get them anymore. Your bag is now the best bag ever built! Now you can shred the course with the elites, as long as nobody says nice.:thmbup:

Honestly i think your bag should be built off your fave straight disc in each speed that is usefull to you.

 

[Casey 1988]

Imo you find a disc you like then you throw it. Then you try other discs and if you like them, then you throw them. And if you dont like it, you throw it away. And then make fun of it, And anyone else who throws them. Then you tell everyone how much better yours is compared to theirs bc yours was made of this run from this year and you cant get them anymore. Your bag is now the best bag ever built! Now you can shred the course with the elites, as long as nobody says nice.:thmbup:

Honestly i think your bag should be built off your fave straight disc in each speed that is usefull to you.

Uh then I have 3 discs I just kind of built my bag around. Limitations of one, Not short enough for a true midrange, then a neutral slightly understable driver I built, and my putter. I have also found discs that fit with my short midrange/long approach disc and so on. I was trying to use a wrong disc in one spot, making the disc do what it has trouble doing with windy situations but I fixed it.