Start Line or Final Target/Curve

[iacas]

Originally Posted by tbird888

I think this boils down to how well you know your discs and how consistent of a thrower you are.

It doesn't, no. In golf players at the top level (PGA Tour level) still tend to be either linear or non-linear for different parts of their game. It's not like beginners are linear and then they advance to non-linear.

So either I've explained it poorly (most likely) or you've misunderstood the concepts (possible).

Originally Posted by tbird888

I think this is more like Bowling than Golf though. Do you aim for the first set of arrows, or do you aim for the pins? It all boils down to how consistently you throw and whether or not you trust your equipment.

That's not entirely the same... Close though.

Let me try to put it another way.

A linear player is one who chooses a point in space that's on an extension of the line the disc will take when it leaves their hand (i.e. before any turn or fade or hyzer or anhyzer has taken over). In other words, the "straight" line out of their hands, and the disc will do what it does after that.

A non-linear player is a player who chooses a point in space that's farther into the chosen flight's curve - whether it's a fade or turn, a hyzer or an anhyzer. They'll throw to the start line that will have the disc moving through that point, but they aren't concerned with where that straight start line is precisely.

A purely non-linear player has to adapt to play courses with lots of gaps very close to the tee or may struggle because they don't visualize and thus plan for that point being so early in space and time. A purely linear player has to adapt to play wide open courses with less to aim at close to the tees or may struggle because they can't visualize a point so far out along the throw.

So it's a gradient, from super-linear (point in space REALLY close to the thrower) to super-non-linear (point in space is near the basket or landing area).

[tbird888]

Originally Posted by iacas

It doesn't, no. In golf players at the top level (PGA Tour level) still tend to be either linear or non-linear for different parts of their game. It's not like beginners are linear and then they advance to non-linear.

So either I've explained it poorly (most likely) or you've misunderstood the concepts (possible).

I understand that being the case. In watching videos, I see some pros visualizing their entire throw while preparing to throw and others just look like they see the line and are focusing on hitting their mark so the disc can do what it does. I even saw it from my cardmates when I played tourneys. I guess I was selfishly letting my personal experience interfere with overall logic.

I guess this linear vs non-linear bias is better broken down by course type preference than ability. In the case of the pros, Avery would probably be the most well-known example of a non-linear golfer (hits too many trees, and the course isn't well maintained) and Michael Johansen would be the linear (threads Comets through any and every needle you throw in front of him). Look at their scoring difference of 44 to 54 the first round of Worlds this year. That's not to say that both can't throw well in each other's course preferences though. Avery has been known to throw well in the woods and MJ can tear up some open courses.

Can a non-linear golfer excel in tight courses, or is any success more of an outlier?