Category: 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.

My input in reviewing the inFlight Guide is intended to provide the perspective of a veteran and well-informed disc golfer- as opposed to PJ, who is a squeaky-clean newbie by comparison. However, it occurs to me that for that very reason I’m likely not a poster child for someone who would use the tool on the company’s website much less purchase the printed guide. So I’ve also solicited the input of someone who serves as a human ‘disc performance guide’ on a daily basis, the guy who runs the very busy pro shop at DeLaveaga Disc Golf Course here in Santa Cruz, CA. His name is Mark Karleskind, and as a side-note he’s also the step-dad of 3-time world champ Nate Doss.

But before I go to Mark’s assessment, let me explain why I don’t really pay attention to any disc rating systems. I appreciate inbounds’ efforts to come up with a universal rating system that solves the issue of disparity between those provided by disc manufacturers like Innova, Discraft and Vibram, but that’s only one of the issues that I see limiting the usefulness of any type of system.

First of all – addressed in sections in the inFlight Guide titled ‘Assumptions’ and ‘Factors Affecting Disc Flight’ – there are many external factors to consider that will force a user to make mental adjustments to what is on the page (or screen). The endless combinations of those factors make any predictions of performance based on a system that takes only qualities of the disc into account iffy at best.

Next is the reality of any player plugged into her or his disc golf community typically makes disc purchasing decisions. Sure, we might read about a new disc in the magazine or see an ad online, but we’re much more likely to see it in action on the course. Either we see the guy we usually out-drive sail one past our disc off the tee and ask ‘what the (heck)?’, or the guy who likes to show off his latest and greatest will point it out before he even throws it. In either case, we’ll get the opportunity to ask detailed questions and probably even test it out for ourselves. No guide can compare that kind of customized, tactile information gathering experience.

My final reason is admittedly very subjective, but I’m sure I’m not alone in feeling this way. At this advanced point in my disc golf journey, I’m more set in my ways than newer players. Through much trial-and-error I’ve built a disc lineup that I know and trust, and additions to the ‘team’ are now somewhat rare. I added the ESP Nuke after hearing enough about it’s distance that I had to give it a try, and my intrigue with the idea of rubber discs led to the addition of several Vibram models in my bag. But in each of those cases a guide wouldn’t have affected my decision one way or the other. I wanted to see how those discs worked for me.

But enough about me. Keep in mind that my input is subjective and based on my perspective as a crotchety old guy that uses the same Aviar DX model he’s used for 15 years and still carries a roller he bought from Steady Ed in the mid-90’s. Yeah, that Steady Ed. Now let’s hear from Mark at the pro shop, a guy who is older and even more crotchety than me but is still more qualified to give an expert opinion on the inFlight Guide because he answers the same questions on disc performance again and again, sometimes dozens of times a day.

I visited Mark at his disc warehouse, and thought it was rather fitting that as he thumbed through the pages the setting behind him was a mural made of shelves of neatly stacked discs.

The first thing he noticed was that the entire guide was in alphabetical order, with all discs lumped into one group. “I’d list it by disc type, so people looking for a midrange could go to a section with only those discs” he said, after noticing that the Latitude 64 was surrounded by distance drivers. When I pointed out that the online tool lets users compare any three discs side-by-side, he said that was ideal.

Karleskind also noted that in today’s era of specialized discs, categories should go beyond just putt-and-approach, midrange, fairway driver and distance driver. He suggested adding a category for ‘super-long’ drivers as well. He then gave me his assessment of the overall usefulness of the inFlight Guide:

“I think it’s a good guide,” he said. “Whether players will spend money on it is another question, but I can see the online version getting lots of use. It’s free, and the ability to compare any three discs is something that has never been available. Plus, they can keep updating it with all the new discs that keep coming out.”

I asked him if he thought the printed guide would be a useful tool to have onsite at brick-and-mortar stores like his that sell disc golf discs. Oh yeah,” he replied. I’d use it myself just to illustrate the answers I give to people’s questions on which discs to buy. And when I’m real busy, customers can use it themselves.” A little later he came back to the subject again to add that the guide will be a great help to stores that have employees selling discs who aren’t experts on the game- like general sporting goods stores and corner markets. “They can easily look up a disc to help answer a question, and the book will help educate them over time.”

So there you have it. My resident disc-seller expert gives the combination of the printed and online inFlight Guides two ‘thumbers’ up.

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, right?

It is true of most things to which the words “subjective” and “opinion” may be applied. And so it is with disc golf courses, as well. When I read user-submitted course reviews on dgcoursereview.com, it’s clear that different people value different features in a disc golf course.

Disc golf courses can be quite unassuming.

Some of the most popular — and most famous — are almost invisible to the uninformed eye when not populated with clusters of people flinging bright colored flying discs. That is because one of the elements of disc golf of which its practitioners and proponents are most proud is its ability to conform to nearly any hikeable environment — with minimal or no alteration. In fact, for a large part of the disc golfing population, the more rugged, the better.

And then there are those — no less ardent in their love of the sport — who highly value open, flat fairways where their discs can soar unimpeded by the “thwack!” of a tree and have no chance of plummeting into a deep, dark brambly chasm.

It’s all a personal preference.

Some players like a remote course that is so removed from the hustle and bustle of civilization (and, they might say, the watchful eyes of Big Brother) that having to hike half a mile on foot just to reach it is a bonus. For others, that would be a deal-killer. They want convenience, safety, and even supervision, and couldn’t care less if the park is shared with other users and bordered by streets with cars constantly zipping by.

For some folks it’s all about the equipment.

If a course doesn’t have some type of permanent teepads and baskets (as opposed to posts or other objects), they have zero interest in playing it. On the other end of the spectrum, I know people who still regularly play courses like Old Sawmill in Pebble Beach, Calif., or Little Africa in Carmichael, Calif., even though neither has regular targets or teepads. They do so because the courses are set in amazing places, convenient to them, and/or consist of great hole designs. But they obviously don’t mind the lack of official equipment.

So what makes a course great in your eyes?

Personally, I break it down into two broad categories: courses that I can play on a regular or semi-regular basis (home courses), and courses I may only get to play once or twice (road courses).

Home Courses

For a home course, I’m looking first and foremost for variety and challenge.

If it has those elements I’ll come back again and again, despite it possibly having some other drawbacks. I want some long holes, and some that are short and technical. It’s fun to be able to throw big, booming shots in wide open space, but if that’s all there is, it gets boring. Give me some where I have to be very accurate in navigating obstacles, as well. If the terrain is varied and allows the course to include uphill, downhill and side-hill holes, that’s also a big plus.

I want a great course design that enables me to figure out how to score better over the course of many rounds and many months or even years — like a really tough brainteasing puzzle. To me the mental aspect of golf is the best part of the game, and course management is a big part of that. It’s pretty cool to have an “a-ha!” moment on a hole after already playing it 100 times.

And a little characteristic that few courses have but one that I prize highly is the technical green.

I think it’s great when you’re forced to really think about the ramifications of a missed putt, like whether it’s gonna roll or skip away, or even fly down a drop-off behind the basket. DeLaveaga is famous for it’s tough greens, and it’s a major reason why scoring averages in major events there played by top pros remains among the highest — despite the course being more than 30 years old.

Road Courses

Now let’s use the other category to discuss some other aspects of what makes a disc golf course great or merely good (I’m pretty biased in that, to me, there is no such thing as a bad disc golf course). The factors I listed above are important to me whether home or away, but here are some others that are especially important when I don’t know the course yet.

As far as equipment goes, I’ve become spoiled by Mach III or Mach V baskets and concrete teepads, but I’m flexible — to a point. I want some form of catching device that definitely lets the player know if the hole is complete or not. And as far as teepads, I want a good, flat, hard surface from which to throw my drives. And having uniform tees and baskets isn’t just about performance.

So those are my major criteria. As you can see, with me it’s almost all about the game itself. Facilities (partly due to being a guy) don’t matter to me. I can pack my water in, and easily find a place in the woods to dispense with the excess. I don’t usually have much need for a place to buy snacks or discs — although I certainly appreciate it when one is available.

But now it’s your turn.

I ask again — how do you rate a disc golf course? We want to know what the most important criteria are to you (like equipment, design, amenities, price and convenience) as well as what you value within those criteria (like challenging courses or must have bathrooms).

I’m hoping to get a big response in the comments section on this one, so even if your response is short, please post something. Ideally, one day nearly every community will have numerous courses, with each catering to a different type of preference. We’re already starting to see that in disc golf hotbeds like Santa Cruz, Calif., Austin, Texas, and Charlotte, North Carolina. Players in those areas have their choice of nearly all the differences listed above. But to help the future planners and designers of courses in future disc golf hotbeds, tell us what you want to see in courses.

Jack Trageser is the founder of School of Disc Golf and the instructional writer at RattlingChains.com. You can reach him at jack@schoolofdiscgolf.com.