In our ever-increasing verve of "FASTER, MORE POWERFUL" we forget that the original basket was just that - a basket. Get it "in the basket" and win a prize! We now think that the CHAINS are the "finish"...wrong. It's still the challenge of "getting the disc into the basket"...and if the "deflection device" just HAPPENS to grasp the disc, well, that'll count too!
Interesting vocabulary that "deflection device" language you bring up.
The PDGA rules call the chains the "upper entrapment" area
The
PDGA Technical Standards document call the chains a "deflection assembly"
So, even with the PDGA there is disagreement with the stated intent: "entrap" would suggest an expectation of 100% catching where as "deflect" suggests bouncing off.....either into the basket or not. I think the differing expectations of what the chains are intended to accomplish are at the root of the discussion here.
We have tee shots to "sate our need for power", why do we have to have "perfect chains"? To also "sate our need for power"? Too much power / too lop-sided of a game IMO.
Karl
This is an excellent point!
Not saying we need to be exactly like golf, but in golf there is a HUGE and beautiful juxtaposition between the power needed on the drives and the touchy finesse needed on putts (some so ridiculously touchy that all the player has to do is touch the ball to start it rolling with the hopes it does not roll too far).
We do not have that to that level, but those wanting to have the basket catch everything thrown at it no matter what angle or speed want to remove the little we have.
Like I have stated several times before, if you want minimize the risk of spit-outs, get your upshot closer to the basket so you can putt more softly and hit the best catching areas more accurately.
An aside here: No one has mentioned yet that I recall the issue that often happens to me where I putt dead center at a medium speed and somehow the disc catches the chains perfectly in a way the the chains swing in and and swing out together and the disc gets pushed over the edge of the basket and onto the ground. I get disappointed and upset when that happens, but always realize that that is my fault for hitting dead center where I know this sort of spit out is a risk.