Complete Beginner - Where to Start

[bongo]

Hi everyone,

I've just taken up Disc Golf and have stumbled across this site which looks like a great resource to me. I've had a browse around but couldn't find a topic like this - apologies if I missed one.

My question is if you were a complete beginner where would you start?

I see lots of great techniques on here but I'm really not sure which to start on first and the best way to build up a decent technique.

[discraft]

http://www.discgolfreview.com/resources/articles.shtml
read all of these.
ask questions at this site
also this:
viewtopic.php?f=2&t=8925

[keltik]

with a putter. If you learn to make all of your shots with just one putter mold you will be better off in the long run. an Aviar Putt & Approach will do just fine. after a few months of practice (rotating putters of course) you would probably want to add a beaded putter (aka Wizard, Challenger, KC Aviar etc.) and also a mid range.

IF you don't want use just a putter then you can use a Mid and a Putter. for a Mid I suggest a Comet or a Fuse. later you can add a Roc or Buzzz/Core type disc.

oh yeah and welcome to your new addiction.

[Mark Ellis]

Hi everyone,

I've just taken up Disc Golf and have stumbled across this site which looks like a great resource to me. I've had a browse around but couldn't find a topic like this - apologies if I missed one.

My question is if you were a complete beginner where would you start?

I see lots of great techniques on here but I'm really not sure which to start on first and the best way to build up a decent technique.

The best starting place is on a disc golf course, not on the internet. Find the best players you can at the course and ask them for basic advice and lessons. Don't be shy, most good players are happy to help and take it as a compliment to be asked to help. Just before they start and just after they come off the course are good times to ask them for help. There is no one teacher or technique which works best for everyone so be prepared to try out lots of things and find what works for you. Watch what they do and try to mimic how they do it. Don't concentrate on how far the good players throw and watching their discs in flight. Instead watch their form and what each part of bodies do as they throw.

Try throwing a disc with every grip and motion you can think of. Watch what happens and remember what works and how it works and, of course, what doesn't work. Spend time off the course trying out shots. Always aim at something, a tree of a trash can or a spot. Golf is ultimately a game of control and just throwing hard is of little value.

Once you have figured out some basic throws and techniques come back to internet to learn more. Start with videos. Videos are much easier to understand than written explanations. Go to youtube.com and watch a bunch of them, keeping a skeptical eye. Not all advice is good advice and not all advice, even if from accomplished Pros will work for you, especially when you are a beginner.

You should acquire at least 4 discs to start learning with: a putter, a midrange, an understable driver and an overstable driver. Each of these discs will do very different things, which you need to learn how to control. The starting point for control is to be able to throw each our your discs flat and straight at the beginning of their flights, even if they veer off toward the end. Eventually you may be able to make them go flat and straight for much longer ways.

Good players throw flat and smooth and balanced. Power will come with time and practice. Work on throwing flat and smooth and balanced. You will learn direction and power over time. Direction and power come with practice.

Surprisingly, the hardest shots to learn are not the far shots, it is the short ones. Putting is the most important skill in the game, so find a practice putting basket and spend time there.

Good luck.

[homebrew]

Tee #1

[JR]

Welcome. The link is for a guy masterbeato on this site. He's thrown almost 700' IIRC on flat land.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nED7gcXobEo

[Star Shark]

I'd suggest 3-4 discs to start with, I'll put down a bag here from the big 2

Innova
Aviar - Roc - Leopard - Teebird (keep them all around 170g)

Discraft
Magnet - Buzz - XL - Tracker (same weights as Innova)

Once you can get those drivers out to 330 or more you'll want to kick up into a faster speed class.

[bongo]

Thanks for the welcome and for taking the time to give me advice, it's appreciated.

I spent all day Saturday at my nearest course and threw some good shots, some awful and some in between. I had a lot of fun though - which is the main thing!

I've read the articles and the technique primer thread before but the problem I had was knowing where to start, I guess it will just be a case of reading things, trying them out and repeating. I noticed some new things when I watched the Dan Beto video again and used it to improve my shots

I bought some discs a few weeks ago and it seems I haven't made any major mistakes there as I ended up with an Aviar, a Shark and a Leopard. I'll take a look at Teebirds and Trackers next time I'm at the course and pick one up. At the minute I'd say I'm throwing around 160' with all 3 with a good throw with the Leopard going around 200-210'. 300+ seems a long way away!

[JR]

With that power I suggest pushing the elbow forward prior to turning the body toward the target from facing 90 degrees left of the target. Also keep the arm muscles totally loose as if were a rope at first and once you get used to that then starting to accelerate the arm pull when the rear of the disc passes the right pectoral muscle. I'd concentrate on using the Aviar the most. The Teebird should be left alone until you throw 300' it is not a beginner friendly disc and it masks some form errors at your power level.

[bongo]

I've just been throwing from the right pec (as per the masterbeato vid) but it still doesn't really feel right to me. I noticed a couple of things I needed to change and when I got them right it felt better so I guess it's just practice and rewatching until more clicks.

Not using a Teebird isn't a problem as I don't have one but would rather use all 3 discs on the practice field as it means I get around 3x the throws in!

I also plan on trying the secret technique drills as snap seems pretty vital so trying to get it now seems easier than relearning everything in the future.

[Sean40474]

I ended up buying 5 or 10 of the same discs so I could continuously practice my form and these techniques back to back.

[jubuttib]

I'd suggest 3-4 discs to start with, I'll put down a bag here from the big 2

Innova
Aviar - Roc - Leopard - Teebird (keep them all around 170g)

Discraft
Magnet - Buzz - XL - Tracker (same weights as Innova)

Once you can get those drivers out to 330 or more you'll want to kick up into a faster speed class.

Or Latitude: Pure - Fuse - Core - River (replace the Core with the Striker if you want a more stable driver instead a more stable mid)
Or Discmania: D-P1 - P-MD2 - P-CD - P-PD