Gripe No. 28: Field-work hypocrisy in disc golf

By: Taylor Larsen

Do you want to throw farther?

There are a million-and-a-half things that go into it …

But at one point or another, the advice starts to sound the same:

“You have to practice – not just play.”

Or in disc-golf speak, field work.

LOTS of preaching, yet very little practicing.

And there you have it …

Hypocrisy.

DGPT: Isaac Robinson

This is especially true of amateur disc golfers – the very group most needing of field work. It’s not just an issue of more distance, either. Done properly, as well as consistently, field work is your ticket to getting better at a host of disc-golf skills: flicks, timing, footwork, approaches, throwing putters, learning new frisbees, getting comfortable with different grips, etc.

Field work helps with ALL of the above.

Let it be known, however, I don’t fault amateurs for not doing more of it – there are valid reasons for rarely emptying the bag in a vacant soccer field. If disc golf’s not your job, the motivation is less likely to be there. Also, real life tends to get in the way: Your wife deserves time, children demand (and merit) attention and there’s this tiny matter of paying bills that won’t go away.

Furthermore, Father Time is undefeated. As the years fly by, though field work can help prevent them, injuries flare up more than you’d care to admit – your body only has so many throws in it.

And my favorite excuse for not doing field work as frequently as I should …

Actual rounds of disc golf are fun.

Field work isn’t.

DGPT: Catrina Allen

Remember, though: This is NOT the problem at hand …

It’s the endless, impassioned testimonials about the wonders of field work, that – while undeniably true – upon closer examination, are bird-bone hollow. Because again, most of the YouTube and social-media tutorials you see praising the practice are little more than lip service. 

No matter the division, if you want to compete for tourney takedowns, field work will need to be part of the equation. Heck, if you want little more than to improve, it’s the way to go. But if all you really want is to sound like you know what you’re talking about, odds are you’re full of it.

You can fool others …

But you can’t fool me.

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Photo of author

Taylor Larsen

Taylor Larsen is a staff writer for Green Splatter. He uses disc golf to self-reflect, pondering questions like, "Where the heck did I throw that?" and "What happens if the disc lands on top of the basket?" He resides in Utah with his dog, Banks, who loves to chase frisbees of all sorts.

4 thoughts on “Gripe No. 28: Field-work hypocrisy in disc golf”

  1. I’m brand new to disc golf again I say again because I have played a round or 2 before and never took it serious. Now that I’m 12 discs deep of all sorts and learning more about the game field work actually is fun in my opinion. I think it gives you not only the opportunity to work on everything our game demands but also enjoy it more when you do finally start applying what you learn and watch a disc take off for the first time. Field work gave me the opportunity to slow down record my throws and see what I’m doing wrong but like you said it’s always fun to play a round but field work isn’t. Great read though how do I subscribe or get new updates on new articles and all that jazz? I just stumbled upon this site taking a break from disc golf valley and this is what I have been looking for all along. For the players by the players type of insight and discussions.

    Reply

  2. Ok fine. You convinced me. I spent 32 mins at the soccer field. I’m good now, right? I can just get back to the 18?

    Jokes aside, thanks for your site, helpful articles, and general disc golf banter.

    Real talk, I actually DID go and hit the field for a while today and appreciate the inspiration. As a primarily LHFH (go ahead, let the understable quacks fly, lol), it did feel awesome to pull the Avenger SS out, and towards the end of my sesh, the benefits were clear.

    Cheers!

    Reply

    • Thanks for reading, Danny!

      And, hey …

      Nice work out in the field!

      Also, for what it’s worth, the Avenger SS is a WAY underrated disc.

      Way to build that bag of yours 🙂

      Reply

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