Trying to simplify

[ribbyjazz]

Looking for some help.

I spent the last 8 months learning all the disc golf lingo, testing discs, asking questions here, and playing on a more regular basis for the first time. My bag went from a few discs to way to many choices. My best round at Edora during the last 8 months was using only my Dart and borrowing my friends Valk for one throw. I have learned a ton and gotten better skill wise but not score wise.

I am looking for the right mix of simplicity and options so that I can play my best while improving on a regular basis and mastering the discs I have.

Most importantly I need to practice but want to make sure that experimenting constantly with different discs doesn't hinder the practice like it has somewhat during the last 8 months.

I was an ultimate player before this and in general like under stable discs I can manipulate. The Dart is by far my favorite disc. Outside of the Lace I don't like the bigger rims. Nuke is not comfortable to me. My farthest drive on flat land with no wind was RHBH hyzer flipping my Flash to 465'. I was consistently around 450' until recent knee problems.

Here is my current arsenal and below that what I think I am going to go with. Please post your thoughts.



What I own

Drivers

Blizzard Boss, Wahoo, Archon, Nuke, Stalker, PD, Valk, Roadrunner, Force, Lace, Flash

Fairway
Jackal, Pred, TL+, Ascent

Mid
Scout, Wasp, Kite

Putt/Approach
Rhyno, Pig, Dart, Hydra, Blowfly II, Zephyr, Rattler, Polecat, Pure



Initial thoughts on what I will go with

Drivers

x Z Flash 165g
Max distance
x ESP Force 167g
Hyzer Spike / Headwind Drives
x S-Line Jackal 168g
Deadstraight distance /long BH drives ending right


Midranges

x Star Kite 175g
Midrange anny ending right / straight
x Elite Z Wasp 168g
Midrange Wind / Approach/Mid Forehand

Putters

x R-Pro Dart 168g
Putting / Approach where I want it to sit
x Star Dart 175g
Anytime I can - Go to disc - almost all midrange and approach shots and many drives
x R-Pro Pig 175g
Wind putt and approach
x Zephyr 179g
Approach accuracy BH and FH

[Mark Ellis]

NO! Don't do it. Don't simplify. Buy a bigger bag. Try more discs. Learn to control your discs.

Your best round ever was throwing just a putter. Sure but not because you threw your putter farther and better than you can throw mids and drivers. It was because you threw your putter smarter and more controlled than your normal shots. That is more an indictment of your typical shots than praise for your putter.

In a race a bicycle beats a sports car when the sports car crashes. So stop crashing the damn sports car (ie... shanking your mids and drivers in this analogy). Learn how to steer the sports car and you will handily beat a bicycle. Btw your opponents have sports cars so you need them too. If not today then for sure down the road (the analogy continues).

With a full bag of discs you can still throw smart controlled shots. Learning how and when to take more risks (and reap the rewards) is an important part of the game.

Sometimes you can play cautiously and win. Sometimes you must play risky to have any chance. There will be days when your opponents are stringing deuces together. Laying up for pars will not cut it. So look long term. Understand how good you will have to be to compete and believe you can eventually attain that level with diligent effort. Someone is going to throw superb shots. Why not you?

[keltik]

Mr. Ellis he's not saying he wants to disc down. He's saying he wants to eliminate redundancies in his bag so he can learn to steer the sports car to use your analogy.

I'm not gonna tell him to disc down either. But I do agree with the bag he has in his mind. He had 15 different driver molds. Nobody needs that many. To all out shun minimalism I would say he would need 7 driver molds at most (left/right/straight of both fast and slow drivers and a meathook). But he wants to be even simpler and that's fine. If after he's simplified he realizes he has a hole he can add something.

And c'mon Mark, he was extolling the virtues of your beloved Flash!

[PMantle]

I like the reduced bag except for the putting. I love my Dart, but not as a pure putter. It's great for me for long putts and short approaches, but no way would I use it for short putts in place of something like Magnet/Aviar/Wizard/Magic. JMO, YMMV.

[ribbyjazz]

I do love the Flash. Its magic for me as it gives me so much more distance due to the controlled turn that doesn't burn as often as my Valk. I haven't consistently gotten the Lace to turn like that yet. I was thinking for a while it would be my go to driver but the Flash has won out again.

Mark, you did make me laugh as your response was not what I expected. "NO! Don't do it." I like the long term view that I need to learn the sports cars. I love the Dart because it fits my skill set with an ultra star much better (not as nose angle sensitive) but that will only get me so far.

I have not thought about a different putter closer in before. PMantle, what distance do you consider a short putt? What do you mean by a "pure putter and how does the Dart not fit that bill?"

Thanks everyone for being so helpful. It is great to join a community of people where the experts are willing to help out a random newbie.

[JR]

What i would do is to pick a few core discs that you will use 80+ % of the time and keep the rest as baggage for endurance training and the odd occasions that you need a trick or getting out of trouble shots. This means that you will learn other discs as well as the Flash for different distances and flight lines. Learning to throw many lines with a single disc is needed to learn what the disc can do and what you can do with it so that you can cover more shots with fewer discs. That is when you know which discs you cannot part with and what the redundant ones are.

I would also not abandon faster discs altogether. Just like any discs they have their demands and quirks that you need to learn and adjust to. Like arm and finger strength and flexibility.

[PMantle]

I have not thought about a different putter closer in before. PMantle, what distance do you consider a short putt? What do you mean by a "pure putter and how does the Dart not fit that bill?"

.

Not sure what distance I'd say here in feet. The dart is really between a putter and a midrange. I use mine more as an approach disc. But hey, if it works for you, keep doing it. I was just suggesting something that works for me. I've also used an Aero and Wedge in that spot. I am still working on that end of the bag, and may ad a Pro Rhyno, as I could use a little wind fighter/left turner there.