Start Line or Final Target/Curve

[Lewis]

It seems I'm in the minority as a non-linear player. I'm not comfortable unless I can "feel" the entire flight path, and I have to visualize the entire line as I throw, focusing on the target rather than some other aiming point. If I try to aim at a point on release, I lose all finesse, and as often as not my disc finishes at my aiming point even though it was supposed to curve off line from there. Same thing with my putting in ball golf. The one time I played ball golf with a caddy, I found it hugely frustrating when the caddy would tell me aim at a point 4" right of the cup, and then I would end up missing about 4" to the right. I would rather hear "it should break 4 inches" than try to aim at a straight-line target 4" off.

One exception to this may be when driving an over stable disc on a straight, open fairway, where the fade is predictable, and all I have to do is throw hard and flat.

[wake_rider]

Originally Posted by Lewis

It seems I'm in the minority as a non-linear player. I'm not comfortable unless I can "feel" the entire flight path, and I have to visualize the entire line as I throw, focusing on the target rather than some other aiming point. If I try to aim at a point on release, I lose all finesse, and as often as not my disc finishes at my aiming point even though it was supposed to curve off line from there. Same thing with my putting in ball golf. The one time I played ball golf with a caddy, I found it hugely frustrating when the caddy would tell me aim at a point 4" right of the cup, and then I would end up missing about 4" to the right. I would rather hear "it should break 4 inches" than try to aim at a straight-line target 4" off.

One exception to this may be when driving an over stable disc on a straight, open fairway, where the fade is predictable, and all I have to do is throw hard and flat.

I think visualizing the flight path is part of being a linear thrower, but that's just splitting hairs. In all cases, I think every shot is a bit of both and can't really be defined between the two different ways of looking at it.

Somehow, using both techniques, I still suck at wide open holes.

[GT Chris]

I'm a nonlinear player. I work at the Center for Nonlinear Dynamics.

I sort of feel like this entire thread was a setup just for me to say that.

But I'm with Lewis. When I aim, I choose the point on the ground where I want my disc to end up. Then I select the disc whose flight path will naturally follow whatever line it needs to on the way.

[joegraham]

Originally Posted by GT Chris

I'm a nonlinear player. I work at the Center for Nonlinear Dynamics.

I sort of feel like this entire thread was a setup just for me to say that.

But I'm with Lewis. When I aim, I choose the point on the ground where I want my disc to end up. Then I select the disc whose flight path will naturally follow whatever line it needs to on the way.

Awesome! Best post of the month!!!

[Rescue]

You had me thinking on this....now I have a headache! Turns out I do both. From the teepad or long distance shots. I pick an aiming point that is close to me, twig, rock, leaf, and the sort. When I'm close in though. I tend to picture the entire shot from start to finish, but I also tend to do a little of both on all shots now that I think about it. Damn, here comes that headache again.

[DiscJunkie]

I aim for a spot and let the disc do its work.
I have always pick a spot to throw to, although I can't say that my throw always heads in that exact direction...

[Stankyjahnke]

I aim at the basket and throw where I think it needs to be to fade to it

[_MTL_]

Here is something I wrote about throwing lines as opposed to targets a few years ago..

The first thing to think about with shot selection is the angle of release. The angle of release of a disc is vital to throwing a good shot and is something that most people overlook, I feel. If you are in a tight lie or on a tee pad with a gap to hit right off the tee, you don't need to think about the basket at first. If the shot sets up best to hit that gap with hyzer, use a hyzer release. If you it sets up best to hit it with anhyzer, use an anhyzer release. I like to think of it like this; focus on the first 1/3 of the hole. If you hit the initial gap at a good angle every time, it really is tough not to shoot well. To me, this element is what separates most players, especially the elite guys. Sure, they mess up from time to time, but more than likely, the first 1/3 of the hole is played pretty well if not flawlessly.

Now that you have hit the gap easier in your head, now focus on the rest of the hole. You have to visualize the flight of your disc through the duration of the hole, and that starts back at your release angle.. If you are hitting the gap with hyzer and the hole goes to the left (assuming righthand backhand), you don't need to throw as stable as a disc as you might think because the disc is already at a hyzer angle. If it goes straight, you need throw a bit flippier than you might think because once again, the disc is at a hyzer angle. This same philosophy can be carried over to anhyzer releases and throwing a disc with more stability than you might originally think.

I see so many newer players who immediately think that any shot that is anhyzer is a sidearm, thumber, or a flippy disc and any shot that hyzers as a tomahawk or a stable disc. Nothing could be further from the truth! If you can begin to control your stable discs on turnovers and your flippier discs on hyzers, you will be amazed at how quickly you get better simply because now you are focusing on hitting gaps as opposed to parking the hole.

[Obligation]

I've found if I need to get somewhere that's over my "skill" I can often cheat by curving my disc to get the distance. But more often then not consistent strait shots are optimal as wooded areas often need strait shots!

[iacas]

Originally Posted by Obligation

I've found if I need to get somewhere that's over my "skill" I can often cheat by curving my disc to get the distance. But more often then not consistent strait shots are optimal as wooded areas often need strait shots!

That's not exactly the question being asked - it's more about how you visualize and "see" your shots. Check out the first post and a few of the subsequent ones.