where to look, or closed eyes

[timothy42b]

IIRC the advice here is to look at your disc or your thumb on the backswing.

Videos of the pros show them mostly looking forward of their chest during the pull, not towards the target.

I played a round Saturday with an athletic 20s youngster who outdrives me by a good 100 feet. He noticed on the first hole that I was closing my eyes on the throw, and mentioned it a couple more times. I didn't pay a lot of attention during the round but I'm thinking about it now.

I'll have to video and watch for this. I did a couple throws in the mirror but obviously you keep your eyes open then. I'm guessing this is a bad habit?

I noticed on the first hole that he was rounding, really rounding. He's flexible enough to get the disc back almost 270 degrees. But I didn't say anything until after the round, which I won by 2 strokes. Hee, hee.

 

[HyzerUniBomber]

That's an interesting question. I like to keep my eyes on the target until I initiate the backswing, at which point the eyes roughly follow the disc... but I don't look at the disc. In fact I think I could throw just fine if I did close my eyes, because once my body is lined up and my trajectory is set - then it's just a matter of letting things unfold.

If anything, the habit of trying to look where the disc is going causes players to lead their shoulders with their head (bad thing).

Might have to try throwing with my eyes closed today and see what happens.

 

[Consult20]

That's an interesting question. I like to keep my eyes on the target until I initiate the backswing, at which point the eyes roughly follow the disc... but I don't look at the disc. In fact I think I could throw just fine if I did close my eyes, because once my body is lined up and my trajectory is set - then it's just a matter of letting things unfold.

If anything, the habit of trying to look where the disc is going causes players to lead their shoulders with their head (bad thing).

Might have to try throwing with my eyes closed today and see what happens.

I was going to say pretty much the same thing, but I wasn't sure when he is actually closing his eyes. If he's closing them while looking forward, well that's not good!

 

[Jax11]

I throw 95% of my tee shots FH. I like to pick a target off in the distance and lock in on it. Easier FH than BH. If I consciously feel my eyes shift during my throw its usually a bad throw. If I look at or think about that one tree off the fairway that I don't want to hit I usually throw right at it. Your body doesn't know the word "No" or "Don't", so if you look at what you don't want to hit, good luck!

Lastly, when I am playing well, I don't consciously take note of what my eyes are doing. Its just another swing thought that you don't need. If when you close your eyes you are visualizing your target and your line, I would argue that is far better than keeping your eyes open and locking onto a tree or obstacle you want to avoid.

 

[armiller]

I like forehand for the reason Jax mentioned. On backhand, I'm not sure what my eyes are doing, but I still have a problem hitting the line that I set up for (i.e. avoiding the obstacles that the course designers put in my way). I don't think the eyes matter much, as long as you're not pulling your head or doing anything else weird.

 

[vulture165]

I have no idea what I do with my eyes on my back swing (rhbh) but am terribly distracted if anyone is back there, especially if they are moving. Maybe looking at thumb or disc would help with this. I've never heard that advice. Anyone who looks at thumb/disc care to comment?

 

[timothy42b]

I'll try it both ways, but here's my guess.

If I just relaxed and shut my eyes like I was listening to music, probably no problem.

But if they're closing from tension when I make an effort, that would be bad.

 

[smarkquart]

I am sure you are going to get a million different answers, and I believe it comes down to how comfortable you are with your body.

While I keep my eyes open, I know that once I start my run up that I essentially shut off my eyes. They are open, but I am not focusing on anything until after the disc leaves my hand and I need to find it in the air. I am concentrating solely on my body movements. I am looking inwards, if you will. I am making sure that my feet hit their spots, that my arm is coming across the chest at the appropriate height for the shot that I want, that I have the correct wrist angle, and finally worrying about my follow-through footing so that I do not fall down. Only then do I try to track where my disc is at.

The reason that closing your eyes could be bad is more likely to readjusting to your body's orientation. If you believe you should be facing a certain direction based upon your perceived body motions and then suddenly realize that you are not, that can be a little jarring. Even if your eyes are not focusing and your brain is concentrating on something else, I am sure a small sliver of your attention, even if subconscious, is using your eyes to ensure that once you pay attention to your surroundings that they are exactly where you expected them to be.

 

[sidewinder22]

I have no idea what I do with my eyes on my back swing (rhbh) but am terribly distracted if anyone is back there, especially if they are moving. Maybe looking at thumb or disc would help with this. I've never heard that advice. Anyone who looks at thumb/disc care to comment?

It was advice I received when I first started playing from a local top pro that plays like Happy Gilmore. It's what I've continued to do and really solid advice. The thumb essentially controls everything the disc does and all the angles and power, it's like flinging your thumb pointed at the target. The thumb goes from 180 degrees away to pointed down the target line. You may see some pros looking forward slightly ahead of the swing, but the thumb will still come into view and still becomes your aiming mechanism.

 

[sublimesurf74]

Closing your eyes would not be a good idea. If you just stand on one leg in place and close your eyes, notice how it affects your balance.

 

[PBokor]

Maybe looking at thumb ... ?

...The thumb essentially controls everything the disc does and all the angles and power, it's like flinging your thumb pointed at the target...

WOW. This single sentence just instantly improved my driving, up shots, and putting, without any other modifications. Thanks.

 

[BrotherDave]

I get lots of comments about how it looks like my eyes are closed and how little I look at the target but really after I have my target stared down and a mental image taken my eyes just gloss over and I start "seeing" with my feet and mind. The only thing I really look at in terms of the disc is making sure I'm not pulling too early/faster than I should relative to my body position.

I don't know if this is good or bad but what I can tell you that I learned long ago that trying to keep eyes on the target (RHBH) is not conducive to my throw and very bad at murdering my follow-through.

 

[VictorB]

I have no idea what I do with my eyes on my back swing (rhbh) but am terribly distracted if anyone is back there, especially if they are moving. Maybe looking at thumb or disc would help with this. I've never heard that advice. Anyone who looks at thumb/disc care to comment?

I keep my eyes on the target until I start to reach back - then I shift my focus to my hand/disc but don't intently stare at it. It's kind of weird to explain but my eyes are pointed toward my disc, but what I'm seeing in my head is my footwork and target.

Good proprioception and spatial awareness is probably the root cause of being able to track the disc in my reach back but still focus on what my body is doing and where I need to throw.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Proprioception

 

[DiscFifty]

I've been doing the Paul McBeth method lately, keep the eyes on the target as long as possible through the entire throw. Accuracy has improved with a slight reduction in distance.

 

[demon102]

My drives fly all over the place unless I keep my eyes on the target or at least keep it in my peripheral. I just realized this about myself and the accuracy improved greatly. This is how I used to drive when I first started playing too. I'm guessing it effects distance but seems worth it cuz I'm not chucking it into treelines/out of bounds. Just played a round yesterday at a new course and used this and got decent accuracy and some bad shots but was rather forgiving bad shots.

 

[sidewinder22]

The body really does the aiming. If you are setup with your body in position to the target line, then your swing should follow to the target and be accurate even without looking at it. If you are spraying and have to look to be accurate then your swing is not repeatable and are trying to micro-adjust from your own swing inconsistencies/flaws.

You don't see ball golfers looking at their target line at the hit, they are looking at the ball to make good contact with the ball and their body/setup does the aiming to the target line. Same thing in disc golf, I watch my swing arc/disc to make good contact with the disc at the hit. If I make good contact with the disc and my body is setup for aiming then I'm good to go, plus I don't have to worry about looking at those trees.

 

[rhatton1]

The body really does the aiming. If you are setup with your body in position to the target line, then your swing should follow to the target and be accurate even without looking at it. If you are spraying and have to look to be accurate then your swing is not repeatable and are trying to micro-adjust from your own swing inconsistencies/flaws.

You don't see ball golfers looking at their target line at the hit, they are looking at the ball to make good contact with the ball and their body/setup does the aiming to the target line. Same thing in disc golf, I watch my swing arc/disc to make good contact with the disc at the hit. If I make good contact with the disc and my body is setup for aiming then I'm good to go, plus I don't have to worry about looking at those trees.

:clap:

 

[zj1002]

The body really does the aiming. If you are setup with your body in position to the target line, then your swing should follow to the target and be accurate even without looking at it. If you are spraying and have to look to be accurate then your swing is not repeatable and are trying to micro-adjust from your own swing inconsistencies/flaws.

You don't see ball golfers looking at their target line at the hit, they are looking at the ball to make good contact with the ball and their body/setup does the aiming to the target line. Same thing in disc golf, I watch my swing arc/disc to make good contact with the disc at the hit. If I make good contact with the disc and my body is setup for aiming then I'm good to go, plus I don't have to worry about looking at those trees.

This 100%. I let my body do a lot of the aiming off the box. I really end up just watching where I want to finish through with the disc so that I focus on that. If I release it there, the disc will go to the end point.

In videos of me, specifically the Yeti clinic one, you will see me look at the ground as well. I'm literally looking at the line I want to go down off the box. I'll look at that and my ideal point of release. That is all it takes. The mechanics I've practiced and momentum do the rest.

My best advice for the OP is everyone is a little different though. So do whats successful for you! Just understand why others do what they do.

 

[threevok]

...The thumb essentially controls everything the disc does and all the angles and power, it's like flinging your thumb pointed at the target. The thumb goes from 180 degrees away to pointed down the target line. You may see some pros looking forward slightly ahead of the swing, but the thumb will still come into view and still becomes your aiming mechanism.

Pretty good rule of thumb.