downhill throws

[mufan]

Hi,
downhill throws cause me some problems. I am right handed and throw back handed. it seems to me that the disc always goes farther right initially than how it normally would compared to level ground throws. is this just me or is it a physical principal that makes the disc bleed further to the right as it leaves my hand? if so, what kind of adjustments do you make to throws (stance, etc.) to compensate?

thanks,

 

[Kodachrome]

well, there are several things going on in a downhill throw - the big one is gravity. it makes your disc pick up speed as it descends.

if i am throwing downhill, it really depends on what the fairway is like. if it's open i'll throw something moderately OS out to the right and play the fade. i know it won't turn; it's the most reliable shot.

if it's a tunnel shot i will take my most neutral disc, my tangent, 9/10 times. i throw it flat and with just a tiny bit of height - not quite level, and definitely not as much height as a normal throw - the reason being that i want the disc to start slowing down in its flight before gravity takes over and maintains the speed as it descends, causing next to 0 low speed fade.

you can also hyzerflip something and it will hold the straight line longer before it fades due to gravity helping it maintain.

also make sure you aren't rolling your wrist - for some reason i used to do it all the time on downhill throws and i have no idea why. any change in flight path due to wrist roll will be exaggerated due to downward forces.

 

[thisislorenb]

^^^ bingo

 

[DavidSauls]

Hi,
downhill throws cause me some problems. I am right handed and throw back handed. it seems to me that the disc always goes farther right initially than how it normally would compared to level ground throws. is this just me or is it a physical principal that makes the disc bleed further to the right as it leaves my hand? if so, what kind of adjustments do you make to throws (stance, etc.) to compensate?

thanks,

It's not you.

Whether gravity or nose angle or something else, the general rule is that discs are more understable when thrown down (and overstable when thrown up). The options, depending on the hole design, are to move to a more overstable disc, or to throw the same disc but drop the outside edge, or perhaps to dial back on the power.

Just one more factor in the ever-bewildering world of disc selection, which helps make disc golf so much fun.

 

[BirdieMachine]

Nose angle, if you are throwing down the nose is down making the disc less stable. Typically grab a disc a couple notches more stable so it won't flip. Or throw level.

 

[knettles]

For relatively short downhill shots (and being from WV, I'm referring to a steep downhill shot; picture a sledding hill), I'll throw a neutral mid like my Axis or Tangent from a standstill with a low power finesse shot. For these throws, I have a small reachback and don't even take my eyes off of the target. If it's a long downhill throw, I'll throw a driver to the left, planning for the wide right turn.

 

[stealthfalcon84]

Adding to what others have said, I have a downhill hole that's a little over 400 feet on my home course. It's mostly open, but if you go too far to the right you'll be in the woods. I'm a RHBH thrower and my best results come from hyzer flipping a disc (usually a Valk or Avenger SS). The disc will usually flip up, start going to the right and then fade off to the left and put me in a real nice position for a birdie putt. The key is to throw something that has some slow speed fade so it doesn't just keep heading to the right. I struggled on that hole until I learned how to consistently hyzer flip and now it's one of my favorite holes to throw.

 

[thisislorenb]

Something with more HSS is going to get u better results throwing way downhill...... in the long run anyway...

 

[goosefraba1]

Oh man... This makes me think of ARMCO blue hole 1 in ashland, ky. Like 550 or so downhill with trees all around.... I throw a hyzerflip saint downhill... it turns over a little bit to avoid the trees and then fades back at the end. I prefer to hyzerflip a more neutral disc because that is how I normally throw. Might throw slightly more stable to avoid the turnover.

 

[elmexdela]

isnt it understable for uphill? over stable for downhill?

thought i heard that somewhere

 

[thisislorenb]

isnt it understable for uphill? over stable for downhill?

thought i heard that somewhere

U knew that didnt yuh ..... something understable may yield better D downhill (or anywhere for that matter) but i find straighter lines easier to achieve going downhill with something that is at least slightly overstable.... now if u r shooting at an open pin down a big @$$ cliff/hill i will grab something understable if i think it is out of reach otherwise cuz it has enough room to turnover and come back for max D

 

[mufan]

mostly tunnel shots are where I fall apart. I hit the trees to the right most all the time on the downhill. having trouble with the lingo a bit on the reply's above.

is hyzer flip aka tomahawk or thumber?
hyzer flip saint?
what does OS stand for?
by saying don't flip you mean lose it to right initially before it starts back left at the end?
is rolling your wrist where you tilt it to the right being a RHBH thrower, so that it goes even further tot he right initially?

 

[Aim For The Chains]

mostly tunnel shots are where I fall apart. I hit the trees to the right most all the time on the downhill. having trouble with the lingo a bit on the reply's above.

is hyzer flip aka tomahawk or thumber?
hyzer flip saint?
what does OS stand for?
by saying don't flip you mean lose it to right initially before it starts back left at the end?
is rolling your wrist where you tilt it to the right being a RHBH thrower, so that it goes even further tot he right initially?

Sounds like you have some research to do.

A hyzer flip is when you release a disc with hyzer vs flat or anhyzer and generally use a understable/stable slower disc which when thrown with this hyzer angle will keep straight and not "turnover" to the right.

Tomahawk/thumbers have nothing to do with this shot. Its a technique which allows for manipulation of a discs turn/fade and very very useful for tunnel shots which you describe.

OS = overstable. Flip=turnover (yes to the right with RHBH)

Wrist roll will cause the disc to turn over earlier and act less overstable than it should. Its basically not throwing the disc cleanly and involves the topic of "OAT"

 

[Aim For The Chains]

Now, if I am throwing downhill with no room to work there are a few shots which can be great. One is a downhill thumber/tomahawk straight at your gap with a stable disc. Works well for shorter holes you don't want to keep fading down the hill with a BH or FH.

You always want to throw even with the ground for the most part no matter if its uphill, downhill or flat you want to mimic the slope with your body/throw.

For a 300'+ tunnel shot in the woods down hill depending HOW MUCH slope downhill I would throw 1 of 3 molds. Pa4 (hyzer flip down at the pin) Tangent (same) Volt (flat and smooth)

Now wide open holes its a different beast because you have tons more room to work with. My best downhill shot ever though was around 800' down a ski-hill with a opto fuse, pretty much dead straight.

Takes practice but there is for sure more than one way to reliably play these shots.

 

[DiscChainBasket18]

angle & speed

A downhill (or uphill) shot requires that you follow the contour or angle of the hill. Match the angle & commit!
A downhill (or uphill) shot that is thrown fluffy will typically hyzer off left (RHBH) so you have to commit!