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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.
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June 9th, 2009, 06:53 PM
REI Disc Golf Clinic
