As a former newbie to Disc Golf, I have learned over the last decade of what to do and what not to do. I can tell you I started doing everything a beginner shouldn’t do. In this article, I will share with you the 3 most important tips I have learned over the last several years that have improved my game significantly!
Disc Selection Matters
Read that again. Disc selection matters. The first couple of years I started playing Disc Golf, all I threw were overstable midranges and drivers. I had no idea that by throwing only overstable plastic, it was hiding flaws in my form. At some point, I finally realized that I really had no choice but to learn understable midranges and drivers if I wanted to have versatility in my game. I relied heavily on overstable drivers due to their predictability. I knew they would fade left every single time, so I became used to only knowing how to throw discs like the destroyer and nuke. For years, I never knew what it was like to throw a straight smooth shot down the middle of the fairway or turn a disc over to the right. My game was suffering because I only had one shot I relied on. Over the last 5 years, I have learned how to throw understable discs, which has led me to be a more dynamic player. Midranges and putters are crucial if you want to learn how to throw on different flight angles. Besides, there’s only so much you can do with an overstable driver. It took me way too long to realize that understable discs are a very important aspect of the game.
Improve Your Accuracy with Standstill
In the past several years, standstill has become a staple in my game. It has greatly improved my accuracy, especially for my approach shots. Standstill allows for you to minimize shanking since your body can only rotate so much. With a run-up, it’s much easier to open your hips, which could potentially cause you to shank more often. It’s also important to note that when you have learned to master standstill, it’s much easier to learn a run-up. As a beginner, there are too many moving parts involved in a run-up, which could lead to creating bad habits. Starting with a standstill involves moving your body at a much slower pace, which allows yourself to gain muscle memory. The bottom line is if you want to become crazy accurate, then learning standstill is a must!
Having less discs is more
As a beginner, it’s very tempting to throw many different discs. It can be overwhelming yet exciting. Back when I started, I had a wide selection of discs in my bag and really thought that was the solution to scoring well. Over the last few years, I have realized that having too many discs just wasn’t necessary. I found it too difficult to try and learn 15+ discs, so by limiting my bag, it was easier to really understand their flight patterns, how they fly on different nose angles, and how wind affects each of them. Focus on learning a handful of your favorite understable discs. You’ll be able to know how your discs fly on many different angles, thus giving you a wider shot selection just by limiting the amount of discs in your bag. I suggest going to an open field and throwing these discs on different angles so you can really start to understand how they fly on multiple flight paths. By doing this, you will become best friends with your favorite discs, which will increase your confidence on the course! It took me many years to readjust my game and break my habits of throwing only overstable discs. You will hands down become an all-around dynamic player if you implement these 3 valuable tips into your game as a beginner. It is well worth the investment! Have any questions? Post them down below!