Disc Golf, How to Enjoy Playing in the
Winter
Does anyone hate winter in the north because you can’t play disc golf? I know I used to. It
doesn’t have to be that way. You can play in the winter, and I will tell you
how to do it, stay in good shape, and have fun doing it. It’s different from playing in the summer, but it’s way more fun than not playing at all for a few
months. By the time you finish this article, you will be ready to get out in
the snow and play.
Playing
disc golf in the winter
When I say winter disc golf, I’m talking about winter in the
northern half of the United States. And other parts of the world where we have
snow and cold. For many of you, winter is an enjoyable time to play. When the
nasty heat and humidity do not make it hard to breathe. I’m sure that all you
players in Texas love the winter months for being able to play without the
stifling heat and humidity.
If I could pick the best temperature for disc golf, I would have
to say 50 to 70 degrees. Low humidity, no wind, no bugs, and the sun high in
the sky would be perfect. Back to winter now.
Playing
in the snow
Disc golf is a fun activity for people of all ages and skill
levels. Yet, many people assume disc golf is only fun in the summer. We will
cover the equipment you need, some tips for playing in the snow, and a few fun
variations you can try! Obviously, you will need a bit of different equipment. You see that some types of plastic are better in the winter than others.
Clothing
for disc golf
I
was not ready to play in winter the first time. The hardest part is finding the
right level of warm clothes to not be too hot from walking and not be too
cold from standing still between throws. The most important thing in winter is
to keep warm. But you don’t want to restrict movement so you can’t throw. Wear
a moisture-wicking long underwear shirt. Wear a hooded sweatshirt over that,
and a fleece pullover nylon shell to stop the wind. I also wear a neck warmer
when it’s freezing to pull up over my face. Wear a wool stocking cap.
On my hands, there are a couple of things I do. You can wear a
wool mitten on your non-throwing hand. Or wear a tube hand warmer like football
players use, with a chemical hand warmer in it. Or you can wear mittens on both
hands and take off the one on your throwing hand when throwing. I dislike
wearing any gloves when throwing. I carry a pair of neoprene waterproof gloves
in my bag to reach into freezing water.
.
For your feet. Make sure you have waterproof and warm boots. Don’t
wear too thick socks. Your feet will stay warm because you are walking most of
the time.
snowing
at Blue Ribbon Pines Disc golf course
Other
important tips
When there is snow on the ground, that is over 3 inches deep. I
recommend using ribbons. Take some thin ribbon used for wrapping around gifts. Use
bright colors. Cut off pieces about 30 inches long. Some people say to tape it to
the underside of the disc. I prefer to tape it in the middle of the disc. Use a
piece of duct tape. Some people say to tape it to the underside of the disc. I
prefer to tape it on the top.
Make sure the discs are warm and dry when you tape the ribbons
on, they will stay on much better. Bring your discs in the house for several
hours to warm them up before putting on the tape. The tape won’t stick well if
the discs are cold when you put it on.
Put your discs in the car the night before you play. This will
get them to a colder temperature. This will make it so the snow will not stick
to the discs if the temperature is close to freezing. If it’s below 20 degrees,
the snow will not stick. This tip will make playing with snow on the ground a
lot more fun because you won’t lose discs.
Best
Winter disc golf Plastic
The best plastic for winter. Discraft plastic is
the FLX, or ESP. The Z and X plastics are OK.
The best Innova discs are the Pro plastic. When it is cold, the
Champion is slippery. The Star is hard. This is just my opinion. Check
the different ones yourself to see if it’s the same for you.
Why
Play in winter?
If you decide to play in winter and do the few things I have suggested, you will still have fun and keep in better playing shape
for summer. Don’t expect to score as low. There are some benefits to winter
play. There are no bugs, there are few tall grass areas, the water hazards are
much easier to deal with when they’re frozen, and you can walk on them. Few
people are on the courses, so there is no waiting.
