How many discs REALLY?

[bilemshious]

I've done a couple rounds this week where I only play with a Teebird, Mako, and Aviar AND only throwing backhand shots. I normally play with six other discs - including some fast, long-range drivers. But what I'm finding is that I am getting about the same scores as I would if I were playing with the rest of my bag.

I guess my questions are: have you done this and what was the result? And have you ever questioned the necessity of the number of discs in your bag?

 

[Amenz]

You should talk with billnchristy among others here. Simplifying the bag is very common advice on this forum.

 

[gkeberhart]

if you can do it with fewer discs, that is great. some of us struggle with it. I know for a fact Dave Feldberg wishes he could play with fewer discs, but he doesnt control his discs enough to perform different flights, that is why his bag is so packed, he needs a disc for almost every shot. Some people need a disc for every shot, some can do all the shots with only 4-5 discs.

 

[garublador]

Here's an article that addresses this exact question:

https://www.dgcoursereview.com/dgr/resources/articles/discoverlap.shtml

 

[mndiscg]

I just carry a boss for hyzers/most long drives, monarch for anhyzers, buzzz for midrange/short drives, and millenium omega(aviar) for putting.

 

[leppard]

Lately, I've been playing with 6 discs - Teebird, TL, Champ Cobra, Mako, Rhyno and Dart. I do it because sometimes I get tired of carrying a bag with 15-20 discs and I can play faster. And my scores have been the same and even a couple of best rounds. If I use less than 6, sometimes I don't play as well.

 

[prerube]

I carry over 20 discs and only use about 5. (I hate emptiness in my bag, but seem to love having a tired back)

I use my 172 Flat top Roc, 175 Star Boss, a 175 pro Ryhno, and a 166 DX wraith for 85% of my shots. I recently got a gator and a Star Mako that have been making it out of the bag more. There was a breif surge of gateway discs, but I have fallen back to Innova.

 

[simpletwist]

Really all anyone needs is 1. I carry 8-12. Sometimes they all are the 1. And sometimes none of them are.

 

[dmalexander]

I carry around about 20 discs, and use probably 5-6. I generally use a pro beast and a pro valkyrie for drives, wood roc and buzzz for mids, and a focus for putting. But you never know when a xcal or boss might come in handy. I'm also just to lazy to take the rest out.

 

[toothyfish]

To play, you only need one...right? And much can be learned in a one disc round...

The biggest thing I learned by "discing down" (pulling high speed drivers out) and carrying 3-5 discs only is that it will force you to get creative and throw on different lines, angles, releases, etc.

It is easy to rely on a disc for this shot and a disc for that shot and so on. By trying to get one mid (your Mako, for example) to do as much as possible, you'll be forced to throw hyzers, annys, tunnel shots, slow turnovers, etc. Throw low for minimum fade shots, throw higher to get more, and so on. You come to the realization that you, the thrower, can do alot to influence the shape and line of the shot. You'll get to know that disc inside and out, and also determine if it really has the versatility you need.

Using understable discs for hyzers can give a really long sweeping curve that you might not discover if you always reached for the stable/overstable disc. And vice verse for really cool s-shots.

I used to carry about 20 discs in 15 molds. Then I did this minimal bag for a while. I'm down to 7 molds and feel that I justify every one. Even if I carry 20 discs now, it's still the 7 molds, the differences are wear stages (and weights for my putters) which I can use for additional shot shaping and wind conditions.

And it's still fun for me to head out with a Voodoo, Roc, and Gazelle and play...

 

[AdamCaudle]

I only play with 5 molds, but I carry 10 discs.

 

[aarikc17]

Ive been getting worse and worse, but my game has been getting better and better. I carry about 22 right now. And I actually use a lot of them depending on the course.

Two putters
Stable putter for drives
Understable putter for drives
Putter for flicks and FH rollers (out of trouble)
Overstable mid
Stable mid with fade
Stable mid with no fade
Understable mid
Thumber disc
Super Overstable FH disc
Overstable FH disc and head wind driver
Stable fairway with fade
Stable fairway with no fade
Understable fairway
BH roller
More stable BH roller
FH roller and Tomahawk
Understable Distance driver
Stable to understable distance driver
Stable distance driver
Overstable distance driver

Sounds crazy but it works for me

 

[sonny]

I play a lot of three disc rounds and my scores are pretty much the same with three discs or with my bag of ten. I never carry my larger bag (17-19 discs) anymore because it's just too much bother to lug around.

For three disc rounds I carry a JK Aviar, a DX Roc, and whatever driver strikes my fancy that day. I like to try out new plastic this way and it's a good way to beat in new DX discs. But mostly, I like three disc rounds because it's just so liberating to play without a bag.

Single disc rounds are a lot of fun too and I played that way for a long time. Few things are more fun in disc golf than beating another player who is carrying his bag-o-discs and you're just using one. Now days I only play single disc putter rounds a few times a month.

 

[keltik]

I'm gonna use you as an example for how to consolidate discs. I'm not picking on you specifically. you just illustrated a good example.

I can see having multiple putters but all of the same mold is best. A new KC Aviar flies a lot different than a beat to snot one. but I've found that since putters fly so slow you can shape their flight line easier regardless of stability. but it will be more difficult with a rhyno or a zone obviously.
Two putters
Stable putter for drives
Understable putter for drives
Putter for flicks and FH rollers (out of trouble)

Now the same thing could be said about Mids but only if you throw Rocs. And there is also the argument about the usefulness of a true OS Mid. but the main argument here is that all of these discs/shots can be covered by one mold in multiple stages of wear.
Overstable mid
Stable mid with fade
Stable mid with no fade
Understable mid

Usually all three of these are ONE Disc. end of story.
Thumber disc
Super Overstable FH disc
Overstable FH disc and head wind driver

Depending on your definition of a FH Roller this disc below can be done by either the Hog driver listed above or by the most understable beat to hell disc you own
FH roller and Tomahawk

Guess what I'm gonna say next? you got it, all these shots in one mold but only 3 discs. The best way to do a different shot is to change the angle of your throw.
Stable fairway with fade
Stable fairway with no fade
Understable fairway
BH roller
More stable BH roller


now here's where the strings come in. the US Driver and the stable to US Driver could be the same as your roller mold. but either way these two should be the same mold if not the same disc. just put some hyzer on it.
Understable Distance driver
Stable to understable distance driver

This could be the fresh version of the disc immediately above.
Stable distance driver

I don't really see the need but okay
Overstable distance driver

I would cut this down to
2 putters
3 Mids
1 Hog Driver (AKA Mega Overstable Utility Driver)
5 Drivers

that's 11 Discs. with a few key backups I would say 16-18. But that is for a Traveling Tournament bag.

Playing your local Pitch and Putt I would say bring just one Putter, maybe two.

Any other Course to cover ALL shots you could get away with:
1 Putter
1 Mid
3 Drivers (including the HOG)

that's five, but this is all depending on your power range and the distance you know you'll face on the course. If it's a medium length course with not a lot of turning I may only bring 2 or 3 discs. A Putter, Mid, Driver or just Putter Mid.

The biggest thing that helps keep your bag slim is the ability to shape lines with any disc. I'm talking about being able to hold a hyzer with a beat roller disc. another thing is dropping the mentality that each shot can only be done by one specific disc. certain shots you should be able to do with 5 different discs. and certain discs should be able to do 5 different shots.

 

[waynewf]

Because it's early in the season and I just got me new tourney bag, I'm carrying over 20 discs and trying to get lots of extra practice. I've actually got alt setups for 15 and 8 disc set-ups...as the season goes on, I'll often times take a smaller bag and use less...but if I'm playing a tourney or a new course, I'm bringing the big bag just in case.
Of course, if I needed to, I'm sure I would have no problem throwing a round with just 4 discs...

 

[Kwick]

Ive been getting worse and worse, but my game has been getting better and better. I carry about 22 right now. And I actually use a lot of them depending on the course.

Two putters
Stable putter for drives
Understable putter for drives
Putter for flicks and FH rollers (out of trouble)
Overstable mid
Stable mid with fade
Stable mid with no fade
Understable mid
Thumber disc
Super Overstable FH disc
Overstable FH disc and head wind driver
Stable fairway with fade
Stable fairway with no fade
Understable fairway
BH roller
More stable BH roller
FH roller and Tomahawk
Understable Distance driver
Stable to understable distance driver
Stable distance driver
Overstable distance driver

Sounds crazy but it works for me

this does sound crazy, and the important thing is that it work for you.

what discs are each of those?

 

[waynewf]

Ive been getting worse and worse, but my game has been getting better and better. I carry about 22 right now. And I actually use a lot of them depending on the course.

Two putters
Stable putter for drives
Understable putter for drives
Putter for flicks and FH rollers (out of trouble)
Overstable mid
Stable mid with fade
Stable mid with no fade
Understable mid
Thumber disc
Super Overstable FH disc
Overstable FH disc and head wind driver
Stable fairway with fade
Stable fairway with no fade
Understable fairway
BH roller
More stable BH roller
FH roller and Tomahawk
Understable Distance driver
Stable to understable distance driver
Stable distance driver
Overstable distance driver

Sounds crazy but it works for me

I tend to use a similar philosophy....
Here's what I don't get...all these advocates of carry multiple discs in the same mold at 'different stages of wear'....what a bunch of crap. Get a disc for it's intended purpose or what it does that works for you...when the disc stops performing as it should, replace it with a brand new disc. If the new flight pattern of the old disc fills a slot in your bag, use it...otherwise dump it.

I think way too much credence is given to 'beating in your discs'....you really just have to learn your discs and buy higher quality plastic so you don't have to 'beat a disc' to death before you can actually consider it playable...

 

[JTacoma03]

I love carrying all my discs cuz it makes me look like a pro. I want people with smaller bags to feel inferior to my tournament bag with 22 discs in it. Then I'll stand at the teebox and shuffle through discs, figuring out which way to attack a 250' dead straight hole. I pick up a disc, stand on the teepad, aim down my arm while closing one eye and prepare to throw. Then, nope, gotta do a different disc.

Oh I forgot to say, Roc's make up 14 of my 22 discs. When I get to an upshot I pull out some surveying equipment to get a better look at the shot. I've got Roc's in 14 different stages of wear so I have to make sure that the right one is picked.

I only have one putter though. You're ****ING STUPID if you own more than one putter. You'll never see consistency and get your putts down correctly throwing 2 or 3 different ones depending on situation. Plus your disc will not love you and try to run away, I once found my putter in someone elses bag after trying out a different putter for one hole. They are very sensitive.




A real answer though - I love having a bunch of discs, it's more of a nerdy thing than anything else. I like to see how different discs fly. I carry a whole bag but probbaly don't throw more than 5-6 discs in an average round. I've shot some of my best scores with a 3-disc bag (Valk, Buzzz, Dart).

 

[sonny]

I think way too much credence is given to 'beating in your discs'....you really just have to learn your discs and buy higher quality plastic so you don't have to 'beat a disc' to death before you can actually consider it playable...

Whatever works for you man, go for it.

As you apparently know, discs are playable when they are new. They are also playable when the newness has been beat out of them. When they are really beat, they are discs you know completely. The beauty of cycling discs in various stages of wear is precisely because it helps you really learn what your discs can do. DX plastic is a lot more durable than many of you seem to believe. When you start cycling the same mold through its various stages of wear, first you learn how the disc behaves when it's new. As it beats in, you know how the disc will behave because wearing in process is gradual. Once you've run a mold through a few complete cycles, this is a mold you can rely on to fly whatever line you need.

Some molds are better for this than others. Rocs are the classic example and I believe if you take the time to cycle a set of DX Rancho Rocs through their entire lifespan (and is it possible to have a Roc that's just too beat?), you'll never need another midrange. Cycling Eagles (X mold) is perhaps the most valuable learning experience in disc golf. Teebirds are great for this too - not because they are so versatile I don't think, but because a beat TeeBird is so damn long and reliable.

Just my opinion and YMMV. Just have fun with it, eh?

 

[valkyrie]

I have a few molds, but a ton of each mold, that way im always set