Disc Golf, How to Enjoy Playing in the Winter

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.

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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.