When it gets cold don't forget to "disc up"

When it gets cold don't forget to "disc up"

This phrase may not mean much to the average disc golfer but in ball golf the terms "club up" or "club down" are used frequently. To "club up" in golf you select a 5 iron instead of a 6 iron or "club down" a 9 iron to a pitching wedge.

When the weather gets cold you shouldn't expect your favorite discs to perform the way they did in August. There are a few reasons for this, I won't get into that now because the "why" isn't really important. But I think everyone agrees that some distance and stability are lost when it gets cold.

I used to throw 9x Whippets. I loved to throw them (back then I only threw forehand). They were overstable and skipped nicely and predictably. But when I played my first tournament in late November, the holes that were easily reached with my trusty 9x Whippet were no longer reachable and to top it off I was suddenly turning them over. I had no idea what the problem was because I new so little about discs and stability back then I probably assumed it was just nerves.

Eventually I figured out that a Whippet shot in July was a Firebird in December. A Buzzz shot in June was a Wasp or maybe even a Leopard in February. Most of the "beat" discs that I carried in the summer were unusable in the winter.

Of course a player could solve this problem somewhat by altering their technique, throwing with more hyzer and muscling up a bit (remember though, discs are already turning over more in the cold). I've learned that you can get the desired result by carefully preparing your bag and moving up a disc. After all, that is what golfers do. They try their best to use the same basic swing and let the clubs do what they are meant to do. Since we disc golfers have so many disc options, we should just play smart and let the discs do what they do best.

[Kari Dianich]

Thx for the info. I'm thinking the temperature change even from day to night golf may affect things too.

[TODD GREENE]

As stated, the why isn't really important to the thread, but I think it's fun to Know. (I'm sure you know all of this Rich, so my comment is not a criticism of your post, just having a fun Mr. Wizard moment) The air is more dense when it's cold, (basically a heavier more viscous gas than when it's warm) Everything the disc does encounters more air friction as a result, so forward motion is slowed more quickly, and the spin of the disc, especially with any extra texture on the disc (such as wear) also encounters more friction and has a more dramatic effect on turnover. So if you're ever in the cold and sounds seem more crisp etc., once again a factor of air density all the little closely packed molecules more efficiently transmitting the sound wave. Fortunately, none of this is so much a factor here in Florida either.. Unless we have a winter like last winter.

[david k. reisner]

i'll try and remember that if i ever play outside of hawaii . the weather just don't change that much over here .

[Frank Callaway]

Thanks for the info. Never even thought about the weather affecting distance. Now i know..