Keep Your Score with ScoreBand!
Posted by randomtiz
What do you keep track of your disc golf scores with?
Do you find yourself fumbling through your disc golf bag in search for that dang pencil or constantly pulling out your smartphone after each hole to keep track of your scores?
Well what if I told you that there is a much easier, and simpler way to keep up with your scores? There is, and I was fortunate enough to come across it via Women’s Pro Disc Golfer/Model Holly Finley on Twitter. It’s called the ScoreBand®.
The ScoreBand® is a slick, portable, and convenient silicone wristband that allows you to track your scores in three different modes! Not only is it a watch too, ScoreBand® has a Tennis mode, Golf mode and an All Score mode. Since I’m a disc golfer, this review will mostly go in-depth about the Golf mode because it closest relates to our sport.
The Look:
The ScoreBand® is sweat & water-resistant and made of a grippy, non-slip silicone material. Normally I’m not one to wear things upon my wrists while playing because my mindset is that I feel like they mess me up. =) But this on the other hand, is very comfortable and does not slide up and down when I throw. It has a very slim, modern design to it which I find pretty cool and stylish. It comes in two band colors (black and white) and has four button colors (green, orange, pink and grey) available to choose from—making 8 different possible color combinations. Each wristband is available in four size options from Small to X-Large as well.
Getting Started:
Ok, the ScoreBand® is very easy to use. No fancy screens. No unnecessary buttons. No wacky user interface. It’s simple. It’s functional. That’s all we’re looking for here. Great for the active person that just wants a solution to quickly track scores in a convenient manner.
On the wristband, you simply have two buttons on the face—an up and a down arrow. This is how you’ll enter your scores. First, let’s get to the mode that we’re going to use. By default, the Time (watch) mode is displayed first. To toggle through the other modes, press the silver button on the right side. If you’re a disc golfer, use the Golf mode. You know you’re in Golf mode setting when you see the small “G” in the center of the screen.
Entering Scores: GOLF Mode
You’ll use the up and down arrows to your record your throws for each hole. The top digit is your hole score while the bottom digit is your round score. For example, you make it in the basket in 3 throws on the first hole. You would tap the up arrow 3x until “3” is displayed. Now that your number of strokes is displayed on top, next hold down the down arrow for 3 seconds to “enter” that score. The entered score “3” will now show in the bottom spot as your total round score. Then say you get a “4” on Hole 2. Arrow up 4x, hold the down arrow for the 3 seconds to enter that score and you’ll notice the bottom number then changes to “7”. You get the point, right? Easy!
If you go past your number while arrowing up, just tap the down arrow to count back down. And what I like about this, is how easy it is to hit the buttons. You can still be walking & talking and not really have to pay attention to entering in the numbers—unlike trying to track it on a cellphone when you have to make sure you’re on the correct screen. You’ll be at the next teepad in no time while you’re buddy’s back there fiddling with his smartphone score tracking app. This is great for the social disc golfer.
Using the All Score Mode:
The All Score mode can be used to your advantage if you would like to track more statistics. Try using it in tandem with the Golf mode while you’re playing to record things such as fairways hit or putts made. Toggling between different modes does not erase or interfere with the scorekeeping.
I know fairways in disc golf are a little different than ball golf, but you might be interested in keeping track with how many of your drives land in the “fairway” when you play. Think about it, have you ever really thought about what your driving accuracy was when playing? Maybe you record how many putts it took you total in a round. For those that want to increase their putting accuracy, try using the All Score mode to tally those. You could even use the All Score mode to track your Birdies in a round. Another option would be to track a friend’s score using it while you use the Golf Mode. There’s numerous possibilities here, use it to your advantage my friend.
My Experience and Final Thoughts:
I have thoroughly enjoyed the month and a half of testing I’ve put the ScoreBand® through. With its stylish, slick appearance, I wear it as my everyday watch. It’s extremely lightweight and I forget it’s even on my wrist sometimes. When playing disc golf with it, I never have to worry about not keeping a round score because my cellphone battery is low.
Don’t get me wrong, I would never give up some of my smartphone scoring apps. Because there definitely are times that I like to track lots of my stats and/or post them to social media. But like I said earlier, it’s great for people that are looking for a simple, easy way to track score without the hassle of smartphone scoring apps and keeping up with score pencils. It would make a great gift for a child too to keep score while they’re playing. If there’s one thing I would change about the ScoreBand®, is that I wish it would indicate the hole number you’re on. On a few occasions my first day testing it, I couldn’t remember if I’d recorded the hole or not. But I did hear that that feature is coming. I also read where they had custom logo printing available on the bands, sweet!
All in all, if you’re looking for a stylish, lightweight wristband watch for yourself or an athlete in your family, I would recommend looking further into the ScoreBand®. They retail for around $24.99 and can be found in Golfsmith stores, Brookstone and several other stores listed on their website www.ScoreBand.net.
The ScoreBand® even won the “Best Product Concept Award” at the 2012 PGA Merchandise Show.
Four Modes:
-TIME: Displays Hour and Minute
-ALLSCORE: Keep Score, Statistics & Counts
-GOLF: Keep Hole & Round Score
-TENNIS: Keep Game & Set Score
The ScoreBand® Features:
-Water-resistant
-Comfortable & lightweight
-Fashionably designed for everyday wear
-Available in 8 colors and 4 sizes
-Infused with negative ion emitting minerals
-Conforms to USGA/R&A rules
-Eco-friendly silicone wristband
-Comes with 1-year manufacturer’s warranty
+Read more about ScoreBand on their website, www.ScoreBand.net.
+Follow ScoreBand on Twitter @TeamScoreBand.
Please share this post!
-jt
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Track Your Putts with ProPutt!
Posted by randomtiz
Now a quality app that tracks your putting statistics!
I have a practice basket at the house that I typically set up in the backyard to practice my putting on days that I can’t get out to the course for a round. Most of us frolfers have heard the saying “Drive for Show, Putt for Dough” and that my friends, is definitely true. Like ball golf, it’s all about the short game. You might ask yourself, What types of putts am I best at? What types of putts or conditions do I need the most improvement on? Well earlier this summer I came across a new app called ProPutt. And you might just find it to be the answer to all of the questions above.
About ProPutt:
According to their website, ProPutt is:
“ProPutt gives you the ability to effectively record your putting sessions and analyze where you need improvement. This will lead to more confident shots which will allow you to shoot lower scores every time you hit the course.”
This sounded like a really cool concept so I had to give it a try. Prior to this app, you’d find me out in the backyard with a stack of putting discs [and I say “putting discs” because I’m not a fan of real putters. I put with Innova Leopards, no joke. Anyway, I digress.] and a notepad and pen recording all of my putts. It was cumbersome and I looked like a middle school gym teacher with my clipboard. An app that could actually do this makes so much more sense.
*If you’d like to follow along with the actual app, you can download it here from the iTunes App Store for $1.99
(https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/proputt/id630269889?ls=1&mt=8).
Getting Started:
[Fig. 1A]
New Session:
Click the New Session button to get started [See Fig. 1a]. Here you’ll be able to set your variables for this putting session. I like to warm up at a closer range and then work my way back to a further distance. I’m going to start at 15′ for this demo [See Fig. 1b]. Next enter in how many putts you want the set to consist of. Since this is my warmup and I’m only putting from 15′, I’ll just start with 10 [See Fig. 1c]. It’s a nice sunny day out with a subtle breeze–light enough to not even call it windy. So I’ll check “calm” as the weather condition [See Fig. 1d]. I putt regular (as opposed to straddle putt) and I’m in my backyard, so my terrain is “flat”. There is an option to record “comebacks” as well. This is optional but it’s to track your progress on “dots” and “flushes”–which I’ll get to later. Now hit “Create”!
You’ve now created a session for 15’ (or whatever distance you chose). Within this 15’ session you created, you can add as many sets as you’d like. Lets just focus on one for now, the one we’re about to play. In the lower right corner, hit “+Add Set” [See Fig. 1e]. Now you’re ready to begin your first set.
![[Fig. 1b]](https://i2.wp.com/doglegdiscgolf.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/IMG_1819-175x300.jpg?fit=300%2C300) [Fig. 1b] |
![[Fig. 1c]](https://i2.wp.com/doglegdiscgolf.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/IMG_1820-175x300.jpg?fit=300%2C300) [Fig. 1c] |
![[Fig. 1d]](https://i0.wp.com/doglegdiscgolf.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/IMG_1821-175x300.jpg?fit=300%2C300) [Fig. 1d] |
![[Fig. 1e]](https://i1.wp.com/doglegdiscgolf.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/IMG_1822-175x300.jpg?fit=300%2C300) [Fig. 1e] |
New Set:
![[Fig. 2]](https://i2.wp.com/doglegdiscgolf.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/IMG_1824-175x300.jpg?resize=175%2C300)
[Fig. 2]
TIP #1: I would recommend recording your dots. This way–especially from longer distances–you can help keep track of your improvement of metals hit. Say for example if you’re putting from a further distance such as 50′ out–where normally you’d miss most of the shots from this distance. If you were tracking dots, you would know from set to set how many more shots you hit metal on.
TIP #2: Want to speed up your set scoring? Record only the dots as you hit them. You can tally your flushes after you’ve thrown the full set because those are the ones lying in the basket. Say you might forget how many metals you hit if you try to total those at the end of the set.
Watch as you record your flushes and dots, the “Putts Remaining” counts down. Once you’ve putted all your discs for that set, click “Save” in the upper right to record your set.
Viewing your Session:
After you complete your set and save it, you’re brought to the Session screen [See Fig. 3a]. Here you can view a summary of all your sets for the session. It shows how many sets you’ve played for that particular session along with how many flushes, dots and misses you scored. It also gives you your putting average.
If you swipe to the left, you’ll see the second screen where it allows you to enter notes for that session. For this session, for example, I was using my dgNOMAD portable target. It’s important to me that I notate that in the notes section because this particular target has a much smaller diameter target area to hit. That way I can see how my accuracy percentage increases on such a tighter target area [Fig. 3b].
From this screen you can start a new set or view previous sets. If you click “Sets” in the lower left, you’ll see all sets recorded for this particular session [Fig. 3c]. It shows the flushes made, dots and misses along with a timestamp for each one.
![[Fig. 3a]](https://i0.wp.com/doglegdiscgolf.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/IMG_1825-175x300.jpg?fit=300%2C300) [Fig. 3a] |
![[Fig. 3b]](https://i0.wp.com/doglegdiscgolf.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/IMG_1877-175x300.jpg?fit=300%2C300) [Fig. 3b] |
![[Fig. 3c]](https://i2.wp.com/doglegdiscgolf.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/IMG_1880-175x300.jpg?fit=300%2C300) [Fig. 3c] |
It’s a Wr(app):
Overall I’ve been very pleased with the ProPutt app. I’m a very statistical person and love numbers. This app has been great for me tracking my putting statistics. I now have a better understanding from what distances I’m consistent with sinking (or nearly making) putts and in what conditions. I really like how easy it is to use and tracking my progress. I find myself out in the backyard practicing more and more using the ProPutt app by my side. The only thing I wish the app had was something that lets you record a specific disc with a set. For example, there’s several different models of discs that I putt with. I’d like to track my percentages with those different discs so I know which ones I’m more accurate with. I guess I could always put the name of the disc used in the notes section for each session and label it according to which set I used what disc.. I may just be overcomplicating things. If you’d like to improve your putting by learning which types of shots you’re more accurate from in certain conditions, I would definitely recommend this app. Thank you @ProPutApp for a well-made app!
You can download it here from the iTunes App Store for $1.99 (https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/proputt/id630269889?ls=1&mt=8).
For more info on ProPutt, check out their website here.
Thanks!
-jt
Dogleg Update: Where’s the posts?!
Posted by randomtiz
So you may have been wondering why there hasn’t been any new posts lately. As some of you guys know, I’m getting married in two week! I’ve been in full wedding mode this summer and apologize for lack of new activity on my end on the blog. Lots of planning and designing has gone into the wedding so far and it’s left me with little time to maintain the blog over the past few months.
I just wanted to update you all and let you know what’s been up here at Dogleg. No, we’re not going away. Come mid-October when I’m back out on the DG course playing and reviewing, expect lots more reviews and posts. We’ve got several reviews that we’re working on writing, filming and editing that we hope to go live within the next two weeks! With my free time being few and far between, just know that I’m working on the blog the best I can. =) This is a very exciting and special time in my life, so my second true love of disc golf is getting the back burner for the next few weeks. Ha!
Thank you to all of our loyal fans and friends out there for understanding and keeping up with the crew!
Many good things will be happening to/on the blog in October and the following months. Get ready. And don’t forget to..Blog the Dog!
-jt
Dogleg DG (& JT’s beard) featured on Go Ham’s TWIDG!
Posted by randomtiz
Earlier this week, Dogleg JT’s article “Prodigy First Run D1/D4 Full Review” was featured on Go Ham Disc Golf’s “This Week in Disc Golf (TWIDG)” weekly YouTube segment! What also got a mention in Go Ham’s video?… JT’s beard! Lol. Check it out around the 3:10 mark!
Here at Dogleg, we get pretty excited whenever we get featured on Big John’s vids. A BIG thanks to him for giving us a shoutout and featuring us once again in a vid! Check out Go Ham’s YouTube channel here.
Read JT’s “Prodigy First Run D1/D4 Full Review” post here if you haven’t already. It’s an in-depth review complete with video clips of us throwing and several pics.
Prodigy First Run D1/D4 Full Review by JT
Posted by randomtiz
Alright guys, today I would like to take a moment and offer a more in-depth review of the latest Prodigy D1 and D4 “First Run” stamp discs.
Earlier in February, fellow Doglegger Jeremiah wrote a review on the Prodigy D1 and D4 “Proto” stamp discs here on the blog. Since, Prodigy has released the “First Runs” about a month ago. So I wanted to elaborate on Jeremiah’s review with a more in-depth look for the newly tweaked “First Runs”. In this review I will cover such characteristics as grip, look and feel, flight patterns and more. I would like to include several vid clips and pics below in the article that we took while testing these two discs out.
Let me preface this by stating that before I write any disc reviews, I will always take the disc out on the course multiple rounds and play several weeks with it first. I also normally test the disc at a few different local courses as well. This helps me get a better understanding of how the disc reacts in different weather conditions as well as terrain—whether it be open fields or tighter, wooded courses. I want my reviews to be fair, honest and from my perspective. Keep in mind this review is solely my opinion and does not necessarily reflect the same opinions of other Dogleggers.
The Discs:
About a month ago, I got a hold of both the new Prodigy D1 and D4 “First Run” discs from InfiniteDiscs.com. I was extremely ecstatic the day both arrived in the mail! I was like a kid in a candy shop. The wait was over. Ever since the D1/D4’s release, I had heard nothing but great things about Prodigy discs. I felt like I just had to have a piece of disc golf history (well I’d like to think anyway). Friends had told me the discs felt like no other plastic out on the market and even adding 20-30 feet to their drives. Seriously? A new brand of disc could do that? I was slightly gullible, so of course I was going to give them a try!
Upon pulling the brand new discs out of the box, I instantly noticed a completely different feel to the plastic. A grippy coating unlike any other I had seen before—which I liked already. Now don’t get me wrong, I’m still not falling for any hype until I tested it myself. Let’s do this…[time-lapse]
Over the past four weeks I’ve thrown and tested out both Prodigy D1 and D4’s. I have finally gathered enough observations to give it a fair review. Daylight Savings Time had not yet switched over yet when I received the discs which meant it was dark already after I got off work each day. Ugh I hated it getting dark so early. I remember being antsy that entire week until the weekend rolled around before I could play. Finally, I could actually make it out during daylight hours to test them.
The Grip:
As I mentioned earlier, I was drawn to Prodigy’s grip right away. It has a solid firm feel with a good amount of grip on it. It seems like it would be a slippery disc with its translucent appearance. Innova Pro Katanas have been my go-to driver for the last three years. I love the Katana’s feel and the wider-rimmed edges which fit nicely in my long fingers. I was surprised to find that both of the Prodigy’s have a wide rim as well (According to Infinite Disc’s website, the Prodigy’s rim width is 2.3cm compared to the Katana’s 2.5cm). Could one of the Prodigy’s become my go-to replacement?
Prodigy is calling the grip on these two discs the 400 series. According to Prodigy’s website,
“The 400 series is a premium blend of material that is extremely durable. The unique blend of plastics feels as good as it looks and will be able to be broken in over time. This tour quality plastic gives the thrower better grip even when it is wet.”
A lot of high-speed discs are flatter and have sharper outside edges. Sometimes this sharpness can cut into your tightly curled fingers upon release..which sucks. But neither Prodigy did. Both of the Prodigy discs felt very comfortable with my grip (modified Split Power/Fork grip). The slightly taller height of the disc—compared to the Katana—helped it fit better and tighter in my hand. It also seemed to make it feel less sharp on that outer edge. Both discs are made up of a firm, very durable, high-performance plastic that feels great, but can it fly?
The Flight:
• First course test: Alexander Park DGC, Hole #3 (FYI, all Prodigy discs are stamped just up the road from this course at Disc Stalker.)
• First disc up: Prodigy D1
• Weather conditions: Overcast, mid-30s with 15-20 mph winds
The D1 is Prodigy’s very fast, overstable distance driver recommended for advanced players and power throwers alike. Infinite Discs rates this disc’s flight characteristics as 13|6|0|3.
The D4 is Prodigy’s most understable disc in their line. It is still a high-speed disc and not as understable as one might think. Don’t be fooled by its “understable” label. It is a serious disc that players of all skill level will enjoy. It flies extremely far and has lots of glide. Infinite Discs rates the D4’s flight characteristics as 13|6|-3|2.
OK, so my first throw with the D1 was terrible I will admit. Ha of course I’ll blame it on the wind all day, but it did soar out of my hand and straight into the treeline as a wind pocket lifted it high and right. The D1 is not a beginner-level disc by any means and does require a good bit of arm to get it to plane out like it’s designed too. I didn’t put near enough power into that one, so we’ll try again next hole.
The D4 is a lot more understable and seemed to us much easier to throw at first than the D1 did. Destin had the first throw with the D1 and actually did pretty well with it. You can see him in action on the short clip below on Hole #3 at Alexander Park. Listen to the wind in the clip; it was mid-30s with 15-20 mph winds that day.
It took me a while—even a few weeks later—before I could really get down the release throwing the D1. I kept switching up between the D1 and the D4 for much of the first round trying to figure which disc best suited my throwing style. I agreed with Destin that first round and more so favored the D4. It wasn’t as difficult to throw, but again it could have been a combination of several factors including the huge wind gusts, cold fingers and first time throwing the discs. I wasn’t going to give up on it though, I was going to figure this disc out one way or another.
As the day went on, I found myself leaning more towards the D4 with its subtle S-curve. The D4 felt more comfortable in my hand pressed against my fingers. The D1 seems to have more on an inner bead which had a bit rougher inner lip compared to the D1. That day I just couldn’t throw the D1 hard enough to get it to turn at a high enough rate of speed. It had a tighter fairway shot accompanied with a mean hook at the end which resulted in a big skip gaining me another 20 feet or so. It wasn’t until Hole #11 until I caught my break with the D4 (and longest drive I had all day) on a big shot down to the basket. You can hear the gusty winds in the background.
After a miserably cold and windy round, I still wasn’t completely satisfied that I had given the Prodigy discs a fair chance. I needed more practice, less wind and different playing conditions. Over a few more weekends worth of play, we tested the discs at Sequoyah Park, Oregon Park and Wills Park to help complete our review. The video below was taken on Hole #4 at Wills. Here I’m throwing the Prodigy D1. Now the D1 I had struggled with from the beginning because I couldn’t get enough arm behind my throw. After throwing it numerous times during several rounds, I finally figured out how I could tweak my own throw to compensate for its flight pattern. I loved its S-curve flight and big skip at the end. You can’t tell from the video, but the disc hits on the left side of the fairway and skips huge towards the basket. Not realizing how good of a shot it actually was, I was quite shocked when we approached the basket to find it lying about 10-ft past it on the bank. Yeaaa!
[Continue reading after the jump. You won’t want to miss =)]
My throw lands around 10-ft from the basket on the bank. Overshot it.
Destin teeing off with the D4 on the same hole.
Me with the D1 again (still frame from the video above).
Destin on Hole #6 giving the D4 all he has haha.
Final Thoughts:
D1: This disc is not for beginners nor slow throwers.. It takes a lot of arm to really power this bad boy. Designed for power throwers, it has mad consistency in the wind and stays true to its path. I found that I could keep this disc’s flight a lot more level than the D4’s. Play the hook at the end to your advantage. Place it to where you can gain from the skip at the end. Although not a fav of mine out of the box, it has now become my preferred Prodigy driver. It took weeks of practice, but I have adjusted my grip and throw to compensate for this very fast, strong driver. This disc has replaced a few other long-time drivers in my bag and is battling for top spot against my seasoned Pro Katana.
D4: Don’t be fooled by this disc’s “understable” label. It’s questionable if that at all. This disc is much easier to throw than the D1, but I still would not call this a beginner disc. It, like the D1, is a Speed 13 driver which means it’s very fast and requires an advanced arm to huck it right. It has a beautiful S-curve and I love to watch this thing sail. It has a comfortable grip and releases with ease. I’m a fan of the high-vis yellow color too as it makes this a good disc for late afternoon/sunset play. If I’ve got a little more room to play with on a fairway, I’ll reach for this driver. You’ll find this disc as well in my bag at all times.
Unless you’re a power thrower, I would try the D4 first in a weight that is close to what you normally throw. Both of these discs I have been very pleased with thus far in the month that I’ve had them. Haha now I don’t have big arms by any means, but I do throw hard. If you have the power arm to control these, hands down they’ll add a good bit more distance to your drives. Depending on the hole, I’ve noticed an average of 20-50 ft added onto my drives. Earlier this eve after work at Oregon Park, I threw my first ever 350+ drive with the D1. The glide and s-curve on it was amazing. And too, I’ve hit a few trees with them already and still show no signs of nicks or cuts into the plastic. Solid made. I truly think Prodigy has indeed put out a high quality product that was well worth the wait. No wonder some of disc golf’s top pros have left their previous sponsors to join Team Prodigy. I look forward to their midrange Spring release!
Where to Buy! (promo code):
You can click here to purchase the D1, or click here to purchase the D4. *Right now they’re giving our readers a discount on their orders which include a Prodigy disc – so be sure to use code “DogLegDG” when you checkout!
Thanks for reading and go buy you a Prodigy today!
-jt
Blog Update
Posted by randomtiz
Hey guys and gals!
I apologize for the lack of new posts lately here on the blog. For me personally, my last few months have been crazy busy between work, planning of our wedding and designing all of its printed collateral (Life of an engaged designer :)). Six more months til my wedding! I’m very excited about starting this new chapter in my life!
Early weekend mornings I’m still managing to find some free time to slip in a round of DG around everything else going on. My DG Fix! However, it also comes with less time to keep up my share of the posts lately I do realize. Anyways, enough of me.
A couple of things that I wanted to update you all with on Dogleg:
Enough reading for now, you should be out huckin’ plastic on this beautiful day! Hittin’ mid-70s today here in sunny Georgia! Go throw! Life is good.
-jt
Our One Disc Challenge
Posted by randomtiz
The Intro:
A few weeks ago fellow Doglegger, Destin, casually mentioned that we should battle in a “one” disc round at one of the local parks sometime soon. I had heard of people playing rounds with one disc before, but just the thought of being limited to only one disc did not sound fun to me. Even though I don’t carry a plethora of discs, I do like having options for different shot types I encounter. I’m always up for a fun, friendly competition so I took Destin up on the challenge.
What disc should I actually choose?
I wouldn’t say that there’s one disc in my bag that I would truly consider my all-around go-to disc. I do have a few that I throw often for multiple shot types, but never considered them for every single shot. I figured I could at least choose from some of those as a starting point. I knew we had at least one normal full round before the challenge, so I would take that opportunity to test some of those discs out.
The Discs:
Some of the discs I tried out were my beat Innova Leopard, Discraft Zombee (2012 Ace Race disc), Discraft Buzzz, and my new MVP Vector. Here’s my little background history for each of the above mentioned discs:
Innova DX Leopard (weight = ~171g) – This is the oldest disc that I have. I’ve used this disc for several years now and have carried it in my bag ever since. If you guys have been following my posts, you know that I mention this disc a lot and actually putt with this thing instead of a true putter. From several years of throwing it, I seem to know its exact flight path for approach/putting. I’ll use it for anything under 150. It has become very understable over the years—especially at high speeds, so teeing off with this thing is out of the question. I also use this disc if I’m in the woods and need a good anhyzer disc to get around trees. This beat Leo has a wonderful, big s-curve at short distances when thrown at an anny.
Discraft Z-line Zombee (weight = 175-176g) – The first time playing with this disc was at my first Ace Race last summer. This 2012 Discraft Ace Race disc was recently named the Zombee. I immediately fell in love with this straight-gliding shooter with small fade at the end. It has a shallow rim and is cupped out making it easier to rest a finger on the outside of the grooved rim. This disc can really hold its line for me when thrown hard enough and finishes with a nice slight fade at the end. The longest approach/putt shot I’ve ever hit was made with this disc a few months ago at around ~125 ft. Still [knock on wood] no Ace to date, but the closest I’ve ever came to one was also with this disc from around ~180 ft that hit the center post and bounced back out of the front of the chains, AHH! During a normal round, this is my go-to midrange for shots 100-230 ft or so. I’ve never teed off with this disc on a hole further than 250, so not sure how well it flies at max potential/speed. I haven’t really found anything I dislike about this disc so far.
Discraft X Buzzz (weight = 175g) – I’ve heard and read rave reviews on Discraft’s line of Buzzzs, so I just had to get one and try it out. I got a great deal on one off eBay several months back. I’ve heard how well they hold their line and overall how great a midrange disc they are. I will break this disc out every once in awhile, but I’ll be honest and say that I still haven’t quite figured out its best characteristic. Maybe I should just use it more often to really give it a chance. I tend more to use this disc in practice or for ‘gimme’ shots when my game’s not on the line. But with having used that beat Leo and Zombee for most shots under 200, I haven’t found a good enough reason to switch to the Buzzz full-time yet. I am sure it really is a great disc though; I just need more practice with it. It does feel great in-hand and has that solid, sturdy feel to it.
MVP Vector (weight = 176g) – This is the newest disc in my arsenal and has already found a permanent spot in my bag. For a midrange, I can throw this bad boy further than any other midrange disc I own. I don’t know if you know, but MVP discs supposedly have GYRO™ technology which gives its flight path a more stable/balanced, accurate and consistent glide. The Vector is slightly overstable making it more wind resistance. I was surprised at the results the first day I took this disc to the course, for a midrange. If thrown at a little harder speed, it has a very long glide and little fade at the end. Depending on the type of terrain you’re playing, the Vector’s “grippy” rubber-like edge could prove beneficial. I find this disc to have less of a skip and more of a “magnetic” stop when it hits. It seems to grip better to the ground—great for approaches/putts.
The Fan Poll:
These four discs had their advantages and disadvantages on the course that day, so I was still unable to fully commit to any one disc right away. I thought to myself, Do I go with a driver that can get me further distances off the pad, but then suffer on putts because it’s overstable? or Do I go with a midrange and get less tee distance but comes with better chances of sinking approaches and putts? Ahh the decisions. So here’s what I did. I turned to our awesome fanbase (you guys) on both our @DoglegDiscGolf Twitter and Dogleg Facebook and posed the question, “If you had to play a full 18-hole round with only ONE disc, what type of disc would it be?” We received a lot of great response and I want to thank you guys for that! Here’s some of the responses…
Facebook Feedback:
Billy T. – Discraft XS
Trey P. – If the course is long a mid-range, Buzz. If the course is mostly shorter holes I’ve had success throwing my putter.
Manuel L. – A echo star boss
Dylan C. – Glow aviar putter!
Justin A. – MVP vector
Aaron M. – flat dx roc
Tommy J. – Valkyrie or a buzzz
Destin W. – Zombee!! (2012 Ace Race Disc)
Oscar J. – 173 medium neutron Ion – Yellow Green – my name and number on inside rim.
Alan M. – Boss 136g
Robert T. – i would use my trusty discraft buzz
Jeremiah B. – Definitely a Roc.
Twitter Feed:
@WolfPackDiscs – DX viper #innova #discgolf played many one disc challenges with it
@Restonification – Z Buzz. What else is there?
@MCW7979 – From what’s in my bag right now, my Star TeeBird.
@captain_jager – simple that would be a crisp wraith. You can do anything with that disc.
@BigAppleachia – My Lat64 AirSaint147. Its a driver w/glide does anything a mid can, and putts too! #discgolf
@Delt_Nikolas – Ti Buzzz. Buttery smooth.
Challenge Day:
The challenge day was finally here. This past Saturday, we met up at Oregon Park. It’s early afternoon and the temp’s barely breaking 40 (we live in the South now). Wind conditions looking less than favorable and peaking at 15-20+ mph wind gusts. Not exactly my ideal conditions for a first time, one-disc challenge. But lets do this!
After all the feedback from our followers, I decided to go with the one disc that received the most votes—the Buzzz. Heck I’ll give it a shot. My choice: 175g Discraft Buzzz, Destin’s choice: 169g Innova Star TL.
For this one-disc round, we moved up to the shorter pads to better our Ace chances with the unruly wind conditions. I think we both had a rough start getting use to just throwing one disc and unsuccessfully controlling its inconsistent flight paths in the wind. Hole #1 was a downhill shot, which was a great way to start any round. Those downhill shots build confidence in your throws when you can easily go yard off the pad. Once we got past the first three holes out in the open, the course takes a turn for the woods. Shielded by tree lines from the wind, I did much better with my drives from there on out. The likeability of the Buzzz was growing on me when the wind no longer became a major factor. I was finally figuring out how to hold it and throw it further and further with a few minor hand adjustments.
| Gotta love Georgia Pines…always making a mess and leaving tight shots. |  |
“Needle”ss to say, it was a tight race throughout the round. Destin was on a high for beating me for the first time ever earlier that morning in a normal round. We were neck and neck until he birdied one late in the round, going one up. Then it came down to the final hole. Uphill into the crosswind. All I needed was a birdie and I could have tied it up…or he bogey..or even double. Nope, he got the best of that wind on that last hole. We both layed up close to the basket leaving for a short par toss each. Well-played Destin, well-played. [Below] Destin acting estactic as he pulled off back-to-back wins that day on me. First for both haha. Besides the wind, had a great day overall. Fun times. I call rematch.
Feel free to comment below with your One-Disc Challenge experiences and/or your favorite all-around discs. Enjoy! —jt
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dgNOMAD Glow Chains/Portable Disc Golf Glow Target Review by JT
Posted by randomtiz
Good evening!
Do you enjoy night disc golf? Have you ever wanted to get into night disc golf? Or do you simply wish you just had a super lightweight practice target that you could easily tote around and set up in minutes?
Just about everyone could use some practice on their short-game, right?
Well I might just have an idea—or solution if you will—if you answered “yes” to any of the above questions.
A few weeks ago I posted a teaser video for this upcoming review here on the blog. Let me just preface this by saying the filming of this 13 minute video review took longer than anticipated to cut, edit and produce the music track in it. But several weeks later and many late nights put into it, I can proudly say IT’S FINISHED!
Just in case you missed the teaser, the guys at dgNOMAD were grateful enough to send a set of their new UV Glow Chains for us to review right here on Dogleg. While I was at it, I also bought one of their Ultralight Portable UV Disc Golf Glow Targets to include in the review as well. Both of these products are awesome I must say!
OK enough of the suspense already, just watch the video review!
Once again, special thanks to Jeff at dgNOMAD for hooking us up and a BIG thanks to fellow Doglegger Justin for filming and producing this video. You guys rock!
To get your very own dgNOMAD Glow Chains or dgNOMAD Ultralight Portable Disc Golf Target, check them out at dgNOMAD.com. Tell them DoglegDiscGolf sent you! =)
-jt
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subscribe to our channel: youtube.com/doglegdiscgolf
Dogleg Featured: TWIDG by Go Ham
Posted by randomtiz
This past Friday, Dogleg Disc Golf made it again ad a feature on Go Ham Disc Golf’s “This Week in Disc Golf (TWIDG)”!
Fellow Dogleg contributor, Jeremiah, had two posts this week that made Go Ham’s weekly video. The first of the two was Jeremiah’s disc review of the new Prodigy D1 and D4. The second featured Dogleg post last week was the Disc Golf Addict–a pretty funny list you should check out.
Great job Jeremiah and a big thanks again to Big John at Go Ham!
Watch Go Ham’s TWIDG below:
»Read Jeremiah’s Prodigy D1/D4 Review here!
»Read Jeremiah’s “Disc Golf Addict” post here!
Golden Retriever, Not Always a Man’s Best Friend
Posted by randomtiz
Today I’m reviewing the “Golden Retriever” by Disc Diver. I bought a “Golden Retriever” about two years ago after I started losing more and more discs to ponds and lakes on disc golf courses that I was frequenting at the time. Reality is, losing discs suck. Especially on repeated occasions, because plastic “ain’t” cheap. I had even switched to discs such as Innova Dragon’s that float, but their super light 150g weight severely affected my distance from the box.
After multiple attempts with sticks, fishing rods and the occasional “swim” for a disc, I got tired of trudging through algae-infested mud-ridden ponds retrieving my weary discs. I knew there had to be a better alternative to fish out discs without having to actually swim with them in hopes to find my sunken disc and not catch some disease…
Then I found Disc Diver’s “Golden Retriever” and what seemed to be a clever invention–a disc retriever for discs sunken in the water. I watched the video on their site and was immediately sold. (Currently ~$25-30 on several disc golf websites out there.) I had just lost two discs a week earlier, so I was ecstatic about getting this thing in the mail. Almost considered rush shipping because I wanted those discs back that bad. Seems like a handy tool to frolfers everywhere, right? I’ll let you be the judge of that.
First you might ask What exactly is the Golden Retriever or How does the Golden Retriever work?
According to their website, DiscDiver.com, it is a fold-able device that’s “designed to retrieve sunken golf discs from the bottom of water hazards. It only takes a few seconds and is exceptionally easy to operate. The Discdiver ‘Golden Retriever’ is small enough to fit in any disc bag or back pocket.”
- Simply tug on the Golden Retriever’s throw rope to unfold it.
- Then toss it beyond the golf disc and pull across to retrieve.
- As it skims across the bottom of the hazard, it will scoop and retain the disc.
Seems easy, right? The concept of it is, yes, a fact very easy. Actually successfully throwing it and retrieving the disc? Not so much. Now let me explain; and this is why I named this post the way I did.
The Disc Diver “Golden Retriever” only successfully works under very specific conditions. If you watch the video on their site and notice, you can clearly see the disc sunken in the bottom of a shallow creek. The “Golden Retriever” works really when you can actually see your disc. I don’t know about you guys, but the ponds and lakes around here are both murky and have muddy bottoms. You’re S.O.L. trying to use one of these things around here as you throw blind into the water. The “Golden Retriever’s” back bar frame is barely as wide as the disc itself. With that said, you must have the “Golden Retriever” lined up almost perfectly behind the disc as you drag it over it. Just think if you can’t even see the disc?! Now you understand.
The goal is to throw it so it lands behind your disc. Let it hit the bottom, then carefully drag it towards you as you pull on the supplied 15-30 ft. line (TIP: Make damn sure you have the other end of your line tied to your body or bag. I’ve thrown the whole thing—line and all—into a pond before and spent another 30 min trying to retrieve that too!). As the “Golden Retriever” approaches your disc, the lip of the frame should catch on the underside of the rim of your disc. The disc somewhat “locks” into place in the back of the frame. Don’t try to lift up on it or you might drop the disc, just keep pulling straight towards you.
But what I’m not sold on is how effective it is in a variety of scenarios. Yes, it works wonderfully in a clear body of water with a smooth ground bottom. I would simply suggest actually observing the different bodies of water around your local courses before considering one of these. Like I mentioned earlier, here in the Southeastern states—where I play most of my disc golf–ponds are very murky, have muddy bottoms that often covered with algae, slimy plant life and debris. And I’m going to be perfectly honest with you; If your local ponds have any characteristics like the aforementioned pond descriptions, I do not see this product being of any help to you. Check out this picture to the side, this is what I “retrieved” with one throw into a disc golf pond while playing in Mississippi. If the pond has any kind of grass/weeds like that, there’s no way you’re returning anything that you hoped you would be. If you’re into kelp or need weeds for your home aquarium, go for it. =)
Another thing, this really only works if the bottom of the pond/lake/river is near flat. If there’s debris, large rocks, or limbs then you might be in trouble. The bottom floor needs to be near flat in order for the retriever to “scoop” up the disc. It does have a slight learning curve with getting it to fall and line up with your disc though. Don’t get me wrong, the “Golden Retriever” does have several great features as well as being super compact and portable! Its lightweight design has a high-vis color paint that helps visibility in slightly murky water. The ones I’ve seen online now actually come with up to 50 ft of line. Just keep in mind, it’s all about lining the retriever up with the sunken disc and being able to actually see the disc in the water. If these two conditions apply to your sunken disc, then you have a high chance of being able to recover your lost disc!
Honestly I’ve retrieved more of my friend’s discs than any of mine. It does work to a degree. I finally feel like I’ve gotten my money’s worth two years later. I take it with me every time I go out on the course just in case. But in most scenarios, this might not be your best friend when trouble arises.
Would love to hear anyone else’s stories and/or feedback if you own/or have ever used a Disc Diver “Golden Retriever”?
-jt
Support the Blog by Getting a Dogleg DG Tee!
Posted by randomtiz
We’re getting Dogleg Disc Golf Tees printed up! This “Original Logo” tee will be the first of several Dogleg Disc Golf merchandise items printed this year.
We will be selling the Limited Edition First Round for only $15! or…
PRE-PAY BY JANUARY 31 and get it for ONLY $11! (+s/h)
We’ll be offering these colors to begin with: Charcoal, Light Grey, White, Red, Green, Maroon, Pink, Purple, Goldenrod, Olive Drab, Blue, and Navy. The sizes available are Small-3X.
Trying to decide if the front will have a left pocket design of either the Dogleg logo or “Blog the Dog!”.
Contact JT or email DoglegDG@gmail.com for more details. Thanks!
Help support your favorite disc golf blog by purchasing a tee today! Remember ladies, a Dogleg tee would make a great Valentine’s Day gift! =)
-jt
Limited Edition First Round “Original Logo” Dogleg Disc Golf Tee
dgNOMAD UV Portable Target Review Teaser
Posted by randomtiz
Earlier this week I received my dgNOMAD Ultralight UV Portable Target and a set of Glow Chains for my DGA Mach Lite in the mail! Join some of the Dogleg Crew as we will be doing a full review of both of these products from dgNOMAD in another week or so here on our blog. Check out this quick teaser for now!
Enjoy!
-jt
Dogleg Disc Golf wins “TOP 5 Disc Golf Blogs” Award!
Posted by randomtiz
Check this out guys: Dogleg Disc Golf was named in Disc Golf Station’s “TOP 5 Disc Golf Blogs”!
I want to start by thanking DiscGolfStation.com for considering us as a top disc golf blog nominee. It’s such an honor to be chosen in the Top 5! To read the full details, definitely check out the results here: Top Disc Golf Blog Winners! Be sure to “Like” Disc Golf Station on Facebook!
Next, I want to thank all of our fellow Dogleg contributors—you guys help made this achievement possible! And of course, I could never forget our fan base and support of our friends.
A Message from JT:
Here at DoglegDiscGolf.com, we strive to be different. Our goal is to deliver fresh content in a way that can relate to our audience unlike any other disc golf out there. We’re not pros. We’re just regular guys and gals that freakin’ love disc golf. We try to go extra lengths to explain topics, cover events and write a more in-depth review on things like disc golf apps. If we can’t relate and connect to our audience on a personal level, we’ve missed the point. We’re not here for money. We’re here simply because we love what we do. Keep slingin’!
Continue the love by subscribing to our blog, “Like” us on Facebook, and/or Following us on Twitter @DoglegDiscGolf.
Lots more to come in 2013, thanks again!
-jt
Back-to-Back Weeks, Dogleg is Featured!
Posted by randomtiz
That’s right folks! Two weeks in a row, Dogleg was featured on GoHamDiscGolf’s “This Week in Disc Golf” weekly YouTube segment. To which both weeks Destin’s articles were featured. Way to go Destin!
This Week in Disc Golf (01-09-2013) — Destin’s post “Winter Disc Golf Adjustments – Weight & Grip” gets featured.
This Week in Disc Golf (01-16-2013) — Destin’s latest post “A Post For Beginners – Where to Start” gets featured.
Congrats again Destin and a big thanks to Big John @ GoHamDiscGolf for the shoutouts! Be sure to follow Big John’s disc golf Vlog here.
Weekend Recap Part II: White Oak Park
Posted by randomtiz
Our disc golf-filled Saturday last weekend concluded with a trip to White Oak Park DGC.
After a successful round at Deer Lick [Read Deer Lick DGC Recap here.], the three of us headed down the road to the next course on our list, White Oak.
White Oak Park Disc Golf Course is a very large, open park with long, beautiful rolling hills located in Dallas, GA. It is one of my Top 5 Georgia disc golf courses that I’ve played around here. Although I wish it was a lot closer to where I live, but the experience and the views never fail me each time I go. Two things that really draw me to White Oak Park are: 1) Several elevated teebox areas set you up nicely for long, open drives to a downhill basket and 2) Signature Hole #17’s pond-flyover to a peninsula green [See image inset below.]
Signature Hole #17 at White Oak Park. Yellow line indicates roughly a 180-200ft shot over the pond. Or take your chances on the blue line with a 380ft shot to the bank in front of the basket.
Once we got there, the disc golf part of the park (in the very back) was nearly vacant. Awesome, for disc golf. We met up with fellow contributor and Doglegger, Destin here to join us for this round. The weather was nice, mid 50’s and overcast with little wind. I was a little disappointed to find out that the park had temporarily removed holes #13 and 14 due to frolfers disrespect to neighboring properties. I started off with a rough start dropping me to +4 after just the first 2 holes. I think I hit every tree in sight. I turned it on at Hole #7 with a short-lived birdie streak run. Pulled it back together at the end and finished at +5. Not bad for me for that course.
Here’s a look at some pics from that day at White Oak along with videos of our Hole #17 pond-flyovers! I apologize for the crappy quality uploads from our phone.
Destin launching a killer drive from atop Hole #8’s elevated teebox area.
White Oak’s Hole #17 — Looking back towards teebox.
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*To read Destin’s White Oak Review and his tips on adjusting your grip and disc weight for winter weather, click here.
Weekend Recap: Deer Lick Park DGC
Posted by randomtiz
This past Saturday marked the first chance I’ve had this year to actually get out on the disc golf course. Prior to last weekend, I hadn’t played a round since being home for Thanksgiving. I was going through some serious disc golf withdrawals let me tell you. I normally play once a week. But with a strew of nasty weather, long work days, and being out-of-town on the weekends, I haven’t been able to.
Last weekend brought cloudy skies and milder temps reaching the mid 50s. Finally, it was nice enough to get out and throw. I had wanted to try a different course that I’d never played before. It’s a course that’s roughly an hour south of here called Deer Lick Park in Douglasville, GA. I actually tried to play this course last February when I just happened to be in the area. I only made it through the first six holes before calling it quits because I couldn’t feel my fingers any more. Obviously not dressed warm enough, temperatures were in the lower 40s that day with wind gusts near 20 mph. No condition to play in favorably. I wanted to give it another shot. So I called up the guys and it was time to roll!
Deer Lick starts out with two shorter holes barely breaking 200 ft. With not having played in well over a month, I was pretty satisfied when my first drive landed within 15 ft from the basket and sinking my first bird of the new year. Hole #3 got a little more interesting when the length doubled from the previous two holes and ran parallel to a large pond on the left. Not only did you have the pond and increasing wind speeds picking up, the fairway consisted of varying tree obstacles and being completely on a downward slant towards the pond.
Hole #4 we got to tee off throwing around powerline support cables to a downhill basket tucked into the wood line which was protected by a small, winding creek [Inset on right]. The next few tinkered through the woods and then back out to a field and across the street. In the pic below is Justin with a long par save attempt on #7.
#8 introduced us to a 463′ long straight, slightly downhill fairway that ran parallel to a county road. The only thing stopping a wayward disc were two rows of 6’+ tall shrubs. All three of us landed near the road if you were wondering. I had a terrible drive when I released the disc too late which pulled it way left (I’m LHBH thrower). It went smack into the thicket and dropped at the inside edge. I had a killer approach shot from ~300 and parked it within 10′ from the basket…Not sure how that happened, but I’ll take it.
As luck would have it, my bro lands behind a set of trees on Deer Lick’s #13. You can barely see him through the trees. Up and over for par save? You got this bro! [Inset image above.]
As we got to the back 9, #15 was pretty interesting. A kudzu-filled hole. [Inset image above.]
I really enjoyed Deer Lick Park. It sets less than 5 min off of I-20 West coming out of Atlanta. Very quite and serene in the disc golf area, hardly anyone playing disc golf. I like the courses where we can play at our own speed and not have to wait on the group ahead of us. This course was built back in 1997, but it well maintained. At this park, there are ball fields, a gymnasium, batting cages, skatepark, mini golf, and whatnot! This disc golf part of it is mild-moderately hilly with a good mix of long open holes and tighter, wooded holes. I did pretty well and lucked up with some incredible approach shots. I finished at +2—not too shabby considering not playing for over a month and being a newbie to the course. We had a good time all around and was a great first round for me of the new year. I will definitely go back and play there again.
-jt
UP NEXT: WHITE OAK PARK: WEEKEND RECAP COMING TOMORROW, STAY TUNED!
Prodigy 2013 – Founder Phil Arthur Video
Posted by randomtiz
I’m sure a lot of you guys may have already seen this video, but wanted to post the link for those that have not. I’m pretty stoked to find out too that their disc manufacturer is based here in Georgia!
I’ll try my best to get a hold of one of the D1 and/or D4 drivers coming out this month, January. We’d absolutely love to do a review on a Prodigy Disc! If you happen to get one, let us know too! They will be debuting as a limited release for now. They said they will hopefully have them all available to everyone by late Spring.
If you’d like to get your hand on some of these Prodigy discs, here’s how:
- Go to Prodigy Disc’s Facebook Page at http://on.fb.me/UwhIGm
- Have your local vendor send them their contact info via Facebook
- Prodigy will then reach out to them to set up an account
“Passion for the game.”
My Basketwrap Designs are Installed!
Posted by randomtiz
Check out one of my most recent graphic design pieces!
This past year, I’ve been working with Justin Littrell of Disc Golf Birmingham on designing basket wrap graphics for the new Inverness Disc Golf Course (InDiG0) in Hoover, AL. These 70″x4″ vinyl sticker wraps that would go on all 18 of their Innova DISCatcher® Pro baskets plus the practice basket.
As of about a month ago, they finally have them installed and thanks to Jasper buddy, Dylan, for taking this photo for us!
I think they turned out pretty sharp! What do you think?
If you’re interested in a vinyl sticker design for the baskets of your local course, let me know! Email me at doglegdg@gmail.com. You can check out more of my design+art at www.jthamman.com.
-jt
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“Like” Us on Facebook: Dogleg Disc Golf’s Facebook
Thanksgiving, Redemption Round
Posted by randomtiz
I love being home for the holidays, especially quality time with family. Over the past two years, I’ve gotten my Dad and younger brother both hooked into disc golf. So anytime we’re all in town, we always make it a point to go hit up a round together. A father/sons tradition we started over a year and a half ago when we finally got my Dad into playing. Always fun times, but we still always seem to manage to turn it into a friendly competition. Who will win it this year?
Our hometown has a course—small, flat and short, but a course nonetheless. We’re talking like ~3900 ft. total length for 18. It’s a great beginner course with the front 9 being mostly 150-200 ft long, through the trees. The rest of the course is pretty open and the back 9 are longer. There’s not an abundance of trees in general at the park, so wind gusts always provide an unpredictable, increased level of difficulty to this rather easy course.
Weekends back home fly by way too fast, especially when the drive there is roughly 3.5 hrs. So the only time we got in a chance to play a round was this past Saturday morning. Low 40s, cold (for down South) and very windy…of course it would be. But we have to make do with what little window of time we have. Rain, sleet or snow, we’re playing. Might as well make it two rounds, since it’s so short of a course. By the way, this is a course that is perfect for trying out new discs..no chance of losing one, or dinging one upside a tree. I figured this would be my chance to give my new Buzzz a redemption round.
Since I first started playing disc golf, I’ve been partial to Innova discs. And by “partial” I mean that’s the only brand of disc I had ever thrown up until a few months ago. I guess I’ve stuck with them because I “understood” their detailed flight ratings and descriptions moreso than any other brand of disc that I’ve come across. But anyways, I’m branching out. I’m moving on to other brands to give them a shot.
One disc that’s making its way into a permanent spot in my bag is the 2012 Discraft Ace Race disc, the Discraft Zombee. I love this disc. Neon red, it has stability, lots of glide and a slight lowspeed fade at the end. My other “non-Innova” disc that I bought recently was a bright blue Discraft X-Line Buzzz. I’ve played two rounds with it here in Georgia and did not instantly fall in love with it like all the rave reviews I’ve read over the past few months. I blamed my poor rounds on the idea that I may not be holding it correctly. I’d learn. And yes sir, that came true. The Buzzz was my go-to disc that chilly, windy lil morning in Alabama. I don’t know if it was the wind conditions or somehow I’d magically figured out a better way to hold that disc or what, but it was dead straight on the line that I would release it at. I drove with it on the front 9 and switched to the Zombee for much of the back 9.—It was a Discraft-kind-of-day.
I would go on and beat out my Dad and bro by almost 10 strokes the first round and 7 the next. I ended up shooting back-to-back (-5)’s. It turned out to be a great day indeed. Having family there and spending quality [DG] time with them made it just that much better. So it was a redemption round indeed for that Buzzz and me. My initial dislike for it has now changed. I will try it again this weekend when we play a few courses in Georgia. Hello Discraft [for now].
Any thoughts on Legacy or Latitude 64 discs? I’m in the market for a Legacy Rampage driver (173+) and a Latitude 64 Core mid-range (173+) disc if anyone would like to sell me one or make a trade. Let me know!
-jt
“Like Us” on Facebook!
Posted by randomtiz
After over a year and a half, our Dogleg Facebook page is finally up and running. I’m still working on getting more content onto it. But if you’re on Facebook, check us out. Dogleg Disc Golf Facebook.
Please “like” us by clicking the graphic below to go to our Facebook page and/or share with your friends. Thanks in advance!
-Dogleg Crew
Dogleg in Spotlight from GoHamDiscGolf
Posted by randomtiz
Check out the latest video below from GoHamDiscGolf. Dogleg Disc Golf was featured in this week’s “Disc Golf Source Spotlight”!
Exciting news for the Dogleg Crew for sure. Thanks again for all you guy’s continued support!
You can subscribe to GoHamDiscGolf’s YouTube channel for lots more disc golf related news stories and giveaways, by clicking here.
Zombee Apocketodisc
Posted by randomtiz
Today was another perfect morning for disc golf here in the outer perimeter north of the big ATL. A breezy, sun out, mid-60s day and nothing in the way of me and the disc golf course. Sequoyah Park DGC here I come.
Over the past several months I’ve been struggling down to find the right disc for my approach shots. I hesitate to call it a “mid-range” because often I’ll tend to throw anything from that <200 ft range. My go-to disc for the past few years has been a beat Leopard that I'd throw. It's a great disc and works really well for me, but it leaves too much guessing on the angle and windage.
Last week I got my first Buzzz and have been trying that the over the course the past few days. Still learning how to properly throw it with my style of throwing, but I am getting better with it. I haven't thrown it enough times to make a judgment on it yet, or review (fyi, it'll come down the line).
Anyways, back to my story and morning on the course… it's funny how on the days that the weather is beautiful, I usually tend to do worse. I don't know what it is. Distracted by the colorful falling leaves, the cool chill in the air, or the neighboring house burning leaves next to the park? Not sure, but I take in all of it. Every chance I get.
With that said, my round started off rough. Magnetic trees = unforgiving. Piles of leaves leave you searching/kicking leaves twice as long looking for your hidden white disc. Until I get to #10. Sequoyah's #10 is roughly 328 to the basket—You're teeing off from top of the hillside throwing over a valley to the basket on top of the next hill. Love this type of setup. So I tee of, and instantly my bright neon yellow Katana takes an awkward hyzer fast and hard to the right (I'm a LHBH thrower). It sails out of sight around the trees divides the #10 and #11 fairways. Just great.
I find my disc and have a horrible line to the basket. Trees, brush, shrubs, hillside, more trees…everything in my way. No clear shot. I have to jump to see the top of the basket. I’m at the bottom of the hill having to throw at an angle to the basket on top of the hill. Not yet comfortable with my Buzzz, I reach for my 2012 Ace Race Discraft Disc, the Zombee. I love this disc. I find myself throwing it more and more since that tournament back in August. It flies pretty straight and has an angled wing/lip for a better, more comfortable grasp. I tied for first, then lost in the CTP tie-breaker with this disc in that August Ace Race in Jasper. Pullin’ it outta the pocket, I’m going for it.
Sequoyah Park DGC #10. 126-footer for Bird! Basket is located on top of ridge indicated by the yellow rectangle.
My release is high, fast and slightly left. It whips through the hanging pine and barely clears the brush tops as it soars up the hillside threading trees. It makes it’s subtle hyzer fade around the trees and I hear chains. What? No way… I move from my position for a better viewing angle and that candy red Zombee is laying sideways in the chains. Scorrrrrrrrre! I count it off, roughly 126 ft. Which now becomes the longest shot I’ve hit yet. The Zombee will make its permanent spot in my bag. The Zombee’s are coming.
-jt
USED DISCS FOR SALE/TRADE!
Posted by randomtiz
USED DISCS FOR SALE/TRADE!
[top row]
•Intergalactic iii Championship Champion disc – $20
•Innova Star Beast (172g) – $11
•Innova Champion Groove (167g) – $9
•Discraft z-Line NukeSS (174g) – $11
•Innova DX Valkyrie (175g) – $6
[middle row]
•Innova Champion Boss (175g)- $8
•Innova Champion Blizzard Boss – $10
•Innova Star Wraith (175g)- $8
•Innova DX Wraith (169g) – $4
•Innova DX Cheetah (168?g) – $6
[bottom row]
•Innova DX Leopard (166g) – $6
•Innova DX Leopard (166g) – $6
•Innova DX Leopard (150g) – $6
•Innova DX Leopard (172g)- $6
•Innova DX Aviar putter (170g) – $6
►FOR FULL DESCRIPTIONS, click here!
*If interested, post a comment below or shoot us an email at DoglegDG[at]gmail.com.
Around the Rock: Disc Golf Game App Review
Posted by randomtiz
This past month and a half, I have been playing and testing out disc golf game apps for the iPhone. One of the latest ones I’ve been trying out is called Around the Rock Disc Golf Challenge by Tribaloid Games. I first found out about these guys through their twitter account, @ATRDiscGolf. Curious, I looked them up and found out what “Around The Rock Disc Golf” actually was. It looked like a pretty sweet arcade-style disc golf game from the few screenshots I saw. With the Daylight Savings Time ending and winter ahead, my discgolf-round-after-work would no longer be an option. I hate having to wait until the weekends to play now, but hey, I’m thankful that I can even do that! Anyways I was looking for an addictive disc golf app that I could play on these evenings after a long day at work. I had to check this one out.
At the time of downloading, I still had my old iPhone 3GS. I did not realize until later on that this game was optimized for the new iPhone 5. So I was confused when I first launched the game and noticed everything was blown up and hanging off the edges of the screen. How in the world was I supposed to play? Frustrated, I turned back to the app store to read the reviews/description for it and read that part about the optimization. Well, I was in luck. I had just so happened to upgrade to the iPhone 5 a few weeks prior and was waiting its arrival. So I wanted to delay this review until I gave it a fair shot on my new phone. Got my phone. So here goes..
Getting Started:
At the home screen I was welcomed with subtle animations in the background and NO music ambience—which I actually preferred. A previous disc golf game I reviewed had an annoying melody bit playing on the home screen that I was immediately put off by. Turn me off from the beginning and more than likely I’ll feel the same throughout the experience. So, yes, I was pleased to not have music on the home screen. A hovering, spinning island-like green in the air? This looks interesting. I’m hooked so far. Let’s start with Practice mode (and it says “Make Aces”..I like the sound of that).
First pop-up, instructions, YES! I’ve find the lack of this often in games and apps. I need to know how to play! So where’s the instructions?! Ya know? Usually it’s tucked away somewhere or not even there period. I was glad to see instructions popup immediately without having to search for them. I felt like they could have been a little larger on the screen, but at least they’re there. Oo I like this screen—definitely the arcade look, but this looks like the ultimate “disc golf dream”…Disc Golf Heaven?
Prepping to Throw:
Subtle wind noise, birds and crickets chirping fill the air. The blue compass indicator at the top of the screen is your directional pad/aim. Move this around to adjust for the wind and height of your throw. Next, you need to figure out how much power/disc you will need for your shot. This is indicated by a vertical scroller bar on the right side of the screen. Slide your finger up and down this to adjust the level of power. The lower the slider bar is, the lighter and less power (putter) the shot will be. For a driver, raise the slider bar towards the top. Anything in the middle would be like throwing your midrange. Pay attention to the distance to the basket in the bottom right of the screen. This will help in determining the amount of power you’ll need. I like how the location of the basket is indicated with rotating skyhigh yellow vertical lines. It’s easy to see way off in the distance (and times that the basket is located behind trees that block your line of view.) To actually throw, hold your finger on the red disc then quickly slide your finger up towards the top of the screen and release! Figuring out the windage, amount of power, and release point will take some practice. I like how it involves some physics and math so you’re not aceing every shot. If it’s that easy, what fun is that?
Ok I think I’ve got my throwing down for the most part, now let’s go try this Tournament mode. Wait..how do you quick Practice mode?? I’m only like 8 holes in. Do I really have to finish all 18 just to get back to the main menu screen? I don’t like that part of it. There should be an in-screen menu icon somewhere that I can click to easily quit. Please let me know if there is and I’m just overlooking it. Anyways, I had to double-tap my home button to get back to my phone’s home screen, close out the app, then restart it.
 Approach Shots: Now in Tournament mode, let’s discuss approach shots. Approach shots are set up just like your teepad shots. You have your wind indicator, power meter and distance to the basket showing. Depending on your tee shot went and the distance left to basket, you might need to power down on your power meter indicator. This is where you might need to move the indicator bar closer to the middle for a mid-range throw. Pay attention to the wind direction in relation to your basket position. Unfortunately I had a bad tee shot, which left me sitting right behind a big tree. Luckily the wind direction is in my favor so I’m going to angle this one up and to the right to allow my disc to curve around the tree back towards the basket. |
 Before teeing off on the next hole, pay close attention to the hole overview in the upper left corner. Most holes have multiple “floating islands”. You must land on one of these or else it’s Out of Bounds! Sometimes you will have to lay up because a full power throw might not necessarily get you to the second island. On the hole overview, you can see your current position indicated by a red dot and the basket’s position being a yellow dot. |
Putting:
Much the same as the first two, except for close-range shots you will need to downpower your throws and aim. The aiming target arrows place more eye-level with the basket. Adjust for slight windage if necessary. Pull your power level indicator bar almost all the way to the bottom to use your putter. Aim and fire away! Hopefully you heard chains on that one.
Try your best to stay out of and away from trees. I did notice a glitch when you land right up on a tree. Sometimes your next shot, the tree will cut into your view of the disc/basket. Gameplay-wise it won’t affect your throw, but mentally you’ll be throwing to a blind target.
Graphics:
I really enjoyed the arcade-style of the game as well as the graphics. Funky trees and funky floating islands make for an enjoyable sky-high, disc golf adventure in the clouds. Big plus on the rotating, tall yellow vertical beams that surround the hole. This makes it much easier to find the basket on those twisty holes with towering trees. I even liked the added “wisp” wind trail that follows the disc after each throw. And of course the added instructional graphic at the very beginning was a nice touch.
Sounds:
Like I mentioned earlier, very glad to not hear some cheesy intro tune at the main menu home screen. Sound effects sounded pretty good throughout my playing experience. During gameplay there was the subtle wind noise, birds and crickets chirping in the background which made for a nice outdoor ambiance. If I closed my eyes, it truly sounded like I was outdoors playing DG at my home course. Kudos there. And the sound we all love to hear, the rattling of the chains.
Summary:
Overall I very much enjoyed this disc golf game. It’s what I would consider to be the first arcade style of disc golf game that I’ve played/reviewed. It is challenging to say the least! I like having to guess how far my throws will go with the power indicator. It’s measured on a 9.6-12.5 meter—which I still not sure where that number range came from. Trying to figure out the right power level and correct aim will always have you coming back for more, practicing and honing in on your skills. It’s addictive enough because it’s challenging. I don’t like anything too easy, because one you beat or do awesome, then what?
My final thoughts to these guys that I feel did a really good job on the game! I feel like these few critique tips could help really put their app over the edge.
– Larger instructional graphic. There’s plenty of space on this screen that’s not utilized for the sake of the actual instructions. Having an iPhone 5, I found some of it difficult to read clearly.
– An in-screen menu. There needs to be a way to quit the game when you’re in Practice or Tournament mode. I don’t think you should have to finish all 18 holes just to get back to the main menu home screen. Hopefully, it’s there and I’m just overlooking it.
– Stuck in the Trees/View Glitch. I don’t know if there’s a way to fix this or not. But when you land in/behind a tree, your next shot is blocked by the limbs cutting into the disc/view of the basket. Nonetheless, it’ll teach you to stay as far away from the trees as possible!
-jt
» Go download Around the Rock Disc Golf now in the Apple Store for only $0.99!
Like this review? Be sure to check out our other disc golf app reviews here!
