learning curve
 

What is the best advise you have received and from whom?

What is the best video or article that has improved your game?

What is the first thing you tell a person when you bring them out for the first time?

If you can make all of your 15' putts then your upshot only needs to land in a big 30' circle. However, if you up that to being able to make all of your 25' putts, then the upshot circle grows to 50'.

This really isn't applicable to me. Almost all of my improvements came from playing with people who are better than I am and watching what they do and asking why.

Put down your beer before you throw. :chug:

The best advice I've ever gotten was to throw with my whole body instead of just my arm. I think Ed Dopplemyer told me that.

The best article I've read that improved my game was something called "Steady Disc Golf," in the now defunct Disc Action magazine. Kurt Bayne wrote the article, and I think Renee Espinoza published the magazine. The basic tenet of the article was how to play conservatively for score. The money quote was "Learn to hate bogies more than you love birdies." If anyone has a copy of that article laying around, I will buy you a sixer for it.

The thing I tell people when I bring them out for the first time is, "Good shot!" I think that positive reinforcement is key to get people to enjoy this sport. Also, I tell them to keep their grubby hands off my rocs.

#1 Buck told me to "through smooth to throw far"... meaning that relaxed technique will beat grunting power every time... he was also fond of reminding me that throwing the farthest off the tee does not always win you the hole.

#2 I really like the discraft putting consistency video

#3 I try really hard to get people to learn to throw low and flat and to get the disc above the cage when they putt.

I tell them to do an internet search on the terms, "disc golf," and "tips for beginners."

Oh, and not to touch Proto's Rocs.

I touched one once when he wasn't looking. Five hours later my hand started to burn and fester...

Disc Golf Review has probably the best overall collection of technique articles to get a person started throwing properly. As far as specific video, I ran across a 2 minute youtube clip a while back of Climo demonstrating throwing a drive from a standstill. In the video he clearly and concisely reveals a lot about throwing mechanics. It was incredibly useful. Unfortunately I lost track of the url, so you would have to do some digging to find it.

I've taught several people how to throw with mixed results. The test of my knowledge came recently when I injured my throwing arm. I went to Dabney a few days later hoping it was healed, but after the first throw it was obviously not going to happen. Rather than walk the course as my friends played out the round I decided to go left handed.

If you haven't tried it, throwing with your off arm is like having to teach yourself the game from the ground up. I found that there are a couple critical elements:

1) Grip pressure and wrist snap.

2) Harnessing the motion of the body from the waist down.

Once I focused on just those two elements, my lefty drives started going twice as far and much straighter, and my lefty putts went from fluttering out and dropping early to hitting the chains by the end of the round.

Ben Blechman taught me a drill a couple years ago that is very helpful for learning how to transfer weight forward and getting the hips to open up at the right time. It involves standing perpendicular to the target in a wide stance. Shift weight onto the back leg as you extend the backswing. Plant the lead leg then accelerate as you open up your hips and transfer weight forward. Focus on coming around cleanly with the hips with a strong finish and end up with your back leg rotating all the way forward and the elbow of your off arm pointed at the target. This drill can be done while throwing a disc, or without one.

This drill has helped develop my right hand backhand throw, and it was critical in trying to figure out how to throw left handed.