How far is enough?

[KniceZ]

Most players seem to fixate on getting more and more distance. But I'm beginning to wonder just how much D is needed to be competitive. Do you really need 400+?

 

[biscoe]

depends on the division and the region of the country...
here in virginia you certainly don't need 400+...

 

[New013]

i won't be happy until i can hit 500 on 50% of my distance throws. but you can throw 400' and be competitive at probably any level, maybe.. idk.

just because a course isn't super long doesn't mean being able to throw really far doesn't help. a guy who can throw a putter 350' is probably going to score better than the guy throwing a speed 12 driver 350'

 

[Martin Dewgarita]

300' accurately will have you competitive at MA1 or MPO on most courses, a majority of your shots are still going to be putts, and you will only lose a couple strokes on the longer open holes.

 

[simpletwist]

There is no exact answer to this. Locally one of our best players, a guy in his late 40s, who doesn't get much more than 300' and wins consistently against the young guns who can easily hit 500'. Its more about accuracy, consistency, playing the course, and playing within himself.

 

[tdschrock1]

I hope to be able to reach 400' or so on occasion and 350' accurately and consistently.
Now I'm closer to 350' max and 300' with accuracy

 

[Rocaholic74]

I want to break 400' before the middle of summer if possible.

 

[chrishysell]

There is no exact answer to this. Locally one of our best players, a guy in his late 40s, who doesn't get much more than 300' and wins consistently against the young guns who can easily hit 500'. Its more about accuracy, consistency, playing the course, and playing within himself.

I've proven this for many years

 

[Haleigh]

If you can throw 250-300 accurately and make 100% putts 20 feet and in your golden. IMHO

 

[little oz]

I'm a noob, getting old (50), and my max drive is about 320', but i'm very accurate to 250' and spend a lot of time working on putting. I figure that is where i'll make up the strokes. So far it has proven correct, and i can compete some days with intermediate guys. If i throw too hard, i blow out my elbow/upper arm. I'm working on that and would love to get another 50' of range, but in the meantime i'm focusing on putting.

 

[Johnny Conservative]

I say 350 should make you competitive.....I am not competitive....lol.

 

[codyroberts18]

I put 500+ just because you can never throw far enough. But in all reality I think to be a successful pro you must throw at least 450 and I will explain why. I would go on a limb and say that over half of the holes on disc golf courses throughout the nation(cummulative) are under 300. With that being said, if you step up to a hole that is 300 feet but the only route is a hyzer route, you need at least 350 of D to be able to throw a hyzer for 300 feet. I would also say that 450 feet is attainable by mortals, so it would just give you that much more of an advantage in your respective division. I am shooting for 450 consistently at the end of 2012. By the end of 2013 I would like to be throwing 500+. I will do it and I think my game will be that much more solid when I get there.

 

[bretttallen]

Drive for show.....PUTT for dough! You wanna win.....be accurate and learn to putt!!!!!

 

[JoshEpoo]

Pretty much anyone with big snap that's throwing 450'+ is playing open around here in minis and leagues. Some of those guys drop down to advanced for stuff where the competition level is higher. There are plenty of guys who play open that are in the 400' range that are solid players all around and do well.

Most of the good advanced players in these parts are in the 350'-420' range.

Intermediates usually don't break 400' often.

 

[bholy08]

if I could hit 400 consistently and 450 occasionaly I would be satisfied

 

[Dave242]

I voted 500+ since that is the only choice that covered the most possible "what's" in what is missing in the poll: clarification as to being competitive in what.

 

[araytx]

If the question is about what you really need, and you subscribe to the fact of Climo being the best ever, then the answer is 350' ...if you can do the other things he does. Very few shots of over 350 require an air-shot-only route. Because of that, his mastery of the roller, and the way he putts, Climo proved a formidable opponent to many a big bomber. He still does even in his mid-40s today. And all the data show he maxed out between 350-400 on his best days. Meaning any hole up to 750-800 and he was just fine.

 

[giles]

If the question is about what you really need, and you subscribe to the fact of Climo being the best ever, then the answer is 350' ...if you can do the other things he does. Very few shots of over 350 require an air-shot-only route. Because of that, his mastery of the roller, and the way he putts, Climo proved a formidable opponent to many a big bomber. He still does even in his mid-40s today. And all the data show he maxed out between 350-400 on his best days. Meaning any hole up to 750-800 and he was just fine.

I had an interesting experiance watching KC play Vista at the 08 memorial. He was in no danger of loosing 3rd but well behind the battle for 1st so he was just in mellow mode. He was landing a good 80' short of where I was putting my drives the day before on some of the more open and long 2 shot holes.

 

[denny ritner]

If the question is about what you really need, and you subscribe to the fact of Climo being the best ever, then the answer is 350' ...if you can do the other things he does. Very few shots of over 350 require an air-shot-only route. Because of that, his mastery of the roller, and the way he putts, Climo proved a formidable opponent to many a big bomber. He still does even in his mid-40s today. And all the data show he maxed out between 350-400 on his best days. Meaning any hole up to 750-800 and he was just fine.

KC throws farther than most think. At one point in the mid 90's he owned the Florida distance record at 550ish. I've seen him get 500 ft. in the open field. I watched him throw a 415 ft. line drive into wind, over water in a Players Cup round at the Red Hawk. He parked hole #1 on the regular Pine Oaks course with a roller at 600 ft en route to winning the NT.

His game is very much about control and most of his drives he doesn't throw with 100% power.

 

[JoshEpoo]

I had an interesting experiance watching KC play Vista at the 08 memorial. He was in no danger of loosing 3rd but well behind the battle for 1st so he was just in mellow mode. He was landing a good 80' short of where I was putting my drives the day before on some of the more open and long 2 shot holes.

He's obviously had a lot of time to hammer out his strategy in tournaments. Vista has a lot of OB, especially during the Memorial, right? I imagine a 300'-350' lay up with a Roc or Eagle or w/e is a fairly standard play in a lot of situations there. I'm sure he knows his make percentages! Obviously he can bomb though.