Slower discs can lead to better scores

[Awkward Accountant]

Controversial opinion warning!
Disc golf marketing does a great job at selling discs especially drivers. We all strive for that 450ft S-pattern. Unfortunately we are also human.
Returning to disc golf after a near decade long break, i immediately stocked up on all of my old favorite discs. Boss, Destroyer, Katana ect. Now being older and living in an elevation of nearly 6k ft, im finding it much more difficult to consistently get a great flight pattern.
After countless late releases and trying way too hard to barely throw 350ft, i started using more fairway drivers and my scores have improved. My favorite driving discs are now 6-9 speed and im getting much more consistent results with surprisingly better distances.
Morale of the story. We all do not have the arm speed to throw 13 speed drivers. Choosing a Thunderbird instead of a Destroyer may provide better results for many players.

 

[ru4por]

There is an active thread on this topic, that is currently on the front page of threads. To avoid confusion, redundancy and to get the best responses, I generally try to take a look at the current threads and then make a quick search on the forum section of the site, to see if my question has been answered or discussed.

https://www.dgcoursereview.com/forums/showthread.php?p=3821033#post3821033

 

[discerdoo]

Ohn Scoggins probably weighs 90 pounds and throws a Collosus.

Just saying....

 

[art_vandelay]

Discing down has been conventional wisdom on these boards since I've been coming here but I suppose everyone must find it out in their own time. Who was the member who used to do searches for people, providing a bunch of links with the same topic? Can't remember dude's name.

 

[jakebake91]

Discing down has been conventional wisdom on these boards since I've been coming here but I suppose everyone must find it out in their own time. Who was the member who used to do searches for people, providing a bunch of links with the same topic? Can't remember dude's name.

Prerube would be the guy you're searching for.

*Feels like this is a setup for a joke*

 

[Central Scrutinizer]

Speed 9 is where it's at for me. It still seems fast, plus I like the way it fits in my hand. I mean...When I started in '89, a Stingray was considered a driver.

 

[Innova63]

Discing down has been conventional wisdom on these boards since I've been coming here but I suppose everyone must find it out in their own time. Who was the member who used to do searches for people, providing a bunch of links with the same topic? Can't remember dude's name.

Prerube is the name your looking for from the past...


But lately ru4por has been doing a fine job...

 

[biscoe]

I am the exception to the discing down advice (which is actually very good advice for the vast majority of folks). I tend to go straight from mids to high speed drivers. I might throw a fairway 3-4 times a round. Everyone I compete with throws farther than I do anyway so I can't afford to give up the extra scoring opportunities I get with a driver. I have played for a long time and know my drivers very well. I have no more success hitting lines with fairways. YMMV.

 

[Brychanus]

Prerube would be the guy you're searching for.

*Feels like this is a setup for a joke*

Before I knew who he was I always read the username and it made me slightly uncomfortable. I think it's because when I say it in my head it sounds like something vaguely salacious.

Either way, his services are missed.

 

[art_vandelay]

I am the exception to the discing down advice (which is actually very good advice for the vast majority of folks). I tend to go straight from mids to high speed drivers. I might throw a fairway 3-4 times a round. Everyone I compete with throws farther than I do anyway so I can't afford to give up the extra scoring opportunities I get with a driver. I have played for a long time and know my drivers very well. I have no more success hitting lines with fairways. YMMV.

Your discs are not performing as designed, you're not getting them up to speed, way more disc than you need bro.....I'm not having any fun watching you throw man and like blah blah blah.

You're not doing it right.

I for one find it interesting to see what other folks can do with various discs. Sometimes you are surprised.

 

[BillFleming]

7 speed is my 'hot spot' where the disc matches my arm speed. For speeds above that, I go lighter weight. I throw a Kastaplast Falk at 168 weight and an Innova Tern at 145 grams. No way could I throw a Tern in the 170s.

 

[Hampstead]

Speed, weight and stability is the combo you must find for yourself.

 

[Meillo]

I think it's interesting that most people view disc speed only in regard of throwing distance. That's a factor, of course, but not the only one. As I wrote earlier, getting the disc to a landing spot is only one part of the job, and the one part that most people struggle with enough. Good players, who can get there, are concerned about a IMO too much overlooked topic, which are landing angles. (This is one reason why Paul McBeth is better than many: he does not only throw there but lands there with good angles.)

Slower discs tend to (a) land flatter in general and (b) are easier to manipulate to land in any angle you want. No matter what the flight of a high speed driver is, it tends to tilt down at the end more than slower discs, landing steeper and because of the bigger rim, tends to skip more.

Hence, disc speed does not only affect the flight and distance (which most people talk about) but also the landing. If you watch the tournament coverage closely with respect to this aspect, then you'll see the differences, especially on shorter holes when one player throws a putter/mid backhand (no hyzer) and another a driver forehand. Watch for the skip and roll potential.

Sometimes some skip potential is good, thus faster discs can be the better option (also for low lines, of course). In general I'd say that slower discs are more predictable, easier to manipulate, and overall less error prone ... which only repeats what many have said before me on this board for years. ;-)

 

[ray1970]

I for one find it interesting to see what other folks can do with various discs. Sometimes you are surprised.

I play with a guy that throws distance drivers off the tee on pretty much any hole regardless of the distance. Although I find it odd it works well for him. For whatever reason, wide rimmed discs just suit him and he has always struggled to throw putters, mids, or fairways with any sort of consistency. I've pretty much learned that everyone just has to do what works best for their game and use whatever disc allows them to execute their shots. If you made me throw a 180' shot with a distance driver it likely isn't going to be pretty but he can do it and will probably have a short putt.

 

[jakebake91]

The first ace I witnessed on the course was a 230' tunnel shot. The disc? A pro Beast. A few holes later, same guy doinks one off the top of the basket on a fairly wide open 270' hole, with a Champ Katana.

Someone mentioned Ohn Scoggins throws a Collosus. She's definitely not getting the "designed" flight out of that disc at the distance she's throwing.

Different strokes for different folks. As a general rule, yes, discing down is good advice. But other methods can work fine for other people. Who are we to judge?

 

[art_vandelay]

Now I'm wondering where putting falls in this discussion. Is is also whatever works or are there really only a few proven ways to putt?

 

[Meillo]

Now I'm wondering where putting falls in this discussion. Is is also whatever works or are there really only a few proven ways to putt?

It's more a question of likelyness that it works for you. -- If it works, it works and everything's fine. The chances that it'll work for you, however, are bigger on some ways than on others.

 

[DeanMoriarty]

7-10 speed discs is definitely where I am getting the most distance/accuracy as of right now.

The highest speed disc I kept was a 12 speed Destroyer but recently took it out of my bag and replaced it with a disc one speed lower but with the same fade/turn/glide (Wraith). The only time I would ever bust out the Wraith is when I'm in a wide open field with at least 400+ feet to cover.. and even then I'd probably still throw my Teebird3 or a Roadrunner.

 

[Brychanus]

I'll reply here because the other thread is aimed at "semi-big arms" and yours is a little more general on a familiar topic I somehow never really tire of.

I'm not 100% in the wheelhouse of "don't throw drivers until X distance with putters." More like "work on safe and sound technique" and mix in discs when learning. It's just the case that the slow and neutral discs offer a lot of lessons and utility in the developing game.

On the course all the work I've done with speed 5 and slower discs is more valuable because I understand when -and more importantly why - to "club up" to anything else.

I love breaking out the long discs when they have room to sail, and they require you to learn angle and trajectory control at any stage of development. But any time I can throw a fairway or slower and get a bid at my target score for the hole, I value the control I get from the slowest disc I can comfortably throw. My scores keep dropping and my putting is becoming more of the "strokes lost" liability than the driving, especially on short courses.

The form work just marches the driving distances out over time.

Gonna go practice that putt now!

 

[Central Scrutinizer]

7-10 speed discs is definitely where I am getting the most distance/accuracy as of right now.

The highest speed disc I kept was a 12 speed Destroyer but recently took it out of my bag and replaced it with a disc one speed lower but with the same fade/turn/glide (Wraith). The only time I would ever bust out the Wraith is when I'm in a wide open field with at least 400+ feet to cover.. and even then I'd probably still throw my Teebird3 or a Roadrunner.

I'm almost 50 and removed my trial Wraiths and Destroyers. My 13-year-old who crushes can actually throw them. He can get the Wraith up to and even a little past 400' now. Weighs 101 pounds! I weigh more than double that and basically am just throwing Heats and Underworlds now as my body continues to decompose slowly and surely.