Help a beginner out please.

[Steal Your Face]

Well hello all this is my first post and just made my account although i have been lurkin the forums for about a week or 2. So i guess ill introduce myself first, names Jake and im 19. I have only played about 10 rounds of DG all together. I just got into but, a few of my friends have been playing about 2 years. I've only used there disc. But i have recently started my collection in time for spring. So far i have a Star Mako, and a Star Aviar Driver (got my mid range and putt first so i can practice in the front yard, i hate the cold so im waiting for the spring to get into it hard). My friends tell me to only buy Star, or ESP , ESP FLX plastic. I was wondering if yall could help me out with like the first 10 disc i should start off with. Im gonna buy a Buzzz, Surge, and Avenger ESP with next paycheck. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks for yalls time, i hope to become a active member on this site.

PS. I can already tell im going to be a addict.

 

[sidewinder22]

Hi Jake! It'd help the suggestions to know how you throw FH, BH, or OH, or all the above, what you have thrown and how far. I'd definitely get a Soft X Banger GT or two or ten as a putter though.

 

[cblack129]

you can't wrong with a buzzz. flies beautifully straight all the time.

 

[skippy0420]

Don't make the same mistake that I made and go get 10 different discs to start out with. I admit buying plastic is just part of it but......

I wish I would have taken my time to learn 3 or 4 to begin with so I knew how they flew (for me, leopard, roc, valk and Aviar) and then go from there. Starting slow with putters and approches and moving up from there...

 

[cblack129]

Don't make the same mistake that I made and go get 10 different discs to start out with. I admit buying plastic is just part of it but......

I wish I would have taken my time to learn 3 or 4 to begin with so I knew how they flew (for me, leopard, roc, valk and Aviar) and then go from there. Starting slow with putters and approches and moving up from there...

that is very good advice. I'd grab a buzzz and a putter that feels good to you and play just with those 2 for a bit. Once you get those dialed in then look into getting a driver. Best thing to do is get your technique right and then worry about getting more discs once you figure out how you throw.

 

[garublador]

The Aviar and Mako are good starting discs.

Here's what I'd suggest for 10 discs for a beginner

3 Medium or soft S Wizards - 1 165-168g, 1 170-172g and 1 175g

3 DX Rocs - all 170-175g

3 either Polaris LS or DX Cheetahs - all 165-170g

1 either EXP1 or Banshee - 168-172g

The lower end plastics will be easier to learn with and will give you better results (and save you a bunch of money). Focus on driving with all of your putters and mids as well as your drivers. Driving with putters and mids is both really useful and helps a lot with fundamentals. Expect the EXP1 or Banshee to be overstable. Try to get it to hold all sorts of lines, but don't expect it to be a really straigtht disc. It will mostly be used for hyzers and headwinds. I'd avoid anything faster than the Polaris LS/Cheetah for distance/control for now. Chances are discs like that will teach bad habits.

Have fun, ask questions and welcome to the game!

 

[simpletwist]

I know the 2 discs that the biggest impact when I first started playing was a 150g Champion Leopard & an ESP Buzzz.

The other advice I'd give is to borrow some of your friends putters. In my mind effective putting is all about routine and feel. So find a putter that "feels" right. Then stick with it.

 

[okiebullgod]

I wish I would have taken my time to learn 3 or 4 to begin with so I knew how they flew (for me, leopard, roc, valk and Aviar) and then go from there. Starting slow with putters and approches and moving up from there...

These are great discs to learn on, and you'll most likely never quit them as you progress because they are such great usefull discs.

 

[chronicatm]

I started with a Polaris LS and a Champion Viking. I think those are both good first drivers.

 

[Steal Your Face]

Wow, Thanks for all the replies so fast! Well i throw backhand, with the x-step. The few rounds i have played i have used a Surge ESP once and a Star Valkyrie the other times. Id say i throw about 150-200 with the valkyrie. I used to play alot of Ultimate Frisbee dont know if that would help my fundamentals or not, and used to play ball golf. Dont know why i didn't start DG sooner.

 

[Bubbajoe]

Definatly sick to the mid ranges and putters. If you think you need a driver stay with the fairway dirvers. Do not waste your time with the max distance divers to start. As far as plastic is concerned I have to disagree with your friends here. There's nothing wrong with cheap plastic. Especially if your just starting. You have no idea what you'll like. Base models are a great way to test drive a mold without emptying your wallet. Also the feel of each plastic is different. For me star plastic takes along time to break in before it feels comfortable. DX on the other hand feels good right off the rack.

 

[craigg]

Yeah - don't go out and buy a bunch of plastic just yet. Stick with the couple you've got, and LEARN THEM. Figure out how to make your mid and putter do everything - and borrow your buddies discs for a few rounds to see what feels good and flies well for you - then start spending $$

 

[okiebullgod]

Also... Dan Beto video is a must watch.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nED7gcXobEo

 

[DiscJunkie]

Don't make the same mistake that I made and go get 10 different discs to start out with. I admit buying plastic is just part of it but......

I wish I would have taken my time to learn 3 or 4 to begin with so I knew how they flew (for me, leopard, roc, valk and Aviar) and then go from there. Starting slow with putters and approches and moving up from there...

Great advice.
Start out with some basic discs and go from there. Learn to throw those first, then move up to faster discs.

Study this chart for a basic understanding of disc stability:
Joe's Flight Chart

 

[djjeremiahj]

....

a few words of advice -

1) Buy DX - Why....If you play a lot, you will lose 95% of your discs within the first few months anyway. If you dont play that much, you probably wont realize the difference in plastic anyway. It goes back to the old saying... By the time you lose or break-in your discs, you'll be good enough to realize what you really need.

2) Stick to 5-6 discs...
There is a huge discussion here -> http://www.dgcoursereview.com/forums/showthread.php?t=9711

3)Resist the temptation to buy / find / acquire more discs. Adding more discs only reduces your consistency with the 5-6 you own. (Good luck with this, we all have issues with it.)

4) Find your ideal disc weight. @ 19 and (assumably) athletic, i'm going to guess your weight is 168-170. Getting discs too light wont necessarily throw farther, and may make things harder as they amplify throwing issues. Getting discs too heavy is a sure way to kill distance and turn every disc into a meathook.

btw - as a noob, stay away from star plastic. yes it's superior, but it requires a lot of snap and skill. The same disc in champion, pro or DX is a lot easier to control.

my suggestion -

1) Star Katana (167-168) <- This will be your "go far disc". (Good @ forehands too!)*(Only made in star)
2) Champion / DX - Sidewinder or Valkyrie (170) <- This will be your all purpose disc & Roller.
3) Champion / DX Firebird <- this will be your fade and backhand disc, overhands too.
4) Star TeeBird - (170) <- Fairway Driver and second all purpse driver. This SHOULD be your driver of choice, but it wont be for a while. (Buy the star, it takes a while to beat in.)
5) Champion / DX Leopard (168) <- Placement driver. In between Teebird and Roc.
6) DX Roc (170) <- Everyone should have one. Resist getting the Buzzz as its not as controllable as the Roc. If the Roc feels funny, try Skeeter.
+
the discs you already have.
(i know thats 8, but that covers all the shots you should need/have as a noob.)

Based on this selection, by summer you should be good enough to know exactly how to tweek your bag and what discs you need.

 

[Rol6566]

Buying a Katana would be a terrible idea. Its WAY too fast for someone who has only played 10+ rounds and is only throwing 200'

 

[djjeremiahj]

...

Buying a Katana would be a terrible idea. Its WAY too fast for someone who has only played 10+ rounds and is only throwing 200'

are you kidding me?
any noob will instantly add 20-30' with it. Out of the box and throwing poorly. Within a week or so of practice he'll be up to the 250-300' range.

i'm helping the guy out from a noob perspective and how to get instant distance and results. The game is a lot more fun when you can drive a bit farther, and not look like you "suck" in comparison to the others. For most noobs, this can be overcome with disc selection.When they get good enough to realize there is another level, then they can start thinking about those concepts. but until then, help the guy cheat and throw far.

furthermore, the katana is a disc that would improve the distance and game of all skill levels (save super pros).

 

[kcplease]

when i first started i played 12 rounds in 2 weeks before i went to disc golf world for a 50 dollar shopping spree. before that I had a dx shark (which I don;t really use anymore), and a dx gazelle (which got oblideratied by a lawnmower in september). I think star plastic is ok, but i prefer the feel of the low end pro d or dx and champion. my first 6 were gazelle, shark, stingray, teebird, aviar putt and approach, and a champ monarch, everything else dx. I think that it is good to stay simple for the first few months especially if you play a lot. i say get a driver that understable, a teebird or stalker, a buzzz or shark, and an aviar or magnet and forget about the others until you throw farther and figure out whats working and what else you might need. Enjoy the game and play in the cold with your friends, [lkaying with them will make you so much better.

 

[garublador]

are you kidding me?
any noob will instantly add 20-30' with it. Out of the box and throwing poorly. Within a week or so of practice he'll be up to the 250-300' range.

i'm helping the guy out from a noob perspective and how to get instant distance and results. The game is a lot more fun when you can drive a bit farther, and not look like you "suck" in comparison to the others. For most noobs, this can be overcome with disc selection.When they get good enough to realize there is another level, then they can start thinking about those concepts. but until then, help the guy cheat and throw far.

furthermore, the katana is a disc that would improve the distance and game of all skill levels (save super pros).

If your goal is actual form improvement I believe this is terrible advice, even for someone throwing 300'.

 

[ERicJ]

Leave the long range drivers on the shelves and stick to a putter and mids to start with, maybe a fairway driver if you want to get used to the feel of a driver rim in your hand.