Better Disc Golf
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED READING
This article is a crash-course on practicing & playing Better Disc Golf. It includes information about Innova's Flight Number System, and exercises that are beneficial to your game. Some of it may sound confusing and we recommend you read it now, and then, as you shop our Golf Discs - refer back to this article to dial in on the exact disc(s) you need to purchase.
AND, READ THESE ARTICLES AFTERWARDS
FLIGHT NUMBERS PAGE: Reading this page will give you a HEAD-START on having A Better Disc Golf Experience. Beginners and long-time disc golfers can quickly learn the Golf Disc Flight Numbers System. Learn why discs fly like they do, and a little bit of Disc Golf Lingo too. The Coolest Game on Earth is easier to master when you know how the plastic-types behave. You need to learn about the PLASTICS involved in molding the discs, and we recommend reading our INNOVA PLASTICS PAGE.
SO YOU WANT TO BE A BETTER DISC GOLFER!
You're reading this article, because you want to be a better informed disc golfer! Using on our Learn DG Series' information will better prepare your game and lower your scores sooner. Whether you are a weekend warrior who wants to beat his buddies, or a amateur who wants to eventually go Pro—you must be prepared. Chain Reaction knows you have the ability to play at a level you can be proud of, but it will take time and effort! If you just played your 1st round today—welcome to the coolest sport on Earth! We hope our Learn Disc Golf Series teaches you something! Thanks for looking!
BACK-UP DISCS
As you play the game more—you'll probably find yourself carrying 2 or 3 of the same model distance drivers, mid-range drivers, and putters. If not—we recommend you start carrying back-ups of the discs you throw the most and/or best. It's always a good idea to have a back-up in case you lose a disc that's working well for you.
MAJIC DISCS
A Factored out, extra-understable disc is needed for some of the many of the shots you'll encounter. A Highly Factored disc will work well for back-hand roller situations, and going over the top of big trees. Flippy discs can help you pull-off some amazing shots and that's why we call them Majic-Discs!
COVER YOUR SHOTS
We recommend learning and carrying discs that compliment each other and cover as many shots as possible. Using a stable and under-stable 13 speed discs I.E.; Boss & Daedalus works wonderfully to cover many of your longer drives. If there's a part of your game that is weak - make sure to practice that shot every day.
HIGH FADE DISCS
We'd be remiss if we didn't note the importance of stable discs in your bag. High Fade # discs are best in heavy winds and shots that absolutely must fade-out at flight's end. Stable discs are great for skip-shots, side-arms, and thumbers. Note! Use a NEW stable driver during all windy rounds.
STRETCH AND WARM-UP
Always stretch-out and warm-up before heading to Hole #1 to throw BOMBS as hard as you can. Arrive early and stretch before and during your Putting Practice. Try to breath deeply through your nose and then exhale from your mouth—many times for 2-minutes. Get your adrenaline flowing and open your eyes WIDE to get focused before taking a shot, and especially during putts.
PRACTICE PUTTING
Beginning disc golfers should PRACTICE A LOT! Practice putting every day and concentrate on a long smooth putting style. Learn to putt In-Line and Straddle-Style in a long and smooth stroke with a pop from the tips of the fingers. For long-putts—you may want to give the putter a little turn-over, to make it fly as flat and straight as you can. Try to not let the putter land on an edge, to avoid roll aways.
PUTTING GAMES ARE THE BEST PRACTICE
Get a few Putters (we recommend: DX Aviar,, KC Aviar,, JK Aviar-X,, R-Pro Aviar, and Yeti Aviar. Then, go play some putting games with your buddies. Here are a few of CRDG's favorites: Chain Reaction, Powling, 21, or traditional Horse. We recommend and prefer competitive putting games over standard practice. You'll become a much better putter and it's more FUN than practice putting alone.
PRACTICE DRIVING DAILY
Show up early for your round and practice different drives at the course's driving range - after putting! Start by throwing your putt & approach discs, then mid-range, fairway drivers, then distance drivers, and finally extra long distance drivers. Do not to throw your hardest until you're properly warmed up. Throw high and smoothly (not hard) across the chest when driving and focus on accuracy over distance.
PRACTICE SITUATIONS SHOTS
During most rounds a situation will arise that requires you to make unconventional throws, I.E., 2-finger roller shot out of the woods, a thumber shot over a tree, or a down-hill scoob shot w/water behind the target. Prepare ahead for these challenges by practicing up-shots from buried in the rough. Note! You'll need to practice DAILY to master the many types of throws needed to become a master disc golfer.
FOCUS ON ACCURACY
Beginners MUST focus on accuracy when playing long holes and narrow holes. Take a little off and completely concentrate on hitting in the fairway. Add more arm-speed as your skill level improves. Your D will improve with practice, and you'll lose a lot less discs too. Note! Before throwing, diagnose the fairway and throw a drive that's designed to set-up your short-game, so you can putt for dough! You'll have much BETTER SCORES and a BETTER DISC GOLF EXPERIENCE.
FLIGHT NUMBERS INFO
PLEASE READ OUR FLIGHT NUMBERS 101 ARTICLE
SPEED
Currently Innova has disc speeds from 1-14. With so many speeds—it is one of the harder disc characteristics to master. Slower 1-speed discs tend to be best for short drives and higher speed discs tend to be better for longer shots.
GLIDE
Glide is a disc's ability to stay aloft and not fade-out at different speeds. More glide usually means more distance and is helpful for less powerful throwers. If you don't have a big arm or lots of spin—get a driver with a high glide number.
TURN
Aka: Anhyzer, Draw, & Flip is the tendency of a disc to be under-stable and turn-over when thrown hard and/or with lots of spin. Discs thrown with less spin don't turn as easily, and downwind a disc doesn't turn-over as much as into a headwind.
FADE
When a disc loses speed and spin it FADES-OUT. A high-fade disc; Aka: hyzer and stable disc, will hook and drop to the ground as it loses RPMs and speed. High-Fade discs usually have a deep rim and a slightly bigger leading edge.
STRENGTH AND ENDURANCE
Most Disc Golf Courses are set-up in rough areas and flood plains that are not manicured, and the work-out is comparable to hiking. An 18-hole round averages from 1-hour on a quiet short-course, to a whopping 4-hours on a big busy championship course. Disc golf is an excellent form of exercise, but unless you play 3-rounds a day, it isn't enough conditioning. To increase your chances to Birdie Early ~ Birdie Often, design an exercise regimen that is beneficial to disc golf.
GIVE ME TWENTY
Most top pros tend to have fast and lean muscles, I.E., Heimburg, Climo, Korver, Gannon, and Barela. Albeit, BIG muscle are fine, as long as you don't over do it. There are many exercises that can improve your DG game, so mix things up to prevent hitting a plateau, getting bored, or suffering an overuse injury! Below is a list of exercises that will benefit your game!
- CURLS - Curls improve grip, wrist strength, and arm speed. Start your workout with 30-50 curls using a light-weight dumbbell. Finish work-out with another set after bike ride.
- HAND EXERCISER - A strong GRIP is better for power, spin, and control. Continue with 100 squeezes each hand. Finish work-out with another set after bike ride.
- PUSH UPS - Push Ups are not pleasant, but they are CRAZY good for your whole body! We find it helps your putting game - lots! The motion is similar to putting and it will benefit your putting immensely. Drop and give me twenty or thirty! Finish work-out with another set after bike ride.
- BIKE RIDING - Stronger legs will improve your foot-work, which will improve your distance and accuracy. Take a 30-minute bicycle ride [every day if possible] on a path that's hilly. You'll notice the improvement in your foot-work and cardio almost immediately.
- MENTAL GAME - As your conditioning improves your game will follow - if you practice! You'll be more confident in your game, and it will start a Chain Reaction of positives, which will improve your mental game! Nothing will improve your mental game like regular competition. Play as many weekly minis and leagues as possible. This will help build your confidence when you get to the big tourneys. The more big tournaments you play...the more you'll adapt to the pressure. It's why the the top pros dominate at the big events.
PLAY BY THE RULES
Chain Reaction Disc Golf highly recommends you learn the rules of disc golf. The current standard is the PDGA'S Disc Golf Rules Book. Learning the rules will help you play better disc golf; by clearing your head of any uncertainties about the rules you might have in the middle of your throw. Whenever you're not certain if you are making a legal toss; take a provisional.
PLAYING A PROVISIONAL
So you have a situation where the rules of play are dubious. Ask your group what they think is the correct rules before you make any throws. If you think differently—play the entire hole both ways [drive, approach, and putt both throws] and write down both scores on the scorecard. After the round, ask the Tournament Director to make the final call on which score is used.
Tap the link below to see the PDGA rules of play. Study the rules and carry a rules book, or have them on your phone, so you have them with you at all times. Strive to play by the rules. You don't want to be known as the person who regularly breaks the rules!