[Recommend] Help a Beginner Purchase the Right Discs

[TheThoughtNinja]

I've been playing disc golf for a month now, so I'm still very much a beginner. However, I've thrown catch discs my whole life, so I'm not totally inexperienced. I'd like to increase my collection of Innova discs to a set of ten or so. Currently I have lightweight leopard, shark, and aviar P&A; and a heavy thunderbird. With this in mind, would you please help me answer these questions?

• I don't like understable discs. My leopard is a great roller, so do I need a longer-range roller like the monarch, or is one roller enough?
• I want discs that will become increasingly useful as I progress. What's the maximum speed I should consider?
• Will a hugely overstable disc like the firebird be of any use to me?
• How different is the Roc from the Shark?
• I live in a very windy area. How well does the eagle fight headwind?
• Is the wolf a useful disc?
• I like durability, so I use champion plastic. Will the better grip on star be worth the extra cost?

Thank you for your assistance.

 

[93EXCivic]

This is advice from another newbie.

Lightweight Leopards are extremely easy to turn over. I'd try a heavier one. It is a great beginner disc.
Usually the suggestion is to start with slower discs like mids and fairways. I'd suggest looking at a TeeBird, Gazelle and Eagle for fairways.
Providing every drive you throw isn't a newbie hyzer. An overstable disc can be useful for really windy days and getting out of trouble. Personally I don't yet have the arm to use a Firebird so I use a slower super overstable disc (Viper). I find I can control it better and I get about the same distance from it.
I have limited experience with the Shark but the Shark seemed to be less overstable then the Roc.
Personally I'd say that plastic blend is a personal choice but it is worth noting in general Champ will be more overstable then Star.

 

[World Eater]

How light are these discs? Are they Blizzard?

Blizzard discs are inconsistent, so its hard to say, but you should be able to put that Leopard on a hyzer angle on release and have it flip up to flat and fly for a long way. If it's going roller for you and its only a month old it might be due to issues in your form (see OAT - off axis torque) Not trying to pick on your form, but watching videos on x-step or forhand (not sure which you're using) might help.


as to the rest :

•no
•c*
•yes, but**
•effectively similar
•not as good as an Eagle-X
•for some people I guess
•not in terms of making the disc perform better/differently, only in terms of what you like, so your call.

*you can consider speeds faster than the speed of light, but it gets pretty theoretical
**it wont help you learn

 

[SD86]

The Roc is beaded, the Shark is not beaded.

There is a 4-disc starter set that includes the Valkyrie. This might be something to look at.

Other than that, you are about to get a ton of suggestions. The good news is that you get to have fun trying discs as you find what works best for you.

 

[THUGNIFICENT763]

I would replace your lightweight starter molds with max weight variants of the same molds, in sturdier plastics. So, basically, you should do something like this.

175 DX Aviar
178 Z Buzzz
175 Star Leopard
175 Champion TeeBird

And I would add something with some true overstability. Something like a 175 Champion Banshee, just so you can get a taste of overstability and how you can use it to your advantage in certain situations.

You will notice I kept everything under speed class 7. I have no idea how much arm speed you can generate, so that is why I did that. This little five disc setup will cover most any shot situation you should encounter, and it will serve you well. Feel free to mess with it and add molds that suit you better, but keep the "putter, mid, understable fairway, stable fairway, OS fairway" formula.

 

[TheThoughtNinja]

Thanks for all the help so far. Allow me to fill in a few more details:

My discs:

171g Champion Thunderbird
147g DX Leopard
146g DX Shark
146g DX Aviar P&A

My leopard does turn over very easily. I believe it's because of how beat-up it is. Maybe I should replace it with a heavier one as suggested. It could also be my form.

Physics jokes aside, I wonder what speed I could use best for distance. I can throw my thunderbird (speed 9) 225-275 feet regularly (is that any good?) and with fair precision. Is it foolish to try out a wraith? I know some have recommended sticking to slower discs for now, but I'd like to have one fast disc.

The five-disc setup souds like a good idea I will try out.

 

[Jules B]

I tested 4 putter before deciding I like the feel and grip of the discraft challenger in pro-d plastic.. Your putter is super important, the avair is great, but the grip wasn't as nice to me. So try enough, even if it's going to a local store and really grip them..

After that I find the shark a very beginner friendly mid that has a solid fade left. I use one thrown softly when I need a short drive ending to the right. It can also be reliably thrown, fly straight and finish left, thrown right hand forehand and it fads right. Nice tool to have.

I also use a buzzz it's similar to the roc, I think it has a better range than the shark. Throw hyzer , flat, or anhyzer and it just stays that way. Very versatile one you learn to control it (I'm still learning this)

Fairway: the leopard is amazing, I'm just learning to hyzer flip it. Throw it on a slight hyzer line and put enough spin/torque on it. It will flip up and go laser straight. Thrown flat hard, or with a very slight anhyzer and it will curve right (great for the long shots that end right) very versatile disc.. Also the low speed let's beginner hyzer flio and understand the technique.

I use surge esp and I can bet money it's going to finish hard left.. I mean hard left. I trust throwing this over water where the basket ends to the left.. It's going to beam straight and turn and fade left.

Distance driver
I haven't found one more noob friendly than the avenger ss in pro-d plastic. My girlfriend gets her best and most consistent drives with it. I'd say her atm might be a speed 5-6 and the avenger just goes.. I have 2 in my bag. If thrown hard and flat it's a laser. It can also be hyzer fliped for more control and distance, that said the leopard is easier to flip as the avenger is a 10 speed and really requires power and technique to flip.

You won't soon out grow any of the ones suggested other than maybe the shark in my opinion. However, I have 2 in my bag, they are great disc as stated above.

 

[wims]

...

Physics jokes aside, I wonder what speed I could use best for distance. I can throw my thunderbird (speed 9) 225-275 feet regularly (is that any good?) and with fair precision. Is it foolish to try out a wraith? I know some have recommended sticking to slower discs for now, but I'd like to have one fast disc.

...

You almost certainly wouldn't get more distance out of the Wraith than you get with the Thunderbird. Faster rated discs doesn't fly farther by themselves, they only fly farther if you can get them up to speed. The Thunderbird is actually slightly too fast for your armspeed. Instead of getting faster discs I'd get a 170g+ Star Teebird, it's not quite as overstable as the Champion plastic, it has a bunch more glide and it feels a lot better in the hand IMO. The flatter Champion Teebirds can have pretty low glide and they fly pretty beefy, the Star is more of a workhorse. A max weight Pro Leopard would complement a Star Teebird very well. A max weight Pro Leopard will be a lot more stable than a beat low weight dx Leo. For your armspeed it will be super straight, you probably won't see any turn unless you torque it.

 

[World Eater]

If you are over 150lbs, ditch the sub 150g plastic imo.

Light plastic will kill you in the wind.



Aside : so here's something - I would totally recommend a Truth to this guy over the Buzzz or Shark suggestions, but do I really want to try to explain that he should be looking specifically for a newly released Signature Emac Truth? No, not the ones that have Eric McCabe's signature on them - they almost all have that. No, its not a specific plastic. No, not the Eric McCabe Signature I-Dye... thats.. oh never mind.

Ya, so that's when I gave up and decided not to recommend what I think would be the best disc for this guy.

 

[SD86]

171g Champion Thunderbird
147g DX Leopard
146g DX Shark
146g DX Aviar P&A

My leopard does turn over very easily. I believe it's because of how beat-up it is. Maybe I should replace it with a heavier one as suggested. It could also be my form.

Physics jokes aside, I wonder what speed I could use best for distance. I can throw my thunderbird (speed 9) 225-275 feet regularly (is that any good?) and with fair precision. Is it foolish to try out a wraith? I know some have recommended sticking to slower discs for now, but I'd like to have one fast disc.

The five-disc setup souds like a good idea I will try out.

Wow, those sub-150g discs are probably too light. I'd say your Leopard turns over due to the light weight as much or more than its level of wear.

Another thing: 225 to 275 is quite a large range there on the Thunderbird. So I'm guessing form is part of your issue.

Having said that, I'd suggest a Valkyrie as your next driver. There's many others, too, but the Valkyrie is easily available in different weights and plastics, and for ten years was the long-distance-recordholding DG disc.

 

[TheThoughtNinja]

All right. So what would you all think if I got a moderately heavy Eagle, Valkyrie, Teebird-L 3, and Panther?

 

[SD86]

All right. So what would you all think if I got a moderately heavy Eagle, Valkyrie, Teebird-L 3, and Panther?

:thmbup: :thmbup: :thmbup: :thmbup:

 

[m_Krakov]

All right. So what would you all think if I got a moderately heavy Eagle, Valkyrie, Teebird-L 3, and Panther?

All good choices, I'd add a max weight putter (at least something 171-175) as well and you'll be set.

 

[thirtydirtybirds]

Do you like how that aviar feels? Weight aside, is it comfortable to grip, fits well, and release well?

If you are looking to get your bag sorted out, by all means start with a putter you like. Find the mold that feels right, in the plastic that feels right, and grab up a couple. Putting and approach is the key to this whole game.

For the rest, your list above looks good. Don't shy away from DX for the eagle, it's really a great plastic to learn with.

 

[93EXCivic]

All right. So what would you all think if I got a moderately heavy Eagle, Valkyrie, Teebird-L 3, and Panther?

Not bad choices at all.

Personally I'd suggest a KC Pro Roc or a Buzzz over the Panther or in addition to. There is nothing wrong with the Panther but there is a reason those are such loved molds.

I would suggest a 170-175g Leopard over the Valkyrie. I have am at about 280-300 with my very beat DX Gazelle/ Leopard. I started with and still have a Valkyrie and personally I find while sometimes I do get extra distance with the higher speed Valkyrie but I don't find that I consistent with it. The Leopard is a really great mold.

Don't be afraid to get the Eagle in DX. Several of Innova's fairways are great molds to cycle. The Eagle, TeeBird and Gazelle come to mind.

If there is a shop that carries disc, go put your hands on disc particularly putters. Putters are probably the most important disc in your bag to feel comfortable with in your hand so find one you love.

 

[DGHippie]

All right. So what would you all think if I got a moderately heavy Eagle, Valkyrie, Teebird-L 3, and Panther?

You shouldn't have any trouble using that lineup with a good putter.

Short term goals and recommendations -
TL3: Try to get good with this disc for any shots outside of 200'
Panther: Try to use this on any straightish shot inside of 200'
Eagle: Use this when it's too windy to throw the TL3 or you need more fade.
Valkyrie: You might be tempted to throw this disc too often because of the distance increase over the TL3 and Eagle. I'd drop it for a 160's firebird. You probably won't ever drive with it. It is a get out of trouble disc. Try FH, FH rollers and thumbers to get out of, over, or around bushes.

 

[wims]

I'm not sure if he really needs a Firebird when he already got a Thunderbird. The Thunderbird is pretty overstable at 225-275ft of power

 

[Keller]

As a beginner, this is a good thread to delve in to.

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

Give it a read.

 

[Kevdude82]

Valkyrie: You might be tempted to throw this disc too often because of the distance increase over the TL3 and Eagle. I'd drop it for a 160's firebird. You probably won't ever drive with it. It is a get out of trouble disc. Try FH, FH rollers and thumbers to get out of, over, or around bushes.

Agreed here 100%. The TL3 and Valk will give you roughly the same distance, and with being a newer player, I'd stick with the TL3 over the Valk. I've never thrown a Firebird, so I have no input on that, but I do agree on getting something os for utility, in place of the Valk. I use a Viper as my os utility disc. Also mentioned was your Thunderbird being used for that slot, which would work well too. Best of luck!

 

[SD86]

Panther: Try to use this on any straightish shot inside of 200'

Just one comment on the Panther, which I bag: see if you can hold one in your paws and see and feel how domey it is.

My Pink Panthers are less domey than my Blue Panther (the color really doesn't matter, I just use the colors as a distinguishing point).

My Pink Panthers are stable/overstable, and despite heavy use I have not successfully beaten any of them in to lose the slight fade at the end.

The Blue Panther is stable/slightly understable. I could use the Pink and Blue Panther as a pair to cover most of the range of mid shots.

But for the most part, they are indeed straight. Give the Panther a shot; I think you'll like it.