Tomahawk, when to use it.

[Grinder12000]

While watching the Mad City Open one hole had two contestants and a big question mark appeared above my head.

I didn't think they would go OVER the trees which is the only time I throw it. Was it because it was into a wind?

So, what are the reasons, beside getting out of trouble to throw a tomahawk.

 

[depster]

Whenever you thing it will yield the best possible result, that's when. Like more often than not I will gladly throw a thumber as an upshot even in a wide open field, just cause I feel more comfortable throwing one. It does limit the ability of a fairway ace, but how many of those do you hit in a week. I'd rather just get the tap in three rather then blow by it and miss my put.

 

[Grinder12000]

What percentage to people throw them and if you can throw 300 feet what is the normal length you can throw a thumber.

 

[ern19]

I'd say 1/2 the people I throw with use a thumber/tommy at least once per round. There's no "normal" length really, I know guys who can throw them 400', whereas I top out around 250' or so.

It's a very useful shot to learn, you'll open up a lot of new lines for yourself if you can throw an average thumber.

 

[Flip Hyzerman]

Overhand = includes Thumbers and Tomahawks.

Tomahawk = similar to sidearm grip - usually two fingers or power gripped; starts to the right and finishes left for a RH player.

Thumber = completely different grip using thumb to 'hook' the rim and thrown like a fastball; starts to the left and finishes right for a RH player.

Most 'overhanders' are good at one and not the other - sidearm people tend to gravitate towards tomahawks. Both shots can be used for precise placement, distance (typically very OS discs like the Firebird), and just to get over obstacles. Headwind causes a thumber or tomahawk to 'lose' its' flex out to the left or right (in the early portion of the flight) - essentially forcing it straight and then heading left or right (depending on shot) of a 'straight-center' shot. Angle of throwing can also have a big impact on how much a disc flexes out to one side and/or when it begins it's fade back to the left or right. For example, using something like a Firebird for distance and throwing it on a near-vertical (|) angle will cause it to flex out hard and fight back to a 'straight-center' landing spot; throwing a Zone on a near horizontal angle (-), which is really tough to do with a tomahawk and easy with a thumber, will result in almost an immediate 'fade' action (right for RH) with no early flex ... making it useful for sharp angles and weird approaches.

OH shots are some of the least understood shots in DG - and some of the least performed as they are not particularly good on the elbow and shoulder and require some natural arm strength and baseball type skills to throw effectively. Even though I can throw a good thumber I've learned to rely on my backhand instead; prolonged and constant OH shots will eventually result in injury. I try not to throw more than 3 per round - often just 1 or 2.

While watching the Mad City Open one hole had two contestants and a big question mark appeared above my head.

I didn't think they would go OVER the trees which is the only time I throw it. Was it because it was into a wind?

So, what are the reasons, beside getting out of trouble to throw a tomahawk.

 

[Qikly]

I've been experimenting with overhand throws in the field for a few months now. I'd been trying tomahawks, without much success, but recently tried out a thumber and found it to work much better for me. Still trying to figure out what situations to throw it on the course, mostly because I'm not used to seeing the lines it opens up. FH, that's a great breakdown!

 

[Flip Hyzerman]

I'd say maybe 40% of the people I play with throw some kind of OH shot - many just once or twice a round. I've met a good number of people who can't throw one, due to shoulder issues, lack of arm strength (though 'snap' can be applied to an OH shot), or just not being particularly comfortable throwing a baseball type shot. The best OH players I know tend to look like they are jumping or going from low to high as they throw and release (like they are pushing the shot up and out as well as throwing it) - they also tend to look like they are throwing higher than necessary as they understand distance for an OH shot is often a matter of the right height. Distance OH shots tend to be thrown with the super OS discs like the Firebird, XXX, Nuke OS, Predator, etc. I find any rim wider than the Firebird to hurt my ability to grip a thumber and I can get all the distance I want with a speed 9. OH shots can be thrown for anywhere from 100-400ft+ (even more with an Epic) - rarely do I choose to try to OH a shot over 300ft; I can get further with a backhand. Your BH distance will have very little correlation with your OH distance - there are plenty of folks who can probably OH a shot further than their BH.

What percentage to people throw them and if you can throw 300 feet what is the normal length you can throw a thumber.

 

[B00kbinder]

Due to it bothering my shoulder I don't tend to throw a hammer (tomahawk) very often unless its a short-ish get out of trouble shot. But if I can't throw a spike hyzer because I'm too close to an obstacle (usually a tree but some hills) I'll throw one, but definitely less than one per round on average.

 

[DiscinFiend]

I throw overhands a lot more than most people (around 5-7 times a round on average). I tomahawk 350-375ft consistently & thumber around 250ft consistently. Obviously when the opportunity presents itself to throw over an obstacle like a tree I feel very comfortable doing so throwing overhand. I use overhand (mostly tomahawk) for a lot more than just getting out of trouble or throwing over obstacles. If I have a shot with enough clearing above the tee pad & the hole is in the 250-350ft range I feel overhand is more accurate than a backhand or sidearm throw (for me at least). I've heard many people say that they don't like overhand throws b/c of the "squirrely landing" but I don't find this to be true. If you throw on an angle that isn't straight up & down the chance of a roll is significantly lower. I also like to throw short skip shots with overhand throws. I throw the shot with the flight plate parallel to the ground (like an upside down forehand throw) & use it for 90 degree turn skip shots (usually in the woods) to defeat some fairways. If i want a bomb overhand I will throw with the disc straight up & down to purposely get a roll after it hits the ground. I find if the ground is soft &/or wet I'm even more deadly accurate with it b/c it will stick in the ground where it lands (land shark). I also find stretching/warming up your arm & shoulder helps a lot so you don't injure yourself & can even get you a little more distance.

 

[pointdisc]

While watching the Mad City Open one hole had two contestants and a big question mark appeared above my head.

I didn't think they would go OVER the trees which is the only time I throw it. Was it because it was into a wind?

So, what are the reasons, beside getting out of trouble to throw a tomahawk.

Just curious, which hole?

Answer - well written ones above, but as someone who throws OH more than most I use it to get the best result or when the situation calls for it. Going over trees/obstacles is at times better, easier, and possibly shorter than trying to go through/around them (Hole 16 at Token for example - OH shortcut over everything).

 

[Grinder12000]

It was #26 but looking at it now I can see why they might try going over (and I believe they were successful at it). FOR ME - a solid 770 rating I would basically just try to get near the two trees LOL

I learned a lot from watching those four (actually 7 as I followed the woman for 18 holes in their championship round) and actually used a few of the knowledge tidbits yesterday with success.

 

[ejvogie]

Distance for back/forehands and overhands are 2 completely different animals. While a backhand/forehand requires better form to get distance, an overhand deals more with arm strength and the discs natural stability (not to say form isn't important, just less so).

The more OS the disc, the longer it will take to flip. Also, the disc has to be ACTUALLY overstable, not just something that's meathook-ish for you because it's too fast for your noodle arm

 

[DiscinFiend]

The more OS the disc, the longer it will take to flip. Also, the disc has to be ACTUALLY overstable, not just something that's meathook-ish for you because it's too fast for your noodle arm

:thmbup: This is huge IMO

 

[ejvogie]

Also, disc speed doesn't matter quite as much. When I thumbed (can't anymore due to rotator cuff issues) I could huck a Whippet just as far as my Firebird.

 

[DiscJunkie]

The more OS the disc, the longer it will take to flip. Also, the disc has to be ACTUALLY overstable, not just something that's meathook-ish for you because it's too fast for your noodle arm

:thmbup: This is huge IMO

Overstability is a function of speed and disc design.
An Avenger SS can be VERY stable if you only throw it 50-100ft.

Another factor to consider is that if you cannot throw a really overstable disc (Champ Glo FB) as a tomahawk fast enough, it will turn into a roller. This may not be a problem for you, but for new players and juniors and ladies, they need to throw the disc that works for them.
In a shorter version, the most overstable disc is not always the best disc. Experiment and throw what works for you.

 

[Tenacious EJ]

I know my tomahawk distance cold. I use it a lot lately when I have a straight throw with plenty of airspace. I've parked several tomahawks right under the basket of late, including one on 16 at UNC's course that clanged off the basket that would have been a hell of a birdie.

 

[cubby96]

I used to piss off one of my buddies by consistently parking a 250-260 foot hole with a tomahawk drive. It was so easy, until I blew up my rotator cuff throwing it one day. Three months later, I can throw some forehand again. Overhand really stresses the muscles still, so I remain on Tomahawk hiatus. I should probably do some specialized exercises, but it was never that big a part of my game to begin with and I would benefit more from spending the time practicing my putting.

 

[BogeyNoMore]

One would think that from a physics standpoint, throwing overahand brings an entirely different set of dyanmics into play that's a lot harder to breakdown and analyze. For example, the lift force that's fairly simple to understand on a regular throw is essentially perpedendicular to the flight plate, and is therefore continuously changing direction as a disc tumbles through the air on an OH shot.

I would imagine the same forces that cause turn and fade also come into effect, but I personally have no clue how. Yet somehow, I manage to use them somewhat effectively without much of a clue how they work, mostly through observation, and trial & error.

 

[dekdo]

"Almost never" -My Shoulder


I only throw them on shorter shots that I need to get out of trouble.. If i try and throw it far my shoulder is not going to like it.

 

[tylerc]

this thread has made me wonder. does anyone actually use the skamahawk in replacement of an over hand shot? not sure if that's spelled correctly...