Disc golf: How to dull the sound of your practice basket

By: Lucas Miller

A noisy practice basket might not be an issue for you.

Trust me, though …

Your time will come.

As the years wear on, and your career takes center stage, dark, after-hours putting sessions in the backyard become the norm. While you might not mind clanking chains after the sun goes down, your early-bird neighbor likely will. And if you’re blessed enough to have a practice basket in the basement, tread lightly – the sound of reverberating chains could drive your wife batty.

Of course, the grand-daddy of all reasons for muted chains is children in slumber. With twin, two-year-old boys and a third on the way in two months’ time, naptime is sacred within the walls of my home. Something as idiotic as adult playtime ruining it is grounds for my wife leaving me.

DGPT: Kesler Martin

Right from the get-go, there’s an off-the-shelf product you can buy for this. It’s called a “chain suppressor,” and many online retailers sell ‘em for cheap – they’re ten bones on Infinite Discs. I don’t own one, but I’ve used one. Thankfully, this is an as-advertised, zero-gimmicks product.

Here’s the best part, though …

It works.

However, if you’re in need of something right this instant or would rather not spend anything, using the stuff you’ve got lying around the house, simply make your own – it’s super easy.

Here’s what you’ll need:

  • A roll of duct tape.
  • Your practice basket – duh.
  • One towel or two hand towels.

* Note: There’s a difference between a washcloth and a hand towel – the latter is bigger.

That’s it.

To construct the do-it-yourself chain suppressor, simply fold your towel in accordance with best-fit dimensions, wrap it around your basket’s center pole and tape it tight with duct tape.

Green Splatter: The Do-It-Yourself Chain Suppressor

The more it bulges outwards from the pole, the softer the sound will be. Too bulky, however, and it’ll increase the likelihood of spit-outs – annoying. It’s for this reason I prefer to work with two hand towels, as opposed to a bath or beach towel. They’re easier to wrap and not nearly as big.

It should be noted that you can achieve the exact same effect with less work by taking an X-Acto knife to a pool noodle. In my experience, fewer people have pool noodles on-hand. And I’d assume those who do would rather use them in the pool than voluntarily cut them to pieces.

Yes, this might all sound a bit silly, but again …

This works WAY better than you’re thinking.

Give it a try.

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Lucas Miller

Lucas Miller is the founder and editor-in-chief of Green Splatter. When he’s not out tossing a Champion Rhyno in his native Utah, he’s watching true-crime documentaries with his wife, wrestling his twin boys and praying the Oklahoma City Thunder’s rebuild passes quickly.

18 thoughts on “Disc golf: How to dull the sound of your practice basket”

  2. When I got a basket and put it behind my couch (over the dining table and the couch is a 25 footer!), I thought I didn’t want my neighbors to hear me putting at midnight, 1 am, or later. I decided that the most noise came from the chains hitting the pole, so I thought I’d go to a fabric store, buy a piece of fabric that I thought looked cool, wrapped it two or three times around and taped it. Works great and probably cost just $3!! https://drive.google.com/file/d/1u8S6qHeOkf9lkbnAsK-w4RjtqRteJk_o/view?usp=drivesdk

    Reply

  3. I had a brainstorm and took a paint roller out and split it with a box cutter and it fit around the pole of my MVP black hole perfectly and it is silent

    Reply

  5. I took a similar approach but used several soft can coozies and duct tape and its slides on and off of my MVP black hole lite very well and keeps it nice and quiet.

    Reply

    • Interesting …

      Could you provide more detail on this?

      Like, surely you didn’t do this on EVERY link, right?

      Thanks in advance!

      Reply

      • I’m going to guess that Adam did. I can appreciate a labor of love.

        I am a high school teacher…on my in-class basket, in addition to buying the cushioned center sleeve off of Amazon, I bought duct tape in my school colors and taped all of the interior chains, and both of the bottom rings. It has worked better than I expected, and still catches well.

        Plus, Administration can’t really get angry about a school-themed basket(unless a student hits a sprinkler head).

        Reply

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