Level playing field not so level, yet?

[depster]

Just had a thought. Maybe the reason it seems that Paul McBeth had such massive wins this year is cause his competition doesn't know their new plastic like he knows his. Or he could just be that good, I don't honestly know. I just think that he will run into a lot more situations where he's not ahead by so many strokes. Either way you cut it though, the guy is extremely talented as are all his competition. Not trying to down play his accomplishments this year just seeing what others think.

 

[NOStheBOSS]

These guys have been playing with this plastic since before January. Will beat McBeth at the memorial, 6 months ago. He and ricky won 5 NTs

 

[The Hammer]

Just had a thought. Maybe the reason it seems that Paul McBeth had such massive wins this year is cause his competition doesn't know their new plastic like he knows his. Or he could just be that good, I don't honestly know. I just think that he will run into a lot more situations where he's not ahead by so many strokes. Either way you cut it though, the guy is extremely talented as are all his competition. Not trying to down play his accomplishments this year just seeing what others think.

If my memory serves me correctly he usually isn't "ahead by so many strokes" going into Sunday.

 

[JC17393]

If it's the plastic, then it's his opponent's fault for switching their discs up in the first place.

But it isn't the plastic. It's NEVER the plastic. As has been pointed out, Schusterick and Wysocki have won NTs this year with McBeth in the field. They have no excuse other than Paul played better than they did at the events in which he won. End of story.

 

[depster]

Yeah but think about it 6 months compared to years and years of throwing pretty much the same molds. I just don't think the lat64 or prodigy guys know their plastic like he knows his. Just a thought. Granted the others all had wins this year, just a testament to how good they really are. I personally think it did have a factor in atleast some of the outcomes. And from what I saw Ricky still had a few innova molds in his bag. Granted I'm not in the crowd watching but I saw plenty of footage where I could make out innova stamps on Ricky's plastic. Which makes sense cause the prodigy guys are under contract to use mixed bags for a year. Cameron Cloglazier did an in the bag where he still had a bunch of innova in his bag as well. I can imagine that they all still carry something from previous sponsors at this point so say it didn't have an impact to have a handful of relatively new plastic in their bags doesn't really make sense to me.

 

[Phantom Discs]

Yeah but think about it 6 months compared to years and years of throwing pretty much the same molds. I just don't think the lat64 or prodigy guys know their plastic like he knows his. Just a thought. Granted the others all had wins this year, just a testament to how good they really are. I personally think it did have a factor in atleast some of the outcomes. And from what I saw Ricky still had a few innova molds in his bag. Granted I'm not in the crowd watching but I saw plenty of footage where I could make out innova stamps on Ricky's plastic. Which makes sense cause the prodigy guys are under contract to use mixed bags for a year. Cameron Cloglazier did an in the bag where he still had a bunch of innova in his bag as well. I can imagine that they all still carry something from previous sponsors at this point so say it didn't have an impact to have a handful of relatively new plastic in their bags doesn't really make sense to me.

Well than, Mcbeth must have been using the Roc3 for the last couple years by the way he throws it so consistently. The plastic does not matter. Its the archer not the arrow. Mcbeth is just playing well. Some just have more talent than others.

 

[demon102]

These guys play daily and it doesnt take long to learn how new discs fly. I'd say this argument doesn't have much to stand on and from the tourney footage I've seen Mcbeth is always in a neck and neck situation. I even remember reading in his AMA about how a bunch of tourneys are neck and neck and he likes that as it brings out his best.

 

[disc qualified]

McBeth is clearly a bagger and needs to move up.

 

[jrawk]

as the sport increases in popularity so will it's talent pool. just wait for it.

 

[wake911]

when was the last time you lost a disc and threw a new one in the bag. I'm sure Paul has had to change a disc too. A teebird isn't a teebird, every single one throws a little different (just like every disc from every manufacturer) I don't buy the changing plastic is causing this. Feldberg has done pretty dang good this year, and he didn't even do a half switch slowly, he went all in from the beginning.

If the plastic change is really the reason that Paul is beating them, then like someone said, that makes it an even smarter move that Paul didn't leave Innova. The grass isn't always greener on the other side.

 

[bradharris]

prodigy guys know their plastic like he knows his.

They know the plastic they're actually throwing very well...

 

[Streets]

They know the plastic they're actually throwing very well...

Gotta love a Prodigy stamped Destroyer!

 

[lowracks]

Does it really take people that long to learn new plastic?

 

[ru4por]

Come on....I've dropped a Saint and an Underworld into my bag this season. I am comfortable with both and I play far less than they do. Including far less field work, though I am ashamed to admit it.

 

[ScottyLove]

Work Ethic maybe??

Or is it perhaps that McBeast is a bit more serious about his chosen vocation that the other guys? I know for a fact he practices constantly and I know many of the other guys are chasing tail and rolling fatties. Paul is not even close to a party animal. I'm not saying he's a goody two-shoes, but he doesn't drink or do drugs.

Before, the other guys' talent was good enough to win, but then this young good looking kid from SoCal came along and they can't just wake up in a haze and roll to the course and win. Maybe he's beating them because he's putting in more time??

Just a thought based on my interactions with him and some of the others mentioned...

 

[K-Pfaff]

I don't really think that switching sponsors gave Paul the advantage. If you watch footage of tournaments, you can see that Paul is good. It always seems like his drives go exactly where he wants, his approaches are spot on, and he is one of the best putters in the game.

 

[JC17393]

Does it really take people that long to learn new plastic?

It shouldn't, particularly if the player is as skilled as some of the guys we're talking about and play/practice as often as they do.

Feldberg is a great example. He learned a whole new bag and he credits that fact with why he's had such a good year. He's said that throwing and learning new discs caused him to rethink and adjust some aspects of his game that had gotten stale. He said he was able to shed a bunch of old habits borne of having the same old discs to fall back on.

On the other hand, he did point out one potential downside to new discs is that with the disc technology advances (particularly durability-wise), he can't break stuff in as quickly. So there's no finely beaten/broken in disc(s) to go to for the touchy turnovers and flip hyzer shots. He either has to carry more molds to cover that or come up with alternate ways of dealing with certain holes/shots. At least until he can break his favorites in a bit more.

Though for guys like Schusterick and Wysocki, who forehand and backhand equally well, there's less reliance on the old, reliable, perfectly beat-in discs which should make transitioning to new discs that much easier.

 

[lowracks]

Exactly. I can figure out a new disc in a couple of rounds, and I'm no where near as talented as these guys.

 

[bradharris]

Exactly. I can figure out a new disc in a couple of rounds, and I'm no where near as talented as these guys.

The level at which those guys are competing makes a big difference. They can't afford to even make slight mistakes. They need to have far more familiarity with their discs in order to be competitive than you or I do.

That said, most of the guys on tour are still throwing discs that they've been using for years and years. Paul is just that much better than them when the pressure is on.

 

[demon102]

Exactly. I can figure out a new disc in a couple of rounds, and I'm no where near as talented as these guys.

I can usually figure out a disc in one round at the 10,000 ft course I play. I just play with that one disc for all shots but putting and as far as an amature is concerned I "know" that disc. I couldnt imagine how well you could learn a disc(s) playing everyday.