Whatever brought you to try out the incredible game of disc golf, congratulations! Whether you just want to play a few casual rounds a year with friends or family or you have competitive goals in mind, the most important rule to remember is to always have fun. When you approach disc golf with that in mind, you will never grow tired of it.
Whether you are playing your first competitive round with a local club or you are playing in your hundredth PDGA-sanctioned event, as a disc golfer, it’s good to have goals for all your rounds of disc golf. Disc golf players and tournament goals may be different for everyone. It’s a very individual pursuit. Having some specific objectives in mind can help you stay focused throughout your round.
Disc Golf Goals
What kind of goals might we be talking about? Here are some examples:
We’re at that time of year when the weather can present major challenges for disc golfers. The temperatures drop. We get more wind, rain and even snow in some areas. How do you prepare yourself—mentally and physically—for a bad weather round?
Whether you are playing a casual round with friends, a club event or a PDGA-sanctioned tournament, you should be ready for inclement weather. This includes having the right apparel and accessories ready to use. It also means setting the proper mindset. Let’s review some of the things to consider for playing disc golf in bad weather.
Clothing
Wearing layers is always a good idea when it’s cold, windy and/or wet outside.
One of the best ways to prepare for a disc golf tournament is to take time organizing your bag. You want to make sure you have everything you need for the event, including the desired discs, disc golf accessories and snacks. Here is our disc golf bag checklist:
Disc Selection
Obviously, the most important thing in your disc golf bag is your discs. If you have had time to practice the course ahead of the event, then you may already have a very specific game plan for each hole. You know which type of disc you want to throw, or at least you might have it narrowed
The weather has cooled down and the days have gotten much shorter. Snow is already falling in some parts of the country. Even those disc golfers in warmer climates may be layering up this time of year.
During the winter months, when it’s cold outside and weather is even more of a factor, you have to be smart about your apparel. How many layers are you wearing? Which clothes and accessories make the most sense to keep in your car or pack in your disc golf bag? Here are some of our best recommendations for the fall and winter seasons.
Comfortable Base Layer: Tee Shirt
You may be wearing thermals when it’s really cold out, but a comfortable tee shirt is always a great base layer any time of yea
Disc golf is a very simple sport to get into. Buying your first disc (or a Starter Set) is easy and it’s free to play most disc golf courses. The more you start getting into the sport, however, the more you realize just how complex it can be. You’ll start hearing strange words like “hyzer” and “anhyzer.” Fellow players will talk about discs that are “overstable” or “understable.”
Then, you start doing research and shopping for more discs. You quickly realize there are dozens of different disc golf brands, e
We are all creatures of habit, and it’s a good idea to develop good habits when you are a competitive disc golfer. One example is having a fairly consistent morning routine on tournament days.
Not all disc golfers will have the same type of routine and that’s perfectly fine. Success is all about finding things that work for you and your game. Of course, it also depends on the types of tournaments you are playing. Many MPO players in A-Tiers and Elite Series events are teeing off in the afternoon. They will have more time in the morning to kill before they start their pre-round routines.
Then, most of us are simply weekend warriors, playing in C-Tiers, club events, and even College Disc Golf events where we may have an earlier morning start or two tournament rounds to play in one day. In this scenario, you
One of the best ways to prepare for a disc golf tournament is to take time organizing your bag. You want to make sure you have everything you need for the event, including the desired discs, disc golf accessories and snacks. Here is our disc golf bag checklist:
Disc Selection
Obviously, the most important thing in your disc golf bag is your discs. If you have had time to practice the course ahead of the event, then you may already have a very specific game plan for each hole. You know which type of disc you want to throw, or at least you might have it narrowed down to a couple choices depending on wind and other factors. Pack up your putters, mid-ranges, fairway drivers, and distance drivers. Have your scramble discs just in case you get into trouble. Eliminate extra discs if you know you won’t need them. Sometimes it’s better to simplify your bag a little while also lightening the load. You may even want to spend the night before cleaning or wiping your discs down so they feel good the day of the tournament.
Accessories
You can check out our recent article featuring our “Top 10 Disc Golf Accessories” for some helpful ideas on what you may want to pack. Have your water canteen(s) clean and ready to fill up in the morning. Get your disc retrievers, portable chair, mini marker discs and rangefinder organized with your bag. You should also look at the weather report and figure out if you need extra towels, additional apparel or an umbrella. These are good things to keep in your car when traveling to any event. You never know when inclement weather will strike!
Snacks
We also have a recent article about the best disc golf snacks (click here to read). You can shop ahead of time or stop at the market the morning of the tournament. Get your sports or energy drinks, beef jerky, trail mix or whatever else you like to munch on during the round or in between rounds. Pack a sandwich or a meal if lunch isn’t being provided by the TD and if you don’t want to have to rush out and grab something during the break.
Health & Wellness
If you wear a knee brace, elbow sleeve or kinesiology tape when you play, make sure you have it available. The same goes for any ibuprofen, CBD products, vitamins or supplements you like to take to get through a long day of disc golf. Don’t forget your sunscreen, as well. You can pack some of these things in your disc golf bag or in your car so you have them when you need them.
Organization
Let’s face it. Some disc golfers are more organized than others. Some will stuff everything in their disc golf backpack and be fine. Others like to have everything perfectly organized before they start a round. Whatever your level of organization, it’s a good idea to get your bag ready the night before the event and make sure you have what you need. You might even want to check everything again in the morning before you leave home. There’s nothing worse than getting out on the course, checking your putter pocket, and realizing you forgot to bring a specific disc, snack or accessory. Organization and preparation are especially helpful if you are traveling any kind of distance for the disc golf tournament.
When you take the time to thoughtfully pack and organize your disc golf bag, it helps remove one little extra bit of stress during your rounds. You won’t be kicking yourself about forgetting to bring something important and you have everything you need at your convenience.
