The DD Women's Series - Part 4: Choosing Putters With Paige Bjerkaas

We’ve had a blast learning from Paige Bjerkaas about which discs will help both beginning and advanced female disc golfers, and now it’s time for the final piece to bring it all together. Learning to master your putter can bring a depth of skill to the rest of your game, so let’s find out which discs she recommends for those shots when you’re close to the basket.

What About The Rest Of The Bag?

In case you missed any of the other parts of this Women’s Series, let’s do a quick run through to find out which discs will help you out on the course:

• Beginning women can benefit from the Renegade and the Breakout when you’re on the tee box or working your way down a long fairway. The Proof works great as a predictable midrange disc.
• Pro gals will love the Sheriff and the Escape for max distance shots that need a lot of power and finesse. The Truth will be your new favorite midrange due to its versatility and reliability.

What disc golf bag would be complete without putters? Bjerkaas is a firm believer in having the right putter for your skill set since your technique with this type of disc can set you up for success in all areas of disc golf.

Best For Beginners: The Gavel

When you’re just learning the basics of disc golf, having easy to throw discs is the name of the game. It’s important for a disc to fit comfortably in your hand and to be able to trust that it will do what you want it to.

With that being said, the Gavel is an awesome understable putter for women who are still dialing in their putting form. It has a smaller rim and feels great in the hand, encouraging you to use it for putts and shorter upshots. A soft throw will get it to fly nice and straight, yet it won’t fade out on you if you’re taking on a shot that’s a bit beyond your comfort zone.

Plastic Availability:

• Prime
• Lucid

Best For Pros: The Judge

One of the more popular putters made by Dynamic Discs, the Judge can handle a lot of power for experienced players who have an aggressive spin or push putts. Great for upshots that need to fly straight, Paige says she can really put some power behind her Judge and it will hyzer and flip up to straight every time.

Having a predictable disc to get you within the circle is key when playing at a top level, and Bjerkaas recommends the Judge as it will do what you need it to every single time. There’s no question about it - the Judge should be in every experienced lady’s bag!

Plastic Availability:

• Fuzion
• Lucid
• Fluid
• Classic
• Classic Blend
• Classic Soft
• Classic Super Soft

By now you should have a complete bag stocked up with the discs that will suit your game the best! Thanks so much for joining us on this four-part Women’s Series where we got to find out from Paige Bjerkaas which discs work great for female disc golfers.

Be sure to catch our next Women’s Series and check out the online store for any of the discs we’ve talked about!

Ep 196 Disc Golf Answer Man

In this episode we talk about discing up for distance, speed versus stability, a controversial question in the PDGA exam, and many more of your disc golf questions.

The DD Women's Series - Part 3: Choosing Midranges With Paige Bjerkaas

Now that we’ve got you off the tee box, let’s dig into the next important part of any woman’s disc golf game: throwing approach shots with midranges. There’s no doubt that you’ve gotten a good distance down the fairway thanks to one of Paige’s recommended drivers, but what if you’re on a longer hole and still have a bit to go? Utilizing a midrange and dialing in your shot so that you have a tap in can do wonders to bring down your score.

First, A Quick Review

We got some great tips from Paige Bjerkaas in our two previous blogs in the Women’s Series, giving us an idea of how to get max distance and control from our drives. When it comes to distance drivers, she recommends the Renegade for beginning players and the Sheriff for more advanced women. Fairway drivers that work well for ladies who are just starting off include the Breakout, and those with more power and experience will see great results with the Escape.

Learning to throw a midrange with finesse can take some time, so Bjerkaas was careful to recommend discs that will really suit each type of player’s skill level.

Best For Beginners: The Proof

Let’s say it’s your very first round of disc golf - ever! You might be dismayed if every time you throw

a disc it bombs off to the left before seeming to get any distance, and that’s understandable. But for those who are still learning proper form and don’t have much disc golf experience, there’s a midrange disc that will fly straight for you practically no matter what you do to it.

Designed with a super small rim for a comfortable grip, the Proof is a must-have for any new golfer. Ladies will find that it flies straight with little power and it only comes in lighter weights, allowing you to get a good amount of distance.

Plastic Availability:

• Prime
• Lucid

Best For Pros: The Truth

One of Dynamic Discs’ original molds, the Truth is a straight flying midrange that can be manipulated for nearly any shot. Women with more experience will find that they can use the Truth for a hyzer, turnover, far, or close shots, as Paige says it’s super versatile and incredibly consistent.

A lightweight Truth will fly dead straight without very much power behind it, again assuming you use proper form, while the heavier options require a bit of muscle in order to shape the shot you’re looking for. Getting a good handle on this midrange will no doubt help to reduce the number of putts you find yourself making outside of the circle.

Plastic Availability:

• Lucid
• Fuzion
• BioFuzion
• Air
• Fluid

Take Control Of Your Bag

When it comes to getting more comfortable with your game, no matter how long you’ve been playing, choosing your own discs is key! Paige strongly recommends that you make the decision about what does or doesn’t go in your bag, rather than letting your boyfriend or husband tell you what will work well.

Ready to find out which putters will help your score and complete your bag? Check back with us for Part 4 with Paige Bjerkaas, and visit our online store to order the Proof or the Truth today!

Know A Golfer Who Needs A New Bag? Here's 3 Holiday Gift Ideas That Won't Break The Bank

We’re betting you know at least one disc golfer who could use a new bag this holiday season. Are we right? Maybe it’s you, a friend, or family member, but the fact of the matter is that disc golf bags don’t last forever. While the thought of buying a new bag as a gift might sound a little pricey, we have three awesome options for the disc lover in your life that are all under $70!

The Sniper

Anyone who has complained of sore shoulders should use a reinforced backpack style disc golf bag, and the Sniper was built to be comfortable round after round. It’s a durable bag that can be used on a daily basis with construction that far surpasses its $69.99 price tag.

Holding 16 discs in the main compartment, it also offers a deep top zippered pocket, two drink holders, and a mesh compartment inside for keys or your phone. It’s available in Black/Gray, Bora, Dark Gray, and Red/Black. Pick one up and you’ll officially be the favorite gift giver this holiday season!

The Trooper

One of Dynamic Discs’ newest bags, the Trooper offers the best value for your dollar hands down. Another backpack style with padded straps for all-day comfort, it’s a bag that can handle regular wear and tear. It holds 18 discs in the main compartment with lots of extra sections for additional storage.

We challenge you to find a more affordable option that’s just as durable and attractive as the Trooper at $39.99! It’s great for beginning players or even the most experienced thrower and is available in Blue, Green, or Red.

The Soldier

Sometimes you want an old school over the shoulder bag, and the Soldier is a great choice when you don’t want to sacrifice real estate or style. Easily holding at least 18 discs plus two putters in a separate pocket, it also gives you room for keys, 32 oz water bottles, and uses a divider to keep your discs organized.

At $49.99, the Solder has the option of adding backpack straps as well, and when ordered with the bag itself gives you a huge amount of savings. Try the Soldier as a quick weekend bag and express your personality with one of five colors: Black/Gray, Bora, Dark Gray, Red/Black, and Special Ops.

Grab a bag now before the holiday shopping rush!

Stories From Grow Disc Golf Day - How One Store In Tulsa Spread The Love

The ways in which we tell others about disc golf and work to grow the sport vary quite a bit - sometimes we’ll bring our discs with us to work and invite a co-worker to play a round after clocking out. Other times, people drag their friends or partners out onto the course whether they want to come or not!

For a bit of a belated Grow Disc Golf Day this year, one couple in Tulsa, OK decided to use their passion for the sport to not only start their own business but to make November 4th a special day for their community. We talked with Amy, one of the owners of Basketcase Disc Golf to find out a little more.

Who’s Basketcase?

Kent Cox fell in love with disc golf several years ago, and after some persuasion was able to get his wife Amy to come out and play a round with him. She was instantly hooked, and as she sought to grow her disc collection, she noticed a problem: “We realized that there was nowhere in Tulsa to buy a wide selection of discs and it seemed like buying discs online meant I ended up with a lot of discs I couldn’t throw and didn’t feel right. There are stores that carry discs in Tulsa, but mainly one brand and other items not disc golf related.”

The solution to their problem came in the form of opening up Tulsa’s only all disc golf store, and when Kent and Amy saw an opportunity to do something for Grow Disc Golf Day, they jumped at the chance.

Putting On Their Clinic

With a passion to promote disc golf to anyone and everyone, Kent and Amy organized a clinic at McClure Park in Tulsa, inviting those who came out to learn how to play and rewarding them with a free disc for trying it out. Pro players Devan Owens and Tim Mirabal were in attendance, putting on in-depth clinics that showed attendees how to drive, putt, and throw midrange discs with ease.

Basketcase utilized their local television station to advertise the event, and 15 people came out for the clinic, 13 of which had never played disc golf before! Amy was really pleased with the turnout and said: “It was so awesome to see the excitement from the participants. We ended the day with a CTP for a disc and then anyone who wanted went and played a round at the park. We had kids and adults participating in the event, and yes, we will definitely do it again next year!”

Not only did they host this awesome clinic on the 4th, but their follow up event on November 18th will continue to work with players who are interested in learning more about the sport and improving their skills.

How Was Your Day?

Share with us how you spent time during Grow Disc Golf Day to spread the love of our sport to others. We’d love to hear your creative ideas for getting disc golf into the minds and hearts of everyone!

Special Announcement: Big Changes Ahead for Westside Discs

At Dynamic Discs, we always strive to meet the needs of every disc golf player out there through innovative designs, a wide variety of products, and by running our company in a way that helps to grow the sport through the DD, Latitude 64, and Westside Discs brands. As disc golf continues to change and evolve, we’ve uncovered an opportunity that will allow us to help Westside operate to its fullest potential and become a more relevant brand for players.

With that mission in mind, we’re pleased to announce that Westside Discs has been acquired by both Latitude 64 and Dynamic Discs in a 50/50 partnership. It’s a big move for us, and it probably leaves you wondering about the fate of your beloved Harps, right? Let us explain what lead to this decision and what you can expect in the future.

The Evolution Of Westside

A brief history lesson could help players to better understand this new change and how it can benefit disc golf as a whole. Westside was founded in Finland in 2009 by Janne Penttilä, an avid disc golfer who wanted to create his own line of discs. Partnering with Latitude 64, Janne built a distribution center in his home country, one where disc golf is growing at an exponential rate.

Throughout the years Westside has developed a strong following by players across the world by creating discs that meet a wide range of needs. The Westside Harp, in particular, has become one of the best selling discs amongst the Trilogy line-up. However, it became apparent that Westside could benefit from more manpower, stronger marketing, and a centralized distribution operation out of Latitude 64’s home base in Sweden.

What’s Next?

The sale of Westside Discs already took place in September, and things are in the works to fully integrate the brand into the current organizational structure of Latitude 64 and DD. Our efforts will continue to cultivate Westside into a more recognizable brand and will include the release of three new discs in 2018. Fans can expect an overstable wide-rim driver similar to the Enforcer, an overstable midrange that’s like the Anchor, and a new putter that will come out in late May for the Trilogy Challenge.

All current Westside discs will remain in production, so don’t worry, you’ll still be able to get a Harp. Despite being absorbed by the two parent companies, the Westside brand will remain intact. Both DD and Latitude 64 will have an equal say when it comes to the marketing and product development of Westside Discs.

The Future Is Bright

We’re excited about the potential that this new partnership holds, as the staffing and resources at Dynamic Discs and Latitude 64 will be put to good use in promoting and further developing the Westside brand. Janne Penttilä has moved on to other business ventures and everyone is pleased and optimistic about this new arrangement.

Stay tuned for a stronger presence of Westside Discs within the disc golf community and some awesome new products next year!

Watch the announcement video here.

The DD Women's Series - Part 2: Choosing Fairway Drivers With Paige Bjerkaas

Last week, we talked with Paige Bjerkaas about what distance drivers she thinks are great for both beginning and more experienced female players. Now we’re ready to move on to the next set of staple discs that will help any gal find success out on the course: fairway drivers. Whether you use one off the tee box or need one to help you get down an 800-foot hole, they’re discs that are essential to lowering your score during a round.

Let’s Recap

Paige recommended the Renegade for beginners because it’s easy to control and offers a smaller rim, allowing you to get a good grip on the disc. More experienced women will love the Sheriff because it brings a lot of glide and can help you achieve max distance shots.

So what does Bjerkaas think are ideal choices for fairway drivers? She racked her brain a bit and came up with one disc each for both new and seasoned females that you just can’t go without. Let’s check them out!

Best For Beginners: The Breakout

If you’re new to the sport of disc golf or just haven’t been able to build up a lot of arm speed, the Breakout would be a great choice for you right off the tee box. Like the Renegade, it boasts a small rim that will allow women and even children to grip it well.

It’s pretty easy to get the Breakout to flip up and turn, which means you don’t need a lot of power to have success with this disc. Throw it at max power for a nice straight shot that has a little bit of turn. The Breakout can also be used by women with more power, as you only need to put about 50% behind it to find success.

Plastic Availability:

• Air (comes in lighter weights which are great for newer players)
• Lucid

Best For Pros: The Escape

When you want a reliable disc that you can really “crank on” as Paige says, the Escape is for you. It can be thrown aggressively hard without flipping over and flies super straight and far. In fact, it’s the farthest flying fairway driver that Bjerkaas has ever thrown!

The Escape is easy to manipulate, so it’s great for those times when you need to hit an early gap or throw a precise tunnel shot. It brings a bit of fade at the end, but nothing that’s unmanageable. This disc is reliable and tough, so you don’t have to be touchy with it.

Plastic Availability:

• Lucid
• Fuzion
• BioFuzion
• Air
• Moonshine
• Fluid Moonshine

You Do You!

When it comes to drivers, the name of the game is throwing what works for you. Paige says that even if you choose to throw a speed 14 disc before you’re ready, at least you’re out there experimenting and having fun!

If you want to check out the Breakout or the Escape, visit our online store today! Come back next week when we go into Part 3 and talk about midrange discs with Paige Bjerkaas.

Quick Tip: Putting Strategy

Hey, everyone! I'm Robert McCall, and I'm the Dynamic Discs Team Manager. Each week, I like to share a quick tip I've learned over the years.

Let's start with a real-life situation you've probably encountered: You're standing over a 45' putt on hole 18. If you make it, you shoot your personal best/win your league/beat your friend for that round. You line up the putt, thinking, "Just give it a chance." In your attempt to give it a chance, you sail over the top of the basket and leave yourself a 25' comeback putt. Winning outright is now out of the equation and that 25' putt feels more like the 45' putt you just had.

Putting is probably the most mentally taxing and potentially frustrating part of disc golf. There's no worse feeling than throwing a perfect drive and missing a short putt while your cardmate throws a bad drive with a good upshot and achieves the same score. The old adage, "drive for show, putt for dough" may be overused at this point, but it's absolutely true: strokes and wins are gained and lost on the putting green.

Because of putting's great importance to your score, I'm going to give you a really simple piece of advice: if you're not going to commit to making your putt, don't try to make it at all. Take your putter, and toss it under the basket. While it's not the exciting, crowd-pleasing play, laying up accomplishes two things: 1) You limit your potential to take a big number on the hole because of missed putts, and 2) you avoid the mental stress of three- or four-putting.

When I'm playing practice rounds for a tournament and keeping score, I practice laying up as well. It's a lot more fun to run putts from everywhere, but you're creating bad habits for the future. As silly as it feels to lay up during practice, you'd rather have a few repetitions there than being forced to try it for the first time when the pressure is on.

Putting is generally a probability game: we run the putts that we think we can make with decent confidence that we'll be able to make the comeback putt if we miss. That range is usually around 30-50 feet for most people, but we often see a 30' putt with a drop-off behind and run it without fear of the consequence behind the basket. The slope surrounding the green and obstacles should all be considered when deciding whether to run a putt or to layup. Even if you're facing only a 20' putt with trouble behind, if you don't think you're going to make it, toss your putter intentionally under the basket and save the strokes you might have gained by missing.

When you're putting, commit 100% to your play whether trying to make it or laying up. You'll be happy that you did when you save strokes and improve your scores.

What's your putting strategy? I'd love to hear feedback on what has worked for you or if this strategy helps your game. You can reach out to me via my social media links below or by submitting a question to the Disc Golf Answer Man podcast. See you next week!

In The Bag: Ladies Edition

Women in the sport of disc golf often have a tough time initially finding discs that suit their game well. Many times it's their boyfriend or husband who gets them into the game, and their own personal bags can tend to influence the discs that ladies end up throwing. We often hear pro women stressing that women should pick their own discs, but what should they actually pick?

We recently got to look in the bags of both Paige Bjerkaas and Missy Gannon to learn a little more about what works well for ladies who throw.

What's In Paige's Bag?

Here's her lineup for 2017:

Distance molds - Trespass, Enforcer, Renegade
Fairway molds - Convict, Escape
Midrange molds - Warrant, Truth, Verdict, Justice
Putter molds - Slammer, Judge

What's In Missy's Bag?

Here's her lineup for 2017:

Distance molds - Defender, Latitude 64 Havoc, Westside King, Trespass
Fairway molds - Westside Hatchet, Convict
Midrange molds - Verdict, Truth, Justice
Putter molds - Slammer, Latitude 64 Pure, Deputy

What does your bag look like ladies? Share with us in the comments below!

A Recap Of This Year's Disc Golf Experience At Pocono Raceway

If you're on the East Coast, or really anywhere in the country that has a computer, you probably heard about the 2017 Disc Golf Experience At Pocono Raceway. This was the second installation of an awesome event designed and orchestrated by Mr. Disc Golf himself, Mike Solt, and allowed players to experience two 18-hole temp courses set up on the track and in the stands.

Bobby, Jeremy, Eric, and Robert jumped on a plane and headed up to Pennsylvania where, along with some usual funny business, they got to see the event first-hand. Attendees included die-hard disc golfers as well as race aficionados who wanted to see what the fun was all about. Both courses provided a collection of challenging shots as players weaved in and around the Pocono Raceway, and finished with the chance to throw a massive drive off the tower.

All in all, over 300 people came out to the event, and Mike was incredibly thrilled with the good vibes and great time that was had by all. Check out the vlog video below and be sure to stay on the lookout for future Disc Golf Experience events near you!

Ep 194 Disc Golf Answer Man

In this episode, we call Eric McCabe while he is in Michigan finishing up last minute details on a new course, we answer questions about Truth versus EMAC Truth, working on your short game, and much more.

The DD Women's Series - Part 1: Choosing Distance Drivers With Paige Bjerkaas

Every disc golfer is equally important to the growth and success of our sport, and while we always place an emphasis on getting more and more people involved, a special focus is typically geared toward ladies. Why? It comes down to the numbers.

At the end of 2016, the PDGA membership numbered 90,940, with only 35,662 of them actually active. Of those active members, guess how many of them were women? 50%? 35%? We wish! Females made up only 7.6% of the entire active PDGA membership body, so getting more ladies into our sport is a must! To this end, we want to focus on information that women want to know about - tips and tricks that are suited solely for their game and the things that they care about when it comes to disc golf.

Welcome To The DD Women’s Series! 

We figured who else would be better to chat with about the best discs for women than the gal who knows the DD inventory like the back of her hand - Paige Bjerkaas. Paige frequently posts videos about various discs on “Paige’s Point of View,” so we decided to pick her brain about the best distance drivers for both beginning and experienced women.

Best For Beginners: The Renegade

Paige raves about this disc, as it should be the go-to for every gal who’s learning how to get the most out of a distance driver. The Renegade is a bit slower with a medium sized rim, meaning it’s great for ladies with smaller hands. Not only does this result in a more comfortable grip, but you can actually get your whole hand around the rim and grip it tightly enough to produce some great snap when you throw.

The Renegade gets a lot of turn right off the bat, so ladies who have literally just started playing will have a bit of an easier time controlling their hyzer shots and can even get this disc to flip up and turn right sooner than others. Overall, this disc teaches women how to control their shots since it’s easy to get it to do what you want.

Plastic Availability:

• Air (comes in lighter weights which are great for newer players)
• Lucid
• Fuzion
• BioFuzion

Best For Pros: The Sheriff

A high-speed distance driver, The Sheriff is a disc that Paige loves to throw. Women who have their form dialed in will appreciate the flight characteristics of this disc as you can get great max distance with an S shot. The Sheriff is noted for having a lot of glide as well as a decent amount of turn and fade.

Keep in mind, control is key with the Sheriff because this fast disc can have a tendency to skip on you if you aren’t careful. A great option to keep in your bag, it works well for experienced women who know how to draw up a shot in their mind and execute it with perfection.

Plastic Availability:

• Fuzion
• BioFuzion
• Lucid

If you’re interested in either he Renegade or the Sheriff, check out our online store, and stay tuned for Part 2 of The DD Women’s Series!

Ep 193 Disc Golf Answer Man

In this episode we chat with Terry Miller, the Disc Golf Guy, we chat with a few of our listeners on the phone, discuss the frequency of switching out putters, giveaway a Dynamic Discs Slammer, and much more.

You can submit your questions here.