How to play Winter Disc Golf with "winter" discs??

[Patrick Harris]

Just a tip on how/where to put the ribbon on the discs.

I just posted mine at DDGA forum. It comes with photos.

Here's the link - http://ddga.org/forums/index.php?topic=572.0

[Mike Grzywinski]

Thanks Patrick. We're getting snow right now here in CT so the tip will come in handy.

[Kenji Cline]

Do you find ribboning the top effect flight more than taping to the bottom? Ive always done what you show there ribbon coming out the center but on the bottom.

How bout everyone else are you a top or a bottom ribboner?

[Karl Molitoris]

Kenji,

I've taped both top and bottom and the only difference I've noticed is that sometimes the ribbon gets caught up / twisted around your wrist during the takeaway (especially fh, although sometimes bh also) and having the ribbon on the bottom places it closer to your hand / wrist - as when it's on the top, the ribbon flops off the side about 10" from your wrist while on the bottom, it's only ~5". As for actual flight, I've found no difference (ribbon top vs. bottom), just that the disc becomes slightly more over stable and flies ~20% less.

Karl

[Tim Carter]

Definitely a timely topic. I have been trying to make sure the ribbon is in the center AND that the tape is centered as well...On the theory that having the tape off center would make the disc weight uneven. Maybe the weight of the tape is not great enough to cause an issue... Thoughts?

[Karl Molitoris]

Tim,

What I do is poke a hole in the tape, thread the ribbon through the small hole, and smunch the ribbon's end to the tape's downside adhesive in a 1-part one way, the same 1-part back (to the center) and then 2-parts in the other direction. This gets the ribbon 'evenly distributed' under the tape. It sort of looks like this:

xxxxxxxl
xxxxxxxl
xxxxxxxl
zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
xxxxxxxlpp
xxxpppplpp
aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa

x's = nothing.
l's = the ribbon (vertical)
p's = the ribbon (horizontally)
z's = the tape
a's = the disc's surface

Sorry for my poor computer skills (I'm trying.. ).

Karl
Ps: Although I'm anal about this type of stuff, it probably wouldn't make THAT much difference (if the ribbon wasn't perfectly centered).

[Kenji Cline]

I understood your visual there karl. Lol. I put the tape off center never really noticed the off center wee bit of weight to be an issue. Next time I ribbon up ill have to try the top.

[Tim Carter]

Karl, thats basically my technique too! I just never knew it was called smunching! Actually I thought smunching was something else maybe bob can explain

[John Borelli]

Here's a how-to with pix I wrote a few years ago. Not that I have to worry about it living in GA now.

http://killerbdiscgolf.blogspot.com/201 ... bbons.html

[Jeff Prendergast]

Here's a how-to with pix I wrote a few years ago. Not that I have to worry about it living in GA now.

http://killerbdiscgolf.blogspot.com/201 ... bbons.html

As soon as I saw this thread topic, I thought of Borelli's how-to article. John, I have reposted that how-to other places on the interwebs for the edification of other winter golfers. It's a good one, IMO.

[John Giampapa]

I always tape the ribbon to the bottom. And I put a tiny pin head size drop of super glue as well. I did this 2 years ago when we had 2 feet of snow on the ground all winter and didn't have to re-tape once.....and I played every weekend all winter.

[John Borelli]

Thanks Jeff. When can I expect my royalties check?

[Keith Burtt]

GIFSoup

[Patrick Harris]

Do you find ribboning the top effect flight more than taping to the bottom? Ive always done what you show there ribbon coming out the center but on the bottom.

How bout everyone else are you a top or a bottom ribboner?

Top is better than bottom. Trust me.

I learned a long time ago when first played Ice Bowl in 1998.

When the disc are in flight.....

Bottom Ribbon - the ribbon will fly down. When it hits the snow and the disc still spins, the ribbon will be pulled under the disc and you will not able to find it.

Top Ribbon - the ribbon will fly up like cowlick hair. When it hits the snow the disc still spins, the ribbon should NOT be pulled under the disc but only twisting ribbon on top of the snow.
DISADVANTAGE - The top ribbon MAY get caught with lower branches if flying low under trees.


Why do you go out test and compare both Top and Bottom ribbon set-ups and see what I'm talking about??

[Kenji Cline]

I've done the bottom ribbon. Next time I need to ribbon my disc I'll try the top.

[Sean McCabe]

So now I have a ribbon question.

Playing in a PDGA sanctioned event, wouldn't the 'ol tape and ribbon trick be illegally altering the disc?

Can of worms... opened.

[Josh Connell]

So now I have a ribbon question.

Playing in a PDGA sanctioned event, wouldn't the 'ol tape and ribbon trick be illegally altering the disc?

Can of worms... opened.

The PDGA has issued blanket approval of taping LEDs to discs for the purposes of locating them if there's sufficient snow cover. Probably wouldn't be a huge stretch for them to approve ribbons in the same spirit, but I would think it would require getting a waiver specific to the event. Otherwise, I think it would be illegal in sanctioned play. There's always the chalk option for that, though.

[Ven Vardin]

I played at a sanctioned event where the TD ruled ribbons would be allowed. The snow was deep with new fallen of about 8 inches and still falling during the tournament. It also helped speed up play.

I use ribbons taped to the bottom of all my discs except my putter. I also use less discs to make it easier to manage the ribbons in my bag. All the concentration on not ripping off a ribbon actually helps my game.

[Patrick Harris]

I played at a sanctioned event where the TD ruled ribbons would be allowed. The snow was deep with new fallen of about 8 inches and still falling during the tournament. It also helped speed up play.

I totally agree. I've played plenty Ice Bowls and I do groan when I see players that are not winter-prepared (no ribbons or chalks or using white discs) and forcing us to spend a lot of time to find their discs.

But I spotted something cool at the 2012 AM/PRO Worlds' Flymart. They (I forgot the name, anyone know?) have a device that you can able to attach to the bottom of the disc that will make sounds loud enough for you to able to locate your disc.

Too bad it's not deaf-friendly unless they include GPS or homing beacon that can be hooked up to the phone's apps or its own tracking mobile device. That would be very very GOD-AWESOMENESS!!








(Training the dog would be better...)

[Arty Graustein]

Ribbons are great if you have them. I had ribbon, but ran out of duct tape and forgot to get more. Spotting is underrated. Gags and I played four rounds at Flatrock this week without ribbons and neither one of us lost a disc. True story. Also Borelli's tutorial on how to apply ribbon to discs is pretty darn good. The only thing I do different is fold the ribbon on the underside of the duct tape (as I think Karl was suggesting) after inserting it and make sure that none it touches the outer edges of the duct tape itself. Less chance of any snow getting under the ribbon and under the duct tape renderring it useless after a few throws.

[Rob Walker]

Ribbons are great if you have them. I had ribbon, but ran out of duct tape and forgot to get more. Spotting is underrated. Gags and I played four rounds at Flatrock this week without ribbons and neither one of us lost a disc. True story. Also Borelli's tutorial on how to apply ribbon to discs is pretty darn good. The only thing I do different is fold the ribbon on the underside of the duct tape (as I think Karl was suggesting) after inserting it and make sure that none it touches the outer edges of the duct tape itself. Less chance of any snow getting under the ribbon and under the duct tape renderring it useless after a few throws.

Arty. you can't use playing with Gags as an example. It is like cheating. Even when Gags isn't watching, he still seems to be able to find the disc.

[Jeff Wiechowski]

Arty. you can't use playing with Gags as an example. It is like cheating. Even when Gags isn't watching, he still seems to be able to find the disc.

That's the Tenneesee Leghound in him.