Optimal height for drives

[Qstick333]

This is something I have been experimenting with lately. As a new player, I am not sure I will come up with the proper answer though.

Obviously some of it is based on the flight path you are trying to achieve....

When driving, is there an optimal height that should be the goal? When i watch videos of the top players, they seem to be all over the place.

 

[ahanley89]

I find that, the lower the better... better chances to skip ace, or bounce to a better position... When its released High and thrown high the wind does what it wants and doesn't go as far...

 

[Aim For The Chains]

its more that there is a trajectory which has optimal height for the line you are trying to hit and overall power level.

so really--

MOST of it is based on the flight path you are trying to achieve....

 

[jrawk]

Depends on your intended line. If you're trying to throw a straight shot without left or right action, less than 10ft.

 

[46YearOldSlinger]

Definitely depends on the line you want. For example if want a little more fade at the very end of the flight I'll sometimes give it a little extra height versus a lower line if I'd like to minimize the fade at the end.

If I'm trying to throw a line drive down the middle that finishes straight I think about 10 to 15ft high works best for me.

 

[Dan Ensor]

You want to get the nose down at the apex. Something really flippy, or thrown on a flex line, can be thrown pretty high (50' maybe). If you're throwing something stable, and want it to go dead nuts straight, you're probably looking at 15-20'.

 

[Questatement]

If you're throwing something stable, and want it to go dead nuts straight, you're probably looking at 15-20'.

I would qualify this one by saying if you're dealing with getting under a canopy of less than 30', aim for the bottom third when it gets to that canopy. 25' canopy = 8-9' off the ground, 20' canopy = 6-7' off the ground, etc.

Hitting the ground hard and level often doesn't lose much distance whereas hitting a tree often kicks it backward from the strike point.

 

[jrawk]

Definitely depends on the line you want. For example if want a little more fade at the very end of the flight I'll sometimes give it a little extra height versus a lower line if I'd like to minimize the fade at the end.

If I'm trying to throw a line drive down the middle that finishes straight I think about 10 to 15ft high works best for me.

You want to get the nose down at the apex. Something really flippy, or thrown on a flex line, can be thrown pretty high (50' maybe). If you're throwing something stable, and want it to go dead nuts straight, you're probably looking at 15-20'.

no no no.. lol ... do you guys realize how high 15 feet is? The average house's ceiling height is 8 feet. <---- double that... you should be keeping almost all drives well below 15 feet. fade shots, turn shots, flip shots.

I'll conceed overhand, spike hyzers, and pure distance lines. Driving 350 feet with 6 feet max elevation is not that hard.

 

[garublador]

no no no.. lol ... do you guys realize how high 15 feet is? The average house's ceiling height is 8 feet. <---- double that... you should be keeping almost all drives well below 15 feet. fade shots, turn shots, flip shots.

I'll conceed overhand, spike hyzers, and pure distance lines. Driving 350 feet with 6 feet max elevation is not that hard.

I don't agree with that. Slower discs tend to require more height to go farther and are easier to throw higher and nose down. Mids and putters will require more than 15' to get the most distance out of them. One benefit of that is it's easier to "range" with them using how high you throw because it takes a larger change in height to get the same change in distance. So many of your mid and putter shots will be in that 15'-20' high range. Some of your longer fairway driver shots might be up there, too. My guess is few of your distance driver golf shots will be that high, though.

 

[Smigles]

pure distance lines : as high as you can
spyke hyzers : high enugh to get over the obstacle
hyzer flip that should go straight down an alley : maybe 10 feet at most

"drives" arent just drives. There is always a line you want to hit.