disc golf

[Leonaerd]

My friends got me to pick this up recently. I'm really enjoying it. I got a hole-in-one yesterday on a 160 foot hole and went nuts. Discing is good fun, good people, good pace of play. I also have the luxury of living within biking distance of a great course. Really, I can't believe I haven't been playing for years.

Anybody else play? I only have one disc and would love to talk equipment strategy.

[Canelek]

A good place to start is: http://www.pdga.com

I used to play competetively from like 1997 to 2001, and on and off since. That was in Santa Barbara mostly, a place that has a thriving disc sports community.

Up in Portland and surrounding areas, there are around 10 courses, which is pretty awesome. I am going to teach my girlfriend to play soon so I look forward to playing again. It is cheap, great exercise and is not age-restrictive.

Here is a quick breakdown on what you want to start with:

Driver - Not sure about the new disc styles as much, but Innova and DiscCraft should still be the top dogs for all discs. Look for "driver" or "distance". It really doesn't matter at first, because as you get into it and play more, you will recognize what you are comfortable with.

Mid-Range - Look for something labled as "stable" or simply "mid range". A Roc or Comet will suit you well here.

Putter - Labeled as such, it will have softer plastic and be much more flexible--designed to "stick" the chains better.

There are several other situational discs, but start with 3 (1 each of driver, mid, putter). Discs WILL get beat up, taco'd, etc. That will indeed change the flight characteristics. Most discs range in weight from 140-240 or so grams. 140-160 is considered "150 class". This is purely personal comfort. I prefer the lighter discs for driving. Also, there are other throwing techniques such as forehand, roller and "hammer". This is why you see the regulars or tourney players with a shit-ton of discs.

Pro-Tip: Buy several putters, as ofterntimes there will be a practice basket at courses. Practice putting, it comes in handy! Why several discs? Less trips to pick up your discs.

Buy yourself a bag, and a clip-on towel like you would use for regular golf. Mud and water make it hard to grip your disc, and a bag is handy, obviously.

That link should have the rules, ettiquette, etc. There are tons of guides and n00b sites out there!

Bottom line - Have fun! A fantastic way to spend time outside.

[masteen]

This forum is for real sports, not hippy stoner sports. Take your hackey sacks and patchouli stank elsewhere.

[miir]

At least it's better than fucktards insisting that poker is a sport.

[Canelek]

Cheaper and much easier to learn than regular golf. I enjoy both, but find that it is much easier to get people interested in DG. Before knocking it, you may want to try it. Sure, there are plenty of slacker-types, but that is silly to categorize it as some sort of "hippy sport". My regular group when I lived in Santa Barbara was all professional types, and we even had a ER surgeon.

Of course, Florida is NASCAR country, so maybe the argument is fruitless, eh?

[Winnow]

I played disc golf a few times in 1985-86 in Reno, NV. I don't recall having more than one Frisbee. I do recall drinking beer while playing. Fun social sport...not sure about competitive.

[Leonaerd]

This forum is for real sports, not hippy stoner sports. Take your hackey sacks and patchouli stank elsewhere.

There is plenty of strategy and demand for athleticism. fuk u hitler

Fun social sport...not sure about competitive.

I spend more time getting angry at my disc than worrying about how everybody else is shooting. If professional discing had more dollars to it, competition would follow.

Canelek,
My only disc is a T-bird. Really stiff center... I like it a lot more than most drivers I've been able to toss. The flimsier the center, the less distance I can get out of a disc, mostly because I get a lot of power going into the throw and the disc's compression fucks with shit.

That being said, I need a putter (and another driver) that is going to react well to being thrown abnormally far. Ultimate Suggestion?

[Aslanna]

omg it's a Frisbee not a disc!

[Psyloche]

omg it's a Frisbee not a disc!

My friends and everyone I knew called it frisbee golf.

[Boogahz]

Frisbee is just a trademarked name of a disc.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Disc_golf

[Psyloche]

Frisbee is just a trademarked name of a disc.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Disc_golf

My friend's and everyone I knew are apparently wrong.

[Canelek]

That, and using a Frisbee-style disc isn't very effective for disc golf. Disc golf discs are made specifically for the sport, being smaller in diameter, thinner and having specific flight characteristics for certain distances or style of throw.

Plus, you would not want to play catch with a disc golf disc....stings a bit as they are not designed to "float" as much as cut through the air.

As far as competition, since the rules and etiquette are quite similar to golf, I suppose it depends on if you enjoy golf or not, or competition between friends or in a tounament. Back when I played often, we would usually play mixed double for cash. In tournaments, sponsors would have prizes and the open field would have cash prizes.

Point is, you get out of it what you want... it's just a game...cheap, fun and you even get some exercise out of it. Plus, there is a pretty nice satisfaction from ripping a 250 ft drive with a hunk of aerodynamic plastic.

[Winnow]

I'll beat your ass with any Frisbee purchasable at Toys-R-Us!

Bring it on with your special girlyman "discs"!

[Psyloche]

That, and using a Frisbee-style disc isn't very effective for disc golf. Disc golf discs are made specifically for the sport, being smaller in diameter, thinner and having specific flight characteristics for certain distances or style of throw.

Plus, you would not want to play catch with a disc golf disc....stings a bit as they are not designed to "float" as much as cut through the air.

As far as competition, since the rules and etiquette are quite similar to golf, I suppose it depends on if you enjoy golf or not, or competition between friends or in a tounament. Back when I played often, we would usually play mixed double for cash. In tournaments, sponsors would have prizes and the open field would have cash prizes.

Point is, you get out of it what you want... it's just a game...cheap, fun and you even get some exercise out of it. Plus, there is a pretty nice satisfaction from ripping a 250 ft drive with a hunk of aerodynamic plastic.

Oh we didn't play with "Frisbee" brand discs, I forget what I used, but we just called them all Frisbees

[Canelek]

*shrug* it doesn't matter what ya call them. Like anything that gains popularity over the years (since the late 70s, I believe, in this case), specialized gear pops up. When I was playing a bunch, somehow, I lost my ability to throw a regular frisbee or those bigass "Ultimate" discs. Wierd.

[Kilmoll the Sexy]

When I was playing a bunch, somehow, I lost my ability to throw a regular frisbee or those bigass "Ultimate" discs.

I saw in a medical dictionary that they termed that malady as "hippy elbow".

[Canelek]

I have no way of countering that. And a good day to you!

[Leonaerd]

I lost my ability to throw a regular frisbee or those bigass "Ultimate" discs. Wierd.

It's true! They always land to the right of the target now.

[Winnow]

To those blaming special discs for their Frisbee woes, it's not the discs...too much of this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VvYcaWSFFaI

***NWS***

[Zamtuk]

I've been known to throw a disc around.

[Leonaerd]

so far i have a

t-bird, which is great with juuuust a little bend to the right. when it levels out, it sails forever.

comet, which goes so straight and slow and catches the air so well that i have a blast throwing it

some soft putter which i rarely need to use

[Boogahz]

Gotta love the sense of humor that the people in our office complex have. Another of the signs warns of electrocution

[Canelek]

Nice sign!

However, I do not think I have ever seen a private course! I suppose country clubs are next on the list....

"I am sorry, but you cannot play disc golf here because you sorta look Puerto Rican."

[Boogahz]

One of the draws to our company moving out here were the things that they had in the area. The disc golf course was recently finished, as well as some cycling courses. Most of the things were open to anyone until there were some problems at the basketball courts a couple years back. Now they are trying to keep them open only to tenants.

[Canelek]

That is pretty damn cool. Makes sense too, of course. I work near Nike campus and if they let all the rifraff use their fields, tracks, courts, etc there would be issues.