Two Points from Tim at Mind Body Disc blog

Two points from the Mind Body Disc blog post on 10 Pieces of Advice I Wish I'd Listened To

4. Learn to throw from a stand still. Not just approach shots, full on drives. There’s no reason to add more moving parts if you can’t get the most important part down cold first. Most players destroy anything good about their form with their run up.

1. The most important thing you can do on every shot, with every disc, in every situation is to follow through. I can look back on 75%+ of my bad shots and the primary cause was lack of follow through. If you do nothing else on this list, do this religiously.

are covered well in this video which I've posted before of Dan Beto demonstrating driving technique from the Hit Back. You've seen it posted before on this blog. I think it's well done and covers the subject well both visually, verbally and thoroughly.

Throw discs that match your arm speed.

Tim, blogger at Mind Body Disc, published a post with the subject of Throwing Discs that Match Your Arm Speed. It was an enlightening article with a lot of insight.

We all realize that throwing a long drive is a not only a thing of beauty but something we all want to do! Getting down a 500 to 800 foot (or longer!) long fairway only makes for great feeling! For me, getting well over 200 feet on a drive is something I'm looking forward to. Eagerly!!! There's a lot to work on in the process. And, sometimes, I'm a slow learner.

Tim's got it right when he says, "...distance isn't everything. Accuracy is far more important." He found this out playing PDGA tournaments in the Advanced Masters division where he discovered that, "Accuracy and putting trumped distance. Every. Single. Time."

He goes on to explain that "...we have to find the disc that best matches our current arm speed and technique. In order to do this, we need to understand why a disc gets distance." And, he explains why a disc gets distance and disc speed and speed rating of a disc.

There's further statements about the disc speed and how it flies in a Hyzer (The hyzer path is the trajectory the disc takes when the outside edge of the disc is tilted downward.), which for me means I've got to work on my Hyzers more. So, out to do fieldwork I'll go! And, I'll probably try working with some lower speed drivers as he suggests for I might be surprised!

Here's a video by Will Shusterick on Driving sponsored by Infinite Discs. It's 25 minutes that is chock full of good advice, insights into grips, problems, shoulder line, body positioning and more from this world champ.

Disc Golf Advice from Mind Body Disc blogger Tim

Mind Body Disc blog had a recent post entitled 10 Pieces of Disc Golf Advice I Wish I Had Listened To. A lot of good advice in his ten items.

My favorites include;

7. Actually spend time practicing in the first place. As fun as going out and playing rounds is, nothing will help you improve as much as field work.

6. Throw discs that match your arm speed. Most of us have no business with high speed drivers in our bags. Going all the way down to speed 8 and 9 drivers would do wonders for most people’s games.

4. Learn to throw from a stand still. Not just approach shots, full on drives. There’s no reason to add more moving parts if you can’t get the most important part down cold first. Most players destroy anything good about their form with their run up.

3. Start loose and slow, then accelerate and grip down late in the throw. Do it smoothly. Throwing “hard” is not the answer and will only frustrate you.

2. Learn to throw a putter for distance. In fact, dedicate a month or more to playing only with putters. Yeah, that’s right, a month or more. Don’t believe me? Well, if you won’t take that advice from me, how about taking it from the current distance world record holder (Simon Lizotte)?

1. The most important thing you can do on every shot, with every disc, in every situation is to follow through. I can look back on 75%+ of my bad shots and the primary cause was lack of follow through. If you do nothing else on this list, do this religiously.

The next couple of posts will cover some of these in more depth. For now, check out the video below of a workshop on throwing by Simon Lizotte on throwing putters for distance. This covers Number 2 Learn to throw a putter for distance.

Disc Golf Side Arm Driving Technique Clinic by Ricky Wysocki

The 15 and a half minute video below was taken at an Infinite Discs sponsored side arm driving clinic put on by Ricky Wysocki, one of the top touring pros in disc golf.

Take aways from this clinic include:

The three side arm grips

Keep the arm flat (parallel to the ground).

Reach back or extend the throwing arm all the way back for power.

The flex of the wrist determines a hyzer, anhzer or straight shot.

Run ups and body positioning for various throws such as the hyzer, anhyzer or straight shots.

Fred the Disc Golfin' Dog

The video below about Fred the Disc Golfin' Dog by Chibi Moku, a cinematography that lives "...in an RV full time and travel the US telling stories about architecture & design," was first seen on YouTube and then on Dogleg Disc Golf Blog He's better than any tracking device one could put on a disc golf disc, imo. Though he does have a lifespan of about 15 years.

Puts me in mind of a local disc golfer I see once in a great while with his black lab. Would be fun to do a video on those two as his black lab retrieves +/- 26 discs in a season!!! I've seen him jump straight down into a creek to retrieve a disc. Also, any discs lost in tall grass and weeds, he comes up with! Aside from the four legged's poopin' on a course, which responsible disc golfers pick up after their hounds droppings, there's a lot to be said for them and their companionship!

Fred definitely appears to be good company, as do most four legged canine companions, out on the course and tracks that disc like no one else I know!!! Enjoy!!!

Exercises to Help Relieve Stiffness and Soreness

Mind Body Disc's blog on this subject is pretty extensive so I'll leave it to you readers to visit their post on the subject of Disc Golf Training, A Quick Mobility Routine. It will take some time to check out all the links they provide for the exercises that comprise their 15 minute workout. BUT, it will be WELL WORTH IT!!!

Besides, you don't want to end up like the folks below, do you?

Paul Ulibarri's Approach to Approach Shots

Infinite Discs posted a blog with a video of pro player, Paul Ulibarri, from a clinic of his on approach shots.

He has four basic tips to improve your control and accuracy on approach shots.

1. Get in an athletic position with your soldiers square to the target.

2. Keep your eye on the target.

3. Get the nose of the disc up. Having the nose of the disc facing upward will help prevent you from overshooting the basket. To make sure the nose of the disc stays up, Paul recommends keeping your wrist above your elbow.

4. Follow through with your shot.

You can see the clinic in the video below.

URBAN DISC GOLF PROJECT #3

For your viewing pleasure, URBAN DISC GOLF PROJECT #3, too much fun!!!

Upper Park Designs

Upper Park Designs has a line of Disc Golf Bags that are at the other end of the price spectrum as The Magellan Disc Golf Backpack. Heard about it while listening to a Disc Golf Show Podcast with Gregg Barsby and thought it worthwhile to pass on.

If you'd prefer, I've found it on YouTube and posted it below...

Why Join the PDGA

A lot of you know I'm a PDGA member. From time-to-time someone asks me about that other number on my disc and I tell 'em, "It's my PDGA number." And provide a bit more of information which is hard to do completely while shooting a round. Or, my ADD kicks in and I lose my focus!

Disc Golf Family's Post 45 presents the reasons for joining the PDGA. You never have to play a PDGA sanctioned tournament. The PDGA number you receive is yours forever whether you keep your membership up annually or not. You get their quarterly magazine. There are several other reasons as well. And, if you're an altruistic person, you can probably be compelled to join. I'm a bit of that type of person. If any of you readers played a Discraft Ace Race this year (2014), one of the player pack offerings is a discount to join the PDGA. Give it a read at Disc Golf Family's Post 45.

Poison Ivy, Oak and Sumac

Quite possibly the greatest hazard to face a disc golfer is catching Poison Ivy. At least in our area of the midwest. "...according to the American Academy of Dermatology 85% of the population (Disc Golf Family Post 44)" are allergic to one if not all of those plants. My wife is one of the 15% that aren't affected. She had a relative that could eat poison ivy and not be affected! That's crazy! At least in my mind. But, hey, if you've got it. Flaunt it! And he did.

Disc Golf Family Post 44 has a very informative post about this subject for all of us to read and file away for future reference.