So you want to learn a bit about disc golf? Well first let's assume you're in Minnesota. Did you know there are 52 Professional Disc Golf Association (PDGA) approved courses in Minnesota? There are! And there are many unofficial courses out there too. Your own back yard can become a disc golf course in mere minutes. The dialogue might go something like this:

"That lonely pine tree is a par 3. Let's go."

It's really that simple. However, the PDGA approved courses use post-holes (A.K.A. baskets, pole-holes, etc.). For a picture of a post-hole, check out the putting picture below.

I highly highly highly . . . recommend that you read the general rules from the back of one of the Air Traffic disc golf maps and take a look at a couple of course maps to get an idea of what goes on in a round, but for those who don't know. . .

Play begins at the tee with a drive. On most par 3 or 4 holes (approx. 250-350 feet), you'll only really need one drive, so a strong arm only helps a little. Next comes the approach shot, designed to get you closer to the hole. Finally the putt. Something that many disc golfers forget is that you spend a lot more time playing the "short" game - putt and approach - than you do driving.

The Drive: Players start at a tee (usually a concrete slab or well-marked line) and throw their disc attempting to get as much distance as possible. There are many techniques, the most basic of which is the forward throw.

This is basically like throwing a regular flying disc. To accomplish this simple task, begin by standing with your feet shoulder width apart. Next hold the frisbee in the hand with which you will throw it. Lift it to the opposite shoulder, and with a smooth sweeping motion, move your arm so that it points away from the shoulder where it started and is parallel to your chest. 
Now flick your wrist to put spin onto the disc and be sure to follow through. If you feel that your release is awkward, your fingers may be curled and you may be trying to hold the lip of the disc when throwing. To correct this, count to four on your throwing hand. Your four fingers should be flat and together, your thumb should lay flat on your palm facing inwards. Now do this with a disc in between your thumb and fingers. Now throw again. If you feel you need more control, you can extend your index finger along the rim of the disc. REMEMBER: FORM FIRST, POWER LATER!

The Approach: After driving, players may be close enough to use an approach shot. If not they will drive again. Let's assume you made it to within approaching distance (about 40 feet). The approach shot is exactly the same as a drive, but with less power. This shot is designed to get as close to the pin as possible without going past it. If you're lucky/skilled you may even sink the shot.

The Putt: So you made a drive shot and an approach. You're now where regular golfers call the "green" and I call close enough to putt. The throw for a putt is different than a drive or approach because the putt is more of a lob. Start with the same grip and stance as a drive but this time start with the disc at about waist or hip level and nearer to the center of your body.
A good rule of thumb: if you're wearing pants (you should always wear pants when disc golfing) and they have a front button, that's about where you would want to start. Now, using a smooth motion, throw so that your arm ends in the same position as a drive. Make sure to put spin on the disc by flicking your wrist or the disc will wobble as it flies and probably won't make it in. A great way to practice is to set a basket (a three foot diameter will do nicely) about 3-4 feet high and try to putt it in.

So now you know how to throw, but what do you throw? If you've been paying attention, you'll know that you should be throwing a Golf Disc. "But Sam," you ask "what kind of golf disc do I want?"

I'm glad you asked. Let's begin like we did above, with the drive. For these shots you'll need a driver. But first, some lingo.

Stability is a term used to describe how much a disc will turn into the throw. The higher the stability the more it will turn left when thrown in the aforementioned manner by a right-handed thrower. Stable means the disc will fly straight while overstable means the disc will fade left (good for pros whose throws will tend to fade to the right).

For beginners I recommend, contrary to PDGA recommendations, heavier discs. The PDGA recommends lighter discs because they will float longer, give the person a faster arm speed and disc speed for a slight boost to a weak throw. I like heavier discs because they are not as easily affected by the wind and encourage the player to develop good form.

A good driver is one that will go as far as your form and strength will let it. A bad driver will turn or swoop or perform other unwanted maneuvers and decrease the distance of the throw.

The three drivers I recommend for beginners are the Innova Shark or Gazelle and the Discraft XL.

The Shark is a nice all-around disc. It drives decently, approaches acceptably, and putts pleasantly. It is average at all of these feats, but if a player wants to buy one disc and one disc only, this is the one.

The Gazelle is a nice driver for beginners because it is not very overstable and it works well in either heavy or lightweights. I like it quite a bit, but some of my disc-golfing friends prefer the Cheetah (also Innova, and in my opinion, the same disc as the Gazelle, but with a different picture).

The XL is my preferred driver. It is a very straight flying disc and works wonderfully as a heavy disc. It is easy to throw and gets very nice distance - maybe a little farther than a Gazelle on average. I also recommend the Z-XL for the more advanced player.

For approach discs I recommend the Innova Roc or Shark.

I've fallen in love with the Roc as an approach disc because I've been able to make 40 foot shots. The disc is remarkably accurate (when thrown well) and has that certain je ne sais quoi (that's French for I don't know what).

Do you really need another description of the Shark? Fine. It's average as an approach disc. Not exceptional, but not bad. I've used it a few times when I was too lazy to grab my Roc.

For putters I recommend the Innova Polecat or the Discraft Soft Magnet.

The Polecat is the first putter I owned and it has done well for me. It has a large flat lip which is a plus for beginning putters. If the buyer prefers a thumb grip on top, the Innova Birdie is a Polecat with that type of grip on top. I don't like it, but to each his own I say.

The Soft Magnet is a disc made from a very soft plastic. I could be wrong, but I feel this is a nice touch for a putter designed to stop when it hits metal chains instead of bouncing off. It takes a few putts to get used to the softness, but after that it putts like a dream. (Side note: I use my Roc for putts too: it works well.)

Well, did you learn something?