Beginner Bag

[Powellrm]

30 year old dude here, just got into the sport and have been playing regularly for 5-6 months. Becoming more consistent and trying to figure out what works for me. I've bagged a lot of discs to figure out what I like and what to narrow down my focus to. Not worried about distance drivers right now. I can push a Star Wraith out in the 370+ range, but not consistently enough for me to bag it or use consistently now.

Some days I play very much in the intermediate level, some days well...you know how it goes.

Years playing/experience: 5 months of disc golf, no exposure prior to 6 months ago
Right/left-handed/ambidextrous: right-handed
Throwing Style: RHBH 80+%, forehand a work in progress, will use flick shots for approach at times
Golf Distance: DD Escape long 350-370, but reliable 300-320

I think I generally like my bag, but I want to make sure I have a bag of discs that covers all my basis and encourage me to ensure I'm learning an all around game. I don't want to develop bad habits. I'm pretty new and I'd like any and all feedback.

Bag:

Fairway Drivers:
DD Escape Lucid-175g (stable, most consistent distance)
Thunderbird Champ-172g (don't throw too often)
Teedbird3 G*-172g (favorite disc, only one I can get a consistent forearm from)
Lat 64 Saint Opto-174g (was recently given to me)
Star Leo-172g

Mids:
Emac Truth-174g (hyzer lines, OS)
Buzzz Z-175g (stable, straight line power)
Roc3 Dx-180g (a little beat in)
Vroc Dx-180g (shorter straight approaches)

Putters:
Lat 64 Pure opto-174g (driving putter)
Axiom Envy-175g (flick shots, more overstable drives)
Paige Pierce putter-174g (understable approach, putting and some distance putting)
P2 Dline-175g (putting only)

 

[Powellrm]

Things I've kicked out:

Cheetah Dx: the star leo is just fine
Champ TL3: redundant
Lat 64 Compass: I like the buzzz and Roc more. Good disc though
Mantis: biiigg s turn disc, occasionally turn it
Valkyrie Dx: maybe it was a combo of the plastic and low weight (168g), but this one turned and burned easily
Archangel Dx: see above, but wayyyy more understable.
Aviar GStar: I hate this plastic on this putter. And I have better driving putter options.
DD Maverick: felt redundant.
Aviar x3: felt like more of a niche/utility approach disc, I replaced with the axiom envy that has a WAY better feel in my hands for actual driving.

 

[Powellrm]

https://www.dgcoursereview.com/forums/showthread.php?t=32790

I read through a lot of that FANTASTIC thread and found a lot of useful information. I think I'll go to the simplified approach for a few weeks and then slowly add.

p2 D Line putter
Buzzz
Star Leo
G* Teebird 3

I'll then sprinkle in some OS stuff:
Emac Truth, Lucid (new, this disc in lucid plastic is way more OS than people say IMO. The glide at times is unreal)

 

[Meillo]

If you want to develop an allround game, then try to avoid discs that you use to specific shots only and shots that you throw with specific discs only. Try to throw each disc on all kinds of lines and with all kinds of techniques. Try to do more with less in order to open your game spectrum far. On the basis of a full game, you can add more special discs for easier lines and maybe better scores, later.

Throw backhands, forehands, thumbers, tomahaws, grenades, different kinds of rollers, upside-down, hyzers, turnovers, stallouts, skipshots, air-bounces, etc. ... each with different kinds of discs to learn about the physics, in order to widen your arsenal. For instance, throwing understable discs with forehands or overhands, which are often seen as overstable discs techniques, can be insightful and open doors.

Concerning the bag: I'd drop one disc from each speed class, just to destill it a bit more, but that's a preference thing. Not a bad bag to work with. I would not describe it as a fully settled bag, but that's neither expectable nor necessary in your progress state.

 

[BuzzzChief]

I would keep that Mantis or Valkyrie in the bag, even just to mess around with. You want to develop a smooth throw that can control discs like that.

 

[Powellrm]

I would keep that Mantis or Valkyrie in the bag, even just to mess around with. You want to develop a smooth throw that can control discs like that.

After parking that Mantis under the basket on a 340' hole, I lost it a few holes later into the woods when it turned right harder than I would've liked :doh: . The worst part is that I could see it was starting the fade turn and was going to be perfect lol.

 

[Powellrm]

I probably should put one of those back in the bag, I tended to turn them hard right if I put any power into the throw. I don't know why they're rated as 8 and 9 speed discs.

 

[Meillo]

I probably should put one of those back in the bag, I tended to turn them hard right if I put any power into the throw. I don't know why they're rated as 8 and 9 speed discs.

I'm not surprised that a lightweight DX Valkyrie with any use flies understable for a 350+ arm. But that doesn't have to be bad. It depends on what you use that disc for. ;-)

 

[Powellrm]

Accidental throwlers lol

 

[ray1970]

While it wasn't an actual golf shot, the Valkyrie held the world record for distance for a long time.

I played with a guy that could bomb his. I've seen him get into long putt range on some holes that are roughly 500'.

It might not be working for you right now but might be worth setting it aside and maybe giving it another shot later down the road.

 

[Powellrm]

While it wasn't an actual golf shot, the Valkyrie held the world record for distance for a long time.

I played with a guy that could bomb his. I've seen him get into long putt range on some holes that are roughly 500'.

It might not be working for you right now but might be worth setting it aside and maybe giving it another shot later down the road.

After talking and researching some I think I've realized what has happened. I got comfortable throwing a Valk when I was first learning and liked it, but I took a break for a few months. I started playing disc golf again, played a lot, and got way more comfortable throwing. In the process, I think I was able to increase my arm speed and didn't realized that this would contribute to me more easily turning and burning my understable discs.

...but my form is okay but not consistent enough yet to throw more stable, higher speed discs on a regular basis. So I need to slow it down and get back to the basics. Smooth is far.

I think I'm going to go back to it but also give a C-Line TD a shot as well. I had better success with a Valk I had in the past that was a heavier weight. I got rid of it early on, but I'm not sure why.