Does age matter?

[SkyDog]

SkyDog, I assume you're asking about faster discs given what you already bag. Amongst my Innova loving friends, lightweight Roadrunners, Sidewinders, Valkyries, Archons and Wraiths all remain popular. Amongst distance drivers, lightweight Shrykes are favored along with Terns. Under stability and lighter weights are the recurring theme. I really like Innova's GStar plastic, btw. My bag is mostly Trilogy discs so I favor the Westside King, Destiny, Northman and the Dynamic Discs Escape. I throw them all forehand and backhand. I have had some of my longest throws with lighter discs, but don't bag them because I've had some of my wildest throws with those same discs.

Probably not going to hit the high speed discs for a bit until I get solid with the fairway drivers. I have an RPro Wahoo in the collection that I could throw pretty well on occasion, but I would like to get to the point where I am so comfortable/accurate with my fairways that I am really looking for a new challenge. I am thinking about getting a lightweight Thunderbird and Roc3's to fight the windy days, but those are probably down the road a bit.

 

[SkyDog]

I see you have a plan. When you do decide to buy some new discs, the easiest distance around (especially when you're tired) is the Lat64 Diamond. It's pretty shocking how it keeps gliding without much effort.

Welcome back!

Thank you.

I will have to investigate the Diamond. I have a few Lat 64 discs from my last go around in the collection, but do not remember the molds. I went back through the storage bags last week and found all sorts of treasures that I had forgotten I owned. I guess that is part of the aging process as well.

 

[DavidSauls]

I will agree with this to a degree.

One of the disadvantages of playing for a long time with a diminishing skill set is that playing for a long time ingrains the memories of what you used to be able to do. Meaning that, you have fashioned your game to always driving/ throwing a certain distance, and from there break it down to what distances and situations you feel comfortable throwing your fairways, mids, and approaches. Now, everything changes.

What used to be a putter drive suddenly seems a lot longer because your discs do not seem to throw as far, so now do you use a mid or fairway? What used to be an easy par three because you were able to crush 350-400 or more and then had less than 50-100 foot upshot, suddenly becomes a scary par because now you are 100-150 feet away and not used to throwing such longer upshots.

When your skillset diminishes, it can be very frustrating because you know you used to be able to make that shot. Now you are relearning your game just as much as a new player is discovering it for the first time, except there can be a higher level of frustration on your part versus a new player who still only sees potential. The only advantage you still have is that you understand angles, footwork, etc; now it is just a matter of readjusting your body (age or injury) to meet what you know it should be able to still do.

Exactly.

I've been known to say that my toughest opponent is the ghost of my former self.

 

[Fab Man]

I have to agree with eegor on the Lat 64 Diamond. I currently carry 14 disc in my bag, and two of them are Diamonds, one Opto and a Recycled line. I've also have had good results with a StarLite Mamba in weights under 150 grams as a turnover disc in my bag.

 

[DavidSauls]

A couple of things I've noticed about the disc line-ups of long-timer old-timers:

(1) They often have some rather eccentric choices in their bags.

(2) They don't care what anyone else thinks about that.

 

[IHearChains]

Turning 50 this year, started playing around 35. Got serious about tournaments about 10 years ago. Usually at least once or twice a round I have drives that are "best drive I've ever had" on holes I've been playing for years. So I definitely feel that I am still learning and getting better, technique-wise.

These days it seems harder to handle the heat in the summer though...toward the end of a 2-round tournament day, my game seems to really suffer when it's hot and humid. I might have to lay off summer tournaments.

Bring on the Fall weather!

 

[The Valkyrie Kid]

Yeah, I think I'm about an average player when compared to all the other 66 year old men in the world. That's probably not very impressive when you realize that a majority of those 66 year olds have never even heard of disc golf!

 

[crd 81]

I imagine one of the biggest things in getting older is keeping up with play is stretching everyday.

 

[Chaz58]

Turning 50 this year, started playing around 35. Got serious about tournaments about 10 years ago. Usually at least once or twice a round I have drives that are "best drive I've ever had" on holes I've been playing for years. So I definitely feel that I am still learning and getting better, technique-wise.

These days it seems harder to handle the heat in the summer though...toward the end of a 2-round tournament day, my game seems to really suffer when it's hot and humid. I might have to lay off summer tournaments.

Bring on the Fall weather!

I agree that as you get older things such as heat/humidity will definitely affect you physically (turning 61 on next b'day). If I play one of the highest rated courses in my state (The Canyons - only about a 30 min drive from home) I won't play it on a hot and humid day. Climbing the elevation changes and a couple of really long walks between some baskets and the next tees will really kick my arse! If you take any type of medications such as bp meds (I get the pleasure of taking 2 bp meds) it makes it even worse. The bad things about fall weather around my parts (used to be my favorite season) is that all it does is rain and the temps all of sudden are a good 10 degrees "below normal" every day. Thus we lose a good month and a half off the end of the season every year.

 

[Chaz58]

Yeah, I think I'm about an average player when compared to all the other 66 year old men in the world. That's probably not very impressive when you realize that a majority of those 66 year olds have never even heard of disc golf!

Yeah, the game just wasn't around back when we were younger (early to mid 70's), and when it did come about it certainly wasn't popular at all around my area. I would have LOVED to have found this game back when I was still in good shape, coming off of playing a lot of sports thru the high school years and had no physical ailments.

 

[DavidSauls]

I imagine one of the biggest things in getting older is keeping up with play is stretching everyday.

It should be.

I have to show up about 20 minutes before the younger people I play with, just to get warmed up and flexible.

There's a course near my workplace, and it's getting harder to play at lunch because, by the time I'm stretched and warmed up, it's time to get back to work.

 

[lyleoross]

A couple of things I've noticed about the disc line-ups of long-timer old-timers:

(1) They often have some rather eccentric choices in their bags.

(2) They don't care what anyone else thinks about that.

In some states, carrying eccentric things in your bag will get you arrested.

 

[IHearChains]

The bad things about fall weather around my parts (used to be my favorite season) is that all it does is rain and the temps all of sudden are a good 10 degrees "below normal" every day. Thus we lose a good month and a half off the end of the season every year.

What is this "end of the season" you mention? When the temps go low, my game goes high. Year-round play including snow, no problem for me. Humidity and 85+ temps, that's what causes me problems.

"You can always put more clothes on, but there's only so much you can take off."

 

[Mocheez]

What is this "end of the season" you mention? When the temps go low, my game goes high. Year-round play including snow, no problem for me. Humidity and 85+ temps, that's what causes me problems.

"You can always put more clothes on, but there's only so much you can take off."

I am the opposite. On warm days, I feel loose and flexible. Once the weather drops below 40 degrees, my body tightens up and I feel 15 years older.

 

[Dthunderchicken]

These past few posts have made me realize that now that I'm older I've become more of a fair weather golfer. After working outside for most of my life I've had my fill of snow boots, long underwear and insulated rain coats.

 

[art_vandelay]

For someone whose athleticism is starting to decline for the first time, you betcha age matters. It can be hard to take when you can't do the physical things you used to be able to do. After that, I don't think it matters at all. I'm 57 and I can only wish I had discovered disc golf as a young man. But I was turning 50 when I started so I was more in it for the fun and challenge knowing that I missed my window and would have to get by with less athleticism. You just have to play smarter and be more accurate than those young guns. But I feel like I'm having as much fun as anyone else I see out there maybe more so since my expectations started a little lower?

 

[SkyDog]

I have to agree with eegor on the Lat 64 Diamond. I currently carry 14 disc in my bag, and two of them are Diamonds, one Opto and a Recycled line. I've also have had good results with a StarLite Mamba in weights under 150 grams as a turnover disc in my bag.

Are the Lat 64 Diamond and Dynamic Discs Witness the same disc? When I was researching the Diamond I came across the Witness which has identical flight numbers. Starlike Mamba sounds interesting as well, closest to a Diamond I could find in Innova was the Archangel and it's a tad bit more unstable at high speed. Do the Starlite and Blizzard plastic create any durability issues with all those bubbles?

 

[Keller]

Try a Jade, they are super fun and very useful. I bag one and it has saved me many times from tight standstill shots in the woods and in the open they fly far!

Diamonds are pretty finicky and I think are best left to the slowest of arms.

Starlite Sidewinders and Roadrunners are nice to.

 

[Fab Man]

I have also bagged a Jade for sometime, and I would agree they are fun, useful and are less flippy then my diamonds.

I have been throwing some Starlite discs for a while and have not had any durability issues, plus I like the feel of it better then Blizzard.

 

[SkyDog]

So a Jade is a tad faster and a bit more stable at high speed version of the Diamond? I have a Star Sidewinder somewhere in the collection, will have to dig it out when I go to throw. Thanks for the ideas, keep them coming. Watching all the pros what's in the bag videos is fun, but I would rather find out what works best for folks that are more similar to my game.