DisCap

[Ven]

I've been playing disc & ball golf since '63. I'm a serious student of ball golf. I am adapting my ball golf experience to learning disc golf.

[Ven]

Ball golf uses clubs and is the Neanderthal version of Disc Golf.
Golf is an excuse to spend time outside, walking about the links with friends. Golf is also a use for land that's no good for anything else.

[Ven]

For a clearer explanation of the 3 discs as well as the 3 types of plastic and some suggestions on which disc a beginner should buy go to http://www.hyzercreek.com/wherediscs.htm

One way to look at disc golf is the discs are the swings of ball golf. Ball golf has 3 different major categories of swings: Power Swing = Driver Discs (the Drive and Shot #2 on most par 5s), Finesse Swing = Mid-Range Discs, and Putt/Approach.

It is far easier to start learning the simplest disc and work you way up in complexity. That's also a good way to warm up easiest to hardest. Short throws to long throws.

Putt/Approach Discs. The Simplest Disc Golf Disc: They are like every other flying disc. They are designed to fly flat and straight and stick in the basket easily. Master the putter first. Try only using your putter on some rounds.

Driver Discs: Start with a beginner disc. Use it until you know it.

Mid-Range Discs: are designed to drop at the end. Aim your mid-range shots to end up near the basket rather than go in the basket. You will tempted to try and throw every approach into the basket. Like hockey player turned golfer Happy Gilmore says after getting his first hole in one “Oh, man. That was so much easier than putting. I should just try to get the ball in one shot every time.” But you're not Happy Gilmore!

You can learn more about the design of golf discs on the various manufacturers and retailers web sites:
http://www.innovadiscs.com/discs/index.html
http://www.primediscs.com/disc-golf-flight-guide.asp
http://discraft.com/dghelp.html
http://www.aerobie.com/Products/Details/EpicTuningArticle.htm
http://www.marshallstreetdiscgolf.com/htmlpages/flightguide.html

[admin]

You played object disc golf in 1969? Where? You should write a history of disc golf and publish it right here on hyzercreek dot com

[Ven]

My brother & I played object golf informally in New Paltz. No set course just imitating ball golf. We tried most sports with a Frisbee. Baseball was the hardest on the discs; lots of strike outs, very few line drives. Rather than a history, I'll try and write a simple how to as I learn basket disc golf.

[Ven]

When you end a throw, hold the position and watch the result to the very end. This allows your muscle memory to connect the throw you just did with the result. Don't confuse your muscles by moving. I learned this from David Pelz's (Ball) Putting Bible and it is helping me master the golf discs. Watching your throw to the very end is an example of practicing with purpose.

Watch others throw. You can learn a lot by watching.

[Ven]

I use 2 steps during putting to isolate my focus.

The Routine:
Evaluate the conditions: distance, wind, elevation, obstacles, landing areas near the basket...
Choose a putt.
Set stance.
Practice it until it feels right. Go directly to ritual.

The Ritual:
Sing a song to yourself with the right rhythm for your throw. This helps you get into the same natural groove every time.
Look at the spot on the basket the disc will hit.
Back swing.
Throw...
Hold position and watch entire throw.
Did I get lucky?

Luck plays a big role. Many times a great throw is unlucky. It was still a great throw. Do not change your putt because it is not producing. Keep repeating the Routine and the Ritual

[Ven]

All clockwise throws go from left to right across the thrower's body. All counterclockwise throws go from right to left across the thrower's body. That means if an obstacle is in the way of your stance and throw on your immediate left, it will hinder all CW throws. An obstacle on your immediate right will hinder all CCW throws. Sometimes the best way around an immediate object is to experiment with your footing and face away from your target. Then look over your shoulder and throw behind you.

[Ven]

The disc either spins clockwise or counterclockwise. When the disc is thrown top side up, CW throws end by curving to the left and CCW throws end by curving to the right. Understable discs correct the natural curve of a throw and go flatter & straighter. Stable discs stay the way you let them go. Overstable discs exaggerate the natural curve.

Upside down throws and vertical throws try to turn right side up. I'm still experimenting...

[Ven]

I have been playing Frisbee and ball golf since 1963. I started playing object disc golf in 1969. I played Ultimate frequently from 1973 to 1993. I love to play catch with people or dogs and just freestyle. I can throw a disc with 30 different grip/throws (counting both hands and feet). I saw my first disc basket in 9/18/09 and am hooked. Now I need to learn to throw the specialized disc golf discs. I have been studying ball golf seriously for about 10 years. On this forum I will share my attempts to adapt my experience improving my ball golf to learning disc golf.

David Pelz’s books about ball golf are my favourites because of his scientific approach. I carry 6 3x5 cards of notes about ball golf on the course. If you are interested I will be glad to share them with you.
1. “18 Mistakes Amateurs Make” something a friend sent me form the Internet, I have reversed the negative titles into subtitles: 20 Positive Clues to Good Golf.
2. A condensation of Dave Pelz’s Putting Bible.
3. A list of 10 different golf swings from easiest to hardest and how to do them. Does not include the 3 sand trap swings and many trick shots.
4. Some tips on approach shots. The beginning of a condensation of Dave Pelz’s Short Game Bible. Better, just get the book. It will save you the most strokes.
5. A chart of how far I hit each club by swing: Full Swing, ¾ Swing, ½ Swing, Knock Down, Pitch, and Bump & Run.
6. A chart that shows tee times for all holes at a reasonable pace of play based on your tee time for #1. Useful for courses that have rangers that bug you about your pace of play. Their time would be better spent finding your balls in the too deep rough (rough taller than a golf ball) most owners use to artificially make the course harder and to save on mowing expense.


#1 & #2 are useful for disc golf. I am working on translating them. See above for #2 Disc putts are 3D.

[D-bone]

As a starting player I bring approaches from other sports that I've played. Also I used to teach them at a boy scout camp, so I feel I can translate my concepts differently so others can see it a different way. I've competed and taught Archery, Rifle and Shotgun shooting. All projectile sports.
Most sports break down the movement into several steps, Here I'd say;
Stance - Your footing, mental imaging of seeing it go into the basket, wind, Etc.
Swing - actually throwing the disc, while concentrating on one part that is giving you trouble i.e. making sure the disc is level as you throw
Release - smooth, even, the same every time
Follow Thru - watching the disc go where you sent it, until it lands. ** This is a great time to do a self-analysis of how the shot was** What I mean is, where are all your muscles/ bones are, how the shot felt, what went right, what went wrong. On every sport follow through is the most important step because it helps you as you progress in the game.