First skiff of snow means a bag change

 It’s rainy this morning. The Weatherman says that rain is supposed to turn to snow through the afternoon. 

Doesn’t matter. I’m ready. Earlier this week, I took the time to put together the bag of discs that I expect will carry me through the Winter of ‘25. Many discs match mold-to-mold with my summer set up. But there are a few exceptions.

Personally, I have found that the extreme cold and snow-covered terrain lends to a mix of throwing results with even the most trustworthy of discs from your bag. I am not using any cold-temp-specific plastic, but in general, my collection sticks with base or softer forms.

But let’s run through it on an individual basis.

The Putters

I’ve got three in the bag. One – the Berg K2 putt approach – is a replication from by summer collection. The others are the R-Pro Rhyno and the Thought Space Praxis. Both Berg and the Rhyno provide straight, reliable, stable flight patters that I hope to use off the tee. The variety of speeds (Berg 1; Rhyno 2; Praxis 3) also provides touch throw options in the wind and elevation.

In Saskatchewan, where snow packs can reach up to two or three feet in areas, course directors tend to run their shortest tees through the winter season. Putters are the snow-season option on all locations on the course.

The Mid-ranges

I’m still seeking a solid over-stable mid-range option, which makes sense. The Tempo from Axiom Discs has just been added to the batch, but there are concerns about it’s inability to hook like an Anvil.

In fact, none of my winter mids are molds I use in the summer. For stability and touch, my winter bag includes the Prodigy *spit* Vaeloria Thornbow MX-3 (5401) and the Innova Star Coyote (4501), the latter of which has become a great all around option that has visited my dryland collection at times.

For turnovers, annies and straight, tight lines, I have added the Dynamic Discs Bounty, which gave me amazing anhyzer approaches in the snow of 2024. It’s a chapter plastic, though. Fingers crossed the bloody thing doesn’t break in half this year.

The Fairway Drivers

This is my groove. Seven-speed discs are what I learned to play on. I’ve since determined that my arm excels with 8 and 9 speed discs, but a couple of lower speed drivers had to be in my bag.

First, the Latitude 64 Explorer was a staple all year round until this summer. Continuously losing Explorers became an ongoing joke in August and September. One disc disappeared for a month, was found again looking for another, then disappeared on the same hole the next round. Another new version was turned over in the wind at the Sask Open provincial championship distance competition and swims with the fishies in Moose Jaw.

The Explorer obviously no longer wanted to be in my bag, but I found another and have put it in my winter set as a utility disc.

Three more fairway drivers complete the collection. The Axiom Crave, the Latitude 64 River Pro (an stable version of the River that glides for miles and is no longer in production), and the Innova Star Leopard3. All three are carry-overs from my summer bag, though the aging River Pro is a side option that comes on and off the roster through tournament season.

All of these disc provide consistent flights both backhand and forehand. The forehand option, for me, is not really a part of my game outside of 200 feet, put the winter season is the time to develop that form.

The Drivers

Alright. This is where decisions must be made. So much so, that I am currently over-stocked in the 9-speed range.

Of course, every bag - winter/summer/glow - must include an Innova Firebird. It’s a permanent option throughout the year. However, I have added it’s less stable sister, the Thunderbird. This disc is a little to fast for summer, but flies like a demon over the snow.

Otherwise, I have moved to less stable discs after an entire year of changing my throw. These include the Prodigy *spit* Behemoth FX-4 (95-22), the Dynamic Discs Escape (95-12), and the disc few people use, but I tend to throw a mile.

I was introduced to the 2020 Trilogy Challenge SPZ3 (96-22) five years ago. This straight-flying driver struggles in any side wind, but with a tail or head push, it’s golden. A headwind allows a perfect hyzer flip with a consistent finish to the left. Thrown flat in the tail wind and expect a long glide and a smooth fade as it flies like a disc 20 grams lighter than its 175.

The SPZ3 should be a priority in my bag this winter.

Looking out the window, I see the sun is out again. Nevertheless, the frosty bite is in the air.

We pray for another couple weeks of snowless golf, even if it means layering apparel like Grandma’s quilt collection. Nevertheless, no matter how tempted I am to toss those primo summer discs back into play, I must not.

Winter is for working on throwing form and experimenting with plastic. Anyone who takes this game seriously in two feet of snow should probably should spend a week with repeating the mantra, “I’m not good enough to get this mad.”

Just saying.