2019-08-30 Purple Discs Usually I play with two drivers (one with fade the other without) and a P3 on the Wiley course. After having played with the Zone yesterday and seen how far it can go, I thought that I could play the Wiley course with the Zone instead of the ES Teebird. As I thought about it, it makes sense: On the four long holes (1, 3, 8, 9) I use the straight driver; all holes that I drive with the fading driver are rather short. Only because the color matched better, I went with the purple DX Teebird as the straight driver (instead of the yellow Star Valkyrie). And because the JB Zone putted quite well yesterday (and because I have no purple P3) I went without P3s. Only my two purple discs: JB Zone and DX Teebird -- a fine pair, as I can ad- mit. During warmup, I met Happy, so we played a round together. Even- tually he beat me by one, because he omitted the bogey. I scored two birdies and one bogey for 26 (-1): Hole 1: I shot the DX TB for a straight shot, a bit too high and thus a bit too short. Easy par. Hole 2: Left the Zone a bit too wide. (But the Zone is probably the best disc for this hole.) Unfortunately a par. Hole 3: Parked the basket with the DX Teebird! What a shot! Hole 4: Forehand Zone for a 4m birdie-putt that I made. Here the Zone is much better than both, my ES Teebird and my Felon. Hole 5: Threw a nice anny flex forehand, only a little short ... and missed the putt. :-( Par. Hole 6: Thumbered the DX Teebird against a tree, approached and then missed the par-putt. :-( Bogey. Hole 7: Zone forehand, another missed putt. :-( Par. Hole 8: Took the big hyzer with the DX Teebird a bit tight. Par. Hole 9: Nice long shot with the DX Teebird. Easy par. Those misputts are a trouble. It could easily have been a four- down if I had made these three putts (all within 8m). I've never used the Zone instead of my fading driver here, but it works great. On hole 2 and especially on 4, the Zone appears to be the best suiting disc I have. Well then, on round two, I played alone, having a three-putt on holes 2 and 3 -- both birdie opportunities turned into bogeys! Further misputts on 4 and 5, leading to pars instead of birdies. Then a bad approach after a tree hit on 7 for a bogey -- well, that's normal disc golf life. But the spitout of the putt from 2m into the center of the chains on hole 8 is not -- I couldn't be- lieve it! 31 (+4) for the round. Horrible! Seven misputts from within 8m on nine holes! This round I used the P3 to putt. Maybe there was a problem getting used to the different putter? The only highlight: On hole 9 I drove the DX TB a long way, leaving me only a 12m putt. I missed it -- which is okay -- but this is almost birdie range! (Still waiting for my first birdie on hole 9.) Round three, I played with the X Comet and the P3, wanting to have some fun with the Comet. I used it for all shots, except putts. Normally I would throw upshots with the P3, but this round not. As I cannot forehand the Comet I threw backhands on all drives. Hole 1: Threw it too low. It simply needs more height to fly. Par. Hole 2: The drive was okay. Missed the 11m putt. Par. Hole 3: Didn't get enough distance with the big hyzer, getting into the banches of the big tree. Threw the upshot too long (gliding Comet), missed the long putt. Bogey. Hole 4: Backhand anny, quite well. Had a 11m putt, which I missed. Par. Hole 5: Threw (by accident) a stallout shot, which landed about 7m from the basket. Then I three-putted. :-( Bogey. Hole 6: Long anny with the Comet -- beautiful -- 4m putt for bir- die! :-) Hole 7: Hit a tree with the anny. Upshot, then had a spitout from the 7m putt. Bogey. Hole 8: Threw it straight, but landed a bit short. Easy par. Hole 9: Unfortunately another too low and thus short drive, but a good upshot. Had a 3m putt. Par. This makes 29 (+2). For those long glidy annies the Comet is just the best disc. For everything else, glidy and rather understable discs don't work well for me. Maybe I'm simply not throwing smooth enough. I don't have a single understable disc in my normal bag. It all had good HSS and a healthy fade. Maybe I need this safety and reliability in the wind and the easier distance control and the possibility to rip them hard ...? I'm not sure if this is bad and I should play with the Comet and Leopard for some months to improve my form. (That thought was one motivation to this round today.) But then again, each time I try it, it fails, and I go back to the discs that work for me (straight-to-fade). What I take with me: - Instead of the VL-TB-P3 set, I'll play the VL-Zone-P3 set on the Wiley course the next time and see how that goes. - I have to practice hole 2! Again it was horrible how bad I was on this most simple hole. That's only a mental thing! - I should get it clear with Zone putting and P3 putting. My putting was a mess today. (Reminder: Put spin on the putt!) The goal: Avoid those bogeys and play reliably under par at Wi- ley. http://marmaro.de/discgolf/ markus schnalke