Strategy Question

[tromak]

Hey, I have been gone from here a while but i still have been playing a lot. It has always occurred to me that the easiest strategy for a good score is to throw for par. That is Lay it up and play it safe until you get an easy par save putt. Just because i have realized that doesn't mean that is how i play. I go for the ace every shot if it is doable. When i analyze a hole for my throw if the basket is in a place where i know that if i match my best shot i can hit it then i go for it. This has caused my score to not reflect what i believe my ability is. I can now consistently hit between 4 and 8 over on most familiar courses. This includes multiple bogeys and multiple birdies every round. I know that all i need is consistency to be hitting under par. My question is should i play it safer or should i keep challenging myself to hit the shots i know i am capable of? Hole 4 back 18 of la mirada is a perfect example, I can ace that i haven't yet but i have gotten many birdies. I have gotten in trouble way more often i hit trees hit the hill have a bad release angle, but i know i can hit it. Should i keep going for it or just lay it up? Btw i still haven't aced anything over 275 which is the point where i will actually count it as a true ace.

 

[Aim For The Chains]

Ace is an Ace regardless of the hole length

Try to hit the lines and be consistent is part of growing your game but understanding the risk/reward and how it can impact your over-all round or placement in a tourney is another factor. Always challenge yourself but don't be dumb. You might miss out on a birdie playing safe but also rarely will hit double bogeys even if a person can only throw 200' controlled max D. Lay-ups and playing safe are for saving your score in relation to your skill level and the others competing against you.

 

[Halcón]

First of all, a true ace is anything that you hit from your first throw off the tee, whether it's 275, or 150 feet.

I think the option to "go for it" depends on your putting. Pros make long runs at the basket because they know that even if they miss, and fly 30 feet by, they still have a good chance of making the next throw. If you're putting is poor, the risk of taking that long birdie throw is sometimes not worth it.

 

[bradharris]

Shooting for aces is generally bad strategy. Miss and you're blowing by the basket for a tough recovery.

On drives and long upshots, I'm aiming to put the disc under the basket, not in it.

In a more general sense though, it's all about managing the course and taking your shots when you can. On holes where there is a lot of risk, it might be a good idea to play more conservative to save par. On less punishing holes, you can afford to be more aggressive and try to score a birdie. There's no one strategy to apply, you need to evaluate your own strengths and play to those.

 

[tromak]

Thanks for the quick responses, for some reason i put this thread in the wrong spot but it seems to be working. Yeah lately i have been questioning this strategy when i just destroy a good game on two or 3 holes. Its tough to recover from those kinds of things mentally but i also see this as part of my game i need to develop. Those courses where the longest shot i could probably kick a soccer ball into i just put on a different level that's what i meant about the ace thing.

 

[smarkquart]

My putting is so poor, although it is slowly improving, that the only way I can be competitive is to play for par on each hole. What that allows me to do is to concentrate on that particular hole instead of worrying about previous holes or upcoming holes. If I was concerned about always having the perfect shot, then I would get it into my mindset that I NEED to birdie this hole because I bogeyed a previous hole.

What going for par also does for my game is that it instills confidence that if I do have a less than perfect drive that I have the upshot and or escape game to still save par. Once I have that confidence that I can save par from anywhere on the hole, it means that I can be more aggressive in my driving. Therefore, by playing for par I will see my birdie opportunities. At the end of the day, I should have more birdies than bogeys.

This may not always be a winning strategy, but I will always place well.

Basically, consistency breeds confidence and confidence will lead to lower scores on average.


When I used to play more aggressively, per 18 holes I would have maybe 6 or so birdies to 5 or so bogeys. Not a lot of pars in there, making it a feast or famine round. Some of my best ever rounds I scored playing like this, but the same is true of some of my worst rounds. This is fine for recreational rounds with friends, but in multi-round tournaments, it killed me. It is not that I am playing more conservatively now, but with the mind set that I am willing to take par on a hole and walk away feeling content, I actually throw more consistently good lines because I am trying to put myself in a spot for an easy three. During rounds like this, per 18 holes I would have 3 to 5 birdies to 1 to 2 bogeys. With this consistency on an average day I can count being close to or under par every time. That is a lot better than throwing a few bogeys early in the round and then fretting that I NEED to start throwing birdies to be near par. Throwing the way I do now, I can shrug of a bogey or two knowing that they are likely the most I will get that round, and if I keep my cool, birdie opportunities will present themselves at some point. I am not playing the mind game of which holes I need to birdie.

 

[KniceZ]

I play conservative because I s*** at putting beyond 20ft.

Another thing I've started doing is going for it in a different way - rather than throw the straight hard shot at the basket, I thrown a disc with less glide and loft it in, adjusting for the fade. If it doesn't drop in - it's not more than 10-15 away rather than blowing 30+ past.

 

[Pwingles]

During a round-
Take advantage of your any strongsuits you have, minimize risk in other areas of your game that arent as strong/reliable, on putts in your comfort zone dont be short.

During practice-
Work on making your confident putting zone bigger. This will make crucial approaches easier. Practice throwing many lines and many different discs on the same hole. Learning how to line shape and manipulate discs is an invaluable tool and a necessity.

 

[dusty5150]

I was told many years ago by a top player that if you get an ace that means you didn't throw a good golf shot. I don't go for aces at all, but they still happen. I try and land my shot within 40' of the basket, whether that's long/short/left/right depends on the green and the wind.

 

[chrishysell]

I was told many years ago by a top player that if you get an ace that means you didn't throw a good golf shot. I don't go for aces at all, but they still happen. I try and land my shot within 40' of the basket, whether that's long/short/left/right depends on the green and the wind.

the whole "ace is a bad shot" philosophy should go right up there with making a 50ft putt is a bad shot. OMG, what if you miss? You can throw both drives and putts that run out of speed at the basket.

The best strategy to play better golf is to throw the shots you are comfortable with and throw the most consistantly. There are some holes on courses that i don't throw well so I break them down into steps. I throw to the area that gives me the easiest approach to the basket. From there I throw it to a makeable putt. Be patient.

 

[smarkquart]

The first bit of advance I was ever given was that this game is all about the second shot. If you have supreme confidence that you can always, ALWAYS, put your second shot under the basket, it will open up the rest of your game. You will not have to worry about always making clutch putts to save par, you will not stress over making the perfect drive, and most importantly, you will not melt down if you do go off the fairway.

As for going for aces, I like going for them on holes where I can throw low and the basket is where I know and can trust that my disc is losing power. It is a hole by hole decision, but it is all back to my original comments about consistency. If I do not feel like I could hit par from where I may land with my drive, I would rather throw short and concentrate on keeping it in the fairway.

For example, Plymouth Creek #2 is a hole where you have a drastic uphill shot for 75-100 feet and then it flattens out. On both sides of this uphill you have waist to chest high shrubbery. Once you clear that and you are on the top, you are in a forest with a ton of mature trees, most of which are not visible from the teebox. The main fairway goes another 200 before the basket is tucked in among trees on the right. There is a secondary fairway to the right that cannot be purposely hit during your drive. If I cannot clear the hill, I am already conceding that I am getting a four or worse. The cleanest window to the basket is perpendicular to the main fairway and almost impossible to hit from your drive. Based upon where I landed, because the shot is blind, I think I have ace runned this hole twice in my career. However, knowing that once I clear the hill that at least 95% of the time I can then be in for an easy three, I know that I can drive into the blind fairway in hopes that it will track right and land near enough the basket to putt. I can get birdies maybe 10% of the time, but settling for par is not bad when I see most of the other people in my group getting 4s and 5s because they were too aggressive with their second shots because they do not trust their second shot enough to play conservatively enough.

 

[Teebird Elvis]

If par is your goal, then you play for par. If under is your goal, then you have to take a more aggressive approach to the game. First, there should be holes you are more likely to birdie, and play more into your strengths, go aggressive. Next holes that are a weak point, play for par.

But, most important, get a crapload of mids and putters and find a find something that gives you a uncanny touch. Saving par, IMO, is a greater skill than hitting lines for birdies. Most all players worth their salt are going to make birdies, but the ability to save par from crazy situations, THAT, IMO, makes a consistent player, it's all in the short game.

 

[nolangherity]

i tend to go for it unless there is OB involved, or the course is tricky so you have to manage your score on certain holes.

 

[BogeyNoMore]

Shooting for aces is generally bad strategy. Miss and you're blowing by the basket for a tough recovery.

On drives and long upshots, I'm aiming to put the disc under the basket, not in it.

In a more general sense though, it's all about managing the course and taking your shots when you can. On holes where there is a lot of risk, it might be a good idea to play more conservative to save par. On less punishing holes, you can afford to be more aggressive and try to score a birdie. There's no one strategy to apply, you need to evaluate your own strengths and play to those.

^Everything he said.
IMHO Aces are overrated as far as scores are concerned. Don't get me wrong: I'm not in any way, shape, or form trying to say they're all luck, or detract from what a great shot was just made. I don't think it's a coincidence that some people in our league hit multiple Aces over the course of the season - those folks are dialed in on certain holes.

What I am saying is: despite the incredible shot it takes to cage a disc off the tee, it's a whopping one stroke better than a deuce, which is orders of magnitude easier to achieve.

If you're consistently running certain holes for aces, unless you're a very good putter with some range, you're carding a lot of 3's where you likely could card deuces with some consistency. I guarantee playing for 2 from the tee nets you lower scores than running the chains. Statistically speaking the Expected Payoff for putting a disc basket high off the tee pad is quite low, mostly because the payoff is barely better than sliding one up for a fairly easy putt. It's like hitting the lotto and winning a measely $20.

In a casual round - hell go for it. Try to hit long up shots - that sort of practice genuinely helps. But for tourneys, play it smart: know your game and what you're capable of, assess the risk vs the reward, and make the most of the birdie opportunities your tee shots give you.

 

[RustyStrings615]

It is also an option to throw a shot that will "give it a run" .. but not fly too far past the basket... ruining your chances for birdie.

I've found by throwing slower discs on flatter lines.. you can float a putter or mid..or even a fairway..that has a chance to go in.. but will also still give you a good chance at birdie.

 

[scarpfish]

Shooting for par is an okay beginner's strategy, but the object of the game is to complete the course in as few throws as possible. To me if par is good, then birdie is better.

If a basket is within reach from the tee (not necessarily in one throw), you should be attempting bird on it. To me, the best players in that situation try to go for the park job off the tee and work on making their putting confidence circle as big as possible, so even the drive ends up 30-40 away, they still have a good shot at a deuce.

Obviously, when the basket isn't within reach, and you're still looking at a very low percentage 75+ footer to get there, that's when you should be laying up. But even there, a good player will attempt a half-hearted run in some circumstances knowing that even with a miss, getting the 3 is pretty automatic.

 

[Aim For The Chains]

^well said, sounds right.

 

[NOStheBOSS]

obviously the course will play a factor, but par is usually good enough to win Rec. After that, you're going to have to shoot under par, and to to do that you're going to have to get birdies. Disc golf is a game about lineshaping, whether you're playing safe or going for it you still have to hit your line. You just have to decide if it is a hole you can realistically park or if even on your best shot you're still looking at par. If it's the latter, maybe throw a more controlled shot since you're not going to make it to the basket anyway.

Example: Hole 14 at Iroquois park in Louisville, "Tiger Woods." Its a 375 foot straight shot in the woods with maybe 15 feet of fairway the entire way. If you're out of the fairway, you're pretty much guaranteed a 4 or worse. Could I have parked it and taken a 2? sure. With a perfect shot at near full power, very risky. I threw a comet about 320', dead straight, laid up for an easy 3 while the rest of my card took 4's and 5's (did I mention the basket is on a rollaway green? lol).

Hole 1 at Lovers Lane. 400 foot wide open Avery Jenkins hole. Can I reach it on a good throw? yes. Is there any trouble getting par if I shank it? nope. crank.