Distance plateaus... which one is most difficult to overcome?

[Twmccoy]

I'm curious to hear which distances are hardest for people to achieve. Is it 250'-300', 300'-350', 350'-400', 400'-450', or 450'-500'?

I had been stuck at 400'ish for a long time. lately some field work and better disc selection have me bumping 450' on a semi regular basis now. I'd say that has been my hardest plateau to overcome by far. I feel like surpassing 400' has taken a combination of increased arm speed, slight alterations in mechanics and better disc selection.

Everything short of 400' I basically achieved with brute strength. 400'+ is more technique based. The disc needs a proper S curve flight pattern and lots of glide.

The advent of the Shryke and other such discs helped. I noticed IMMEDIATE distance gains when I started throwing Shrykes, Terns, and the Prodigy D3. Now I'm working on translating those gains into more stable discs like Bosses, Nukes, ETC.

 

[Jenga54]

getting out of that mile high thin air will help. then yes, technique. everyone's plateaus are different based on strength and body type, but it's very typical to hit plateaus and eventually there's a limit anyway.

remember - working on gaining 10-20' in an open field is fun for bragging rights, but how many holes are really like that? placing a 350' shot in center fairway is way better than 375' just barely off the fairway in a bad line to the pin.

 

[ru4por]

Years of playing has taught me that saving strokes is far less about the distance than putting and course management. As Jenga states, there are limitations of age, body, and strength that I can do nothing about.....well, not much anyway. I honestly don't have many courses around here where 500ft power comes into practical play.

 

[DavidSauls]

I plateaued at 300-350', but that was many years and injuries ago. I'm now tumbling down the back side of the plateau, trying to find something I can grab a hold of and ease the fall.

 

[GoobyPls]

I've been stuck at 300' for fairways (like 325' or so for distance drivers) for about 8 months now. I'm wondering if I'm going to be able to get much more at this point.

 

[roggenb3]

I honestly don't have many courses around here where 500ft power comes into practical play.

Sure you do. 500 ft power means you can now throw an easy hyzer on that open 350' hole. Or a putter for that 300' tunnel.

 

[slowplastic]

400' is brutal. I've been in this range for a long time. I've thrown golf lines 430'+ many times, but I still consider myself a 400' arm because those shots are not expected at all. You have to get a lot of things right to throw 400', but it seems like everything has to be right to throw past it. At the previous barriers from 300' and up, like 25' or so increments, it would just take a major change or two to really help me get to the next level. It's not easy but it definitely happens. At this stage I've improved my form so much compared to before, and I'm throwing so much more easily, but my max end hasn't gone up.

Honestly it's ok though, I know I'll get through it. But my consistency and ease is so much better. I'd rather have a somewhat controlled 400' than a fast run up and smash it 400' like I used to. And I realize now that my form before was missing a ton even though I could still throw that far, and now it's still not right but I know it better.

And sure not every hole is 400' plus, but I can throw a pure hyzer midrange on 300'+ holes if I want to. That's a huge advantage over someone throwing 325-350' on the same 300' hole, who has to throw a straighter fairway shot. By the same logic I'd love to have 450-500', it'd make holes in the 350-400' range so effortless. Plus the better your form, the more reproducible it is shot to shot and day to day. And it is just easier to throw smoother.

 

[Twmccoy]

getting out of that mile high thin air will help. then yes, technique. everyone's plateaus are different based on strength and body type, but it's very typical to hit plateaus and eventually there's a limit anyway.

remember - working on gaining 10-20' in an open field is fun for bragging rights, but how many holes are really like that? placing a 350' shot in center fairway is way better than 375' just barely off the fairway in a bad line to the pin.

CO courses have a pretty good mix of shots that favor accuracy vs. all out distance. All the courses in the Denver area are pretty open and for the most part you can grip and rip on the longer holes. I agree accuracy is generally more important than all out distance.

400' of consistent, accurate power will get you by at any DG course I've ever seen.

I also agree that having 500' power can allow you to take some off for an easy, accurate 400' when needed.

 

[Twmccoy]

I will also agree that with the 450' distance shots there has been some growing pains. The accuracy can be spotty. I've had some wild tee shots at the course I usually play at. Luckily its a really open layout with no real bad OBs, water, or major risk of losing discs. The course does have a few open bomber holes where 450' is very beneficial and will put you within putting distance.

I feel like I can toss 450' semi-consistently now, but I need to put a little time into refining the accuracy. I WILL say that knowing what disc to use when going for all out bombs is very important. Just because I CAN throw a Shryke 450' doesn't mean I want it on every open hole. If there's even a slight breeze at my face the thing will ride too far right. I'm almost at the point I'd rather grab a disc that's a hair overstable for my liking and just rip the living hell out of it flat. That ends up being more accurate than trying to pick the right angle to hyzerflip a Shryke from.

I also agree that having 450' max distance makes those 400' holes easier. Lately I've been throwing easy, relaxed shots on 400'ish holes and reaching them consistently and accurately.

 

[Putt for D'oh]

Everything short of 400' I basically achieved with brute strength. 400'+ is more technique based. The disc needs a proper S curve flight pattern and lots of glide.

This sounds kinda right though I'm thinking your brute strength is pretty damn burly or you are above average in natural athletic ability where balance and movement work so you may be doing things right some people need more help to get to click.

That 400' barrier is a monster. It does feel like the ability to pass 350' can be done with a lot wrong in the throw, even with a bit of accuracy. When I first started the journey towards learning to throw about 2.5 years ago I was doing so much wrong but due to general athletic ability and balance could uncork one over 350' regularly... accuracy was random and consistency was not a thing at all.

Since coming here and working on form specific there have been more hurdles in getting things right, some huge regressions in distance but as the distance has climbed back up so has the accuracy. I wouldn't say I have 400' of power because it is still so inconsistent and rare, but yesterday I did throw a Sheriff about 420'. on a for funzies second drive on a 385' hole.

Right now I am not getting near enough video of myself but when I have there are still glaring holes, but I am also getting everything to fall into place more and more often.
I'm getting to the point I'm getting my ego stroked by the people I casually know through disc golf and play with occasionally. More experienced players who introduce me as a "guy that bombs" and people with similar amount of time in the game talk about their goals of "controlled power" like me.

Just from what I see others doing and the threads in the form critique section I would think just about anyone should be able to break 350' with accuracy with fairway drivers. That level of power with accuracy seems hand in hand with each other with proper form, that anyone can achieve with some video analysis here. To go beyond that makes me wonder if there needs to also be above average natural athleticism.

My goal right now is to break 400' with consistency with my Teebird. Some days that feels very doable in the near future. Some days it feels like an impossibility.

 

[F. Howl]

The distance that gives my game the most trouble is that 25-45ft to the bottom of the basket. Otherwise if you have 450ft of consistent accurate power, the courses around me would be easy work for you.

 

[Twmccoy]

The distance that gives my game the most trouble is that 25-45ft to the bottom of the basket. Otherwise if you have 450ft of consistent accurate power, the courses around me would be easy work for you.

Yeah, the only courses I have no real answer for are ones in trees or ones that have tons of arbitrary OBs that force you to drive super accurately.

Some courses in CO have lakes, but unless you're in the mountains you won't run into a whole lot of shots through trees. Very few forested courses.

I've played DG for about 14 years. Never taken it overly seriously and only recently have put real work into improving technique and distance. 350' was easy for me. I was probably scraping that within 2 years of playing. 400' took longer, and 450' took much longer still.

 

[sidewinder22]

It's kind of a flawed question because those plateaus are going to depend on a number of things, age probably numero uno. The younger you are, the faster you learn. Also the longer you have played with bad form, the harder it is to unlearn those bad habits. I always gauged my progress with how far I could throw my putter, mid, or fairway driver and how effortless it was. High speed discs are too flakey to really gauge any kind of improvement.

I remember having a hell of time trying to break 300' BH with my Boss with all my brute strength, and my putter would turn and burn at 200'. This was back in the dark ages before I found DGR or DGCR and had like zero understanding of the BH throw, although I could throw FH 400'+ effortless. Luckily Snap 2009 came out when I was still learning and it was like the age of enlightenment for me to reach 300' BH with my putter over the process about 6 months of heavy field work and video analysis. After that plateau it was a combination of Blake_T threads and Shawn Clement and Mike Maves videos and more video analysis. Once I figured out "the move", I knew it was just a matter of practicing it, a lot(years), and getting my balance to be second nature like it was for my FH due to heavy pitching background at younger age.

 

[Aim For The Chains]

^sounds similar. Id say the 450-500 in my case never been able to break it outside of some crazy luck/force.

Hell ive seen my best friend throw a beat to hell leopard over the stream on the BRP old flat driving range hole which he will never do again but it was amazing. Disc golf is a weird battle.

 

[DiscinFiend]

I honestly don't have many courses around here where 500ft power comes into practical play.

I really hate this mindset. I think putting is by far the most important aspect of the game. I could even argue approach shots being the second most important. That still doesn't take away from the advantages of being able to throw far. Let's say there's a 300' hole where I'm throwing a putter & my competition is throwing a driver. My putter will skip less, land softer & fly straighter. The shorter holes are the biggest advantage for guys with a lot of distance. I may gain a stroke on occasion on long open holes or being able to throw over the top of obstacles others can't. Those are less common than a 350' shot where I throw a mid & my opponent a distance driver.

 

[Twmccoy]

I really hate this mindset. I think putting is by far the most important aspect of the game. I could even argue approach shots being the second most important. That still doesn't take away from the advantages of being able to throw far. Let's say there's a 300' hole where I'm throwing a putter & my competition is throwing a driver. My putter will skip less, land softer & fly straighter. The shorter holes are the biggest advantage for guys with a lot of distance. I may gain a stroke on occasion on long open holes or being able to throw over the top of obstacles others can't. Those are less common than a 350' shot where I throw a mid & my opponent a distance driver.

Well, it goes to reason that a relaxed (not 100% power) throw will be more accurate than an all out rip. Having 500' power and not needing it is better than needing it and not having it. I for one enjoy being able to disc down a bit on shortish holes where other people are flinging a Boss at 100%.

I also agree that in the long term putting is the most important aspect of the game. Half (or more) of anyone's shots in an average round are putts.

 

[FrontRimBanger]

I'd say the step from 400s to 500s is the most difficult. I've found you can have a lot of form flaws and still throw 350'-375' fairly easily.

 

[ru4por]

I really hate this mindset. I think putting is by far the most important aspect of the game. I could even argue approach shots being the second most important. That still doesn't take away from the advantages of being able to throw far. Let's say there's a 300' hole where I'm throwing a putter & my competition is throwing a driver. My putter will skip less, land softer & fly straighter. The shorter holes are the biggest advantage for guys with a lot of distance. I may gain a stroke on occasion on long open holes or being able to throw over the top of obstacles others can't. Those are less common than a 350' shot where I throw a mid & my opponent a distance driver.

I don't want you to hate anything. I agree with you....to a point. Having the distance certainly can provide another option, but to what degree it is superior is probably a question. As a noodle arm, with considerable experience, I have become pretty adept at playing a skip to reach holes with a distance driver. If you park a putter, and I park a driver.......I don't think your shot was better. Are the chances of your putter parking, better than my driver? Not so sure, seems they are just different shots?

For the record, I don't have a noodle arm because I want to keep down the crazy long throws.

 

[pearlybakerbest]

I don't want you to hate anything. I agree with you....to a point. Having the distance certainly can provide another option, but to what degree it is superior is probably a question. As a noodle arm, with considerable experience, I have become pretty adept at playing a skip to reach holes with a distance driver. If you park a putter, and I park a driver.......I don't think your shot was better. Are the chances of your putter parking, better than my driver? Not so sure, seems they are just different shots?

For the record, I don't have a noodle arm because I want to keep down the crazy long throws.

When playing with a good buddy who is pushing 60 recently, I chained out an ace with my putter on a 200 some foot hole. My buddy grabs a glow champ destroyer and smashes chains and it sticks. I may have better form but he carded the 1.

 

[Twmccoy]

I'd say the step from 400s to 500s is the most difficult. I've found you can have a lot of form flaws and still throw 350'-375' fairly easily.

Agree. Muscling a disc 375' can be done fairly easily. 450' is more glide oriented. Thus, you'll need some technique and real snap. The disc has to fly properly to go 450'+.