The 10 Best Disc Golf Bags
Editor's Notes
April 28, 2020:
For this update, we removed the MVP Nucleus Tournament due to quality issues with the shoulder straps. To replace it, we brought in the Innova Starter, a beginners bag that doesn’t require a big financial commitment, but still does its job of keeping your discs organized and easy to grab while on the course.
We also removed the Innova Super HeroPack, replacing it with another backpack-style option, the Innova Adventure. This new addition is a nice, rugged model that prioritizes durability. This would be a great choice for players who hit the course frequently.
If your current collection of discs is lacking, or looking a bit worse for wear, consider filling your new bag with a whole new set of discs.
Or, for the serious competitor who wants to practice their accuracy away from the course, think about picking up your own personal disc golf goal. If you’re feeling really industrious, you could buy 9 or 18, and set up your own course altogether.
The Rise of Disc Golf
After 1969, disc golf fell by the wayside at Wham-O, but others in the country were still playing it.
It's not entirely clear when the first disc golf game was played, or by who. It is believed that versions of the game were being played by separate groups of players at different times and in different locations, each with their own set of rules.
Former Wham-O employee, Ed Headrick is generally accepted as the father of disc golf as he is most responsible for bringing it into mainstream culture. He also holds patents for two items of vital importance to the sport; the Frisbee and the disc golf pole hole.
George Sappenfield was the Parks and Recreation Supervisor in Thousand Oaks, California in 1968 and is responsible for setting up the first disc golf contest. He contacted Headrick at Wham-O in 1968 and convinced him to send out Frisbees and Hula Hoops, which were to be used as the targets. The following year, George convinced Headrick to include a disc golf event in the All Comers Frisbee Meet that Wham-O was planning as a promotional event during the Pasadena Rose Bowl.
After 1969, disc golf fell by the wayside at Wham-O, but others in the country were still playing it. Jim Palermi, along with his brother and a small group of dedicated players had been holding weekly competitive disc golf games since 1970, despite having never heard of the Frisbee golf events held by Wham-O and Sappenfield. They also promoted a City of Rochester Disc Frisbee Championship in 1973 that featured disc golf as the main event. In 1974, after finding a copy of the IFA newsletter which told of the disc golf event held by Wham-O, they decided to make their Rochester tournament a national event and named it the American Flying Disc Open.
Over 1974 and 1975, disc golf continued to grow in popularity and once again caught the attention of Headrick, who was still working at Wham-O. He created a new department focused on promoting disc golf and decided to include it in the 1975 World Frisbee Championship. This was also the year that the first permanent disc golf course was also set up in Oak Grove Park in Pasadena, California. In 1976, Headrick resigned from his vice president position at Wham-O and started the Disc Golf Association. Under his leadership and through a series of promotional events, disc golf continued to grow into the popular sport it is today.
Picking The Right Disc Golf Bag
More often than not, your current skill level and commitment to disc golf will dictate which bag is best for you. If you are just getting into disc golf and still unsure as to how often you will play, your best bet is to keep the cost of a bag low. You can always upgrade at a later date as your interest in the sport increases.
This way they are always on hand when you are ready to play.
Innova and Dynamic Discs offer good quality, low-priced bags that will suit the needs of most beginners. Most have room to fit 12 or more discs, along with a water bottle and a few other supplies. They are also usually small enough that you can keep them in the backseat or in the trunk without taking up too much room. This way they are always on hand when you are ready to play.
When it is time to step it up a notch and you're looking to enhance your disc golf skills, going with a larger bag that can hold 15 to 20 discs is best. As players progress in the sport, they will need to incorporate more discs into their arsenal. This way they always have the right tool for the shot at hand.
A bigger bag is also a good choice if you regularly spend all day on the course. These will offer you room for all of your discs, plus multiple water bottles, some snacks, a towel, and any other gear you need.
Backpack style disc golf bags are the most expensive, but also the most convenient, offering unrivaled comfort and convenience.
Two Easy Drills To Improve Disc Golf Putting
Just like regular golf, a game of disc golf is often won or lost by putting. Without a solid putt, it is nearly impossible to win, no matter how close your drives get you to the goal. Here are two simple drills that anybody can perform, regardless of skill level, to improve their putting accuracy.
Once you run through all of your discs, collect them and throw them back at the other target.
Putting is all about muscle memory, and the best way to develop it is through repetition. Distance drills are great way to increase putting accuracy. Start by marking off set intervals in 8 ft. increments, starting at 8 ft. from the goal. Beginning at the first interval, throw 5 to 10 shots, if you make at least 80% of your putts, move on to the next interval. If not, throw 5 to 10 more from the same spot. Do this for 15 minutes 3 times a day.
Once your accuracy has improved to a point that your are consistently hitting the target 80% of the time, it is time to add a second goal for more effective training. Set the targets at a challenging distance from one another. Start at one basket and throw your discs towards the other. Once you run through all of your discs, collect them and throw them back at the other target. This allows you to throw more shots in a shorter period by reducing the time wasted walking back to your throwing area.