A few years ago, I made the decision to go from a completely open bag, to mostly just one brand.
I say mostly because I was under no contractual obligation to throw just one brand, I just wanted to for the fun challenge of it and I wasn't going to force myself to remove any discs that I threw really well if I didn't need to.
At the time, I was trying out lots of discs because it gave me something to write about here and it gave me knowledge about all the different brands that were out there.
My bag, like most amateur players, was mixed because I had acquired discs over a long period of time and had bagged them because I threw them well and had learned how they worked for me.
One of my favorite discs at the time was the Innova Firebird, a beefy, overstable fairway driver that I threw well on both backhand and forehand lines.
As I threw different brands for comparison, I found that from a flight perspective I liked the Discraft Raptor just as much and also naturally liked the feel of Discraft discs in the hand more than other brands.
At that realization, I thought it would be a fun experiment to try and build out an entire Discraft bag for no reason other than I could.
Maybe I could even channel what's it like to be a pro player even though my skill would never match theirs.
Now, this article isn't about why you should be bagging Discraft, it was simply the brand I chose based on feel FOR ME.
If we've learned anything from pro players changing sponsors every couple of years it's that the brand of discs they're throwing doesn't matter a whole lot, it's all about learning your discs.
Ricky Wysocki has won with Innova, Dynamic, and Discraft. Paul McBeth has won with Innova and Discraft. Gannon Buhr has dominated going from Prodigy to Discmania. And Simon and Eagle have both excelled making the switch to MVP from Discmania.
Now that I've gone through this process myself, here are the reasons why I'd recommend any player to try bagging mostly one brand, as well as the things I learned during the process.
Let's get started!
Feel in the Hand
When it comes to feel, we all have different preferences.
Hand size and shape varies from player to player, as does the shape and feel of each disc.
Throw in the dexterity of plastic types, and it's easy to see why what one player likes feels weird to another player, and vice versa.
I've also noticed that I feel more comfortable with the discs I naturally like the longer I use them.
Back when I was more open bag, the Zone and the Buzzz were 2 discs I frequently used out on the course, so when it came to test discs against them such as the Innova Pig and Mako3, they weren't necessarily uncomfortable, but they just felt weird and unnatural compared to what I was used to, so out of the bag they went.
With all the testing I was doing, Discraft felt the most comfortable overall to me, with Dynamic Discs being a close second. This isn't to say that all other brands didn't feel good in the hand, some of my most difficult discs to replace when switching to one brand were the Innova Wraith and the MVP/Axiom Envy.
But the consistency across all discs favored Discraft, and their discs of varying types all felt very similar, at least for me.
If you've ever tried throwing a disc that feels awkward or uncomfortable in the hand, you'll understand what I'm talking about when I say feel matters.
Flight pattern and how the disc performs "should" be the priority, but I would rather find a disc that fits my hand better.
Some of you may disagree and that's okay, we all have different preferences. I just want a disc that feels the best and from there I can figure out how it throws for me.
Familiarity of Plastics
The second perk of bagging one brand is the consistency and familiarity with the various plastic options.
Every brand has their own version of base up through premium plastics and although similar, each are different from one another in feel, durability, and flight. They also all differ some in how they respond to precipitation and temperature.
This is one area where I can't say I have a huge preference for one brand over another across all plastics.
I am a big fan of Discraft's ESP, Z Line/Big Z, and Jawbreaker plastics when it comes to premium options, but I can't say that I dislike other plastics like Innova's Champion or Dynamic Discs Fuzion/Opto/Lucid lines, they all feel great and are very durable.
However, I do favor Dynamic Discs Prime and Classic Lines over Discraft's Pro-D. I made Pro-D/Bro-D work, it just wasn't as grippy as I'd like, especially when wet.
That all being said, bagging one brand gave me consistency in feel as well as durability and in theory, will all break in at the same pace as one another depending on the amount they're used.
I also have a pretty good idea of how the different plastics will affect stated flight numbers and how long those flight ratings will hold true during use. Big Z and ESP seem to make the discs I use more overstable, and it takes me longer to break those numbers a little bit compared to Opto and Champion plastics.
If I had a mixed bag, I'd have different discs wearing out at different frequencies and feeling different from one another in the various weather conditions which could get tricky, although not impossible, to keep track of.
Because I like Discraft's plastic, I have confidence in how they perform for me in all situations, which is a big must when combined with how much I like their feel in the hand.
Comparison of Discs and Consistency in Flight Numbers
I already touched on consistency in flight numbers a little bit, but I'll expand on that a little bit here as well when in terms of comparing discs to one another during practice and disc testing.
We all know that flight numbers are more of an estimation for most of us rather than an accurate indicator of how they will actually fly.
I've thrown discs that were supposed to be overstable based on flight numbers, but instead flew dead straight or were even prone to turning over at times.
I've also tested discs that were to be stable/understable and they had reliable fade each throw.
Basically, flight ratings are a starting spot for all of us.
Arm speed, angle control abilities, and plastic type will all change these numbers for us on an individual basis, which also drives home the point that you should spend the time to thoroughly test all of your discs.
An added complication of flight numbers is that even though they should be consistent, from time to time I've found that these numbers vary from brand to brand.
A 5, 4, 0, 3 mid-range from one company may fly like a 5, 4, 0, 1 from another company out of the box, even though they have the same stated flight numbers.
In testing, I've found that even though flight numbers vary slightly from manufacturer to manufacturer, this variation is much less noticeable when testing with discs from just one manufacturer.
Having this knowledge, I find it much easier to find the disc I'm looking for when filling slots in my bag.
I still need to actually test the discs I want in my bag, but if I'm throwing a 7, 5, 0, 1 disc and want an option that is going to give me more fade, I have faith that an option in that same company that is 7, 5, 0, 2 is going to give me that. Where that 7, 5, 0, 2 from a different brand may actually fly 7, 5, 0, 0 or 0, 1.
This makes the bag building process a little simpler, because you have a good idea of not just how the discs are flying, but how they fly and complement each other when used together as a system.
Brand Loyalty and Familiarity
As you start to build out your bag of one brand, you start to become very loyal to that brand and want to support them as much as possible.
You watch for new exciting disc drops, support players on their pro team, and begin recommending their discs to others.
You may still get excited for what's going on in other brands, but you become less interested or enticed to grab those other discs because you are dedicated to just one brand.
This may not seem like a big deal, but whether you're aware of it or not, this has a huge impact on the mental side of your disc golf game.
Let's face it, we live in a world of infinite options.
While options aren't inherently bad, it's very easy to get decision fatigue because of all these options.
Take into account the powerful effectiveness of marketing and it's easy to fall victim to thinking every new disc that comes to market is going to be a complete game changer and make you a better player.
In some ways this may be true, but the reality is that any disc or set of discs will make you better, it all will come down to how much you practice with and take the time to learn them.
When you commit to that one brand, you are taking the first step to eliminate the temptation of buying all the different new options from other companies.
Likewise, when new discs drop from your brand of choice, you have a pretty good idea of how they may slot in your bag.
For example, I felt that Discraft was very lacking in a beefy, meat hook style mid-range. They had options with their approach putters in the Zone OS and fairways with the Captain's Raptor, but not with the mid-ranges.
When they dropped the Swarm last summer, I was beyond ecstatic because I knew it would be an instant add to my bag.
All this being said, I'm not telling you to never bag or test discs from other brands, if you have a disc that fits perfectly then by all means buy it!
But try not to exhaust yourself with all the options out there and instead put in the practice to make the discs work for you first.
Learning From Pro Players
The cool thing about bagging one brand is you get to watch first hand how members of that pro team are using the same discs you're using.
Granted, they're pro players, so they'll be able to do things with discs that you will seemingly find impossible.
For instance, I'm never going to be able to get a Venom to turn over or fly straight like Anthony Barela, but I at least get to see how he's using that disc and apply it to my own game even if it's with a different disc.
But when the pro players are using discs that I do use, like the straight flying Buzzz, I get to see how they're applying it to their game which gives me ideas to tweak my own game.
In theory I can do this regardless of the brand being used, but when you take into account the different plastics and flight numbers across all the brands, it gives an added relatability when you're watching the exact same discs being used.
We may never be pro ourselves, but there's always something to learn from watching them play, especially when they're playing with discs that we also bag.
Trying to Get Sponsored?
Do you dream of being sponsored by a specific brand some day?
Which brand would you choose if you had your pick?
As an added bonus of bagging one brand, you have the ability to "wish that sponsorship into existence".
This doesn't mean turning down a sponsorship from another brand if the opportunity presents itself, but why not start the sponsorship process today?
Mental imagery and visualization is a very powerful tool in sports and life.
If you can envision yourself using just your dream brand, then you can use that mental imagery as added motivation to work your tail off and earn that sponsorship.
If it doesn't work out, that's okay, but there is no harm in trying, and at the very least you'll be learning the process of building out a bag of just one brand, streamlining the process for if and when you need to make the switch to something else down the road.
If your goal is to be sponsored by a set brand, why not start early and rep that brand and be an ambassador for them from the very start?
Exceptions
Now I know I've just laid out all the options I could think of as to why you should consider bagging just one brand, but unless you're contractually obligated to bag just one brand, there are always going to be (or at the least the possibility of) some exceptions.
The biggest one for me anyways is when you "Need" a disc that isn't made by the brand you're bagging.
In my case, I still bag a Kastaplast Berg and my putting putter remains as the Dynamic Discs Emac Judge.
Could I make the Roach or Luna work as both a thrower in lieu of the Berg and a putter in lieu of the Judge?
Sure!
But I'm under no obligation to do so, and those are 2 discs that I use too much to really have a need to switch out at this time.
The Berg is just such a unique approach disc for me that I haven't been able to replicate its ability to fly and land like I can with Discraft options.
Granted, I haven't put in the practice to do so, which I would if I had to, but for the time being I am content with accepting the fact that my bag isn't all Discraft.
As for my putting putters, I made the switch to the Roach for nearly a year, but found myself not having the same amount of confidence as I did with the Emac Judge.
Mostly, it comes down to feel.
The Emac Judge has a microbead that the Roach does not have, and I do prefer the feel of the Classic and Prime plastics over the Pro-D, Soft, and Jawbreaker plastics when it comes to my putting putter.
Did I put in enough practice reps to grow more confident with the Roach? Probably not.
Did I stay in my comfort zone by saying I wasn't putting well because of using the Roach? Probably. (Yes)
Nonetheless, I switched back simply because I could and I felt my putting was better in doing so.
Another disc I had difficulty parting with was the straight flying fairway driver Latitude 64 Explorer.
It simply fit my game and bag so well and I had a ton of confidence in it.
The Discraft comparative is the Athena and although it is in my bag now, it took some time for me to have the same level of confidence as I did with the Explorer.
But unlike my putting putters, I did put in the throwing reps with the the Athena to have that confidence, which further reinforces the idea that confidence does come from practice, and you'll be able to make nearly every disc fit your game if you put in the work required to do so.
What I Learned
So, what did I learn from this whole process and experiment?
One of the most surprising things for me was how much I enjoyed it.
I thought it would just be a neat little challenge at first, but then I found that it was less challenging than anticipated and I started to really have fun with it.
My confidence started to grow as I slowly swapped out discs and I think it's because I was being very intentional about my practice process. I was also bagging discs because of how they flew, not just based on their stated flight numbers.
If a disc didn't slot exactly the way I wanted, I would practice enough with it until it did. And if it still didn't, then I would know confidently it wasn't a disc for me.
At that point, I would try something else within Discraft's line up and if all else failed, I'd stick to my guns like I did initially with the Explorer.
At the end of the day, if nothing else, this process forced me to practice more, and I truly believe this is what caused me to play better.
I was going out each session with the intention of learning my bag better, something we teach in our Complete Practice Guide.
As I learned my bag more and more, my confidence grew, which paid dividends beyond my investment of simply practicing more.
At the end of the day, "if it ain't broke don't fix it". If you're confident in your bag and are playing well then keep doing what you're doing!
But if you're looking to change things up and have considered bagging just one brand even for the fun challenge as I did or even better, to get sponsored some day, then rest assured that your game will probably not suffer.
If anything, it could actually even take it to a new level because of the practice required to make such a drastic change work.
Have you made the switch to one brand already or are you in the process of doing so now?
If so, drop us a line as to how it's going! We'd love to hear about!
Until next time, keep yourself Inside the Circle!
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