REI Disc Golf Clinic

[evanders]

Hello fellow disc golfers,

I'm teaching a one hour clinic (Disc Golf 101) on the basics of disc golf for REI. I'm an amateur who's not very good. So I covet your suggestions. I'm just going for the most basic information. For complete beginners who are interested in disc golf but don't know the what, where, and (very briefly) how. So what's important? What goals should I set for my fortyish minutes of talking (leaving some time for questions)? How do I get people started without overwhelming them with tech and jargon? And of course I need some good disc golf jokes.

Thanks in advance for anything,

Evan

P.S. - The clinic is free, at the downtown Portland store, on July 8th in the evening (exact time still tbd but probably 6:30pm)

[The Ombudsman]

Flat flip files straight;
Tilted flip curves!
Experiment!

[Adam Schneider]

Most importantly, tell them to start out with putters and midranges. If they must throw drivers, lighter weights will be better for most beginners.

[evanders]

Most importantly, tell them to start out with putters and midranges. If they must throw drivers, lighter weights will be better for most beginners.

Thanks for making that point. I've only recently realized that I'm throwing discs that are too heavy and of a speed level that I can't really produce. I can throw a 170 destroyer a ways but I can throw a 165 beast further with more control.

On that note...do you know if the distances at Timber Lin park are accurate?

Evan

[Tim]

Most importantly, tell them to start out with putters and midranges. If they must throw drivers, lighter weights will be better for most beginners.

QFT. I'd also recommend starting out with DX plastic if they can...easier to throw and less of a hit when it's inevitably lost. Though, if going through REI, I don't even know if they sell DX....

[Sam]

Very cool. I taught some clinics for REI in Hillsboro and a bunch for Hillsboro Parks and Rec. I will send you a PM with my number. If you want to give me a call, I will give the rundown of what I did.

Grow the sport!
:cheers:

["Over the Hill" Bob]

Very cool. I taught some clinics for REI in Hillsboro and a bunch for Hillsboro Parks and Rec. I will send you a PM with my number. If you want to give me a call, I will give the rundown of what I did.

Grow the sport!
:cheers:

Thanks Sam! Evan, for sure get ahold of Sam and he'll help you out. Carie Coleman with Stumptown is another resource as her position on the Board is Clinics. She is Carie CPink here on the forum. Good luck!

Bob

[evanders]

Disc Golf 101 clinic is coming soon. Wednesday July 8th at 7pm at REI Portland. I'd love to meet you most excellent disc golfers. So if you get the chance come out and support/heckle me.
Sincerely,
Evan

[Brian]

The one thing I always tell people is to throw from shoulder to shoulder. So you lift the disc up flat and back by your left shoulder and you run it right under your chin without dropping your elbow. So if you go straight across under your chin and don't drop your elbow you can get a straighter throw. Once you have that down well, after a year or two, then you can drop your arm. I throw from my waist now, but if I did that when I started it would go straight up and hook 3 holes over to the left. I have taught many people to play and that is my favorite tip.

[GettinBetter]

Also if you are just starting and never really thrown a disc before then throw with 80% power at the MOST with your drives.

[captain jack]

Teach them to throw the disc nearly level.

The natural tendency for beginners is to throw the disc at a steep upward angle.

Its a frisbee, not a baseball, it does not fly in a nice parabola (graceful curving arc), but rather, goes farthest when thrown on a flat line.

As a player gets better, they will throw more "wormburners" or shots that hug the ground, than ones that rise steeply.

[LJ Jubner]

Teach em to stay behind play, their minis and YOU can't break branches that are in your way.


OH! and Pack it in Pack it out.

[Tim]

Ahh yeah, and don't forget the all important "FORE!"

[LJ Jubner]

Ahh yeah, and don't forget the all important "FORE!"

Actually Tim Just because you yell FORE, It does not relieve you of the responsibility of any damage your thrown disc might cause. So Courtesy towards all park users is the number one thing Cherries need to know,

[chris7graham]

Also never forget when giving a new disc golf a disc if it is a driver never give them overstable disc to start understable for the win for beginners

[Tim]

hahaha, yeah, I wasn't thinking of using at a legal defense ("But your honor, I said 'fore'!"), so much as knowing to say something when the inevitable bad throw comes--and also to know to duck when you hear someone else yelling it. I've seen plenty of noobs employ the "cover your face and walk in the opposite direction" technique, as well as the ever-popular-yet-not-so-articulate "oooooooooooooohhhhh!!!!!" on bad shots.

[smobro]

I have been playing now for three years and have made my biggest jumps by playing casual golf with golfers who are wayyyyyyyy better than me. My suggestion would be to let them know if they do get the addiction after playing then practice putting and throwing mid range approach shots the most for a couple months then find a nearby weekly doubles event to play in. That way they will get to see excellent players alot. They will make some friends and golf partners. tell them to ignore most of what they read on this web site also:laughing:

[Garrett]

Being a new player from just this year, here's a few things I picked up on while watching others and reading articles online:

* Lower weight discs.
Do not jump immediately to the heaviest discs available. I started off with a 175 g TeeRex disc and it was a horrible experience. I had absolutely no control of this disc at all. A week later, I dropped down to some discs in the 165-168 g range, which worked perfectly for me.

* Grip!
I can't emphasis how much learning a proper grip helped me out... I'd probably not show them how to sidearm it at all as new players. I started off with the sidearm because I used sidearm Frisbees when I was younger. The problem with that is that throwing a Frisbee and playing disc golf are totally different animals. So my sidearm was a horrible sight to see. So I spent a few weeks learning a typical forearm throw and at the same time learning the power grip with it. My youngest son (18 years old) who started near the same time as me went sidearm also, but to this day still can't control it. I've preached to him to at least learn the forearm throw, but he's stubborn and refuses to do so, even when more seasoned players have told him that he should.

* Forearm throwing.
See my rant above.

* Throwing stance.
I'm not sure if what I suggest is good on this, but! I found that as a new player, running up on my throw was not good for me learning how to get a good stance, aim and release of the disc. So I stopped trying to do that and just simply stood at the end of the tee, worked on my stance, aim and release from a stand still. Mind you though, I was putting my body into it, such as leaning back before throwing my arm and body forward for the throw. This helped me a lot in this area by not trying to run up and throwing. In fact, to this day, I still do not run forward with my throw, but not because it doesn't help, but because I have a bad right hip which hurts like hell if I do that for several tee offs. :-( Funny thing is, I can nearly throw just as far as players who do run up on their throws, but of course, nowhere near a distance that a pro can throw.

* Understable disc for right hand forearm throws.
I started off with overstable, which of course was another bad move on my part. My discs would constantly curve to the left. I could never get a good straight throw off when I first started. I tried understable discs which had helped me get a bit more control on that and throw a bit more straight. Now it doesn't matter for me, I can throw either and actually will throw one or the other depending on the situation.

* Aim, Stance, Control before Distance.
I'm not sure if this is good or not, but I believe that learning to aim, learning a good stance and learning to control the disc before learning to throw long distance is a priority. Once you have those down, start throwing a little harder gradually until you're throwing your hardest and still have aim and control. I've watched both my boys do the opposite and neither has reliable aim or control.

* Player and Course Courtesy.
Pay attention to the course and players on the course.

* Pot, Papers and Pipes Oh My!
If you don't know how to pack a bowl or roll up a fatty, you'll learn very quickly playing disc golf. (Please note that I do not condone the use of pot or any other drugs.. PERIOD! But I ain't gonna dog those that do. Ya wanna light up a big fatty while playing with me, that's fine.) /sarcasm+humor.off

Anyway, those are some of the things I picked up on as a new player that I found were important to me as a new player. I really didn't have anyone to teach me much of anything for disc golf and had to pick things up on my own for the most part. With the exception of that last one, I feel that the rest are very important for a new player. Whether what I've said is correct or not, I don't know. I only know that these things helped me out through the last 4 or so months since I started.

And of course... Don't be afraid to ask someone on the course a question! Just about any player on the course is more than willing to answer a question for someone else.

[REDFIVE]

Check out the how to section of this site.

http://www.kenclimo.com

[Parks]

Make it as interactive as possible.

Show people grips and make them do it, get them throwing stuff and giving them basic tips, see if anyone has questions, etc.

Basically, don't just talk at them the whole time.

[PDX_Stu]

I did a report awhile ago and posted it on my Web Site. It has some basic stuff in it. You might want to check it out.

http://www.aracnet.com/~stuart/disc_report.htm

There is also a disc tutor link I was experimenting with:

http://www.aracnet.com/~stuart/

There is a link on the home page.

[evanders]

I just want to thank everyone again for the great comments, suggestions and encouragement. I look forward to meeting everyone who can make it and I think we will have a great time. I've got some folks from Next Adventure bringing baskets and I plan to spend at least half the evening outside chucking plastic!
Evan

[Wog]

If you get tired of talking you can always just show the videos from my new disc golf series :)

eHow.com Disc Golf (http://www.ehow.com/videos-on_10131_frisbee-golf.html)

[Scott]

If you get tired of talking you can always just show the videos from my new disc golf series :)

eHow.com Disc Golf (http://www.ehow.com/videos-on_10131_frisbee-golf.html)

Great videos, Steve.

But.... FRISBEE golf?!?!