Herb's 2019 ITB

[HERB brooks]

Vitals:
Years playing/experience: roughly 5 years
Right/left-handed/ambidextrous: right-handed
Throwing Style: 66.67%-RHFH, 33.33%-RHBH
Golf Distance (avg/max') FH: Pig: 250/275'; OLF: 325/375'; Wraith: 350/400'
BH: Omega: 230/260'; Buzzz: 250/300'; OLF: 300/350'; Wraith: 325/375'
Optional:
Age: 31
Sex: M
Injuries/handicaps?: Nothing major
Other sport proficiencies?: Lacrosse, Hockey
Additional Information: I'm looking to use the winter months to experiment with my bag and maybe try a few new discs.
What do you like/dislike about your current bag?:

Specific areas of desired feedback: Gaps or redundancies in the lineup, this is mostly a thread where I can track what I've been throwing throughout the year, but any feedback is appreciated.
Immediate and long-term goals:
-I would like to continue develop my backhand game more, as I still throw farther FH. Ultimately I'd like to throw 400' regularly with both FH and BH.
-Continue to develop a stronger mental game by not losing focus after bad holes/shots.
-Spend more time in the field, rather than playing rounds all the time. My field sessions are too few and far between. I REALLY need to commit to a solid practice routine this year, between field work and putting.
-Become PDGA member, play in 5 sanctioned tournaments, and earn a 900+ rating.
-Get better at BH anhyzer shots & BH rollers.


Bag:
4x Omega(Quantum/Lunar SS/Delta T)- main putter, BH upshots, driving putter
2x Pig(Pro & R-Pro)- FH driving putter, FH upshots, headwind putts, BH spike hyzer approaches
2x Buzzz(Jawbreaker & Elite Z)- workhorse midranges
2x Roadrunner(Champion & Star)- hyzerflips, tailwind drives, anhzyers
3x OLF(Millennium Standard)- workhorse fairway/control drivers
2x Firebird (Color Glow Champion)- headwind drives, spike hyzers, skip shots, thumbers, other utility shots
4x Wraith- workhorse distance drivers, flippy to OS

I feel better about my bag going into this year than in the past 3 years, so it's reassuring that I don't want to change half the bag up from jump street. I am very happy with these 7 molds, and throw all of them BH, FH, and overhand. I doubt much will change with my bag over the course of this year as I don't intend to try too many new molds out (I do want to play around with Rocs & Comets again this year, why not). Looking forward to competing in more tournaments this year, ideally I can make the jump up to MA1 and not look back.

I feel like I have just about every line I can think of covered with this setup. A lid would make a nice addition to my bag, something that can cover finesse/flippy approaches. I only have a couple thrashed Omegas, so the lid would add some versatility to my lineup of putters. I also will consider putting a straight fairway (Mantis/FD/JLS/OLS) in again to complement my Roadrunner/OLF/Firebird setup. I also may throw in an Xcaliber or Force for when the winds really pick up.

 

[HERB brooks]

Had the local short course, Cumberland Green, to myself earlier today for a few rounds and some practice. I don't really care much about score during such rounds, though I will play the first disc thrown for record (I often will play out some of the other drives when the course is empty). Got lots of good extra throws in, trying to force different lines on the holes or trying to replicate lines several times in a row. It really helped when I shanked a drive, to throw a few more and correct the mistake that lead to my bad drive before moving on to the next hole.

I decided to mix it up and throw in some molds I haven't thrown in a while. I took out most of the stable molds/discs for today to help work on form. Cumberland is short enough that I can take my Wraiths out of the bag, and OLFs may come out once or twice tops in a typical round. I tried make sure I was focused on throwing smooth and hitting my lines more than trying to score well. One area of focus was standing up straighter to prevent throwing with too much hyzer (a bad habit that happens when I rush my throws or try and throw too hard). This adjustment should allow me to pull the disc through on a straighter/smoother line.

BAG:
1x Birdie (DX)-Mostly for fun, I do plan on using a lid for the next month or two for patent pending upshots, nose up stalls, or when I need a lot of anhyzer, but not much distance. Very fun using a disc that requires finesse to throw it well. I also have a Sonic, Piranha, Polecat that I'll be rotating between.
4x Omega (Lunar SS & Delta T)- At the moment I prefer the Delta T for putting and jump putts. The Lunar SS are used for upshots and drives. I'm gonna have at least 3-4 Omegas in my bag this year, if I can beat a few more in, I may not need the lids. I'll probably keep using a Quantum or an AP as a durable driving Omega but don't really think I need 5 Omegas in the bag.
2x Pig (Pro & R-Pro)-Recently aced with my most trusted upshot disc, am needing to beat up some R-Pros again, they feel perfect to once they are well worn. A Pig or two will always be in my bag.
*3x Buzzz (Elite X, Elite Z, & Jawbreaker)-Threw these very well today, especially the Elite Z, which is my favorite Buzzz. Hit cage off the tee on hole 13, would have been nice to get off the mark early with an ace. Was fun to compare these next to the Rocs.
*3x Roc (DX & KC Pro)- Took me a few throws to get used to the Rocs again, but I really enjoyed throwing the two DX quite a bit. I threw the KC Pro less, but that's more a function of having 2 newer DX that I wanted to try out more extensively. All three were flying nice and straight for me today, with the fresh DX having the most fade. I need to get a more stable Roc off the shelf to pair with the 2 DX
2x Mantis (Elite X & Big Z)- I almost forgot how much I loved this mold. The Mantis was the first disc I purchased when getting back into disc golf in 2015 (before then all I had was an Aviar and an Archangel). I quickly fell in love with the Mantis, and after today, its obvious why. These fly great both FH and BH, while making a great disc for tomahawks and grenades. These could slot right into my bag right now, though it could add unnecessary indecision on what fairway to throw. Worst case scenario, I can just use the Mantis in a quick travel bag.
2x Roadrunner (Star & Champion)- I threw these drivers quite a bit today and threw them well most every time (more BH than FH today oddly). The more I throw the Roadrunner, the more I come to appreciate it. I still may add in something between a Roadrunner and OLF, I really need to find some more of the first run MOLFs and I could get away with just the two molds.
1x OLF(1.3 Millennium Standard)-The course is short enough, and I was feeling it with my Roadrunners, to where I only threw this a couple times. OLFs won't go anywhere, they are in the bag to stay.
1x Firebird (Champion)-Threw it once, poorly, but still had a putt...was there just in case the wind picked up.

* My main goal for today was to lean on my midranges, trying to hit specific lines. Recently, I have been using the two Roadrunners in situations where I would have thrown a Buzzz in the past (mostly to test out the Roadrunner's flight while powered down). So today, I really wanted to put the Rocs/Buzzzes to the test head to head. I made sure to throw BH with both the Buzzz/Roc on lines where I normally don't think twice about throwing anything other than a Pig FH. I don't plan on removing one for the other any time soon, as one afternoon is too small a sample size to make a decision on. The Buzzz is safe either way( feels better in the hand and I like it more FH) , but I came away very impressed by both molds. This round was a good reminder that an improved midrange game can shave strokes off my score.

I plan on playing practice rounds down at Cumberland fairly often this year. I should have more free time this winter, so that will help me get out to the course earlier, ideally I can hit up Aviary or Cottonwood while the course is empty, to get narrower & more defined fairways for better practice. This combined with ample field sessions will help me quite a bit this upcoming season.

 

[HERB brooks]

Good weekend of golf at league, played a couple tag matches (Widefield Saturday and The Aviary today) and ended with some random dubs at Rampart. I shot pretty well all weekend, almost put together a real special round at Widefield. Set my bag up more like I normally would compared to the last post. This should be pretty close to what my tournament set-up will look like for the year.

Weekend Bag:
4x Omega (Lunar SS/Delta T)- I should probably commit to throwing 500 putts per week minimum for the rest of the year. Streaky putting cost me plenty of strokes this weekend (I'm hitting just about everything I look at for par, but am struggling mightily on birdie looks). While I shot pretty well during singles both rounds, missed putts inside circle 1 killed me. I've got to put more time in on the practice basket and it will eventually pay dividends. I still love the Omega though!
2x Pig (Pro/R-Pro)- Ordered a new White R-Pro from infinite, should be here on Monday. Looking forward to beating in another R-Pro, those white ones feel great one they're thrashed for over half a year. I might break out an old Pro soon , my more stable of the two Pigs is in a good spot right now. It would be nice to have a couple in that stage of wear.
2x Buzzz (Jawbreaker/Elite Z)- These are a pair of discs that I should try and throw more often than I do. I'll be much better about that this year, improved midrange play is a new point of emphasis for me. Comets and Rocs will get mixed in intermittently. Its nice to have a mid with more glide to pair with a Buzzz
2x Roadrunner (Champion)- Roadrunners are becoming a workhorse for BH drives. These are slowly becoming an indispensable part of my setup, still impressed with the Roadrunners versatility.
3x OLF (1.1 MOLF/1.3 MOLF)- I could probably shoot within 2 strokes of my record scores at every course in town with just a pair of OLFs as my only drivers. Throwing an OLF is almost always a great plan.
2x Firebird (Color Glow Champion)- 2018 Sexton is the less beefy of the two, pink color glow from a recent tournament is the more overstable. These get thrown a good amount when I'm playing it safe or into headwinds since they are so reliable. I'm really happy with my fairway/control driver lineup (3 solid molds).
4x Wraith (Pro/Star)- All distance lines are covered by these 4 Wraiths, from flippy to OS. It did get really windy in the afternoon for doubles, Xcal or Force will be getting a run here soon for heavy wind duty. A super OS distance driver is like an umbrella, you will rarely need to have one in the bag, but when you need it, you're glad you have it there.

 

[Jolt]

How does a "beat up R-Pro Pig fly" ?

I have one new R-Pro and one Blizzard PIG in my bag, but the R-Pro i still SO OS that i "need" a Aviar X3 in the bag. .

Will a Beat up R-Pro PIG "straighten out" enough so i can take the Aviar X3 out? ( i hope )

 

[BuzzzChief]

I'm surprised the Comet doesn't have a more permanent spot in the bag, I was never comfortable just throwing the Buzzz for my only midrange. I always needed a more "true understable" mid in the bag, whether it was a Comet, Meteor or something else.

 

[HERB brooks]

How does a "beat up R-Pro Pig fly" ?

I have one new R-Pro and one Blizzard PIG in my bag, but the R-Pro i still SO OS that i "need" a Aviar X3 in the bag. .

Will a Beat up R-Pro PIG "straighten out" enough so i can take the Aviar X3 out? ( i hope )

They never completely lose the fade, but after a year or more of abuse, Pigs tends to be fairly straight. They will still have all the HSS, but the fade become much more subtle at end of flight. I like to have one in this condition for low powered FH upshots or upshots down a wider tunnel. Should become straight enough to remove your AviarX3 with time. Full disclosure, a Pig in this condition will be fugly (my last ace was with a warped and clovered to hell Pig).

I'm surprised the Comet doesn't have a more permanent spot in the bag, I was never comfortable just throwing the Buzzz for my only midrange. I always needed a more "true understable" mid in the bag, whether it was a Comet, Meteor or something else.

Comets had a spot pretty much all of last year. The problem is that I like to tinker with my setup too much. I first bought a Comet about 2 years ago, and they have been in and out of my bag ever since. It's pretty much a yearly tradition to pull either the Comet or Buzzz our of my bag. I agree that something more US is a good complement to the Buzzz. The "ideal" solution would be a Roc cycle, but I have a stack of Buzzz and Comets (and I like throwing both molds) so I'm hesitant to make the switch.
While the Buzzz is a somewhat versatile midrange, it's not going to cover the entire spectrum of mid shots. I never understand the people who will bag 3 or more Buzzz, since they pretty much fly the same. My jawbreaker is a slight bit more US, but I could easily drop down to 1 buzzz and have the same lines covered.

 

[BuzzzChief]

I used to bag 3 Buzzz's, but that was only because I have some special ones. My 2nd 1st Run Z flies pretty overstable for a Buzzz, and my old flat white ESP's (from the original run of ESP) fly more like a fresh Meteor. A fresh ESP slots right in between them. I would still carry a Comet anyways because they just do things that other discs can't.

I'm with you on the Roc cycle (Rocs and Ghosts in my case). My problem is that it takes me years to get even a DX to the sweet spot for the understable slot. So the Comet stays.

 

[HERB brooks]

I used to bag 3 Buzzz's, but that was only because I have some special ones. My 2nd 1st Run Z flies pretty overstable for a Buzzz, and my old flat white ESP's (from the original run of ESP) fly more like a fresh Meteor. A fresh ESP slots right in between them. I would still carry a Comet anyways because they just do things that other discs can't.

I'm with you on the Roc cycle (Rocs and Ghosts in my case). My problem is that it takes me years to get even a DX to the sweet spot for the understable slot. So the Comet stays.

There was a time where I had 3 Buzzz in the bag as well (the first time I decided it was a good idea to pull Comets from my bag) which only lasted for a couple months. I found it to be overkill to where I only ever threw the most beat one and the Elite Z that's currently in my bag. I'll rotate between some backups in Jawbreaker or Elite X, to have some beat backups for my more US Buzzz. However, I tend to switch up the more stable Buzzz less often so they have a chance to get extra wear.

I could probably just go with 1 Buzzz and 1 Comet and have more lines covered than I currently do. What's funny is that one of my main justifications for having the Buzzz in the bag, is that I can FH it much better than Rocs or Comets. Yet, I hardly ever throw my Buzzz FH anymore. I don't really mind throwing Rocs or Comets FH, but the bead feels much less comfortable in my grip than something beadless. Its probably not that important of a consideration anymore. I throw mids FH rarely enough that I could get by with most anything.

 

[riltim]

While the Buzzz is a somewhat versatile midrange, it's not going to cover the entire spectrum of mid shots. I never understand the people who will bag 3 or more Buzzz, since they pretty much fly the same. My jawbreaker is a slight bit more US, but I could easily drop down to 1 buzzz and have the same lines covered.

I bag 3 and I feel all 3 have their use. My least stable is a 5-6 year old ESP that's beat in to perfection. If I throw it hard and flat it will drift understable, almost like a meteor but somehow not as speed sensitive. Also if I throw it on a hyzer it will fight out more and go further. My TI is a 1-2 years old and flys like every other Buzzz I've thrown. My Ledgestone Swirly ESP is a new addition to the bag and it has more HSS and LSS than any Buzzz I've thrown.

 

[HERB brooks]

I bag 3 and I feel all 3 have their use. My least stable is a 5-6 year old ESP that's beat in to perfection. If I throw it hard and flat it will drift understable, almost like a meteor but somehow not as speed sensitive. Also if I throw it on a hyzer it will fight out more and go further. My TI is a 1-2 years old and flys like every other Buzzz I've thrown. My Ledgestone Swirly ESP is a new addition to the bag and it has more HSS and LSS than any Buzzz I've thrown.

That old ESP must be a really solid thrower if its US enough to pull out your Meteor. I don't have anything quite that US in my small stack of Buzzz (I have mostly Elite Z and Jawbreaker). The couple swirly ESP I have seem a bit more stable than a typical Buzzz like you are describing. I could see how those 2 plus a "standard" (for lack of a better word) Buzzz would make a good trio of midranges. I'll have to take the swirly ESPs with me next time I hit the course for some mid practice.

 

[HERB brooks]

Played 36 holes at Widefield earlier today. Good practice rounds, plenty of practice shots since the course was fairly empty. Added a 3rd Buzzz (thrashed Jawbreaker) to the bag and made sure to throw one on just about every hole. I figured why not, never hurts to get a few extra midrange shots in. Shot poorly first round and decent enough on the second round.

Today's Bag:
4x Omega(1.9 AP/Lunar SS/Delta T)- I've been too timid putting (lots of short/weak putts) for the past week, especially on birdie putts. Second round today was much better, I finally had a more confident stroke. Also working on beating in a few throwers, but a lid will be going back in my bag for February.
2x Pig(Pro & R-Pro)- Got a new R-pro I'm putting in the bag for OS duty, the Unicorn Pig is still there too. I may add a third Pig again for the practice rounds since they are essential to my approach game.
3x Buzzz(Jawbreaker & Elite Z)- Thrashed Jawbreaker was fun to throw today, its pretty US for a Buzzz. Probably not US enough to have a 3rd permanently in my bag but I may run with 2 Jawbreaker and try to beat in a backup ( my newer JB and the beat to hell one would cover more lines than my Z and newer JB do).
2x Roadrunner(Champion)- I still am loving the Roadrunner, will have to buy a couple more backups with some funny money from the holidays.
3x OLF(1.1 & 1.3 MOLF)- I tried to give these as much airtime as possible today. Lots of holes where I threw all 3 OLFs off the tee for practice mixing up both BH and FH. Playing safe with a Firebird is always a good strategy, but I'm going to throw an OLF instead more often than I have for the past 3-4 months. Probably going to take a stack on down for some field work this week.
2x Firebird (Color Glow Champion)- Nice and predictable mold, my Sexton is beating in quite nicely now that its been in the bag about 4-5 months. The two I am bagging pair quite nicely.
4x Wraith (Pro & Star)- Working on beating in an OS pro at the moment. I'll most likely reduce this to 3 Wraiths once that one's taken enough abuse to become a bomber. One benefit of having 4 in the bag is that my most OS Wraith is staying nice and OS, since it doesn't come out as much with the newer Pro. I want these to be like my OLFs with one flippy for FH, one straight, and one OS. The flippy and straight ones get used a bunch for BH too.
1x Xcaliber (EcoStar)- This Xcal flies like the PFN one I used to have, much straighter than the new ones. In an ITB, Sexton describes how he likes the Xcal for FH more than a Destroyer, since it has a tendency to hold straight for longer before having an OS finish. This Xcal fits that description perfectly, it has lots of LSS but will ride straight forever on the line you put it on. These Xcals are extremely long discs, longer than the Force I used to bag. I may have to put this one bag in the bag if I can find an adequate couple of backups. My Star Xcal is a hog, so that can handle the extreme winds and the Ecostar can be the bomber. If I can't find a good couple backups though I'll be hesitant to bag this disc long term (funny how I was in the exact same boat this time last year).

 

[HERB brooks]

This week I played JYLY's putting game for the first time and now love it. My scores haven't been very good in the handful of games I've played, (448 is my best so far) but this should help keep me motivated to practice putting. I love how it adds structure to a practice routine, while also allowing you to change distances & locations frequently. I also like having a goal oriented game, where a score based objective simulates the pressure of a maintaining hot round or needing to save a poor round. Also, it should be easy to modify the rules to create other slight variations on the game (first or last disc worth double points & throwing 4 discs instead of 5, rotation of different stances required, orbital bombing for jump putt practice, etc...). This game will be a great way to increase my confidence and putting range.

I got out of the house for a morning practice round down at Cumberland today. Minimal traffic on the course let me get in some extra throws as per usual down there. Once again I added plenty of extra midrange and removed my Wraiths. These rounds are a good way to get in plenty of reps for upshots and short drives.

1x (each) Birdie/Piranha/Sonic(DX)- I busted out 3 lids for some fun practice on second/third drives & upshots. My least favorite of the three is the Piranha, its lack of glide is strange for a lid, makes the Birdie look like it has tons of glide. My Birdie is a friend's old PFN that's on its last leg but a great disc that has been in and out of my bag in the past. My favorite of the three lids has to be the Sonic. It has by far the most glide and is the most US of the lids I was throwing today. I'll be testing the Sonic out more extensively next to a Polecat in the next few weeks. A Polecat would be easier to replace than a Sonic, plus I could try and track down a Champion, XT, GStar, or R-Pro for more plastic options.
4x Omega(Quantum/ET/Delta T)- Solid outing on the green today, felt confident with my putt. I'm very committed to the Omega at this point.
2x Pig(Pro & R-Pro)- Despite a couple of close runs off the tee, I used the Pigs less often than in a typical round today.
4x Buzzz(Jawbreaker, Swirly ESP, & Elite Z)- I get more distance with a Buzzz than with any other midrange that I currently own. I plan on beating in a few Elite X and Jawbreaker to pair with an Elite Z. Two seems like a good number of Buzzz to have in the bag, I just wanted plenty of Buzzz throws today. The Roc is going to be relegated to fun rounds only, there's no reason for me to try and reinvent the wheel and put my Buzzz on the sideline.
1x Stingray(DX)- I went into the round to throw this a couple of times just for fun, but found myself really enjoying throwing it. I had many drives using the Stingray throughout the round today. This is a disc I will continue to experiment with, it reminds me of a faster Comet, one that I can throw on lower lines easier. I suspect that my thrashed Jawbreaker Buzzz would cover all the same lines, but that remains to be seen. Looking forward to beating this Stingray in a bit more either way.
2x Roadrunner(Champion)- Only used off the tee on two holes, today was dedicated to midrange throws.
3x OLF(Millennium Standard)- Thrown once, got inside circle 1 on hole 17 but behind wall of trees
1x Firebird('18 Sexton)- Didn't get thrown once.


My bag will remain fairly unchanged in the next couple weeks. Wraiths will take their normal spot back for any other course in town. I'll be adding in a lid for soft annys, half bids from outside jump putt range, get out of jail upshots, and NAGs. I feel like a lid should save me strokes often enough to justify carrying one.

 

[Brockness Monster]

I have heard that Bergs are the closest thing to a Piranha nowadays. Maybe try it for shorter approach shots. Does it do the helicopter/elevator landing? How does it hold up to full power throws or into headwinds?

 

[HERB brooks]

I have heard that Bergs are the closest thing to a Piranha nowadays. Maybe try it for shorter approach shots. Does it do the helicopter/elevator landing? How does it hold up to full power throws or into headwinds?

The Piranha is an odd disc for sure, it has the slow deliberate flight of a typical lid, but it has no glide and is somewhat OS. The Berg is a pretty good comparison, pretty straight and short flight with a slightly stable finish. From my limited testing it holds up fine to full power rips, but most lids do, so long as you give them hyzer and clean form. I wouldn't say that I dislike the Piranha, but I don't have much of a use for the disc. It really doesn't bring anything to the table that my Omegas and Pigs can't cover on shorter approaches.

I want to add a lid for shots with compromised footing or get out of jail type recoveries, something that is really easy to hold an anny even with minimal power. It needs to have lots of glide and be neutral to US for the lid to effectively complement my current setup. The Sonic and Polecat fit the bill perfectly. I'm hoping that I like the Polecats that are coming in the mail, been a while since I have thrown one. Definitely would be easier to bag the Polecat, rather than hunting down more Sonics in a reasonable weight.

 

[HERB brooks]

Wound up with extra time on my hands today and decided to hit up The Aviary with a few discs in my UPD Focus for some BH practice. I'll usually rotate some old favorites in with molds currently in my bag when I use my Focus and will typically change the discs in there after each round I play with it. Its nice to have a few quick casual rounds with 8 or fewer discs to really make my choices simpler. I'll just keep the Focus in my car with me incase a friend gets off work early or I have time between class to sneak in some quick rounds. For a change, I only threw FH twice, both with the Polecat on upshots, where I had absolutely no other option (I tore a callus on my index finger that will need to heal before I can throw too many FH anytime soon, which will be a welcome challenge to improve my confidence in BH shot making for the next couple weeks). The round was going well until the snow started falling pretty hard on hole 15, but it was a fun change of pace with the discs I was using today:


1x Supersoft Omega- A very beat older, no-run Omega that I will occasionally bag for turnovers. I put this one in here to compare against the Polecat, but ultimately didn't throw it off the tee too often. I have a few discs from this run of Omega, all of which are beat to hell (5/10 at best) that I am meaning to test out as US throwers. I feel like there is plenty of room for a lid still, but its good to explore all options.
1x XT Polecat- New arrival from last weekend, I will be trying this against the Sonic/Birdie for the next few weeks/months to determine which one if any will stay in the bag. Unfortunately the factory store only had 173-175 gram left, I would have much preferred one in the low to mid 160s (this would have let me compare it to the Birdie much easier). So far I really like the flight of the Polecat, it flies similar to my Omega but with the glide of a lid. Its also much easier to get the polecat to hold anny on softer approaches. I can get the Omegas to hold when thrown with power, but in situations where I'm forced to go patent pending they can fight out of the anny prematurely. A lid will be added to my arsenal, but I need more time to decide on one of the Birdie, Polecat, and Sonic.
1x Elite X Comet- More Polecat and Comet rounds would be an ideal way to practice hitting lines with neutral discs. This is always a fun disc to throw, and one that will be permanently living in my Focus. I'm not sure that Comets will go back in my bag, using only speed 9 as fairways has me considering a faster US mid instead (beat Buzzz, Stingray, Tursas, etc...).
1x R-Pro Pig-There to do Pig things, used sparingly with the no FH this round mentality.
1x MOLF 1.3-Newest of my 1.3s, this was the only driver in my bag today. This was not my best decision for a BH only & snow round, as the 1.3s are pretty stable before they have been beaten in for a few months...This one may go in my main bag as a replacement for my beefiest OLF though.

I did wind up adding the Xcal to my main bag this past week, and will continue to do so going forward. The PFN are consistently longer than the Wraith for me, and the new ones are perfect distance drivers for rounds with strong winds. I've been able to find some PFNs on the cheap so I will be adding the Xcal back into the mix (I truly regret selling my old Xcal last year, they just fly much farther than the Force do for me).

 

[HERB brooks]

I managed to cram 72 holes in at 3 courses on Thursday between my morning and afternoon classes. 36 of the worst holes I've played in a while at Cottonwood (+5 &+7 ) followed by 18 at both Aviary (-2) and Widefield (-2). The Cottonwood rounds fell apart after going OB on 7 and double bogey on 8 both times and subsequently getting tilted for a few holes after. My mental game really has to be stronger than that as the rounds were salvageable with 10 holes left to play. I played better as the day wore on, 2 under is a solid score at Widefield, especially for me.

1x Polecat (XT)- What a cool disc! I really enjoy testing the Polecat in places where I would normally throw an Omega. It is really easy to hit lines with the Polecat (anny, hyzer, dead straight, hyzerflip, you name it...). Already have several metal hits off the teepad on shorter holes with this bad boy. The XT plastic has held up to some abuse so far, as I've also hit a few trees pretty hard on drives. I need to take this and the sonic down to Cumberland a handful times to really figure out which should go in the bag permanently. Right now though its advantage Polecat.
3x Omega(Quantum/Delta T)- The Finnish Putting Game has helped with my confidence inside the circle. I'm still prone to getting discouraged if I miss several in a row, but I can now fall back on thinking that a stressful 8 meter putt is something that I have practiced over and over in the back yard. That helps to calm my nerves if I'm stressing a putt.
2x Pig(Pro & R-Pro)- Still using the newer white R-Pro for the OS duty, and my red unicorn Pro (I call this one Andy Reid since its got a yellow stamp) for the straighter shots. These two get lots of airtime.
2x Buzzz(Jawbreaker & Elite X)- Nearly identical pair of Buzzz that are perfect for seasoning. Elite Z will go back in for tournament season, for now I'm gonna beat in a couple backups for my oldest Jawbreaker.
2x Roadrunner (Champion & Star)- I've shifted to throwing these mostly BH the past week or two. Its a very good FH disc, but can be finnicky if you let your form get out of whack. I am very impressed with this mold, the more I test it out the more its versatility shines through. I would like to beat one or find a lighter weight to have something really flippy.
3x OLF (1.1 MOLF & 1.3 MOLF)- I'm thinking of shelving my most flippy 1.1 and adding a newer 1.3 in to be my most stable OLF. I recently found some zippertops on Marshall St so those will be fun to rotate into the mix this year. Now all I need is a few more lightweight 1.1 MOLF and 1.3 MOLF, then I'll be set for a long time to come.
2x Firebird (Color Glow Champion)- Best Utility disc I have ever tried hands down. While I did dabble with others, the Firebird is great. I love how it shares the wing with the OLF for a consistent hand feel.
3x Wraith(Pro & Star)- Wraiths are getting less airtime with the addition of the Xcaliber. I still love the Wraith though, if nothing else I'll use them for max distance BH shots.
2x Xcal (Ecostar & Star)- The PFN Xcals are fantastic for max distance FH golf lines, while the newer run/pop top star is an absolute beefcake. They pair quite well, with the PFN getting the vast majority of the work. The pop top is pretty situational but its great if the wind is howling in my face.

 

[HERB brooks]

I got back home late last night from a short trip on down to Austin, TX. I will typically throw in an Omega/Pig/Firebird and round out the rest of my bag with molds I enjoy, but don't carry in Colorado. Wound up taking my UPD Focus out there with the following discs:
1x Gummy Champion Omega- Durable Omega for all putter shots. I didn't want to tear up one of my go to baseline putters while on vacation.
1x Pro Pig- I should have taken the Pig I'm trying to beat in, but opted for a newer one. It worked just fine though... Pigs always do.
1x Elite Z Buzzz- Workhorse midrange regardless of altitude, it is just easier to get them to hold a turn down in TX. I wound up playing with a friendly group of locals who were bringing their friend out for his first round ever. I gave him the Buzzz after the round was over, hopefully it serves him well.
1x S Line FD- An old favorite from 2017, this driver saw the least airtime of the 4 I brought with me. I was often throwing my Buzzz instead of the FD.
1x G Star Thunderbird- The thunderbird is an impressive mold but I'm committed to the OLF for my main bag. This disc will be a mainstay in my Texas bag but I'll stick to OLFs back home.
1x Star Firebird- Gotta have a Firebird, and I didn't want to gouge my Sextons on the Limestone down there. I might have to try a few more Star Firebirds here soon.
1x Star Teerex- Another disc that I don't throw here in Colorado, and save for trips down to Austin. Up here at altitude this thing is a beefcake, but down near sea-level, it has a nice Wraith like flight pattern.

I played Searight on Sunday, while the course was completely waterlogged. Played a couple rounds, the first went horribly until I realized that I needed to abandon a run up. Second round I threw with a stand and deliver style and it went much better for me. That first round I was constantly on the verge of falling on my face due to crazy mud and slick teepads, second round was much more enjoyable with my altered strategy.

The next day I drove on down to San Marcos to play at Flying Armadillo. I played the par 2 gold course before and after my round at the big course, and loved em both. The par 2 is simply a blast to play, nothing is longer than 184' and almost every hole has a gimmicky putt-putt style obstacle to navigate. Fun ace runs and tricky lines abound here, I was disappointed not to snag an ace after 3 metal hits but really enjoyed myself both rounds. Best I shot was a +6 (42), where I took a 4 on a hole that I landed in the bullseye (hit chastity belt and landed in the "moat" 5 feet in front of the basket. The big course is still a work in progress, but still a quality course that will only get better as they continue to upgrade the facility. I played from the whites and shot a -5 (53). However, I felt that the two par 4s on the front 9 were very soft, while the two on the back 9 were much more of a challenge. I'll most likely be playing from the Blues next time I get a chance to play here again, as I had a pair of 3 putts on the back 9 after hitting circle 1 off the tee.

 

[HERB brooks]

Bag From the Weekend (4 rounds):

1x Polecat (XT)- I'm hoping that Innova releases more of these in XT. I only have the one, and there's only one left according to the pro shop. 6 throws this weekend
3x Omega (DT & ET)- Vacation and school are making me lazy when it comes to practice putting. This weekend it really showed on a couple of the rounds. 128 throws this weekend.
2x Pig (Pro & R-Pro)- I lost my unicorn Pig at league on Sunday, watched it float away down the river.:wall: Time to find a couple heavily used Pigs or play a thumbers only sound with a backup. 27 throws.
2x Buzzz (Elite X & Jawbreaker)- They are there for when I need them, but I don't reach for them very often. I lean on the Buzzz much more down in Texas than I do here at home. 5 throws.
2x Roadrunner (Champ & Star)- I'm gonna start using these more often for tomahawk throws where I need the disc to flip quickly. I had an amazing escape shot to save miracle 3 out of the rough throwing my lightweight star tommy. 6 throws.
3x OLF (1.1 SOLF, 1.1 MOLF, 1.3 MOLF)- I'm really enjoying having a zippertop SOLF back in the back, they are just money no matter how you throw them. 17 throws.
2x Firebird (Color Glow Champ)- After counting strokes this weekend, I was surprised to see how often I reach for the Firebirds. They were my most thrown driver for the weekend at 20 throws.
3x Wraith (Pro & Star)- These are getting more BH work and less FH shots due to the addition of the XCals. I find myself reaching for an OLF or XCal on shot that I previously saved for the Wraith. I may wind up cutting this back to 2 Wraiths if the trend continues. 6 throws
2x Xcal (Ecostar & Star)- Anytime I have a teeshot where max distance is the number one priority, the PFN Ecostar comes out. The PFNs are just magical. If its a hellacious headwind, the newer Star is my go to. 7 throws this weekend.


I forget who had the idea to count their strokes with each mold, but I stole it and will be keeping track as I go forward. The fact that my Omega accounts for more shots than all my other molds combined is an eye opener (128 with the Omegas vs 94 with everything else). Really drives home the importance of your short game.

 

[F.Luke]

I don't think I invented the throw count but it is quite eye opening to see true data of what is most important in your bag.

 

[HERB brooks]

I don't think I invented the throw count but it is quite eye opening to see true data of what is most important in your bag.

Thought it was your idea I was stealing. Good to see more data about my rounds (I just started using the stats on UDisc this year too). I always knew that the putter was my most used disc. It was just startling to realize the degree. I need to work on my game from 200' and in more often, those comprise like 60-70% of my shots. More field work with Omegas and Pigs is in order.