by Joe Rodman |
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Every disc golf bag has one thing in common: they're loaded with each players favorite discs and mini's. |
| Many newer players have asked what should they have with them when they play tournaments or even casual rounds with their buddies. Just like discs, what each player carries with them varies greatly and is dictated by that players personal needs, style of play, and size of the bag they carry, but there are a few things that can be beneficial to have with you regardless of skill level or amount of play. The items mentioned here are all extras and not required to play the game, but are things that can help a player with either comfort or ease of play while on the course in different situations. They will add weight to your bag that you'll have to carry around with you so pick and choose what you think will help you enjoy the sport of disc golf just that little bit more! |
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The first thing I would suggest having in your bag is a good supply of zippered plastic bags. Everything |
| I carry in my bag goes into its own plastic bag. The zippered bags are the best because they're the easiest to open and close in all whether conditons, and won't pop open while they're banging around in your bag. They of course come in many sizes and take up very little room in your bag. Once you start using them for the things in your bag you'll never head out to the course without them again! |
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There is one item that every player should have in his |
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| or her bag at all times. It's called a "Golden Retriever". It can be purchased on-line or through your local disc golf store for around $25 and is worth every penny.Having one can really speed up the pace of play as well as cut down on the expense of lost discs! It is designed to help you retrieve discs that have found their way into creeks, ponds or standing water. The Golden Retriever is a small metal device that opens up into a triangle shape with a lenght of string attached that allows you to throw it out into the water and pull it back over your disc, trapping it in the device and then is pulled back to shore. Store it in your bag in a plastic bag to keep other things in your bag from getting wet . Be sure to air it out later to keep it from rusting or smelling bad in your bag! |
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Something every player should have in their bag are a couple clean micro fiber towels. These towels are |
| the best because they are soft and dry quickly. They also will still remove moisture from your discs when damp. Again, keep in plastic bags when not in use. One special note about micro fiber towels: try to keep them off the ground! Everthing seems to stick to them and you dont want to spend the whole round ricking sticks and burrs off your towels. |
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Personal comfort while on the course can go a long way to helping you stay in the round mentally, so |
| consider adding these items to your bag. For me personally, poison ivy is a huge problem. I at times will skip a round if the course is heavily infested with poison ivy. There is a product that should be in every persons bag to help with this problem, and it's called Technu. It can be purchased at most stores in the pharmacy areas. Use it during or between rounds and it works great! Bugs a problem in your area? Carry a small bottle of Absorbine Jr. in your bag. It works great for small bugs and gnats. Get the bottle with the roller ball, it's easy to apply and not as messy. For those pesky mosquitoes carry a small can or bottle of Off or other bug spray. It will help you keep your mind on your round and not on swatting bugs away while on the tee. Some players I know will also carry a small bottle of sun block in their bags. Spend six hours in the blazing sun and this is probably a good item to have with you. |
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One thing many players do is keep their favorite discs in great shape. Even the best players will hit a tree |
| or knick up a disc now and then. An easy way to do minor disc repair is to make a disc repair kit. I carry a small nail clipper, an emery board and small piece of fine grit sandpaper. A quick fix and your ready to go! |
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Ever get a disc stuck up in a tree? How did you get it down? Did you climb up the tree? Did you leave it, or did you try throwing another disc at it to knock it down? I once played a round with a buddy who got his disc stuck in a tree and tried the disc throwing method to get it down. Soon he didnt have a disc stuck in the tree: he had three! Try putting a baseball in your bag for just these types of situations. Most people have an old baseball lying around the house and are great for knocking down those discs. A baseball is small and relatively light, it's easy to throw and can get into the smaller gaps between branches. Plus if you loose it you're not out the cost of a disc. Just remember: what goes up must come down! |
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A problem many players have is keeping their hands dry so they can have a good grip on the disc. An |
| item thats great to have in your bag is a Birdie Bag or a rosen bag. These bags are filled with a combination of powder or saw dust and are a great way to dry your fingers and hand before throwing a disc. Some players will rub the bags on their discs to get any moisture off the plastic as well. Store them in a plastic bag to keep them dry and the powder away from everything else in your bag. |
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Ever play glow rounds or that late evening round run a |
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| little long? Try putting a small flashlight in your bag for just such occasions. These can come in pretty handy when looking for that stray disc or looking to see where your buddy dropped his car keys! A few other small items worth tossing in your bag would be: bandaids for those knicks and cuts, some change for the pop machines that can be found at many of the local courses, and an energy bar or other easy snack for while your on the course. My snack of choice is sunflower seeds, but an energy bar, trail mix ect will work great too. Find something that you can leave in your bag from round to round that wont spoil or be replaced every day. |
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| Finally, no bag would be complete without a good supply of pens or pencils! Keep a spare with you at all times because they're easy to drop or end up in your buddy's bag. Also toss in a spare scorecard or two for those unexpected rounds with your friends. Keep a sharpie in your bag at all times as well. Every disc used in a sanctioned tournament must have the players name in it, so have a sharpie with you to mark any new or replacement discs. Many players will carry a small clipboard with them also. They are nice to have so you're not always using a disc to write on, mashing the scorecard in a pocket, or worst of all, leaving it at the last hole! |
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Have any other ideas or suggestions for items to have in your bag? Send us your suggestions and ideas on our " Comment on This" form. |
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