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Bringing some Ben Franklin wisdom to disc golf: When in doubt . . . don’t!

by frisbeebrain, posted in DaLearning Curve, DeLaBlahg, disc golf, disc golf instruction, frisbee golf, instruction

“When in doubt . . . don’t.”

Golf had barely made its way to the United States during Benjamin Franklin’s lifetime, otherwise I’d be inclined to think that the above quote, taken from his Poor Richard’s Almanac, came to him while playing a round. I also believe that Franklin, if born into a world where both ball golf and disc golf existed, would undoubtedly have chosen the later. Add that to the long list of reasons why he is by far my favorite among the founding fathers.

I could write an entirely separate post listing and elaborating on the reasons he would favor disc golf – chief among them it’s accessibility to people of all classes and the endless intriguing flight path possibilities of a flying disc. But that is for another day. Let’s focus on that quote, and how it applies to disc golf.

“When in doubt . . . don’t.”

I like to think the best interpretation of this nugget of wisdom in the golf world is this: In order to execute any shot successfully – and especially the most difficult ones – 100 percent conviction is a must. You can’t be waffling on which way to play it and expect things to turn out well. Let’s look at a couple examples:

Example 1

You’re 30 feet away from the basket with a downhill putt where the terrain continues to slope down behind the basket with a lake at the bottom. You know this hole well, and as you approach your lie you think of the many times you’ve hit this putt and others like it.

Despite the treacherous backdrop, you’re thinking ‘go for it. I got this.’

You place your mini on the ground and begin to line up for the putt when thoughts of the possible results of a miss begin to creep into your mind.

A player attempts a comeback putt on hole 18 at Winthrop Gold in Rock Hill, SC after missing his downhill birdie run. Photo by Jack Trageser.
A player attempts a comeback putt on hole 18 at Winthrop Gold in Rock Hill, SC after missing his downhill birdie run. Photo by Jack Trageser.

“If I miss the basket entirely I’ll probably roll away down the hill. But maybe not . . . but, probably . . .  “

“A soft, lofty putt will be less risky.”

“If I make this I’ll be leading two two strokes, and if I take a bogey here we’ll be tied.”

All of these thoughts would qualify as doubts, or at least distractions that arise from doubt, that if present in your mind as you’re about to attempt a shot should throw up a huge red flag that reads “DON’T!”

Example 2

Your drive on a fairly wooded par 3 hole smacks an early tree and comes to rest in a spot that leaves you with two clear options. The first is to pitch out safely through a wide gap to your left, which will leave you with an easy upshot of 80 feet. The other option is a narrow gap in the trees directly between you and the basket 100 feet away that you believe you can get through cleanly. You want to save par, but you’re not quite decided yet and now it’s your turn to throw. You need to make a decision right away. The following thoughts float your brain in rapid succession:

“I don’t want to just concede the bogey .  . . I can hit that hole! If I don’t get through cleanly, I might not even be able to get up and down for a bogey . . . If I do hit that hole, how long will the putt for par be? I think I can get through that gap, and then I’ll at least have a chance to save par . . . “

Choices abound on this shot. Hit an early branch and this player may be just as stymied on his next shot. Whatever he decides, there is no room for doubt. Photo by Jack Trageser.
Choices abound on this shot. Hit an early branch and this player may be just as stymied on his next shot. Whatever he decides, there is no room for doubt. Photo by Jack Trageser.

In this case your initial reaction was likely based on emotion more than analysis. You’re ticked off that you hit that tree and want to save par to ‘erase’ the mistake, so your first impulse is to look for how that might be accomplished (“I can hit that hole!”) As your logical brain has time to process, though, it begins to come up with reasons why the risky option isn’t the best choice, and these reasons represent doubt.

Example 1 and example 2 are both situations where it would be wise to take Benjamin Franklin’s pithy advice of ‘When in doubt . . . don’t’. There are differences between the two, but also one important similarity.

In example 1, the choice is clear-cut: either go for it and risk the roll-away, or play it safe and lay up. You initially intend to go for the birdie, which may or may not wise in and of itself. But good or bad judgement and game management are not the issue here. We’re talking about doubt, and once you’ve made your mind up any doubt that creeps in needs to be acknowledged and acted upon. Nine times out of 10 this means stepping back and switching to the safer play. (On that 1-out-of 10 exception, when it’s a shot you really need to make or should have no problems with, you still need to ‘own’ the existence of the doubts and do your best to clear your mind of them and recommit to your choice.)

In example 2, you haven’t ever really made your mind up. You’ve been debating the options from the time you saw your lie until right before you’re expected to throw. You’re trying to talk yourself into the risky play due to an emotional response, but the logical side of you demands to be heard as well. I suppose this is more uncertainty than doubt, but it amounts to the same thing: attempting a shot without full commitment and attention, when it requires both.

In both cases, as with every shot in golf, successful players follow a specific sequence for every shot: First evaluate the situation and options, next make a decision and commit fully to that decision, and finally, execute that decision with 100 percent conviction and focus. You can’t expect to be consistently successful unless you do all three, in that order. There will of course be times when doubt creeps in. One’s own thoughts are slippery and hard to harness. But when that happens . . . when in doubt . . . DON’T!

Remember, ‘discretion is the better part of valour.’ Wait, that’s Shakespeare’s quote, not Franklin’s, so forget I mentioned it.

If you want another Ben Franklin quote that can be applied to golf, consider ‘Honesty is the best policy’ or ‘He that is good for making excuses is seldom good for anything else’. I’m tellin’ ya, Ben Franklin would have loved disc golf.

A secret ingredient of putting power

by frisbeebrain, posted in disc golf, disc golf instruction, disc golf putting, frisbee golf, instruction, Jack Tupp, putting

Notice that the title of this post is not ‘The Secret of Putting’. There are simply too many mental and physical aspects to good, consistent putting for there to be some ‘secret’ that once discovered instantly turns a weak putter into a good or great one. If anything, the best advice is the one players often like to hear the least: practice.

But we’re not talking about flour and water here. Those are major components to making bread, but the secret ingredient is yeast. Without the yeast the bread won’t rise, and if it doesn’t rise, well, it’s not really bread, is it? Secret ingredient.

The same goes for putting in disc golf. You can propel a disc toward the basket any number of ways, and it’ll even land in the basket once in awhile. But if you want a putt that seems to zip out of your hand, go further and hang in the air a little longer than your effort warranted, you need some nice tight spin. And believe it or not, there’s a pretty simple modification you can make that will help you get it.

Illustration A: This is a standard fan grip viewed from above. If your hand is on the side of your disc - like this - when you are putting, you're wasting a good deal of potential snap. Photo by Jack Trageser
Illustration A: This is a standard fan grip viewed from above. If your hand is on the side of your disc – like this – when you are putting, you’re wasting a good deal of potential snap. Photo by Jack Trageser

Illustration A shows a player holding a putter with a typical fan grip. But notice where the hand is located in relation to the disc, and pay particular attention to the straight wrist. Now grab a putter and simulate your own putting form. Look down at your hand, wrist and the disc. If your hand is alongside the disc, as it is in Illustration A, and your wrist is mostly or completely straight, the good news is that your putting game is about to get better.

Now check out Illustration B, paying attention to the same elements examined in the first picture. What do you see? (I’ll give you a few minutes to make the discovery on your own. People supposedly learn better that way) . . . . . . . . . . .

Illustration B: The wrist is cocked here, meaning that it is bent. Also, the hand is in front of the disc, creating much more natural spin upon release. Photo by Jack Trageser.
Illustration B: The wrist is cocked here, meaning that it is bent. Also, the hand is in front of the disc, creating much more natural spin upon release. Photo by Jack Trageser.

Okay, time’s up. Do you see the difference? In Illustration B, the hand is holding the front of the disc as opposed to the side, and the wrist is cocked so that it is actually in front of the hand.

This simple adjustment, assuming that you keep the wrist cocked the entire time and follow through properly on your putts, will add a significant amount of spin to your putt. The disc will fly smoother (due to a tighter spin) and farther (due to more spin) with the same amount of effort.

The best part about this technique is that you don’t have to think about ‘snapping’ your wrist during the throw. As long as you keep your wrist cocked and follow through after the release, the snap happens automatically. Come to think of it, that is probably where the term ‘cock your wrist’ came from. It’s obviously an analogy borrowed from firearms (as in cocking the gun), where the striking hammer is pulled back and set in a poised position, so that a trigger-pull makes firing almost instantaneous.

If you cock your wrist properly, you should see the difference in spin and power right away. Like anything else, this may feel weird at first, but practice will take care of that. If it’s affecting your aim and causing you to ‘pull’ your putts (to the right of the target for RHBH, and to the left for lefties), there are two probable causes: either you are thinking about trying to snap your wrist as you putt (which, remember, is not necessary if you cock your wrist properly), or you are not following through correctly- or both. That’s an entirely different issue which is addressed in detail in a past post, but it’s an essential component of this overall wrist-cocking technique.

If you like things boiled down to a few main points to remember, here they are:

  • Cock your wrist so that your wrist is bent and your hand is in front of the disc
  • Keep your wrist cocked throughout the putting motion
  • Follow through straight at the target, finishing with a straight arm, straight wrist, and even stretched out, straight fingers

Try this out, and let me know if it works for you. Like any secret ingredient you have to ‘mix thoroughly’ into the main components- and in this case that means, yes, practice. But before you know it you’ll get to the point where cocking your wrist comes automatically, without thinking about it.

Disc Golf Unchained video game coming soon- and you can help

by frisbeebrain, posted in disc golf, product review, product reviews

Stop me if you’ve heard this one before: Someone announces the development of a breakthrough disc golf video game and claims it will be far better than the paltry offerings available today. Maybe they even forge a partnership with a major disc golf entity. Then either the excitement fades away as quickly as it sprouted up, or the game does get released but falls short of all the hype.

We’re hearing this once again, and this time I have a hunch it’ll turn out differently. And I can point to a few specific reasons why I feel this way.

Local Route Labs in the enclave of Madison, Wisconsin has announced its plans to release a disc golf video game for the Android and iOS platforms mid-year 2014. The company – which at this point consists of two avid disc golfers with full-time jobs outside of this project – launched a Kickstarter campaign that provides plenty of evidence of the work they’ve done thus far. It also leaves one with the impression that their game, Disc Golf Unchained, is definitely gonna happen.

For one thing, developing the game for Android and iOS first is a great decision. Far more people have access to devices on these platforms than the various consoles. And those who are not normally ‘gamers’ can easily make an exception by downloading the game to their phone or tablets in minutes.

When I asked co-founder Tyler Krucas why he and business partner Adam Heier decided to invest thousands of hours and a not insignificant amount of personal funds in a disc golf video game, he said it had to do with the “lack of disc golf video game options on the market,” adding that “the options that are currently out there also seem to leave something to be desired.”

Frankly, that is a familiar refrain from would-be developers and frustrated gamers alike. But then he began to expand on that answer, and the more I heard the more I became convinced that assuming it makes it to the market and is stable this will truly be a breakthrough game.

It wasn’t just the detailed shortcomings of previous disc golf games that Krucas recounted and pledged to address: taking the shortcut of building the flight engine on that of a ball golf game, producing flight not realistic for a flying disc; throwing disc golf as an add-on to a game that includes a collection of sports, more as a novelty than anything else.

Others have made similar claims before along the same general lines. But I hadn’t heard details like I do from Local Route Labs, and more importantly, seen proof of how they are addressing those details.

It became obvious pretty quickly that these guys are familiar with the nuances of disc golf. They understand the desire of advanced players to have a large selection of discs from which to choose that perform as they should. Disc golfers want to be able to throw backhand, forehand, and tomahawks, and they agree. They’re even trying to figure out how to add rollers! When you throw a big anhyzer with a stable disc the right way, they want you to be rewarded with a sweet S-turn.

As far as courses go, the plan is to have some real, familiar ones built in, and also some created just for the game located on terrain disc golfers dream of tackling. From the screenshots and video clips on the Kickstarter page both the foliage and the undulations of the playing surface look pretty good. And one feature they are particularly excited about is a built-in course engine and editor. “We think the inclusion of real world courses will be a big draw,”explains Krucas. “and allowing players to create their own based off their favorites will add another level of engagement. We definitely look forward to seeing what our users create with the Course Editor and hope to eventually make them available for everyone.”

If you’re someone who is into both video games and disc golf, are eager to see ‘real’ disc golf take another step in its inexorable climb to relevance as a sport of the future, or both, I encourage you to do two things:

  1. Check out their Kickstarter campaign. The funding period ends December 3rd and they provide participation options as low as $1 and opportunities for cool things like being able to sponsor a hole on a permanent course in the game- complete with signage.
  2. Spread the word through social media, and encourage your disc golf friends to do likewise. In particular, post on Facebook pages for disc golf clubs where the highest concentration of disc golfers will see it.

I’ll post on this game again with a full review when I’m able to test it out. If I had to bet, I’d say this game is gonna happen next year, and it’s gonna be good.

Disc golf lingo: many groups even have their own dialect

by frisbeebrain, posted in DeLaBlahg, disc golf, Disc vs. Ball, frisbee golf, Jack Tupp, santa cruz

In a recent round at DeLa, I paused briefly to tell my friend that his last throw had tons of ‘E.V.’, but I held the comment for later when we noticed that a large group of marauders was quickly gaining on us. So naturally we . . . . what’s that? Not exactly following my meaning?

Don’t worry, you’re not behind on the latest disc golf lingo- at least not yet.

Most of those reading this are well acquainted with the fact that while disc golf borrows a great deal of terminology from its stick-and-ball ancestor (par, birdie, drive, putt, etc.), the sport has a lexicon all its own as well. Words like hyzer, anhyzer and thumber, and terms like ‘chain music’ and ‘high tech roller’ mean nothing outside of disc golf (or at least disc sports). And words like ‘chunder’ and ‘shule’ – while they can be found in a standard dictionary – have very different applications in the world where golf meets flying disc.

These words and phrases serve as an instant bond between people who might otherwise have zero in common. Picture, for instance, a 55-year old clean-cut professional type visiting a course he’s never played before during some free time on a business trip. As he arrives at the teepad of a blind hole he encounters a couple long-haired, dreadlocked, hemp-wearing locals. The locals offer to let him play through, and the traveler asks them where the basket is located. One of them replies “If you throw a big anhyzer over those trees on the left and can get it to ‘S’ out at the end, you’ll be putting for birdie.”

Different as they might appear and even be, in respect to the other aspects of their lives, the visitor and the locals understand each other perfectly well on the disc golf course. We’re all members of a subculture that while steadily growing is still far from the mainstream, and our lexicon of unique terminology is one of the true identifying marks about which those not yet part of the clan remain completely ignorant.

But even with subcultures there are smaller micro cultures. For instance, I had played for years before I knew that those in the Midwest (and other regions, for all I know) refer to thick disc golf rough as ‘schule’. Where did that word come from? Who cares?! Shule is cool! (unless you’re stuck in it)

And recognizing that there are regional idiosyncrasies in disc golf is merely the tip of the iceberg. A sport with endless options for creativity and amazement that also happens to still be commercially decentralized is bound to foster new and unique terms in every tiny enclave where it is played. And so it has been- in my circle, anyway (and therefore, I assume, in others). Despite what my mother always tells me, I’m not that special.

I’m hoping that the rest of this post will generate lots of comments as readers write in sharing disc golf terminology unique to their regular group or at least their local course. Here are a few that have become commonplace between myself and a few guys with whom I regularly play.

E.V. stands for Entertainment Value, and we use the acronym to describe a shot that was highly entertaining to watch- whether it was successful or not. A technical spike hyzer from 100 feet out that passes surgically between crowded trees exactly as planned before slamming to the ground right past the basket would have EV value, even if it rolled away afterward.

Marauders are not hoards or barbarians bent on ripping out baskets and melting them down for weapons. Nothing as dramatic as that. They don’t even necessarily appear in large groups, although that is most often the case. Rather, marauders on a disc golf course are those who seemingly have no concept of the written nor unwritten rules of golf. It’s not that they’re rude. They just don’t know the rules or don’t care to play the game that way. They don’t both to take a legal stance (anywhere within five feet seems to be okay- especially if there is a tree or bush in the way), and they don’t take turns to throw. Instead there is a general continuous advancement with discs flying simultaneously and close calls galore. To players who are ahead of them, taking the game more seriously, marauders seem like a swarm of locusts swiftly approaching. Hmmm, locusts. Maybe that’s a good synonym for marauders!

When you’re stuck behind a bush, consider yourself foliated (as in, blocked by foliage). When you’re stuck deep inside a bush, with more bushes and trees all around you, consider yourself extremely foliated. It’s an easy, one-word way to explain to your buddy why you weren’t able to get more than 30 feet out of the rough. “Dude, I was completely foliated.” Note: This term only applies when the foliage is close enough to your lie to make it difficult to even get your throw off cleanly. You can’t claim ‘foliation’ just because there are hundreds of trees and or bushes blocking your line.

As I go through my list here and type out definitions for these words and phrases, it occurs to me that more than one of them are novel terms for classic golf excuses. A good example is fickle factor, or for those who prefer saltier language, fickle f#% factor. My favorite application is when a player has a shot that is wide open and uncomplicated except for a lone twig that appears to be as light and thin as a pipecleaner- and somehow that twig stops his disc dead in its tracks. A more objective view might be that he should have seen that twig and avoided it, but instead he assigns the blame to the ‘fickle factor’.

We also have other ‘factors’, my favorite of which is alternatively referred to as Chutzpah Factor or Scrotal Factor. It is usually referenced in regards to a shot taken that was difficult and might easily have had disastrous results. A more common way of expressing this sentiment would be to say that the shot took ‘big cajones’. Scrotal factor is the scale that determines exact how much cajones the shot required.

Having to reach through several limbs and branches to execute his shot, this player has a legitimate claim to being 'foliated'. Since the green behind slopes sharply downhill, if he goes for the basket the shot will have a high 'scrotal factor'. Photo by Asaf.
Having to reach through several limbs and branches to execute his shot, this player has a legitimate claim to being ‘foliated’. Since the green behind slopes sharply downhill, if he goes for the basket the shot will have a high ‘scrotal factor’. Photo by Asaf.

Another category not to be overlooked relates to good-natured gamesmanship between frequent competitors. For instance, my friend Alan often likes to put extra pressure on me before putts (and I occasionally return the favor). He uses reverse psychology at select times by asserting that putts inside the 10-meter circle are in the ‘Jack Zone’, meaning they are automatic for me. I assure you, they are not.

My similar weapon is not reverse psychology but the sadistic reminder of his lifelong struggle with short putts. He deals with this struggle by using a flip putt when close to the basket, but there is always a gray area when he has trouble deciding whether a putt is too long to flip. I sometimes refer to that gray area – usually for him between 15 and 20 feet out, depending on wind direction – as the Alan Belt. If I’m playing doubles against him, I might say to my partner (loud enough for Alan to overhear), “Oooh. That one is right in the Alan Zone.”

A flip putt is attempted from the edge of the Alan Belt. Photo by Jack Trageser
A flip putt is attempted from the edge of the Alan Belt. Photo by Jack Trageser

Another one to mention quickly is Allenfreude. I won’t go into detail on it here, but it is related to the famous German word schadenfreude. Follow the link to a previous blog post for a description. I’m sure others can relate.

As a reminder, this is the kind of teasing that is appropriate among friends only- and we have an understanding that these types of mind games are only to be used when defeat appears imminent. Don’t try this with the thick-necked guy on your course with a temper and a short fuse.

So my question to you, the reader, is which of these terms do you identify with the most? Better yet, share some of your own, with a description of how and when they are used. Language is a big part of any shared experienced, and few subcultures have a richer lexicon than the disc golf community. Let’s add to it!

Disc Review: MVP Resistor

by frisbeebrain, posted in Uncategorized

I love the way we provide three distinctly different perspectives when we review discs over at Rattling Chains as it allows me to provide not only the ‘expert’ player assessment but also subjective opinions as well. It frees me up from having to consider what players of other skill levels might think of a disc as PJ and Steve cover the recreational and amateur angles quite well.

At the end of my review from the perspective of a more experienced and advanced player, you can follow the link to read the recreational as well as amateur-level points-of-view as well.

The Resistor possesses two qualities that I value quite highly: It is stubbornly overstable, and has a completely flat top. The result, for me, is a disc that fits my power grip perfectly, giving me full confidence in being able to throw on the line required to get it to hold straight for the desired length of it’s flight. I’m not positive that the flat top is responsible, but I do know that such discs have always felt great in my hand- and experience has also taught me that the most overstable discs tend to have a mind of their own in terms of wanting to immediately fade. So comfort and control are paramount.

On its website MVP describes the Resistor as being ‘slower’ than it’s other fairway drivers, and lists it on it’s performance charts as not being capable of as much distance. But I tested it side-by-side with the Volt and time and again found the two had landed close to each other. The difference was that I gave the Resistor more anhyzer angle and the same amount of power. I also tried hard to put so much angle on some throws that the disc would land on an edge, like a wannabe roller. The Resistor would have none of it, flattening and then starting a fade every time before touching down on the ground. Hmmmm . . . maybe that’s how they came up with the name.

Whether your preference is to throw most shots on a hyzer angle, anhyzer angle, of flat, the most important quality of any disc is predictability. And when it matters most – when you need to avoid  OB or hazards where a disc can get lost – players tend to rely on overstable discs most often. I would trust the Resistor on an aggressive anhyzer line with a flight line that took it directly over a slimy OB pond, knowing it has the stuff to fade back to fairway when I want it to. Of course, hitting the right line is still up to me- but I know I can count on the Resistor to do it’s part. I wouldn’t expect to get max distance out of this disc, but that isn’t what it’s designed to do.

So that is my quick assessment after putting the Resistor through its paces and watching how it handles serious velocity and anhyzer angle (admirably). To read the evaluation of my comrades at Rattling Chains, who represent other points on the disc golfer spectrum, click here.

Disc Review: Vibram UnLace

by frisbeebrain, posted in disc golf, disc reviews, product review, product reviews, Vibram

When I started playing disc golf there was no such thing as ‘premium’ plastic. All discs were of the grade we now think of as standard (Innova calls theirs DX). For those who have thrown nothing but the ‘good stuff’ (most players who have taken up the game more recently and can afford the good stuff, you likely missed out on a great developmental tool.

You see, low-grade plastic discs become steadily more understable the more they’re used and inevitably whack trees and other hard surfaces. So that favorite stable driver of yours would become a little less stable over time, than even more ‘flippy’, and finally it would want to turn over all the time. But smart, observant players wouldn’t throw it on the scrap heap. Yeah, they might replace it with a new, more stable driver, but they’d leave Old Faithful in the bag because A- by then they’d become very familiar with its flight characteristics, and B- it would be able to perform a neat trick: start off as a low of mid-height hyzer, then flatten or even turn over a ways down the fairway. If you’ve ever (as a righthander) played a hole that is a low tunnel shot for 150 feet, then requires a a throw that turns right at the end. you know how useful this can be. Especially if your sidearm is less reliable.

Which brings us to the Vibram UnLace. For more accomplished, bigger-armed players, it’s a turnover disc that when thrown with the proper touch and finesse can be made to do all kinds of neat tricks. And the best part is that, unlike those old beat-in standard plastic discs from the pre-Climo era, it’s made of durable (read: indestructible) Vibram rubber. That means it won’t change once you’ve gotten used to it and learned how to get it to do those neat tricks.

I’ll admit that I’ve had it in my for a couple weeks now and still haven’t quite figured out the exact blends of power, hyzer, and line to get it to turn just when I want- but these things take time. Another plus is the better grip that rubber brings. That’s even more important when throwing touch shots.

I haven’t had time to get to know the UnLace like I hope to, but I’m a strong believer in the greater flexibility of understable discs when it comes to crafting mind-blowing, creative shots. I look forward to getting to know this baby and really learning what she can do.

This review also appears as part of a review over at RattlingChains.com. The approach we take for reviews on that site is to have three players with different levels of expertise review each disc, so hopefully readers get the perspective of someone with a game similar to theirs. You can read the full review here.

Part 2: Two univeral truths and 7.5 tips to help you improve your putting game

by frisbeebrain, posted in DaLearning Curve, DeLaBlahg, DeLaveaga, DGA, disc golf, disc golf instruction, frisbee golf, Jack Tupp, Jon Baldwin, putting, santa cruz

If you haven’t already read the first 3.5 tips (and two universal truths) presented in this two-part post on improving disc golf putting from the neck up, click here now and read Part One before you read this one. Then click the link at the bottom of that post to come back here!

4. Follow Through. Really, really follow through! Think about all the pictures you’ve seen of pro players having just released a putt. I guarantee that most of them will show a player with his or her arm extended almost perfect straight, and with all fingers and even thumb rigid and reaching out toward the target.

Team DGA captain Jon Baldwin demonstrates perfect follow-through. Note how his arm and even fingers all point straight toward the target. Photo by Mark Stiles.

Follow-through is an important aspect of mechanics is many different sports, especially those that include throwing a disc or ball. The benefit is two-fold: the best way to ensure consistent aim is to extend toward your target in an exaggerated fashion, and doing so will add a smoothness and extra bit of momentum that increases power and speed just enough to make a difference. I’ve had too many putts to count barely go in where I noticed as I brought the disc forward that my grip was a little off or I wasn’t providing enough speed, and compensated by following through as strongly as I could.

This might be tough to do right away as it requires developing muscles in a different way. But this short video tutorial demonstrates an exercise that will help you understand the concept as well as develop the form.

5. The formula for balancing commitment and confidence with intelligent game management. A big part of good putting is making a decision, then committing fully to that decision. But that doesn’t have to be a black-or-white, all or nothing equation. Think of it more like a sliding scale- or rather two sliding scales. On the first one you’ve got the difficulty of the putt itself: how long is it? What’s the wind doing? What obstacles do you have to navigate past? The second one measures the possible negative outcomes that may result if you miss the putt. Roll-aways are one of the most common of these, along with OB near the basket, and obstacles that might impede your comeback putt.

Players who simply decide to go for it or not lose strokes by not adjusting their approach in a more granular fashion. If you assess your odds of making an 80-foot putt at only 40 percent, but it’s a pretty flat, grassy field, you should be able to make some kind of run at the basket provided you throw the disc on an arc so it’s falling downward and sideways as it approaches the target. On the other hand, if you think you think your odds of hitting a 35-footer with a lake five feet from the basket are 60 percent, you’re taking a pretty big risk going for it rather than laying up.

I’m not a math person (far, far from it) but I’m certain that there are some advanced calculations going on behind the curtain in my head as I assess shots. I imagine they’d look something like this written out:

Where X is the probability of making and putt, and Y represents the odds of a miss resulting in taking an extra stroke or more, then X + Y = a ratio that tells me how much weight will be given to trying to make the putt versus making sure I can hit the comeback putt. For purposes of illustration, this ratio will be a scale between 0-100, with 100 being the most aggressive, go for it putt and zero being a complete layup.

If I have a downhill 40 foot putt on a windy day with hole 7 at DeLa in the long position, my equation would be something like .50X + .60Y = a go for it/play safe ratio of zero on the 1-100 scale. In other words, in that case I deemed the odds of something bad happening to high to go for a putt that I only had a 50/50 chance of making.

(remember I said I’m not a math guy, so don’t go telling me that .50 + .60 = 1.1. This isn’t real math.)

Another example: I’m at hole 6 at DeLa, 25 feet from the basket, which is in the long pin position right next to an OB road. I estimate my X value to be .85, and the Y value is .70 since missed putts here seem to end up in the road more often than not. What this results in is a putt where I go for it (since I’m very confident that I can make it), but with lots of touch and loft so if I don’t get it in it’ll have a good chance of staying safe. A go-for-it/play safe ratio of 76.

6. Use – but don’t abuse – those chains. Assuming you’re playing on a course with baskets, there is a specific firmness of a throw or putt that will give your disc the best chance of ending up in the basket. And just like the Three Bears’ beds to Goldilocks, it’s not too hard, or too soft, but just right.

Steady Ed Headrick designed the original Pole Hole to absorb the momentum of a flying disc. However, throws that are too weak or too hard have less chance of letting the chains do their job.

Steady Ed designed the chains in his Pole Hole to ‘catch’ the disc- in essence to arrest the momentum of the disc then drop it into the cage. There is a specific optimal firmness or speed of a putt where the chains perform this function the best. It’s hard to describe this exact optimal firmness, but when thinking about it now I think one of the best ways is through the sound the chains make when a perfect putt hits them and falls in. It’s full and musical, with a slightly delayed a smaller sound as the disc drops down into the cage. Putts that are too hard sound more violent, like loud cymbals, and putts that are too soft remind me of a bowling ball hitting only three pins.

The other reason to develop a putt with ‘just right’ firmness lends itself to a more visual description. The chain assembly of a basket is designed for the thrower to aim at the pole in the middle. If you’re thinking more about ‘tossing the disc into the basket cage you’re ignoring this design intention and also likely throwing a disc that approaches the basket falling away at a bad angle. Putts like this – even decently aimed ones – can tend to glance off outer chains and slide out to the weak side.

Conversely, putts that are too hard can penalize the thrower in a couple different ways. As the chains are only designed to reliably catch discs thrown up to a certain speed, harder putts tend to ricochet more violently and have a great chance to either bounce right out or blast right through before they can be ensnared. This can even happen to hard putts that are perfectly aimed. And of course a hard, line drive putt that completely misses the basket with end up further away.

7. Learn your range. This tip is more of a game management tip for those playing in a format where score is important. Also, it could be considered 5.5 as it really is a building block for employing Tip 5.

You are hopefully getting a little better the more you play and practice, but at any given moment in time you have a very specific range- or as described in Tip 5 the probability of making a putt. The key here is to be in tune with your range and base shot decisions on that range rather than your desire, or what you wish your range was. It’s situations just like this for which the term ‘wishful thinking’ was coined.

Humans, being emotional creatures, can easily let emotions and ego factor into decisions that really should be made in a completely Dr. Spock-like, logic-based manner. Knowing your range is all about boiling down putting decisions to nothing but a cold, detached assessment of your own capabilities. Not as easy done as said, I know.

And to make it even harder, our range is subject to wide variances from round-to-round or even hole-to-hole. Sometimes I’ll realize a few holes into a round that for whatever reason my putting game is just not there yet. Or maybe I realize that my back is a little stiff and it’s affecting my form. So on a putt I may usually go for aggressively, I’ll take also take these temporary factors into consideration and just lay it up.

Knowing your range means being realistic about where your general putting game is and making decisions accordingly, but it’s also about being in tune with the minor variables that pop up in the moment and adjusting to those accordingly as well.

Two univeral truths and 7.5 tips to help you improve your disc golf putting game

by frisbeebrain, posted in DaLearning Curve, DeLaBlahg, disc golf instruction, instruction, Jack Tupp, putting

Anyone who plays golf of any kind understands putting is a big part of the game. But surprisingly, most don’t take the time to develop the systematic approach required to produce real, lasting improvement. That’s good news for those who are willing to do so- assuming you’re interested in an advantage that directly translates to lower scores and more fun (because, you know, missed putts = NOT fun).

As the title of this posts claims, we’ll examine 7.5 ways to help you in this regard, but first, a good way to start is by recognizing that there are two universal truths in regards to putting in disc golf (and ball golf, for that matter):

  1. Consistent putting is a major component to consistently scoring well in disc golf
  2. More than any other element of the game, good putting requires a solid, well-developed ‘mental’ game.

The first point is important if you play tournaments, leagues, or any other type of competition where scores are accumulated over numerous rounds. You may shoot a hot round (where you’re ‘in the zone’) every now and then, but unless you consistently make a large majority of the putts you won’t consistently score well, regardless of how great the rest of your game is. Everyone can relate to how frustrating it is to have the best drives all round yet end up not having the best score.

The second point is the theme that ties together the tips listed below. Players are all different in terms of the physical aspects of putting technique, and what works for one player (grip, stance, form, etc.) won’t necessarily work for the next. Everyone, however, faces the same challenges and can benefit from the approaches addressed below.

As this is a collection of numerous concepts and some of them have been addressed in previous posts, make sure to follow the links to get the full explanation and illustrations of those points you’re interested in implementing. The tips, in no particular order:

1. Practice like you play, and play like you practice. You may have heard this before, but allow me to explain the particular relevance of this maxim to your putting game. When you’re ‘practicing’ your putting, mindlessly throwing discs at a basket in and of itself won’t do much good. In fact, it’s likely to reinforce bad habits. You need to try to simulate a real-round scenario with every putt. Find a way to make yourself believe that something is on the line. Go through the same routine you normally would when playing, and when you’re actually putting in a round on the course you’ll be able to draw upon the confidence you built during practice.

That brings us to playing like you practice, which simply refers to telling yourself to do what you’ve proven you can do over and over again in practice. Don’t let your mind get cluttered with thoughts of how important the putt it and what’s on the line: just tell yourself it’s no different than the 12 in a row you hit from the same distance in practice- assuming you were practicing like you play.

On putts like this one at Ryan Ranch DGC in Monterey, CA, consequences must be considered when planning the shot. Photo by Jack Trageser
On putts like this one at Ryan Ranch DGC in Monterey, CA, consequences must be considered when planning the shot. Photo by Jack Trageser

2. True practice strokes right before the putt. There are plenty of great lessons and techniques that can be borrowed from ball golf and applied to disc golf. This tip (the exception to list in that it is a much a technique as a mental tip) refers to the way ball golfers tend to simulate practice strokes just before the real thing in an effort to nail down the exact tempo they want to use. It’s usually not done it disc golf because of the difference between holding onto a club (which is done the same in practice swings as the one that counts) and holding onto a disc (which is obviously different, as we let the disc fly only when it’s time for the real thing). I found a way to get the best of both worlds, and it’s done wonders for my game.

To read the details on this one you’ll have to read this previous post, or for more instant gratification check out the video illustration. If you have time, though, read the post as it explains the full benefits of this pre-shot routine.

3. Develop a pre-putt routine, then stick to it. The previous tip is now a big part of my pre-shot routine. I do it every time I putt, without fail, and find it to be a big help in a number of ways. But whether you try it and use it isn’t the important thing in this tip. Everyone is different, and what works for me might not work for you. This tip is all about the importance of having some kind of routine.

You’ve probably seen the ‘above the surface’ (visible/audible) parts of others’ routines, like lining up the putt with the disc extended forward at eye level, or taking three deep breaths then stepping up to the mini-marker. These are cues that go along with the really important part of one’s routine- the progression of thoughts going through the player’s mind. Having a set routine is important because better you can stick to a set routine, the less chance fears, doubts, and random thoughts will cause you do do something you immediately regret.

Since you only have 30 seconds to execute your shot once it’s your turn to throw, that progression should start as early as possible- as soon as you’re able to size up your situation after your last throw. The first part of this mental routine involves doing all your risk-reward factoring and deciding if you’ll go for it and what type of approach you’ll take. Again, that is ideally all completed before it’s your turn to putt so that once you’re on the clock’ the actual execution is quick and decisive. The rest of your routine is covered in the next tip!

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3.5 When it’s time to putt, focus on the process, NOT the ‘value’ of the putt. Having a pre-shot routine is as much or more about NOT thinking the wrong thoughts as it is about thinking the right things. So many things can drift through our brains in high stress situations, and when putting almost all of them are detrimental to making the putt.

This is listed as number 3.5 on the list because it’s closely connected to number 3. Part of the reason for having a routine from which you never waver is to help you focus on the process only. If you allow emotional connects to enter your mind, like ‘I need this birdie’ or ‘if I miss this it might roll way down the hill’ or ‘I need to save par here to stay within a stroke of McBeth’ . . . let’s just say good things are less likely to happen.

Number two above is a big part of my pre-shot routine, and a perfect example of focusing on the process of executing the putt to the exclusion of everything else. During my practice strokes I visualize making a perfect putt, and go through the exact movements I would for the real putt. Then, when I’m ready for the real thing, it’s as simple as focusing on one link and telling myself the replicate the form and effort I just perfected 3-5 times in a row.

Four more tips

I promised you 7.5 tips, and so far you’ve only gotten 3.5 of them. Click here to read the other four tips now!

Celebrating women in disc golf: Women’s Week at Rattling Chains

by frisbeebrain, posted in disc golf, disc golf women, women is disc golf

Disc golf is perfect – or as close as can be – in so many ways, and gender neutrality can be counted among it’s strong points. Yet even though it’s growing rapidly among women, the number of guys that play still far outweighs the number of gals. That’s gotta change!

The other blog where most of my posts here appear – RattlingChains.com – has for the second year in a row dedicated an entire week of coverage to women in disc golf. We think the ladies and girls who play really love the sport, and feel that others will love it too if they just give it a try. It always makes my day when I see a foursome of women on the course having a ball. My contribution to Women’s Week at Rattling Chains appeared here, in a slightly different version than at Rattling Chains, but in case anyone happens upon this site and is not a regular reader of Rattling Chains, I wanted to post links to the other stories as well.

The week started with a profile of a 23-year old Swedish professional named Ragna Bygde. She was introduced to disc golf by her father and now has pretty lofty aspirations herself.

Next was my story, about a women’s disc golf clinic that my wife and two girls attended. My older daughter was so excited afterward that we attended a major pro event a few days later as spectators, following the top women’s group.

The story that ran next profiled another dedicated female player named Kristy King. I happen know Kristy as she is also based in Santa Cruz, and the story focused on a certain disc golf tattoo she has that likely is unique to her and her alone, that symbolizes what disc golf means to her.

Story number four of Women’s Week was written by a woman – frequent RC contributor Jenny Cook – about a disc golf entrepreneur and his efforts to promote the sport among women. You can read more to see how ‘The Disc Golf Guy’ is putting more than just lip service into his efforts to get women into tournaments and league play.

The week wrapped up with a touching piece about a woman who went through a life-threatening medical issue and came through it in part thanks to disc golf and the local disc golfing community, who she considers a second family.

If you are a female and play disc golf, feel free to share your experiences with us. What do you like about disc golf, and what do you think can be improved to help the sport appeal to more women? And any ideas to give it more exposure among the gender that makes up slightly more than half the world’s population is appreciated as well. Most guys agree that the more females that play, the better!

Women’s disc golf clinics attract wide range participants, create young fans

by frisbeebrain, posted in disc golf instruction, disc golf women, santa cruz, women is disc golf

If I had known it would be the subject of an article, I’d have approached this event much differently. We think and act much differently when we’re wearing our journalist hats (you know, the fedoras with ‘Press’ taped on the side). But I was just really excited that my wife and daughters had not only agreed to but were even looking forward to a disc golf clinic. At least – being in Dad Mode – I was quick to snap lots of pictures.

The event was a women’s disc golf clinic put on by Prodigy Disc team members Sarah Hokom and Paige Pierce in Santa Cruz, three days before the Masters Cup National Tour Event. The excitement came from the fact that I’ve waited for a long time for them to show interest in my favorite sport/activity/hobby/obsession. My wife used to play with me many years ago, before the kids came along, but it was always more about wanting to share something I loved. The kids have played a few times, but hadn’t gotten hooked into disc golf as of yet.

The clinic was scheduled for 5 PM, and as it happened it was particularly windy (and cold) for Santa Cruz in April. As a disc golf instructor, I can assure you that these are not ideal conditions for teaching or learning the basics of flying disc sports. We arrived a little before 5 PM, and aside from one lady were the first on the scene. Slipping into my journalist mode (it happens subconsciously- or maybe I’m just curious/chatty) I asked her about what brought her there. She told me she was from San Francisco (a 1-2 hour drive, depending on traffic) and had played a week earlier in the Amateur Masters Cup event. The clinic was promoted during that week and during the Daisy Chains Women’s tourney in Santa Cruz County the week between the Am and Pro Masters Cup weekends. Clearly this clinic had been well-planned.

I caught up with Sarah Hokom when she was already in Georgia for the Hall of Fame Classic on the PDGA HQ grounds, and asked her a few questions. She was understandably busy during the clinic, and as I mentioned already, I was more focused on watching my wife and kids. According to Hokom, the clinic was the fourth she and Pierce had conducted that year, with “at least a dozen” more planned to take place. She said that so far she has seen 10-15 participants at each event, and the number correlated to the level of local promotion. I didn’t count, but I thought I saw somewhere between 15 and 20.

Pierce and Hokom set up a table with some Prodigy discs and shirts, and asked each participant to fill out a short form with contact info and a short questionnaire. Hokom  – a former high school teacher – said she’s working on a survey for more formal feedback, “but so far, many of the attendees have reached out to me with positive responses.” And as to who typically shows up for the clinics:

“I get all types of players,” said Hokom. “There have been new players at each one, seasoned players and all types in between.

After waiting for 10 minutes past the listed start time to allow for those operating on ‘Santa Cruz Time’ to show up, they began by having the participants pair up to play catch and warm up. Good idea- especially on a chilly day. My younger daughter paired up with Pierce and took the assignment very seriously. After they warmed up, they broke into two groups, with Pierce teaching the basics of backhand throws and Hokom sharing the secrets of her deadly sidearm technique.

Sarah Hokom demonstrating proper sidearm technique. Photo by Jack Trageser
Sarah Hokom demonstrating proper sidearm technique. Photo by Jack Trageser

As a fellow disc golf instructor I was impressed with the lesson in a couple of different ways. First of all, it was clear to me pretty quickly that some women are for whatever reason more receptive to instruction by other women. My wife and girls, for instance. They made some advances that afternoon that were really encouraging. And I don’t attribute it to just the ‘female connection’ thing- although that is significant. Hokom and Pierce made some great points that stuck with my older girl in particular, like Paige telling her to snap her backhand at the point of release. It’s not something I teach, but really helped my daughter throw with more armspeed.

Paige Pierce of Prodigy Disc explains the basics of proper technique for backhand throws in disc golf. Photo by Jack Trageser.
Paige Pierce of Prodigy Disc explains the basics of proper technique for backhand throws in disc golf. Photo by Jack Trageser.

We had to leave early as the girls got cold, and it was a school night. But the lesson had inspired my oldest, and she insisted we go out on the weekend to watch the women’s lead card of Pierce, Hokom, Innova Disc Golf team member Valarie Jenkins and eventual winner Catrina Ulibarri. I had figured on watching about an hour or so of the action. But my daughter – who at first rooted for Pierce after the lesson but then switched allegiance to Jenkins once she realized that Val and I were in Discmasters together, insisted on sticking there for the full 4.5 hour round. She was wearing a thin cotton tank-top and obviously cold (blame that one on Dad), but she was hooked on the action. And she got the full experience. All the women in the group signed a disc for her, she got to hold the leaderboard for short intervals, and Val in particular was gracious enough to acknowledge her repeated compliments and commiserations.

A young fan holds the leaderboard and watches Masters Cup winner and Prodigy Disc team member drive on hole 7 at DeLaveaga Disc Golf Course. Photo by Jack Trageser.

The clinic encouraged my wife and both my daughters because they all experienced noticeable progress in throwing straighter and farther than in the past. My older daughter had stars in her eyes after getting to see Pierce, Hokom, Ulibarri and Jenkins in action up close. I’m not sure which (participating in clinics or seeing top pros competing at National Tour event) has more potential to increase female participation in disc golf, but both seemed to be well-received by the women and girls that showed up. The trick is getting them there. Will disc golf ever be as popular among women as it is among men?

“The nature of sports and the nature of women conflict more often than for men, so no” said Hokom. “Its not that women don’t enjoy it, its just that less women enjoy it than men.”

Valarie Jenkins poses for a picture with a young fan at the end of her round on the 2nd day of Masters Cup action at DeLaveaga Disc Golf Course in Santa Cruz, CA. Photo by Jack Trageser.
Valarie Jenkins poses for a picture with a young fan at the end of her round on the 2nd day of Masters Cup action at DeLaveaga Disc Golf Course in Santa Cruz, CA. Photo by Jack Trageser.

Hokom said she is promoting the formation of ladies leagues because “I think they are helping the growth of women in the sport and provide a supportive and fun environment for more women to play.” Based on what I witnessed in April, and what the local female disc golfing population tell me, I’d say she’s right. Hopefully the trend toward women’s clinics, leagues and tournaments continues. I know at least one young girl who plans to show up.