[Question] Settling on discs for your bag

[Billbox]

Hi!

Trying to make up my mind on which molds to stick to for the season. This got me thinking, how did you settle on your go-to discs?

Did you go through many discs or just decide "Buzzz is what I´m sticking to, no matter what"?

Was plastic type a deciding factor or just the flight? Did the "coolness factor" apply? :clap:

 

[VictorB]

I stick to the fact that I don't stick to any single lineup.

More serious answer - practicing lines and learning what discs do in a lot of conditions in the field, early in the season, builds the trust you need to be able to stick with certain discs. Repeating that process season over season, you'll trend to certain discs and end up keeping them in the bag as staples of your lineup.

That being said, there are ebbs and flows in my game. Sometimes I'm leaning on forehands more than most people, or even throwing more rollers. Different jobs require different tools, compared to if I was really maximizing backhand throws.

 

[strunk flugget]

Hi!

Trying to make up my mind on which molds to stick to for the season. This got me thinking, how did you settle on your go-to discs?

Did you go through many discs or just decide "Buzzz is what I´m sticking to, no matter what"?

Was plastic type a deciding factor or just the flight? Did the "coolness factor" apply? :clap:

easiest answer is yes, all of the above. Realistically any can work. When I first got into the sport I would buy and resell, buy and resell....and even recently I have been doing that a lot. Knowing that I want something speed 9 and similar to a teebird flight I went to the thunderbird but it was a bit too much for what I wanted. So I bounced around, found the eclipse insanity which is almost exactly what I wanted but it could still get some slight turn which I didn't like. It's also a special edition which, on principle, I do not want to bag as replacing can get hard and expensive. And then I found the wrath. It sort of sits between the thunderbird and the eclipse insanity. So it has worked like that for me this past year.

But at this point I am fairly confident in my bag...But I am also finding there are a few molds that remain unthrown 99% of the time and so I am dropping those from my bag and buying a couple extra of the ones I love to have a little more variance in shot capability as they beat in. So now I am working on not changing molds, just getting to know the ones I have as well as I can. Oh and whenever i see a sick stamp on a mold I like, I scoop it up.

 

[Moose33]

For me it has been a long process of trial and error, with some but not a ton of cool factor involved.

My putter (Swan)I started using because my daughter got one and I tried it and found I could putt with a less stable putter better than the Atoms I was using. 5 years later I have like 14 of them.

When the Flare came out I was throwing FAF Firebirds and salty I couldn't find them hardly anymore, and felt this disc that was near identical in the hand. Turns out it is in flight also.

Mainly, I was looking for a disc to do a shot, that disc did it best so I kept throwing it.

The Justice I started throwing when the Trident went OOP the first time. It has traded time with the Deflector, but I sort of just throw whichever of those two I can find more easily/cheaply.

 

[seedlings]

At first it was throw everything to find out what it's all about. Then some molds felt better or were more repeatable. Then it was noticing shots I frequently screw up and find a different disc that gives me better consistency. Once I realized there were plenty of discs that are similar enough, in every category, then it became what do I want to throw- because I do better with discs I look forward to throwing rather than discs that only functionally perform adequately.

Needs:
Overstable driver (can be used for shorter OS shots)
Understable driver
Stable (hold a line) fairway
Stable (hold a line) mid
Stable (hold a line) putter

Fun:
Stable driver
OS fairway
US fairway
OS mid
Flippy mid
OS putter
Flippy putter
Utility meathook

 

[Gandalf]

It's an interesting question. This is how I do it, but everyone is different.

I have a couple of discs/molds that I lean on and they are the basis of my bag.

I feel naked without a pig since long long before Ricky started throwing them. Wizards for putting. In the bag.

I have a RED esp buzzz that is so bright that it looks like it is on fire. It is a security blanket in the woods because not only is it super straight, it is easy to find because of the bright color. It is in.

Two Eagles, beat and straight are in.
A Saint that just glides forever is in.

Everything else can change- as long as it slots with the above staples. I change out distance drivers a lot, but it doesn't really matter because they get thrown the least.

'Coolness ' matters a lot less than plastic feel and brightness of color so I can find it in the woods. If there's a muddy color disc in my bag it is to feed to a water monster.

That's how I do it. Interested in others approaches as well!

 

[thatdirtykid]

I am going into my 18th disc golf season and have taken a lot of different approaches to building the bag. I have posted tons of bags, read articles, used the bag builder websites, talked about building bags. Its actually one of the most fun parts of the game to me. It's kind of like building a team for a strategy game selecting all your players attributes.
I have built bags that on paper are amazingly balanced. I have taken trusty molds out for something that "fills the slot" better. Its not easy to find a balance.

Factors to consider:
Do you like throwing the disc?
Does the disc give you consistent results?
Does something else you like throwing/throw well perform the same shots well enough?
Does your game/style require a disc for every slot?
Are you willing to push through the learning curve and possibly change your game to fit a new disc?
How available is the disc, do you have enough backups?


What I have to share is its more important to throw discs you like throwing and that you are good at throwing. Adding new molds can be tricky sometimes, and knowing when to take a mold out can be even trickier. I throw the buzzz very well. I have taken it out of my bag cause it seems to overlap my throwing putters, my fairway drivers and my flippy mids. It took me a long time to realize it overlaps all of those because I am good at throwing the buzzz and I am confident in throwing all kinds of shots with it.

The learning curve for the berg was tough, but my approach game is now my number 1 skill. I saw potential and stuck with it because I saw the merits of the disc and FH approach in general.

I am (probably) taking the X3 out of my bag becuase despite throwing it well in the field, I do not get consistent results on the course. In the field I am likely adjusting to the thin profile and flight characteristics after my first toss or two. I typically end up powering up a control driver for distance shots that need to finish right anyways.

I always enjoy talking bag building, its whats kept me around these forums for as long as I have. Shoot me a pm if you want to talk specifics.

 

[RahvinKing526]

Bought, threw, and sold a bunch of molds trying to figure out what I liked/preferred throwing styles
Once I settled on that, it was a matter of finding a disc with that flight and matching wear pattern that felt good in hand
Then filling in slots/finding complements to that main disc

Ended up with a modified garublador bag: fast stable mid, slow neutral mid, moderately overstable fairway, straight distance driver, stable approach, putting putter, and utility disc

 

[ray1970]

I still refuse to admit that my game just isn't that great. Obviously there are magical discs out there that will make me a better player so the never ending search continues.





Seriously though…. there are so many good discs out there that I enjoy throwing that I couldn't possibly bag them all at once. While there are some staples that never leave the bag I do tend to rotate discs out as the mood strikes me just for a change of pace. For example, I love the Vulture and throw it quite well. I haven't bagged it recently because it overlaps with other things in my bag but I might soon pull something out and make room for it for a couple of months just because I enjoy it.

 

[BillFleming]

Like most players, I started off with only a handful of discs (two to be exact). Then a friend said "you should try this disc...you like it? It's yours". Now I had three. Then I was in a tournament, as an Am I got a player's pack of discs. Now I had more to try. Then I bought some and more from friends and tournaments (and found discs that the owner didn't want back or had no name/number).

Now I have over 135 discs and obviously I don't carry them all. Instead, every so often, I'll take out all my midranges or a specific speed, and throw them in a field. I'm looking to see if the disc I do carry is still right for me or if one of my other ones should replace or complement what is currently in my bag. Another time, it will be all my fairway drivers. I have a practice basket out back and once a week I take all my putters out to see if I still have the right one in my bag.

I also play at different altitudes, so I have discs that I use at 1500ish feet (current) and others that I use at 5000 feet.

I have a few discs that are staples of my bag. If they aren't in it right now, they'll end up back in it at some time.

 

[@CD-]

As a beginner I really threw the first 3-10 discs I got a lot. Figured out what I liked about each and what I couldn't manage (at the time) in terms of shots. First I tried maximizing distance and then accuracy as I built up my form after doing some research here & watching the pros recommendations. Probably 30-40 discs before I figured out the form and had a dozen discs I was hauling around in a small shoulder bag. I still throw some of these but others were traded in once I grew out of throwing them or didn't like their flights much.

5+ years in my main tournament lineup is primarily discs I have used enough to know how they react to different shots in most environments (winds/temperatures/elevation up & down/ground play on different surfaces & landing angles). Its on me to select and execute the shots that I know can be executed with each disc.

For practice/fun rounds I will bring out mostly newer discs I'm testing to try different lines/plastic blends. I like the current wear & stability of discs in the tournament bag and don't want to lose or beat them up anymore. At this point I can pick up a disc off the shelf and have an idea if it fits my grip/flexibility preferences and if it could be a disc I enjoy throwing recreationally or in competition.

Availability/limited edition doesn't really factor into making the bag but price does ('pretty' discs/stamps with high price don't really sway me). Color, disc profile, & plastic blends (stiffness & grip) are primary factors depending on my preferences and the season.

 

[Al Dente]

It was a process of discovery over several years. Many discs were purchased and discarded. My putters through my 7 speeds, which is a total of 10 discs, are all molds I have confidence in and will continue to throw. My distance drivers are another matter. They are all good molds that I have thrown well in the past, but I am currently unable to pick the right one for the conditions or throw it on the correct angle...very frustrating.��

 

[Lurp Nuts]

I found DGCR and researched what the well-respected molds were.

Back then, the mid range discussion was almost entirely "Roc vs Buzzz," so I tried both. Ended up falling in love with the cycling concept, and the rest is history. I still can't bring myself to bag a single disc in a certain mold - they have to be versatile enough to have multiple on hand. Found PDs this way, found Wizards this way, did Destroyers, Teebirds, and Eagles among many others.

My bag has been set for years now, because I've found that if I trust a disc, there's no reason to replace it. If it ain't broke, don't fix it.

 

[BillFleming]

As I've played and tried different discs, I've come to the conclusion that I prefer the "Star" type of plastic and really dislike the "Champion" type of plastic. ((Yes, those are the Innova names....but, regardless of brand, that describes the plastic type I like and dislike)). It's gotten to the point that I'm separating my extra discs in storage by their plastic type. "DX" type works well for putters, but I want everything else to be the "Star" type.

Other than that, I'm not loyal to a brand or mold....I just want what works best for me. Today that might be one thing and a month or two might be something else.

 

[Gandalf]

I just want to add that when I started really trying to settle on my bag I was sure that I would be buying less discs once that was done.
I couldn't have been more wrong.
Why? Backups of all the molds elevated to bagged status.
How many backup Eagles does one guy need?
Want a hint? - it's a lot.

 

[KeepItFreshBrah]

Factors to consider:
Do you like throwing the disc?
Does the disc give you consistent results?
Does something else you like throwing/throw well perform the same shots well enough?
Does your game/style require a disc for every slot?
Are you willing to push through the learning curve and possibly change your game to fit a new disc?
How available is the disc, do you have enough backups?

This is a great list. I would add to this "How does the disc feel/fit in your hand for the specific shot you will use it for"

Also, if you find a run of a certain disc that you really like, don't hesitate to buy 5. Very few things are as disappointing as a disc being discontinued/not being able to find a specific plastic/huge price increases.

A good example of these two for me was the discmania FD2/Royal Rage. I think this disc fits in the hand perfectly for FHs with great stability for a fairway FH shot. With discmania beginning to make their own "new" molds, I am glad I bought alot of these in case an Innova partner does not begin producing them. They currently sell at 3x to 4x retail.

 

[BillFleming]

This is a great list. I would add to this "How does the disc feel/fit in your hand for the specific shot you will use it for"

Also, if you find a run of a certain disc that you really like, don't hesitate to buy 5. Very few things are as disappointing as a disc being discontinued/not being able to find a specific plastic/huge price increases.

Seconded. Kind of. It can be expensive getting extra discs of one you really like. But, dang it sure could be worth it.

Two examples from me. Dynamic Discs Wizard. One of the first discs I could really depend on off the tee. Loved it! Lost it. Got another, lost it. Went to get a new one...out of production. Had to find a different disc to take its place.

Recently, Kastaplast Falk has become my 'go to' for tee shots. Just lost mine over a fence onto private property...but I hope to get it back (I've been told they are good at returning discs). Guess what, Kastaplast discs have been out of stock for a while and I'm not sure when they will be back in stock. (Kastaplast and Latitude 64 have joined forces and L64 is going to be making some Kastaplast discs....I just don't know when that will happen).

While I like to support the smaller brands....it is getting tougher. It's hard to end up really liking a "small" brands disc only to lose it and not be able to get a replacement. Whereas, if Innova or Discraft are what you throw, you can pretty much guarantee getting a replacement (with some rare exceptions).

Right now, it seems the 'dependable' brands are mainly Innova, Discraft, and Latitude 64 (they seem to be making discs for themselves and others).

 

[dmoore1998]

How did I settle initially? I bought some random discs in random plastics and figured out what I like (primarily star/esp types and some softer types for different distances). Now I have a boatload of discs because I'm a hoarder..so every year, at this time of year...I take the discs I've bought and just give a bunch of them a second chance to see if I like them. Usually that just means random stuff I've purchased in molds I already really like, but a different plastic or run (i.e. love that cryztal sparkle glo raptor, let me grab an ESP FLX when it comes out and I'll try it sometime).

How do most people I know build their bag? They mention discs they'd like to try, I have most of them, and I let them test them out. Or they mention they love a mold (let's us Hex as an example) and I or someone else will say "well that's Axiom, a lot of their mids tend to be shallow, have you tried a Reactor?".

Other than that I do what Bill mentioned above, I might take a stack of random stuff that should all do the same general thing out for field work and just confirm what I have is still what I want. That's pretty much how I settled on bagging a variety of Shrykes from US to OS. Go throw all my straight-ish drivers as far as I can...the Shryke always seemed to be the furthest one out there. That happens a few times and you say "ok, i should probably bag that one". That's also how I settled on throwing MVP/Axiom putters in my throwing putter slot. I knew a bunch of people putting with them, grabbed a couple...didn't love them for putting. Took them out to throw and LOVED the feel of them over my deeper putters for throwing them off the tee.

 

[raceface59]

I also jumped onto DGCR and learned about the most recommended staples. Then I too discovered that I like the feel of Star type plastic over Champ type plastic, so I rebought the molds I like to use the most in that plastic style. Now I'm happy using the same sort of bag without "change", meaning that if I lost all of my Teebird 3's tomorrow I could put in an MVP Volt that I acquired and not worry. I haven't been playing long enough to notice the finer differences between the two. I've got a Warship that I might sub in for one of my similar mids for a new look. The only thing I really went overboard on was buying a few too many putters until I settled on the Vodoo because it feels right.

 

[ghostofdabayou]

I do it a little differently, I suppose. I tend to lean heavily on mids and fairways, so I have the following:
OS putter- Rhyno/ RhynoX
Stable putter- Warden
OS mid- Gator3
Stable Mid- Lion
Slightly understable mid- Buzzz SS
Very Understable mid- Meteor
OS fairway- 2021 Ulibarri Raptor
Stable fairway- 2020 Ulibarri Raptor
Understable- Sidewinder
Very Understable 2021 Ledgestone Heat

If I need max distance into a strong headwind, I go to the Wraith. For reference, my max distance is about 385. So yeah, I don't throw very far yet.