The Distance Driver perspective poll/thread

[BrotherDave]

We seem to be getting a lot more "disc x has added 30-40' of instant distance to my drive," threads and it's made me wonder if there's any truth to any of it or if it's perhaps a coincidence. Let me explain, I disced down to fairway drivers and mids b/c I came to the conclusion that I wasn't ready for the wide rimmed super drivers yet, if ever. The result is I can throw just about anything at least 275' and now I can get my drivers to 300' easy and on good days farther than that. So I picked up some Halos again and guess what, I got 30-40' of "instant" distance. But I don't think it's the disc per se, more of a combination of me getting better plus the disc and I wonder if something similar isn't happening with the rest of you guys, b/c I'm pretty sure if I threw anything faster than my Eagles I would get "instant D." I least my champ Boss and ESP Surges are backing me up on this. So, for you guys getting "instant D increase" results from the newest pantheon of drivers, what's your perspective/context?

 

[jdggna]

I wasn't really sure how to answer. The fastest driver I have in my bag in the Xcaliber, which I only throw FH with. The fastest disc that I throw BH is the PD, which did give me a pretty decent improvement over the Teebirds I had been throwing. It bumped my average-max from 325-350 to 360-400. I also made a huge jump in my form just before switching from really focusing on following through. Personally I still don't see myself picking up a new distance driver anytime soon. I just don't see myself getting a noticeable distance increase from getting anything faster. If anything it would probably be a Wraith.

 

[bikinjack]

Boss/Nuke/Katana/Halo/Groove

Where's the poll option for "I've never thrown any of these, but I'm throwing for more D because discing down works"?

Edit: Sorry, I didn't read your whole post. This poll doesn't apply to me, at least not yet.

 

[valkyrie]

I usto throw those, but now they seem usless to me at this point.

 

[leppard]

The disc itself b/c my noodle arm has plateaued w/ all other discs. My form hasn't changed/improved. Anything 7 speed and up, I can get out to 300 feet. When I do field practice, the higher speed drivers go a little farther on average, but only 25 feet at the most and I lose accuracy. The disc that I always seems to throw farthest is a 162g R-Pro Boss but it is still less than 25feet. So I guess I can throw higher speed discs farther but I lose accuracy.

Polls are cool.

 

[Marmoset]

If I understand the physics behind this, people are getting 30-40' more from fast stuff for 2 reasons:
1. The discs you mentioned can be understable so players are getting a full flight from them.
2. The players getting extra distance with them have velocity biased throws instead of snap biased throws. Faster discs cater to this style of throwing.

But form improvements always help get distance; fast discs/slow discs, it doesn't matter. Improve your snap and form, watch your D increase.
Avery Jenkins, GG, Coda, etc. have huge snap and huge armspeed; this is why they are mutants who throw 600'.

A little off topic..
The "speed" issue is a little misleading. If you drive with a Wizard, it leaves your hand about the same speed as a Boss. The higher speed of a Boss is noticeable when it doesn't slow down nearly as quickly as a Wizard.

Here are 2 links of Blink throwing some discs; the first is a Rhyno clocked @ 63mph and the second is a Destroyer clocked @ 61mph. I guarantee you the Destroyer went further than the Rhyno even though it started out slower.

BTW, Blink throws faaaaaaar.

My understanding is that it is easier to get a higher "muzzle velocity" on thinner rimmed discs because you can grip them stronger/better. But the wider-rimmed stuff will generally go further because it doesn't slow down as quickly so it is covering more ground. If 2 different discs stay in the air for 5 seconds each, the faster of the 2 discs will have covered more ground and should land further away from you.

The people that gain 30 feet by switching to uber-fast-disc-X are probably velocity based throwers instead of snap based throwers. The faster discs are catering to their throwing style. Snap based throwers usually like the slower, less stable discs. Blink is a snap based thrower that also has great speed; he has won some distance competitions, IIRC. He throws Roadrunners for distance competitions.

 

[keltik]

Boss/Nuke/Katana/Halo/Groove

Where's the poll option for "I've never thrown any of these, but I'm throwing for more D because discing down works"?

Edit: Sorry, I didn't read your whole post. This poll doesn't apply to me, at least not yet.

Don't apologize for discing down just keep spreading the good word.

 

[biscoe]

my throw is most definitely spin biased- i could throw a destroyer farther than a wraith by about 30 feet the first time i threw one even though it was more overstable than i expected and i wound up throwing a goofy hyzer instead of a flat line. imo all the talk about "you shouldn't throw such and such disc until you can throw so and so distance" is bs that doesn't take into account the two primary dynamics of the throw which marmoset enumerated.

 

[Three Putt]

So what should you expect to see if you have no snap and no arm speed?

Never mind...I know all too well what to expect.

 

[sloppydisc]

If we had all played disc golf in High School we would have had A's in Physics. I suspect most of us barely passed. So we are all dumb-ass's due to the public school system's PE teachers!!!!!!

 

[bikinjack]

If we had all played disc golf in High School we would have had A's in Physics. I suspect most of us barely passed. So we are all dumb-ass's due to the public school system's PE teachers!!!!!!

So, in other words, it's all prerube's fault.

Edit: Oh, no, wait. He teaches disc golf to his students, my bad prerube.

 

[culinarywiz]

The Nuke has truly added distance to my drives. The Surge is still my bread and butter, but if I release a Nuke just right, it out drives my Surge.

The key however, is the Surge is much easier to control. I don't need much arm to get the Surge out 350+ with accuracy. The Nuke gets around 400 regularly but I am still working on control. Lately, I have reverted back to my Surge on long shots. I would rather have the center of the fairway than the extra 25 feet.

 

[WillACarpenter]

I think these new discs are in fact allowing people to throw farther, I know I can really get behind a katana...but at the same time I think these discs can be sensitive to bad form which can teach people how to throw better.

I know that I had an actual Golf Distance of 385' two weeks ago with a wraith...and I've never thrown that far....not really even close. I threw almost 380 one time...with a really lucky flex shot with a dx destroyer that i was using in a FIELD...with a slight DECLINE...vs. 385 flat off of just a straight solid rip.

I think the katana has helped teach me that.

\/\/

 

[Ides]

I've been throwing a viper for years and recently got a 124g Katana and can def. Huck the SOB but after getting back into the game after a long break I'm not sure if it's from breaking bad form habits on tee offs or the disc itself.

 

[garublador]

It all really depends on how you're throwing now. Throwing faster discs to get "instant" distance is nice for shaving a stroke or two off on specific courses, but if you aren't doing it with the right mindset, it can limit your development.

Some pepole are OK with limiting their development. They've hit a plateau they're OK with and just want a bit more distance.

Now, if you're struggling to break 300' and want some more distance and pick out a faster driver to do that, you're probably introducing some bad habits to get those faster discs to fly well. At this point you'll be limiting how far you can throw by overusing these discs. If you are discing down and really are working on improving technique, then those faster discs really aren't doing anything for you besides helping maybe shave a stroke or two depending on the course. They won't help you learn to increase distance and how far you throw them isn't nearly as useful of a number as how far you throw putters, mids and slow fairway drivers on golf lines.

 

[CwAlbino]

If I understand the physics behind this, people are getting 30-40' more from fast stuff for 2 reasons:
1. The discs you mentioned can be understable so players are getting a full flight from them.
2. The players getting extra distance with them have velocity biased throws instead of snap biased throws. Faster discs cater to this style of throwing.

But form improvements always help get distance; fast discs/slow discs, it doesn't matter. Improve your snap and form, watch your D increase.
Avery Jenkins, GG, Coda, etc. have huge snap and huge armspeed; this is why they are mutants who throw 600'.

A little off topic..
The "speed" issue is a little misleading. If you drive with a Wizard, it leaves your hand about the same speed as a Boss. The higher speed of a Boss is noticeable when it doesn't slow down nearly as quickly as a Wizard.

Here are 2 links of Blink throwing some discs; the first is a Rhyno clocked @ 63mph and the second is a Destroyer clocked @ 61mph. I guarantee you the Destroyer went further than the Rhyno even though it started out slower.

BTW, Blink throws faaaaaaar.

My understanding is that it is easier to get a higher "muzzle velocity" on thinner rimmed discs because you can grip them stronger/better. But the wider-rimmed stuff will generally go further because it doesn't slow down as quickly so it is covering more ground. If 2 different discs stay in the air for 5 seconds each, the faster of the 2 discs will have covered more ground and should land further away from you.

The people that gain 30 feet by switching to uber-fast-disc-X are probably velocity based throwers instead of snap based throwers. The faster discs are catering to their throwing style. Snap based throwers usually like the slower, less stable discs. Blink is a snap based thrower that also has great speed; he has won some distance competitions, IIRC. He throws Roadrunners for distance competitions.

That made a lot of sense.

I gained more distance throwing a few of these. I think I have a more snap based throw at the moment but still gain more distance off the boss, katana, and nuke. Now I need to work on adding velocity

 

[Frank Delicious]

I can throw a katana 400' easier than I can throw a boss 400'. I can throw a boss 400' easier than I can throw a wraith 400'. I can throw a wraith 400' easier than I can throw a SOLF 400'.

The SOLF is still my main distance disc.

 

[Marmoset]

It all really depends on how you're throwing now. Throwing faster discs to get "instant" distance is nice for shaving a stroke or two off on specific courses, but if you aren't doing it with the right mindset, it can limit your development.

Some pepole are OK with limiting their development. They've hit a plateau they're OK with and just want a bit more distance.

Now, if you're struggling to break 300' and want some more distance and pick out a faster driver to do that, you're probably introducing some bad habits to get those faster discs to fly well. At this point you'll be limiting how far you can throw by overusing these discs. If you are discing down and really are working on improving technique, then those faster discs really aren't doing anything for you besides helping maybe shave a stroke or two depending on the course. They won't help you learn to increase distance and how far you throw them isn't nearly as useful of a number as how far you throw putters, mids and slow fairway drivers on golf lines.

Good post; I'm glad you touched on the "give a man a fish/teach a man to fish" aspect that I didn't feel like writing about.

 

[Marmoset]

I can throw a katana 400' easier than I can throw a boss 400'. I can throw a boss 400' easier than I can throw a wraith 400'. I can throw a wraith 400' easier than I can throw a SOLF 400'.

The SOLF is still my main distance disc.

Agreed, except I'm either a QOLF or Teebird. Accuracy over distance. 50' more distance but landing in the woods is not a good tradeoff IMO.

 

[garublador]

Good post; I'm glad you touched on the "give a man a fish/teach a man to fish" aspect that I didn't feel like writing about.

Well, you already covered all the suff I didn't feel like writing about.