Equipment

I’ve shot thousands of pics of insects without flash and tens of thousands with flash. When the lighting is bright and sunny, the results can be good without flash. But when I venture out in pursuit of photo ops, I often encounter poorly lighted situations which are better with flash. If you study the work of experienced insect photographers, you’ll find that most of them use flash.

A very important advantage of flash is it captures motion. I use f/11 for depth of field and ISO 100 or less for quality. Without flash, that calls for approximately 1/100s. But flying insects are very fast and that shutter speed is too slow. So I use the fastest shutter speed possible with flash (1/250 on my Sony a7R IV and 1/400 with my Sony a1). At these settings, the ambient light contributes a fraction of what’s needed for exposure, so the remainder comes from the flash. And with a flash duration of about 1/10,000s, even the speediest flying insects are frozen sharply. It also eliminates camera shake.

When I began photographing bees, I thought the pop-up flash on my Sony a6400 would be perfect. The distance was short and low power was adequate. But there were two problems:

1. Longer lenses cast a shadow blocking the low flash head from illuminating the subject.

2. The recycle time was 4 seconds, causing me to miss opportunities while waiting for recycling (which is the charging of the capacitor in the flash).

So I tried an external flash.

My first external flash was the small Sony HVL-F32M. The light head is high enough to eliminate the lens shadow and it recycled in 2 seconds when shooting closeups. But I was still missing opportunities while waiting those 2 seconds so I sought even faster recycle time. I soon learned that flashes powered by lithium batteries recycled fastest. That reduced the number of options.

My first lithium-powered flash was a Godox 860 IIs. It offered a lot of performance for the money. But after only five months it began making a loud snapping sound each time it fired. I was advised to stop using it because that was the precursor to an exploding capacitor.

Godox had just brought out the V1s, which was about the same power. With a round head, it looks like a $1,100 Profoto. I bought it but sadly within a month the plastic foot broke. If you read user reviews on flashes, you see many complaints of broken plastic feet on many brands. Why manufacturers continue to use plastic feet is a mystery. For less than $1 they could cure the…

Nothing could thwart the disc golfers’ commitment to the game – not even the torrential rain and flooding that added natural water hazards (think lakes of mud) to their hilly, wooded course.

The second annual Throw the Distance Triples Tournament at the Doc Cramer disc golf course on Saturday was not a washout. Rather, it was a testament to 126 players’ fortitude and the community’s heart. The tagline is “helping families fight cancer” because the event raised over $9,500 for David’s Dream and Believe Cancer Foundation.

“Disc golfers are unique,” Tournament Director Paul Lovas said. “Rain or shine.”

“They’re ‘strong in the storm,’” his wife, Barbette Lovas, added. “That was (Cecily’s) motto.”

The tournament is played in memory of the Lovases’ daughter, Cecily, who battled a form of brain cancer called medulloblastoma from November 2018 until her death in April 2022, just a couple of months before the inaugural event.

“She was so grateful for DDBCF and wanted to do something to help give back to them,” Lovas explained. For the player packs, local outdoor lifestyle apparel brand Jetty donated event T-shirts, and Dynamic Discs provided discs foil-stamped with the crescent moon logo of Cecily’s “Live, Love, Lovas” initiative.

Paul Lovas designed, set up and ran the single-round, 21-hole, XC-tier triples event, which brought out 42 teams of three across all divisions. Lovas is a special education science teacher at Southern Regional High School. He was introduced to disc golf around 2014 by his colleague and fellow volleyball coach Ryan Frederickson, who was one of the original builders of the Doc Cramer course in Manahawkin. Originally it had nine holes, later expanded to 18, and for Saturday it was modified to 21, plus added obstacles and challenges.

The Lovases’ event is unique among disc golf tournaments as a charity/unrated round (for standing in the Professional Disc Golf Association). View results at pdga.com/tour/event/64834.

As a triples format, each three-man team plays best shot, meaning after all three throw, they play from the best lie, by consensus.

Changes were made to the holes this year, including “mandos” or mandatory conditions, OBs or out-of-bounds,…

For you, a frisbee might just be a low-effort way to play fetch with your dog or a silly way of having fun with your mates at the beach. If you ask a lot of people what it means to “play” frisbee, they’ll describe a game of catch with a cheap plastic disc instead of a ball, but for an increasing community around the world, frisbee has become a competitive sport.

If you’ve never heard of Ultimate frisbee, you could be forgiven for picturing a ridiculous outdoor gimmick along the lines of real-world Quidditch — even those who have heard of it may not be aware of how far it’s come since its quirky origins in the 1960s. Ultimate is being introduced in schools; actively practiced on a competitive level in more than 80 countries and has a contingent of advocates pushing for it as an Olympic sport.

National teams of Japan (white) and Australia during a Frisbee game during the World Games of the non-Olympic sports in Wroclaw. (Photo: EPA / Maciej Kulczynski)

The invention of frisbees

Let’s start with the basics — a frisbee is a gliding disc with a pronounced lip, typically made from injection-moulded plastic. There are several variants of frisbees used in different sports, and similar soaring objects like the Aerobie (flying ring) that are also stabilised by gyroscopic force when spun, and frisbee or disc has colloquially become an umbrella term for all these objects. 

The story of frisbees starts in 1871, when a man named William Frisbie opened the Frisbie Pie Company in Bridgeport, Connecticut. The pies came in disc-shaped tins that students from the nearby Yale University realised could glide when thrown. One day in the late 1930s, a wacky chap named Walter Frederick Morrison and his partner Warren Franscioni were offered 25 cents for a cake lid they were throwing around at the beach which had only cost them five cents, and Morrison realised there was money to be made from all this flying disc business. 

The British frisbee team, United Kingdom, 22 August 1974. (Photo: Evening Standard/Hulton Archive/Getty Images)

Morrison’s business…

Halo

DESTROYER

The Destroyer is a fast, stable power driver with significant glide. A great disc for sidearm throwers and those with lots of power.

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“>Destroyer: This fast and overstable High Speed Driver will hold up to extreme arm speeds and any wind conditions.  

The Rainy Day 

Tournament weekend is here and the rest of the field is bummed out about the dull weather. You, on the other hand, like your chances in the rain. You’ve got three dry towels, extra socks, and a bag of discs that will give you an edge over the competition. 

XT

NOVA

The Nova is an overmold putt & approach disc that features a firm flight plate and soft grippy rim.

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“>Nova: The soft, grippy rim of the XT Nova will help you pop your discs towards the target even when wet.

R-Pro

PIG

The Pig is great for hyzer putting. It’s predicable approach even in extreme wind conditions make the pig a must have disc for any skill level.

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“>Pig: Our grippiest plastic on the market, R-Pro is perfect for rainy day rounds. The Pig will help you stick your approaches close, even in skippy, wet grass. 

DX

ROC

The Roc is the number one professional mid-range disc. It’s very reliable at the high speeds that pros throw. It ages slowly, becoming an excellent slow turning disc as it wears.

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“>Roc: With a straight flight and consistent fade, lean on this Innova classic when the weather takes a turn for the worst. For some players, DX plastic is their go-to choice in the rain.  

GStar

TEEBIRD3

The TeeBird3 is faster with less glide, and has the same trusted turn and fade flight ratings as the original TeeBird.

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“>TeeBird3: A faster, less-glidey version of our most popular Fairway Driver, the Teebird3 will help you land by the pin from the tee so you don’t have to worry about slippery footing on the approach. 

Pro

WRAITH

The Wraith is a long and fast distance driver. A stable flyer that performs predictably into the wind.

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“>Wraith: The Wraith is an on-course, max-distance disc for…

words Al Woods

Are you a beginner in the world of disc golf? If so, welcome! This is a community of dedicated people from all over the world who have developed a passion for this fun and relaxing sport.

Below you will find some top tips from professional disc golfers to help you hone your technique and get out there and start playing. 

Perfect Your Throw

Every round of disc golf will begin with an epic throw. This will be your first impression in front of other disc golfers and you want it to be perfect. The best way to hone this skill is to get outside into an open field and test how far you can throw.

It won’t be perfect the first time, but it doesn’t matter. Practice and repetition as well as perfecting your grip will aid you in your first days as a disc golfer. 

Don’t Overwhelm Yourself with Lots of Discs

There are a ton of different types of discs on the market today and it can feel overwhelming as a beginner to choose the right one for you. If you are trying to perfect your technique, start by purchasing one of each type of disc. The most common types of discs are putt and approach discs, midrange discs, fairway drivers, and distance drivers. 

The best way to browse the best options for discs would be online. There you can search for all of the best brands of discs like Discraft, which have been around since the late 1970s. They come in all kinds of colors and designs to choose from, which is nice if you want to show off your personality while playing with others.  

Develop Different Shots for Different Situations

All disc golf courses are different and many of them are designed to make it tricky to achieve a low score. Having a range of different shot techniques will assist you in difficult situations. 

If you are unsure where to start, there are hundreds of youtube videos that show professional disc golfers trying out different shots. Use these for inspiration but also try some on your own. Remember as well that different distances and different shots require different grips, so make sure you are practicing each technique with the correct grip.

Always Practice Putting

Throwing a disc with all of your strength is one of the things that makes this sport so much fun, but many people get caught up in driving and don’t dedicate enough time to their putting practice. Just like with regular golf, putting is where you could end up racking up extra unwanted points.

The best way to…

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Leading players of the Global Disc Golf market are analyzed taking into account their market share, recent developments, new product launches, partnerships, mergers or acquisitions, and markets served. We also provide an exhaustive analysis of their product portfolios to explore the products and applications they concentrate on when operating in the Global Disc Golf market. Furthermore, the report offers two separate market forecasts – one for the production side and another for the consumption side of the Global Disc Golf market. It also provides useful recommendations for new as well as established players of the Global Disc Golf market.

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Key Players Mentioned in the Global Disc Golf Market Research Report:

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• Fairway Drivers
• Midrange Discs
• Putters

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• Amateur
• Others

All of the segments studied in the research study are analyzed on the basis of BPS, market share, revenue, and other important factors. Our research study shows how different segments are contributing to the growth of the Global Disc Golf market. It also provides information on key trends related to the segments…

Two girls in Wylie are the first to earn Eagle Scout honors through the Boy Scouts of America.

Gracie Roper, 18, and Brei Hall, 14, are two members of an all-girls Boy Scout troop, Troop 1869, with a total of seven members. Both girls took different paths into Scouting, but they have joined prestigious company — around 2.5% of Eagle Scouts are women — by earning the highest possible honor.

Gracie said she first got into Scouting when she joined a Crew in 2017 never thinking about becoming an Eagle Scout. Crew members differ from traditional Scouts because they focus more on high adventure elements compared to progressing through merit badges.

“I really just wanted to have some fun with my friends,” Gracie said. “In 2020, we were like, ‘we should make our own troop so that way we could earn our Eagles.’ We dissolved the Crew into a troop and now we have girls earning Eagles.”

Brei first got into Scouting when she joined the newly formed Troop 1869 with Scoutmaster Ben Roper in 2020.

The pathway for Gracie, Brei and other girls hoping to become involved with Boy Scouts opened in 2017, when the national organization allowed women to join its ranks.

Gracie said she still has to correct people who assume she is a Girl Scout when she tells them she is in Scouting. 

“I tell them that it’s not Girl Scouts, I’m actually working toward my Eagle,” Gracie said.

Brei said Girl Scouts is fun, but being a Boy Scout opens opportunities for more adventurous activities.

“It is so much more fun to talk about it, explain what you do and explain all the cool opportunities you get to have,” Brei said. 

Additionally, she added that there are times some of the boys underestimate the capabilities of the girls at a campsite.

“You turn around and show them that you can do just as many cool, sportsy and adventurous things,” Brei said.

Gracie added that girls tend to be the best at shooting in archery or tying knots.

“We’ve won a few competitions against the boys,” Gracie said. “It’s pretty fun.”

For their projects, Gracie hosted a Pinewood Derby at the Scottish Rite Hospital for Children in Dallas while Brei helped construct a bridge at the disc golf course at Oncor Park.

A chance for countries to win gold.

May 3, 2023 by Charlie Eisenhood in News with comments

Disc golf is officially back on the international sports stage.

The International World Games Association announced during its annual meeting that disc golf would be added to the 2025 World Games program in Chengdu, China, bringing the sport back to the highest level international multi-sport event for non-Olympic sports for the first time since 2001.

The event will be organized around country-based competition, with 16 pairs of players — one male, one female — teamed up to compete for the World Games gold.

Ultimate has been on the World Games program every cycle since 2001, but disc golf was dropped after its lone appearance (Barry Schultz, representing the United States, won gold over Canada’s Michael Sullivan in Akita, Japan).

“I’m really excited about it, because it’s an affirmation that we have been doing all the right things,” said World Flying Disc Federation (WFDF) President Robert “Nob” Rauch. “It is a return to the medal podium for disc golf. I had originally put in an application back in 1994, and in 2001, flying disc participated for the first time as medal sports…It’s been a 24 year absence, but it’s well deserved to get back in there, especially with what’s been going on with disc golf globally.”

Many details are still yet to be determined, including the competition format, qualification process, and even how the teams will be selected. “We haven’t finalized the discussion, but it could very well be that we have 16 countries represented, with a mixed pair for each country,” said Rauch. It is possible that multiple pairs of players from a single country could participate. The WFDF has been hosting a World Team Disc Golf Championship in recent years with a format featuring both alternate shot doubles and singles matchplay, but with teams with more than two players.

“The PDGA is pleased to see our partnership with the World Flying Disc Federation in introducing and demonstrating disc golf to the Chengdu, China, host delegation at last year’s World Games in Birmingham result in this exciting development,” said PDGA Director of Membership & Growth Brian Graham. “We congratulate WFDF on their successful proposal to reintroduce disc golf as a competitive sport and we look forward to continuing…

Two Wins in One Weekend

Team Innova had our best finish so far this season at last weekend’s Play It Again Sports Jonesboro Open. Calvin Heimburg took 1st place in MPO, continuing his historic season of dominance. Kat Mertsch won her first ever DGPT event, beating teammate Hailey King in one of the closest finishes of the year. And Eveliina Salonen shot a 1024-rated final round, the best of the tournament. 

An Emotional First Win for Star Team’s Kat Mertsch 

Kat Mertsch has had the fire, determination, talent, and killer instinct of a Pro Tour winner since she first showed up on the scene in 2019; now she has the title to go with it. Kat took down the win at last weekend’s Jonesboro Open, beating teammate Hailey King in a one hole playoff. It was among the most exciting finishes in either division so far this year. This is Kat’s first DGPT victory, likely of many. It was hard to not feel emotional watching Kat accept her trophy. She wanted the win more than anyone else on tour and she made it happen. Her victory cry was one of a player who has devoted herself to disc golf and saw years of hard work be validated in a single moment. 

Hailey King and Kat Mertsch came out blistering on day one, shooting a -11 and -10 to get out to an early lead ahead of the field. With both players coming off 3rd place finishes at the Champions Cup, the stage was set for a battle between two women playing at the top of their game. 

On day two, Kat doubled down on her strong first round performance, shooting a -7 and moving into first place. Hailey King struggled on the front nine, but managed to reset and scrape together a respectable 3 down. On the final day, Hailey came out determined to make up for the slow start she had in round two. After shooting three down through the first four holes, Hailey was tied with Kat. The two remained neck and neck through hole 18 and beyond. Kat would ultimately win in a one hole playoff after a mistake from Hailey. 

Photo by DGPT

Kat led the field in Scramble percentage and only took one OB stroke for the event. This is her fourth top ten finish of the season, moving her into 10th place in the DGPT point standings. 

It was moving to see how much this win meant to Kat Mertsch. Disc golf is much more than just a job or a sport to Kat; she says she would not be here without disc golf. Now that she has seen herself take down a big event, Kat will have added confidence going forward. The first one…

May 2, 2023 by Kingsley Flett in Analysis, Recap with comments

“Have compassion for everyone you meet, even if they don’t want it. What appears bad manners, an ill temper, or cynicism is always a sign of things no ears have heard, no eyes have seen. You do not know what wars are going on down there where the spirit meets the bone.”  — Miller Williams, Arkansas poet

It might be because disc golf is still young. Perhaps it is because the sport tends to welcome folk with open arms, picking up stragglers from all walks of life. Or maybe because a large part of the flying disc culture still exists on the fringe. Who knows? I do know that when I heard Kat Mertsch say “disc golf saved me” in a disarmingly frank Jomez Pro profile piece, it felt like she was speaking for many people. 

There might come a day when the rising tide of professionalism in our sport picks up the flotsam of image consultants, media coaches, and PR firms. Players might speak in carefully crafted quotes designed to offend no sponsor and appeal to the broadest demographic. Last Thursday’s pre-tournament press conference wasn’t that day. Mertsch fronted the press in an orange bandana and mirror shades, channelling Randy ‘Macho Man’ Savage, offering sound bites that will echo through social media for the rest of the season and beyond, like the confidence Mertsch said she was “was trying to channel every single week of my life until I die.”

“I think if you think you have a home state advantage you might have a mistake, you might overcompensate for something,” she said. “I think you’ve got to come out here and tear it up every weekend. You gotta believe in yourself. In all seriousness, that’s the first step in success. Knowing that you can do this. I’m just going to come out here and try to shred to the best of my abilities. If it’s great, it’s good; if it’s not, I learn.”

After round one, Mertsch was one throw back from Hailey King and one throw ahead of Texan Aria Castruita, the same three that would share the podium two days later. Mertsch’s only blemish for the day was a bogey on hole-8 when she attempted a left-handed shot that was released high and early. King, who has credited working with strength coach Dr. Derek Wilcox for her recent improvement, had 13 birdies to go with 2 bogeys to card 11-under-par. 

“I don’t want to say the course is…