Equipment

Apr. 18—When Mike Robbins was introduced to disc golf by a cousin more than two decades ago, “it was love at first sight.”

“You get outside, and you can play for little or no cost,” Robbins said. “We love it.”

Disc golf can be “very zen, when you have a great throw, or when you see someone else with a great throw,” said Chattanooga’s Mark Cole, who began playing in 2003. “Everyone cheers one another on, and we all like to see everyone play well.”

The camaraderie is tremendous, Cole added.

“I’ve traveled all over the East to play and see friends.”

Cole has also passed down his love of disc golf to his son James, an even better disc golfer than himself.

James is “exceptional, world-class,” Robbins said. He’s earned the nickname “Snappy,” because when he throws his discs, “you hear that perfect snap.”

Disc golf is “a low-impact sport,” which is critical for Ringgold’s Josh Henderson now that “I’m in my 40s,” he said. It doesn’t punish his body, and “I’m good at it — better at this than anything else I’ve played.”

Cole, Henderson and Robbins were among approximately 140 disc golfers competing in the pro division of the finale of the Prodigy Star Series, hosted by Prodigy Disc — a Dalton-based manufacturer of disc golf discs and other equipment — Saturday at Edwards Park. The amateur division played Saturday at Westside Park.

Players qualified for the finale by performing well in prior events, said Rome’s Brandon Morgan, whose son Tait was playing at Edwards Park. Tait has been playing since age 8, and “there’s no real limit to how much you can play.”

Though the conditions were cool and cloudy, that didn’t bother competitors, Robbins said.

“This is an all-weather sport — except for lightning — and no rain and no wind (equals) good conditions.”

Robbins plays the disc golf courses at Edwards Park and Westside Park regularly, he said.

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“They are both elite courses.”

Cole appreciates the design of the Edwards Park course, as it places a premium on accuracy, rather than distance, he said.

“I’m in my 60s, and I can’t throw it as far as a lot of other (players).”

Henderson also comes to Edwards Park “often,” he said. “It’s one of the best in the area.”

Whitfield County also has a disc golf course at Heritage Point Park in Dalton and a nine-hole course at the Tunnel Hill Golf Club, Brandon Morgan said.

“This is a good part of the world to be in if you like disc golf.”

The festivities concluded with an afternoon concert at the Burr Performing Arts Park in downtown Dalton by The Whole Fam Damily, a Dalton-based band.

Apr. 5—MARIETTA — West Side Elementary School has found its disc golf champions.

After a two-week competition pitting students in each grade level with others in their own class, West Side’s disc golf tournament concluded when the best of each class competed against one another to crown grade-level champions.

The tournament was organized by Luke Godleski, the school’s physical education teacher. Christina Wagoner, principal at West Side Elementary, said Godleski is adept at creating new athletic experiences for the kids.

“I love that Coach Godleski is innovative and creative and thinks of ways to engage students in non-traditional athletic experiences,” she said. “I think Coach G. does an excellent job of bringing in new sports and then, also, partnering with the family to allow them to be part of their child’s physical education experience.”

The MDJ stopped by the school at noon Friday to watch the kindergarteners compete. The gym was filled with the screams of supportive classmates as the best kindergarten player, Crawford Jennette, racked up 48 points. In second place was Walker Custance, and in third place was Asher Scurfield.

In a postgame interview, Jennette explained that he “kind of” doubted himself throughout the tournament, but was thrilled with his performance.

“It feels really, really good (to win),” he said. “At first, I was scared that Walker (Custance) was going to win, but, anyway, I got first place.”

With an ear-to-ear smile, he gripped his prize, a glow-in-the-dark frisbee, and ran off to celebrate with his classmates.

Godleski is an avid disc golfer and was excited to see his students enjoy the sport.

“I thought it went really, the kids are very into it,” he said, “We had fourth graders that went to a tiebreaker, and it was intense. The winner got dogpiled.”

To put the tournament on, Godleski partnered with EDGE, or Educational Disc Golf Experience, an organization whose goal is to provide kids with a program to help them learn and enjoy disc golf.

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The organization supplied West Side Elementary with disc golf curriculum and equipment, including discs and baskets.

Daniel Wood, the PE teacher at King’s Chapel Elementary School in Perry, Georgia, was at the event, representing Educational Disc Golf Experience, teaching kids about disc golf and helping Godleski run the tournament.

Wood was named Disc Golf Teacher of the Year by the Professional Disc Golf Association and Educational Disc Golf Experience in 2020. Because of this recognition, he was able to partner with professional disc golfers Jay and Des Reading, who founded Educational Disc Golf Experience, and travel around the state helping other PE teachers with disc golf education.

Wood met Godleski for the first time at the event, he said, and greatly appreciates his love for the sport and his efforts in educating kids about it.

“It’s great to see, you know, 500 kids impacted by disc golf,” Wood said. “To see a teacher in Atlanta that’s passionate about it, that’s growing the sport…I can tell (Godleski) loves what he does. The kids know proper form and what to do, so he’s done a great job with this school and the (disc golf) program.”

Ranking high among my essential camping gear inventory is my “camp” Frisbee — that classic, traditional saucer-shaped toy.

More generically known as a “flying disc,” the Frisbee has been a staple of my outdoor inventory since my days as a Boy Scout. It’s one of the most versatile pieces of outdoor gear I have — and that doesn’t even include its value as a yard game pastime.

The camp Frisbee is put to more uses in the field kitchen than pretty much anywhere else. Their slightly concave underside, rimmed by a short, solid lip makes them a perfect camp dish — flat enough to be used as a plate (either by itself or as a holder for a paper one), yet it’s curved enough to serve as a bowl. For stews or spaghetti, it’s especially practical, letting the meat chunks, noodles and sauces slosh around without your food sliding off your plate and onto your lap or ground.

Image by Tom Watson

Frisbees make great cutting boards, too. Besides a surface that is easy on your knife blade, the rimmed “plate” keeps all the veggies you’ve sliced or diced at hand. You can also prepare and serve bread, meat, cheese, whatever! While not as secure against spills as a higher-sided container, they are a handy collecting tray when harvesting berries. It can be a simple lid to keep the heat in a small pan or perhaps as a cover to keep insects off your plate of food.

The round disc can be propped up to form a wind-break for a small backpack stove, or serve as its platform. It can also be used to fan struggling embers in a campfire.

Finding a dry place to sit can be a challenge sometimes — but not with a Frisbee along. It doesn’t always provide a lot of area upon which to roost, but it can give you a small, dry area when needed. Likewise, doing a little foot hygiene/changing socks is easier when you can place your fresh peds onto a small but dry platform instead of on dirty, damp ground or snow.

Frisbees have a utilitarian place in the paddlesports world, too. Although not a first choice bailer by any means, a rimmed disc can work to scoop some water from your canoe or kayak. It is also a handy mini tray for your lap on which to lay out an assortment of lures, swivels and such when rigging up fishing gear.

Image by Tom Watson

It can even come to your aid as a makes-shift paddle, especially when you’re up that certain creek without one. This versatile disc can be used as an emergency paddling aid, per-forming short directional strokes, for maneuvering a small boat through the water.

In your tent, the Frisbee becomes a receptacle tray for small pocket items. With tents that have mesh netting hanging on the side or under the peak, you might be able to insert the disc so it lies flat — to serve as a circular mini shelf.

Another consideration in the generic flying disc’s favor — they are cheap! You can some-times find promo/give-away discs emblazoned with a company’s logo. Choose bright, high-vis’ colors to use as an emergency signal – (mark your signaling Frisbee’s outer, domed surface with reflective tape).

Illustration by Tom Watson

Frisbee/flying discs take up very little space and unless you are an extreme minimalist when it comes to carrying excess weight, it can ride along in a side pocket of a day pack.

Options are limited only by one’s imagination: Dog food dish? Emergency visor or rain “hat”? Padded and wedged against a hole/crack in a boat hull? And, of course, there’s always its primary purposes — a great game of catch or a round of disc golf while in camp.

Flex on ’em.

April 19, 2022 by Steve Andrews in Instruction, Opinion with comments

The flex shot is the hyzerflip’s evil twin. While the hyzerflip uses a hyzer angle to maximize the flight of an understable disc, the flex shot flips the script and uses an anhyzer release to get more distance and different flights out of overstable plastic. It is also a great shot to incorporate into your short game to add consistency in all kinds of weather.

But it can be an evil twin because it is a shot that can easily lead to bad habits. As many new players have discovered, cranking a shot over on an anhyzer is the best way to get distance out of discs that you do not have the arm speed to throw on a flatter angle. For a beginner who comes out to the course with a brand new 175g Champion Destroyer, a flex shot may be the only way they can keep that disc in the air. Thrown flat, that Destroyer will probably crash out after 75 feet. Thrown on a steep anhyzer, however, it will take time to come out of the anhyzer angle and flip to hyzer, covering much more distance. Getting that Destroyer to go 200 feet on a flex line seems, to many new players, like obvious evidence that this is the right way to throw a disc.

However, learning the game this way can endanger a player’s longterm development. It may become the way they throw every disc and players can find themselves trapped by their form, unable to throw less overstable discs that might better match their arm speed because their ingrained anhyzer release sends less stable discs rolling off to the right. Many players – including me – may battle the tendency to throw with too much anhyzer for years.

However, the flex shot is also one of the most useful shots in disc golf and is a great way to get more lines out of your discs. Compared to the hyzerflip, the flex shot is technically easier to throw and more dependable in windy conditions. Paired together, these shots will enable you to take your shotmaking to the next level.

The Basics

The flex shot is less of a magic trick than a hyzerflip. The hyzerflip is counterintuitive – taking an understable disc and throwing it on a hyzer feels like a weird way to make a disc fly straight. The flex shot is, in many ways, a natural way to get a disc to stay in the air and push for distance. The basics of the shot are simple – take an overstable disc and throw it on an anhyzer angle. Delaying how much time a flex shot takes to roll back into a hyzer can stretch out the distance a player can get out of an overstable disc.

This is especially true when a player doesn’t produce enough spin or velocity to match the stability of a disc and keep it in the air. But the flex shot is not just a way for soft throwers to steal distance. Ricky Wysocki describes himself as a “natural flex thrower” and throws absolute bombs with his overstable drivers and fairways. Nikko Locastro may be the poster child for great flex shots. Although he can shape his shots in every direction, his go-to throw is often a power flex shot that he has the confidence to throw in nearly any situation.

Like hyzerflips, the key to flex shots is balancing disc stability, angle, and arm speed. A disc that is too overstable for your arm speed won’t effectively get over on an anhyzer angle or will flex out too quickly. A disc that is not overstable enough won’t fight back or might even turn into a roller. You need to balance the disc’s overstability with the correct amount of power and angle. Work on setting a moderate anhyzer angle on your throws and then begin modifying how much power you put into the shot. What you hope to see is a shot that starts out to the right, then flattens during the mid-flight and then moves back to the left (for a RHBH.) As you increase the overstability of the disc you are using, you will have to add more angle or more power to keep the disc on that flex line.

Using overstable discs makes the shot more predictable since the disc, if it is overstable enough, is always going to come out of the initial angle and get back to a hyzer. This is one of the big advantages of a flex shot. Most players can find a disc that is overstable enough that they can’t accidentally roll it. You can choose a disc that you can throw very hard and still get the flight you expect – which is great when you are under pressure in the closing holes of a tournament. The flex shot has a wider window of acceptable speeds and angles since the shot works with the discs natural flight (unlike a hyzerflip, which needs to keep an understable disc flying straight rather than turning.) This overstability also makes flex shots more resistant to wind.

Shotmaking with the Flex Shot

However, don’t fall into the trap of just grabbing your most overstable disc and throwing it on a super steep anhyzer. This kind of shot can work, but you may be giving up a lot of distance and control. While a big anhyzer release can feel powerful, many players actually lose speed as they go into a steeper anhyzer. You need to make sure your body stays connected to the shot and maintain control over the nose of the disc. Throwing a flex shot with the nose up will cause the shot to lose distance and hyzer out too early (and you may not even realize it since that flight generally matches the shape you are hoping to throw.)

Instead, try to develop a “baby flex” shot where you throw a moderate anhyzer angle with a slightly overstable or even stable disc. Thrown at your usual pace, you can get beautiful flights that have a straight midflight that matches a well-thrown hyzerflip. This is an easy way to stretch the distance you get from your discs. A stable disc like an Explorer or a Savant may add an extra 10-20% of its normal distance just by adding in a bit of anhyzer flex at the beginning of the shot. This can also be a great way to throw shots in the woods – aiming at the right side of the fairway and letting a gentle flex bring the shot back to the middle. It allows you to utilize the full width of a fairway and keep control over flight of the shot. Some players find this easier than trying to keep a disc dead straight or throwing a hyzerflip.

This baby flex is also great for going around corners or doglegs. If you are looking at a dogleg to the left, for example, a natural shot for a RHBH player is to throw a hyzer that matches the turn. The biggest danger, however, is to hyzer out short of the turn or into the left trees. The flex shot is perfect for this situation. You can aim at the right side of the turn and allow the disc’s stability to move it back to the fairway around the corner. You have given the disc the greatest amount of space to complete its flight and get you safely past the turn.

Flex Forehands

If Jeremy Koling is the King of Forehand Hyzerflips, then Ohn Scoggins may be the Queen of the Flex. A player not known for her power, Scoggins gets great distance out of her flex forehands. The flex forehand is the way many players first gain distance on the course, and it is amazing how far beginners can throw a Destroyer on a chop anhyzer. A forehand that allows the wrist to roll over is a natural throwing motion that many players can bring over from baseball, football, or other throwing sports. And it works — as long as there is room for a giant flex shot.

But, as with the backhand, throwing only very overstable discs on big anhyzers can limit your shotmaking. The wrist rolling that is necessary to throw a huge flex will send stable or understable discs flipping over or crashing out. It is okay to use this shot as your standard forehand shot (especially if you are a backhand dominant player), but it is important to build out your forehand to allow you to throw hyzerflips and flatter angles.

Even if you don’t want to move all the way to hyzerflipping understable Roadrunners and Mavericks, try and dial back your flex angles by throwing stable fairways like Explorers and Teebird3s. Developing this part of your game will allow you to get the benefits of a flex shot (extra distance and reliability) and throw them in situations where you can’t throw a wide, high flex shot.

The Short Game

One of the best uses of the flex shot is not about getting more distance or even shaping a shot. In the short game, the overstability of an approach disc can be used to control distance and ground play. The flex shot is a powerful weapon to give you control over your approaches and upshots.

It is certainly possible to throw upshots and approaches with your regular stable putters and mids. But these kinds of shots demand a lot of practice and touch. These discs are also glidey and more affected by wind, so gauging how to keep them close can be tricky. This is a spot where I have recommended a flex shot with an overstable putter such as a Harp, a Zone, or a Pig. On backhand, you can throw these discs right of the basket with a touch of anhyzer and know that they will flex out and not glide past the target. Their overstability will help you if you slightly miss the angle and a shot on this soft flex will stop quickly. It is an easy and repeatable shot, and the overstability of the disc helps it self-correct and get close. This is an especially useful shot in headwinds where a less stable disc may easily sail too far.

Conclusion

The flex shot is a perfect partner for the hyzerflip, but some players may be much more comfortable throwing one rather than the other. As a player who struggled with throwing with too much anhyzer, I stayed away from flex shots in favor of flat shots and hyzerflips. I could throw a big turnover, but I was scared working on baby flexes and slight anhyzers would undo all the work I spent trying to make the hyzer release feel natural.

However, there are just too many times when the flex shot is the only way to get the disc to your target. Adding more flex shots, especially on the forehand side, has expanded my shotmaking and helped me score. I still will throw a hyzer or hyzerflip whenever I can but gaining confidence in the flex shot is essential to have the shots you need.

Which disc golf basket is best?

Whether you want to practice your skills away from the course or try to set a course up, there’s a disc golf basket for you. They come in a few types that are better for certain situations, and there are a few aspects, such as the number of chains, that separate the good from the great.

The best disc golf basket is the Axiom Discs Pro 24-Chain Disc Golf Basket. It has a sturdy base and 24 chains to ensure your perfect shot falls into the basket as it should.

What to know before you buy a disc golf basket

Disc golf basket types

There are four main types of disc golf baskets.

• Heavy-duty baskets are the closest you can get to having an official course-type basket for traveling. They use heavy metals, such as stainless steel, and are durable enough to be left outside for months. However, they are usually expensive.
• Light-duty baskets are best for beginners or casual enjoyers. They’re sturdier than a foldable basket but built for maximum portability. 
• Narrow baskets are meant for practicing your accuracy. They have smaller baskets and chains to force you to throw better.
• Foldable baskets are best only for occasional and casual fun. They are usually made of canvas with metal supports and can fold down into a carrying bag.

Flags

Some disc golf baskets include flag toppers. These aren’t necessary, though they can make a basket easier to see from a distance. They also add a touch of flair.

What to look for in a quality disc golf basket

Stand

The stand is the base of the basket in charge of keeping the whole thing upright. Most use metal loops that you can secure by driving rounded stakes down over the loops. Better baskets include these loops, while others will need to be purchased separately. Other stands use three or four foldable legs to remain upright. These aren’t as stable, but they are less likely to wobble.

Basket

Disc gold baskets are typically made of metal or some weave.

• Metal baskets are more durable and steady but heavier and harder to transport. Most are stainless steel using a latticework of thin but solid wires. Official baskets are always metal.
• Weave baskets are usually canvas or mesh and are rarely found outside the foldable basket subtype. They can have issues holding onto discs if the basket is loose or blown around by the wind.

Chains

Chains exist to snatch discs out of the air to ensure they land in the basket to score. Most disc golf baskets have 12 to 28 chains with more chains making it more likely you’ll score. Some baskets split these chains between an outer and inner layer, matching what most professionally approved baskets use. The best chains are stainless steel, but other metals are possible.

How much you can expect to spend on a disc golf basket

Disc golf baskets typically cost $50-$200. Light and easily portable baskets cost $100 or less, while heavier-duty options cost $100-$150. The best baskets for high-level play and practice start at $150.

Disc golf basket FAQ

Can a disc golf basket be used for anything else other than disc golf?

A. Yes, with a caveat: There aren’t any other recognizable sports or games that use them. However, there’s always the chance of finding something fun and kooky online you can try. You can also be the one to think of something fun and inventive to try yourself.

How can I tell if a disc golf basket is approved for professional use?

A. The Professional Disc Golf Association is in charge of approving baskets, and they place a seal on approved packages. 

Does it count if the disc lands on top of the basket rather than in it?

A. No, the disc must land inside the basket or be caught up in the chains for it to count.

What’s the best disc golf basket to buy?

Top disc golf basket 

Axiom Discs Pro 24-Chain Disc Golf Basket

What you need to know: This has a great mix of quality parts.

What you’ll love: It’s approved for professional use by the Professional Disc Golf Association, and it comes in six colors. It can be set up and taken down in a minute, and the all-metal construction is sturdy on its base. The 24 chains let no disc pass through them.

What you should consider: A few consumers received baskets with bent or broken pieces in the thinner sections or at weld points. Some of the colors don’t look like the picture.

Where to buy: Sold by Amazon

Top disc golf basket for the money

Yaheetech Portable Metal Disc Golf Basket

What you need to know: This is perfect for casual fun.

What you’ll love: It’s designed to be collapsible for quick and easy transport, plus it only weighs 18.3 pounds. The 12 chains are spaced wide enough to catch most discs, and it includes a flag topping for better visibility from a distance.

What you should consider: A few purchasers had issues keeping it upright despite the inclusion of stakes, especially on slightly uneven ground. It isn’t approved for professional use.

Where to buy: Sold by Amazon

Worth checking out

Dynamic Discs Scout Portable Disc Golf Basket

What you need to know: This is ultra-rugged though pricey.

What you’ll love: It’s built with maximum portability in mind, thanks to a collapsible tripod base and basket and an included carrying bag with shoulder strap. It uses 16 chains, eight inside and eight outside, to ably snatch a disc from the air.

What you should consider: It’s among the priciest baskets. The shoulder strap isn’t as comfortable as some would have preferred. The chains have some rough edges.

Where to buy: Sold by Amazon

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