What’s in my Bag #6

Current and Previous "What's In My Bag" posts here

I have a Backhand

I played a tournament at Bryan McClain Park in San Antonio and ended up +24 for 36 holes.  I think if I had a good backhand, I would have been about +8 or so. I was shooting annhyzer forehands and I don't have that shot.  Three days after the tournament, I went to a park and decided "I have to have a backhand."  I stood there in an empty field and tried to think how people look throwing them, then threw one. It was okay.  Then I corrected a couple of things and threw everything in my bag straight and long and was like, "HOLY COW!"  Since then my scores have dropped about 7 or 8 strokes for 18 holes.  The Backhand has a huge window for error.  The Forehand has a small window. You have to match snap to arm speed in a Forehand.  With a backhand, the arm speed and technique dictates snap (practice and experience helps) and you can make a mistake and still come out okay.  With a Forehand, a small mistake -- which happen frequently with that small window for error -- you get a terrible result.

This more than anything else is what has changed for this edition of "What's in my Bag."

Gone or On Leave

Innova Star Monster (175g) - I don't carry the Monster right now.  I have been shooting less forehand as I've recently added a backhand and the two forehand discs I use are the Force and Flick.

Max Weight Wraith - I carry a 167g now, and love it.  I don't ever use a Wraith into the wind, and the lighter weight gives me more neutral or tailwind distance on straight shots.

Distance Drivers, most overstable to most understable:

Discraft Force (ESP) (174g) - I use this as my forehand distance driver.  It's overstable, goes long and will still go straight into the wind.  It usually curves hard right all the way through the flight.  I use it for long forehand shots, hyzer or straight.

Innova Star T-Rex (175g) x2 - I use this as a backhand hyzer distance disc.    I can see a day when I will use this more, but right now I can't throw the backhand with enough oomph to get this to be a long-straight driver.  It's a good into-the-wind backhand driver for me, though.  I throw it when I need a left-finishing drive on into-the-wind holes or long (for me) left-finishing drives.

Innova Pro Wraith (167g) - This is my favorite disc.  The thing I don't like about the Wraith is that they feel so different unless you get same-run copies.  I guess a lot of discs are like that, but because I've had and lost so many Wraiths, I have had the "replace me" issue multiple times.  Each disc, even though it says "Wraith," doesn't feel or throw the same.  I'm going to have to start finding discs at tournaments, finding the types I like, and just buying 10 of them.  It's the only way to be sure to get discs that feels good unless you have a super-store in your town.

Fairway Drivers most overstable to most understable:

Discraft Flick (171g) - I have lost several Flicks now, as it's a very useful disc for a million reasons.  I've been using it as a driver a lot more lately as I understand more about wind and stability with the Forehand shot (thank's to Scott Stokely's disc golf book).  But, if I need a short trouble or trick shot, this disc is probably going to be in my hand.  Probably, next to the T-Bird, this is the most important driver in my bag.

Innova Star Teebird (175g) - This is my most reliable driver Backhand.  I will throw it forehand when I need a straight shot (in no wind), especially if I want it to land with no skip.  My only T-Bird is in Star Plastic, and in the TX heat is sticky.  I was going to buy a Candy version but decided instead to get two new Discraft Trackers.  Trackers are supposed to be similar and I was hoping to get flat ones but the two I got (I could only find them online) were domey.  Note to disc golf disc manufacturers: CONSISTENCY!!!!

I am throwing shorter range drivers right now because I don't have what it takes to make a Boss or Destroyer work for distance.  Since I'm almost 40 I probably never will and am trying to get to an accurate fairway game and just have to concede the wide-open big drives to guys who can bomb, hoping to eventually keep up with better placement.

Discraft Tracker (174g) -  don't really fly like the T-Bird right now but I'm going to practice with them to see if they'll stay in my bag.

Mid-range most overstable to most understable:

Innova Star Gator (175g) - I lost two Gators in two days, was down to my only one (in Candy, thankfully... the Star ones are so grippy).  Instead of getting more, I bought two Discraft Zones from a friend.   The Gator isn't in my bag right now, though I'd say the Gator compared to the Zone is about as close as anything between the competing manufacturers.  To me Zone/Gator is truly either/or.  They fly exactly the same.

Discraft ESP Zone (175g) - Discraft ESP is sticky like Star Plastic (sticky = good in winter, sucky in summer), but I like how flat the two I have are.  I bought both at the same time and am learning that if you don't buy two discs from the exact same run, they won't be the same look or feel, even if they are the same model/weight.  Note to disc golf disc manufacturers: CONSISTENCY!!!!!

Innova Star Cobra (CFR) (175g) - I bought a Pro Plastic version to use in the summer when the Star Plastic is too grippy.  But, I don't really use this that much still.  I love the idea of having Cobras; they are great all around discs.  Unfortunately, they seem to be so generic that another disc always does something better than the Cobra.  If I could only have one disc for all shots, this would be it.  But because I can carry as many as I want, the Cobra never gets used.  For Forehand, I go Gator/Zone.  For Backhands, I go putter or Buzz.

Discraft ESP Buzzz (max) - These are great, straight discs. I throw all midrange shots with them except for Forehand shots I either must have finish right or windy forehand shots.   I'd be shocked if I didn't have a Buzzz in my bag for eternity.  It's a solid mid-range disc that I could throw any shot with.  I can throw the Buzzz almost as far as my drivers.   I just said that I'd take a Cobra if I could have only one disc, but I'd probably really take the Buzzz instead.   You can throw them harder (the Cobra will turnover too much with more speed) and you can throw them in wind.  The two Buzzzes I have are ESP but aren't as sticky as the Zones.  Not sure why. Plastic feels more like Innova Pro, which is my favorite plastic.

Putter:

Innova Aviar Putt 'n Approach, DX (175g) - I've tried R-Pro Darts and a KC Pro Aviar but still use this old DX Aviar.  The KC Pro version is pretty good and will come out if something happens to this one.  I gave away the Darts.  Too domey.  The flimsiness of R-Pro didn't help them stick in chains like I thought, either.  Good grip, etc.  I was carrying the KC Pro for windy putts (which I was using the Gator for) but put it away, using the Zone now for windy putts under some conditions.  Mostly, I use the DX Aviar for all putts, as I've gotten better at windy putts.  I also have another DX Aviar a friend gave me.  It's more understable, though, but putts the same.  Upshots are the problem; the one from a friend is too understable.  Putters are such great tools to have for so many shots.

comment on this post on twitter