Aiming, Throwing, and Making a Shot – Tips for Beginner Disc Golfers
Aiming, Throwing, and Making a Shot – Tips for Beginner Disc Golfers
Since you’re just starting out as a disc golfer, we’re sure you have a ton of questions about the game, and our goal is to get you some helpful answers and tips!
First things first, don’t expect perfection from yourself after your first game, or even your first week of playing a game every few days. Disc golf is a sport, and it will take consistent practice for your skills to develop. Give yourself some slack, and throw slowly – trying to chuck a disc down the course will only end up with hunting through the brush for a lost disc, and pulled muscles that aren’t used to the technique of throwing discs.
Second, find one or two discs you like and go do everything with them. Learn how your aim and arm work best, play with different types of throwing, and body mechanics. A midrange or putter disc will be best for this, and then you can work with a distance driver. Think of it like you would learn how to run a marathon – start small and focused, and then work up to long, smooth distance drives, looking for your first eagle.
Third, it’s perfectly fine to stay off the course. Head to a park with a few trees or make use of the old tetherball post in your own backyard. Pick a place to stand and nail your aim down from there. Then change it up, or switch hands. Set up a cheap speaker under a laundry basket and see what you can do with your eyes closed. (Or is just us? Oh well.)
Fourth, don’t overdo it on yourself. Pain isn’t always gain, and you’ll enjoy the game more if you take it easy and slow. My first few times out, my shoulder was so sore the next day from not building up the right shoulder muscles. Take it all in stride.
Find a group you can walk courses with, try their discs out, and ask questions about why and how they play the game. Take notes on their styles, and then go out and try them for yourself. Learning from older, more experienced players can do more than watching a video or reading a how-to guide.
Fifth, if you’re so inclined, dive into the science of disc golf! Find out how a disc works, why they’re different shapes and weights, why some players do everything with one, or have two dozen they pick and choose from.
Finally, go out with a group of friends you can play with and just play the game. Enjoy a bit of a challenge against other people, get better at the game, and see how everything you’ve been learning pulls together for the perfectly smooth putt into the chains with your favorite disc.
