First let's take a look at the importance of the short game. In a round of 18 pars you'll throw 18 drives, 18 ups, and 18 putts. That's 66% upshots and putts. Lets look at the difference between scores. A 3 is 50% worse than a 2. A 4 is 33% worse than a 3 and a 5 is 25% worse than a 4. Mathematically speaking, 3 putting is a devastating blow to your score card. If you take the time to improve you short game, your score card will show immediate improvement.

Here in the Northeast we are challenged by many courses that have heavy rough, lots of trees and tight fairways. Needless to say many a golfer will find themselves in difficult positions 200ft and in, from the pin, struggling to get up and down. Even the greatest drivers will find themselves trying to make a difficult save at least a couple times around. And more often you'll find yourself looking at that 150ft upshot with a tight window to make it happen. This is a easy shot for most experience golfers, but how many times have you seen one blown, or blown one yourself. The key here is consistency, being able to make this shot time and time again for an entire weekend. And the key to consistency, of course, is practice.

Improving your upshots is not difficult, but it can be boring. I recommend going out and getting between 5 and 10 of your favorite mid range drivers. My selection is the Roc. I recommend you use a stable to overstable disc for this kind of practice. I like to practice on the course. I've read many articles that talk about field practice for improving distance, but here we have more specific goals, learning how to throw accurately at baskets. Take you stack of plastic and walk around the course making up shots. Play all different ranges. Throw shots that are not reachable, throw short shots, throw turnovers, throw hyzers, throw skip shots, throw rollers, throw overheads, everything you can think of. Make sure you take time during this practice to throw a lot of very short ups. That 75 to 125 ft range. These shots are extremely important and should be executed perfectly every time.

Some of you are probably thinking, "hell, I've heard all this before". True, this is no great secret, however I do have some pointers I think will help make this practice more productive. Concentrate. Play EVERY shot like it's tournament day. This is extremely difficult to do but is the key to good practice time. Take your time. Play fairly slow. Take the same amount of time you would standing over the shot in a tournament and do it ten times in a row. Be disappointed when you throw a bad shot and happy when you throw a good shot. Recover from poor shots with increased concentration. Mark your lie with a mini. Try imagining that every shot you make up is a par two hole. Keep track of how many of your stack got down in two. Create some very difficult shots, use tight windows and impossible lies. Build a routine for use with every shot. Try to do this everyday. I never felt like I was playing better than when I was able to get out for a least a half hour a day and throw upshots. Some days I would hurry out at lunch, throw for 30 minutes, very relaxed, just staying familiar with the feel. This is key. Getting used to throwing a disc. Eventually you'll be executing shots without even thinking about it.

This leads right into putting practice. While working your upshots, putt every hole out with your drivers. You'll be amazed how this helps your putting. You'll start to develop a putting motion on which to be dependent, instead of a putter. Take these putts seriously. Make a solid effort to make everyone. Keep track of missed putts, and try to respond with increased concentration. Now that you've been throwing ups for a while (however long you have), it's time to move on to putting. Same thing, grab 5 to 10 of your favorite putters. I like stable putters, (which I believe is a side effect of my upshot practice). Pick whatever you're comfortable with, don't be fooled by what's hot, or what people are calling the best on the market. Use what you like. The kind of putter is of very little effect, the motion is everything. On putts inside of 25ft, a good solid motion will put any kind of disc in the basket. As the distance moves out, understanding of your plastic becomes more important. What we want to develop is that solid motion we can call on to give us a chain high chance every time. This begins with the putts during upshot practice, and is refined during putter putting practice.

While practicing your putting, think about your motion. Try to identify the things your thinking about when putts are going in and the things in your head when your missing. Some examples I went through would include "keep the disc away from your body", "slight air bounce", "slight hyser", "slight anhyzer", "putt it online". Some of these worked and are still with me, others are gone forever. My current mental picture is "keep the disc away from the body", "slight air bounce", and "reach out for the pole". These three things go through my head every time I throw a putt. Don't be afraid to make big changes to your style. Experiment with different putting motions. Practice straddle putts, push puts and high floating putts. Spend a lot of time practicing short putts. Try to get very familiar with success from the shorter distances.

Keep a log book containing you feelings for that day. Things like how you were feeling, the kinds of things you were thinking about when you where throwing good and bad shots. This will help you identify the mental processes you use when playing well. Later these processes can be called on when it counts to help make you more consistent. Everyone has had those days when you feel like your confidence is shattered and every shot is a struggle. By having a mental picture of what a great shot feels like, you can call on these clues to help get yourself out of a funk. Rick Rothstein made a great comment about this once, he said "Even when I'm putting bad, I know I'm a great putter." Confidence is one of the most important aspects of this game. When you start to feel confident in your short game it will overflow into your tee play. You'll feel like there is no way you won't be able to get up and down regardless of how bad your tee shot is, and your drives will become for confident. Practice even when you feel like your playing well, this is the best time to refine your skills.

On tournament day, use your practice time to your advantage. Following the same routine you've developed in practice. Call on the mental clues you identified. When faced with a shot your uncertain about try to remember a time when you threw a similar shot with great effect and make it happen again. When stepping up to a putt, tell yourself "this one's mine, I've hit it a thousand times before."

top

These aren't your Momma's Frisbees: The first thing most new golfers notice is the extreme nature of most golf discs to go left for a right hander. This is in extreme contrast to the Pizza Hut Frisbee you've thrown in the backyard. A simple backhand flip with your favorite beach lid will generally flatten out and fly a short distance, relatively straight. This is perfect for playing catch at 50ft, but is not want you want for a 300ft uphill drive into a strong cross wind. Disc golfers refer to this nature of golf discs to turn left in flight as stability. The reason stability is desired is simple: more stability means better consistency. This consistency means you can throw harder and still expect the same results. Pro-style drivers have subtle differences in stability that really aren't noticeable until you are throwing hard, and with good form. Many new players are steered away from pro drivers because they are difficult to learn. I disagree with this assessment. Learning to understand and utilize the stable nature of golf discs is the most fundamental aspect of the game, and is absolutely key in the development of any new player. The sooner you can learn this the sooner you can begin to get the most out of your plastic. When you learn to throw a pro driver with enough angle to turn right at first, and then finish to the left (the famed S shot) you will be well on you way to mastering other key golf shots. If you're building a golf bag for the first time, I'd highly recommend you get one of the pro drivers known to be low on the stability spectrum and around170 grams. The current hot ones are the XL, the XS, the Valkyrie the Leopard, and the Cheetah.

Learning to handle stable discs: I'm not going to sit here and preach to you the mechanics of a good throw. This is something you need to get a feel for yourself. Almost every golf disc in production today will be overstable for the beginner. Additionally, all golf discs are overstable at very slow speeds. A simple way to go out and get a feel for this is to take your entire bag and throw them over and over again at a close target. Pick something about 50 to 60ft away and throw anhyzer shots. This means angling the disc like this for a right hander (\ ), reversed for a left hander (/). What you're trying to accomplish is getting the disc to fly left-to-right (right-handed) and land almost flat, near your target. Work on creating nice looking shots. You don't want to see them wobble. If the disc is lifting and tailing off to the left, you're doing it wrong… add more angle. When doing this drill with your drivers you'll be surprised how much angle it takes to get them to hold the anhyzer and land flat. Get comfortable with creating this flight with all the discs in your bag and then begin to move the target out. Eventually you'll want to move this practice out into the field. Just ten minutes in the field before the start of each of your rounds and I'll guarantee you'll make great strides. (Note: This little drill will also help experienced players develop and maintain good touch). Now that you understand how the stability of your disc effects the flight, you are ready to apply this knowledge to your shots. The safest shot in disc golf is a stable disc thrown with hyzer ( / ) and aimed well right of the target. This shot should also be practiced (same as above, just replace anhyzer with hyzer, and left to right with right to left) and used on the course whenever possible. Since this is the way all golf discs want to go when they slow down, it makes common sense to use this property whenever possible. In other words, throw stable discs, aim right and let the disc do the work.

If you are struggling with understanding your golf discs, or with any aspect of your game, come and see me. I'd be happy to offer some suggestions. If you're curious about any disc golf pointers, send your questions tojohnbrad1@excite.com or talk to me on the course.

See ya on the bench.

top

Glide seems to be an issue that mystifies many players. I'm always amazed when I see a player, even at the pro level, who lacks a fundamental understanding of glide and how to use it. That moment when you understand the kinds of shots you can create by utilizing glide is one of those eureka moments. Everything changes afterwards and the game becomes much easier. Suddenly the way you look at holes changes, and your scores go down.

My eureka moment was on the 16th tee at French Creek with Dale Crawford, maybe 6 years ago. This hole is a nasty right to left with a relatively thin fairway and a very tough angle off the tee. I had just thrown my overstable high tech spike hyzer shot around the corner and came up about 70ft short. I had really pounded the shot hard, and was nowhere near the pin. Dale steps up and throws a smooth beat up Stingray with so much hyzer it was almost vertical. The shot moved right to left very quickly right out of his hand and then a strange thing happened. The disc began to turn up to the right, it then flattened out and glided to the pin. Dale had used about half the effort I had, a disc that was 5 years behind the times, and was still parked under the pin. On that day, Dale and I had completely different visions of the hole. I saw right to left, and immediately thought, throw something that goes right to left, an overstable driver. Dale looked at the hole and saw the same right to left, but envisioned a shot that glides to the pin, instead of one that forces it's way there. I was amazed and the game was never the same for me. Dale described what he was thinking and the shot he threw and I was on my way to a much better game. Now every time I play the 16th at French Creek... a beat Stingray comes out of the bag.

So what is glide? Glide is what happens as a disc moves though it's current flight path into it's preferred flight path crossing through what I'll call the glide point. Huh? New overstable drivers desperately "want" to go right to left for a right hander. So if you rip one with a left to right angle, what happens? The disc will slowly move from going left to right to going right to left passing through the point where speed, angle, and stability come together to create glide. This creates some very interesting flight paths that are easy to execute, i.e. they don't take much effort. A gliding disc will travel much, much further that one that is given what it "wants" right out of your hand. The trick is figuring out what your disc "wants" to do. It not as easy a saying drivers go left, Stingrays go right. Discs want to do different things at different speeds, in different wind conditions, and at different heights. Practicing will give you a feel for what your disc wants to do, but I'll give some general rules to give you a head start.

Discs are more stable (i.e. go left), with a tall wind, going up hill and at slow speeds. Discs are less stable (i.e. go right) into the wind, going down hill, and at high speeds. Since a disc will want to do different things at different speeds, a shot can actually be made to move through this glide point twice during a single throw. For example, a beat up high-tech driver can be made to move left to right during the first part of it's flight, and then right to left at the end, essentially gliding twice. First as it moves from hyzer to anhyzer after a hyzer release during the high speed portion of the flight, and then again as it slows down and moves back to hyzer at the end of its flight. This double 'S' shot creates tremendous distance, but can be difficult to control. The key to making use of glide is changing the way you attack holes that dogleg one way or the other. Just because a hole doglegs left doesn't mean you should throw a disc that wants to go left and vice versa. Dale knew he could throw a disc that wants to go right on a dogleg left hole. This enabled him to create a flight path that gave him easy access to the pin. My high tech hyzer shot took tremendous effort and had little or no chance of reaching the pin. The same applies to dogleg right holes. How many times have you seen a player throw a very understable disc on a long left to right hole only to come up way short because the disc hit the ground early and did a little spin out? Throwing a stable/overstable disc with an anhyzer release on the same hole creates glide. Not only can you reach the pin with less effort, you can create flight paths that are simply not possible with an understable disc.

So the next time you play a dogleg hole, use a disc that wants to go the other way. You might be amazed at the results.

top

It's important to practice different kinds of putts. You are not always taking a perfect stance on a flat surface for every putt during your round so it's key to practice different stances, elevations and obstacles. It's also very important to develop a pre-shot routine that you use for all your putts. This will make those pressure putts a lot easier since you can focus on the routine instead of the importance of the shot. (Re-read Barry Noakes' article on putting in the last issue for lots of good putting tips.)

"What are the keys to making longer putts?" is a tough question. The top players in the world make long putts so often it's scary. When I've had the opportunity to play with some great players I've always been amazed at how many long putts they drain during a round. Picture this scenario: You're in the lead group at a PDGA event with two of the top players in the world. After your tee shots, you are 35 feet from the hole, and the other two players are 45 feet and 60 feet respectively. When you step up to your 35 footer, the other two guys in your group are already in the hole with a birdie. Are you ready to make that putt to kept pace? It can be nerve racking to say the least when your competitors are draining putts from everywhere.

For me, the key to making long putts consistently, besides endless practice, is to try and maintain the same putting motion for putts of all lengths. (Not like I make long putts consistently, but I'll try to offer some tips anyway!) If you have to change your putting style when you get outside 30 feet, something is wrong with your style. The way this is accomplished is to use more of your body when the distance moves out. You can effectively lengthen your back swing without changing your style by getting more of your body involved. Taken to the extreme, this becomes a "jump putt". When you use so much of your body's momentum to transfer power to the disc that you actually leave the ground after release, this is called a jump putt. (This is a legal putt outside 10 meters.) Many of today's top pros are using this method very effectively.

Just one more thing to practice: Tell yourself you are going to make every putt you stand over, no matter how long. If you are thinking lay up from 60 feet, you don't have much chance of making it. If you're thinking "but I'm going to 3 putt!" then you will. If you're thinking, "I'm going to make this one" then you will. Confidence is everything. If it was this simple, I'd be world champion. Obviously if you are running at everything you increase your chances of three putting. This all comes back to practice and developing a style that lets you run at 80 footers and still have an easy come-backer. The "par two" game popular at Sedgley is probably one of the best ways to practice these shots. (For more info on par two, talk to Topher, or show up at dusk on Thursday with a case of beer and when you hear someone yell "FIRST!" then you yell "SECOND!" Who's up for the Full Monte?!?")

Work on finding a putting style that you can use from 100 feet and closer, and practice, practice, practice. If you've got a question about a hole(s) at Sedgley or are just curious about any disc golf pointers, send your questions to johnbrad1@excite.com or talk to me on the course.

See ya on the bench! --JGB

top

Controlling the height of your shots is just as important as hitting the line you are after. Everyone knows a shot that goes straight up is lousy, but even subtle mistakes in height control can have a dramatic effect on your shots. I like to think of golf shots as having two release angles. The obvious left right angle, and the not so obvious, nose up nose down angle (angle of plum). The angle of plum is the angle between the directional vector of the shot and the nose of the disc. So a shot can be thrown straight up in the air and still have a flat angle of plum. A miscalculation in either of these angles will result in your disc going some place undesired.

In order to make the right decisions in regards to the angle of plum, you need to understand how this angle effects your flight path. Nose up creates lift and fade, i.e. the disc will hyzer out. Nose down creates speed and glide, i.e. low laser beam shots. I've always felt that a worm-burner is a better mistake (if there is such a thing as a good mistake) then a nose up moon shot. The nose up shot tends to go way off course while the worm-burner tends to be very short but right in the middle of the fairway. So let's concentrate of keeping the nose down and the shot low.

How is this done? Throwing a frisbee with the nose down is not a natural release for beginners. If you've ever thrown a ultralight frisbee in the back yard, you know that keeping the nose up is desired since it creates slow flying floating shots, ideal for playing catch. A good way to practice keeping the nose down is to practice anhyzer shots with stable to overstable drivers. If you attempt to throw a overstable driver with anhyzer and get the nose up, you will know it immediately as the shot will lift dramatically and fall off way left. Practice throwing these anhyzer shots so that they land almost flat. Depending on the type of disc, you will have to throw these shots pretty high to give them room to fall out of the anhyzer and land flat. Remember, there is a difference between throwing with the nose up and throwing high. This type of practice will give you immediate feedback on whether you got the nose up and allow you to make adjustments and observe the results. Once you are comfortable with keeping the nose down you can practice throwing all types of discs, focusing on a dead flat angle of plum. A shot that has a flat angle of plum will not lift and hyzer out, and you will get the most out of your plastic.

For this difficult subject I've asked one of our regions best players to try and shed a little light. Craig Gangloff, the 2001 MADC player of year, had this to say. "One good way to deal with low ceiling shots is to use a high-tech disc that's a little beat up. The idea being to choose a disc that you can throw hard (or at least firmly) that you know will turn in flight. I try and use either a slightly beat Gazelle or Eagle (for longer shots) or maybe just a slightly beat Roc for shorter shots. The key to this type of shot (for me) is to throw a hyzer shot that flips up flat and glides, without actually turning all the way over. Release point should still be chest high (normal - don't change your regular motion) and the hyzer angle should be fairly sharp. The key to avoiding lift is to have the leading and trailing edges in the same plane at the time of release. [JGB: so called angle of plum] Comfort and knowledge of your own discs will guide you into the appropriate disc choice." Craig makes an excellent point. By keeping the shot low and creating glide (see the last issue) you can still get tremendous carry out of a low ceiling shot.

There is no magic solution that will help you throw low accurate shots every time. Buy some Pro Worlds videos and study the motions of the best players. Practice what you see. Play with players that are better then you and compete on different courses. But most of all have fun. Golf is a journey not a destination.

top

For me, the key to putting in general is rhythm. If I'm missing putts left or right consistently I know my rhythm is off. If I'm missing high low I know my pace is just a little off but the rhythm is good. When I say rhythm I mean from the time I start my putting stroke to the time I release the disc I'm maintaining a smooth even pace without hesitation or a jerking motion toward the basket. If you'd like to see good rhythm in action, watch Andy King putt when he is on. I control the line of my putts with a practiced smooth rhythm. I control the height and distance with the pace of the rhythm. Finding a rhythm you can consistently produce for your short game will be a tremendous asset, especially when the pressure is on.

Having a practiced rhythm to your shots will give you the ability to consistently produce shots that are on line. When we get jerky or hesitant we release shots late or early, these are mistakes we've all made a thousand times. Once you've made rhythm your goal, you can use the pace of the rhythm to control distance.

Anyone can find rhythm. It's located in repetition. Start with short controlled shots and work you way out. I've always said learn this game from the basket out, finding your rhythm is easier in the short game. Design a pre-shot routine where the only goal is to find your rhythm. Pre-shot routines are one of the most important aspects of pressure play, and having a good one that focuses on rhythm will be invaluable.

Good luck.

top

How many good rounds have you ruined on hole 12. If you're anything like me, it's to many to count. This hole is definitely the menace of the back nine and may just be the hardest hole on the course. I'm sure hole 2 would put up a good fight for this title, but that's a discussion for another article. So, what are the keys to managing hole 12 and preventing that 5, 6 or worse? Well the first thing that jumps out is getting out of the 60ft tunnel in front of the tee pad (well duh?). Obviously hitting something early and kicking left or right is an instant bogey or worse. If this means taking something of your drive, so be it. The next part of the hole takes some decision making and maybe even a little luck. It seems that off the right side of the fairway is certain doom. Saving 3 from anywhere is the right rough is almost impossible, especially in the "jail" bushes by the large tree. I've seen hundreds of drives thrown on this hole (by a right hander) where the disc used was to understable (flippy, beat up, old, whatever) and flips into the right rough. Welcome to bogeyville. The left side, however, provides many more openings for upshots. Particularly in the small trees to the left of the big tree. This is not a bad place to be at all, and you should consider trying to play a shot to land in this area. From there you've got the famous "over the log" upshot and a putt for 3, mission accomplished. So what's all this mean? Use a stable to overstable disc on the tee in order to guarantee you stay out of the right rough. Release it with some anhyser ( \ ) and good snap and you might find yourself at the log. Throw it soft and controlled and I'll guarantee you'll have a descent look at the upshot. This is like throwing two upshots in a row, certainly easier than throwing a power drive and a circus trick shot. If you do find yourself in trouble after the tee shot, make sure you find the fairway, even if it means throwing a 25ft shot. The last thing you want to be doing is "SIR shoe lacing the fairway SIR". Goat, Lefty, Demon? AAhh, it's a stinking lefty hole anyway, you're on your own!

top

Ahhh, three of Sedgleys' toughest holes, and the best part is you get to play them right in a row. Not only do you have to worry about getting clocked upside the head when playing these holes, you also have tight alleys, solid length, and tough pin placements to negotiate.

So you're 2 down on the tee of seven and 2 up on the tee of ten. How do we stop from losing ground or maybe even gain a little on this section? There is no magic suggestion that will instantly lower your scores on these holes. One thing that will definitely help is to play conservatively. Take something off your drive to help you hit the line you're after. Play the percentages, especially on hole 8. Do you throw up the middle and almost never get through? Think about throwing a lay up shot around the left side to stay out of trouble.

Once you've found a shot you feel comfortable with, stick with it. Don't throw a different shot each time you play these holes just because you haven't had any success. You need to develop the muscle memory and consistency that comes from throwing the same shot over and over. Each time you get a chance at these holes, play them the same way, regardless of the results. Obviously if you having a 100% failure rate over time, you need to pick a different shot and stick with that one. My point is to train your arm to hit these tight gaps by not constantly changing the way you play them.

I throw up the middle on all these holes. (Note: red and yellow tees, the blues are to easy to require discussion). I throw the same disc on 7 and 8, and it's basically the same shot. A slightly overstable driver thrown with a little turnover ( \ ) into the gap. On 7 I try to kept it low and on 8 I try to get it up a little higher to avoid the low brush at the end of the fairway. On 9 I throw a understable (broken in) driver with hyzer ( / ) and good snap. Not only am I throwing the same shot each time I play them, but the shots I use on the different holes are very similar. So when I step up and hit the gap on 7, I'm confident I can repeat the throw on 8 and 9.

A note on hitting tight windows. Focus on something in the distance that is right in the middle of the gap. Don't focus on the trees closest to the tee, you'll increase you chances of hitting one of them. Make a smooth controlled motion. "Start the lawn mower", keep your arm motion in line with the gap, don't make an arcing sweep with the disc. Try to keep the shots low, the higher the tighter.

Find a shot you're comfortable with and stick with it. As always, practice that putting.

top

Number 2 at Sedgley is definitely one of my favorite holes on any course. It is classic risk versus reward. Playing conservatively can usually earn the 3, however 2 good shots still need to be executed. Playing for 2 can yield strokes on the field, but can also result in bogeys or worse.

Strategies vary greatly on this hole, which is one of the reason it's such a great one. The way I see it, there are 4 solid strategies that are used regularly on hole 2 with varying degrees of difficulty and reward possibilities The classic Bob Dole method ("voting Republican again Andy?") involves throwing a stable to overstable disc straight down the middle with the fade to the opening in the gap. An easy 80ft upshot and you've got yourself a three. This strategy is not without risks however. Early wood is always a factor. Hit one of the sentinels off the tee and you're battling for a 4. Leave this shot short and you've got a very difficult low ceiling anhyzer upshot. Carry long and you'll have a tight upshot snaked through the trees. Pin yourself against the treeline short, and... well, good luck. This is technically the easiest tee shot to execute and is probably the way most players should and do tackle this hole. When playing it this way remember that longer is better than shorter, and make sure you throw a disc that doesn't have a chance of flipping on you. It's better to hyzer out early then to be pinned behind the treeline.

Enough of the conservative play. Lets talk about bagging a two on this baby. The first way to go after it involves throwing a very understable disc (goes right for a right-hander) with extreme hyser, tons of snap and trying to create a giant S shot down the fairway to the pin. This shot is risky and difficult. Flip early and you're in the woods, flip late and you could be past the pin of 4. This shot takes a lot of power and snap and is definitely one of the more advanced techniques. If you think you can execute this shot start out by throwing an understable disc with enough hyser to make the gap. As you get more confident with this shot start throwing it harder and harder. Eventually you might start getting some birdie putts, but you're going to take some fours along the way. As a side note, this is THE shot for left-handers, just replace the understable disc with an overstable one and let it rip with some anhyser.

The second way to play for a 2 is just pure power and a little luck. Simply pump it straight through the woods. If you don't have the power to reach the pin, try something else or practice your long drives. I've seen lots of 2's using this method from the blue tee. It's a tough one from the longer tees. If you've got the power and you need a 2, this isn't a bad option. If you can get inside the treeline there are usually tricky upshots available. Just don't be short.

And finally the roller. This is probably the riskiest and the most rewarding shot possible. A well done roller can be inches from the pin from any of the tees, but it can also end up in places so terrible you'd better pack a lunch. I like to throw an extremely understable disc flat, low and hard. This creates a sharp cut to the left when it lands and then it stands up and finishes to the right. This is basically the same line we want to create with the understable air shot, only the disc is rolling. Rollers are not easy to learn. I'm still learning and wouldn't consider myself a good roller by pro standards. If you'd like to learn a roller there is no better hole at Sedgley to practice then yellow #2. The line over the tee sign is perfect for a right handed roller. Start out throwing a reasonably stable disc, for example a newer Stingray or Stratus. Work on getting it to land with about a 64.73 degree angle and let it trickle down to the gap. Don't throw it to hard and you'll generally end up left of the gap with a reasonable upshot. As you get more confident and start throwing harder you might start seeing those elusive birdie putts. You'll definitely get 4's and 5's along the way, but not only will you know how to throw a roller, but you'll also bag hole 2 from time to time.

top

You've just taken your 3 on 12 and now it's time to bear down and string some birdies. Most tournaments and tag rounds are won or lost on these 5 holes, 13 thru 17. Getting birdies, and lots of them, is usually the difference between a good round and a ho-hum round.

Play for putts. The best way to consistently get birdies on birdie row is to play for putts. You are not going to park everything every time, so design shots that will land on the green more times then not. The goal should be to have a make-able putt on all 5 of these holes. If your goal is to park them all, you are setting yourself up for disappointment and making the holes harder then they should be.

Lets talk about these holes briefly one at a time.

13- Play for the ace. You don't want to be short here since putting from long of the pin is much easier than dodging the down tree. So, might as well have an ace run. Ideally, I like to be pin high and left.

14- This is an excellent example of throwing a shot that consistently yields birdie putts. The ace run is probably with an understable hyser shot, making the corner and bending towards the pin. This is harder to execute than throwing overstable, soft, and letting the disc fall short of the pin. I'd rather have a 15 to 25ft birdie putt every time then park it every now and then. Decide on the shot that is easiest for you, and you'll be playing the percentages and getting more birdies.

15- Play for the green, period. No need to get fancy here, a dead straight controlled shot will earn a birdie putt every time. Trying to bend a disc towards the pin only adds risk.

16- Make the corner. This is another shot you need to decide on what is the best way for you to get a putt every time The understable hyser shot is riskier but can end up closer, throwing overstable may yield more putts, but they might be out of your range. I throw somewhere in-between. A tuned roc with hyser and hope for the best. The key is a good line off the tee, low and close to the broken limb. This is the toughest hole on birdie row, so don't feel bad if you are not getting it consistently.

17- 3 tees, 3 different shots. The anny (\) is the easiest from the yellow, the other lines are tighter and riskier. Floating this shot to the green should yield a putt every time The red tee is tougher but the anny is still there. Personally I find more success up the middle. The blue tee... well hopefully you've figured this one out on your own.

Pick shots on these holes that are easiest for YOU to execute and get to the green. Don't be so concerned with getting to the base of the pole and you'll be putting for two more frequently. As you've probably noticed the key to scoring well on these holes is putting. You better believe it. Most players will be able to generate birdie opportunities on these holes. It's a question of how many are going to be converted. So, as always, practice that putting.

top

"JGB,

Disc selection: How do you set up your bag for Sedgley? Is it any different for other courses? Would you recommend the same for intermediates-advanced players? Thanks.

"Slayer" Bill Kilmer "

First off, thanks for the question Bill. Disc selection and bag setup is definitely an area I have a method to my madness. I have a set selection of discs that basically never leave my bag. These are specialty shots, mid-range discs, putters and rollers. I have a selection of drivers that get swapped in and out depending on the course and the conditions. The 'base' bag includes 3-4 putters / short range discs that are in varying degrees of beatness. Two mid-range discs (Rocs), one beat, one in good shape. Two flip masters / rollers (Stingrays), and two very overstable discs (Whippets and/or Xtras). I then compliment this bag with a selection of 3 to 4 drivers. Usually one beat, one new and one somewhere in-between. To play Sedgley I'd add a beat and semi-worn driver to the bag and that is it. I play Sedgley so often that I rarely use a new driver on the course, and my favorite drivers never (well maybe in a big event) make it into the bag. I usually make the decision on what is going in the bag right before the start of a round. This decision is based on the course I'm playing and the current conditions. If the course is long and open, I'll add my favorite long range discs. If it's tight and wooded, I'll add tuned discs and drivers I'm not in love with. If the wind is up I'll add newer, heavier discs that can handle the wind better. If the wind is strong enough I may even swap out a Roc and a Stingray for heavier, newer versions. I keep a box of discs in my car for practice and game day bag setup. This box contains 5 putters, 4 Rocs, 3 Stingrays, 2 overstable, and about 5-8 drivers. Basically it's just duplicates of what I carry in the bag, with varying weights and ware. I can get away with this because I practice. I wouldn't recommend that intermediate players try to incorporate this many discs into their game at once. Keeping a few discs in new condition for windy days would help any player. Intermediate-advanced players looking to improve their games should work mostly with putters and short range discs. If you're practicing, only about 20% of the time should be spent on driving. The rest should be upshots and putting. Hope this helps.

top