The beginner tip to disc golfers of “throw down” can be applied in multiple facets, yet is focused on two specific areas in the game. While many initially think “throw down” means the opposite of throwing up; it’s ultimately intended to help players with their disc selection.
Disc Golf Discs, From Putter To Fairway Driver. Disc golf is an incredibly fun outdoor sport that's becoming more and more popular—in fact, it's the fasting growing sport in the United States.
One of the worst beginner misconceptions in disc golf is that drivers go further because they are drivers. While this is true in most scenarios, it is not the case for beginners! How many beginners do you know that tried disc golf, loved it and then bought a Wraith, Beast or some kind of driver?
After several weeks of playing they are continually frustrated because “the disc just breaks to the left” instead of a 500’ laser beam like the envisioned. Our beginner tip to them?
When beginning in disc golf, look for more control and a straighter disc flight — the straighter the flight, the longer the distance off the tee! Our “throw down” tip is simple — throw one step less than whatever you think you need to throw. If you want to throw a driver, throw a mid range. If you think a mid range will do the trick, throw a putter. Not only will “throwing down” initially give you more control, but it will give you more distance as well!
It all goes back to elementary school math — the shortest distance between two points is a straight line. While “shortest distance” and “more distance” don’t seem to go together, think of the flight of the disc. What disc is going to go further — the disc that is thrown straight or the disc that breaks violently to the left right off the tee?
Most likely, the straight disc. What’s going to be more enjoyable?
Most likely, the straight discagain. Without playing the game of disc golf before, “throwing down” is a hard concept for beginners to wrap their mind around. When we vend The Mobile Disc Golf Experience, many beginners look right for big drivers like the Star Vulcan or I-Dye Champion Mamba. While these discs are all well and good, would they enjoy the game immediately with them? Absolutely not. We try to persuade them back to the beginner discs — typically DX plastic, lighter in weight and something along the lines of a Leopard, Shark, Aviar or maybe even a Valkyrie for flickers. Some people think we are joking or don’t have their best interest at heart, while it couldn’t be more of the opposite.
DX Sharks have great glide, yet are straight flyers — as are the XD and Aviar putters that we carry. While throwing a driver seems like the best idea, I promise that any beginner could throw a putter further than any driver they chose. Perfect example: my 10 year old step-daughter can throw a Valkyrie 70 feet while she can throw an XD almost 200 feet.
I’m serious — she can rip that XD putter, turn it over to the right and watch it glide forever. That straight line is much more enjoyable to see and the disc model enables her to focus on the technique required for immediate enjoyment, while the distance is typically the only end product that a beginning player remembers anyway. Putters and mid ranges are easier to throw and tend to fly straighter due their blunt profile.
“Throwing down” may not apply to every scenario, but give it a try in your next round. If you think you should throw a Valkyrie, throw a Mako and watch it fly. If you think you can sneak a Roc all the way to the basket and not have it skip out, try throwing a nice straight putter that sits soft. I, personally, still use this advice in a lot of my shot making rounds as I can still throw a Roc or Buzz further than many of my drivers due to the fact that it has incredible glide and doesn’t lose a lot of distance breaking to the left when the disc rotation starts to slow down at the end of the flight.
The other specific area that “throw down” applies to is physically throwing down. While the proper technique for disc golfers is a straight pull across their chest, I encourage players to “throw down” as their typical miss is by throwing up. If you constantly throw up, the disc is released much slower, breaking hard left, and eventually coming backwards if the disc goes high enough. If you “throw down” you are at least giving yourself a chance for success. “Throwing down” also gives you the ability to “miss right” which is another piece of advice I give beginners, but that will be covered in another blog post. We hope that our tip of “throwing down” is helpful to you beginners! If someone really cares about your success and enjoyment of this wonderful sport, they will give you a putter or a mid range right off the bat.
I promise you that if you focus on throwing a Roc as far and straight as you can, you will soon be able to throw a fairway driver A LOT further simply because you have the technique down and understand what flight of the disc it is that you need to achieve. Focus on getting your technique with easier throwing discs like mid ranges and putters and then step up to a Leopard (fairway driver) before going straight to a Valkyrie (distance driver) and beyond.
These discs are a bit easier to handle, and will enable you to test out the world of drivers before jumping into the big bombers like a Vulcan, Katana or Destroyer. Best of luck! I agree wholeheartedly. Not to mention you will save a lot of time that you would otherwise spend tracking down errant disks as a beginner! I’d probably still have that sweet Valkyrie that I bought after my first round if someone had given me this advice earlier! Now, when I introduce someone new to the sport, I give them a Shark (for drives and long mid-range) and Aviar (for short mid-range and putting) to start out with. I now primarily use a Leopard for drives; you can get a lot of distance out of it with a hyzer flip and it is very under stable.
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What Is Disc Golf and Why Do People Love It? You might’ve seen people running around your local park throwing a Frisbee but not catching it. They move in groups and seem to be playing together, but aren’t catching anything. So what gives?
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That, friends, is likely a round of disc golf. Disc golf, much like traditional golf, is about getting your own disc into a basket or net at the end of a hole. You’ll see multiple holes in a single course and plenty of people keeping score, hoping to keep things as low as possible. But when you ask any of these players, “What is disc golf?”, you’ll hear a lot more than just “Golf with Frisbees.” Disc golf is a fun, user-friendly and low-entry game that gets lots of people outside, hanging out and engaging in strategy. It’s as much a physical game as a mental one, with the need to balance long drives with precision curves as you move about the course.
There’s a rhythm to it, and it’s an amazing feeling when you make a great toss. This 'Disc Golf for Beginners' guide will show you the basics of how to play disc golf and give you some tips for getting the right gear and understanding what to look for when you play. While there are some technical elements, the most important part of disc golf is actually quite simple: When someone asks you what is disc golf, the response you want to be able to give after every toss is: “Fun!” Disc golf was invented for everyone to have something they can do together and enjoy, so we hope this disc golf guide shows you just how much fun our favorite past-time can be. How to Play Disc Golf: Rules of the Game When you want to learn how to play disc golf, it’s good to start with the disc golf rules. Together, we’ll walk through some of the basic rules that you can expect to see no matter where you play. However, these are general guidelines and you must always adhere to any rules specific to the place you’re playing, or to the tournament or game you’re involved with that day. Stroke/Point Like traditional golf, disc golf features strokes that represent each attempt to get closer to, or in, the hole, and penalties will add to your stroke/point count.
One stroke is counted each time you throw a disc, and the goal is to get into the hole in as few strokes as possible. Throwing Order There’s no set way for you to select who throws first on the first hole. Sometimes people flip for it, but you really have your choice. After that, the player who had the fewest strokes on the previous hole is the first to throw (“tee off”). After everyone has teed off, the player who is farthest from the hole throws first. Tee Throw Tees are set up at the beginning of each hole.
Your first throw for any hole needs to begin inside of, or behind, a designated tee area. Lie The lie is the spot where a player’s throw lands. The lie spot is marked with a mini disc, or by simply turning over the larger thrown disc itself.
When it’s your next turn to throw, you must throw from directly behind the marked lie. Unplayable Lie Sometimes, the lie isn’t playable because your disc gets stuck in a tree or large bush.
In fact, it happens a lot on some courses. If you have a disc that’s stuck, or you can’t get behind the lie to throw, you’ll need to throw from as close to the lie as possible. This may simply mean you’re throwing it from underneath a disc-grabbing tree branch. Fairway Throw If you’re on the fairway, you get a little extra movement with your throw. A fairway throw must be made from behind the lie, but you’re allowed to run up to the lie and can follow through normally, as long as you release the disc behind the lie. However, you’re not allowed the extra movement if you’re within 10 meters (30 feet). You can’t cross the lie until your disc has stopped moving.
Dogleg/Mandatory A dogleg is a tree or pole along the fairway that must be passed — and it should be clearly marked by arrows on the course. The dogleg is used to make you move across the course in a specific way, such as an S-shape, where you’re not allowed to throw directly at the end hole. Before you pass the dogleg, you have to place your foot closest to the dogleg on your lie when throwing.
This can add some difficulty on some courses. Completion (of Hole) At the end of each hole is a basket or a set of chains. You’ll need to throw the disc into this to end the round. When you get your disc into the basket, you’ve completed the hole. This is sometimes called the completion of the hole, but is usually just called by the short-hand term: “completion.” Remove your disc after you complete the hole.
Out-of-Bounds There are certain areas you’re not allowed to throw into or out of, and these are considered out-of-bounds (OB). If your disc goes OB, then you need to move your lie to a point three feet in bounds from where the disc went OB. You’ll also need to add another stroke to your score. In general, hazards such as water features and public roads are always OB.
Play Nice In most situations, you won’t have any official decorum or rules, but it’s best to play in a way that everyone enjoys. This mirrors regular golf with common practices where the non-throwers remain quiet and try not to move around while others are throwing. It’s also smart and safe to stand behind the thrower until their turn is complete. To make sure your course is fun time and time again, you should also pick up any trash you see while walking around and work hard not to damage, alter or modify the course. You can see a full set of disc golf rules on the Professional Disc Golf Association’s website. How to Throw Disc Golf’s Basic Throw 1.
Grip your four fingers under the disc and put your thumb near the edge on the top of your disc. Grip it good and tight so that you can release it with specific control. Your four fingers should line up on the underside of the disc and press your thumb flat on the top, soft part of the disc. A few extra tips include keeping your arm and wrist loose during the throw. If you’re struggling to throw it where you want it, extend your pointer finger along the underside of the disc, though you may lose a little power. Most throws will involve a short run of three steps where you release on the last step. Make sure you start and end on your dominant foot.
For the best accuracy at this point, square your shoulders with the end basket and try to make sure each step is even and smooth. (The next three elements take place during this three-step movement). The three steps are a core part of good disc golf technique.
During the first step, raise the disc to the height of your chest. Raising it in this way will naturally turn your body as you curve the disc into your chest. This turn will pull your body away from the basket, and that’s okay. Take note of where you raise your disc, because you’ll want to keep it at this height when learning the other steps of how to throw disc golf discs. Step with your next foot and point it perpendicular to the basket. This helps your aim, and your continued rotation will put your back toward the basket in front of you. You’re coiling your back, moving your hips and shoulders, and bringing the disc behind you.
This movement will give your throw power from your back and legs. End this step with the disc behind you and your body turned away from the basket, ready to spring into action and hurl it on your next step. Take the final step and move your weight to the dominant foot, uncoiling your body. This step will naturally bring your back and hips toward your dominant foot and the basket. As you turn, bring your arm across your body, keeping the disc flat in your hand. You want to start the movement with the disc about shoulder-height and you want it to move in a straight line and release it away from your body, also at shoulder-height. You’ll feel your leg naturally pull forward and you should end up with most of your body turned and facing the basket.
Holding Your Arm 1. Pull the disc straight and tight across your body as you throw and release. If you move your wrist and arc your body, you’ll typically throw it off to the side. Windmilling your arms and curling around the disc itself can do the same things. To properly throw it, you’ll want to point the disc at your target before the throw and try to keep it straight during the entire movement.
When releasing, bend your elbow and extend across the chest, unbending as it moves away from you to keep the disc straight. Holding Your Arm 2. Move the arm fluidly. You’ll want to practice a lot to get the entire motion smooth and feeling fluid. Release the disc itself when it’s pointing at your target. Power comes from your hips up through your wrist, so you’ll be twisting your entire body in an uncoiling motion, pushing all that power through your body to the disc itself. Try and try again to get things smooth, and remember that it’s okay if your movement causes you to keep twisting after you release the disc.
Holding Your Arm 3. Flick your wrist to release the disc when it’s pointing at your bucket.
The flick keeps things smooth and accurate. Again, you’ll want to practice this so it flows smoothly with the rest of your motion.
At the end of the flick, allow your body to keep moving with the release and keep your throwing hand with palm facing upward. This movement will prevent you from turning or swinging your body, which could cause the disc to veer off-course. And don’t worry: everyone looks a bit wobbly when they’re still learning the disc golf technique. Now that you’ve got an idea of the motion, it’s time to look at the discs themselves. We’ll go through a few things to help you choose the right disc. Always be sure to test things out or grab some discs that come highly recommended. We’ve made a few recommendations at the end of this guide, too, picked out specifically for beginners to get a disc they’ll enjoy!
Best Weight For Disc Golf Drivers For Mac
Disc Golf Guide: Disc Stability and Weight When you’re starting to learn how to play disc golf, you’ll want to choose discs that are the easiest to throw and control, even if they don’t go as far as some other discs. Two things you’ll want to consider right away are stability and weight. Stability comes with some of the most confusing language in disc golf. The quick and easy rule of thumb is to go for a stability as close to (0) as possible when you’re still learning how to throw.
Once you have a decent handle on the general technique, you’ll actually want to find a disc that curves to your natural side — i.e. To the right for right-handers — because the throwing motion you make tends to push a disc away from this side, and you’ll use the curve to help keep things straight. Discs will naturally curve during most throws and start to bend — also called a “fade” — to the right or the left. You’ll probably hear the terms “understable” and “overstable,” so here’s a little help with those on the spectrum from (-3) to (3). One important note is that this is based on a right-handed thrower using the standard backhand-style throw.
Understable Discs that fade to the right during a straight throw at average power are considered understable. An understable disc will have a rating of (-1) to (-3), with a (-3) disc fading the most to the right. In general, you’ll want to look for an understable disc for your long drives when you’re new to disc golf. Overstable Your average golf disc actually banks to the left for most people, especially when it comes to drivers. That means they’re often considered overstable. Sharp-edged discs tend to naturally curve left.
The sharper the curve to the left, the higher the number ranging from (1) to (3). 0 Stability So you’re looking at disc golf discs and see a (0) rating.
Should you buy it? In general, you’ll want to look at putter discs with a (0) rating, but not much else. Putters need to fly straight and low over a short distance, which the (0) stability is designed to do. For most, however, this rating doesn’t work well for longer throws like driver discs. But I’m a Lefty! The numbers we’re using are typically designed for right-handed throwers.
You, however, are one of the lucky lefties. That means you’ll need to reverse the chart, because discs fade in the opposite direction when you’re using an opposite spin.
Think about it this way: a backhand throw with your left hand will create counter-clockwise spin on the disc, so overstable discs will fade to the right and understable discs will fade to the left. The good news is that you’re not alone with needing to learn how things switch up, because it impacts righties, too. Whenever a right-handed player uses a forehand throw, they’re reversing the spin, too, and will see their overstable discs bank right. Weight The final thing to consider is the weight of your disc. Generally, a higher weight keeps things straighter and more overstable, so they’re often preferred by more experienced players. Lighter discs, such as those that weight about 166 grams, are easier to throw when you’re learning. Sometimes you’ll see a disc that weighs about 150 grams, which is extremely lightweight and will go very far very easily, but they’ll curve more and be more impacted by the wind in your area.
Disc Golf Guide: Buying Disc Golf Discs Throw around a few discs before you make a purchase. Get a good feel for the discs you’re considering and make sure they feel right for your hand and your throw style. Once you’ve found a selection that feels good, which can be a few different brands and styles, go through and check the stability ratings.
Players will need a mix of stability ratings to help them maneuver around the course with minimal frustration. Pick up some overstable discs for those dogleg left holes, S-shaped paths and in cases where you’re throwing in a very windy situation that would normally push you off course. The same goes for understable discs when you’re heading through opposite curves, dogleg rights and when you want the disc to keep rolling after it goes down. And don’t forget some neutral discs for tight, straight shots and putting. A good mix will get you far and help you practice and learn what you love. Here are a few specific recommendations for you: Drivers For distance, you’ll want to look at something smooth and far-flinging, like the or the.
Remember: you want these to feel great out of the box, so look for smooth and enjoyable throws. If color is your choice, we would also recommend checking out the Star Plastic models.
Mid-Range Get your stronger throws going far and precise with a smart mid-range option. We suggest you look for discs that work to prevent flipping and rolling, like the. If you really like the feel of a mid-range disc, which has a larger lip than your driver, then you could also consider the because its sleek design allows it to work well as a putter, too! Putt and Approach Stability is the name of the game when you’re at your goal.
For the approach and putting itself, you’ll want to look at something that can handle wind, like the, which is a beefed-up version of the very popular Colt. Pick Up a Set! If you’re really not sure, it’s time to pick up a golf set to help you feel good about your decision. Sets include specific drivers, mid-rangers and putters, but they’re all designed to work in multiple situations. We really prefer this because the discs are a good weight and are made of a very durable plastic that’ll last as you play and learn.
Best Weight For Disc Golf Drivers For Machines
If you’re looking for more options and want to see what’s available to you, just check out the and see how much you’ll love disc golf!