Hey everyone, I’m Scott Stokeley and I’m here in the Texas panhandle in 30 mph winds. And people ask me all the time, how do you play well in the wind? And the answer is in the history of disc golf, there has never been a player who plays well in the wind. There are only players who suck less in the wind than the competition sucks. Now, this is not a joke. This is actually key to your strategy because here’s the thing. When you’re competing, it is not about the number on the scorecard. It is about the number on the scorecard relative to other players. You can’t play well in the wind. You don’t know what the wind’s going to be doing once the disc leaves your hand. You can’t tell what the wind’s doing 50 yards down the fairway. And every mistake you make has huger penalties because the variance is larger in the wind. If you try to play well in the wind, you’re going to fail. But that’s not the goal. The goal is to suck less. Meaning you lay up those 25 foot putts in the wind. If you try to make them, good luck. Lay them up. Suck less and don’t three putt. Don’t try to get to every hole. Land upwind so you have a downwind approach shot. If you play hyperconservative in the wind, you have a chance to succeed. If you try to play well, you’re going to fail. I have seminars all across the country. Uh go to scotssley.net and hopefully I’ll be coming to a town near you.
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13 Comments
Always realistic and wise beyond your years
Solid advice. I find in general the following to be true. Tailwind makes discs more stable, headwind makes them more understable, if you expose the flight plate to crosswind it will get pushed, if the top of the disc is exposed to cross wind it get knocked down. Putting is really tricky too, it depends on how you angle the disc but it's kind of the same as with crosswinds. It's really good to putt flat in windy situations if you can.
Yeah I found my favorite sidearm disc in a premium plastic is my go-to wind disc and I play probably 10 times better in the wind now whenever I happen to and I basically will only use that disc for anything I do.
So my only suggest would be find that wind disc and stick with it
I thought I was the ONLY one that sucked in the wind! I needed to hear this! Thanks!
I used to play every Sunday morning at HPA in Waimea on the Big Island, a place where the steady trade winds played havoc with a disc's flight. I used to love playing in the wind because I knew that everyone else let the wind get into their heads. They knew they were going to do worse and let that mindset infect their game. I knew I was, as Scott says, going to 'suck less' and so I was always happy. The wind is your ally. Do not let it in your head. Play to conditions. Lay up with upside down sliders, keep your throws low, hard and flat. Choose your discs for that task. Don't let them get away from you, but when they do, as some invariably will, don't blow a gasket. Persevere knowing that though you may be scoring poorly, others with no plan and a discouraged attitude are going to do worse. The score card doesn't say how, it says how many. Go well Scott. Cheers, D.
I thought you were gonna say to play into the wind. Like you can't ignore it so factor it in
Excellent advice, Scott. This has always been my DG philosophy for ANY adverse weather conditions. Adjust your expectations!
Another thing I have noticed is that simple flat straight shots tend to get thrown around by the wind less I think. I'll leave it to more experienced people to correct or corroborate this, but for me I feel like almost any time I go for any kind of banking shot on a windy day the wind will do something to it using the flat of the disk like a sail. But simple nose down flat throws are a lot less susceptible.
Pretty helpful advice, thanks Scott
Suck less…
Love the bottom line here. 😂😂😂
This has been the mantra to my best moments in life! lol .. just suck less than enough people and you are a success.
Lies, I play great in the wind.