[Question] Newbie Disc Selection

[Sorg67]

I have been playing for about two years. Not too seriously. Started smart with one disc, then got dumb and filled my bag with a bunch of discs I did not know how to use. I am back down to three discs, Saint, Buzzz and Avair. I am wondering how I know when I am ready to add another disc? Maybe never....

 

[ranger]

How far do you throw?

 

[cooter]

If your just a very casual player then maybe never but if you get serious then you will know when it's time to add some molds. When you don't have a disc for a certain shot it's time too add one for that shot. My advice if you decide to get serious is to pick one company. Doesn't matter which one because they all make great discs. Pick one that looks cool or has plastic you like or awesome owners or whatever attracts you. Not to be a fan boy of that company but it's much easier to just try out all of Innovas mids than try out all of Innovas, Discrafts, Trilogy, MVP ect. Besides spending a small fortune it will set your game back by constantly change molds instead of gaining consistency and familiarity with just a few. Its much easier to keep up on new releases within one company. That's my 2cents and good luck.

 

[natedg1976]

I ended up doing what Cooter said. I picked one company and worked with it. I actually did this twice. The first company I picked was Innova. The first mold from them I fell in love with was the Valkyrie. I ended up building a bag with speed nine as my max. Worked wonderfully for me. I bagged from most to least stable speed nine and working down: Firebird, Valkyrie, Roadrunner, TL, Leopard, Cro, Spider, Panther, Aviar. After my first full season I added a Destroyer and Archon. I also carried a wraith for a while. Now, I am on to my second company. MVP/Axiom. This bag is my permanent daily use bag. I found MVP/Axiom to produce better quality more consistent discs. I bag 3 Photons, all neutron in varying weights, two waves in varying weights, wrath, insanity, virus, two volts, one first run, one proton new run, soon will bag an amp, clash, crave, relay, tensor, axis, theory, envy, proxy, electron Ion. The Envy and Proxy are strictly driving and approach putters, the Electron Ion strictly putting putter.

 

[SD86]

I have been playing for about two years. Not too seriously. Started smart with one disc, then got dumb and filled my bag with a bunch of discs I did not know how to use. I am back down to three discs, Saint, Buzzz and Avair. I am wondering how I know when I am ready to add another disc? Maybe never....

I must commend you for weening it down to those three discs, which are all good. :clap:

I agree with the advice already posted, that you can add to your bag when you know what else you need on your home course. From there, it's a matter of reading the myriad posts on these boards and then deciding what you want.

 

[Quinum]

I suggest reading this thread: http://www.dgcoursereview.com/forums/showthread.php?t=32790

It will tell you a great way to approach building your bag, including some solid advice on when to start considering the addition of new discs to your lineup.

Good luck! And remember - half the fun of disc golf (at least in my opinion) is trying out new discs and seeing what works best for you.

 

[Sorg67]

How far do you throw?

That varies a lot since my technique is evolving. Occasionally I will get one out in the 300 ft range. But more typical is in the 250 ft range.

I play from the shorts and 3s are good for me. I am trying to put my drive in play. Make a good up shot and leave a short putt. Try to avoid the 4s and especially 5+. Nothing fancy.

Greatest challenge is hitting my start line. I have found that if I just take one step and throw, I do not lose much distance and gain consistency and accuracy.

Thinking about abandoning my modified X-step for drives since the extra distance does not do much for me and the loss of accuracy is more of an issue.

 

[Toro71]

I'll agree that, sure, you don't want to necessarily go out as a relative beginner with 30 discs in your bag, but part of the fun is exploring the mind-boggling options out there.

I'd say, if you're wanting to explore some other discs, you could look into slower fairway drivers. If you like the Saint, maybe give a River a shot. Innova Leopard, MVP Relay, etc, there's quite a few solid options out there...these sorts of drivers are the consensus picks for "beginner" drivers. At your power level, I think you'll find you can get longer straight line flight from one of them.

 

[simpletwist]

I can't say enough about the Leopard from Innova. Its a little slower than your Saint and while it might not have the distance potential of the Saint the Leopard certainly can get you to 300'. I prefer a 150g Champion Leopard, but the Leopard comes in a variety of plastics so you can get the "feel" you like. A Leopard is very user friendly. Its forgiving with technique flaws and with practice the Leopard is very flexible in making different lines.

Another possibility is the Latitude 64 Jade. The Jade is a bit faster than the Leopard, about the same speed as your Saint. That said, the Jade comes in light weights and is easy to throw.

Good luck

 

[SD86]

and while it might not have the distance potential of the Saint the Leopard certainly can get you to 300'.

*Ahem!*

No. Not at the OP's power levels, which are not much lower than mine. If someone could throw a Leopard 300 ft., they should be able to throw a Valk or high-speed driver 375-400 ft. easily.

I don't know why some here keep trying to push this outright myth that a noodle-arm can throw a Leopard 300 ft.... not to mention say throwing a Leopard 300 ft. is the absolute standard before going to a higher speed disc, which I've seen posted on these boards before. It's just a total and complete fallacy.

 

[grotto]

*Ahem!*

No. Not at the OP's power levels, which are not much lower than mine. If someone could throw a Leopard 300 ft., they should be able to throw a Valk or high-speed driver 375-400 ft. easily.

I don't know why some here keep trying to push this outright myth that a noodle-arm can throw a Leopard 300 ft.... not to mention say throwing a Leopard 300 ft. is the absolute standard before going to a higher speed disc, which I've seen posted on these boards before. It's just a total and complete fallacy.

I can throw a Leopard 300ft, I'm a noodle arm compared to many and yet I can't throw a Valkyrie 375'.

It's not a Myth, a noodle arm can throw a Leopard 300ft with just a little work. It's a very workable and forgiving disc. A friend of mine can throw a Leopard 375ft, yet doesn't throw a Tern 450ft. There's a point of diminishing returns.

There are those who want to improve and those who huck and can justify why they throw discs that are beyond their abilities. All depends on what the OP's intentions are.

 

[SD86]

I can throw a Leopard 300ft, I'm a noodle arm compared to many and yet I can't throw a Valkyrie 375'.

So how far DO you throw a Valkyrie? And/or a Tern? And/or a Destroyer?

I'll bet it's considerably better than 300 ft., if you're throwing the Leopard 300 ft....

 

[grotto]

So how far DO you throw a Valkyrie? And/or a Tern? And/or a Destroyer?

I'll bet it's considerably better than 300 ft., if you're throwing the Leopard 300 ft....

On a good rip, I can get an Escape or Valkyrie out to 350 max, but it's usually a bit less, 325' or little better. I can throw a Teebird just as far as I've proven it to myself time and time again .

I learned a lot by following the "how to build a bag " thread quoted above. I started over, learned to throw fewer discs on many lines and stopped chasing distance at the price of accuracy and bad form. I'm 55 yrs old and while I have improved greatly over the last two years, I also have learned my limitations. If I can't get the disc up to speed, it's not going to fly as intended.

Like a lot of us, I had amassed a lot of high speed discs that I had no business throwing. While they may have given me a bit more distance at times, 3 out 4 throws put me in unpredictable spots and were only enforcing my bad form.

YMMV, just me experience.

 

[mark996]

Meh nevermind, not gonna hijack a thread further for a distance pissing contest. Seems to be all DGCR is these days.

I typically went off what my distance stuff did, if I was turning it over, I'd go up a speed and stability. I wouldn't consider the Saint much of a beginner friendly disc though. You're not a typical beginner, but I would start a bit back and go from there. Maybe try a Sidewinder in Star Plastic. Same speed as the Saint but a little more forgiving and usually likes some power behind it. If you're stuck on Lat 64 stuff the Diamond is a very easy to throw driver. My 13 year old fell in love with his when he started throwing it out to about 225-250 regularly. Again, I always just waiting until I was over powering my current go to distance driver before going up. Does the Saint ever flip over and go right when you throw it?

 

[SD86]

Like a lot of us, I had amassed a lot of high speed discs that I had no business throwing. While they may have given me a bit more distance at times, 3 out 4 throws put me in unpredictable spots and were only enforcing my bad form.
YMMV, just me experience.

Similar experience here. Dialed it back to Speed 9-10 discs (Lat64 Fury is an understable substitute for the Saint, like the Sidewinder/Roadrunner) then started working back up. Tern is now back in the bag, but after that it's still Speed 10-11 at the most. Tern is getting to 300 ft. for me.

Leopard nowhere near 300 ft. for me next never will legitimately or legally get there for me. IMHO, distance comes from muscle speed/quickness, not raw physical power. Athletic coordination of the body's big muscles, which are set by the time one becomes 3 years old. So even with perfect form, some will have it more than others. My story and I'm sticking to it.

 

[SD86]

I typically went off what my distance stuff did, if I was turning it over, I'd go up a speed and stability. ...
Again, I always just waiting until I was over powering my current go to distance driver before going up.

Good point and good idea. To support your point: I took my Blizzard Krait out yesterday and threw it three times. All three times it turned over and went right (RHBH) like a Mamba on steroids. I threw the Tern and TD right afterwards for comparison and they did not turn over like that, so it wasn't operator headspace and timing... just the lightweight disc being overpowered when I hadn't done that to the Krait before...

 

[mark996]

Blizzard plastic made me really work out my kinks and try to get my form as dead on and smooth as possible. I bought a Blizzard 150g Wraith and Boss and turned them over pretty badly even in no wind. I don't bag either one but used them as a sort of training type device. I throw Bosses as my main driver, so figured a Blizzard would be a sweet addition, turns out it wasn't for me personally.

I try not to recommend certain discs or anything to folks I haven't seen throw. It's 100% easier when I can toss them a disc from the bag or tote and say throw this, lets see where we can start and work from there. Online it's really just hit or miss. OP if you wanna put up a form video in the form section doing several drives, it'd really help a lot in terms of what we could recommend if you want actual disc recommendations. Or you may just be happy with what's already been provided. It's trial and error sometimes, and then you may fall in between two discs where you're turning one over, but can't get another up to power to get it to flip up and fly straight.

 

[Sorg67]

Thanks for all the great comments. Very helpful.

I have standardized on Lat 64 for drivers. I have Diamond, Jade, River, Fury, Saint and Saint Pro. So far Saint seems most versatile for one disc. River is good too, but sometimes if I want a gentle driving hyzer I will get my release a little wrong and it will go right. Saint seems easier to generate a reliable left curve.

I am using 175g Saint. Thinking of trying a lower weight.

 

[Sorg67]

- half the fun of disc golf (at least in my opinion) is trying out new discs and seeing what works best for you.

I agree with this. I am a convert from ball golf. A lot more reasonable to try out a new driver for $15 than for $400!!!

 

[SD86]

I am using 175g Saint. Thinking of trying a lower weight.

My Gold Line Saint is 167g, and is seasoning in well. I suspect it'll work well for you, too...

I agree with this. I am a convert from ball golf. A lot more reasonable to try out a new driver for $15 than for $400!!!

I play golf ball golf also. Used to build my own golf clubs and tried many different things. Good thing I don't have a 3D printer...