Wow I am liking this higher elevation stuff

[newhuck]

I took a road trip from Southern California to Utah to get in some spring skiing with the kids. I looked up on DGcoursereview and decided to try Creekside Park. I found the park no problem and was a little leery about throwing to a basket that was not far from on coming cars, anyway there were pretty constant winds and I let the disc rip. To my amazement on a straight drive, my disc went flat out and then started gaining altitude and sailed near the basket at 350 feet before pulling left. I looked at my GPS and it was showing around 4300 feet elevation. The remaining holes also gave me far greater distances than what I usually get at elevation 0. The wind didn't seem to bother the Avenger SS and Tee Bird that I was throwing. This is a nice spot, but I was the only one who I heard yell fore, when one drive went near some folks. I'll try to hit this course again before I leave, probably after skiing. We are staying at Solitude, and they have disc golf here in the summer with the chair lift taking you up to start the round. The elevation here at the base where I am staying is over 8000 feet, I am really wondering how far these discs will go.

Anyone else notice big difference in distance at higher elevations?

 

[leppard]

I was just thinking about this today. About how much farther were you throwing? And what was the difference in elevation? 0 and 4300?

 

[cheddapig]

dont quote me but from wha i hear the thinner the air is the less drag is put on the disc equalling more distance

 

[Apothecary]

dont quote me but from wha i hear the thinner the air is the less drag is put on the disc equalling more distance

thats half of it. in addition to less drag, the action on the discs is different up high. its much harder to turn discs over, so your light stuff will glide for days when they would turn and burn at sea level.

 

[newhuck]

I was just thinking about this today. About how much farther were you throwing? And what was the difference in elevation? 0 and 4300?

It seems like I am throwing 25-50 feet more, although that is just a guess. The main thing is that the flight characteristics seems to have changed at this altitude. Yes I normally throw near sea level in California, and am at 4300 feet in Utah at this course. I don't know how much effect the wind is having, will probably go again today with less wind and see how it goes.

 

[cjskier]

I play at 5500 feet daily, and don't notice any distance improvement over playing at sea level. Maybe a foot or two...

 

[Camgolfer]

5280 baby! Try playing Beaver Ranch near 8000ft or some other courses that are higher. a course in NM is at 10,600ft. Crazy. You almost need oxygen to play that high.

 

[leppard]

5280 baby! Try playing Beaver Ranch near 8000ft or some other courses that are higher. a course in NM is at 10,600ft. Crazy. You almost need oxygen to play that high.

How much farther do you throw at those altitudes?

 

[Myers]

I was in northern Cali (Sacramento) last year and I would go up to tahoe to play and I definitely noticed all my understable plastic suddenly became stable. I did not notice a difference in distance necessarily but flight characteristics that I knew I had to throw out the window. need all your lightweight and flippy stuff at those altitudes.

 

[cornelius]

i personally find the opposite for me lower altitude=more distance and that is due to the fact that lower elevation has thicker air which holds the disc aloft longer

 

[leppard]

A thread with some good info:

http://www.dgcoursereview.com/forums/showthread.php?t=7515

 

[norcaldisc]

i personally find the opposite for me lower altitude=more distance and that is due to the fact that lower elevation has thicker air which holds the disc aloft longer

I agree with this assessment. Throwing on flat ground at high elevations your flight is much more stable. However the air underneath the disc is thinner thus lowering your distance. Higher elevations obviously have more peaks and valleys thus possibly giving the impression of longer throws than usual.

 

[newhuck]

A big snowstorm hit so I wasn't able to go back an play. Based on all that I am reading, maybe it was the wind getting under my disc that was contributing to greater distances. They were definitely flying nice and straight unless I went for a nice hyzer shot. I'll be back, maybe in summer and will report my findings next time I play. I also want to check out wrightwood here in CA.

 

[norcaldisc]

I was in northern Cali (Sacramento) last year and I would go up to tahoe to play and I definitely noticed all my understable plastic suddenly became stable. I did not notice a difference in distance necessarily but flight characteristics that I knew I had to throw out the window. need all your lightweight and flippy stuff at those altitudes.

I can't wait until the snow melts in Tahoe to see how a Katana flies up there.

 

[rybassett]

I live up in Tahoe. We make it down the hill all winter playing grass valley, auburn, penn, sac. I find that all my discs fly way less stable down there than they are up in tahoe which is at about 6200'-6500'. Never really have noticed a difference in distance though