Eyeballs and the target

[RowingBoats]

I am curious how all of you would describe your use of vision during a backhand swing. On throws 200'ish feet and in, I feel comfortable looking at my target, which I visualize as a kind of window at the apex of the line I am intending.

With more power than this, my back-swing and torso rotation, combined with the speed of the hit make actual visual contact with my line feel impossible. My strategy has been to go through a practice swing where I do look at the line, then try to mentally visualize that as I do the real deal.

Is this close to what some of you do? Is there a way to make visual contact with the line even on powerful swings, before the disc is released? I will keep experimenting, but it helps me to hear other people try to word their techniques sometimes, figured I'd ask!

[sidewinder22]

I keep my eyes on the disc/thumb for the most part, even short upshots. My thumb is my visual aiming mechanism. Thumb points straight back from target line/apex(not target itself) and points at target line/apex at release.

I also use the swing weight to aim the feel like horseshoes.

[RowingBoats]

Originally Posted by sidewinder22

I keep my eyes on the disc/thumb for the most part, even short upshots. My thumb is my visual aiming mechanism. Thumb points straight back from target line/apex(not target itself) and points at target line/apex at release.

I also use the swing weight to aim the feel like horseshoes.

Ah! I had read that somewhere, then completely forgot about it working on other things. Makes a lot of sense I will play with this idea.

[roggenb3]

I don't even look at the basket when putting. At least not when I am putting well. I stare the other way, and visualize the line from afar in my head.

Then I look in the direction of the basket, but at the ground, and follow my line to the point I am aiming at, which is not the basket unless I am like 20' or less.

I don't actually land my eyes on the basket until right after I release. I'm keeping my focus on the line. When I staredown the basket putting, I miss left a lot, because I throw it right at the basket, not on the slightly-right line I need to make my gentle hyzer putts.

[ballgolfconvert]

I pick out a target on my line and use peripheral vision to give me the feel for distance. I one step for a 200' shot so eyes are always towards target.

[SaROCaM]

What I have been doing is imagining that in front of where I will swing is a wall. That wall is not necessarily lined up exactly with the front of the teebox; it is more perpendicular to the angle of my approach/x-step or to my setup for a standstill. The line I want to hit determines the placement and angle of an imaginary nail in that imaginary wall. My goal is to drive that nail in with one stroke of a hammer, which is the disc. I set up my hammer in position to drive in the nail, then work backwards from there in order to determine where I start my run-up. Sort of like when you see players hold their disc/swing up at the front of the teebox, then make their way back to their starting point from there.

What I end up doing is watching my disc get to that imaginary nail.

[RowingBoats]

Originally Posted by sidewinder22

I keep my eyes on the disc/thumb for the most part, even short upshots. My thumb is my visual aiming mechanism. Thumb points straight back from target line/apex(not target itself) and points at target line/apex at release.

I also use the swing weight to aim the feel like horseshoes.

This is one of the best tips I have received, thanks. One of my hurdles has been stepping up to an isolated shot in an actual round, and confidently throwing with a smooth motion. In the field, I throw several discs from a spot typically, so I think I developed a dependency on repetition to hone in on a line.

Watching the thumb gives me a nice visual framework for what I am doing with a swing, and has helped tremendously with being able to have more real-time feedback in the swing to feel good about my movements.

[seedlings]

I visualize the line, hold the disc at the angle, remind myself to follow through that angle, watch the line until during Xstep I ‘push the disc further back the imagined line’ then rotate through and cross my fingers.

[Jay Dub]

Originally Posted by roggenb3

I don't even look at the basket when putting. At least not when I am putting well. I stare the other way, and visualize the line from afar in my head.

Then I look in the direction of the basket, but at the ground, and follow my line to the point I am aiming at, which is not the basket unless I am like 20' or less.

I don't actually land my eyes on the basket until right after I release. I'm keeping my focus on the line. When I staredown the basket putting, I miss left a lot, because I throw it right at the basket, not on the slightly-right line I need to make my gentle hyzer putts.

I'm the opposite of this. As soon as I can I get behind my lie in line with the basket. Even if it's 20-30 ft back from my lie waiting for the next player out to putt. I start visualizing the line, seeing it, picking out my chain link or whatever target I want to hit.

My normal putt is straight at the target, not a hyzer putt.

[Twistedhorse]

I have a big problem keeping my head looking at the disc when throwing power backhands it wants to look back, but then when the disc is in the powerpocket the head looks forward instead of down. It just feels like the disc could go anywhere if I look down at the disc