[Question] Switching it up/taking a break

[Squirrilah Fish]

So I feel like I've been in a rut lately. My scores have gotten higher, and I just don't feel on. So I took a few days off. Going out to play doubles tomorrow, and I'm thinking about playing with an all new set up. Some discs I have thrown quite a bit. Others only a little. To be more specific, I'm thinking of setting aside all the trilogy and doing an all Innova light setup. Just a handful of discs to cover the spread.

Anyone else ever do this?

Essentially take a break from what you normally play with.

What was your experience?

 

[Broken Shoulder]

An entire bag overhaul, no, I haven't.
But if you're in a rut and it's feeling monotonous, go for it. Could be fun and spark something for you.

 

[Timeetyo]

So I feel like I've been in a rut lately. My scores have gotten higher, and I just don't feel on. So I took a few days off. Going out to play doubles tomorrow, and I'm thinking about playing with an all new set up. Some discs I have thrown quite a bit. Others only a little. To be more specific, I'm thinking of setting aside all the trilogy and doing an all Innova light setup. Just a handful of discs to cover the spread.

Anyone else ever do this?

Essentially take a break from what you normally play with.

What was your experience?

I went this route this year for my glow bag. My current bag is in my sig, but my glow bag is an all vibram lineup. Summit, obex/ibex, trak/ascent. I even took my glow buzzz out on purpose to give me some perspective and force me to work with the obex/ibex instead of the buzzz.

Of course this is all under the caveat that glow golf is it's own monster with its own challenges (ranging upshots was brutal), but most off the tee stuff is routine as it is mostly courses i knew well. So, with that said:

I had mixed results and i'm glad i did it. Of course I had a few times i was just dying to have my normal disc for a given shot - particularly missing my firebird and flippy sidewinder for very OS/US drives, respectively. Outside of that though, i was surprised how effortlessly i was able to jive with my obex. I still don't prefer it to my roc3 but i'd bet i'd hit 9/10 shots with it that i'd hit with my roc3. Of course i found a few discs i don't like - not a fan of the ibex, for example.

Most importantly though - it forced me to break my patters of throw x disc off y tee every time. I had to try different discs. I had to try different lines. Of course a few of these ended in epic failure, but there were also a few that I learned a new (and better) way to play a hole that I then translated over to my normal bag.

 

[Three Putt]

I do this all the time. Sometimes I forget to switch back.

 

[Ted Bratton]

Throw all the discs, man.

 

[Squirrilah Fish]

Ya I was thinking it'd be more fun than anything, which I feel has been lacking the most lately. Going with all new discs doesn't give me the frustration of what "usually" happens not happening. Also, a few discs I set aside when I wasn't as experienced as I am now. So it'll be nice to revisit those discs.
Also, I've been throwing solely Dynamic, going to try all Innova with a Buzzz and an M5. Should be fun. I am keeping the same putters though. Be a nice little comparison. Will either make me appreciate my DD more, or make me rethink my bag.

I'm still figuring a lot of stuff out, and it's too cold and there's too much snow to do hours of field work and head to heads like I like to do.

Thanks for the input. I needed some validation for this idea of mine.

 

[DanJon]

If you want to get better, just stop throwing so many different discs.

You don't need to bag all the new trilogy hotness.

I see so many people buy every new trilogy disc and go right to the course with them. No field work to get familiar. Then they wonder why they can't throw their discs consistently.

Just pick a stable putter, a stable mid and a stable fairway driver. Only use those for a couple weeks. Learn how to manipulate those on different lines/throws, then go back to your full bag.

That's what I do when I'm in a rut.

 

[Hoss22]

I think changes or breaks like that are important sometimes, just because they make it fun and interesting again... Helps a lot in getting out of that rut. I actually use to putt with ZH Pures only... Found myself the last few months having a lot of blow bys, roll always, and complete lack of confidence. Started putting with the BT hard harp and absolutely love it. It's made putting fun again, instead of nerve racking... And has saved a ton of strokes. I use the "off season" to make changes so I don't get in my head too much during the tourney season.

 

[Squirrilah Fish]

If you want to get better, just stop throwing so many different discs.

You don't need to bag all the new trilogy hotness.

I see so many people buy every new trilogy disc and go right to the course with them. No field work to get familiar. Then they wonder why they can't throw their discs consistently.

Just pick a stable putter, a stable mid and a stable fairway driver. Only use those for a couple weeks. Learn how to manipulate those on different lines/throws, then go back to your full bag.

That's what I do when I'm in a rut.

I have field tested and done a lot of work with my DD, including a lot of head to heads. I have my work horses. Judge, Verdict, Witness, Escape, Felon, Renegade. They get thrown more than anything. Everything else is largely situational. I've gone several rounds without touching half the discs in my bag.

 

[BrotherDave]

Been using an all mvp/axiom bag during the winter to have fun, didn't want to associate bad rounds due to winter conditions to my usual bag. I haven't built a bag in awhile so it's been fun filling holes again. Just need an mvp putter I can grip in the cold/wet and an understable driver since my amp is piggy.

 

[Nasty Nate]

If you want to get better, just stop throwing so many different discs.

You don't need to bag all the new trilogy hotness.

I see so many people buy every new trilogy disc and go right to the course with them. No field work to get familiar. Then they wonder why they can't throw their discs consistently.

Just pick a stable putter, a stable mid and a stable fairway driver. Only use those for a couple weeks. Learn how to manipulate those on different lines/throws, then go back to your full bag.

That's what I do when I'm in a rut.

I agree with this assessment. Not that it's not fun to try different discs and everything, but I was thinking the same thing when I saw all the discs S Fish carries.

I am not knocking your choice of discs, but at the very least they are added weight in the bag. I would simplify things a bit because it really is unnecessary to carry that many different molds. Maybe bring all your discs to a field and compare them and then pick a core setup. Then you won't have any question when it comes time to choose a disc. It will simplify things and strengthen your game.

 

[Moose33]

I keep notes on every round I play and see at the end what shots I threw poorly becuase of poor diac selection, and howany times I threw each and for what. If a disc gets less than 2 throws per round I will often drop it.

When your in a rut I find the disc down thing works, it will usually teach you the disc you really like. For example you just hVe 3-5 neutral flying discs in the bag and after a while you start thinking, wow I really miss my Firebird for this shot, that might be one you really need.

 

[Stable]

I tweak my bag here and there when I feel there is something wrong. I've never done an all at once overhaul. That said, I've tweaked my line-up a lot over the past three years but that isn't what has helped me the most. I really spend a lot of my practice time focusing on my mechanics and really thinking about where my flaws are. It is important to keep mentally fresh so do what you feel to stay interested in your game. Everyone is different.

 

[jskew113]

I have an all MVP/ Axiom bag that I bring out a couple times a month.

 

[grotto]

Do you want to know a lot about a little, or a little about a lot?

I think for many chuckers, their enjoyment of the game is in chasing never ending new plastic, and that's fine. I think those folks really are the ones contributing the most to disc golfs popularity. But, many of those folks will never get good and a lot just get bored and quit after awhile when they come to the realization that no matter what disc they buy, they're never going to hit 300" and they move on to another hobby with glamour toys to accumulate.

One game I play (one of many) when I get in a rut is, I play solo rounds with 6 discs, 3 against 3 and I take notes on each hole. At the end of rounds, I get to see the consistency of the discs. The hard pill to swallow is to realize that flashy disc I fell in love with because I remember making that "one" great shot really does suck!

Nothing wrong with taking a little time off and evaluating your frustration either. A lot of this game is mental, so it's important to work on your mentality and look to where your frustration is coming from. Expectations too high, boredom with the game, frustration or just forgetting it's supposed to be enjoyable? Isn't that's why many of us started in the first place?

Gotta keep it interesting when the rut time rears its ugly head.

 

[Declarkus]

I played 2 courses with 4 discs yesterday, and shot my average on both. There were a few times I wanted a certain disc, but I was never punished for using what I had. The strokes I lost were from poor execution, often due to my hasty pace with such a light load.

It was fun thinking up ways to attack each hole with what I had, and it felt more rewarding when I parked an approach or par'ed a challenging hole. It also showed me I've been making this game harder than it has to be. I got all wrapped up in cycling and varying weights and plastics, when all I needed to do was hit the course with a handful of favorites.

 

[Kodachrome]

So I feel like I've been in a rut lately. My scores have gotten higher, and I just don't feel on. So I took a few days off. Going out to play doubles tomorrow, and I'm thinking about playing with an all new set up. Some discs I have thrown quite a bit. Others only a little. To be more specific, I'm thinking of setting aside all the trilogy and doing an all Innova light setup. Just a handful of discs to cover the spread.

Anyone else ever do this?

Essentially take a break from what you normally play with.

What was your experience?

Throw bag swap rounds with your buddies and bring some beers. That is what really got me having fun again. It's the spirit of experimentation and learning about discs, doing something fresh and new that gives the sport its fun for me. Plus my buddies really enjoyed throwing my bag and trying new stuff so it was fulfilling to see them want to play in a casual setting whereas normally they don't like to play rounds with me much anymore since I surpassed them. Bag swap rounds make everything in the spirit of fun.

 

[Declarkus]

Bag swap rounds make everything in the spirit of fun.

This sounds fun. We were talking about doing a pick 'em round where we'd pick out one of each disc type (putter,mid,fairway,DD) from our opponents bag, and force them to use the 4 discs you picked for them for the round.

 

[Beener]

Going to give this a try myself! I rotate between the same 5 or 6 courses, so my disc / shot selection is pretty dialed in: Hyzer-flip a Saint here, big sky anny with a Diamond there, Warship down the pipe, etc. Not much thinking / contemplation / anticipation is required on the tee...

Like a few others have mentioned, going to put together an all Axiom Nutsac to break the monotony: Inspire, Crave, Clash, Proxy, Envy. Looking forward to learning some new discs / shots and seeing what this GYRO thing is all about! :thmbup:

 

[thatdirtykid]

Breaks long and short are not a bad thing. I usually come back with a new respect or understanding of the game. I often find a new disc I decide to bag, and then slowly my bag evolves around it, not often is it an all at once overhaul.

For me to get out of a slump I go back to my "core" bag for a week or two, then add discs back as I see I need. Right now my Core would be:
Mercy-Comet-Hornet-CPD-PPD-XL

I may even go to just a Putter and mid for a round or two leading into it.