Finally figured "it" out...

[Brodysseus]

I just got a big setback in my game.

I thought i threw 400 feet. 375 consistantly. my buddy owns one of those rollers that measures in feet to extreme accuracy. i can throw 350 feet consistantly. these were all on flat ground.

so my problem is i get to a teepad that says 400 feet and i bomb it, and park or over thow it. but in reality its not 400 feet because either its not measured correctly.

So? You can still park the hole. Distance is cool and all, but scoring low is the point.

 

[A rod]

So? You can still park the hole. Distance is cool and all, but scoring low is the point.

And someone who can throw 400 could birdie a hole that's 400+, while someone who only throws 350 probably never will. Don't let people salt your game, distance gives you the potential to score better than someone with less distance.

Some people just aren't satisfied with being average.

 

[Krinkncrank]

Some people just aren't satisfied with being average.

Sad thing is, many are satisfied, and perversely so it seems. The Bart Simpson underachiever effect.

 

[HyzerUniBomber]

I've been using this: http://tinyurl.com/ok4q6gs to verify some distances.

The markings on some of my local courses are just stupidly wrong. I would like to think I throw a buzzz 450' - but uhhhh, no.

I have finally been consistent with 400' in my rounds lately... I'd been cracking a good drive every so often in field work or maybe once every couple rounds - but I seem to be in the groove now.

The 2 biggest issues that jumped me from 350 to 400 was my x-step is now on my toes and I've managed to keep OAT outta the picture. The OAT seems to have eased up with some putter driving in the field - which forced me to keep it flat.

One other thing that has honestly helped, is that I'm figuring out my plastic in various wind conditions.

 

[Tuckerman]

I love this thread. This weekend, I will be trying to delay my reachback during field practice. Apparently, I've been taking the advice "work around the disc" the wrong way.

That said... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SyJncrY7zUE This guy gives me pause. The timing may help me find the proper weight shift. But it looks like it is possible to execute the weight shift without the timing. So, it's seems probable you can nail the timing without achieving the weight-shift.

Why is nothing ever easy?

 

[Brodysseus]

And someone who can throw 400 could birdie a hole that's 400+, while someone who only throws 350 probably never will. Don't let people salt your game, distance gives you the potential to score better than someone with less distance.

Some people just aren't satisfied with being average.

I am not saying to not strive for more distance. I'm just saying what does it matter for that particular hole if you're still scoring the same?

 

[PerpetualNewbie]

I love this thread. This weekend, I will be trying to delay my reachback during field practice. Apparently, I've been taking the advice "work around the disc" the wrong way.

Not to complicate this further for you, but as I've been working this week to tighten up my timing a bit and continue to improve, one thing I've found is that you can start the reachback of the disc before really turning the shoulders, and then use the shoulder turn as the final loading step of your core "spring".

So, resist the shoulder turn, but begin your reachback during the "hop"/x-step... you'll know you're getting it when you start to feel your chin tucking into your shoulder.

That said... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SyJncrY7zUE This guy gives me pause. The timing may help me find the proper weight shift. But it looks like it is possible to execute the weight shift without the timing. So, it's seems probable you can nail the timing without achieving the weight-shift.

There is no real "right" way to throw a disc, but there are a lot of correct body mechanics that need to take place to keep from strong-arming your throw.

Why is nothing ever easy?

Few things that are easy are worth doing... the satisfaction you'll experience once you start to really get it will be worth the struggle. I've been at this for nearly a year and it's just now starting to really come together for me.

 

[PerpetualNewbie]

ok, here's another tip I've worked out after a couple of bad tournament weekends:

A crucial part of staying balanced/athletic and getting a good pull-through on the drive is that final brace against the front leg for your weight shift... if you have short teepads and muddy areas at the front of the teepad where you start your drive that prevents you from getting full extension on your runup/x-step, shorten up your first couple of steps to give yourself plenty of room to extend and brace that front leg without worrying about stepping/falling off the end of the pad.

This seems simple in retrospect, but it's taken me two weeks of field work, recreational rounds and video analysis for me to get it figured out. Driving off my driveway and in my back field where I didn't have any footwork restrictions I was my "normal" self. Dealing with short teepads and muddy conditions at the tournament this weekend I was a mess, no matter how much I implemented my "resist the turn" breakthrough that started this thread.

Just goes to show, just when you think you know what "it" is, this game smacks you on the head and says "not so fast, smart guy... figure THIS ONE out now"

 

[knettles]

ok, here's another tip I've worked out after a couple of bad tournament weekends:

A crucial part of staying balanced/athletic and getting a good pull-through on the drive is that final brace against the front leg for your weight shift... if you have short teepads and muddy areas at the front of the teepad where you start your drive that prevents you from getting full extension on your runup/x-step, shorten up your first couple of steps to give yourself plenty of room to extend and brace that front leg without worrying about stepping/falling off the end of the pad.

This seems simple in retrospect, but it's taken me two weeks of field work, recreational rounds and video analysis for me to get it figured out. Driving off my driveway and in my back field where I didn't have any footwork restrictions I was my "normal" self. Dealing with short teepads and muddy conditions at the tournament this weekend I was a mess, no matter how much I implemented my "resist the turn" breakthrough that started this thread.

Just goes to show, just when you think you know what "it" is, this game smacks you on the head and says "not so fast, smart guy... figure THIS ONE out now"

I agree with this part especially. So many courses have I played where the course builders didn't understand the importance of correct teepads. Ten feet long people.

 

[clard]

One of my local courses is slowly putting in longer teepads, but most of them are about 5 or 6 feet long with a drop off at the back so it's not even level with the dirt! Being a tall dude I can barely get a run up at all on these without worrying about tripping over the back. I'd be willing to bet short teepads cost me 1 to 3 strokes a round.

 

[A rod]

Towel drills daily for 2 weeks after reclaiming my timing to keep the form strong. A string of bad weather has fizzled my motivation and had the worst round I've thrown in a year. Just 2 days after having a personal best on distance at a course I don't play often. Landing within the circle on two 400+ holes off the tee.

Ugh back to the towel.

I've tried simplifying the form down to a few key components to keep a hold on it, but as I incorporate changes my mind goes blank on what I've previously focused on. Similar experiences?

 

[Krinkncrank]

Death to short tee-pads!

 

[Mocheez]

They are a lot worse when you have long legs.

 

[Krinkncrank]

Death to long legs!

Wait a minute, I have long legs...

 

[Star Shark]

Ok, update.

Between all this stuff I've been throwing 330 like clockwork. And I'm just threw back to back shots out to 355 and 360. For some reason on my really long throws I'll yank them way right. Probably about 50-60 feet to the right of my target.

This thread has been so awesome I thought I'd ask here. Any tips?

I have this same problem. You're forgetting the pause in the shoulder turn. You turn from your reachback until your shoulders are on line with your intended flight path. Stop them there until after release when your arm swing will force the rest of the shoulder turn.

 

[knettles]

One of my local courses is slowly putting in longer teepads, but most of them are about 5 or 6 feet long with a drop off at the back so it's not even level with the dirt! Being a tall dude I can barely get a run up at all on these without worrying about tripping over the back. I'd be willing to bet short teepads cost me 1 to 3 strokes a round.

That would piss me off to no end. Especially considering the standard is supposed to be twice that length. Played a course recently with natural tees around that length. They weren't even flat. I'd say they easily cost me 3 strokes on just 9 holes. Also forced me to throw most from a standstill (which is good practice I'll admit). But no one should be forced to throw from a standstill on the tee.

Sorry, I got a little worked up there. This is a touchy subject for me.

 

[sidewinder22]

Towel drills daily for 2 weeks after reclaiming my timing to keep the form strong. A string of bad weather has fizzled my motivation and had the worst round I've thrown in a year. Just 2 days after having a personal best on distance at a course I don't play often. Landing within the circle on two 400+ holes off the tee.

Ugh back to the towel.

I've tried simplifying the form down to a few key components to keep a hold on it, but as I incorporate changes my mind goes blank on what I've previously focused on. Similar experiences?

I'm not a big fan of the towel drill. It is good for demonstrating gross acceleration error and warming up, but it doesn't teach timing and can mess up your elbow. You are better off swinging a hammer around.

 

[Krinkncrank]

I have this same problem. You're forgetting the pause in the shoulder turn. You turn from your reachback until your shoulders are on line with your intended flight path. Stop them there until after release when your arm swing will force the rest of the shoulder turn.

I find that very helpful advice -thanks! :thmbup:

 

[disc gopher]

It will never and and you'll never find this "it" you're speaking of. All you can do is try to throw more shots than anybody else and actually practice, don't just play rounds. I used to overthink things and quantify my form, which got frustrating.

When anyone shows up to a big tournament they're nervous and the only way to truly calm those nerves is to be able to look around and know that nobody there has put more hours and throws in than you. Finding "it" is a waste of time and a path to inconsistency.

 

[Kodachrome]

I'd be willing to bet short teepads cost me 1 to 3 strokes a round.

i'm not super tall, i'm 6'2", but this is part of why i started doing a small "hop" 90% of the time instead of a run-up. if the tee is level with the ground, it's just a bonus to me if i really need it. we don't have a lot of huge teepads around here.