More Ways to Play

It's November. The skies get gray and shorter and shorter are the days. So, how do you get to play disc golf at this time of year when there's less light and temps are much cooler. Especially here in the Midwest?

Mind, Body, Disc's October 15, 2014 blog post provides 7 ways to get more time in playing this sport! Read it and see if you can work for you! I already implement numbers 2, 6 and 7. Playing a Glow Round sounds like fun but I'd prefer playing one on a flat course.

The Magellan Outdoor Deluxe Disc Golf Backpack

There's a new $30 backpack disc golf bag that's catching a lot of disc golfer's eyes called The Magellan. Should you be thinking it's time for a papa or momma to get a brand new bag, perhaps the video below will give you cause to say, "That's the ONE for ME!!!"

PutterbeadZ

Drive for the Show! Putt for the Dough! You hear this a lot in disc golf circles and it's true because as Tricia Lafferty, a contributor to Doglegdiscgolf.com states, "Putting is the part of the game where you actually score, and can drastically raise or lower your score. If you are a consistent and accurate putter, your scores can drop drastically...The only way to get better at putting is to practice it. A tweak in thumb placement, release point, grip, and technique can make a difference, but you will only know if you practice. Putting needs to become automatic, and over thinking creates mistakes." I realize this weakness in my play. Too often I blow a putt within the 30 meter circle around a basket and I will score a 4 or 5 where had I not blown the first putt attempt, I'd score a 3 or 4!

Tricia's post on a product called Putter BeadZ provides information on a product to help one practice at putting without having to mark off the meters or feet every time they go out to practice putting. Give it a read. Might be a tool you can find useful or you can concoct a similar product on your own to help make your putting practice less hassle free. Myself, I usually try something like a game of Around the World (remember that basketball challenge?) It gives me variety in distance and locations from within the 30 (or more) meter circle around the basket.

Building a Disc Golf Home Gym, the Jump Rope

So, here's a way to improve distance on the disc golf course that I hadn't thought about. And, believe me, it isn't an easy task for myself, speaking from past experience! Throw in a bit of uncoordination to boot! Check out this Mind, Body, Disc blog post.

Field Work Inside View

Here's a video of Paul McBeth and Jared Roan showing what they practice on when doing field work. For those of us unfamiliar with field work, this video gives a good idea of a direction one can take in field work.

Discraft Ace Race 2014 Review

The Discraft Ace Race disc for 2014 is being described as beginner friendly and a stable driver as well as can be enjoyed by any level of disc golfer. October 26th is only a few days away in which those of us who have pre-registered for the Middle Park Discraft Ace Race will be getting their player pack and putting this disc through it's paces.

It'll be a fun event with the following contests:

Best Costume

Best Round in Costume - first round

Distance Driving - men's and women's divisions

Accuracy Driving - men's and women's division

Speed Putting

Ring of Fire

Also working on getting an onsite lunch provided by a local Hy-Vee or some other caterer.

Looking to be a good time!

iPhone 6+ Slow Motion

I do own an iPhone and I don't know the video camera capability of Android or other smart phones. But this post by Hyzer Flipped Disc Golf on the iPhone 6+ Slow Motion is perfect for Disc Golf shows a fine example of the iPhone 6's capability. I'm not saying run out and buy an iPhone 6. I'm not nor will I for a while to come!

Disc Golf Skill Shots and Aces 2014

Ace Chasers NW have this video where they take an Innova Skillshot portable basket and set it up in various places in the Pacific Northwest and try to shoot aces (holes-in-one). Pretty fun footage of their fun!!!

2014 US Women's Disc Golf Championships: Final Round

Below is posted the final round between leaders; Paige Pierce, Elaine King, Liz Carr and Catrina Allen, at the W.R. Jackson Memorial Course, part of the International Disc Golf Center triumvirate in Appling, Georgia. It's a bit of a long video 36 minutes and 27 seconds but worth watching as these ladies can play!!!

10 Questions asked of Paul McBeth

Average Disc Golf caught up with Paul McBeth this past August and posed 10 questions to him. You can read the post here.

The best question, imho, was:

2. For average, regular players, what is the best tip you could give them?

"Never stop having fun,..."

Paul McBeth did win the Worlds tournament for a 3rd time recently and below is a video of the Final 9 holes of the leaders - Ricky Wysocki, Paul McBeth, Paul Ulibarri, and Nate Doss - at this year's Worlds tourney in Portland, OR.

Disc Dyeing

Is it time for some of us to consider a winter time project? I believe the video on Disc Dyeing (at least that I know of) to be well done and one of the better resources on the process of dyeing discs. Maybe because it seems it's one of the most recent ones.

Here's a link to the Disc Family Blog Post 39. The post contains a downloadable step-by-step guide as well as some good reading about disc dyeing.

Pitch and Putt and Soul Crusher courses

Pitch and Putt and Soul Crusher courses are two extremely different type of courses described in the Disc Golf Family blog post 32 where they defend the concept of Pitch and Putt courses.

To put it simply a Pitch and Putt course is where all holes are fairly easy par 3s with distance from teepad to basket not exceeding 300 yards or so. Courses like this are usually way too easy for most seasoned veterans of the sport as they can probably deuce, if not ace, almost every hole.

In the immediate Quad Cities we have one Pitch and Putt course, Slattery Park in Davenport, IA. It's a six hole course and not one hole is over 300 feet or not by much if it is. I still don't get 3s on every hole. (Still learning.)

Camden 2 is on the other extreme not quite the "soul crusher" course described in the Disc Golf Family blog but it is one of the more difficult courses in the area as well as one of the most beautiful. Almost all 18 holes are in wooded ravines with a creek that runs through it with that I inevitably end up in at one point or the other. The creek can be challenging to get down to the bottom of if I throw my disc in it as it's more of a chasm at one end and at the other end, I've been up over my knees in sandy, mucky sludge wondering if I was going to be able to get out! All of that experience part of this great, beautiful course designed (I believe) by Pro Disc Golfer on the Innova Ambassadors team, Chris Sprague.

We're really blessed by the 12 courses within our immediate Quad Cities community as well as the variety and quality of player community, not only in their play quality but they're generosity and willingness to share.

2014 Middle Park Discraft Ace Race

The 2014 Middle Park Discraft Ace Race in the Quad Cities area is coming up fast! Pre-registration is $25.00 and is due THIS Friday, October 10, 2014.

Pre-registration can be made at Iron Lion Disc Golf Supply at 16th St, Moline, IL 61265, the Bettendorf Life Fitness Center at 2222 Middle Rd, Bettendorf, IA 52722, OR, by contacting me at joe.nobiling@gmail.com. Also, information can be found at the Event's Facebook page.

This year's player pack is a $65 value and includes:

Two Z line prototype distance drivers,

One premium Buzzz disc golf towel,

One Discraft classic sandwich cap,

One mini marker disc,

One Ace Race flying skull bag tag,

One flying skull sticker,

One PDGA membership discount coupon.

Well worth the price of admission!

Disc Golf Technique - Make It Your Own

Disc Golf Family posted a blog on making disc golf technique your own. This post wasn't quite what I expected from the title but valuable just the same.

Three main points or "Tips" are brought up in this blog post and they are:

1) Diversify - practice a diverse amount of throwing styles.

2) Practice Outside of a Round - practice various throws independent of playing a round of disc golf.

3) A Balancing Act - Having only one strong throwing technique limits your options. Develop other elements of the game to add to your skillset of throws.

Don't forget this Friday 10 October 2014 is the last day for pre-registration for the Quad Cities Discraft Ace Race. You can pre-register at Iron Lion Disc Golf Supply at 2630 16th St, Moline, IL 61265, at the Bettendorf Life Fitness Center at 2222 Middle Rd, Bettendorf, IA 52722 or by contacting me at joe.nobiling@gmail.com. Pre-registration fee is $25.00 and gets you this year's player's pack and the opportunity to play in the Discraft Ace Race on October 26, 2014 at Middle Park's Disc Golf Course in Bettendorf, IA!

2014 Quad Cities Middle Park Discraft Ace Race

The 2014 Middle Park Discraft Ace Race in the Quad Cities area is coming up fast! Pre-registration is $25.00 and is due Friday, October 10, 2014.

Pre-registration can be made at Iron Lion Disc Golf Supply at 16th St, Moline, IL 61265, the Bettendorf Life Fitness Center at 2222 Middle Rd, Bettendorf, IA 52722, OR, by contacting me at joe.nobiling@gmail.com. Also, information can be found at the Event's Facebook page.

This year's player pack is a $65 value and includes:

Two Z line prototype distance drivers,

One premium Buzzz disc golf towel,

One Discraft classic sandwich cap,

One mini marker disc,

One Ace Race flying skull bag tag,

One flying skull sticker,

One PDGA membership discount coupon.

Well worth the price of admission!

The Backhand Bible

The Backhand Bible by Heavy Disc is Heavy Disc's bible on Backhand Drives. Pretty comprehensive in four "books," if you will, detailing his learning, strategy, and approach to 1) Footwork, 2) Hips, 3) Upper Body/Wide Reach and 4) Plant and Pivot.

There's always something to be gleaned from a different perspective.

Dye-Na-Mite Discs

Dye-Na-Mite Discs have some pretty unique artist created discs for sale of which the image above is one example.

Thought it was worth sharing as each of their discs is definitely one-of-a-kind! Check them out!