I have to expand on what Mark and CatPred are talking about. As one's skill with a disc increases, you begin looking at the highest percentage line to take on a particular hole. You will be able to throw any disc on a hyzer or anhyzer and work almost any line. When that is the case, on tight/turning holes you want to play the safest/easiest line to the target.
When a player is only comfortable throwing an anhzyzer flex shot with an overstable disc, they will turn to that shot even when it is the worst possible shot for a particular lie. As Mark said, to a certain extent raw skill can overcome the need for a disc to play a certain shot, however, for certain lines a base plastic disc is the only thing that will work.
Think of a shot where to get to the pin you have to throw a low ceiling roller that you must release nearly flat at less than 10' of height and which must turn up to vertical and all the way over to finish on the flightplate. For this shot you would need a star disc with 5+ years of heavy wear at least if it is not artificially seasoned. I have thrown champ valks that were in the 6+ year old range that were not worn in enough for this shot.
Another example is the tunnel shot that goes straight and then does a 90 degree turn to the right. We have a few of those in Charlotte. They require a flippy disc thrown on a hyzer quite high but with enough turn to flip when thrown that high and hold the turn all the way to the ground. Admittedly, not many people can throw this shot. On the other hand, people who do not throw baseline plastic don't even have the disc to try this shot. Usually on these holes I throw a forehand. Because of how far right you have to go after the turn I almost NEVER birdie these holes (under 300'). They can almost exclusively be birdied (or at least parked) by the aforementioned high anhyzer shot.
You CAN choose not to throw base plastic discs but unless you are top 50 in the world caliber, you will be giving up almost any chance of making a birdie on holes or shots such as these and possibly losing strokes to the competition. Yes, courses in Oregon are tight. So are many courses in the southeast. There are bad blends of dx/d plastic out there (softer ones imo) but I have never seen a good pro disc get "ruined" in a single throw into a tree, even by top pros around here. Bend it back into shape and it will be better than before. Of course, discs can crack but that is different.
I will also add, however, that my current distance flippy driver is a echo star wraith. Echo plastic beats in MUCH quicker than regular star and can be good for someone who absolutely cannot bring themselves to throw base plastic. I find the flatter innova drivers in echo plastic are generally less stable and get flippy quickly.
When a player is only comfortable throwing an anhzyzer flex shot with an overstable disc, they will turn to that shot even when it is the worst possible shot for a particular lie. As Mark said, to a certain extent raw skill can overcome the need for a disc to play a certain shot, however, for certain lines a base plastic disc is the only thing that will work.
Think of a shot where to get to the pin you have to throw a low ceiling roller that you must release nearly flat at less than 10' of height and which must turn up to vertical and all the way over to finish on the flightplate. For this shot you would need a star disc with 5+ years of heavy wear at least if it is not artificially seasoned. I have thrown champ valks that were in the 6+ year old range that were not worn in enough for this shot.
Another example is the tunnel shot that goes straight and then does a 90 degree turn to the right. We have a few of those in Charlotte. They require a flippy disc thrown on a hyzer quite high but with enough turn to flip when thrown that high and hold the turn all the way to the ground. Admittedly, not many people can throw this shot. On the other hand, people who do not throw baseline plastic don't even have the disc to try this shot. Usually on these holes I throw a forehand. Because of how far right you have to go after the turn I almost NEVER birdie these holes (under 300'). They can almost exclusively be birdied (or at least parked) by the aforementioned high anhyzer shot.
You CAN choose not to throw base plastic discs but unless you are top 50 in the world caliber, you will be giving up almost any chance of making a birdie on holes or shots such as these and possibly losing strokes to the competition. Yes, courses in Oregon are tight. So are many courses in the southeast. There are bad blends of dx/d plastic out there (softer ones imo) but I have never seen a good pro disc get "ruined" in a single throw into a tree, even by top pros around here. Bend it back into shape and it will be better than before. Of course, discs can crack but that is different.
I will also add, however, that my current distance flippy driver is a echo star wraith. Echo plastic beats in MUCH quicker than regular star and can be good for someone who absolutely cannot bring themselves to throw base plastic. I find the flatter innova drivers in echo plastic are generally less stable and get flippy quickly.
