Herb's 2019 ITB

[HERB brooks]

Bag Since Last Update (3 rounds):

1x Polecat (XT)- 7 throws.
4x Omega (DT, Lunar SS, & Gummy Quantum)- 85 total throws (75 putts).
3x Pig (R-Pro & Pro)- 31 throws.
4x Roc (DX & KC Pro)- 7 throws.
1x Roadrunner (Champion)- 5 throws.
4x OLF (1.1 SOLF, 1.1 MOLF, 1.2 MOLF, 1.3 MOLF)- 6 throws.
3x Firebird (Champion & Color Glow Champ)- 8 throws.
2x Xcal (PFN Star)- 6 throws.

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Cumulative stats since removing the Wraith from my bag:

1.Pig- 223 throws. 22.85% of throws (down from 26.29%)
2.Omega- 182 throws & 944 putts (1126 total). 18.65% of throws (up from 10.52%)
3.Firebird- 138 throws. 14.14% of throws (down from 14.76%)
4.OLF- 118 throws. 12.09% of throws (up from 9.81%)
5.Roc- 92 throws. 9.43% of throws (down from 11.53%)
6.Xcal- 86 throws. 8.81% of throws (up from 6.88%)
7.Polecat- 72 throws. 7.38% of throws (down from 12.23%)
8.Roadrunner- 54 throws. 5.53% of throws (up from 5.26%)
________________
(976 throws/944 putts= 1920 total)


Looking at this new set of data two things stand out immediately. First of all, I have almost doubled my Omega throws while cutting my Polecat shots almost in half. The past few months I feel like I have a more defined role for each mold. Earlier this year I wanted to throw the Polecat as often as possible to really test what it is capable of. As my Polecat has beaten in, the Omega is stating to take back over on most approach shots. At this point I pretty much use the Polecat on shots out of comfy jump putt range that I still want to make a bid at, slow anny approach shots, or patent pending/ bad footing approaches. I like throwing the Omegas more often because it keeps me dialed in with them.

I've been tinkering with a few extra molds, to throw for fun as practice shots here and there. Most of these molds are old favorites, but I'm not sure if anything will stick. Right now I make good use of all my molds where I'll throw each one at least once per round. The JLS, Aries, and Wraith may come back for an extended period later this year but for right now I'm just fooling around with them.

 

[HERB brooks]

Bag Since Last Update (4 rounds):

1x Polecat (XT)- 8 throws.
4x Omega (DT, Lunar SS, & Gummy Quantum)- 106 total throws (92 putts).
2x Pig (R-Pro & Pro)- 34 throws.
3x Roc (DX & KC Pro)- 10 throws.
2x JLS (no run MJLS & 1.2 QJ)- 4 throws. Losing another Roadrunner put me down to my last one. I'll use this as an excuse to throw my JLS again for a month or two. I've been throwing these two a lot off the tee as practice shots and they should slot in just fine. They can even fill in the gap when I have too low a ceiling for a Roc shot.
4x OLF (1.1 SOLF, 1.1 MOLF, 1.2 MOLF, 1.3 MOLF)- 9 throws.
3x Firebird (Champion & Color Glow Champ)- 15 throws.
2x Xcal (PFN Star)- 8 throws.

 

[HERB brooks]

Bag Since Last Update (3 recorded rounds):

1x Polecat (XT)- 3 throws.
3x Omega (DT, Lunar SS, & Gummy Quantum)- 104 total throws (84 putts).
3x Pig (R-Pro & Pro)- 27 throws.
3x Roc (DX & KC Pro)- 8 throws.
2x Sentinel (Quantum)- 3 throws. Trying these out again for a few rounds. They may or may not stick, but they should be a good complement for my Rocs. I can carry a couple straight to flippy Rocs plus a freshy and the sentinels can cover the rest for the time being.
2x JLS (no run MJLS & 1.2 QJ)- 5 throws.
3x OLF (1.1 SOLF, 1.1 MOLF, 1.2 MOLF, 1.3 MOLF)- 5 throws.
3x Firebird (Champion & Color Glow Champ)- 10 throws.
2x Xcal (PFN Star)- 3 throws.

I've played a few putter only or other types of rounds since last update, shot a new personal best at Cottonwood (-7) with only 3 Omegas, 2 Pigs, a Sentinel, CD2, and Firebird. Borrowing my friends Sentinel made me want to try them out again as a longer and more overstable Roc. The JLS are gonna stay in my bag for a while since I only have one Roadrunner left and am in no rush to acquire another small stack. I tried an experiment in removing the Polecat for a round and don't think that mold will ever be on the chopping block. The lid will always make touchy approach shots much easier to execute. Also, I finally decided against playing states, so I'm enjoying the lull in tournament season by tinkering with some new things.

 

[SD86]

I tried an experiment in removing the Polecat for a round and don't think that mold will ever be on the chopping block. The lid will always make touchy approach shots much easier to execute.

This. :thmbup: :clap: :hfive:

I might need to try an XT Polecat. All I have are Champion and DX....

 

[muptonfish]

This. :thmbup: :clap: :hfive:

I might need to try an XT Polecat. All I have are Champion and DX....

Is there much difference in flight between the XT and DX polecat? I bag a DX version and love it for longer putts and "finessey" approach shots. Threw one in from around 100' the other day.

 

[SD86]

Is there much difference in flight between the XT and DX polecat? I bag a DX version and love it for longer putts and "finessey" approach shots. Threw one in from around 100' the other day.

I dunno about flight, and certainly discs in both plastics would beat in. But I'm beginning to find that I like the grip of XT a lot more than DX, so I'd like to get an XT Polecat and try it out. The Proshop is sold out, though.

 

[HERB brooks]

Is there much difference in flight between the XT and DX polecat? I bag a DX version and love it for longer putts and "finessey" approach shots. Threw one in from around 100' the other day.

The differences in flight are pretty negligible, especially after a few tree hits. My XT has been in the bag since January and is fairly beat at this point. When it was fresh there was some overlap between my Omegas and the Polecat. I'm using the Polecat much less than before, but I find plenty of instances throughout a week of golf where a Polecat is the optimal play over an Omega. Any shot that needs to flip or glide more than an Omega and the Polecat is getting airtime. That or if I'm feeling froggy and want to run a 120'-70' upshot, any shorter and I'm likely to throw an Omega (unless there is terrible footing or a substantial obstacle in the way). If I am gonna lay up then I'm throwing the Omega.

 

[HERB brooks]

Bag Since Last Update (4 recorded rounds):

1x Polecat (XT)- 4 throws. Throw ins and other lid things.
3x Omega (DT, Lunar SS, & Gummy Quantum)- 115 total throws (96 putts). The DT is my main putter, Lunar SS is mostly for upshots, the Gummy Q mostly for drives.
3x Pig (R-Pro & Pro)- 38 throws. The R-Pro is now my dedicated upshot Pig, I also have a Ricky and PFN Pro for throwing. All 3 fly at least once each round.
3x Roc (DX & KC Pro)- 4 throws. I carry one beat 169g DX for flippy shots and one seasoned DX for my straight Roc. The KC is newish (~3 months old) and still plenty of LSS is left on it. These numbers will go back up once I'm better adjusted to the Sentinels. My Rocs really get a chance to shine when playing longer or tightly wooded courses. I love them for mountain courses, where you are forced to hit tight gaps in order to score well.
2x Sentinel (Quantum)- 11 throws. Most weeks my Sentinel to Roc shot ratio will be the opposite. As of right now I'm trying to see how the Sentinels respond in various situations where I'd typically throw a Roc. I'm likely to pull one of the Sentinels from my bag once I get a better feel for them. Very good addition to the bag so far, they are slightly longer and more OS than any of my Rocs.
2x JLS (no run MJLS & 1.2 QJ)- 7 throws. My beat MJLS flips easily for understable BH shots, while the QJ is great for hyzerflip to straight FH. They should slot in well for rollers like the Roadrunner used to. Not missing the Roadrunner at all with these in the bag.
3x OLF (1.1 SOLF, 1.2 MOLF, 1.3 MOLF)- 16 throws. The zippertop SOLF is my middle of the road stability, very workable both BH and FH. The 1.2 MOLF is 169g and pretty flippy for an OLF. I don't really trust it FH without a tailwind, but its a bomber for BH drives in most conditions. The 1.3 MOLF is my most stable version.
3x Firebird (Champion & Color Glow Champ)- 10 throws. I have two '18 Sextons and one of the newer embossed flat top pearly in the bag. One Sexton is pretty beat so that its fairly similar to a fresh OLF while the other is a typical Sexton. The pearly gets called on in headwinds or for other utility shots where the beef is required.
2x Xcal (PFN Star)- 5 throws. One is a bit less stable than the other, both are for controlled distance FH. I can throw discs like the Shryke, or Catalyst a bit farther but then I sacrifice too much control for my liking. My Xcals are going 400'+ on most drives, unless I really shank them, so whatever distance I am losing out on isn't a big problem. These are a bit too much disc for me to throw them BH, but they sometimes get BH drives if I'm facing a stiff headwind.

 

[HERB brooks]

Bag Since Last Update (3 rounds):

1x Polecat (XT)- 2 throws. Ideally these are my least thrown mold each update, since that would imply that I don't have many awkward lies or speculative long bids. When those situations inevitably arise, I'm always glad the Polecat is in my bag.
3x Omega (DT, Lunar SS, & Gummy Quantum)- 84 total throws (76 putts). This is my putter, there are many like it but this one is mine...
3x Pig (R-Pro & Pro)- 21 throws.
3x Roc (DX & KC Pro)- 4 throws. Deserve more airtime.
1x Sentinel (Quantum)- 8 throws. I have a much better grasp on the Sentinel than during the last update, and they are staying for the foreseeable future. I dropped down to one for my last round, since I used the two interchangeably beforehand. Overall, they remain a great complement to a small Roc Cycle for headwinds, left to right crosswinds, and low ceiling midrange shots.
2x JLS (no run MJLS & 1.2 QJ)- 4 throws. Oddly enough these have been a seamless replacement for my Roadrunners. Between one beat MJLS and one of the 1.2s/Glows, I have exactly what I wanted in my 2 Roadrunners.
3x OLF (1.1 SOLF, 1.2 MOLF, 1.3 MOLF)- 14 throws. Throwing OLFs as my fastest BH discs is really helping to increase my distance potential. I don't have a huge arm by any means, but I've easily added a good 50' to my BH drives this year. I'm throwing my OLFs as far or past where I could get my flippy Wraiths at the start of the year. Considering this is the method I used to work on my FH distance for about a year, I'll keep with it (speed 9 or under for BH) until late 2019 or the new year.
3x Firebird (Champion & Color Glow Champ)- 13 throws. Typically for shots when discretion is the better part of valor and I'm playing for the easy par or a circle's edge bird look.
2x Xcal (PFN Star)- 7 throws.

 

[HERB brooks]

Bag Since Last Update (9 rounds):

1x Polecat (XT)- 11 throws.
3x Omega (DT, Lunar SS, & Gummy Quantum)- 259 total throws (237 putts).
3x Pig (R-Pro & Pro)- 83 throws.
3x Roc (DX & KC Pro)- 12 throws.
1x Sentinel (Quantum)- 17 throws.
2x JLS (no run MJLS & 1.2 QJ)- 10 throws.
3x OLF (1.1 SOLF, 1.2 MOLF, 1.3 MOLF)- 21 throws.
3x Firebird (Champion & Color Glow Champ)- 38 throws.
2x Xcal (PFN Star)- 12 throws.

It has been fairly windy the past few weeks, which shows in my disc selection for the last several rounds, where I'm throwing the Pig for most of my upshots. I have my next tournament coming up at the end of October, and the bag feels good at the moment. Hopefully I can find another event to play that works with my schedule before the season is over.

 

[wadpe]

Bag Since Last Update (9 rounds):

1x Polecat (XT)- 11 throws.
3x Omega (DT, Lunar SS, & Gummy Quantum)- 259 total throws (237 putts).
3x Pig (R-Pro & Pro)- 83 throws.
3x Roc (DX & KC Pro)- 12 throws.
1x Sentinel (Quantum)- 17 throws.
2x JLS (no run MJLS & 1.2 QJ)- 10 throws.
3x OLF (1.1 SOLF, 1.2 MOLF, 1.3 MOLF)- 21 throws.
3x Firebird (Champion & Color Glow Champ)- 38 throws.
2x Xcal (PFN Star)- 12 throws.

How would you describe PFN Star Xcals when it comes to their flight? Are they like overstable for headwind-shots or would you describe them as more straighter than say a Brand new Destroyers?

 

[HERB brooks]

How would you describe PFN Star Xcals when it comes to their flight? Are they like overstable for headwind-shots or would you describe them as more straighter than say a Brand new Destroyers?

I use my pair of PFN XCals like Nate Sexton does for max distance FH (I'm just much worse than he is). I rarely if ever will throw one backhand. The thing I like most about the PFN Xcal is that they tend to hold the release angle for a very long time before fading hard. The fade is pretty similar to a Destroyer, but the old XCals are more of a straight to fade flight without much turn. I also find that the fade kicks in later than with a Destroyer, so I am able to get better distance with an XCal over Destroyers. I will use them in most winds, unless there is a massive headwind. Once the wind is up around 20-25 mph in my face, I'm probably not trying for max D anymore and will throw a placement shot with my Firebird.

 

[HERB brooks]

Bag Since Last Update (6 rounds):

1x Polecat (XT)- 9 throws.
3x Omega (DT, Lunar SS, & Gummy Quantum)- 179 total throws (165 putts).
3x Pig (R-Pro & Pro)- 46 throws.
3x Roc (DX & KC Pro)- 14 throws.
1x Sentinel (Quantum)- 8 throws.
2x JLS (no run MJLS & 1.2 QJ)- 3 throws.
3x OLF (1.1 SOLF, 1.2 MOLF, 1.3 MOLF)- 22 throws.
3x Firebird (Champion & Color Glow Champ)- 43 throws.
2x Xcal (PFN Star)- 8 throws.

It has still been very windy here, and my most stable plastic is getting lots of work. I've been throwing the Pig very poorly off the tee for a few weeks now, so I really need to slow down and focus when using it. It would be nice to snap out of this funk before Clash at the Creek.

 

[HERB brooks]

Bag Since Last Update (4 rounds):

1x Polecat (R-Pro)- 5 throws. 165 gram R-Pro is back in the bag for the upcoming tournament.
3x Omega (DT, Lunar SS, & Gummy Quantum)- 116 total throws (110 putts).
3x Pig (R-Pro & Pro)- 27 throws.
3x Roc (DX & KC Pro)- 11 throws.
2x Sentinel (Quantum)- 2 throws.
2x JLS (Glow QJ & 1.2 QJ)- 2 throws. I never throw the MJLS and switched it for the glow, but probably could just cut down to the one QJ and be fine.
3x OLF (1.1 SOLF, 1.2 MOLF, 1.3 MOLF)- 15 throws.
2x Firebird (Champion & Color Glow Champ)- 20 throws. Lost my favorite beat Sexton on Tuesday, gonna miss that one. I look forward to beating on in to replace it, hopefully it won't take too long. Real unfortunate turn of events a week before my last event of the year, I used to throw that one a whole lot at Widefield. The most stable OLF is going to be getting lots of these shots now.
2x Xcal (PFN Star)- 5 throws.

My last tournament of the year is next Saturday/Sunday at Widefield, it will be my first B-tier ever. As a goal, I'd like to still be in contention on Sunday for the final round instead of playing essentially meaningless golf.

 

[HERB brooks]

Bag Since Last Update (5 rounds):

1x Polecat (R-Pro)- 5 throws.
3x Omega (DT, Lunar SS, & Gummy Quantum)- 156 total throws (138 putts).
3x Pig (R-Pro & Pro)- 37 throws.
3x Roc (DX & KC Pro)- 6 throws.
2x Sentinel (Quantum)- 1 throw.
2x JLS (Glow QJ & 1.2 QJ)- 5 throws.
3x OLF (1.1 SOLF, 1.2 MOLF, 1.3 MOLF)- 11 throws.
2x Firebird (Champion & Color Glow Champ)- 44 throws.
2x Xcal (PFN Star)- 10 throws.

The last round for Clash at the Creek was cancelled due to incoming weather. Instead of two rounds in the short layout yesterday we played one and one in Sunday's long layout. Very fun tournament even if I was looking forward to my first two day event. I rode the rollercoaster all day on both rounds with inconsistent play. Despite that I had a blast and even stayed close to the leaders from the chase card. I finished 4 strokes behind first place which was good for 8th. Looking forward to playing in some events again next year.

Now that tournament season is over I plan on throwing more midrange and slower rounds at Widefield to work on my BH and longer upshots. I may just add in a few OLFs or JLS as my only driver. Either way a smaller bag will be fun to play around with.

 

[HERB brooks]

Bag Since Last Update (unknown # of rounds & throws):

1x Polecat (XT)
3x Omega (DT, Lunar SS, & Gummy Quantum)
2x Pig (R-Pro & Pro)
5x Roc (Star, DX & KC Pro)
5x OLF (MOLF & SOLF)
3x Firebird (Champion & Color Glow Champ)

There have been a couple of random discs I've thrown in addition to the above. I've mostly just been practicing or playing beer rounds and haven't bothered to keep track of my throws since the tournament. Last ratings update put me at 934 going into next year hopefully I can continue to trend in the right direction.

 

[HERB brooks]

Bag Since Last Update (unknown # of rounds & throws):

1x Polecat (XT)- Sometimes stays at home just to save some bag space if I want to bring some extra Rocs, JLS, or OLFs. Not in danger of losing its place though.
3x Omega - Workhorse putter off the tee and in the circle.
2x Pig - I could stand to add in a fresh Pig, the two I'm carrying are pretty beat in at this point.
3x Roc - I'll sometimes add in a couple more if I am planning on playing a shorter course. I really need to play a few Widefield rounds with Rocs and my putter molds only. That would really help me to see what other shots I am capable of getting out of my Rocs. I doubt that I'd score very well but should be some good training.
2x Sentinel - Faster and more OS than my Rocs, these are great for headwinds and crosswinds, where a Roc won't hold the line. Very useful for low ceiling shots that need to finish OS. I could probably cut this back to one Sentinel though and be fine (maybe replace with 4th Roc).
2x JLS - I have thrown the JLS way more the past month than at any point this year. Pretty much all of my MJLS are pretty flippy, while the QJLS and SJLS have been pretty straight fliers. They are a bit shorter compared to my OLFs. I'm mostly throwing these when I need hyzerflip to turn type of lines. With more practice I'm starting to trust the JLS more and more.
4x OLF - I have been throwing these a whole bunch this past month. These are my longest flying discs for BH shots, I can hit ~375' regularly and have the occasional 400'+ shot. My arm speed doesn't let me get much more distance from faster discs still unfortunately (at least not with any consistency). Throwing the OLF helped my extend my FH distance quite a bit a few years ago, and I'm trying the same method to increase my BH distance. Hopefully this time next year I can add in a true distance driver and get an appreciable increase in distance over my OLFs.
3x Firebird - Flat top beefcake and two 2018 Sexton Firebirds that complement each other very well. The least stable Sexton was returned to me a while back, which was a huge bonus.
1x Xcal - I have played many rounds over the past month without one in the bag to force myself to throw the OLFs more. The Xcal is not on the chopping block though.


Been pretty lazy since my last tournament as far as recording my shots goes. It's partially because I have been rotating extras through my bag fairly often the past month, and adding a few random molds in here and there. I'm trying to play a good amount of rounds where I go BH only off the tee, and just play whatever is appropriate for upshots. These rounds show that I still have quite a bit of room for improvement on my BH but have gone better than expected. I doubt I'll be able to play much more golf this year, next post I'll review my stated goals for 2019 and see how many I ignored.

 

[HERB brooks]

A review of my stated goals for 2019:

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.I still throw farther FH, but have really made some good progress with my BH. I can hit 400' both BH and FH but I struggle for consistency when throwing BH for distance. I'm much better off playing a 350' shot BH for position than trying to squeeze out the extra 50 feet.

-Continue to develop a stronger mental game by not losing focus after bad holes/shots. A work in progress, some days I'm really good at maintaining focus while others I have a very hard time maintaining that focus after a few bad breaks. This will be a continued point of emphasis in the future.

-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.I did pretty good for parts of the year but was too apathetic for months on end. I did use my home basket a good amount this year but hardly ever bothered to make time for field sessions. At least I spent several sounds working on specific points of emphasis for practice, but still I need to be more disciplined about committing to field sessions.

-Become PDGA member, play in 5 sanctioned tournaments, and earn a 900+ rating. Looking forward to competing in more tournaments this year, ideally I can make the jump up to MA1 and not look back. I signed up this year for my PDGA number (#120363) and played in 4 events this year. I won the first tourney of the season in MA2 and played MA1 for the final three of the season. I feel like I held my own up in MA1, finishing the year with a 934 rating (started at a 900 counting my rounds from 2018). I'm pretty happy with my performance in 2019, I didn't have a single sub 900 round on the year.

-Get better at BH anhyzer shots & BH rollers. I have made a great deal of progress with throwing anny BH shots this year (BH rollers not so much).


What do you like/dislike about your current bag?:

- 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 added a Polecat, which has been a good addition to my lineup thus far.

- I also will consider putting a straight fairway (Mantis/FD/JLS/OLS) in again to complement my Roadrunner/OLF/Firebird setup. The JLS has replaced my Roadrunners in the bag. I could honestly go either way here, but I have plenty of JLS and lost most of my Roadrunners.

- I also may throw in an Xcaliber or Force for when the winds really pick up. PFN Xcals have replaced the Wraith in my bag. I wasn't throwing the Wraith far enough BH to justify keeping it around since I throw the Xcal quite a bit farther FH than I can throw a Wraith.