Golden Retriever

[Jax11]

Hey all, I read about a lot of people carrying the golden retriever device that you can fold and keep in your disc golf bag. I was just wondering how successful these devices have been for people. I also want to know if anyone has had success grabbing discs from the depths of a murky water hazard without actually seeing the disc or if these devices only work when you can actually see the disc. Thanks in advance.

 

[Apothecary]

ive heard nothing but bad things about them

 

[tamahawk]

Personally, I like the Golden Retriever. They work best when you can see the disc, but I have heard of people "fishing" with them and pulling discs out of the water. I have personally used one 3 times and was successful each time with retrieving the discs. I actually just ordered one for myself from disc golf center, should be here any day now. My home course has several water holes, so it is definitely a good investment for me.

If you can see the disc, you can pretty much get it.

Here is a link to another thread about retrievers, but most of the posts are in reference to the Golden Retriever.
http://www.dgcoursereview.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1674&highlight=Golden+Retriever

 

[WillACarpenter]

I have one and we played a REALLY mini tournament yesterday, 6 guys, 2 courses.

And I pulled out the Golden Retriever 3 times. Works like a charm.

I do NOT recommend this device if your goal is to get a disc off the murky depths. For that I suggest building a lake rake...it's just not wide enough to fish blindly.

\/\/

 

[discgolphinmafaukner]

Golden Retrievers are cool if you know where your disc is in the water. If you don't know then they aren't much help. You'd have to throw it multiple upon multiples of times to try to find it and it's kind of a waste of time. I'd rather rely on my ability to not throw in the water than carry the extra weight.

 

[Technohic]

They dont weigh much and no, you would not likely get it from the water when you dont know where the disc is but if you kept your eye on right where the disc went in, there is a chance. I have never not been able to get a disc that I can see, though; and it is also useful if the disc is down a big drop off that would be hard or dangerous to climb down, with or without water.

Its not 100% but for all the more weight it is and all the more space it takes, it is definately worth carrying.

 

[Jax11]

Thanks for the advice and reviews. The golden retriever sounds useful in clear water where you can spot the disc. Since this is not the case with my disc I would now like to ask what everyone thinks is the best route to fishing stuff out of murky creeks. It seems some sort of waders and rakes will work the best.

My one worry is that the stream I lost my disc in has a slow current. I just wonder how much that would move a disc. Even if I were to get waders and a rake I think it would be blind luck to find my disc in a moving stream. Anyone know how much a slow current could move a disc?

 

[Technohic]

Those slow moving streams often come fast ones after a rain and discs will take off unless lodged between rocks.

 

[Terry C]

I saw a dude fishing with one out at a local park today, he swears by it, he had 5 or 6 discs on the ground that he just fished out with it.

 

[beandip]

I have a Golden Retriever and have used it it once for myself and about 6 times for others. Easy retrieval when you can see the disc or as long as you know where it landed.

Once a disc landed floating upside down in the middle of a 4" deep murky creek. My first toss to see if I could snag it hit the disc and sunk it out of view. I kept my eyes on the spot and threw the retriever past, lined up the string, and pulled out the disc on the first try.

The Golden Retriever takes barely any room in my bag and has saved us from getting wet and/or spending extra time trying to fish out a disc.

 

[Daddy-O]

I love mine, it's really a no brainer to keep one in your bag. They don't weigh much and take up almost no space. Mine paid for itself within 2 weeks by recovering discs I would not have been able to get otherwise.

The worst place to use them is in water with rocky bottoms or where there are lots of logs and sticks to snag. I have recovered many in waters that I couldn't see through but I knew where approximately my disc landed, it just takes extra patience. One my favorite discs took about 30 throws, but I came up with it eventually.

I've also used mine a few times to get discs out of tall trees by throwing it over a branch and then tugging on the string to shake the disc out.

 

[Donovan]

Let's put it in simple terms. You may not get every disc back out of the water with it, but you will get more than enough back to pay for itself in a hurry. I think I have gotten more the 30 back in less than 9 months and I don't hunt for discs. These are just ones I happen to see or we knew where they went in at.

Also, people who talk bad about it, probably never owned one or used one more than once. :doh:

Hint for easier use: don't swing it out by the rope, It is so much easier to just throw the metal part out past your disc. I watch these people swinging it out there and ask them out loud, "Is your throwing aim that bad, that you have make using this so difficult?" You would not believe how many people this never occurred to them.

 

[Midnightbiker]

ive heard nothing but bad things about them

What do you care? You throw your disc in the water and walk away anyway.