What is the most useful driving distance?

[notBOB]

Ive come to realize the local pros are shooting for that 400ft range with versatility and accuracy every time no matter the conditions, they accept nothing less and their putting is razor sharp, obviously...ive started to hit 400 consistently and have been entering minis in open, my game is ever improving, my driving included.

 

[slimshadyemb]

Well, you're measuring driving distance if the course is wide open I'm assuming. My local course has a lot of holes that range 375-425. Would LOVE to be able to drive this. Still a bit of a noob, so working on my drives. But as people have said, need an accurate short game. I'm finding I'm able to play this longer course at E, occasionally under par. All about limiting mistakes

On different, wooded courses, I find it's more about control. Played acorn in MN the other day, very popular course. Great if you can drive 400, but there might be one hole that long. I have a hard time breaking 300', but if you can't avoid the trees and control your distance, you're going to overthrow baskets and hit trees and end up many over par. Not all about driving distance

 

[Garret H]

I have recently realized that I am never going to be a 400'+ guy, at least not without hours and hours of practice that honestly I just don't want/have time to do. I started thinking last night... Do I need to throw 400'? I don't feel that I do. I play solely for fun and exercise, I'm not trying to make a living with disc golf. For the courses in my area I have no need for a 350'+ drive as most holes are 175'-350'. There is the odd 400'-600' out there but they are few and far between.


Im voting for 300'-350'.


So if there were a perfect distance range what would it be? What are your thoughts on this? I'm mostly trying to figure out if there is a consummate distance driving range or if it just varies wildly on your location and course layout.



(I tried to prerube.. I found nothing)

I'm the same way -- I don't have a powerful arm at all and I play almost every day and have for a few years. I enjoy playing in my club's leagues and tournies, but mostly I just do it for fun and exercise. I've tried tons of different discs thinking they would help me get more distance, but I throw them all about the same as my trusty ol' Valk. After changing discs, my form, everything, I've accepted that I won't be able to throw 450'. My good drives get out past 300' but that's about it. At my local course, the longest hole is around 600' -- I can get there in two shots and use the last for the putt. The main thing I have focused on is my mid-range accuracy and putting strength. After all, which is better: getting within 100' on the first shot, then having to do a short up to putt, OR taking two shorter shots and getting it underneath the hole? Pretty much the same right? So, I focus on being accurate in my mid-range game so that I can have an easy putt. On the long holes, I often bogey 'em, but I can easily make up for that on the short holes because of my focus on control. I may not make spectacular drives, but I can control the disc to do what I want, and that is what gets you the good scores, IMO.

Garret

 

[cjskier]

The more distance you can get the better. Anyone who argues otherwise either does not know better, or is denial of how much D can help your game. I play mostly wooded technical courses. However when I hit an open fairway look out. I got a bird on a 400'+ hole this weekend in a tourney, everyone else on my card could not get with in 100' of the pin off the drive. I was consistently with in 40' of the basket each drive. That can mean 3-4 strokes per 400'+ hole on the course during a tourney. As in the difference of winning or losing.

 

[cjskier]

After all, which is better: getting within 100' on the first shot, then having to do a short up to putt, OR taking two shorter shots and getting it underneath the hole? Pretty much the same right?

Wrong. As I have a shot for bird with my second shot, and nearly a guaranteed Par. The best you can do is a par, if your up shot gets your close, other wise your looking at a 4 or worse...

 

[TxDiscGolfBoy]

300-350

Only because most holes in the area range about that far.

 

[cjskier]

300-350

Only because most holes in the area range about that far.

Well if you can throw over 400', 300-350 is an easy range that you wont need a full power drive to hit. AKA better accuracy for shorter distances... AKA I will beat you with my D!

 

[Garret H]

Wrong. As I have a shot for bird with my second shot, and nearly a guaranteed Par. The best you can do is a par, if your up shot gets your close, other wise your looking at a 4 or worse...

I was referring to a 600' hole at my course -- you said you birdied a 400' hole. Are you capable of throwing 600'? Even on a 450' drive, you will still be 150' out. Or, I can do one 350' drive and a 200'+ upshot and be in place for an easy par. Either way, you get there in 3. That was my original point. Yes, on 450' holes, your arm will definitely be better and will put you in place for the bird. Likewise, on short holes that require accuracy, my control and matching discs will net me an easy bird or maybe better. Also, with a big arm comes the possibility of overshooting a hole -- which at my course means O.B. on pretty much every hole. Once again, my original point was that on most holes, I prefer control over max D. I've played with guys who can get more D than me, but can't do a mid-range shot to save their life. Whereas my drive may go 100' less, my solid mid skills get me to the hole and they have to take a second shot anyway -- I took the "long" route but end up with the same score.

Garret

 

[cjskier]

I was referring to a 600' hole at my course -- you said you birdied a 400' hole. Are you capable of throwing 600'? Even on a 450' drive, you will still be 150' out. Or, I can do one 350' drive and a 200'+ upshot and be in place for an easy par. Either way, you get there in 3. That was my original point. Yes, on 450' holes, your arm will definitely be better and will put you in place for the bird. Likewise, on short holes that require accuracy, my control and matching discs will net me an easy bird or maybe better. Also, with a big arm comes the possibility of overshooting a hole -- which at my course means O.B. on pretty much every hole. Once again, my original point was that on most holes, I prefer control over max D. I've played with guys who can get more D than me, but can't do a mid-range shot to save their life. Whereas my drive may go 100' less, my solid mid skills get me to the hole and they have to take a second shot anyway -- I took the "long" route but end up with the same score.

Garret

I'll gladly take a 100' shorter shot/lay-up/putt then you ANY day. No matter if the hole is 400' or 1000'.

Don't assume because someone can throw further then you, that they don't have a better mid range game then you.

 

[Smigles]

Don't assume because someone can throw further then you, that they don't have a better mid range game then you.

Those distance deniers all do that.

Distance comes from technique. Technique also helps you in your short game. But hey, denial is denial, we can not change that.

 

[cjskier]

Those distance deniers all do that.

Distance comes from technique. Technique also helps you in your short game. But hey, denial is denial, we can not change that.

So true!

 

[chrishysell]

I've always been the weenie arm poster child. On flat ground I might be lucky to hit 350ft. I'm accurate in the 300-325ft range.

I just played in a B tier last weekend where I was the shortest thrower in the lead group. One of the players could easily throw 100ft farther than me. It was windy and the final round played on the longest layout. I won the event because I putted well in the wind and approached well from the trouble spots I threw to. Sometimes a longer thrower can throw a bad shot that really gets too far into the trouble areas of the course. I no longer dwell on distance differences between me and my competitors.