2018-03-02 Driving Practice It had about zero degrees Celsius outside and the floor was covered with (old and hard) snow. We had a light breeze and some sun. I was outside, doing some fieldwork. With me, I had 18 discs: 9 drivers, 6 midranges and 3 throwing putters. I wanted to have many discs. It would have been good filming myself, but it felt too cold to fiddle with the camera, thus I just tried to focus on some as- pects of the technique. First, nose down! Second, throwing hyzer-flip or flex-shot, depending on the disc. Third, pulling in close through the chest. Fourth, keeping it rather nice and smooth. I managed to throw a whole bunch of shots with the nose suffi- cently down, but still I had some stall-outs and hard fades left at the end of the flight, mainly with midranges. That might be related to the rim. The hyzer-flips and flex-shots worked out quite well. For some discs I didn't give enough hyzer angle (into the slight headwind), especially the DX Leopard but even the Star Valkyrie and Star Eagle-X. Again and again, I cannot believe that I have to put that much hyzer on them ... not trusting that they would flip up to flat. But the result is that they turn slowly and move right. At least (or maybe only because of some nose-up ... who knows?) they faded back most times. Only one time I shot the Valkyrie over the fence. That would have been a really far hyzer-flip if I had put more hyzer angle on it. The flex-shot discs were my Champion Teebird, the Echostar Teebird, the Star Eagle and the ESP Zone. Most discs I threw flat or with only a bit of hyzer. Most understable at full power are the Retro Pure, the beat-in DX Roc and the DX Leopard. The two Comets (ESP and X) are much more stable. They can fly nice, long annies from anny angles, but they fly straight when I release them with only the slightest hyzer angle (much like my Z-Flx Buzzz). The success of my try to pull close through the chest requires video feedback to judge. There are other technique details that I can't wait to analyze on video soon. Concerning smoothness, I think that I have improved. I wasn't throwing so hard, it felt more concentrated to the hit point, but my inner feedback could be false ... Another reason for video feedback. I didn't really concentrate on the elbow-through-the-window as- pect, but it already were several aspects I had a look on. More isn't possible. Next time again ... After one round warm-up, I shot three rounds with all 18 discs, usually starting from slow and understable to fast and over- stable. Each time, some of the shots were just bad, but most of them were good. Here are the results: - The Retro Pure was usually shortest, but it really is neither made for the headwind conditions nor for full power drives. - The D-Line P3 went consistently just short of 60m, with always a slight fade to the left. It's a great driving putter. I come to like it more and more. - The ESP Zone went a bit farther, but, because of the flex line, wasn't as consistent in placement. I went for max distance, hence I don't care. - The midranges (beat-in DX Roc, DX Shark, M Aurora, Z-Flx Buzzz, X Comet and ESP Comet) showed similar results, all around 60m. They weren't much farther than the P3 and Zone. Usually I only bag the ESP Comet, to pair it with the Zone for my midrange game. This beat-in DX Roc is a surprisingly good disc, I have to say! The Buzzz I have really fails on going straight, as it never locks into the horizonal position, as other discs do; it just hold stubbornly on whatever angle I release it on -- good for long hyzers and long annies but bad for a simple straight shot. The Comet and Roc cover all of the three. Might be plastic- related, don't know. The Shark and Aurora are workable midranges, it's just about the same which one I'd take. They all do the job. - The DX Leo is a disc I don't bag. It's rim felt strange to me. Also, I rather dislike understable discs, maybe because of the risk of flipping them (if you don't know them and the wind condi- tions good enough). About that was the performance of the disc: Two times it flipped and landed right at about 65m and one time it was my second farthest shot at 85m. I cannot depend on it. - Far better are DX Teebirds! My 175g DX TB went 70m, 80m, 87m, being my farthest flyer. I do know the disc well and it has a little (savety) fade at the end. The 171g DX TB went 60m, 60m, 68m. I cannot believe that the 4g make this difference. (Between my Q JLSs the 5g make no difference.) I'm not really satisfied with the lighter DX Teebird. - The 175g Echostar Teebird is more overstable than I thought. It went 60m twice on flat releases (landed left) and 75m on a flex line (landed right). That's all logical. - The fourth Teebird, a 175g Champion one, is more overstable, thus I threw flex-shots with it. It went 60m, 72m and 77m. It is dependable. I know it really well. I can perform a bunch of dif- ferent shots with it. - My DX Eagle-X is a bit of a strange disc, as I don't really know how to throw it, but despite this uncertainty, it 70m three times, all straight on line. - The Star Eagle-X dumped into the ground on the first (straight) shot, but flew nice flex lines to 75m on the other two shots. I think that the turn-and-fade of the Eagle is more difficult to control than the straight-to-fade of the Teebirds. But flex lines are really made for Eagles. - My Q JLS (165g) is a disc of beauty! Again and again I have to realize this. It went 70m, 70m, 75m. The disc doesn't look to be much, but it has great internal values. I should bag it again, but it overlaps heavily with my DX Teebird, which goes a bit further and is a great disc too, plus, it has the same rim as the Champion Teebird, which I bag anyways. - Last the Star Valkyrie, my only speed-9 driver. It flew 62m, 70m, 77m ... but with little control: One drive went left another right. Wind conditions have a big effect on it. Sure, I have not as much experience with this disc, but it just doesn't feel that reliable to me. I think reliability to be more important than maybe some meters more ... which in reality I don't get from it, as the DX Teebird still flies farther. So, what's that for conclusion? Nothing really new! Champ Teebird and DX Teebird are my two main drivers. The Star Eagle-X and Echostar Teebird can be replacements for the Champ Teebird. The second DX Teebird, the Q JLS and DX Eagle can be re- placements for the DX Teebird. The Leo and Valk are rather out. For midranges and driving putters I continue to go with Comet and Zone. The Zone because it's so unique and my out-of-trouble disc. The Comet, because I like it so much, and for the long annies without fade. The P3 convinces me increasingly. It places some- where in the middle between the Comet and Zone, but does have some overlap. Even worse when I put the Pure in as well. It serves me for slow and anny approaches, as it flys without fade on slow and short shots as well. I have the need for such a disc, as I cannot throw my putting putters (P2). Still the P2s are better for putting than the Pure or P3. It's kind of a dilemma. I don't want to go with Pure, P3, Comet and Zone, but don't know which one to leave out. Too many allround discs! I also threw forehands for two rounds ... it was horrible! :-( http://marmaro.de/discgolf/ markus schnalke