Bigger Distance at High Altitude???

[Chiefstang]

I can't believe nobody has mentioned the fact that at higher altitudes there is less of a gravitational force. Less of a gravitational force means the disc isn't accelerating back towards the ground as fast(F=ma). Therefore if it isn't accelerating towards the ground as fast (in comparison to a lower elevation) it will spend more time in the air. This will allow your disc to travel further before it hits the ground. In actuality though this decrease in gravitational force at higher altitudes is probably pretty insignificant...

Lol! Sorry, but at high altitudes discs drop like dinner plates. The lack of air has way more of an effect than lower gravity... And I can't jump any higher either.

I've played at a pretty steady 5000-6000 feet quite a bit after moving from New York. Discs are more understable, and don't glide as much as they did back east... But it's not a huge difference.

Jump up to 8,000 feet, and it seems to get exponential. I've played Estes Park at around 10,000 feet, and it was comically frustrating. I lost a ton of distance, and my discs were taking off left as fast as they could.

In my head, I expected to pick up distance when I moved to the thinner air, but after playing at more extreme elevations it's the exact opposite.

 

[Danger]

Putts fall out faster at higher elevations. Other than stability, have not noticed much distance difference with drives at elevation. They seem to fly 'faster' at high elevation, but stay in the air 'longer' at sea level...if that makes any sense (I have lived at sea level and 8500').

 

[thumbfar]

At lower elevations 500ft is reached easily with average power on my sidearm. At 4500ft, it is a lot harder to reach that distance. However, maximum distance for me only comes at higher altitudes, I can't figure out how to take enough off to get a proper turnover flight at low elevation. In the distance comp at worlds I threw 500ft. In Colorado I can throw 600ft. Easier to get good distance, harder to get max distance at lower elevations. I can crush at 10000 ft.