Some Basic Terms

In its simplest terms, the goal of disc golf is to “tee off” from one predetermined point and sink the disc into a basket placed at another point. The distance between these two points varies from one “hole” to the next, ranging anywhere from seventy-five to over three hundred yards. The basket you are aiming for is generally suspended from four sturdy metal chains, and hangs about three feet off the ground.

Like conventional golf, the idea is to sink nine or eighteen holes in the fewest throws, (or “strokes”), possible. Obviously, the guy with the fewest strokes at the end of the game is the winner. Most public disc golf courses have a sign at the tee telling you how many throws it should take to sink it into the basket on that hole. “Under par” means you’ve sunk it in fewer throws than expected, and “over par” means you took more.

In addition to “par,” several other terms carried over from conventional golf. A “hole in one,” for instance. Also, sinking the disc in one stroke less than par is a birdie, and two less than par is an eagle.

And disc golf also has essentially three kinds of throws, the tee off, the drive, and the putt. But there the resemblances end. Rather than the crisp white “walking shorts” or blazer you expect to see on the country club golf course, the average disc golfer is generally dressed pretty grubbily, and for good reason.

In disc golf, there are no “sand traps.” There are, however, water hazards that include streams, ponds, lakes, or bogs. Frequently, trees function as hazards, as well. Sometimes, its only one tree that you have to get around. Sometimes, you have to go through a small forest. And when you’re watching your favorite disc arc towards the creek, you’ll know that if you want it back, you’ll have to get it back yourself.

Different Disks and What They Do

Initially, it might look as if there were an almost infinite selection of discs to choose from, each having a different silhouette, weight, heft, etc. However, most disc golfers rely on three “core” discs, (one each for teeing, driving, and putting), often augmented by several “specialty” discs specifically shaped to cut through wind, arc in a certain direction, or float.

You can find discs available at any sporting goods store, and the manufacturers frequently include a wall chart in their display that explains the different flight characteristics of each disc.

Physically Preparing for the Game;

First, there are several things you will want to bring with you in addition to your discs. You will want to have drinking water. A pair of “flip-flop”-type sandals is often a good idea, as well.

You will want to be wearing shoes that provide good arch and ankle support, and a textured sole for traction. Throw in a towel, (for when you “fish out” your disc), and you’re all set!

Stretching and limbering up before any intense workout is always a good idea, followed by at least a minute or two of an exercise I like to call “rotor swings.”

Simply stand with you feet about shoulder width apart, arms completely relaxed and hanging at your sides. Rotate your shoulders from the waist up, and both arms, if completely relaxed, are lifted up and out by centrifugal force.

In addition to being very relaxing, this is also the only exercise that is specifically designed to enhance those core muscle groups between the hips and the waist that generate the “power” behind your throws.

And it looks pretty “kung-fu”, too…

Correcting Your Throw

Before “hitting the links,” most courses come equipped with everything from a putting green to a spare “practice” hole, which is a great opportunity to loosen up, gauge wind resistance, and practice longer putts.

A word on etiquette: when a player, (or group of players), encounter a slower player on the course, it is expected the slower player will suggest the faster group “play through,” which will get them on their way more quickly, and greatly increases the number of players who will be able to play that course that day. Thank you for your consideration!

As mentioned, there are only three kinds of throws, and, fortunately, each of them have a fairly limited number of things that can go wrong, so we will begin by correcting your putt, and then work our way out to drives, and then teeing.

The Perfect Putt

The core of “the perfect putt” rests on your forward foot, which is the same foot as the hand you use to throw. Once you place that foot, it does not move until after the throw is completed. It is your pivot.

Putting has several things going for it that make it by far the easiest of the three throws. First, the disc itself is generally heavier, and is frequently floppier and much less rigid than a driver. In addition to increasing its wind stability, a floppy putter also has less recoil off the chains, and less of a tendency to rebound out of the basket.

So; you just completed a massive drive that puts you within smackin’ distance of the chains. You nonchalantly pick up your driver, and mark your spot with your forward foot. Your putter should be resting loosely on the web of your thumb, with the disc being held parallel to the ground between your thumb and second finger. Your offside foot is about a shoulders’ width behind your forward foot.

Now, lean back on your rear foot, and breathe. Breathing is the one critical element of the putt that everyone has to learn to appreciate. It provides the timing mechanism for a smooth flow of events. Don’t even do anything else for a few moments; just breathe.

The perfect putt is an exhalation of a gentle breath, much like a fencer’s thrust. In fact, if you’re starting out with your putter right about where the hilt of a sword would be, the perfect motion to make is exactly the same motion of a master swordsman drawing and thrusting. As you breathe out, fluidly lean out over your forward foot. Thrust, and release.

There are only three things that affect where the disc will go. The first, and most significant, is the position of your hand. You want the disc to stay perfectly smooth and level after you release it. So if your putt goes off to the right, adjust your hand position accordingly.

The second critical element is the amount of energy imparted by shifting your weight from the rear foot to the forward one. Obviously, the further out your putting from, the stronger you want to make that weight shift. Remember: a little dab’ll do ya, and an overthrow is exactly as bad as an under throw.

And finally, the height your hand is at when you release. Hand height determines whether or not the disc will rise, as well as how far away from you the putter will begin to drop.

If you combine awareness of these three “body elements” with using your breathing as timing and the “single fluid draw and thrust” mental imagery, eventually you’ll be comfortable enough with it that you could do it blindfolded.

The Drive

If your tee shot was at all adequate, (and it will be), you should be between one-third and two-thirds of the way to the basket, after your first shot. It is not the distance remaining that worries you; it is the small stand of trees sitting squarely between you and the basket, compounded by the fact that there’s a creek about three-quarters of the way there that looks like its dying to eat your plastic.

No worries. You know from experience that your “regular” driver rises up on the outside, taking the disc to the right of your line of sight before cutting back to the left. And, just in case, you have a specialty disk that is shaped in such a way that it first cuts to the left, goes out, and cuts back in before dropping. And it floats.

Knowing the flight characteristics of your different drivers is critical. One driver is not even designed to fly at all, but thrown with an exaggerated overhand motion so it hits the ground and starts to roll. And continues to roll for a long time.

The only other element an exemplary drive requires is power. Of course, the further down the throw starts, the stronger the resulting mechanical advantage. DO NOT curl your wrist for a drive. It does impart more centrifugal force to the disc, but that actually costs you in distance. So the rule of thumb is: keep your wrist straight, hands out from the body, and start the throw down by your feet.

And know the flight characteristics of your different drivers!

Teeing Off

But before all this can happen, you must first tee off. Two things you will want to pay special attention to: the angle of the disc in relation to the ground, and the point in the arc of your arm’s motion that you release it at.

First, in direct contrast to a putt, you want the disc to be about forty-five degrees or so short of straight up and down. Not perpendicular to the ground… but close. And the same rules apply for tee shots that apply to drives regarding positions of your hands, wrists, etc.

But to tee off, I mean really full-on, take no prisoners-type tee off, you’ll want to start a wind-up five or six steps back, and keep in mind which is the forward foot, and which the rear. The position of your forward foot determines the general direction the disc will go; but it is pushing off against the rear foot that provides the power.

And power is only useful when it can be controlled. I’ve seen some very long tees go in some very wrong directions, and every single one was due to a lack of control at the point of release. Release it too soon, and it mows down some grasses about fifteen feet in front of you. But if you release it too late, it’ll go way up high, but not very far.

Altitude eats distance, and if it tilts at the end of a high hover, it’s going to go very far to one side or the other. So, learning the “sweet spot” in the arc of your swing, which will minimize unnecessary altitude while maximizing forward force transferred to the disc, is the only thing you need to do to develop a “monster tee”.

And when you develop that, you’ve already mastered the precision required in putting, and the power required to drive. After that, only one step remains…

Become the disc…