Flying Discs & Disc Golf
In other words, Frisbee and variants!
This thing is really a work in progress.
I have attempts at explaining flight characteristics and
aerodynamics mixed up with an introduction to disc golfing,
mixed up with clues on how to throw better, find the rules,
and a whole bunch of other things.
If you find something brain-dead, tell me what is wrong, and where
I can look to learn more and make a better presentation on things
such as the aerodynamics or flight characteristics. Or anything
else for that matter!
I enjoyed frisbee for a long time, but I just couldn't get the
range and accuracy my friends would get with the same discs.
It's like my hand won't grab them right to release and spin them
nicely.
Then ... I discovered the Aerobie, and that solved the problem.
I could throw it as well as my friends could, and it would go where I
wanted it to go, and do what I wanted it to do.
My fingers can grab the rim and get nice release on it, and also
flick it -- it just fits my hand ok.
Well, and the things fly like an airplane!
The only downside of an Aerobie is that it doesn't float, and I've
lost a few into nearby ponds and lakes.
Other than that, I have a huge pile of the things, as well
as the boomerang Aerobie, the Dogobie (for the dogs to play with),
and even some Aerobie flying and golf discs!
In August 2010, Jeff invited me out to try Disc Golf, as a result
of a conversation about beer.
Amy was discing that day too, and loaned me her spare driver
to play with.
Man, that is fun!
Those guys throw wicked good, it was amazing to see the range
and accuracy they exhibited.
I just worked on shorter throws that would let me keep control....
those things don't fly like my Aerobie, and the distance is a lot
harder to get.
I was a couple of strokes over on every hole but one, and I had a lot
of fun!
I didn't have any discs, but I was told to check with
Amanda, who has a a huge collection, for a set to try out.
Amanda and she tols me not to bother with a set
(Driver, Wedge, Putter), but just to use a driver to start with to get
used with using it.
She dug out a set of two drivers, and a nice mid-range (a Shark)
... which I get along with almost as well as I do with the Aerobies!
Besides the Shark, there is a Competition Orc, and another Innova driver
that isn't labeled for type.
I tuned the Orc slightly so it flies straight (just like I tune the
Aerobie), and that lets me put it where I want to ... except now it
won't hook at the end of travel for left-hand courses (that double-edge
sword I mentioned earlier about flight characteristics).
Innova has a bunch of intro material, grip positions, and
throwing guides on their web sigt.
Disc Craft has a number of great instructional videos
available on YouTube.
They discuss Throwing, Driving, Putting, Improving your skills,
choosing shots, and other great topics.
I'd heard about disc golf for years, but had completely ignored
it -- sending frisbees flying down golf courses seemed totally
boring.
Along with all the other things that they have, club houses,
expensive drinks, golf carts, etc.
Well -- that's not what the sport is about at all.
It isn't golf with disc, but rather an entirely different sport,
more like a combination of hiking and frisbee.
It requires skill, is fun to play by yourself or with others, and
you get a great workout playing it!
It is even possible for players of vastly different levels to play
together and not slow the game.
So, what is Disc Golf???
Put simply, it is a sport where you throw golf discs at a
target, starting from a tee pad.
The individual Disc Golf Holes are typically layed out
on an 18 hole Disc Golf Course.
Sometimes the course can be a dedicated golfing-only area,
other times you can be playing disc golf in the middle of a busy
park with other sports going on.
The target is interesting.
It is a pole, on which is mounted a basket about 2-1/2 feet from the top.
The target has a catcher assembly made of chains, sorta like
a curtain, which hangs from an upper rim at the top of the target.
The disc can land directly in the target basket, or it can hit the chains
which catch the disk, and most of the time drop it into the basket.
So you can drop the disk into the basket, fly the disc into the basket,
or fly the disc into the catcher chains.
The pole makes a certain tone if/when a disc hits it, and you
can also hear the rattling of the disc striking the chains.
The tee pad is about the size of two squares of a normal
sidewalk in the USA.
It is typically made from concrete or rubber, but can be gravel or any
surface.
The Disc Golf course shares many name aspects and functions of a
golf course.
There is a tee area, fairway, green, and hazards.
Unlike a conventional golf course, a Disc Golf course can be a lot more
interesting.
They often go up and down hill-sides, are littered with trees in the
middle of the fairway, bushes, and other obstructions.
This is what makes disc golf great fun -- it takes a lot of effort and skill
to fly a disk all the way from the tee pad to the target through an
obstacle course!
The green in disc golf is just a 30 foot circle around
the catcher, in which some more strict rules to throwing can apply.
Jeff often jokes with me the that the green should be called
the brown -- at the park we play in, it is often
just dirt around the target.
How do you learn to disc golf?
The easiest way is to find someone you know who disc golfs, and have them
take you to a course and show you how everything works.
BTW, my notes here aren't some set-in-stone thing; they are notes
from how I've learned to golf, with the discs available to me, and
they seem to make sense.
There is no right way, but there are many ways, this is something that
seems to work.
For example, Amy has drivers and a putter, and only recently added a
midrange disc in.
Her putting is really good because she has been using a dedicated putter
for longer.
For an initial disk, everyone recommends a driver.
Try a medium fairway driver like an Innova Leopard --
it is a moderate speed driver which flies straight and is reasonably
controllable.
Make sure that someone shows you the
Power Grip to use when
throwing it, and just work on controlled, shorter, straight drives.
It will keep you out of the rough, and give you some good habits.
You can drive, approach, and putt with a good driver.
Having just one disc will let you get used to it, and how to throw
a driver.
On the other hand, I have a slightly different recommendation for
starting disc golfers who are really familiar with frisbees and Aerobies
and shoot those with precision.
Try a medium range disc instead -- something like an Innova Shark.
It can be thrown with the traditional frisbee
Fan Grip, and it
is about as controllable as a frisbee or Aerobie.
Keep on working on the same things as mentioned above.
This lets you get discing sooner using existing skills.
Then you can get a driver
such as the Leopard mentioned above, and learn how to drive.
Whichever you start with (Driver, Medium Range), once you are shooting
well with it, get the other and become good with it too.
Get a midrange (such as the shark) that is also a good putter; many
midrange discs don't putt well.
You don't need a putter.
A good mid-range disc will suffice for a long time.
The only reason I even have a putter is that Jeff loaned me his
so he would try a new one out.
The big thing I see about a putter compared to a mid-range disc is
that it slows down and stalls a lot faster, instead of wanting to
go for distance.
This means it wants to drop down around the target, instead of floating
30 feet past it!
That won't matter initially, because you won't be putting long distances.
What equipment will you need?
You can get by with just borrowing a friend's disc.
If you get a disc, it only costs around $12, and you'll be set
for a long time of having fun and developing skills.
That being said, there are some simple items which make disc golf
a lot more enjoyable.
Most of these are common sense, but better to be prepared than
not have fun:
- Golf Disc -- It is Disc Golf after all!
- Bug Spray -- Lets you enjoy your time on the field!
Put it on before going on the course, and
take it with you too.
You never know when you might need a touch-up,
or if someone you are playing with needs some help.
- Sun Protection -- Keep yourself from coming home
a lobster.
Sun Screen, Sun Block, or Tanning lotion.
Keep it with you on the course, cloudy day can become sunny
all too quickly.
- Hydration -- Don't get dried out.
It may surprise you, but since Disc Golf is a combination of
hiking and frisbee, you get quite a good workout.
Add a hot day, and keeping hydrated becomes a real concern.
Taking something with you, so you feel refreshed on the course,
and after you are done.
Whatever works for you. Gator-Aide,
Crystal Light, Soda, or just plain water.
Take more than you think you need on a hot or humid day!
- Disc Rag or Towel -- Used to clean dirt, debris, dew,
water, and sweat from your discs ... and your hands.
Having a throw messed up because a disc slips from your hands
after landing in some dewy grass is no fun.
Or one that doesn't release right because of the dirt it
and/or your hand picked up at the last putt.
Trying to clean and dry discs on the grass works a bit,
but it a way easier to have a rag.
Anything from some fancy dedicated
disc towel to an old t-shirt works well here.
- Carry-All -- Something to put your stuff in that lets you
carry it around with ease.
You need both hands free to throw a disc well.
Putting all your stuff in a bag lets you set it down and
pick it back up easily.
Otherwise, you'll be tempted to keep things in hand for
short easy throws .. and then miss them because your balance
is throw off because you didn't bother setting down you stuff.
The bag makes it easier to pick up your stuff too -- don't have
to reach down to the ground at every throw.
You can keep extra items such as a rain poncho, umbrella, visor,
sunglasses, etc in it.
Learning Disc Golf
Go out with a friend who disc golfs and is working on being better.
There is a good chance that they can show you how to improve your game.
Nothing substitutes for someone who has a few years of experience and
is working on making their game even better.
Disc Craft has a number of great instructional videos
available on YouTube.
They discuss Throwing, Driving, Putting, Improving your skills,
choosing shots, and other great topics.
In particular, they have a
How to Throw
video, and another
Putting Basics
video which will both put you way ahead on learning
disc golf skills.
Their video on
Getting out of Trouble
helps refine your knowledge of disc golf lie of the disc
rules -- and good tips for fixing that unfortunate behind-a-tree
situation.
Innova has some instructional videos,
but the biggest benefits they have for the starting player
an excellent
FAQ on Disc Golf, and quality
Charts on Throwing Technique, Grips, and Footwork.
Once you start having questions on technique and how to do certain things,
they have some really good video material.
Dave Dunipace put together some videos on the details and problems of
some areas which are hard to improve without detailed info.
If you are frustrated throwing sidearm, the video
Tips on Driving Sidearm
will help out the mechanics and details of that throw.
Problems putting (versus throwing) the disc?
Check out both
Putting - Wrist Action
to understand the action of the wrist when putting,
and
Snake Strike Putt
to help with the rhythm and release point of the putt.
Having consistency problems driving now that you are using a more powerful
throwing technique -- even when you aren't putting full power into your
drive?
Then view
Importance of Grip
to find out the elements of holding the disc correctly for
more powerful throws!
Ace Runners has one of the best youtube videos that I've
seen -- it is a
Disc Golf Overview Tutorial,
introducing new players to the game of Disc Golf.
They have many technique videos as well, but one the above 4 minute video
is a great introduction to the game and its
rules.
They also have some forehand and backhand throwing technique videos
that I should perhaps list here.
The Disc Golf Association has a nice web section
on
Disc Golf Education,
which includes articles on the game, a
book by Ed Headrick (disc golf pioneer) on
Throws & Strategy of Tournament Play,
which includes putting, approach, and tee-off sections, as well
as issues about the mental part of the game.
Don't let the title frighten you away -- it includes all the basic info
you need to learn to be a disc golfer!
They also have a nice
Guide to Disc Golf Rules
which is a great accompaniment to the Ace Runners OverviewVideo,
and the Disc Craft Getting out of Trouble video.
The PDGA has a compact
Guide to Disc Golf from the PDGA.
It's mostly hype and double-speak, but it is also a different
introduction to the world of disc golfing.
JoeVeen and Dan Beto have a
great video on progressive driving skills.
The video
Disc Golf Tips and Technique: Driving
really does a nice job of starting you off with good simple
procedures, and then giving you incremental changes you can use.
This covers throwing action, follow through, and foot work.
If you've looked at the other sources of info (Discraft videos,
the Disc Golf Review Articles, Innova's charts & notes), this
puts a lot of that in perspective.
Mr Kitten & ExpertVillage have a good video
on setting up for the footwork of the disc golf drive -- the X-Step.
Their video
How to play Disc Golf: the X-Step
is a nice demonstration on how to do the footwork
properly.
One of the biggest things I saw from this is that the footwork
isn't this rush to release the disc, it is totally controlled
legwork, more of a fast sideways walk, to get to
the point where you release the disc.
Disc Golf Resources
I'll admit I love my Aerobie flying rings.
I just can't figure out how in the world they want their
disc golf disc to work!
How can a company that produces such excellent things (aka everything
else they make) produce hard to use golf discs????
Ok, well, I'm getting a better idea on that, I need to write a section
on the Aerobie discs so you can figure out who they are
for and what they can be used for!
I will say until I do that, that when you can throw them correctly, they
are amazing in their own ways. Still -- not an Aerobie flying ring!
Flying Disc stability comes from a relationship of
spin,
angular momentum
and speed of flight.
Faster spin & more weight creates more angular momentum.
The higher AM creates gyroscopic forces which offset the
aerodynamic forces acting on the disc, and create a disc
which will fly straight, or turn.
I'll just call them gyroscopic forces.
Most terms refer to a thrown disc with a clock-wise (CW) rotation.
That is from a typical RHBH (right-hand back-hand) throw -- or
from a LHFH (left-hand fore-hand) throw.
If you throw RHFH (right-hand fore-hand) or LHBH, the direction
of rotation will be reversed (CCW), and the effects will reverse too.
In other words, you'll need to change left->right and right->left
in all the following discussion.
Discs have an initial high-speed portion of their flight,
and as they slow down at the end
they will reach the later low-speed
portion of their flight.
The stability needed for one flight regime will different from the
stability needed for another flight speed ... and so the disc will
turn instead of going straight.
I like the Aerobie, I can tune them so they go straight the entire distance;
however,
what if you want them to hook L/R at the end of flight for a twisted
course, or curve L/R during the high speed portion for a curved
fairway?
The curves have a reason, and a straight-flying disc will need more throws
on a given course.
One thing to remember is that all discs will turn left as they
slow down at the end of their flight.
The speed is slow, but the spin is about the same, and the gyro forces
over-power the aero forces.
XXXX no -- move this to the aero page too.
I think AOA increases, CP moves forward, larger pitch-up moment,
which causes the left turn at end of flight due to GP.
I've also included an explanation of Pitch and Bank.
You won't find this in the common disc literature.
I'm a pilot, and I'm going to use aerodynamics terms every once
in a while.
- Stability
- A disc's Stability is its resistance to rolling right in flight.
- Fade
- All discs will fade to the left (roll left) at
the end of the flight
as the disc speed (airspeed) decreases.
In other words, this happens during the final low-speed phase
of flight.
A disc that is more stable (over-stable) will hook more than a disc
with less stability (under-stable).
- High-Speed Turn
- The golf disc has about three phases of flight,
an initial high-speed portion, an intermediate portion, and
then a final low-speed portion.
During the high speed portion of its flight, a disc exhibits
certain turning characteristics (based on its design).
It may go straight, or crank left or right, it all depends on
the design of the disc.
Once the disc slows a bit, these initial high-speed turns stop,
and the disc will continue more or less straight -- or at the
same hyzer/bank angle the disc developed during the high-speed
portion of its flight.
- Stable
- Disc remains level & flies straight for most of flight.
- Under-stable
- Disc turns right during the high-speed portion of the flight.
These types of discs are more sensitive to speed, and will
usually flip to stable or over-stable at low speeds.
- Over-stable
- Disc turns left during both high-speed and low-speed portions
of the flight.
- Hyzer Angle
- This is the Left/Right bank or roll angle of the disc at release.
A disc has Hyzer
when the outside or left edge of the disc is lower than the right.
The wing of the disc is lower than the other part of the disc.
See bank -- all angles are relative to the real horizon or
the local gravity vector.
- Anhyzer Angle
- Like Anhedral versus Dihedral -- the opposite kind of term.
A disc has Anhyzer when
the outside or left edge of the disc is higher than the right.
The wing of the disc is higher than the other part of the disc.
- Nose Angle
- The Nose Angle of a disc is the up/down pitch of
the disc relative to the real horizon.
Unlike the bank/hyzer angles, this angle can also be
relative to the actual terrain -- since you want the
disc to fly with respect to a slope of terrain, not necessarily
with respect to the point/height that you let it fly from!
- Wing
- People refer to the outside (away from the hand) or left portion of
the disc as the wing.
From a physics aspect, the wing is the part of the disk that is
rotating in the direction of flight.
For a RHBH throw, the left portion of the disc is the wing.
- Flight Plate
- The Flight Plate of a disc
is the flat part at the top of the disc which forms the aerodynamic
surface.
An Aerobie doesn't have a traditional flight plate, it is all in the rim.
Typically the thumb rests on the flight plate for a conventional throw.
- Rim
- The rim of the disc is the outside edge which drops down from
the flight plate.
It serves three purposes.
One, the outside shape contributes to the flight characteristics and
stability characteristics of the disk.
Two, the inside of the rim provides a gripping surface for your fingers
so they can hold the disc until you want to release it.
Three, the mass of the rim keeps the disc spinning nicely during flight.
An Aerobie has all of its mass in the rim, and that
is why it is so easy to spin it properly.
A simple view of the location of the edge of the rim can help determine
how a disc might fly --
A Higher edge creates a disc that is more stable;
A Lower edge creates a disc that is less stable.
A driver has vertical inside rim that you grip to hold the disc properly.
- Pitch
-
The pitch of a disc is its forward/aft angle with respect to the
local horizon.
A positive pitch points the disc nose-up up to the sky,
and a negative pitch points it nose-down toward the ground.
Just like bank, pitch is relative to the local gravity vector ... because
it interacts with where lift is developed on the disc and
the resulting change in flight path ... due to gravity!
- Bank
- The bank of a disc is its left/right angle with respect
to the local horizon and its' forward motion.
A level bank has the disc wings level.
A left bank, with the
left side of the disc lower than the right side (a Hyzer angle).
would cause the disc to turn left.
A right bank , with right side of the disc lower than the left
(a Anhyzer angle) would cause the disc to turn right.
This is a work in progress which is so long and weird
as I figure it out, that I've moved it to its own page on
Flyng Disc Aerodynamics.
DON'T BOTHER reading that just now. I mean you can,
but I've been learning more about it all, and I have to
find some time to put together everything I know so that
you (and I) can understand it way better
Disc Types
The truth is that you can use any disc where it happens to work.
Another way of looking at the disc categories is that they go from
fast to slow -- because you need more control, and less range with
a putter than you do from a distance driver.
- Distance Driver -- Big distance off the Tee pad.
- Fairway Driver -- Drives from the middle of the course.
- MidRange -- Getting close enough to the target that a driver is too much.
- Approach -- Too far to putt, too close to mid-range?
- Putter -- Get the disc in the basket!!
Grips
- Fan Grip
-- In other words, the traditional frisbee grip.
- The thumb is on the top of the flight plate.
- The index finger raps around the rim of the disc.
- The remaining fingers fan out across the bottom of
the disc.
I find this grip works well for mid-range discs and putters.
- Power Grip
-- This grip is needed to release a driver properly;
I think it lets you add proper spin and speed to these discs.
- The thumb is on the top of the flight plate, close to the edge.
- The index & following fingers are hooked under
the edge of the rim, such that the pads of the fingers are
against the vertical inside edge of the rim.
Someone said that basically you feel like you are jamming
your fingernails into the line where the top of the inside rim
meets the bottom of the flight plate.
- Your thumb should basically be over your index finger.
This grip let me start throwing my driver discs properly; until
I started using it the would all end up being thrown with
some Hyzer angle, and they would all
hook extreme left at the end of flight..
Don't use this grip with discs that lack
the vertical inner rim.
Your fingers will hold onto the disc way more than you want,
and it will go flying off in the wrong direction after you
release -- because it is hooked on your finger-tips!
Throws
- Back-Hand
- Fore-Hand
- Thumber
- Tomahawk
Aiming
Throwing Problems
I've gathered a little info from people I've learned from,
played with, and from videos and web pages.
This is more for "what's going on" type info, I don't have links
to solid info for any of these, it is my summary of all of the above.
If it is wrong -- please tell me so I can put out better info!
One thing that really helps out is doing accurate practice
on a practice field.
Aim for a specific location, and fire the disc off at it.
See what goes wrong, and try again.
You can make mistakes without losing your disc.
I've been finding recently that I need to change my
aim strategy when using the more powerful whip
throw with the entire body -- hips leading shoulders, shoulders
pulling the arm around, and then the forearm whipping out,
and finally the wrist flicking & releasing the disc.
Without the aim change, the disc tends to go wicked right for me.
Using this strategy, I think they way to fix it is to use
the jeans back pocket toward the target aiming strategy.
Either that, or a more controlled release of the disc in the throw
is needed.
- Disc Wobbles a lot and Fades hard
-- You aren't putting enough spin on the disc.
If using a fan grip, try for more of a snap of the wrist.
If using a driver, try out the power grip.
- Disc climbs high and then fades
-- You are throwing the disc UP too much instead of on a flatter
line.
Try releasing the disc with a more horizontal throw, usually
done with level shoulders.
Keep your non-throwing hand out of the way to it doesn't change
your shoulder angle.
This can also be caused by your wrist being at an angle
to your forearm -- check it out, a simple change in wrist
may fix a daunting problem.
- Disc doesn't fly as far as you want it to
-- Join the Club!
Power isn't the only solution.
Using the correct disc for your power level,
good throwing technique, aiming, body motion, and the
spin you put on the disc
can affect it more than you would think.
I gotta separate some of this out into a technique section, but ...
As far as the motion of throwing goes:
You need to sort of whip your arm to generate a
disc that flies at a proper speed.
You need to throw with your whole body, from the hips to
the shoulders to the arm to the forearm to the wrist
releasing.
This all has to happen in an accelerating manner.
If you throw without a disc, you'll just hear a constant
blast of air past your hand if you are throwing at a constant speed.
Done correctly, you'll hear a whip crack sound
from from just your hand
cutting through the air if you are doing it right.
Check out the Discraft videos, in particular the
How to Throw
and also their video on improving driving.
- Disc fades (turns left for RHBH) throws no matter what
-- The disc could have too high a speed rating
for your throwing strength.
The disc flight characteristics make it turn right.
The disc gyroscopic characteristics make it turn left.
If the disc isn't moving fast enough, these forces won't balance
out properly, and even an under-stable (right-turning) disc
will turn left instead.
A fast disc doesn't go farther than a slow disc, it just
goes that distance faster!
- Disc turns Left or Right a Lot
-- OK, the disc was thrown with some Hyzer, or some AnHyzer
(for RHBH throws).
The disc isn't level on release.
This can be due to releasing improperly, such as a bit early
or late in the throw.
Your wrist may not be aligned aligned with your forearm.
A weird grip on the disc that is angling it slightly.
- Disc still turns left or Right
-- OK, you are releasing it flat, but not flat enough.
Likely a wrist or grip problem if your throw looks flat
otherwise.
- Your drives hook left even with a stable disc
-- Most of the drivers need to be released with a slight
AnHyzer (wing up) angle, which the natural over-stability
then turns from a right turn into level flight, and then
a slight right turn at the end.
Throw well, this is so small it looks like you are driving
in a straight line!
Something as small as changing the positioning of your
thumb over index finger position in the power grip can adjust
this angle.
The other way is to look for a level throw, instead of
being lazy and releasing with a slight Hyzer.
- Throws not long enough or Your arm hurts
-- You may not be following through on your throws.
Trying to stop the arm just after it
releases the disc can hurt a lot and make
the muscles in your arm really sore.
It will also screw up your throw due to lack of power
and poor aim.
Your body needs to rotate and keep rotating as your throw
so it can come to a natural stop.
- You aren't throwing well
-- Trying to throw too hard. See above.
Range, is not so much a factor of the power you put into
a throw as it a good throw with everything working together.
-- You are probably trying too hard, trying to make things
work well, put a lot of muscle behind the disc, etc.
The longest drives, and the nicest shots I've made have
not felt hard at all.
They were just like the throw and the disc goes.
You need to be relaxed and loose for your body to do all of
this properly.
Stop trying too hard and have fun, and you'll do really well.
Try do do really well, and you'll over-do it and get bad
results.
- Lack of Control of Aiming the disc
-- Can be a result of bad feet position.
It can be a timing issue...
If you try to throw harder, your arm moves faster and
you'll release too late (disc goes right).
It can be a grip issue (too tight or loose).
Did you wipe the disc (and your hand) clean so that
it can grip properly?
It can also be a grip issue -- check out
Dave Dunipace's Video on the
Importance of Grip
for more info.
- The disc acts like it is possessed
-- Well, the secret here is that it is possessed!
If it's eyes are glowing red, and it's drawing an
evil gnome on your girlfriend's thigh --
Bury the disc before it does you in.
- The disc flys like it is possessed
-- This problem is easier to understand than demonic possession.
What's happening is that the wind is affecting the disc
as it flies.
As airspeed changes due to hitting different winds, the
disc will change its flight characteristics as the balance
between aerodynamic and gyroscopic stability fight each other.
The biggest thing you can do with wind is to keep the disc
low to the ground so that it doesn't fly up into higher
speed winds and act weird.
Unfortunately, I don't yet have a solution for throwing the
disc low without it having some unwanted Hyzer on it.
If you are a more advanced player, throwing a faster
disc will help in windy situations -- the disc moves faster
and there is less time for it to be affected by the wind.
- What is the disc doing???
-- So it isn't flying like it is possessed, but it still
wont do what you want it to do.
You may need to look harder at what the wind is doing.
Winds can wrap around hills, come up and down over them,
reverse weirdly, or even have little eddies.
Check out the wind on each hole, instead of assuming the
wind on one hole is just like the last.
It often isn't!!
To check out the wind on the hole you are one, first look for the
overall wind direction: Front, Back, Left, Right.
Then, how fast is it?
Then try looking at grass, brushes, trees along the course
to the target to see if the wind is being uniform over
the hole you are on, or changing a bunch.
Then look at the terrain on the course to see if there are
any wind shadows (things that block the wind), or
wind "windows" (areas that unblock the wind).
As a beginning player I think we are hosed by this, since
we are still working on basic throwing technique.
However, taking a few moments to look at this once are throwing
is getting OK could be a far stronger improvement to
our game than other things -- such as driving longer distances.
- You were throwing well and now you suck
-- OK, you learned some new technique and are trying to
apply it to all your throws, either on purpose or
by accident.
For example, when I learned to drive with a power grip, all
my other shots that had been going really well started going
really bad.
Problem here was that I wasn't using a fan grip any more, and
so the slower discs w/out driver rims were getting stuck on
my fingers.
It may help to try throwing with one disc type at a time
to perfect the techniques for individual disc types.
For example ... driver and fairway driver practice, followed
by mid-range practice, followed by putting practice.
Don't practice any one thing too long.
Shorter intense practice periods followed by a break will
let you learn more and improve faster.
You can't concentrate effectively for longer periods of time,
and it will just cause frustration as your concentration
is lost and the results suck.
- I can't putt well (even standing at the basket)
-- Practice!
Seriously, even putting well at 9-10' can improve your score
tremendously if you have some good controllable drives.
Watch the Discraft
Putting Basics
video, and work on putts so you can make them 100% of the time.
Once they work, backup a pace, and start working on 100% accuracy
from that distance.
Don't worry about the long putts, at least for now!
Sometimes they work, and sometimes they don't.
- Disc doesn't break & fade nicely
-- Well, you were depending on the disc to fade and it didn't.
There is a good chance you put wrong spin on the
disc for the speed & flight path you wanted.
I don't have a solution for this problem yet, it is probably
a hand position on the disc issue.
Or you are getting better at throwing and putting the spin on
the disc it really needs to fly.
If that is the case, get a disc with more low-speed fade!
Or, try throwing the disc with some more pitch-up (loft) to
give it time to turn left.
(This section is funny, because up to this point, I am telling you
how to get rid of that annoying left turning tendency. Now that
you have fixed it, maybe you want it back to get the disc around
some obstacles! First you hate it, then later you love it -- what
a crazy sport).
- Disc doesn't fade like you want it to
-- See above.
Seriously though, the pitch and height of the throw
will affect the fade characteristics.
All things being equal ...
A lower throw will have less fade -- the disc will touch
down before it fades much.
A higher throw will fade more -- the disc can keep on fading
longer from a higher height.
- I can't control the Hyzer and Anhyzer throws
-- I used to think that you controlled these by a combination
of factors.
First, I thought it was how you held the disc with the grip.
Indeed, this can produce some reliable small [an]hyzer angle.
Second, I thought it was when the disc was released
in the throw.
Well, that isn't quite right.
They both work to a certain extent, but they don't give the
control you are looking for.
Mike @Glide
pointed out that an excellent way to control hyzer is by
the lean angle (forward/backward) of your upper torso
while doing the normal throw.
I've found that this works well for hyzer control, especially
on drive shots, which I think require more angle than a midrange
or a putter.
Try it out, see if it helps!
- My discs still go left/right even with all the above
-- OK, you've tried the above and you are still having problems.
One non-throwing issue that can hinder you is terrain
illusions -- the illusion of a false horizon.
Basically, the ground is sloping L/R or U/D, and it
looks like the level horizon, so you release
your disc with respect to that apparent horizon.
Because the disc is released with respect to this false horizon,
the disc doesn't have the correct pitch or bank angle for the
flight you require .. and the throw doesn't work.
The "problem" is that the disc (like any airfoil) flies with
respect to the actual horizon...
How to fix this -- well, you need to look around and find
the actual horizon to control the disc properly.
If you are standing on a concrete T pad, that is usually
pretty easy -- the concrete wants to be level when it is poured,
and so there won't be a big difference between it and the
actual horizon.
Stand on it upright, see how the ground slopes, and base your
throw and release angles off the T-pad horizon, not the false
terrain horizon.
If you are throwing off a T-Pad, you need to sort out level
with your body.
Sounds easy, but standing on broken ground, slanted both Up/Down and
left/right ... isn't as easy as it seems.
Fortunately your body tends to want to stand upright!
However, if you take the time, you'll find the real
horizon, and be able to throw better.
- Where do I aim so the disc drops in the basket?
--
The first starting point for aim is a sweet spot about
six inches below the top of the chains down for another
six inches below that.
This is sometime (most conveniently) marked on the target with
an orange stripe of reflective tape.
If you hit the target higher, the chains are too stiff and the
disc typically bounces sideways away from the basket.
If you hit the target lower it is ok, but the chains start narrowing
in so there is less chance they will grab the disc.
Ed Headrick's
section of Throws & Strategy on Putting
suggests a sweet spot slightly to the right of
the pin (so the disc rotation turns itself through the chains and into
the pin).
He is right -- I've seen the disc turn itself out hitting left.
The flip side is, that aim for the pin itself for now.
Once you have the awesome accuracy to do that 100% of the time,
then you can think about moving it to the right.
Even when you have that accuracy -- the center pins is still a
great target when something goes wrong -- the disc will stop dead
under the target instead of sailing off for a longer return putt.
- Putts wobble and flap around and have no distance
-- You need to put more spin on the disc with the
flick of your wrist.
It also helps to putt with the same authority you would use
on longer putts -- even for tiny short 3 foot putts.
Always get in the habit of putting the same way, and have
the confidence that your putt will hit the target.
Don't worry about over-throwing the target, work on hitting
the target!
- Putts go right of where I aim them
(Even for short putts.)
--
If you haven't already, watch the Discraft
Putting Basics
video so that we are on the same ground.
What I've found is that if you let your arm go to
full extension when putting, that the natural motion
of the arm will cause it to drift right of the target.
The simple solution here is to release BEFORE your arm
is at full extension!
Even better, this creates natural follow through and stops your
arm hurting when putting.
- Putts go left of where I aim them
--
I've noticed that often when I miss to the left of the
target, that it is usually an issue with body mechanics.
What I've seen happen is that instead of my whole body rocking
back to front with the throw of the putt ... my torso manages
to hinge itself down and to the left -- probably
because my hips aren't
straight on to the line of the putt, and because my left leg
is behind me.
Make sure that your left (off-side) leg isn't so far back that
it causes you to twist during the actual putt.
Another way of looking at this is to not over-throw your body
on the putt compared to your warm-up motions.
- Putts don't make it to the basket
--
The funny and discouraging thing here is watching putting videos
of good players and how to putt -- they just snap their wrist
and the disc flies 100 feet into the basket.
Don't worry about it -- that will come with time.
What I've noticed watching some good players putt, even at shorter
distances (or uphill), is a need to move your throwing arm more
before the snap of the putt.
For a longer putt, try bringing the disc down across your body,
so that when you go through the putt it has more room to move
and gets higher -- sort of like a it comes from your waist up
across to your release point in line with the target.
It isn't a throw, but I think it helps to put the upward motion
on the disc to make it throw right, and more importantly, I think
you make your body feel like it has to do more ... and it does.
- Downhill putts sail past the basket, or hit the chains so
high the disc just lands outside of the basket
-- Aim lower.
Your natural throwing motion is sorta level (even downhill),
and the disc won't go down enough to get where it needs to go.
I find that aiming for the pin about where the chains stop,
or at the top of the basket level works pretty well for me.
Yes, I occasionally hit one too low, but most of the time,
boom they go right in.
If you have to do a longer midrange throw to a pin that is lower
than you are or behind a crest of terrain -- try aiming for
just skimming the crest or landing short.
That will keep the disc from sailing on for quite a distance
past the pin if thrown at a normal height -- and if everything is
right -- it will be low enougn to fly right into the chains!
What disc to use in certain wind conditions
So this is what I think is going on, and it seems to match
the conventional disc recommendations.
In other words, these are my Theories of what is going on .
Time will tell if these are on the correct track ... or not.
Headwind
Throwing upwind (into a headwind) creates disc control problems.
What is going on here is that your throw is going to be at a normal speed.
What then happens is that the disc's airspeed is higher than normal due
to the headwind.
The higher airspeed causes the aerodynamic forces to overcome the
normal gyro counter-balancing forces on the disc.
This makes the disc fly at a higher airspeed than normal,
and also causes the disc to become less stable, or more unstable.
What this all means, is that you need an overstable disc
when throwing into a headwind to give the resulting throw stable
flight characteristics.
OR try throwing a higher-speed rated disc so it
will want to fly like it wants to with the throw you can't give it
normally.
If you look at a Innova Disc selection chart, this means that
when you are throwing into a headwind, the disc will change its stability
to the right of where it is.
Tailwind
Vice-versa, a tail-wind will result in slower airspeed for the same
throw, gyro forces will overcome aero forces, and the disc will become
more stable.
In theory, that means that you should throw an understable
disc for downwind flights to result in a stable result.
Yes, the disc may move left on the Innnova chart in these conditions.
However, some actual test throws seem to indicate that a down-wind
throw seems to fly with more stable-ness (aka it goes straight).
Left CrossWind
A wind from the left (a left x-wind)
causes the disc to see more lift on the left or wing side of
the disc.
This causes the disc to want to bank to the right,
or become more under-stable
In other words, throwing with a left cross-wind will cause
understable flight results.
It seems that even a hyzer release will result in right turning
flight as the lift will roll the disc right.
So, I think you need to
throw a more over-stable disc in these conditions to
result in a stable flight path.
My next experiment should be to try a downward-pitched throw
in these conditions to see if that helps with the tendencies.
Right CrossWind
My observations of flight in right X-wind is that the disc is easier
to keep stable, and that it also seems to help the disc fly a longer
distance for a given throw.
The disc seems to keep its natural stability.
I think what is going on is that the airflow causes the right
(non-wing) side of the disc to create additional lift compared to
normal, and perhaps a slight reduction of left-side lift.
This reduces the normal gyroscopic precession forces that would pitch
the disc, and I think the resulting system basically has less forces
acting on it and less drag, and so the disc just flies more efficiently.
I've also noticed a reduction in left fade with these throws, perhaps
due to lift being better balanced across the disc so it wants to stay
level instead of fading in a gyro/aero force battle at the end.
Disc Weight
The weight of two other identical disks will affect the stability
and the flight path of a disc.
A lighter disc is less stable (more under stable) than a heaver
disc of the same exact mold.
Lighter discs will hold a line or go right more.
Conversely, a heavier disk is more stable than a lighter
one and will turn left more.
The other comment people make about weight is to try a lighter
disc when you have less power, so the disc will fly further.
The flip side is that a ilghter disc is more difficult to control,
so ... try it out and see if it works.
I have a 150g driver that I get some excellent drives with, and a
even lighter 146g mid-range that is my go-to disc when I have to make
radical curving approaches or putts.
And sometimes the disc is just all over the place :)
Disk Shape
The shape the flight plate of two otherwise identical
disks also affects their stability.
A more flat-topped disc will be more stable (more over-stable).
A more dome-topped disc will be less stable (more under-stable).
The other effect is that the dome-topped disc is slightly
more aerodynamic and will have more glide. I'm guessing this is due
to the airflow staying attached better, reducing drag as AOA increases.
I've noticed this difference between an older Aviar that I have
and a newer one. Fortunately they seem to throw the same at the
ranges I use.
What this doesn't address
Is what the disc moving in the resulting airmass wants to do.
The airmass pushes the disc in the direction the airmass moves.
Nor does it address things like throwing the disc with a tailwind
will result in the disc picking up some speed from the airmass
trying to accelerate it.
A faster disc (thrown with more power) will be less affected by
wind than a slower disc, for two reasons.
First, because it is in the air for a shorter period
of time, and will be upset for less time.
Second, because the percentage speed change the disc sees is less
than a slower disc.
In other words, all this is complex and the detailed explanation
should be moved to another section.
I should read some papers on flying disc aerodynamics, and I should
read what experienced disc golfers recommend for how to throw discs
in various conditions instead of trying to understand how things
work based on what I see.
I have fun trying to understand, none-the-less!
Simple Recommendations???
Use a more over-stable disc when throwing into head-winds and
left-cross winds.
Use a faster disc when throwing into head-wind situations.
Use Hyzer in those situations to help a bit, but it isn't enough
with the L xwind due to continuous R disc roll.
New notes to take into account
Nose Down pitch angles make a disk fly more understable.
Nose Up pitch angles make a disk fly more overstable.
With hyzer on a disk, nose-down flight line is to left of center,
and nose-up flight lines is to the right of center.
And that reverses for anhyzer .. but wait, it seems backwards?!?!?
XXX so what is happening that I'm releasing my drivers
with some AnHyzer & some nose-down pitch at the same time
by accident, and that is what is getting my really cool drive
on occasion. Hmm. Now how to separate the two!
Innova Flight Ratings System
Innova uses a 4 number
Flight Ratings System
to characterize their discs.
The 4 numbers in order are -- Speed, Glide, Turn, and Fade.
All assume a RHBH throw for (CW) rotation purposes. Reverse
for CCW throws.
- Speed -- [1 .. 13]
"Ability of the disc to cut through the air".
Higher numbers -> faster disc.
- Glide -- [1 .. 7]
"The disc's ability to maintain loft during flight".
Higher numbers -> longer glide.
Longer glide implies longer distance on throws.
- Turn -- [+1 .. -5]
"The tendency of the disc to turn over/bank right during the
initial high-speed portion of the flight."
A +1 rating is most resistant to turn,
a lower rating (going negative) turns more and more.
- Fade -- [5 .. 0]
"The tendency to hook left at the low-speed portion at
the end of flight".
0 == straightest finish, +5 == hook hard at end of flight.
More detail
can be found at the Innova web site.
One thing they note is that don't use the numbers to describe
a disc's flight path -- but to compare relative flight paths between
discs.
Innova also has disc comparison charts for
Distance and Fairway Drivers
and
Mid-Range and Putters
to let you easily see where you are and what a different disc might do
for you.
Ratings versus Reality
The speed rating of the disc does not imply how
far the disc will travel.
What it does tell you is how fast that disc needs to fly to
operate correctly, with correct aerodynamic versus gyroscopic balance.
Throw the disc slower, it won't fly like you think it will.
Throw it faster, ... you get the idea!
The flip side of this is that that a higher speed disc requires
more power to throw
it -- for a given distance traveled.
If you don't have the power, a lower speed disc may give you
greater distance on the throw.
Theoretically, a higher speed disc should work better in a
up-wind throw, since it is traveling at a higher airspeed.
And a lower speed disc should work better down-wind.
However, I've had some funny results.
I can get my hi-speed Orc to drive downwind way better than I can get
it to drive up-wind.
The lower-speed Shark can give me great up-wind drives.
This may be because I'm not putting the correct rotation on the
disc for the speed it is rated at ... and my rotation matches the
speed I'm throwing it at in these wind conditions.
The other cool thing is that if you release a disc at a speed
different from what it is designed for ... you can make it
change its flight path!
For example, take a stable midrange disc and
release it at a higher speed.
The aero/gyro force balance will have aero winning, and the disc
will turn right (understable) during the initial portion of its flight.
Then, as it slows it will return to its normal stable state,
and straighten out.
Finally, as it fades it will turn left and die.
Congratulations, you've just managed to create an S-shaped course
through some obstacles ... just by throwing the disc at a different speed!
You can combine this with Hyzer or Anyhyzer release
angles to really control what the disc will do for how long during its
flight path!
The reality of this is that the wind probably creates more speed
change problems than you can ... which explains why some discs act
poorly (and some better) when flown in some wind conditions.
What are all those different Rocs?
So, I went to buy a Roc.
I knew there were 2 kinds -- the speed 3 stable Classic Roc,
and the speed 4 slightly overstable Roc.
OK, so the discs are made in different plastics, that ups the choices
a few.
Wait .. there are about 6 different kinds of rocs, and they all have funny
names on them -- what's up?
It turns out that you need to know history.
Innova started in San Markino, CA.
Then they moved the plant to Ontario, CA, and
as of this writing the plant is in ???, CA.
The deal is that each time the plant moved, Innova subtly changed
the design of the roc!
Basically the newer rocs fly more over-stable than the older rocs.
So, the Current Roc (???) is more overstable than the Ontario Roc,
which is more overstable than the San Marino Roc.
How does plastic types affect the discs?
It affects the golf disc in a couple of ways.
- The plastic type gives different durability to the discs.
The more expensive plastics tend to last longer and deform
less as time goes on.
The disc will also survive worse impacts without being deformed.
- The plastic types gives different grip affects to the discs.
Some discs are more slippery than others, some are more grippy.
This also affects putting characteristics, as a more grippy
disc is more likely to grip the chains in the target.
- The plastic type affects the flight characteristics
of the discs.
Some of the plastics are more slippery than others .. and will make
the disc fly faster for a given power.
This will change the blend between aero and gyro stability that the
discs have.
Typically, a faster flying version will move to be more understable
than the normal version.
- Some companies (such as Innova) design all their disc in their
normal plastic, and then use the same molds to make the discs with
the higher performance plastic.
This works nice, because the disc characteristics in a given
plastic line will be the same, and you can also switch plastic lines
to get more or less affect (in-betweens).
However, some other companies (Discraft) vary the plastic the base disc is
designed in.
This means you need to know which plastic is the real plastic
for that disc to base your performance changes from.
All the same changes apply, but you need to know where to start from.
Discraft Disc Ratings
Discraft discs are rated by Stability,
a sliding scale from 3..-3.
A 3 is an extremely overstable disc, hence the 3 being on the
left in my notation system!
A -3 is a very understable disc, which would tend to turn
right, you get the idea.
Though they don't explicitly provide speed ratings
like Innova does, you can sorta guess the speed range form
the class of disc.
Discraft has 5 disc classes, and I have my guess as to what Innova
speed class the discs fit into:
- Maximum Distance Drivers -- >= 9 on the Innova Scale
- Extra Long Range Drivers -- 6..8
- Long Range Drivers -- 4..6
- Midrange -- 3..5
- Putt and Approach -- 1..3
Discraft recommends stability ratings ≤ 1.0 for beginning players.
Discraft makes the interesting observation that
heavier discs are more overstable than a
lighter version of the same disc.
THey also point out that the overstable fade of a disc is away from
it's rotation direction -- CW (R) spinning disc fades L.
The
Golf Disc Selection Help
page from Discraft provides an introduction to their system.
There is a
Comprehensive stability guide
as well.
Most of the disc I'm throwing are around 170 grams, just that's what
I ended up with, and they seem to work OK.
- Champion Orc -- Distance Driver
This is a relatively high speed disc (a 10) with Stability.
Originally I was getting a big left hook at the end of each flight.
I've changed my throwing grip to use more of a Power grip,
rather than my frisbee Fan grip and I've been able to
straighten out the flight of this disc quite a bit.
The funny thing is, that it is the disc that I've made
the longest drive with -- 210' -- downwind!
The reason for the !!! is that the disc is traveling with a slow
speed downwind, and I still managed to get the distance on it!
The original fan grip I was using here caused me to release the disc
about 30 degrees off where I wanted it, which caused big problems
with throwing consistency.
That's better now, but it has caused other problems.
- Archangel -- Distance Driver -- 160g
Jeff suggested that maybe I should try a lighter-weight lower speed
disc for my throwing style.
Also something that wouldn't turn left so much.
It was worth an experiment, so I explained Jeff's idea to
Mike at Glide;
Mike suggested a 150g Archangel driver.
It is a slower disc than the Orc, and under-stable (aka likes
going right).
It is also the highest-rated glide in Innova's lineup.
I've not had good fortune with this disc -- it tends to turn
wicked left on me, even with some Anhyzer applied to it.
I have got the best drive on hole 3 at Hiestand with it -- it
got me onto the grass at the foot of the hill.
I've also driven twice on a hole to have it rest under the basket,
but the thing just wants to go left all the time.
This probably means I'm not throwing the disc fast enough
for its right-turning tendencies to take proper hold.
- Shark -- Mid-Range
This is a stable speed 4 disc.
I use it for Driving, Mid-Range, and Putting.
I've also found it a great tool for coming out of
the rough.
It was the first disc golf disc that I was happy with,
because I could make the disc go in a straight line like
an Aerobie.
I've been having some problems with it recently because of the
Power grip I've been using on the drivers.
If you keep that kind of grip on the shark, it doesn't want to
let go and I end up with an extreme right release.
This disc is also sensitive to Hyzer/Anhyzer release angle.
That can be a good thing, since it does what you want it to,
but it is also easy to over-do that and screw up.
I've got my longest upwind drive with this disc -- 180'.
I use it a lot for upwind driving.
I've got some very nice straight long flights with a right-hand
cross wind.
One thing that I really have to watch out for with the Shark
is a left-hand x-wind, or a left-hand cross head-wind..
In that situation (aka left + higher wind speed) the disc
becomes under-stable (aero beats gyro) and turns right more than
I want it -- even with Hyzer (left turn) release.
- Aviar -- Putter
This is a disk that Jeff is loaning me.
He has had an on-again off-again relationship with it,
and recently discovered a new putter at Glide that he really
likes.
He put this in my hands to force himself to use the new putter.
I find it works nicely for putting, but recently I've tried
driving with it in situations where I'd want to use the shark.
I find it keeps a bit more straight in the left xwind situations
than the Shark does.
Which is hilarious -- because according to the Innova charts,
it is an under-stable right turning disc.
Whatever, it seems to work for me.
I almost exclusively putt with it, though I use the
Shark for longer putts or putts into a headwind.
The aviar tends to slow up faster and stall than the shark
does, so that is why I use the Shark for the longer or HW putts.
The great thing about the Shark/Aviar putter combination is that
they tend to throw about exactly the same, just like having
a pair of traditional putters.
Jeff pointed out that his Aviar is a well-broken-in
disc (8 years old). That probably accounts for its
flying characteristics being a bit different than those
published for the disc!
The modern disc that is most like this is probably
the Aviar Putt & Approach disc.
It has a fatter profile than Jeff's Aviar.
It could be a Classic Aviar, but MIke thought the newer disc was
way too hard to be Jeff's Aviar.
- Star Leopard -- Fairway Driver -- 175g
I don't have this disc yet, but it is probably going to be
my next purchase.
Some folks who were playing though with me lost a disc at
Hole 15 at Hiestand. It went so far I dropped down the hole 16
fairway and came back to 15 looking for it.
I didn't find it, but found this disc that Josh had lost a while
ago in a wicked thicket.
I tried driving a few times with it, and was really pleased with
the results.
I was getting nice straight drives with it, and this with a disc
that I'd never thrown before.
Two drives on 15 to nice putting distance.
Then I went two drives on the uphill 16 (also nice and straight)
to within 12 feet of the basket.
I'm going to get this disc because I was shooting so nicely with
it -- never having touched it before.
OK, now I have this disc.
I got a beautiful drive down the center of 15 @Hiestand to
mid-range distance.
Lots of control, good straight tracking, and it may hook left
at the end if thrown up high or too slow for its speed.
After I played with it, Mike mentioned this is a great disc
to throw at about 80% power.
Do that and it flies like a dream ... and it does.
- DX Roc -- MidRange
Jeff recommended his Roc as a disc to consider.
He uses it for everything -- driving, mid-range, and sometimes
I think he even putts with it!
After looking at how my discs are flying, and what I'm doing with
them, I found a need for a disc that flies similar to my
Shark, but that is more overstable.
This is especially important for headwind (upwind) shots, where
the shark really likes to roll right.
The Roc seems to really fill the gap I need.
It flies nice and straight, with a bit of fade just at the end.
If I release it with a Anhyzer, it will level out after a bit,
and pretty much continue straight.
It is very controllable, and does exactly what I need -- a bit
of overstability for the throws that need it.
At short ranges, I've also putted with it ... and it pretty much
feels exactly like the Aviar & Shark do at those ranges --
which really helps out not having 3 different putters.
- Aerobie Arrow -- Putter
This is the golf disc that Aerobie makes which looks
most like their Aerobie and flying discs -- it has a spoiler ring.
It is also the golf disc they make which flies most like
said non-golf discs.
If you want it to go flat, it stays flat.
It will hold hyzer or anhyzer applied to it, just like a Aerobie.
It doesn't have much glide, and it tends to land flat.
It putts OK close in, but the big thing I've found this useful
for in my game at this point is ...
Longer putts where I need to throw the disk to get it
into the basket.
The straight-line performance and attitude holding capability
of the disc let me throw the disc into the chains from a distance
which would be too long for my skill level with other putters.
The lack of glide at the end of throw (and almost zero fade)
also helps if you miss -- it stays close to the pin, and doesn't
tend to roll.
- Aerobie Epic -- Extreme Distance Driver
OK, now I know that I shouldn't have this disc yet .. or maybe ever.
I started disc golf and immediately bought the nearest Aerobie
golf disc after a time or two on the course.
I thought
"my aerobie flies really nicely, the Aerobie golf discs
must do the same."
I was really frustrated by this disc -- no matter how much I tuned
it, I always ended up with a big left hook.
This even after I was throwing drivers OK.
All the web sites say you can only use this disc for overhead
throws (thumber or tomahawk) -- and I've seen this very disc go
barrel rolling through the sky thrown like that to land with
pin-point accuracy.
Now, though, I can throw this some.
I need a head-wind, for I still don't have the power needed to
make this thing fly.
With a head-wind and some tuning, my arm (and wrist snap) are
now doing enough work to get the disc flying fast enough and
spinning quickly enough to work as designed.
Released with some Anhyzer, It does a beautiful shallow right
bank, levels out slowly, and adds some gentle left bank and basically
stops flying.
If you needed to wind your way through some trees ... perfect!
Jeff says that the over-head throws with this thing are so controllable
that it is a great tool for getting out, or for getting over
obstacles ... it just does it.
No, I don't play with it, but I'm going to start experimenting
every once in a while with it as a 2nd disc to see what I can
do with it.
- Star Roadrunner -- Driver
This is an understable speed 9 driver.
This is actually the 1st disc I golfed with.
Amy loaned me her spare, and off we went.
Of course, it always turned left since I didn't throw a golf
disc well .. and it is understable, making it all the more
frustrating when that happened.
So, after playing for a couple of weeks, I wanted to get a few shots
in with her Roadrunner again.
Well, I can throw better now, and throwing this disc sometimes
results in a nice right hand turn of the disc.
Comparing it to the Leopard, I find I can get it to hold a nice
Anhyzer angle through the flight.
This is really nice in up-hill flights where the disc is pitched
up to make it more over-stable.
The two more or less cancel each out, and you are left with
a somewhat stable up-the-hill disc.
You would think that the Archangel would do this (being lower speed,
good glide, and otherwise the same rating as the Roadrunner).
However, it and I don't get along on this matter, for whatever
reason.
Now that I appreciate it more, I'm going to try to see if I can get
the Archangel to do some of the same tricks ... or get a
Roadrunner for those shots where it lets you put in some power and
have a controllable disc.
- Dragon -- Driver -- 150g
The Innova Dragon is a 150g series disc, only available in that weight.
The Dragon is a neutral (stable) disc with the same rating as
an Orc.
It is also two speeds slower than the Orc.
I tried this disc to re-visit Jeff's idea that I should try
a light-weight driver.
The thing I like about flying this disc is that it seems to be
a truely neutral disc.
I can make it fly straight. Launch it with Anhyzer and it will
hold a beautiful line to the right until it breaks and fades
at the end.
If I could throw it more level with Anhyzer (little fade at
the end since it would be close to the ground) I would have an
even better tool -- the disc is fine!
- Aviar Putt & Approach -- Putter
Several people yelled at me about my putting game
because ... I often miss even really close (3 feet)
putts after getting great drive(s) and midrange to the
pin.
"Get some identical putters and start putting", instead
of using my 3-4 discs that I always putt with.
So, I grabbed two of the Aviars.
I already shoot with Jeff's Aviar, but it is an older disc and
the profiles don't match the newer Aviars.
I noticed that the fly so amazingly similar though -- identical
tosses and the two discs (old and new) lie on top of each other.
So, I got a new putter, went to look for an identical second.
Couldn't find one, but then Mike told me to grab an olmost-identical
one (same disc color, different badge color) so I could keep them
apart.
That was actually a great idea, I can keep track of which disc
is which, and also notice which throw I screw up.
Getting these identical putters and practicing with them has
improved my putting game with any disc.
By removing the differences (shape, wear, weight) from the equation,
I could really feel the good and bad parts of putting and
start working on making good putts.
I've improved enough that I can sometimes do little wrong and
make 12-15 foot putts while playing on a regular (all game) basis.
Thanks guys!
- Discraft Stalker -- Driver -- Glow 171g
Why a Discraft disc when everything else isn't?
An experieneced player was watching me throw (playing through)
for several holes and though that a Stalker would fit my throwing
style really well.
He carried one, and pulled it out and had me throw it as a backup
disc.
It seemed to work well, throw nice.
Sorta like an Orc, but with less fade.
I had a really nice shot on 18 @ Hiestand with it -- shot right and
it almost faded around at the end of the downhill to land right under
the pin.
I prevaricated for a while and ended up buying one instead of
wondering if it was a good disc for me.
After throwing it for a while, it does sorta act like an Orc with
less fade ... but it is a far more complex disc.
The Stalker seems almost like the Shark, but a driver.
It can hold a line that you give it. It is almost like
an aglomeration of several discs in my bag.
When it is throw well.
The rest of the time, it acts like an Orc with less fade. :-(
- Star TeeRex -- Distance Driver
This is an over-stable distance driver
which is Faster than an Orc, and slower than a Destroyer.
I've been throwing this disc to practice Anyhyzer control on release.
It also lets me throw strong and get the nice left fade/hook on the
end of flight which I can't get with the stable Orc (when I
throw it correctly).
One thing I noticed with this particular disc is that it is all
too easy for me to hurt my arm throwing it.
The shape or something seems to have less drag in the throw, and
I end up over-centering my arm as it releases.
Weird.
For my throwing, it is basically how the Orc used to be, or an
orc with more left turn at the same power output.
- Star Destroyer -- Distance Driver
It has a very high (12) speed rating.
I'm not throwing this disc, it requires more power than
I have to throw it.
The disc always ends up hooking left radically at the
end of flight -- even though it is a moderately stable
disc.
Without the airspeed it needs, it just doesn't fly right.
I will admit that it is a cool disc-- Amanda knows that I
go to the Ale Asylum (a brewery in Madison).
They have been having (in concert with Glide) an
Ale Asylum Disc Golf Open each year, and this disc is
Ale Aslyum logoed and stamped!
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Last Modified:
Tue Jun 25 13:13:12 CDT 2013
Bolo (Josef Burger)
<bolo@cs.wisc.edu>