disc cuts hard to the left

[ChronoDisc]

my friend gets out on the course and everytime he throws hard it flys really high and cuts extremely hard to the left. everything that we have tried doing never helps and i have no more ideas to fix this problem.

any ideas on what could be causing it and how to fix it?

[sidewinding]

Just tell...your friend ;);)...that this is a common occurence with newer players. "Your friend" is throwing with nose up.

Solution: throw with nose down.

[tamahawk]

This is a VERY common problem for new players (assuming your friend is new to the sport). I did the same thing when I started, but made myself focus on pulling the disc back and through on a nice level plane with a linear motion. Have your friend try throwing from a stand still (no run up) with a mid-range (something stable or understable), and focus on keeping the disc flat and level.

As arm/disc speed develops, and you begin to get a fair amount of spin on the disc, it will get easier to keep it level without diving hard left. As a disc starts to lose speed/spin, it will start to dive to the left.

This was my focus when I first started, took a few weeks, but I definitely saw improvement.
Like sidewinding said, nose up is bad. Focus on flat release with nose level/slightly downward, it will get better.

Hope this helps?!

[skottyb]

Also make sure you check his grip, a lot of noobs like too keep there index finger on the outside of the disc, instead of under the rim...

[zenbot]

A great piece of advice I got when I was new was to throw like "you are backhanding a midget". Seriously. Stand up right now and pretend you're going to backhand a little person. That's good form. The arm goes back and comes straight across the chest.

Tell your friend to smack the midget and they'll start improving.

[TalbotTrojan]

I bet it is really a combination of two things.

One, he is definately throwing it with nose up. Talk with him about making sure that the disc is level, flat as if it were lying on the tee or your kitchen table, assuming one leg is not shorter than the other.

Two, it is going to have something to do with his throwing motion. The first thing I generally tell people is to think about your arm moving from your back shoulder to your front shoulder. Most people are used to throwing a catch disc where this motion is not necessary to make the disc work correctly. My guess is that he will try to over compensate by moving his arm from high to low, but muscle memory will then cause his arm to bounce and it will appear that he still has the same old problem.

You really need to think about math class when you were learning about planes. Everything needs to be in its plane.

[The Reverend]

tell your friend to concentrate on throwing the disc as flat as possible for a little while, and maybe throw standing still until he gets the hang of it.

That's what worked for me when I first started.

[tamahawk]

Also make sure you check his grip, a lot of noobs like too keep there index finger on the outside of the disc, instead of under the rim...

Here is a link to the Innova website that details the different types of grips for backhand, forehand, etc...
http://www.innovadiscs.com/tips/davesgripsmain.html

[BrotherDave]

Also, your friend might be throwing a disc that is too fast and/or too over stable for him, like a Teerex or Destroyer. Surprised nobody mentioned this yet.

[_DA_]

Also, your friend might be throwing a disc that is too fast and/or too over stable for him, like a Teerex or Destroyer. Surprised nobody mentioned this yet.

This is what I was thinking too (in addition to the form issues mentioned earlier). What is he throwing? My recommendation would be to start throwing with just a mid and a putter. Once his form has improved, pick up a gazelle or teebird.

[hatfield57]

Tell your friend to smack the midget and they'll start improving.

This is great! nearly spat coffee all over my computer!!!!

[3monsterboys]

yeah i did the same thing. just slow down and try your best to keep that nose down.

[Chucktown]

My friend does the same thing, I think it is kind of like when you are swinging a golf club really hard and you tend to pull your arms in towards your body because you feel out of control when your arms are fully extended, then you hit a massive slice into the woods. With Disc Golf, my friend doesn't twist his core enough and tries to use to much arm, he pulls his elbow in instead of letting his arm extend and whip around, and in turn throws off the angle of release. I think he should just try to throw it while standing still and twisting his body, see how it works then incorporate that into his xstep or however he runs up.

[craigg]

Get him a beginner disc (putter or mid range) and play catch from about 100'. If he's got a driver - take it away from him!! The fastest distance disc is not the thing to learn with. Give him the oldest, most beat up disc you own. A disc that will turn in flight (i.e. not fall left) IS EASIER TO WORK WITH FOR BEGINNERS.

Pay attention to his throwing motion. If he's throwing high in the air - more than likely he's not transferring his weight to his front (plant) foot - he's pushing off that foot and leaving his weight on his back foot. So instead of pulling THROUGH, he pulling BACK. That's what makes the nose go up.

[sumner420]

-keep the leading shoulder low, as well as the nose of the disc.
-you want to be pretty level ,or even a bit lower in the front shoulder than in the back.
-the line your shoulders take at release mimics the path of the disc.
-the comments about nose down and get less stable discs also ring true, I suggest Teebirds
Just my two cents...

[Midnightbiker]

Tell your friend to throw across his chest. I have seen many new players throw from thier waist, and that is going to make the disc fly like your described because of the angle of relese. Also, make sure they are throwing a beginner disc. What did are they throwing?

Also, I have seen newer players only use two fingers to throw, and that will cause a bad relese angle as well. I use a two finger grip when I want to throw a hard hyzer (left hand turn).

[cc0049]

Tell your friend to smack the midget and they'll start improving.

Hard to argue with that. LOL I got a good laugh out of that...and the funny thing is that it is true. :)

[Three Putt]

Tell your friend to smack the midget and they'll start improving.Why this isn't your signature line by now is beyond me. If I had the rights to do it, I'd change your screen name to "midgetsmacker." :p

[zenbot]

Why this isn't your signature line by now is beyond me. If I had the rights to do it, I'd change your screen name to "midgetsmacker." :p
Hmm...you might have something there.

[klay]

smack the midget

Wow. I thought the only person who ever used this analogy was my high school baseball coach in reference to hitting.

He used "punch the midget" but still.

[zenbot]

Wow. I thought the only person who ever used this analogy was my high school baseball coach in reference to hitting.

He used "punch the midget" but still.
Wouldn't that be crazy if I WAS YOUR HIGH SCHOOL BASEBALL COACH?!?

[Midnightbiker]

I just got a Champ Wraith in the mail and man, that disc cuts very hard to the left, and skips like nobodys business.

[TalbotTrojan]

I just got a Champ Wraith in the mail and man, that disc cuts very hard to the left, and skips like nobodys business.

I just got one of those too. Mine doesn't skip like my long lost TeeRex, but it still gets the job done. It is straigtening out now though which is amazing and if I could putt a drive and a putt together I will have birdied a couple of holes that I have yet to birdie at La Mirada.

[ChronoDisc]

well... i think my friend is throwing an archangel but he mainly throws his viper.
he is stubborn though. he wont listen to a thing that any of you have said.
i guess ill try to figure out some ways to get through to him that he isnt gonna drive farther than fifty feet unless he fixes it.

[Midnightbiker]

well... i think my friend is throwing an archangel but he mainly throws his viper.
he is stubborn though. he wont listen to a thing that any of you have said.
i guess ill try to figure out some ways to get through to him that he isn't gonna drive farther than fifty feet unless he fixes it.

I think once he sees everyone out driving him, he might change his mind and listen. My nephew is quite stubborn, but his is coming around.

[Omega SuperSloth]

well... he mainly throws his viper.:eek:capt hook

[Niven42]

I'm a "pop up" artist too, so I know exactly what that feels like...

There's two really strong reasons for "pop' up", and those are angle of release and posture. Dan Beato has a great video on Youtube that shows correct driving technique and addresses the problems that beginners have with driving. In general, you'll want to get the wing of the disc up (which will eventually give you anhyzer throws when you get better) and you want to keep your aft shoulder high (low shoulder at hit is the same reason for pop ups in baseball; hence the "punch the midget" analogy) in order to keep the thrust angle lower. Also, make sure your thumb is directly above (or slightly ahead of) the grip point of your index finger underneath the disc. This creates more of a "nose-down" release. Weight shift, namely getting more of your weight onto your front foot at release should also help bring the front shoulder down.

Hope this helps. I know that every day is a learning experience for me. Don't give up - eventually you will get better!

[ChangeJD]

Alright...well I am the friend of which Chronodisk speaks.
It's not that I'm stubborn, I just wanted advice from more experienced players.
Thanks for the help, I will try out some of these suggestions tomorrow.

[The Dude]

Alright...well I am the friend of which Chronodisk speaks.
It's not that I'm stubborn, I just wanted advice from more experienced players.
Thanks for the help, I will try out some of these suggestions tomorrow.

I have a Viper. I personally cannot throw that disc. It will curve left like a mofo on me. Possibly the worst $8 I have ever spent. I would say go with a different disc.