Disc Golf Roadies - Iowa Disc Golf

Disclaimer:

I am certainly still a beginner myself and I cannot claim to be an expert on anything with disc golf except one thing, being a beginner.

 

As a beginner you will find there is a lot of information out there and most of it is not for beginners. Don't get hung up on trying to memorize what each number means or what each type of throw is all about.  Stick to the basics and remember you only need a few discs to start the game, don't focus on the details of what each disc is rated at too much and focus on learning one throwing technique before moving on to learning others.

 

You only need a few discs to start the game

 

Don't buy a driver that has a fast rating like a 13 because it will actually travel less far than a slower disc for beginners. Putters can go as far as or further than really fast drivers when you are starting out. All you really need to get started is a putter and a fairway driver. You will find shortly after getting started that certain weather conditions will make you want to try other discs and that's okay to do. If you find this is the case for you then stick to keeping it simple and only buy what you need. Heavy wind is the only weather condition I play in that I find having a third disc is needed. In this situation I opt for a putter that is able to fly through the wind like the Innova Aero or the Discraft Lucid Judge.

 

Every disc will throw a bit differently and if you try too many at once you will have a hard time mastering a good technique.

 

Keep. It. Simple. Below are the three discs I use most of the time.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Don't worry too much about the numbers on the discs, at least in the beginning

 

Each disc manufacturer will put out numbers on their discs to help people understand how the disc will fly, which is great, but for a beginner you will not necessarily be able to make the disc fly the way it is designed. Some of the best rated discs out there which are highly recommended and receive great reviews will end up throwing terrible for you.

 

All you really need to know is this, stick to discs that are "slower" because they will in most cases fly better for beginners. They are easier to get to throw straight and will stay on the course better so you can spend less time hunting for lost discs. Once you've played for a while you will better understand, based on your own experiences, how to choose new discs that will compliment your play-style.

 

Innova uses a 4 number disc rating system. The speed rating is the first number. Many other disc manufacturers use this same system which helps a bit when comparing discs between them.

 

Slower discs for Innova or Latitude 64 for example would be any speed rating of 7 or slower on their speed scale that ranges from 1-13. For Discraft you will want to find a disc that is between -1 and +1 on their scale of -3 to +3. As a rule you should stick to something in the middle range for anything you get and you will end up with a decent throwing disc that will fly better for a beginner.

 

 

There are a lot of different techniques for throwing, it will be easier to enjoy the game if you can get good at one before learning another

 

You will probably either start throwing front hand or back hand.  I would recommend trying both out for a short time and whichever one you are naturally better at, stick to that until you are beyond the beginning stage. I know people who are great at both and each style has its own benefits and negatives. I personally throw right handed back hand and I have a hard time throwing front hand still. I feel I get more control over the disc this way and whenever I try throwing front hand it ends up way off course or in the woods. 

 

 

In the beginning the short game will be easier to get better at than driving far distances

 

The short game is very important! Do not worry if you can't throw 300 feet because with most holes you will get to putting range after one or two throws. If you do some simple math you will quickly find that on a hole that is 350 feet if you can get 150-200 feet on your initial drive your next shot will get you very close to the hole.

 

Example 1:

Hole distance:                       350 ft

1st drive distance:                 275 ft

2nd throw distance:               75 ft

3rd throw:                              Likely an easy putt.

 

The problem in example 1 is accuracy suffers the longer the disc flies. Most likely the drive isn’t 100% straight and it doesn’t go 275 ft straight toward the basket. It’s hard to be accurate the harder you throw. Also, a 75 ft putt is really hard to make.

 

Example 2:

Hole distance:                       350 ft

1st drive distance:                 175 ft

2nd throw distance:               150 ft

3rd throw:                              Long putt, but within putting range none-the-less.

 

Above you can quickly see that when you add up both of your throws you’re basically at the basket already. At this point you may be slightly further away than example 1 above, but when you work on your short game you can handle these longer putts.

 

What this all boils down to is your accuracy and short game are crucial to hitting the chains by par. You could find that you are hitting par nearly as often as a long driver player does by improving your short game and focusing on accuracy. Now this can be a different story on long holes that go beyond 500 feet but you will find that most courses have a pretty good mix of long and short holes. The real fun comes into play when you start to sink long putts.

 

Course Etiquette

 

If you are having trouble finding a disc you threw and someone comes up to play the same hole you are on, you should ask them if they want to play through and 9 times out of 10 they will offer to help you look for your disc! More eyes are always better when looking for a lost disc.

 

It really is a great sport to play and you will find that other players are generous with their time to help you out. I have never actually lost a disc and I owe many thanks to other players helping me out!

 

*UPDATE: I actually have now lost a disc...not for a lack of hunting or a lack of help from fellow disc golfers though!

 

 

Don’t always keep score…

 

When you first get started with disc golf you may focus on the score a bit too much. You can certainly have a ton of fun without keeping score. If you are new to the sport and you haven’t played a game without keeping score yet, give it a try.

 

I learned this one the hard way myself. I was really into keeping score when I first started and it was easy to see when I was making improvements to my game, but I found that those around me did not enjoy keeping score so much.  Now, depending on who I’m playing with I might not keep score at all or I may just keep a tally of my own score in my head.

 

In the end it’s all about having fun. I enjoy keeping score, but not everyone does.