What is Disc Golf?
Disc Golf is one of the fastest growing sports in America right now. The younger generations are looking for something that is different and challenging that they can call their own and disc golf meets these requirements. Although the sport is not new and has been around in some form or another since the 40's, it was organized and formalized in the mid 1960's. Since then the sport has grown and matured into a full blown competition sport with specific manufacturers and specialized equipment. While the basic concept has not changed the technology and information surrounding the sport continues to advance. The disc is still mostly the same with the exception of aerodynamics and with the aid of computers designers can now predict the flight characteristics even before the disc is made. We will try to give you enough information to begin to play this sport at a recreational level, as with any sport your skill level depends on how much time you spend on the course throwing your discs.
Game Basics
The game is played and scored much like ball golf in that a par is given for each hole and the object is to throw the disc in the basket in as few throws as possible. The scoring is the same in that there is hole in one, eagle, birdie, par, bogie, double bogie and so forth. There is a specified tee pads that are made of different materials such as concrete, asphalt, rubber, wood chips, and even dirt. the main difference is the goal, called the basket. The basket is general made of metal and stands approximately 6' tall to the top, and has chains that hang and lead into a basket that catches the disc. The disc must be in the basket to count, not on top or hit the basket, if the disc hits the chains and does not go in the basket, it does not count. Beyond that the rule is the same as golf you play the disc where it lies and cannot cross it when you take your next shot. (for a full list of rules go here) Most holes are par 3 with an average distance of 200'-300'. There are longer holes that vary from par 4, which could range depending on the obstacles in play to 300'-400'. Even longer par 5 shot are around with distances that reach into the 800'-900' range. All of these holes are different for each course and add to the difficulty of the course.
Throwing
Learning the basics of throwing can be a bit tricky and this will hopefully give you a good place to start. First is grip, grip can be tricky because there a lot of different techniques out there to day. The best place to start is hold the disc in a way that feels comfortable, but gives you a high degree of control over the disc. Whether you hold with two, three or four fingers is your preference. After this is the most important part of throw, you must learn to flick or snap the disc from your hand, think of it like snapping a towel and the wrist action it takes to do that. Next work on releasing the disc as flat and level as possible, the more level it is the further it will go. Start with a fairly light driver like a 150 gram, don't try and throw a really heavy driver at first, it takes time to build your wrist strength and build the snap, as you get better try heaver discs. To understand throwing you must know a little about some of the physics behind the disc these are some basic terms you will hear as you get into this:
Hyser- Hyser is the natural fall of the disc and depending on what arm you throw with is either right or left. For example, if you throw right hand backhand(RHBH), the natural fall of the disc would be to the left. The opposite would be true of you were left hand backhand(LHBH). But, if you throw right hand forehand the natural fall would be to the right, and the opposite would be the same.
Anhyser- Anhyser is forcing the disc to fly against it's natural fall such and RHBH would fall to the right. This is a harder shot to make a requires a lot of practice because it is not natural.
Now that you you know a little about the physics of the game we can talk about the characteristics of the discs. Most discs are broken down on a stability basis and are classified as overstable, stable, or understable a graphical representation would look something like this:
Now we will break down the discs into the 3 main categories.
Distance Drivers
There are hundreds of different drivers on the market today and we will not attempt to talk about the characteristics of each one here, but we will give you an overview of some of the basics of the driver. The driver is the fastest and hardest disc to throw accurately and consistently in your bag, but it is the best way to get as close to the basket in most situations. Knowing how the driver flies and being able to predict its flight path is the key to this disc. Most drivers tend to be overstable, because generally an overstable disc is faster and more aerodynamic which means more distance. An overstable disc generally has less fade and wants to pull hyser faster. Flick is the key to throwing a driver, the more flick you can put on a disc the longer it will stay on the path you put it when it left your hand. The more stable a driver is the straighter it flies and the easier it is to get to go anhyser, but the slower and distance can be affected. A stable driver is where all beginners want to start and move your way up to overstable drivers. Overstable drivers require more control and take time to get used to the characteristics of the disc, most beginners get frustrated and end up leaving those expensive big name drivers in their bags for awhile. All of these shots along with the right disc and knowing what you can do with them are how you improve your game.
Mid-Range
Think of your mid-range as your 9 iron, in that they are a good all around disc. Most mid-range discs are slightly overstable or stable, and some are understable. Most people use their mid-range discs more than any other disc because they are easily controlled and predictable. If you have a short par 3 depending on the obstacles most mid-ranges will do everything you need them to do. Some players that just start playing often say, "Why do I need all these discs, I really only use one?" Mid-range discs are a great tool for their purpose and as your game improves and your control improves you will soon reach the limits of your mid-range and that's when you should start reaching for those big name drivers.
Putt and Approach
This is the most used disc in your bag mainly because once you find the putter that works for you, you will not give it up. There are players that have putters they have used for decades only because they can't find one that feels the same as that one. Putting is the key to playing under par, if you can drive really well but it takes you 2 or 3 shots to putt your game will suffer. Taking time to learn a good putting technique will take you along time and hours of practice, the best way is to buy a portable basket and putt everyday in your own backyard, or even in your apartment by putting into a chair or some sort of target just to get the rhythm an timing down. Most players work more on driving and spend very little time putting and approaching. Most putters are completely stable and the plastics very, trying to lessen the impact of the chains to make the stop and fall on impact. The number one way to improve your game is practice putting.
Course Management
Now that we have talked about equipment, the final step in any good disc golfers game is course management, or knowing how to read a hole. Being able to see shots and read obstacles comes with experience and time. Also, knowing what tricks you have up your sleeve, like throwing forehand, or anhyser, or when to lay up and when to grip it and rip it. The best thing to do is don't be afraid to try shots and look for unconventional ways to get to the basket. Sometimes the best shot is right in front of you and is intimidating because of water or trees. Knowing your shots and being able to read a course is a huge advantage in any game.
Conclusion
This small section cannot begin to explain all of the intricacies of this great game, we hope it has given you an introduction to disc golf and peaked your interest enough to continue to build your game. The most important rule is to have fun, the greatness of disc golf is that it transcends age, sex, position in life or any other obstacle. Our goal as the RDGA is to promote the sport and see new players involved that are looking for something different. This is a great sport for families and large groups, there are very few sports that allow you enough time to build relationships, laugh, and still be competitive at the same time. So please go out, Be a part. Connect. Elevate your game.