Sorry for all the typos...I typed all that on my cell phone LOL
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Number 4 is exactly the definition. [...] I guarentee they will bexome beytwr playera in the long run.
Discing down, as it pertains to this thread, is using speed appropriate discs for your skill level instead of the high-speed drivers most people start out with. When you try to learn how to throw a golf disc by using a high-speed driver, that's like starting out a video game on extreme difficulty. Sure, some people are naturals and figure it out quickly thanks to a baseball background or something but most of us toil and learn terrible habits just trying to make the disc go sort of straight and end up in the general direction we want it.
Discing down to discs that are slower (NOT JUST PUTTERS AND/OR MIDS) and more in the stable/neutral range encourages learning disc golf throwing fundamentals. Once you get the basic fundamentals down, you can do whatever you want in terms of organizing your bag.
150g X Surge is still a production mold.
I don't always follow discing down, but when I do, I think it's the greatest thing to help break down your technique, improve it, and help lead to better scores in the long run.
On a good drive, I can max out at around 340ft with the Valkyries...
Recently, I have gained some distance. My fairways are now consistently around 300', mids are out past 250', and putters are not too far behind mids. My Lace is now around 325', with it sometimes pushing out past 350'. However, my scores have been increasing! I have added distance, but not accuracy it seems. And my Lace is just so inconsistent... I'm throwing it far (for me) but I feel like I have no control over it or the line it will shape.
So I have decided to pull the Lace from my bag, pull a few more discs to move to a smaller bag, and also try a little disc down experiment. The bag I am currently using:
Fade Crunch Box
Ascent x3 (173M, 169F, 169M)/Trak x2 (159M, 159F)
Obex (178M)/Ibex (169M)
VP x4 (173F x2, 173M, 173S)/Summit (173F)
I have decided to apply discing down in it's most general sense ("clubbing down") and have set these guidelines for myself:
•250' or less- Putters
•250'-300'- Mids
•300'+- Drivers
On top of this, I decided to do a little experiment. During solo practice rounds, I am going to throw three tee shots on every hole and play all three discs to completion. Here are the rules I set for myself:
•1st Tee Shot- Always a putter.
•2nd Tee Shot- A step down from whatever disc I will be throwing for my 3rd tee shot
•3rd Tee Shot- The disc appropriate for the hole based on the distance rules I outlined above.
I will be tracking all my scores and comparing them. This "experiment" will have (hopefully) the following positive outcomes:
•3x as much Disc Golf!
•3x as much putting practice
•Familiarize myself more with my whole bag
•Show me that placement is more important than power
•Remind me to stay smooth and not be a torque monkey (as I'll always be leading off with a putter, usually my Summit)
•Teach me new ways to attack my home courses
•Improve my form and distance
I got out today and tried this, and here were my scores at my home course, PJ Irving Park (where I usually score right around 54):
1 (putters only)- 61
2 (step down)- 59
3 (normal)- 56
Things I noticed:
-The biggest reason scoring was different on holes was because of putting, not because of tee shots or up shots (And I was using my medium VP to putt for putter only shots, as opposed to my normal firm... probably added a stroke or two).
-I can throw my Summit pretty darn far (for me). I put it out past 250' a few times and put it out 300'+ (admittedly downhill) on one hole... A hole I used a Lace on last time I played it.
-However, some holes are just not good to throw putters on, no matter how far you throw (low ceilings).
-I need to get some more air under my mids, there is definitely more distance to be had with them even without a big improvement in form.
-The Ascent and Trak are good for my arm speed, as they form their designed flight path, but I definitely do not need anything faster.
-Watching putters and mids fly is freaking fun!
I don't always follow discing down, but when I do, I think it's the greatest thing to help break down your technique, improve it, and help lead to better scores in the long run.
On a good drive, I can max out at around 340ft with the Valkyries and am trying to work my way back up to the faster discs that I grew accustomed to before. If I can get these fairways out there to 340, I'd hope that I can translate that technique training to the faster drivers out there and hope to reach 400ft by August! I know there will be a lost of overlaps in discs in my bag, and I know that. I'm not worried about that at the moment, strictly distance and accuracy.
I took all of the Surges, Destroyers, and the like out of my bag, only pulling out the occasional Valkyrie for hyzer flips on 400+ ft holes, and here's what I have left:
Valkyrie Champion 4x (Hyzerflips that fade at the end)
Valkyrie Champion 5x (Hyzerflips that stay straight or slightly turn)
Eagle Star (Big flex shots)
Eagle Champion 12x (Straight)
Eagle Champion 11x (Hyzers and headwinds)
Teebird Champion 12x (Overstable)
Teebird Champion 12x (Straight)
Teebird Star (Straight backup)
Teebird-L Star (Hyzerflips and turnovers)
River Opto (Huge anhyzers)
River Opto (Soft anhyzers)
Striker Opto (Stupidly overstable!)
Striker Opto (Straight)
Zone ESP (Overstable within 200ft)
Roc Star (Slightly overstable)
Roc3 (Overstable and headwinds)
Roc KC 12x (Slightly overstable)
Roc KC 12x (Straight)
Roc DX (Slightly understable, glides more)
Demon (Crazy Overstable longer than Zone)
Panther (Understable turnovers to hyzerflips)
APX (Understable putter, dead straight hyzerflips)
Firebird (super Flat top 12x = meathook)
Aviar Driver (Overstable for winds)
Aviar PnA (Straight with slight fade, approaches)
JK Pro Aviar (Putts only)
JK Pro Aviar (Putts only)
I like your idea of throwing three different shots for each hole. However, I don't know if setting distance guidelines for disc selection is a good idea. There are times where a mid works perfectly great for a 200 ft shot. It all just depends on the line you have to hit and what disc will follow that line most reliably.
Is this a good start for me to improve my game?
I don't always follow discing down, but when I do, I think it's the greatest thing to help break down your technique, improve it, and help lead to better scores in the long run.
On a good drive, I can max out at around 340ft with the Valkyries and am trying to work my way back up to the faster discs that I grew accustomed to before. If I can get these fairways out there to 340, I'd hope that I can translate that technique training to the faster drivers out there and hope to reach 400ft by August! I know there will be a lost of overlaps in discs in my bag, and I know that. I'm not worried about that at the moment, strictly distance and accuracy.
I took all of the Surges, Destroyers, and the like out of my bag, only pulling out the occasional Valkyrie for hyzer flips on 400+ ft holes, and here's what I have left:
Valkyrie Champion 4x (Hyzerflips that fade at the end)
Valkyrie Champion 5x (Hyzerflips that stay straight or slightly turn)
Eagle Star (Big flex shots)
Eagle Champion 12x (Straight)
Eagle Champion 11x (Hyzers and headwinds)
Teebird Champion 12x (Overstable)
Teebird Champion 12x (Straight)
Teebird Star (Straight backup)
Teebird-L Star (Hyzerflips and turnovers)
River Opto (Huge anhyzers)
River Opto (Soft anhyzers)
Striker Opto (Stupidly overstable!)
Striker Opto (Straight)
Zone ESP (Overstable within 200ft)
Roc Star (Slightly overstable)
Roc3 (Overstable and headwinds)
Roc KC 12x (Slightly overstable)
Roc KC 12x (Straight)
Roc DX (Slightly understable, glides more)
Demon (Crazy Overstable longer than Zone)
Panther (Understable turnovers to hyzerflips)
APX (Understable putter, dead straight hyzerflips)
Firebird (super Flat top 12x = meathook)
Aviar Driver (Overstable for winds)
Aviar PnA (Straight with slight fade, approaches)
JK Pro Aviar (Putts only)
JK Pro Aviar (Putts only)