Bag Review

[slowroll]

Hey guys. I normally hate it when people do this stuff but it's gonna be a slow day here at work so i'll be checking this thread on and off to see if you all can help me out a little. I'm rated 939, so I have some clue as to what I'm doing, but my goals for this are.
A. to reduce overlap, and simplify my disc selection process
B. to fill any holes I may have in my disc toolbox
C. see how others feel about this issue

My bag(ALL Blue BTW FTW)
172 Med Wizard beat tailwind putts
174 Med Wizard worn go to putter
175 FLX Drone used super stable upshots under 250’
178 FLX Buzzz new stable(was going to take it out but aced a hole with it 2 weeks ago)
178 FLX Buzzz used slightly understable
175 Champ Excalibur
174 First Run Champ Boss used still stable one of the pair
170 Star Teebird used cause everyone tells me how great these are. I rarely ever touch it
172 ESP Avenger beat This is probably my Teebird, straight as an arrow up to 320’ or so
174 First Run Champ Boss used slightly understable one of the pair
175 ESP First Run Nuke new just bought it at BG ams
174 Tim Selinske fund raiser Champ Katana new just bought it for a good cause
174 ESP Surge worn favorite tailwind or long left to right driver, wouldn’t take this out even if the man KC himself told me to
172 Star Leopard used only slight hyzer flip disc I have, good for TN tunnels
174 ESP Avenger SS used SS seems to stand for “will flip over and become a backhand roller if you try to throw this flat”

I throw primarily flat, but when I start “trying hard”, most of my throws come out a little anhyzer. Drive maybe 400 on a perfect day, usually more like 330' consistently and I'm solid putting inside 25’.
If you need any more info to make an educated assessment, let me know. I’ll be checking back throughout the day.

My personal assessment is that I’m an idiot(like most other guys) and I keep buying stuff because it’s new and not because it’s any different from what I already own(see the 5 speed 12/13 discs above ;-). And that I need to learn how to throw more flippy discs with less energy since I get drawn into trying to throw everything hard all the time and get punished for this on some holes.

Thanks in advance.

[becker]

Oh sure, ask me this while I don’t have my bag handy.

One of my worst habits is I find one disc I drive well and stick with it until it’s dead. I’m awful about trying to make a single disc conform to a shot instead of choosing the proper plastic. Recognizing that fact, I keep something-teen options in my bag. I’m a RHBH power-thrower, who’s eyes are bigger than his arm. I try to buy 175 everything, simply to avoid thinking about it, so unless I state otherwise, that’s probably the weight.

DX Aviar – double stamp for $3. It’s my go-to putter, though it’s starting to lose its straightness (not me, of course, just the disc)
Champ Aviar – approach and putt. For windy days or for upshots between 50-150 feet.
DX Aviar (2003) Goes right. For putting around obstacles only.
Z Buzzz. Slow flier, but used to go straight forever. Now (sadly) a little understable.
Z Buzzz. From Barfield Ice-Bowl this year. Nice stamp, nice color, hoping to break it in so it’ll go straight. Still hyzers a bit.
Champ Cobra. My get-out-of-trouble roller. It’s understable, but it rarely sees the air.
Star Shark. For looong upshots or short drives. Predictable hyzer.
Champ Stingray. Kept mainly for #8 at 7Oaks or other shots. This disc is the reason I never fully developed a flick.
Star Stingray. Because I lost my champ for awhile. Often left in the trunk.
Champ Viking. My go-to if I’m playing with only one disc. Held a line for 300+. (Occasionally the same line I wanted!)
KC Pro Eagle. One of two aces, kept for sentimentality, rarely thrown.
Champ Eagle. Used as a cut roller. Rarely otherwise.
Champ Beast. A great gliding turnover disc. Finicky about dialing in, but it’ll travel a long time.
(165) Champ Groove. Bought used. Used to S nicely; becoming more of a turnover disc.
175 Champ Groove. For windy days. Live.
Star TeeRex. Driver d’jour
Star Wraith. See above.
Star Destroyer. See above. Plus – everyone fears a pink Destroyer!
Champ Monarch. I know this should S, and I suppose I need to break it in more.

My personal assessment is that I’m an idiot. Coincidentally, most assessments of me are that I’m an idiot. I learned distance from playing ultimate for so long, and translated that into disc golf. I model my putting game after Steve Hardie, though he’d probably be insulted if he watched me putt. Like Slowroll, I need to work more with flippier options and let them do the work. But my mindset is generally grip-it-and-rip-it, then find-it-and-grind-it. (Curse-it-and-rehearse-it?)

I could easily drop both Eagles, the Cobra, a Stingray, and at least one of my three disc-of-the-days to get me below 15. But I’m carrying my bag around anyway, and it’s never my arms or back that tire. It’s the legs... What I need is a pair of all-terrain roller skates.

Conversely, I intend to buy a Katana, merely because the few times Keith let me throw his, I cranked it 50+ feet further than anything else. Holy snot, they travel!

In terms of advice to reduce overlap or holes... 15 discs seems like a good number. I don’t see any intentional flicks (a Monster?) or rollers (Starfire?), but I’m hardly an authority for either.

Before I die, I will register with PDGA. Until then, I’m somewhere in the 900s with sporadic, happy delusions of spectacularism.

-- Becker

[slowroll]

It's almost like I'm talking to myself in here,with Becker' voice intermidently interrupting my own thoughts :-) Thank God for you Becker so I'm not just talking to myself in here !

[slowroll]

And you being 925 on RD's little team system is bull. You're a lil better than me on most days, I would suspect 950+ at least...

[Ron Pittman]

May 7, 2010 15:03:52 GMT -5 slowroll said:

And you being 925 on RD's little team system is bull. You're a lil better than me on most days, I would suspect 950+ at least...

Nope. Wrong Becker.

The Scapegoat's Becker is Ralph Becker, Jim's other brother. Most folks can't tell them apart.

[RD]

May 8, 2010 14:24:58 GMT -5 Ron Pittman said:

May 7, 2010 15:03:52 GMT -5 slowroll said:

And you being 925 on RD's little team system is bull. You're a lil better than me on most days, I would suspect 950+ at least...

Nope. Wrong Becker.

The Scapegoat's Becker is Ralph Becker, Jim's other brother. Most folks can't tell them apart.

True dat'

[becker]

(note to self: answer to "Ralph")

[RD]

May 7, 2010 15:03:52 GMT -5 slowroll said:

And you being 925 on RD's little team system is bull. You're a lil better than me on most days, I would suspect 950+ at least...

hey 925 is default, that way if you had 4 non rated players, it will total 3700.........you could find 4 "pros" if you wanted.....
Becker is probably a 942 right now if i had to guess

[RD]

oh yeah, about the bag.

I carry 4 sidewinders, 3 valkyries, 2 beasts, 1 monarch, 1 teebird, 1 crush, 2 buzzes, 1 roc, 2 jk aviars

I just added a mako, and soon a pro katana once i find the right weight.

All my discs are different weights, and plastics and I know what each one does 95% of the time. My main driver changes each round as to which one is flying the best that day. (usually a 175 champ sidewinder or 172 star valk) I have never had luck with high speen discs (bosses, grooves, wraiths, destroyers all fade too fast), so i stick to what works. I only want a katana because its the first high speed disc i could keep stable or use for BIG anhyzers on long open holes.

although I pick up lots of new plastic from tourny players packs and such, most end up on my wall for the stamp they have on em'. If im lucky enough to make the payout i usually get another sidewinder or valk, or putter, just to keep the cycle fresh in my bag.

I learned that distance is not as big a deal as the second shot, except on 400+ holes, and for the most part if your throwing that far, your not in my division anyway.

work on your up game, and dont let nerves take over during putting and you should be fine.

[slowroll]

It's definitely whatever works for you. My goal was to simplify. I think I'm going to do so by dropping(for now) the Nuke, Teebird and one of the Buzzz. I'm also considering adding in a new Avenger that is very stable. I love the feel of that mold, and I need something stable to throw that isn't a XCAL into headwinds. I can throw Valkyries and Roadrunners too, but other than your Roc and your Teebird, everything in your bag would go hard right for me. My buddy Jeff is the same way though. He loves that monarch and the valk because for him they go straight where a boss stables out. For me, a boss goes straight unless its a headwind, then it also goes right. I've made an effort the last week or so to get out in the yard and throw for an hour or so a day. We all have our good days and our bad, but I think the rust is coming off nicely, and I look forward to the fun of this weekends festivities and another chance to compete with good players.

[tricky]

All my discs are max weight

Removed all speed 11 discs and higher from the bag
- star katana
- star vulcan
- esp first run nuke
- champion xcaliber
- champion boss

Currently in the bag
- champ firebird
- dx whippet
- champ banshee
- champ beast
- star valk
- ce teebird
- cfr starfire (never throw)
- classic roc
- flx buzzz
- esp buzzz
- dx xd
- star aviar driver
- discraft comet
- wizard

[becker]

Feed the addiction. Feed it. It's good for you. Everybody's doing it. It'll make you feel good.

[RD]

May 10, 2010 16:48:19 GMT -5 RD said:

oh yeah, about the bag.

I carry 4 sidewinders, 3 valkyries, 2 beasts, 1 monarch, 1 teebird, 1 crush, 2 buzzes, 1 roc, 2 jk aviars

I just added a mako, and soon a pro katana once i find the right weight.

Kinda neat to see this thread re-awakend about a year after this original post.
Mainly because my bag has changed quite a bit since then.
The added mako was very short lived as well as the katana.
I still carry about 4 sidewinders, only 1 valk now, 2 beasts (one of which is still the same, a nice go to up hill driver) gone are the monarch and crush, and both buzzzes (those of which replaced by rocs (yes, a much better disc ) I still have the same ole trusty teebird, and have NEVER changed putters, love the jks.
The biggest addition to the bag are pro wraiths, I can handle them now, but mostly for headwinds.
I carry a vulcan, but still havnt gotten to where I trust it, its the longest disc in the bag, but not reliable
I also added a nice flat firebird for those really hard left cut shots (i.e. hole 5 at barfield)

its neat to see what one year has done to the bag, as i feel im playing my best golf right now. If i could just quit wimping out on putts i KNOW i can hit (yep, its mental) id feel at the peak

[41858]

All the discs in my bag i carry:
4-tee birds-under stable to slightly overs stable
2-kc pro aviars-putting only
2-dx aviars- upshots
2-pigs- head wind under 275 feet and hard cut left shots
2-kc pro rocs-upshots under 300 under stable and stable
1-champ roc-overstable ups and short drives
1-champ monster-headwind distance shots and hard cut lefts shots
1-esp hurricane-straight up distance shots
2-firebirds-headwind shots under 350
1-champ leopard- mid RANGE rollers and long turnovers
1-esp flx buzz- straight and short turnover shots
2-champ ryhnos-overstable upshots and flick upshots

This my game has improved alot and all i am look to finish this season off is more accurate and consistant putts and upshots.
Good luck to everyone this 2011 season,
#41858 Aaron
P.S. if any questions about the disc i throw send message or post..

[keith]

I just received my new Grip-eq (http://www.grip-eq.com/) disc golf bag and it is awesome. I can't wait to take it to the course and for you all to check it out. Blessings!