VDG Video Blog 3 - What is Par? - April 2, 2014

This Video blog from Vibram Disc Golf below struck a chord in me. Asks the question, "What is par?" and provides some interesting insight, discussion, and discourse about disc golf par. I'm so used to playing everything as a par 3 and, while it's a worthy goal to score 3s on every hole, I'm not that good. Yet! I am getting close to scoring 4 on every hole and that's a good feeling! Still a long ways to go but wouldn't want it any other way as then it would be a boring game in a short order.

Lost a Blog Link...

It happens.

I read what I thought was a great blog post somewhere...Mind Body Disc, I believe, and now I can't find it.

Here's my attempt at recapping it based upon my memory.

It was a different approach to practice than fieldwork. I do believe fieldwork is worthwhile. But a person's also got to have some fun, too! So, basically, the gist of the post I've lost was about playing on a course or courses in the winter time.

What? The winter time? You're just not right, Joe!!!

Yeah, I've been told that more than once by more than one person! ;^D

The advantage to playing a course in the winter time is that not many others are out hukkin' plastic! So, there's no crowd on the course and one can take multiple throws on any hole! That's beautiful!!! If, a bit chilly. Just get some winter weather clothing like an UnderArmor cold weather shirt and maybe a sweatshirt for over that and some winter weather moisture wicking socks, a beanie for the old bean or ear muffs, grow a pair, grab your discs and practice!!!

Practice 5 or more throws off the teepad.

Then 5 or more midrange or approach shots.

Then 5 or more putts.

Then move on to the next hole.

Guarantee you will warm up as you throw and you'll gain practice time in a variety of shots, in a variety of settings.

Try it and see if it doesn't make a difference!

Building a Disc Golf Course in the Jungle

Disc golf is an international sport as evidenced by the tournaments in Europe, Japan, and most recently, Australia. Another addition is Honduras! A 9 hole course that is part of Rancho Vida.

An article about this endeavor appeared in the PDGA's email to me recently. A lot of information not only about the course and its construction but also EDGE (Educational Disc Golf Experience) and the PDGA’s Marco Polo program! So, for you world travellers...Honduras could be a Disc Golf destination in your future!

The pic above shows the signature hole at Rancho Vida. More pics and course info can be found at the PDGA page on Rancho Vida.

Infinite Discs State of Disc Golf Survey

Thought some of you might be interested in participating in Infinite Discs' State of Disc Golf survey. It takes about 10 minutes or so to complete. You can do so by going to the Infinite Discs Blog location.

Average Disc Golf's Interview of Andrea Meyers

Andrea Meyers is a relative newcomer on the women's disc golf scene as she didn't start playing until 2010. Average Disc Golf asked her 10 questions about disc golf in a 21 NOV 2014 blog post. A worthwhile and easy read!

It's nice to see an interview with a newer player who hasn't reached the lofty heights of the sport's stars yet! At least, I think that's the case with Andrea though she is a Dynamic Discs team player! She must be pretty good to have accomplished that!

Heavy Disc's Video on the Squeeze and One Step

The video below came from a Heavy Disc blog post for November 20, 2014 I read in a lead from the PDGA newsletter on 2 December 2014. I like his approach to the squeeze on the disc. His one-step drive and pec drill is something I've been working on in fieldwork for the last few months. Not enough time spent. Yet. Plenty of good words about the grip and disc squeeze. Just one other thing to work on.

In visiting the YouTube page for the video above, I found the video below that addresses shoulder and hip involvement in drive execution. My hip involvement is as aspect of my execution I believe needs a good deal of work. The train of thought and concept is pretty well communicated though his video work needs some improvement. But, I believe that'll come in time.

Disc Golf - Testimonials

This is a dated video I found while searching for disc golf blogs. The blog, itself, isn't active anymore that I can see. But the video below is a jewel, imho, in explaining the sport.

Mind, Body, Disc's Words of Wisdom

MBD's Wednesday's Words of Wisdom are interesting to me because I don't recall seeing the names and dates accredited to the early days of Disc Golf or Frisbees. I especially like the last sentence and its words of wisdom. My wife always teases me about being a little boy playing in the dirt!. Here's the post for 27 NOV 2014 below...

Who knew that in 1938 when Fred Morrison and his future wife Lucile were playing catch with a pie tin on a beach in Santa Monica, California that they would be planting the seed for the sport that we all know as disc golf. Albert Einstein said that play is the best form of research. It’s amazing the human accomplishments and achievements that have grown from the simple act of playing with toys.

So remember, if anyone ever gives you a hard time about running around in the woods playing with frisbees, you don’t stop playing because you get old, you get old because you stop playing.

Below photo by Heather Nobiling of Tom Lafrenz driving at the annual Discin' 4 Dogs fundraiser.

Disc Art with Sharpies

Pretty nice artwork on the disc in the image above, no? Amazingly enough it was a second attempt at doing Batman and all done with Sharpie markers!!!

Below is another example of his art. Very fun, indeed!

The artist is Jason Baston and an article about him is in Post 48 of Disc Golf Family.

Disc Golf Clinics Don’t Make You Better at Disc Golf

Mind Body Disc's blog on "Disc Golf Clinics Don’t Make You Better at Disc Golf" simply states that attending Disc Golf Clinics or watching all the YouTube videos will not make you a better disc golfer. What will is practice. Practice that is sometimes known as fieldwork. Not playing a round of disc golf on a course but focused, specific practice. But watching a video on one's tablet or smartphone and working on an aspect presented in that video on the spot. Also, recording oneself on video and checking to see if you're getting it right! As the MBD blogger said in a previous blog, "Don't practice something until you get it right. Practice something until you can't get it wrong!"

This post points out that to get the most out of a clinic, one should stick around afterwards and practice what was presented in the clinic. Sometimes the clinicians will offer to work with individuals and point out one or two specifics to help those individuals improve. Can't beat that!

This post also provides the best video tutorials the author has found. And, I agree with his choices. Although, I would include Dan Beto's video on driving from the hit back.

Below is MBD blogger's choice of the best roller video (and which I agree) presented by 5x world champion Dave Greenwell and Daniel Ledford for the Louisville Disc Golf Club. Greenwell covers all aspects of roller shots well.

rEvolve Disc Golf

rEvolve Disc Golf offers a free app for digital devices that is a free app that "promotes disc golf, and spending time offline." It's available at the iTunes https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/revolve-disc-golf/id528575419?mt=8 Compatible with iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch.

More info on it is available http://www.revolve.mobi/ where one can also sign up for their newsletter.

The Innova Thunderbird

All Things Disc Golf reviewed Innova's latest release, the Thunderbird. The disc is described as a longer Tee-bird, which the reviewers at All Things Disc Golf agreed with especially after throwing a Thunderbird against a Tee-bird.

I know a few of the Clock Tower hukkers throw a Tee-bird and like it a lot! You might want to get one of these discs and try them out because from the review, it sounds like it would be a good addition to one's bag.

Innova describes the Thunderbird as a “long range placement driver” and not a distance driver but, rather, as the All Things Disc Golf reviewers state, it fits "right between your Teebirds and Destroyers and is very controllable." It's a moderate speed placement driver with the reviewers rating the speed at 9.5. They reviewed two plastics Champion and GStar with the Champion plastic being a bit more stable than the GStar. Click here for the review.

Here's a Thunderbird disc Innova is making available as a fundraiser for the 2015 GCC and 2014 Cactus Classic events. This is one Nick Snelling, three time longest drive contest winner and first and third Discraft Ace Races champion, had posted on his Facebook page that he's purchased. Pretty Sweet!!!

Dynamic Discs TV Episode 2

Here's the second episode of Dynamic Discs TV. A couple of topics Eric McCabe talks about are disc golfing in the rain and spin putting versus push putting. Plus the King driver is reviewed. The Clock Tower Disc Golf leaguers may enjoy that article as the players that took part in our 2014 Fall Classic received a King as a bonus for playing that event! There's more than just that in this 23 and a half minute episode.

DiscMania posted this Q&A session with pros, Avery Jenkins and Simon Lizotte. Plenty of good questions and answers in the video below.

Wisdom Wednesday from Mind Body Disc

Mind Body Disc started a post entitled Wisdom Wednesday. The image above comes from the 11-19-2014 post. It's a short post and hits a chord with me as I love being outside throwing plastic around a disc golf course!

The main gist of the post is "We shouldn’t just practice to just be able to get something right, we should be practicing until it’s second nature. Until we can’t get it wrong." Wise words, indeed.

He included the image and John Muir quote above in the post and recommends reading a book by John Muir. I hadn't thought of that, but, it sounds like a good read for the winter months. I've seen the PBS show on John Muir and he definitely is worth reading, imho. That might even make a good Christmas gift idea!

For those who don't know John Muir, he was "a Scottish-American naturalist, author, and early advocate of preservation of wilderness in the United States. His letters, essays, and books telling of his adventures in nature, especially in the Sierra Nevada mountains of California, have been read by millions. His activism helped to preserve the Yosemite Valley, Sequoia National Park and other wilderness areas. The Sierra Club, which he founded, is a prominent American conservation organization."

See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Muir for a more detailed and extensive article about John Muir.