For the love of the sport. A place for DG enthusiasts to share their thoughts.

Posts tagged “disc golf

100 Putts For 100 Days Challenge

Posted by Tricia Lafferty


If you ask any golfer what the weakest part of their game is, most will say putting. Putting is the most important part of the game, because it is how you actually close out a hole. It’s importance is also overlooked by a lot of players. It’s fun to go rip drives and see how far you can get a disc to fly, but standing 10-30 feet from the basket and repeatedly throw at it is less appealing. The most important part of putting is confidence. When you walk up to your lie and look at the basket, you have to believe you are going to make the putt. If you don’t, you’ve missed it before the disc even left your hand. Practicing putting will not only increase your putting skill, but confidence in yourself.

Sarah Hokom started a 100 Putts for 100 Days Challenge back in November. Starting in November takes her through the 100 days the lead up to The Memorial, which is officially the start of the National Tour for disc golfers. As of now, she is on day 56 of the challenge. She has been posting results, tips, putting games, and other information on her Facebook page. She is getting great results too! Follow along with Sarah here:

https://www.facebook.com/sarahhhokom

I am now a part of Team Infinite Discs, and am attending the Glass Blown Open in April/May 2015. Seeing the great results Sarah is getting, and knowing that I need a lot of work on my putting as well, I have been motivated to start the challenge. I began my challenge on January 1st, which will take me up to about two weeks before I leave for GBO. Having the two week window will also allow me to make up a day if I have to miss one.

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For Day 1 and 2 of the challenge, I set my baselines. The two styles of putts I want to work on are spin putts, and straddle putts. I did 100 putts in each of these styles over the first two days from 15 feet. 15 feet may seem short, but these are the putts that can’t be missed. I got 75/100 for Spin putts, and 77/100 for Straddle putts. My goal over this challenge is to increase these percentages to at least 85-90%. I will do a baseline check every two weeks to see how I am improving. I will also start baselining further distances as the challenge goes on.

In between these baseline checks, I will be playing putting games and changing things up every day so that I don’t get into a stale routine and lose interest in the challenge. I will be posting my progress and what I am doing on my Facebook page, so please follow along and give my page a “like”. Also comment and let me know if you are interested in your own challenge, or any advice and tips you may have for me!

https://www.facebook.com/TriciaLafferty13

Best of luck for a great 2015 Disc Golf Season!


Gear Review: Putter BeadZ

Posted by Tricia Lafferty


If you ask almost any player what their least favorite part and weakest part of their Disc Golf game is, the answer is usually putting. Putting is the part of the game where you actually score, and can drastically raise or lower your score. If you are a consistent and accurate putter, your scores can drop drastically. If you’re like me, you’re still inconsistent and need a lot of work on that part of the game. The only way to get better at putting is to practice it. A tweak in thumb placement, release point, grip, and technique can make a difference, but you will only know if you practice. Putting needs to become automatic, and over thinking creates mistakes. IMG_1156

So how do you practice? I tried a few methods, and what seems to work best for me is starting close, and gradually moving back. I used to take a measuring reel out and put flags down at certain distances, and putt inside the circle. This was a pain doing it every time I went out, and when I wanted to move the basket to a different location. My yard has some hills and different terrain, so it’s great for practicing uphill and downhill putts.

Problem solved! Megan Ramsey who does Disc-Lexia Disc Golf Art came up with a great product for putting practice called Putter Beadz! Putter Beadz are circle’s length (10 meters) cord with beads placed every foot. Every 5 feet has a distinguishing bead as well. Now when I go out to practice, I can place the basket down, loop the Putter BeadZ cord around the pole, pull the cord out to length, stake it down and I’m ready to go! IMG_1143

I usually start out on the level ground, and start at 10 feet back with a stack of 5 putters. If I make all 5 putts, I move back another 5 feet. If I make all of those putts, then I move back again. If I miss even just 1 of those putts, I move back up. This is an easy way to identify the distance where you are making all of your putts, and where you are getting inconsistent. When I first started using the Putter BeadZ, I was inconsistent starting at 15 feet. Now that I have been using them for awhile, I am pushing out to about 25 feet. I can work in foot increments on my trouble areas. IMG_1144

With the Putter BeadZ, I know where I am at distance wise but visual, and by actual footage. This translates on the course when you walk up to the basket, your brain registers how far you are away, and how hard to throw. This helps great a relation between visual recognition and muscle memory.

The best thing about having the Putter BeadZ is I can move the basket easily onto a hill, pull the string out and stake it down, and then putt uphil or downhill in the same manner. On downhill putts I was overshooting the basket a lot. Now that I have had practice using the Putter BeadZ, I am sinking those putts that used to sail over the top of the basket. Same with uphill shots, I was hitting the cage a lot, now I bring my release point up further based on the grade of the hill and distance. IMG_1145

Overall, using the Putter BeadZ has made me a more confident putter, as well as a better one. Since I can easily move the basket and string around, I am more likely to actually move it and practice all of the variations. It has saved a lot of time as well not having to measure and flag every time I go out, or move the basket.

Putter BeadZ come in a lot of different colors and varations! Hit up the Facebook page to see photos of all the options that are offered. You may also email Megan directly to place your order at disclexiadgart@yahoo.com
Facebook:
Putter BeadZ

Also check out Megan’s awesome art work!
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Disc-Lexia Disc Golf Art (more…)


Creating a culture of respect

Posted by Tricia Lafferty


Just like many of you, I know a few golfers who have headed off to Portland for the 2014 Professional Disc Golf World Championships. I am excited to follow the local players and see how they play, as well as the touring pros. I’ve been watching my Facebook feed for updates and pictures about what is happening on the other side of the country.

However, one particular post struck a nerve. It was posted on Facebook via DG Guy, Terry Miller. A screen capture of the post is below. Admittedly, I was not there, so I do not know the specifics as to the particular instance he is referring to. But, I do have some personal experiences dealing with the same issue. Screen Shot 2014-08-12 at 2.36.04 PM

Pittsburgh is hosting the 2015 Professional Disc Golf World Championships, and I was fortunate enough to attend one of the planning meetings that was held earlier this year. This opened my eyes up to how much time, effort, and planning goes into an event of this size. Everything is planned in order to make the players, volunteers, spectators, and others have a great experience. I can’t even imagine how terrible I would feel if I were up on stage giving a presentation at Worlds expressing how excited I was to show everyone the result of the year plus of hard work, only to look out in the audience to see people not listening and distracting everyone else.

I even experience this at the league I run. I generally start off by raising my voice and saying, “Ok, it’s **time**, let’s get started.” I try to talk fast and be brief when making any announcements, only occupying a few minutes of time before I give card and hole assignments. I know that not everyone is interested in some of the things I may be talking about. More and more I was finding that I was trying to talk over people standing 15 feet away from me immersed in their own conversation. So then it happened, it finally made me angry. My solution was to turn my back on the group and walk away. That got their attention, and the group got quiet. I walked back in, mentioned that I do my best to try not to take a bunch of time, and it will go faster if they just pay attention for a few minutes. It has gotten better since that day.

I think a lot of it has to do with a general issue, not a disc golf specific one: lack of manners and respect, whether it is intentional or not. When people are giving a performance or presentation, it is respectful to pay attention and stay quiet. If you do need to make a comment to a friend, then lean in and whisper as to not cause a distraction to others. There is nothing more annoying when you pay money to go see a movie that you have been anticipating for weeks, only to have someone sitting behind you yacking loudly about something and ruining your experience.

This is truly a simple fix. We can remedy this by creating a culture where it is expected that you will be respectful to others, at all times. Correct each other. Give people your time and be conscience of how your actions are effecting others. I understand that not everyone feels like the need to attend a players meeting, that they have been through these events numerous times and that they know how these things operate. However, it may be the first time the people running these events. They are excited that the pros and players from all over the world are in their city playing their event. Don’t ruin it for these people that give part of their lives to make these events run.

Just as you prefer that people are not talking and distracting while you are trying to make an important putt, give others the same respect for things that are important to them.


On the Bubble

Posted by Tricia Lafferty


I still consider myself a beginner at disc golf. I feel like there are a lot of parts of my game that I can improve on, and a ton more to learn. What I love about disc golf is that you can take your game to whatever level you want to. You can be a casual player who just goes out and plays rounds for fun. You can join a league and play in a casual-competitive environment. You can play in tournaments and play for higher stakes: prizes, money, and a player rating in a competitive environment. You can choose to be a member of the PDGA, or not. No matter what level you play at, anyone can enjoy disc golf.

For me personally, I am an all-in player: I play causally, in leagues, tournaments, and am a member of the PDGA. I want to improve my level of play, and build on to my game. It is important to me to share my love of the game with others and help grow the sport.

But this year I faced the dilemma that many players who play in tournaments do; moving up in divisions. I have been a tournament player for just over a year now. So, how do you know for sure when you’ve improved enough to move up?

As a female player in this area, it’s tough, there are not a lot of us. Often times when I go to a tournament, I could be the only lady there, or there could be a handful of us in different divisions. Whether I win or lose in a division really doesn’t mean anything.

I looked to the PDGA guidelines for divisions:
Advanced Women – Ratings >= 825 Score Range : <70
Intermediate Women – Ratings < 825 Score range: <75
Recreational Women – Ratings < 775 Score range: 75+
Novice Women – Ratings < 725 Score range: 80+

So I find myself “on the bubble” as far as the numbers go. My player rating is currently sitting at 705. But, in the last few rated rounds I have played, my scores have been right around 75 and hovering around the 775 rating. I looked a little deeper into the information on the PDGA site.

I looked closer at the descriptions for the divisions:
Advanced Women – Upcoming players who have played 2-3 years and are gaining consistency and experience. Throw 200-300 feet, make 4-6/10 putts from 25-30 feet, developing different shots
Intermediate Women – Players who have developed basic Frisbee® and disc golf skills and/or have tournament experience. Throw 125-200 feet, make 3-5/10 putts from 20 feet, can throw backhand with some accuracy
Recreational Women – For beginning and casual players who are learning basic Frisbee® and disc golf skills
Novice Women – For beginning and casual players who are learning basic Frisbee® and disc golf skills

This was by far a lot more helpful information to make a decision. According to these descriptions, I feel I definitely fall into the Intermediate division. On my home courses, I can see where I am improving, my drives are longer, my approaches are shorter, and my putts are coming a lot easier. I also looked back at my tournament history. My first PDGA tournament was last June. I played in a tournament at the same course this June and improved 22 strokes over last year’s total. I couldn’t even believe it at first. My goal for this year was to try to improve on my scores by 5 strokes.

Armed with this information, it was a lot easier to come to a decision; time to move up. I may not win since I am at the lower end of the division, but that’s really not what is important to me. I don’t have to win on paper, I win with experience and knowledge. If I want to keep improving, I need to play at the level I want to be. I need to observe competitors that are better than me and learn from them. They may see a line that I can’t, make smarter decisions, or have a technique that may work for me. If you are not open to learning how another player plays their game and only focused on a win, you are doing yourself a disservice.

I’m excited to see how my game will improve in the next year! Tournament season is in full swing now and it’s the prime time to get out there and throw. I hope some of you will take the leap with me and take your game to the next level!

Source: PDGA Player Classifications and Divisions


Moments of Greatness

Posted by Tricia Lafferty


No matter what level of player you are, from beginner to pro, we all have bad shots. If you watch any of the numerous rounds of disc golf on YouTube, all players experience this. I have noticed over the 2 years that I have been playing, the bad shots are happening less often. Even when I do have a bad shot, I am usually able to recover pretty easily. I also noticed that great shots are becoming more frequent as well. I call these my “moments of greatness”, and this is what I play for. No matter how many bad shots happen in a day, there is always that one shot that can make they entire day memorable.

 

One of my most memorable moments recently was at a fun non-sanctioned local tourney. The tourney itself was pretty ordinary, good shots, bad shots – and I won my division. I always buy in for the Ace Pot, just in case I get that lucky, or even someone else does. And like normal, no one hit an Ace that day. There was a CTP shoot off for the Ace Pot money, which was around $75 or so. A lot of times I look at the shot and know that I can’t even reach it, and don’t even bother throwing. I am a female, and a beginner, and sometimes going up and throwing in front of a bunch of guys is really intimidating. But this day I decided to go ahead and give it a chance since it was such a laid back atmosphere and I knew many of the players since it was local.

I don’t really know how far away the basket was, maybe 250-350 feet, but slightly downhill. They set up a teeing area near the tournament central pavilion and shot to basket #2, which we could see. There was a gauntlet of trees in the way. I stood and looked and considered the best path for me to take with a shot a knew I could likely hit. Without seeing any others throw, I decided to spike hyzer to the right where there was a larger gap and let it glide and fade to the basket. I chose to throw my Latitude 64 Jade for this shot. That disc has become my go to driver and I really love the feel of it so I was confident in using it.

 

The first guy gets up to throw, grip locks, and sends it about 300 feet to the right in the wrong direction. The crowd got quite a laugh, me as well, even though I felt bad for laughing because I have been in that same situation before. This is my biggest fear with these shoot offs, having a bad shot and everyone assuming that you can’t throw based on that one shot. I sometimes feel like I have the responsibility to prove that women can be good at this sport as well, and showing a bad shot doesn’t help. About 2/3 of the group threw before I decided to go take my shot. It was a mix of good and bad shots: too short, too long, tree hits, and close calls.

I walk up to the tee and envision the shot I initially decided to take. I lined up my disc at the release point I wanted to take, took a few warm up swings, and then let it fly. As soon as I released it, I started to smile because it was taking the exact line I was hoping for. As it got further away, it sailed it’s way through the gap I wanted to hit, missing every tree. It reached it’s high point and turned and started gliding and fading to the left. Everyone watching was starting to get excited because they knew it was going to finish well. I could hear whispers and gasps behind me as I stood and watched, my heart started to flutter. It started to finish its flight and looked like it may very well crash into the chains. The noise behind me grew, and the disc dove into the ground as my heart was pounding. A cheer erupted as well as congratulations for the shot. From where were were standing, we couldn’t see where exactly the discs were landing. My hands were sweating and heart racing while the final few people threw. I couldn’t wait to get down there to see where I was because I knew I may actually be the closest.

I grabbed my extra ball of string from my Golden Retriever, just in case we needed to measure shots. As I walked to my disc, others were picking up their shots on the way. As I got close to the basket, I could see it was sitting about 4 short from it. The smile on my face grew, it really was an amazing shot! When I got there, I could see another disc laying right about the same distance as mine from the basket, but behind it. As I got the string out, I really hoped mine was closer. After measurement, he got me by about 6 inches. I picked up my disc, threw into the basket knowing it would have been a birdie had it been in play. I walked back to tournament central with the biggest smile I could smile, clutching my disc close to my chest. The memory of that shot is well worth more than $75, and I’ll never forget it.

Tricia


Welcoming New Players: A Short Guide

Posted by destinjames


Last night I went to a friend’s BBQ party, and  three interesting things happened: I broke up a dogfight (wow, that was crazy), afterwards someone said ‘frolf’ during a conversation, and then lastly someone else said ‘frolf’ again within the same hour.

Even though the dogfight was crazy and gave me minor injuries and quite the adrenaline rush, the use of the word ‘frolf’ captured my attention the most, and it got me thinking…

The sport of Disc Golf is still growing, but there are a lot of players that don’t understand how truly amazing Disc Golf is.

Here is my short guide to welcoming new players to the wonderful sport of Disc Golf.

#1

Be convincing that’s it’s worth their time. Take them to a scenic and/or relatively flat course – it will be more playable and enjoyable for a beginner.

I personally recommend buying them a beer (21 and over of course!) before the round, or buy/give them a disc… It will have more impact on whether they play again or not.

#2

 A new player will always ask, “What’s the best disc to use?” and you should give options – and in my years of playing, you should always say “mid-range” and a recommendation. Once they have played, they will find a certain disc that fits their hand and throwing style.

#3

 Give them a crash-course on the physics of how a golf disc flies. Teach them what understable, overstable, and stable is. I recommend throwing a couple discs from your bag to demonstrate – also, let them know about thumbing (thumber) and tomahawking. For right-handed throwers, thumbing will make the disc curve to the left, and opposite for tomahawks.

 #4

ALWAYS be courteous. A lot of new players take a while to learn and straighten their throw, make sure you’re quiet and patient during throws and be positive towards them no matter how far they go off course – and congratulate them on successful fairway drives!

This wonderful sport still needs a lot of players. If you play, don’t be afraid to invite a friend you think might like hitting chains for the first time – chances are, they wanted to hang out and have a great time outside anyway.

Lots of Chain Noise,

 😀estin


Vibram O-Lace Disc Video Review

Posted by destinjames


Yesterday my wife Jessica and I enjoyed a perfect sunny 60 degree Disc Golf round together, and we were able to film a disc review for the new Vibram O-Lace, coming out November 14th.

Enjoy this Dogleg Disc Review! Just click the blue link.

Filmed by my wonderful wife Jessica. I think she’s officially a Doglegger now! 🙂

If the video above doesn’t show, click Dogleg Disc Golf Presents: The Vibram O-Lace Disc Review

(For full HD, make sure your YouTube viewer setting is on 720p)


To Help, Or Not To Help? That is The Question.

Posted by destinjames


After playing this wonderful sport for years, a special situation occurred today in the heart of Atlanta at Perkerson Park.

When I threw my 2010 Champion Innova TL from mid-fairway, there were no worries. I was sure to find it; no brush, weeds or growth to over think about… I thought.

Walking roughly 150 feet away, once I was in the landing zone, I knew I was wrong: Ivy EVERYWHERE. I threw an orange disc, so that should be visible, right?

The small, but plentiful dead ivy leaves turned to a beautiful Autumn orange color, and gathered underneath the still healthy.

Disc Lost.

Let’s just leave it.”, I said, after what seemed too long to keep bending ivy.

Finding the disc would be a needle in the haystack challenge, and I have two in the group:  J.T. Hamman & new friend to Dogleg Tommy Lesesne who diligently helped and cared as a disc golfer should.

We were close to the basket with a blind view of the tee pad behind us, hoping no one was angry in our time consuming search.

Out of (what seemed) NOWHERE a disc golfer behind us approached and noticed we were looking for a lost disc. He not only decided to help, but to physically exert himself down a steep slope 250′ away, approach strangers, and help find a disc; knowing: “Find it or not, I still need to backtrack on this hole.”

In my opinion, that’s how you play good disc golf. I made sure I shook his hand.

Destin

P.s.

My disc was found, and he’s the one that found it.


Course Guide: Municipal Golf Course

Posted by mleefry


I’ve had the pleasure of walking the Municipal Golf Course’s temporary disc golf course three times this year, although I have not yet had the chance to get out there without the purpose of caddying!  Municipal, located just outside of Emporia, KS, uses only half of the ball golf course, and plays a total distance of 8,608 ft for the long tees and 7,987 ft for the short tees.  Course par is 65.

Throughout the week, this course will be used for the PDGA Amateur World Championships.  The A and B pools of Advanced Men played it today, with a hot round of 55.  Tomorrow the C pool of Advanced Men and Advanced Grandmasters will play the course.  The Advanced Men will play it once more on Thursday or Friday.

Because I have not personally played this course and because I’m trying to spend as much time out experiencing Worlds while I’m here, I’m going to let the pictures speak for themselves (they are worth a thousand words, right?).  For an overall course map and hole-by-hole distance and OB information, head over to the Dynamic Discs website: http://www.dynamicdiscs.com/2013amworlds/courses/.  Dynamic Discs has been very supportive of my efforts to keep you all updated on the Amateur and Junior World Championships by allowing me to use bits and pieces of their course map here on Dogleg.  Thanks for being so great!

And now, to the course!

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Welcome to Worlds

Posted by mleefry


Hey Dogleggers!  I’m very excited to have the opportunity to spend this week at the 2013 Amateur and Junior World Championships in Emporia, KS!  This small town is booming with disc golfers, with more than 540 competitors here.  During my time here, I plan on bringing you daily updates on all things worlds.  Tomorrow [Tuesday] I plan on posting a course guide of the Municipal Golf Course, where the Advanced Men division will be playing in the morning.  Other than that, I’d be happy to take requests on what you’d like to read.  Just let me know in the comments, or tweet me @MLeeFry.

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Since driving in from Columbia on Saturday, I’ve been to 4/5 of the courses, hung out at the field events, attended the players meeting, and socialized in our campground (which is PACKED with disc golfers!).  The photo collages below make up just a small portion of what’s going on here in Emporia, and I look forward to updating you on more throughout the week!

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Jay “Yeti” Reading introducing the EDGE Skills Challenge; Junior Doubles Champion and 13 and Under Putting Challenge Winner Braxton Lawrence; Skills Challenge Competitors; Luis Nava putting during the Skills Challenge

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Sarah Nicholson presents the mayor of Emporia with an honorary PDGA membership; Founder and owner of Dynamic Discs Jeremy Rusco welcomes players to Am Worlds; Jay and Des Reading bring up the energy levels by giving away prizes from EDGE; 540+ disc golfers conjugate for the Players Meeting


Course Guide: Treehouz, Ridgedale, MO

Posted by mleefry


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Doglegger Emily by 19’s basket at Treehouz

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Some of the houses at Treehouz, including a treehouse, the Journey Post, and the trophies for Journey Post’s First Stop. 

About three weeks ago I made my first visit to Branson Cedars Resort, home of Treehouz Disc Golf Course and The Journey Post.  The occasion was Journey Post’s First Stop Presented by Prodigy Discs.  I chose not to play in the tournament for a few reasons, including the difficulty/length of the course, which I think was a good decision at the time.  I’ll be ready for it before I know it though!  Anyway, since I didn’t get to play very many of the holes myself, my analysis is based mostly on observation of the Advanced division players, specifically my boyfriend Adam Morrison, and our friend Brad Bullerdieck from Columbia.  I also had the pleasure of following the Advanced Grandmasters card for a few holes, and of watching the Pros from afar!

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Will Schusterick putting on Hole 16. Paige Pierce throwing a warm up drive on Hole 18.

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Ring of Fire on Hole 19 during the First Stop 

So, a little background on the course.  Treehouz is located in Ridgedale, Missouri, between Branson and the border to Arkansas.  Its 19-hole course’s par is 60, and is a total of 7,407 feet in length.  The course uses DISCatcher baskets and has multiple tees and placements on some holes.  Treehouz is pay-to-play: $5 per person for a full day.

Journey Post owner Jaysin Smith designed Treehouz in 2012.  Smith said his vision while designing was to create a, “championship level course with a lot of elevation change and a mixture of wooded holes, open holes, and hazard holes; as well as long and short holes.”  When asked what other courses inspired him, he referred to Sioux Passage in St. Louis and Hole 1 on Water Works in Kansas City, in terms of their length and elevation changes.  (These courses are particularly iconic for Missourians.)  He also wanted to incorporate the difficulty of water hazards as seen at Fountain Hills in Arizona.  After seeing this course, I’d say this course definitely lives up to his expectations.  As if this isn’t enough, the resort is considering adding more holes, pin placements, and tee pads to make the course larger and more accessible for players of all skill levels.

Just for comparing holes and getting a sense of direction, check out this map of the course from Disc Golf Course Review:  http://www.dgcoursereview.com/course_files/5830/993ec582.pdf

Now that we have the basics out of the way, let’s get to the pictures!

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1.  Your disc’s placement in the fairway is critical to playing this hole well.  If your disc lands too far to the left, or too short or long, you have to make a difficult upshot down to the basket on slanted ground.  If it is too far right, you end up in the woods.  Even worse, I saw a few players land their discs in the fairway, but they ended up rolling into the valley on the right!

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2.  Knowing how your discs behave in the wind and with large elevation changes helps significantly on this hole.  It’s challenging from both tees.  The view definitely makes it one of the favorite and most iconic holes on the course.

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3.  Beware of this hole’s water hazard, sloped terrain, and tree placement.  Although this is one of the shorter holes on this course at 337’, it can be deceivingly difficult.

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4.  This hole is all about placement.  With the water hazard so close to the end of the hole, you must decide from the tee where you think you’ll have the most success with an upshot.  Landing near the water’s edge gives you a straight shot at the basket, but possibly an intimidating putt toward the water.  Landing to the right (the path is not OB) is more technical with the trees and the slope, and may lead to a more difficult hyzer upshot because of the possibility of skipping toward the water.  However, this positioning will probably allow you to land you closer to the basket and prevent you from putting toward water.

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5.  You wouldn’t know it from the tee sign alone, but it’s obvious what the challenge is from seeing the terrain of this hole.  Be sure to know how your disc flies and how it lands—or you’ll be rolling down the hill!

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6.  This hole’s hard turn to the left is sharper than it appears from the tee—the sign gives insight into the degree to which your flight path should curve.  If you’re too narrow, you’ll hit the trees to the left.  If you’re too wide, it may hit the trees and not come back in bounds.  Trees surround the basket, and the green slopes toward the water.

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7.  This hole combines a water hazard, sloped landing zones, and guardian trees to make it technical.  The lower left picture is of the placement designated by the yellow circle on the right and is represented by the basket on the tee sign illustration.  The lower right picture is of the left placement, which is not shown on the sign.

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7B.   Hole 7B was temporarily used for Journey Post’s First Stop Tournament.  Orange flags on the edge of a putting green designated the tee.  The fairway curves to the right and slopes upward.  Past the curve, trees line the fairway.

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8.  Hole 8 is characterized by its steep uphill fairway and dense trees.  I saw several birdies on this hole during the tournament.  I took a 4 using only a midrange when I snuck this hole in between rounds.

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9.  The slope of this fairway in addition to the trees makes the line of your shot very important.  When preparing to throw, consider how throwing uphill will affect the stability of your disc, and how your disc will roll when it lands.

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10.  The biggest challenge on this hole is the combination of the OB on both sides of the fairway and the trees that surround the basket.  Accuracy in your line is key!

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11.  Hole 11 is also characterized by having OB on both sides of the fairway.  The basket is located on a putting green with a pretty steep hill behind it (the bottom picture is taken from behind).  Be sure your upshot doesn’t roll!

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12.  The gap to hit on this hole is very narrow and makes for a difficult shot (especially for righties).  From the tee, the basket is barely visible, as illustrated in the center photo.  Because you have to step off to the left of the pad, as seen in the far right photo, it can be difficult to judge the angle of the throw.  If you’re unlucky enough to hit a tree or an “invisibranch,” you could be in trouble if your disc decides to roll.  Off to the right of the fairway is a fairly steep hill covered in trees—not a place you want to end up!

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13.  I think the photo for this hole really says it all.  The fairway is pretty narrow with pretty dense trees on both sides and behind the basket.  The ground slopes a bit to the right, but not enough to make a significant difference on how this hole plays out.

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14.  Some call it a fishhook, Adam says it’s a “P” for Prodigy, and I say it’s a question mark for “Where is the basket?” when you’re standing on the tee.  From the tee, the fairway looks like a hallway that goes all the way to the tee for hole 15.  The trees get less dense 200 feet or so down and to the right of the fairway where the basket placement is.  The ground is sloped, so make sure your discs aren’t going to roll!

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15.  I think the tee sign and the photos of this hole really speak for themselves.  I’ll let you figure this one out.

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16.  Because of the OB on the left, righties need to be especially aware of the distance, wind, and the line you’re throwing your disc on.  Knowing that your disc is prone to rolling on this smooth terrain may impact your disc selection!

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17.  This tight shot is especially technical because the fairway is uphill.  This means your disc is going to be more stable.

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18.  In most cases, the OB should not make much of a difference on this hole if your disc goes where you intend.  If you have the arm for it, you’ll want to make sure you get across the valley in the fairway.  The closer you are, the more level you’ll be with the basket.

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19.  My advice for this hole is similar to hole 18.  I would recommend trying these two holes as well as hole 2 out before playing them competitively just to get a feel for how the elevation changes effect how far you are able to throw.  Additionally, you’ll want to get a feel for how your disc acts when it lands on the putting greens.


dgNOMAD New Logo & Glow Chains!

Posted by dgnomad


ImageThis won’t be news to any of you who know JT here at Dogleg DG, but I’d like to let the rest of the world know that his design came out on top in the search for dgNOMAD’s new logo, and we think it rocks! Thanks also to everyone else who sent drawings, there were several contenders.

If you need need any logo or promotional work done you can stop looking, JT did an excellent job for us. From concept to revisions to final drafts, as well as staying in touch and putting up with my busy schedule, he was on top of it all. The new logo looks awesome printed in black on our red carry bags, and the color version does a great job displaying the “UV-ness” (JT coins terms as well as designs logos!) of our newest product, retrofit Glow Chains. Our Glow Chains snap easily to any existing basket or target in under a minute and give glow golf a whole new meaning! Check them out here .

And speaking of Glow Chains, if you’re in western Pennsylvania or Northeast Ohio you can see them in action at Young’s Run DGC during Valley DGA’s Glow Throw! The first of the monthly events is May 10th, check in a 7:00 for the first 9 and after dark the Glow Chains are coming out for the next 9! If you miss this one try back, there’s one every month May to November. More info at ValleyDGA.com or email info@valleydga.com.

Trevor at Valley DGA has done a great job helping spread the word on our new chains to some neighboring clubs, anyone else who is interested in a club purchase for glow leagues or tournaments (or just to get a discount!) should definitely let me know. Club orders get 10% discounts and free shipping, email club@dgNOMAD.com for details.

Last but not least, there’s still a week left before our next drawing, register to win either a set of dgNOMAD Glow Chains or one of our revolutionary ultralight portable NOMAD Disc Golf Targets! These little guys are under 3 pounds, available in 6 standard and 4 Glow colors, and let you take a target places you never thought possible…toss one in your backpack, on your dash, or even on your bike handlebars and you can throw anywhere! They have regulation size target zones, and in fact are the only PDGA approved Object Targets on the market. In addition to being made in the USA, our targets are economical so you can grab one for yourself and give the kids their own!

Enter the drawing for free stuff here.

Thanks for checking out our new product!

Jeff@dgNOMAD.com

 

 


Course Guide: Jones West, Emporia, KS

Posted by mleefry


I’m really excited to share with you all the first of many photo-based course guides I plan on creating.  I got the idea to start these when I realized that many members of the Dogleg community would not have the opportunity to practice the courses for Amateur Worlds until they arrived for the competition.  Since Columbia (my hometown) is only 3.5 hours away and St. Louis (where I go to school) is only 5 hours away, I figured I was in a great position to help non-Midwestern disc golfers prepare for such a big event.

But, making a trip to Emporia was easier said than done.  I sat on the idea for a month or two before Adam and I decided Valentine’s Day weekend would be the best time for us to take a disc golf trip.  (Jealous?  Refer to my last post: Love Is In The Air.)  After a few near-death experiences caused by our failure to realize that some highways outside of Kansas City were icy, we made it safely to my first Emporia course:  Jones West.

According to Disc Golf Course Review, Jones West, an 18-hole par-54 course, was established in 1989.  The topography has some gentle hills, but is mostly flat.  After all, it is Kansas we’re talking about!  Trees—ranging from broad and branchy evergreens to skinny deciduous trunks—definitely factor into the strategy on this course, but not to the degree that it creates the feeling of playing in the woods.  There are two ponds on the course, which create water hazards on 5 holes.  Each hole has two different pin placements, red and blue, for the Mach 3 baskets.  (For more info:  http://www.dgcoursereview.com/course.php?id=1403)

As with most other Midwestern courses, the difficulty will vary with different weather and seasonal conditions.  Wind wasn’t a huge factor the day we played, but I’ve heard it can be pretty extreme in Emporia (there was a tornado nearby during the weekend of the Glass Blown Open last year).  The seasonal changes to the course will be a little more predictable.  Just like anywhere else, in spring and summer trees will be thicker and have more leaves; in the fall and winter they’ll thin out and leave more gaps.  The size of the ponds will change depending on precipitation in the days and weeks before.  This will cause the water hazards to be more or less extreme on some holes.  (The water was pretty low when I took these pictures; there was a drought last summer, and the heavy snow didn’t hit until a few weeks later.)

After playing the course, we swung by the Dynamic Discs store and talked with Adam Searle.  He said that all of the courses in the area will be getting new tee signs before hosting Am Worlds.  (The ones they have at Jones West now are pretty nice, but several have been vandalized.  I edited most of the vandalism out in my pictures.)  As of my correspondence with Dynamic Discs on Thursday, I learned that Jones West will not be used for the Glass Blown Open this year, but it will be for Am Worlds.  They are in the process of finalizing which pin placements will be used for the tournament.

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Now that I have all the details out of the way, enjoy the pictures!

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Hole #1:  We played this hole in the red placement.  For those of you who have played at Jones before, you may notice that the giant tree in the middle of the fairway (the one on the tee sign) is no longer there, which makes the hole play out a lot easier.  Water shouldn’t affect you on this hole, even though it can be seen on the tee sign.  Scores: Emily 4, Adam 3

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Hole #2:  We played this hole in the red placement.  The road on the left is OB.  Scores:  Emily 5, Adam 2

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Hole #3:  We played this in the blue placement.  Righties, beware of the road that runs down the left of the fairway, it’s OB!  Scores:  Emily 5, Adam 4

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Hole #4:  We played this hole in the blue placement.  The fairway is gently sloped downhill.  When the pin is in the red placement, water may come into play.  Scores: Emily 7, Adam 3

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Hole #5:  We played this in the red placement.  Scores: Emily 4, Adam 5

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Hole #6:  Based on the pictures I took, I can’t remember which placement this hole was in.  Tee for this hole is right up next to the edge of the pond, whose width will vary depending on rainfall.  I didn’t quite have the distance or confidence to go across, so I played around it.  The top center picture shows the view from the pad.  The far right picture looks back at the pad from across the pond.  The picture across the bottom shows the length of the pond; you can see the tee pad on the left.  Scores: Emily 7, Adam 4

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Hole #7:  We played this in the red placement.  I didn’t get any pictures of this one because I ended up in the water (which shouldn’t typically happen for lefties, but I kept griplocking REALLY badly).  Water will come into play though for right-handed hyzer shots if they go too long.  Scores: Emily 5, Adam 3

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Hole #8:  We played this in the red placement.  Scores: Emily 6, Adam 3

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Hole #9:  We played this in the red placement.  The fairway is slightly downhill overall, with a drainage creek running across it.  There is a cluster of skinny trees surrounding the tee pad, and a few larger evergreens guarding the basket.  Scores: Emily 5, Adam 4

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Hole #10:  We played this in the blue placement.  The big tree on the tee sign that used to be in the fairway is gone.  It previously played as a mando, so the shot to the basket is significantly more open than it has been in the past.  Scores: Emily 5, Adam 3

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Hole #11:  We played this in the blue placement.  The fairway curves to the left for both placements.  The green slopes down then back up, creating a bit of a valley.  Scores: Emily 5, Adam 5

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Hole #12:  We played this in the red placement.  The right side of the fairway is lined with trees; the left side is relatively open.  The basket is within the treeline on the right, and is surrounded by trees on 3 sides.  Scores: Emily 6, Adam 3

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Hole #13:  We played this in the red placement.  The road on the right is OB.  You can see that it is roped off on the edge of the pictures; the ropes are a few feet from the edge of the road.  Scores: Emily 4, Adam 3

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Hole #14:  We played this in the red placement.  The basket is tucked between two evergreen trees, and behind a smaller tree.  Scores: Emily 3, Adam 3

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Hole #15:  We played this in the blue placement.  The road on the right of the hole is OB.  Past the evergreens on the left is wide open, in the event a shot doesn’t land in the fairway.  Scores: Emily 5, Adam 3

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Hole #16:  We played this in the blue placement.  I didn’t get any pictures of this hole because, for me, it was long and frustrating, and Adam’s shot didn’t turn over and landed in someone’s yard across the road.  Whoops!  Scores: Emily 9, Adam 3

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Hole #17:  We played this in the red placement.  There is OB on both sides of the fairway (road on the right, houses on the left).  Water comes into play for the blue placement, but not the red.  Scores: Emily 5, Adam 3

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Hole #18:  We played this in a special placement that is usually used for Hole #1; it goes all the way across the pond and rests on the edge instead of being on the left side of it, as is seen in the red and blue placements.  You can see the basket from the tee in the top picture, where it is to the right of the brown trees.  The water makes this placement especially difficult.  We learned from experience that, if faced with a difficult putt, it is vital to throw a shot that will not roll if it hits the ground.  I ended up 50+ feet from the basket more than once on a roll.  Also, for the blue placement, it may be important to know that the road is OB behind the tree line.  Scores: Emily 11, Adam 4


Prodigy D1 & D4 Review

Posted by alphagenerator


Image I will use the post to drive more user feedback. Take my brief review with a grain of salt, as I was forced to play with my non-dominant hand… still recovering from shoulder surgery.

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Most, if not all, proto D1 & D4 discs currently come in max weight. The D1 is meant to be very fast and over stable, without the dreaded meat hook at the end. The flight path was narrowed significantly… reducing the side-to-side travel down the fairway.   The inner lip has been rounded as part of Prodigy’s patented Easy Release Technology. The easy release is meant to reduce both grip lock and blisters. (Soap Box Rant:  Innova’s most recent production of discs (late 2012) has a micro-bead on the inner lip that is extremely sharp and difficult to release.)

I am consistently getting more distance (20-40 ft) on every throw with both the D1 and D4. The D1 flies over stable, as intended. Prodigy claims the D1 flies well into a headwind as it does with a tailwind. I have yet to play in these conditions.

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The D4 is designed as a very fast, under stable driver. In my experience, this disc is not under stable. I would actually classify it as slightly over stable. Obviously, I am not getting a solid pop on my release, but I was expecting something along the lines of a fast Innova Roadrunner or Mamba (Definitely not the case).  I figure a 150 class disc will make the D4’s alleged under stability more apparent.

Overall I am happy with the purchase and look forward to throwing more Prodigy plastic. Both of these discs throw very well and get max-d with every toss.

What are your comments / reviews?

– Jeremiah


Working The Angles – Manipulate or Utilize?

Posted by destinjames


A long time ago a friend of mine who just started playing Disc Golf asked me a fantastic question:

“What is more important… manipulating the angle of the disc to fly how you want it to, or understanding how the disc is supposed to fly when thrown flat, and utilize it’s natural characteristics?”

The first thing I said, and I would think most would agree, is that you need to understand how your disc flies naturally first. Not only how it is supposed to fly new, but how it will eventually fly after you have hit all those darn trees and broke it in. You can really only determine this with your own experimentation disc to disc since no one knows how much bark you’ve made fly!

The rule of thumb with plastic is the cheaper it is, the quicker it will become understable with use. And for some plastics such as the Discraft Titanium plastic, that disc will fly the same as brand new forever. The Titanium plastic is close to indestructible. Don’t rely on expensive plastics to change flight characteristics too much over time.

Also, more expensive is not always best. One of the cheapest plastics you can buy is the Discraft Pro-D, I have an XL Pro-D, and it’s a staple in my bag. It’s crucial for me because after years of use it went from stable to understable, and I now use it as a roller or a predictable turnover disc.

Once you are very comfortable with how your disc flies (make sure you are using the same grip, speed, etc. to ensure predictability), then move on to manipulating your hyzer and anhyzer shots.

With proper practice and experimentation you will know if a disc thrown flat will give you exactly what you need without the huge unpredictability of angling a hyzer or anhyzer.

Grip, Throw, Repeat,

Destin


Winter Disc Golf Adjustments – Weight & Grip

Posted by destinjames


Recently I had the pleasure of playing White Oak Park in Dallas, GA. A beautiful open hilly course — nice little pond that comes into to play for holes after 14 too. The air was a bit brisk, but certainly a good day to hear chains as always. After about 6 holes I noticed my go-to Sidewinder not having the same glide it usually has. This made me think…

I’m not a meteorologist or a physicist, but proper disc weight in adverse conditions, no matter the skill level, is extremely important!

Over the years I have heard that low weight discs (roughly 150-168) are easier for distance, but hard to release and control consistently, especially with wind. Heavier discs are naturally more over-stable (slightly), harder to gain distance, but consistent. I find that this is very true.

BUT… I’ve yet to read about disc weights and how to adjust them according to the weather, mainly temperature.

Air Temperature

I found that throwing my 172g Sidewinder feels like throwing a 190g when it’s coat-wearing time. It sunk like the Titanic on my first moderate up-shot this last weekend. I bought a 154g disc today to compare, and I had a tremendous improvement.

I highly recommend adjusting your disc weight according to the outside temperature. In these low temperatures of Winter (high 40’s right now here in Georgia) my go-to weight is 160 now, but I am not a high speed thrower. The beauty of Disc Golf is you need to find what works best for YOU. Right now, for me, it seems that lighter weight cuts the cold air a bit better.

Now Grip…

Peripheral Blood Flow

While playing at White Oak, the great J.T. of this blog made an EXCELLENT point. When the weather is cold, our hands don’t have as much blood flow and do not move and react as they normally do. So naturally when we throw the disc it may not have the same release point, usually late-whipping it way off track — to the right for right handed back handed throwers.

The way he remedied this is by using a modified fan grip on his drives as he would a long approach shot. Since the fingers aren’t tucked in the rim, they don’t need to get out of the way in time, giving you a smooth release. As long as you have grip on the disc and can still snap it, this is a fantastic modification for cold weather conditions.

As always, these points and tips are something to read, enjoy, and go by – not to live by. Disc Golf is truly amazing because it’s personal. In order to become great you have to practice A LOT and define your own game. I just hope the tips and stories we share here at Dogleg Disc Golf steer you into a happy and successful direction.

Few Trees,

Destin


Innova Disc Golf Baskets: Which one is best for you?

Posted by briangiggey


Hi everyone! This is a guest blog post from Explore Disc Golf, a full-service disc golf design-build firm based in Western Massachusetts. We at Explore Disc Golf work exclusively with Innova Disc Golf products in our course designs, and took the time to take a look at the four types of baskets that Innova currently has on the market. While we install DISCatcher Pros at permanent courses, we have a fleet of DISCatcher Sports that we take on the road through The Mobile Disc Golf Experience, where we setup temporary courses at events up and down the east coast. DISCatcher Sports are wonderful for temporary courses and backyard putting, while DISCatcher Travelers and Skillshots are extremely portable for offering disc golf on the go. Check out some of the information we put together below and see what Innova Disc Golf basket is best for you!

Skillshot

SkillshotThe Skillshot, with it’s tripod leg system, enables this lightweight basket to be situated on hillsides as well as flat terrain, something not seen in the following three models. This model of basket is best for those who are constantly traveling, as it folds down to the size of an umbrella, and can be easily stored in your vehicle. The basket weighs in at 26 pounds, and has 16 chains — in comparison to the Traveler’s 12 — and is approved by the Professional Disc Golf Association. This basket, however, does lack the professional appearance of a typical disc golf basket, and is best used for backyard play and integration into physical education programs. This basket retails for $129 and can be found online or at the majority of local disc golf shops.

DISCatcher Traveler

Innova DISCatcher TravelerThe DISCatcher Traveler is Innova’s lightest basket, weighing in at only 16 pounds, and is terrific for disc golfers that are constantly in transit and looking to keep up with their thirst for the sport. Similar to the Skillshot, the DISCatcher Traveler comes with its own bag for easy transit. This basket, however, has the least amount of chains with 12, and is the least professional representation of a typical disc golf basket, although the dimensions are correct. This basket does have the ability to have mesh pulled around the chains to soft the sounds that so many of us love, but this is a plus for those who live in busy neighborhoods with neighbors right next door. The DISCatcher Sport can be purchased for $149, and while a sturdy basket for backyard play, we’d suggest that you spend the extra $50 and buy an incredibly nice basket in the DISCatcher Sport.

DISCatcher Sport

Innova DISCatcher SportOur personal favorite out of the bunch, we highly suggest the DISCatcher Sport for any and all personal use. It is very comparable to the professional appearance of the DISCatcher Pro, while being more than half the weight at 40 pounds and a price tag of only $199. These basket — similar to the Skillshot and DISCatcher Traveler — have no way of preventing theft since they come with portable bases only. That being said, we at Explore Disc Golf, have found a way to secure the baskets in cement footings for temporary installation at events and locations like campgrounds, churches and schools. If you’d like more information, or to purchase one of these secured baskets, please contact us at info@explorediscgolf.com. With 18 outer chains and a small yellow band for visibility, this basket is extremely comparable to the DISCatcher Pro and a wonderful addition to backyard. This basket is admittedly less portable than the previous two baskets, but can still be broken down and stored away to the size of the tray, while the 40 pound frame can still be lugged through the woods as a single entity for friends that want to create a disc golf course on the go.

Innova DISCatcher Pro

Innova DISCatcher ProThe DISCatcher Pro is best suited for permanent courses. Weighing in at 85 pounds and costing the client $425 for a single basket, these high quality, durable baskets have 28 chains; bringing enhanced catch-ability with 14 outer chains, 7 intermediate chains and 7 inner chains. Clients can pick these basket up for $325 (plus shipping) per basket if you order 9 or more baskets, so if you’re looking for a single practice basket, this may not be your best bet. DISCatcher Pros do have a portable base (as seen in the picture) but are primarily situated and secured in sleeves that are concreted into the ground. This enables the client to easily move the basket to alternate sleeves on a hole to reduce compaction in any given area, while increasing the variety of the hole for players. A wonderful basket any way you slice it!

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If any of you folks out there have any questions about Innova Disc Golf baskets, please get in touch with us info@explorediscgolf.com or check out our website at www.explorediscgolf.com. Our most sought-after basket is our modified DISCatcher Sports where the baskets have 6 additional interior chains and are capable of being secured in the ground to prevent theft.

Explore Disc Golf’s primary services include Disc Golf Course Design, Site Planning Consultation and Installations, we also offer Course Improvements, Disc Golf Equipment Rentals and Merchandising — all done in house. We look forward to hearing from you and encourage you to check out some of our current projects on our website, ans sign up for our newsletter to stay in touch! Thanks for reading.


Mancation 2012: Denver Disc Golf (Part II)

Posted by randomtiz


Continued from Mancation 2012: Denver Disc Golf (Part I)

After Saturday’s windy experience and lack of elevation at Arvada’s Johnny Roberts DGC, I was a tad bitter with my Colorado disc golfing thus far. First of all, I thought Denver was mountainous and had a lot more hills than it turned out to have. I expected Colorado disc golf courses to be filled with firs, spruces, and aspens, elevation changes, cool breeze and impeccable, breathtaking scenic views. Don’t get me wrong, now the Johnny Roberts course was indeed fun, but it was just not the scenic course I was hoping for. We needed to find a bigger, better course before this trip was over.

Then I remembered back a few weeks prior to our trip, North Colorado Disc Golf (@NoCoDG) tweeted us and mentioned that we needed to get up in the hills—that that’s where the bigger, better courses are. We researched that night and found out about Conifer Park at Beaver Ranch. The only problem?, it was about 45 min north of Denver and we had no car. After calling around town, we luckily found a car rental place that actually still had cars available. [There were several big events and conferences going on that same weekend, so it was hard to find any still available.] Locked it in for Sunday, check. Now we’re headed to the Mountains, boys!

Goodbye city. Hello Mountains.

Conifer Park at Beaver Ranch (Conifer, CO)
The whole drive up to Conifer was really nice. The Rockies—once off in the distance—were finally now getting closer and closer. Steeper inclines ahead as we winded up the hills leaving the city behind. The directions we had were horrible..or either it was that stupid GPS. Either way, once we got off the main road it felt like we drove in circles for a half hour trying to find one little road. I don’t know how many times it redirected us after we’d make a turn. The address on the GPS took us up one hill into this mountainside trailer park. Yea…don’t think there’s a disc golf course in this mess. “Heya Billy, 2 points if you ding one off da satellite dish into the plastic kiddie pool.” Yea..no. Ok after a different address confirmation, we’re back on track and finally get there. It’s already starting to look and feel like the “Colorado Disc Golf Experience” I was hoping for. Beaver Ranch is located down a long dirt road with a small dirt parking lot at the base. There to the side is a small cabin store-looking thing that reminded me of what you’d see atop a mountain while skiing. It is cool out, light breeze and the air is thin. Then you catch the subtle scent of the mountainous, evergreen air. Yes, this is it.

Some locals pull up about the same time we do and tell us Hole #1 is about a half mile from the parking lot.. Half a mile, seriously? Gees. That first time you know how it always seems like it takes forever? Well we walk and walk—crossing an overgrown, brush-filled creek. I’m talking thicket so thick, there could be bears hiding in there.

We get to #1’s teepad and the excitement and thrill level could not be any higher! This was intense. Hole #1 is straight uphill? Yes—with a very tight, heavily wooded fairway window staring right back at us. Hole #1 you’re basically teeing from ground level and throwing high and up into the mountain. Leaving no room for error, the first hole was a little intimidating. With the majority of us being from the Southeast, we’re not used to this level of drastic elevation change on the holes to follow.

There was a courtesy box and sign at the bottom of the wooden stairs leading up the fairway to basket #1. This was to put in your $3/per person (highly worth it) and grab a dated tag for the day’s round. After teeing off, the elevation change kicked in. I believe Tim was the only one that had a decent tee shot on this hole. On our next throws, we found ourselves fighting for a steady balance along the hill’s steep incline. I’m glad the day was cool, because with all the hiking/climbing we were about to endure, it could have been miserable.

Joe at Teebox #1

Joe Approach Shot on Hole #1

Basket #1 looking down fairway to #1 Teepad

The first four holes you’re playing your way up the mountain. So each hole the hike gets a bit more strenuous and the air gets thinner and the 9mm ammo in the bag gets heavier. Beautiful views of the trees and mountains off in the distance as you play. Tight cut lines surrounded by tall, thin pines and firs filled the landscape. Didn’t see any wildlife, but loved the nature sounds. I also did like how there was not a lot of small plant life around. This made it much easier to find your disc in the dirt or pine straw. Really the only thing you had to watch out for was if your disc became a roller and rolled off course…and down the hill. On Hole #10 I believe it was..we searched nearly a half hour for one of mine that skipped and rolled away. One of the zipline guides actually spotted it for us. Whew, did not want to lose that one. Oh and Yes, they had ziplines (next time I’m adding that to my list)!

Hole #2 Basket

JT on #4 Teebox

Joe on #5 Teebox

Needed a breather.

After the first 7 holes (1/3 of the way done), we needed a breather. Lots of walking, hiking on this treacherous hilly mountainside already. I’m glad we brought all of the water and snacks that we did. Come prepared if you play this course! Especially with this tight #8 (pic below) coming up, we needed to think about just how in fact we were going to pull off this next laser drive. It required roughly a 100+ft straight shot just to clear the tree line with literally less than a 15-ft window to work with. Here in the pic below, Jason’s eyeing the fairway leading up to the basket. Throw it soft to lay up and keep your line? or risk pinballing one through the trees and down the left side of the hill with a burner? Decisions. I’ve scored par on every hole up to this point and up by several strokes, so what do I have to lose? I’m going for it, son. Indeed did hit a tree or two, but would end up serving me well on this one.

Hole #8 Teebox and view of mountain from basket.

I managed to hang on at even par through the first 9, then I started to fall apart…as did everyone else. I would go on to bogey the next 6 in a row…ouch. The holes were getting longer and more difficult. We were feeling the burn from all the walking/hiking and arms were getting sore after the next handful of holes.

Jason about to ding the top of the #12 basket on a 310′ shot.

Basket #13…Anthill Mound. Unforgiving to say the least.

See the basket? Neither do we. But it’s in the midst of the Aspens in the back. #14 Approach Shot

I feel like we’ve been playing across the top of this mountain for hours. Isn’t it time the holes start making its downward spiral? Yep. Here goes. Hole #17 was a beast of a downward distance hole. This hole is some odd 430’+ long, but you’re pretty much teeing off from on top of the hill aiming to a downward basket. With a steep incline directly behind the pocketed basket, you could huck the hell out of your disc and not worry too much of overshooting the hole..As long as you angled it downhill. My goal, spike it in the hill behind the basket. Or at least hit it hard enough it would catch an edge and roll down to the pin. Check out the view from the teebox down to the basket.

JT on #17 Mountain Teebox to Downhill Basket. Seeyahhhhhhhhh. Bomb.

Tim bombing one at Hole #17. 435’+ to downhill hole.

Jason on #17 Teebox

Tim sinking a solid on #18.

Then the rain came. And it fell hard! With nowhere to go, we found slight shelter under some low-lying branches. The next few holes we played in the pouring rain. We were this close to the end—can’t stop now. Conifer Park is made up of “21” holes, but could not seem to find Hole #21. Hole #20 was a steep downhill hole with a heavily-wooded line to the basket. This hole you needed one to lay low and set down or your disc might be rolling all the way to the bottom off the mountain. There was one last teebox after Hole #20, but was not designated by a teesign. Could this be #21? It was long and far and required throwing over that overgrown, hellish creek I mentioned earlier. And the bad part about it? The creek lied maybe 50-ft in front of the basket. You either had to lay up before the creek, or bomb one hoping to land on the other side. We turned this into a CTP hole instead.

Course Recap:
All in all it was an excellent course with 21 beautiful holes. By far, the absolute BEST disc golf course I have played yet (yes, even topping Flyboys). Conifer Park at Beaver Ranch has the whole package. You’ve got the cool weather; the beautiful scenery; the mountains; the tall-standing thin trunked trees; challenging elevation…everything. This course is not for the beginner nor would I recommend for people out of shape. It’s rough. It demands lots of stamina, walking and hiking up steep terrain. Some holes have loose footing on the dirt and straw on the hillside. Bring LOTS of water/snacks. You’ll be out here for a few hours with just the amount of time to walk the entire course. It’s challenging and I loved every minute of it. I would catch myself taking in the scenery and snapping pics and missing some of the great shots we made. Ahhh if I just had some of those on film. No aces, but a few close ones. I love the outdoors, nature and I certainly love the mountains. This course made my “Colorado Disc Golf Experience”. It was everything that I imagined disc golf in Colorado to be like. I would’ve been highly disappointed to make it all the way out here from Georgia, and to have not gotten a chance to play something of this caliber.

Course Rating: 9.8/10

If you’re ever in the Denver area, you have to go play this course. Set aside a few hours to play..and of course, transportation to get there. Like I mentioned earlier, it is a ways out of the way but you will not regret it. No wonder it is rated a 4.6+/5 on DGCourseReview.com.

For a full look into our Denver Disc Golf Experience and over a hundred more pics, please check out our Dogleg Flickr page.

If you liked this post, don’t forget to “like” it and share below! Thanks guys!

-jt


Night Rounds – Reviews on glow sticks, LED Lights, and Glow plastic

Posted by alphagenerator


With the impending time change, night golf will be our only option if you work traditional hours.   I have used mini glow sticks, flashing led lights, and glow discs as my test subjects for when day light savings goes into effect.   The mini glow sticks work fairly well if disc is almost clear.   Any slight tinting of the plastic will drastically reduce the visibility of the low powered mini glow sticks. I’ll give it a 2 on a scale of 5.

The flashing LED lights have been my staple for the past year.  They are roughly $2.50 ea and give roughly 12 hours of use.  These are the best option of the 3 test subjects.  They are the heaviest of the addon options but they work well in all lighting scenarios (ie low sunlight, dusk, and completely dark).  The newly redesign 2 alternating color lights that emit a combination of  Blue/Red, Blue/Green, Red/Green colors for very easy identification from a far.   Dynamic Discs seem to be the main supplier of this particular light setup. I barely notice the LED taped to my discs, but I don’t try any crazy hyzer flip shots at night, much. I highly recommend these particular models and give them an overall rating of 4.5 out of 5.   I’ve dinged the 5.0 rating for the weight weenies out there. =)

LED_Flight_Light_Flat_LED_light_LED

Lastly I have tested the Innova CFR glow discs, Innova Pro Glow, and the GatewaySuper Glow plastics.  one of the problems with glow plastic is that not all the names are available in glow.    Innova probably has the largest selection of glow plastic but its still limited compared with their full product offering.   The less translucent discs seem to hold a glow longer than the more translucent.   That being said the Innova Pro and Gateway Super Glow outlasted the Innova CFR’s.   All glow plastic seems best suited for near zero visibility.   Any close street lamps will drastically reduce your night vision and the perceived glow from the discs. LED Blacklight flashlights tend to be the best option for charging this plastics in between rounds.  I picked one up off ebay for around $13 shipped. My rating for the glow plastics is 3.5 out of 5 mainly due to the limited disc option in glow plastic and the fact most of my dg gets played around dusk and street lamps.     All the above plastics are perfectly suited normal daytime use, as the Innova CFR plastic has excellent durability.   Hope this helps someone!

Below is picture of a fresh charge on the 3 plastics in a completely dark room. They are visible for 10-15 minutes in a zero light area.

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Jeremiah

Grip-and-Rip.com


The Importance of a Fairway Driver

Posted by destinjames


After reading J.T.’s review of Legacy Park, I thought I would take the trip to Kennesaw and check out the lil’ 9-holer. The course is in a beautiful community that is extremely well maintained, but as you may have already read in previous posts, the course is private to residents and/or their guests.

I LOVED the little course, and it may be my number one favorite course in Georgia so far. BUT… I feel the reason may have been the day I chose to play Legacy. 68 degrees, perfect breeze, leaves falling and squirrels everywhere gathering for winter. It was simply beautiful disc golf or no disc golf.

The best thing about Legacy may be it’s downfall. It is extremely accessible to beginners and is certainly the course that hooks a newbie into the sport, but serious disc golfers may be bored with it’s mainly ace-able holes and lack of diversity on the land.

What this course is PERFECT for is working on your straight game, and I can’t stress enough the importance of a fairway driver. While not as fast as a distance driver, it will go where you put it without a lot of fade.

I throw the Innova TL, and exclusively threw it playing Legacy. I don’t know if I was just having a good day on the course, or the TL is truly amazing. I’m not a hard thrower, so it tends to go just as far as my distance drivers anyway, but it’s placement is reliable.

A lot of players think that throwing a distance driver means getting distance, but what may happen is they under power the disc and it doesn’t go any farther than a mid range would, and the disc dives to the ground where you didn’t want it. I’ve been there.

What I love about a fairway driver is not only how they fly, but how they feel. When I toss the TL, The grip is much more comfortable than a sharp distance driver, and it rips out of my hands with grace.

After having a wonderful day with the TL, I know what my go-to disc is now. The next time you need a straight beautiful drive, reach for your favorite fairway driver.

Here are a few pics from beautiful Legacy Park:

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Back To Basics: Starting From The Hit Backwards

Posted by destinjames


When I first started playing DG, I did what most of us did — I bought a random disc not knowing very much about it, went to a course not knowing how to throw, and ran up the tee-pad with confidence and flailed my arm as fast as I could. Much to my ignorant surprise, I sucked, and if there was a lady’s tee, I’m sure I didn’t go past it.

Early in my DG days I heard the phrase, “Drive for show, Putt for dough.” There’s a lot of truth to that, and that’s how I have structured my game the past 5 years, but you cant win regularly without a well rounded game. I am usually solid at putting and approaching, but haven’t quite mastered the hit of the drive.

Recently I found an excellent video on YouTube that focuses on working from the hit (the acceleration and release at the end of the throw) backwards. It focuses on how very important it is to keep that disc very close to your body, and have an exponential acceleration, if you will… A slow pull across, and a burst of acceleration at the end.

I know this video will help me tremendously with my long game, and I hope it will for you too!


Discraft Ace Race

Posted by alphagenerator


Discraft Ace Race at the North Jasper Course on Aug 11, 2012 with the players meeting starting at 9 AM and tee time @ 9:30 AMI am taking the $25 payment via cash or PaypalPaypal: Send payment to Jeremiahbret@gmail.com (please use Personal > Gift option) Include your name, email, and working telephone number.What: Discraft Ace Race (http://discgolfacerace.com/)
2 Rounds of 18 holes, one shot per hole… only aces count!
No prior experience of disc golf required, all experience levels welcomed (Instruction for new players will be available) First Place will receive a stack of discs!

For couples, BFFs, or family who will be participating, we have a doubles deal. For $35, two people can split the player pack with each person getting one disc to participate in the Ace Race.

Players all throw the same model disc: a brand new, never-seen-before Discraft prototype disc that is introduced each year especially for Ace Race. All 2011 participants received a player’s pack that included 2 Z line prototype Drivers, sunglasses, Mini, sticker and a metal water bottle….a $50 package for only $25!

Please contact me with any questions
Jeremiah Blackmon
205-300-3189


Robbed from the DGB forum….

Posted by alphagenerator


 

Champion Clinic/Doubles – Sunday, July 8, 1:00 PM

Join Disc Golf Birmingham and Innova Champion Discs as they host the DGB edition of Champion Clinic/Doubles.

3X Women’s World and U.S. Champion, Des Reading
4X Putting and Doubles World Champion, Jay Reading
Sunday, July 8 @ George Ward Disc Golf Course
FREE Skills Clinic for all skill levels 1:00 – 2:15

Optional Random Draw Doubles afterward 
$10 Buy In with 100+% payout in cool custom merch from around the country 
Includes Ace Prizes, CTP, and Farthest Putt 

Jay is celebrating his 4th Putting World Title in a row and will have exclusive Custom 4X Yeti Pro Aviars by Nevada artist Skot Meyer.

Des has very limited 2012 Innova Champion Team Star discs available.
Come out to the park on Sunday and join us for the fun!

 


Innova Competition Bag with BackSaver-straps

Posted by alphagenerator


I have a slightly used Innova Competition DG Bag with straps $60.

Call or text if interested

Jeremiah

205-300-31eight9

 

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