National Disc Golf Day

Do you have friends, family members, or co-workers who might enjoy disc golf if they gave it a try? National Disc Golf Day could be the perfect opportunity to introduce people to the sport that we all love. Commemorating its first anniversary after its inception last year, National Disc Golf Day is celebrated on the first Saturday of August. If you’d like to learn about how National Disc Golf Day began, Marty Gregoire recaps the process in this article.

We asked Jason Wilder, one of the founders of National Disc Golf Day, about his vision for the day:

“The whole idea driving National Disc Golf Day is that we wanted it to be something grassroots that no manufacturer would own. We wanted it to belong to the people. To make that work, we needed some central means to publicize what people are doing and to share their experiences.

I started the National Disc Golf Day Facebook page with hopes of getting people to post stories, pictures, etc.”

In a sport with so many different personalities and companies involved, it’s exciting to have a day to come together to focus on the thing we all work toward: growing the sport! If you’re interested in participating in National Disc Golf Day this year, here are a couple of tips for you!

1. Bring your discs to work during the week leading up to National Disc Golf Day. It’s possible that your co-workers don’t know that you play disc golf, so they might know to ask you about disc golf if they’re interested. At Dynamic Discs, when we run clinics for businesses, the employees are often a bit skeptical, but they quickly warm up to the game once they try it. It’s possible that the only thing your co-workers need to become interested is for someone to share the sport with them!
2. Buy a few starter sets to give to people who are interested in trying out disc golf. Most disc golfers have enough discs to let others borrow some for a round or two, but those discs are often too overstable or heavy for first time players to throw properly. Investing in a few starter sets will allow you to give discs to new players that fit their skill level, and they’ll be able to keep the discs for future rounds.

In the last few years, we’ve seen a notable uptick in celebrations of different days on the National Day Calendar, and due to the work of Jason Wilder, Sara Nicholson, Michael Downes, and Marty Gregoire, we have a perfect day to share the excitement we have for growing disc golf through National Disc Golf Day! Check out the National Disc Golf Day Facebook page to see how others are celebrating around the world and to share your own experiences. So get out there, invite some friends, and play some disc golf!

Why is footwork so important?

How's it going guys, I'm Danny. If you don't know me, I make weekly videos on YouTube covering disc golf form. I do side by side comparisons, beginner mistakes, or sometimes breaking down the mechanics of what's supposed to happen when in the throw. This is my first time writing for the blog and it's a little weird. Usually I just set up the camera and ramble for a bit, but here I can really break it down. So we'll see how this goes, my first topic is footwork!

Why footwork is important

I have done, at this point, hundreds of form critiques and the most common issue I see is footwork. This is also the first step to gaining a powerful and consistent shot. Correct footwork sets up a balanced, powerful position that allows the thrower to throw a consistent shot and avoid injury. It's also super easy to fix. Just knowing what's supposed to happen and what to avoid makes a huge difference. So here we go! Let's break down some footwork.

The X-Step

The first thing I always look at in footwork is the x-step. Almost everybody knows they should be using an x-step, but they have no idea what it's for. I get it, it looks cool and complicated, but for most people, it's just throwing them off balance. Most people turn around backwards in their x-step by turning their feet away from the target. The problem here is it forces the heel to carry the weight, and it points the hips away from the target. This throws off balance and hurts accuracy. The purpose of an x-step is to force the toes to carry the weight, and set up a good weight shift. To do this, you've got to keep your feet sideways. Make your x-step small, not more than about 6-12 inches from toe to toe. It's almost more of a shuffle than a step. Keeping your feet sideways will keep your hips pointed at the target and keeping it small will force you to shift your weight over your toes. Often times, just fixing the x-step will fix other problems in the throw too!

The Brace

The next step after the x-step is the brace. So coming out of the x-step, the tendency is to reach really far back and lean over your back foot. Then, the front foot comes down on the heel, pointed slightly towards the target. This means the spine is bending, all of the weight is coming crashing down onto the knee, and because the feet are orientated wrong, there's no range of motion for the hips. So, to brace correctly, keep the weight over the left foot as you bring your right foot forward, turn your foot slightly away from the target, and plant it on the toe offset about 6” to the left. Keeping your weight over your left foot means you're not going to lean back, turning the foot away from the target means you're setting up a closed stance so the hips have range of motion, and offsetting the foot to the left means your weight can shift into your front foot rather than crashing down onto it. Getting this step correct means less wear and tear on joints and a lot more effortless power.

Shifting Your Weight

Reachback

Arguably, the entire purpose of footwork is weight shift. Shifting your weight from the left foot onto the right generates a lot of energy. Using that energy to drive your hips and move up your body into the shot adds a serious amount of power effortlessly. So here's what a good weight shift looks like (see photo). At the peak of the reachback, the spine is vertical (not leaned back) and the left leg is carrying all of the weight. Then as you throw, if your weight is over your left toe, it'll shift onto your right, driving your heel down and turning it. Done correctly, you won't have any extra momentum from the weight shift left to follow through onto your left foot again. This sounds super easy, but it's one of the most difficult concepts to explain. The good thing is, if you set it up correctly with the x-step and the brace, everything else should just fall into place.

So that's footwork! Definitely the first thing to work on if you're serious about adding distance to your game and avoiding injury. Changing footwork can be hard though. It's so deeply ingrained in our muscle memory we don't even think about it usually. Trying to change something that we don't even think about can be frustrating. Good thing is, you don't need to actually throw to practice! I put my hands behind my back and practice footwork all the time. I look dumb, but if that's what it takes, I'll at least throw really far while looking dumb. Good luck! And if you have ANY questions or have a video of your shot you want me to take a look at, shot me a message on my Facebook Page and until next time, remember, “Slow is smooth, smooth is far!”

The Second Generation Sniper Bag Is Here

Equipment costs shouldn’t be a barrier to entry when it comes to playing disc golf, and that’s why we are so pleased to have a super affordable and high-quality bag available. We’ve just released a redesigned version of our Sniper Bag and it has some pretty great treats in store!

The Sniper Bag can hold up to 16 discs in the main storage compartment, and this second generation brings the addition of a putter pocket on the bag’s main flap. You’ll still get to take advantage of the sleek upper pocket, where players can store more discs or use the mesh pouch for valuables like keys or a cell phone.

Features on the sides include the capacity for two water bottles as well as a pouch specifically for your mini. A slot for a pencil or Sharpie as well as a hook for your towel or local league’s bag tag finishes off the left side.

Since this bag is designed to do it all, you can utilize the latch on the right-hand side and use it in conjunction with the drink pouch to secure your umbrella or stool without having to carry it or have it flop around as you walk.

We pride ourselves on the comfort of this backpack style bag, as we’ve used reinforced straps and have made sure it’s a comfortable size that won’t wear your back out after just one round.

The Sniper Bag comes in Black/Gray, Bora, Light Gray, and Red/Black and is available here for only $69.99!

Highlights From The Disc Golf Experience At Nissan Stadium - Were You There?

Saturday, July 15th was quite possibly one of the most exciting days ever for many people across the country. Those who were lucky enough to purchase tickets to play disc golf on the field at Nissan Stadium were in for quite a treat, as the Dynamic Discs team spent countless hours preparing and planning a world class event.

Despite their best efforts, Mother Nature had other plans in store once again for the Kansas crew, and the morning started off with thunder and lightning. Wanting to make sure everyone’s safety was the priority, tee times were shifted to accommodate incoming players, and by mid-morning, the skies cleared for an enjoyable rest of the day.

What Made It Special?

Unlike past events at AT&T Park in Texas, the Nissan Stadium brought a few unique elements to the experience, including the use of their full PA system. “It was pretty cool to hear people’s names called out, where I bet 8 or 10 blocks away from the stadium people were hearing [it],” said Doug Bjerkaas, DD Events Coordinator.

Doug and his team spent a lot of time planning out each of the 9 holes on the field and even had a special Disc Golf Experience wrap gracing the top of each of the Patriot baskets. Many of the Dynamic Discs sponsored players were in attendance as well, including Paige Pierce, Eric Oakley, Tina Stanaitis, Eric McCabe, Zach Melton, and more. Individuals who purchased the VIP package were thrilled to have one of the pro players accompany them during their experience and play each of the 9 holes with them!

The fun didn’t stop there, as the VIP players also got to throw from the very top of the stadium for their chance to take home a Patriot basket. Who was the lucky winner with his CTP throw? None other than Terry “The Disc Golf Guy” Miller! The day also saw two hole in ones, both executed by DD Team Manager Robert McCall.

A post shared by Dynamic Discs (@dynamicdiscs) on Jul 15, 2017 at 8:30am PDT

Fun For Everyone

The initial numbers show that about 300 people came to Nissan Stadium to play disc golf in an arena that’s not usually available to our sport. This setting also seemed to make our sport accessible for a larger set of demographics as Bjerkaas describes: “There were kids that were 6 and 7 years old playing; the age range was pretty impressive with men and women alike.”

There’s talk of another stadium experience next year, although the location and type of venue is still up in the air. The Nissan Stadium brought a great outdoor feel to the event, although this aspect did limit playability both due to weather conditions and keeping daylight in mind.

Participants this year came from as far as California and Pennsylvania, and all in all about 20 states were represented. Stay tuned to our blog and make sure you don’t miss the next time we hold this incredible event!

Let's Follow Jeremy And Bobby On Their Latest Disc Golf Adventure

Warm weather and beautiful beaches were just two of the luxuries enjoyed by Dynamic Discs CEO Jeremy Rusco and Media Manager Bobby Brown this month in Southern California as they met with bag manufacturer OGIO at their new parent company Callaway’s headquarters in San Diego to discuss the future of the sport.

Our two DD adventurers also hammered out enough time in their schedule to take a trip to visit the historical home of disc golf at one of our sport’s first permanent courses. Morley Field is a very popular and heavily trafficked pay to play course, with up to 500 players walking the fairways each day!

The next day the guys headed back out to Morley Field where they were treated to and thoroughly enjoyed the Friday burritos, traditionally served to the local clean up crew. Then local Mike Brown gave the guys a tour of the ball golf/disc golf course in Sun Valley, which shut down only days before Bobby and Rusco arrived.

Perhaps there is the potential for some new opportunities these dynamic dudes have in the works? Take in some sightseeing, tourist spots, aerial footage of the beaches, and time lapses sprinkled throughout this Dynamic Discs adventure in sunny So Cal.

Professional, Humble, And Dedicated - Chatting With DD Team Member Chris Goodrich

Photo: Tommy Locke

Disc golf can sometimes get a bad wrap when people see unsportsmanlike behavior or hear trash talk on the course. Thankfully, the sport has Chris Goodrich to balance out that karma, as he is probably one of the nicest disc golfers you’ll ever talk with. Coming back into the 2017 season after two years of back problems, Chris is excited to return to tournament play and gave us some insight into what makes his game tick.

What The Sport Means To Him

One thing that’s noticeable about Goodrich is that he exhibits an incredibly polished and professional attitude about disc golf despite not being a full-time touring player. In fact, he competes in the amateur division and takes his partnership with Dynamic Discs very seriously.

"It creates an interesting mixture of pride and humility,” he says. “I’m incredibly proud to be able to say I’m on the Team, but then I see the amazing things my teammates are doing and it puts me in my place. There’s always the challenge of, ‘what can I do to better represent this Team’.”

It’s that viewpoint that makes Chris such a breath of fresh air - as a high school soccer athlete who injured his knee during Senior year, he says that disc golf has helped to fill a void in his life. Granted, he knows he could be doing other things with his time, but notes that nothing else would be as fun, or frustrating, as our sport.

Combating The Elements

Photo: John Solberg

Goodrich currently lives in frosty Minnesota and spent a good deal of time logging disc golf rounds up north in Alaska. One would think that his tolerance to cold would give him the advantage of playing year-round, but it turns out he actually hates playing in winter.

His sense of humor shines through when asked how he handles the off-season: “I have to find ways to keep my game in its fabulously poor shape.  I spend time in the basement putting and throwing up shots into a baseball net. Besides that, I spend a lot of time chasing my son around.”

For a guy who takes such a fun and lighthearted approach to disc golf, his determination shows through in his game plan for the rest of the year. Having changed his putting stance last year, Chris is ultra focused on building his confidence.

He should have no problem getting into the groove though, as he mentioned that he loved throwing putters up in Alaska. “Playing in Alaska was all about missing the trees, so I developed a solid putter/mid game.  I still love throwing putters whenever I’m able,” he said.

Channeling Some Good Luck

We’d guess that while Chris has been pleased with his success so far in 2017, he probably wants to push himself even more. It’s a good thing that one of his hobbies involves a bit of luck - he loves to find and collect clovers with four leaves and more! He makes resin minis with them and his current mini in rotation contains a large six leaf clover with lily petals.

Chris has the energy and attitude we love to see from disc golf players, and we are so pleased to have him as a part of the Dynamic Discs family. It was awesome seeing him at this year’s Glass Blown Open and we wish him a successful 2017.

New To Disc Golf? Here Are Some Discs Just For Beginners

Selecting and purchasing new discs is probably one of the most exciting and simultaneously overwhelming aspects for anyone new to the sport of disc golf. On one hand, you feel like a kid in a candy store; there are so many options to choose from it makes your head spin! On the other hand, there’s a problem - it’s not always obvious which molds will best suit your needs, which is only exacerbated by then being confronted with dozens if not hundreds of options.

This situation can certainly make your disc buying experience a daunting challenge if you’re not prepared. That’s why we’ve created a helpful video along with tips from Dynamic Discs team member Tina Stanaitis. She recommends that women, as well as newer players, try out the Breakout, the Truth, and the Judge.

Another great set of options available for new players is being offered from our overseas counterpart. The Ruby, the Diamond, the Jade, and the Pearl are four easy to use discs that Latitude 64º has developed for beginners, children, and anyone throwing under 300 feet. Let these lighter weight and easy to grip discs soar with ease as you learn the mechanics of disc golf and steadily improve your game.

Once you’ve gotten more comfortable with the sport and your skills have grown, take some time to check out all of the other great options available from the Dynamic Discs lineup.

When Your Course Deserves The Best - Disc Golf Design By EMAC

The growth of disc golf is stronger and steadier now than ever before. It’s growing so fast, in fact, that it’s important to recognize and address one simple fact: as the number of new players who choose to spend their free time out throwing discs in parks increases, the number of new courses in the ground must grow right along with it.

It’s balancing act that can be hard to manage for even the most organized city planner, but the truth is that this harmony must be maintained in order to keep a certain level of peace and safety across the disc golf course universe. Who has the means to meet the demands of the growing number of new disc golf enthusiasts? Eric McCabe, an accomplished and experienced course designer.

A Little Background

Eric McCabe is the 2010 Professional Disc Golf World Champion and is a world-class course designer who is based out of Emporia, KS. As the father of the Glass Blown Open and the designer of the courses used during both it and the 2016 PDGA World Championships, also held in Emporia, Eric has produced quite an impressive resume for himself.

It’s impressive enough for Don Pinard and Andy Vachon out of Manchester, New Hampshire, as they decided to bring Eric in to help with the design and installation of the highly praised and heavily wooded Hollows DGC last year. Others like Warren and Susie Harshman at Clover Cliff Ranch trusted Eric with a complete redesign of their course, as McCabe transformed their property into an epic 18 hole masterpiece.

Eric & The Truth

McCabe understands the nuanced way in which quality, safety, and flow affect course design. These elements heavily dictate and shape what he determines to be the best possible design in order to suit the needs and requirements of any given project.

Many a disc golfer has felt that they knew best, choosing to design and install disc golf courses without the proper experience and understanding of the game, only to find that their poor design choices ultimately led to sub-par results. The implications of poor course design are real and can mean that innocent bystanders run the risk of getting hit with discs or tournaments result in poor attendance due to a reputation of long walks and back-ups.

Whichever pitfall your course may fall into, it’s not too late to bring Eric in to help with the redesign and to improve the overall experience of players and others who use the park for recreational purposes.

Trust Us, We’re Professionals

There’s a time for going straight to the source and in this case, Eric says it best on his website: “A great design is more than just a collection of fun or picturesque holes, it should emphasize the character and flow of the land. The more imagination that goes into the overall course, the more successful it will be. Each course has unique geography and flora which a great design will utilize to enhance the aesthetic of your park while challenging players of all skill levels.”

When you’re ready to give your land the very best, place a call to Eric McCabe. The course, and its players, will thank you.

RFID - Is Disc Golf Ready For This Technology?

It’s safe to say that disc golf is primed to take off with all of the new sponsors and growth we’re experiencing, and it’s time to start thinking about the future. That’s exactly what the PDGA has done as of November 17th, 2014, with a rule change relating to discs, stating: “Electronic components may be embedded/inserted with none of its metal components externally exposed.” It’s been almost three years since this rule went into effect, so what’s been keeping RFID out of our sport?

How Are Other Sports Using RFID?

Let’s explore how Zebra, an RFID sports tracking and solutions company, has implemented a reliable system that has been put into place in sports like football, soccer, and bike racing. Using RFID sensors in conjunction with players and the media, Zebra is providing statistics and feedback that fans can enjoy and coaches are using to improve the game. How can disc golf take advantage of these new technologies and allow them to transform the way our sport works?

How Might Disc Golf Use RFID?

Imagine what we could do with RFID tags in each disc and use them to mark each boundary, basket, and tee box. There would be no more guessing where a disc went out of bounds, and commentators will forever know what disc was thrown and how far it went.

We could have real-time statistics including RPM, MPH, the distance left to the pin, and have beautiful graphics with a mapped flight route after each throw. All of this could be logged right into our phones and then dynamically integrated into UDisc or Disc Golf Metrix tracking.

Players would see a huge drop in lost disc penalties, and could even implement auto-tracking cameras that would seamlessly interpolate the disc, player, and basket into one camera frame. All of this data could be used to improve course flow and reduce backups. Live scoring would become an automated process and completely remove the tedious work currently being executed by Marty Gregoire and the generous volunteers of the PDGA.

What Are The Costs And Obstacles?

It’s important to note that the cost of the RFID chips themselves is less than a dollar per unit, so it’s safe to say that price is not what’s keeping our sport from cashing in on this technology. The true cost is going to be integrating a uniform system across multiple platforms including discs, mobile devices, courses, and the web.

The development of this network is no small feat and is our sport’s primary obstacle if we wish to take advantage of the RFID tech market. Perhaps one way to overcome the costs of an RFID disc golf infrastructure would be to offer an in-depth statistic tracking system behind an annual membership fee. It might even be a huge incentive to keep more people current with the PDGA if the RFID network was included with and integrated into each membership and player info page.

Give us your thoughts and suggestions in the comment section about how you think this idea might revolutionize our sport!

All About Our Buyback Program

At Dynamic Discs, we understand how hard it can be to try new things, which is precisely why we developed our friendly Buyback Program. We wanted to provide players, from the seasoned professionals to the first timers, an amazing opportunity to try out any mold from Dynamic Discs, Latitude 64, or Westside Discs and know that within 14 days, it can be exchanged for any reason with any other disc in the store of equal or lesser value.

Players will love knowing that they can try out all kinds of discs that might exponentially improve their game without having to first ask “will this work for me?”

Dynamic Discs Buyback Program

If you’re a retailer you might be wondering how this might affect your store. Wade Parkhurst at DiscGolfCenter.com was nervous when he first read the email introducing the program, thinking it would cause him to start slowly losing money. But what actually happened was, as Wade puts it, “not the case at all.”

Parkhurst goes on to explain that customer confidence in their purchases has been much higher since implementing the program. “It’s so easy to make the program work for you,” he says. There’s something about knowing you have recourse if your purchase doesn’t work out that makes players more confident in purchasing discs that are new to them, and that in turn will boost store sales.

Remember, there’s always fine print. The Buyback Program requires your proof of purchase and excludes misprints. It’s available for in-store purchases only. To find a store that participates in the program, check out our locations here.

Can Plastic Type Really Affect The Flight Of Your Disc?

If you’ve been playing disc golf for even a short period of time, you probably understand that as the weight and characteristics of a disc change so does that disc’s flight capabilities. But what many may not realize is that the various types of plastics used during the manufacturing process might also play a huge factor.

Your disc’s plastic type can potentially alter the stability or glide just as much as any other variable would, and this can lead to some confusion among beginning players. Let’s do a quick review of the DD plastic and how you might expect your discs to fly based on what type of plastic they’re made from.

The DD Lineup

Dynamic Discs has a solid array of plastic types to meet just about everyone’s needs. For those who need a refresher, here’s what we have available:

• Classic - This is best known as our baseline or entry level plastic. It offers a good grip and will beat into a very smooth and soft turnover disc after just a few laps around the track. Classic makes a great choice for putters and midrange discs, especially if you like cycling discs at various stages of wear and tear. 

• Prime - Offering many of the same benefits of Classic plastic, our Prime discs give players an improved grip and more durability. You’ll still get that same beat in flight after a while, but Prime will hold up a little longer when it comes to wear and tear. 

• Lucid - We love this plastic and so do the pros! As one of our premium plastics, Lucid discs take durability to the next level. Many players opt for Lucid discs not only for their trusted performance but because their translucent effect looks pretty great in the air. 

• Fuzion - This line builds upon the premium plastic platform of durability and strength just like the Lucid discs. Fuzion plastic will give you a great grip as well as the added look of a shimmery shine. 

• BioFuzion - Some prefer the less expensive and economical choice in BioFuzion plastic which is made from grinding up deformed and misprinted discs into a recycled plastic. This results in a disc that is not as durable as Fuzion but still offers a great product. 

• Fluid - Fluid plastic offers the same durability and look that has made the Lucid line so successful but has a softer, almost gummy like quality that makes the disc extremely grippy. Dynamic Discs’ Fluid line is also the perfect choice for playing in colder weather which normally makes it hard to get a good firm grip on your disc. Our Fluid line plastic will stiffen up but remain soft and save you strokes during those cold winter rounds.

How’s Your Flight?

So the ultimate question is: does your plastic choice affect the flight of your disc, and more importantly, influence your disc purchasing decisions? Many might say yes, as the durability and grip you get on certain plastics can give you a more trusted and accurate shot than others.

Still, other players might feel that plastic types are more about comfort in the hand and durability in your bag, and the flight of your disc comes from your own skills as a player. How do you think plastic type plays into your game? Let us know in the comments below.