Pro Tips for Disc Golf in Bad Weather!

This post on pro tips for disc golf in bad weather, is the fourth post in a series designed to help you elevate your game. Read the tips clearly laid out for you in writing. Then, reinforce them by watching videos created by professional disc golfers. Read, watch, practice, and improve!

Most of us have played in that incredibly difficult weather. 

Maybe the wind is gusting, or it’s too cold to feel your hands? 

Maybe it’s both? 

And while we’re at it, let’s add some cold rain in there as well.

All of these elements can distract you from your game, and seriously disrupt your rhythm out on the course. 

In addition, they can prevent you from going out to practice and work on your game in the offseason.

But there are some things that the pros do to combat some of the elements so they can keep their scores low and keep working on their games in the offseason.  

Knowing these will greatly help you out on the course when the conditions are less than perfect. 

Let’s take a look at some helpful tips for disc golf in bad weather, and start dropping your scores as the temperature drops as well!

Tips For Practicing In Bad Weather!

The first video we have is playful in nature, but has some simple, helpful tips you can use to combat the weather. 

Infinite sponsored pro Erika Stinchomb joins Connor to give us some insight for how she prepares for an upcoming season in the snow and harsher conditions. 

Tip #1 – Dress appropriately and wear layers!

It sounds obvious, but if you are unprepared for the conditions, you are far more likely to be distracted by cold appendages or general discomfort.

This mental energy pulls you away from your game and can negatively impact your scores.

So, she explains, dress appropriately, with layers.

That way you can easily adjust (add or lose layers) as the weather shifts.

Tip #2 – Bring a friend!

Again, as you watch, you’ll see that this one is light-hearted in nature, but helpful as well!

By bringing a friend you have an extra set of eyes to help you track your disc flight and find it if it gets buried in snow.

Tip #3 – Throw standstills in the winter when the footing is shaky!

This tip is dual-purpose. 

The first purpose is safety.

Throwing standstills makes it far less likely that you will slip in tough conditions.

Not only can this hurt you, but it can hurt your game, as your disc can go way off course if you slip as you throw.

The second purpose of this is practice, and it leads nicely into tip number 4…

Tip #4 – Focus on one part of your game at a time!

Erika tells us, “You should never be working on multiple aspects of your game [at the same time] like your grip, and where your arm is, and what your back leg is doing.”

“Pick one, get comfortable. Then pick a new thing.”

In the bad weather, she explains, you can just slow down and focus on one part of your game.

That way you are actually improving in the offseason and you’ll reap the rewards later. 

There’s a fifth tip too, but I’ll let you discover that one for yourself! Enjoy!

More Words of Winter Wisdom!

Next up we have Alex Tews who has the perfect name for his Tuesday (Tewsday) Tips. Alex will be explaining some other tips for you to combat that snowy, cold weather.  

In this video, the first two are similar to Erika Stinchcomb’s tip on dressing appropriately and wearing layers, but with some additional specific ideas about how to go about it.

Tip #1 – Make sure your layers are not too restrictive.

A lot of people equate cold weather with wearing the biggest, bulkiest jackets and apparel they can get their hands on.

In disc golf, however, this can seriously hamper your throwing motion and take you off your game.

Instead, he explains, wear lots of thinner layers as well as hats and neck warmers when necessary.

Tip #2 – Wear Gloves or Mittens!

Here comes an obvious statement: In disc golf we use our hands.

And if our hands get cold the blood pulls away and makes them feel numb.

This is terrible for throwing discs with touch and accuracy.

Instead, wear gloves and then shed the gloves right before each shot. That way your hands stay warm and you can better complete each shot! 

Tip #3 – Bring towels. Lots and lots of towels!

With snow, or rain, the towels will help you keep your disc dry so you can get a better grip for each shot. This relates to the final tip as well…

Tip #4 – Let your discs adjust to the cold weather before playing.

If you bring warm discs out of your house and throw them into the snow, that snow is going to melt all over them and make your discs all the more difficult to clear off.

Instead, let your discs sit outside for a spell (10 minutes or so) before you throw them.

This way they can adjust to the outside temperature and be far easier to brush off when they invariably hit that snow.

Tip #5 – Consider changing up your discs for outings in the snow.

It’s easier than we want to believe to lose our discs in the snow.

So don’t bring your favorite discs that you’ll be devastated to lose.

You might also want to consider using some colors that stand out better in the snow (like green).

All told, this last tip will make for a far less stressful outing in the snow!

Now you can watch and see how Alex explains each of his tips as well.

Now that we’ve got a good plan of attack for playing disc golf in bad weather, let’s look at some putting tips for those conditions, and especially the wind!

Putting in the Wind!

When the wind is gusting, those putts can be pretty daunting. 

But if you have a few strategies in place, and you go out and practice them for yourself, you can feel a lot more confident. 

In the next video a local pro from Maine, Nicole “Pickle” Dionisio, shares the tips she uses in the wind. 

Then, at the end of the video, she hits a bunch from the edge of circle 1 (with the wind clearly moving in the background) to prove to you that she knows what she’s talking about!

Here are some tips she has for us…

Wind Putting Tip #1 – When you prep for your putt, use the grass to gauge wind direction.

This is a classic ball-golfer’s trick.

Pinch some grass from the ground, loft it into the air, and see which way it goes.

This will give you great intel on wind direction as well as wind strength.

Then, you can adjust your putt accordingly.

Tip #2 – In a headwind, get lower to the ground and keep your disc as flat as you can.

This allows you to really push it through the wind without the wind taking your disc for a wild ride!

Tip #3 – In a tailwind, put the nose of your putt up higher than usual.

Pickle likes to leave the putter nose up and let it ride up to a higher spot on the chains.

This counteracts the tailwinds tendency to knock your disc way down. 

Now watch and see for yourself so you can crystalize these important tips!

It will definitely benefit you to try these tips out in the wind so you can gain the confidence for when it matters out on the course.

Now, here’s one final putting tip for you!

A Final Putting Tip for Bad Weather!

Okay, let’s look at one more tip for those days when the weather is less than ideal. 

In this video, Connor shares a tip that has helped him for all his putting, but especially when the weather is tough.

It sounds obvious, but it’s also a good reminder for us all. 

It gives him confidence which translates to lower scores as well…

Connor’s Putting Tip for Bad Weather – Use your legs!

He explains that when his putting is not going well he’s “all arm.”

By pushing off your back leg towards the basket, he explains, not only do you get more distance, but also more confidence. 

This translates to better scores!

Give it a watch and see how Connor uses his humor to give a valuable tip at the same time!

Disc Golf in Bad Weather Review 

There were a lot of tips packed into this post on disc golf in bad weather!

Below, I’ll summarize them and combine some that are similar so it’s not too much coming your way…

Tip #1 – Dress appropriately/wear many, less bulky layers.

Tip #2 – Throw standstills when the footing is shaky.

Tip #3 – (Related to #2) Only work on one part of your game at a time!

Tip #4 – Let your discs adjust to the cold so snow doesn’t melt on them.

Tip #5 – Consider changing your bag and bringing less “valuable” discs for outings in the snow.

Now here’s a review on a few putting tips that will help you in those windy/inclement conditions.

Wind Putting Tip #1 – Use the grass to help you gauge wind speed and direction.

Wind Putting Tip #2 – Keep the disc more nose up for putting in a tailwind.

Wind Putting Tip #3 – Keep the disc flat AND crouch lower when putting into a headwind.

Finally, let’s not forget Connor’s general putting tip that especially helps in bad weather.

Connor’s General Putting Tip – Use your legs and push towards the basket!

Wrapping Up! Comment Below!

There you have it folks!

We hope these pro tips for disc golf in bad weather can add up for you and help you practice effectively in the offseason, as well as drop some strokes from your scores. 

As always, don’t hesitate to let us know in the comments if you have any tips you consider when playing in tough weather. 

The offseason is never as long as it feels, and getting out to practice will pay huge dividends when the season starts up again.

And if you are looking for more tips to improve your game, be sure to check out these posts filled with helpful tips on accuracy, grip, and approach shots.

Keep at it and reap the rewards later!