Distance????

[Guurn]

The water on the driving range hole is right at 415'ish feet. I only know that because I used to top out around 450' on a perfect throw and I ended up in that water way too many times. Eventually I decided it is smarter to just throw 380' and be safe. Now it isn't an issue, I'd be thrilled to reach the water.

Over the years I have played in thousands of pickup groups with people from all over (Yes this is anecdotal). I can count on one hand the number of non-regulars that could throw over 400'. Actually I think the number is 2, 3 if you include an overhand thrower. You have to remember that to get over 350ish feet you have some technique. Strong arming only gets you so far.

 

[DavidSauls]

http://www.pdga.com/2014proworlds/fieldevents

657 by David Wiggins won. Some big name folks not on there so not sure if they participated. Simon hit 585, Nikko hit 558.

Distance to me is a funny thing. I'm always in awe of those who can drive an average distance and have accuracy.

Thanks.

The skeptic might note that at the event with the best players in the world, only 13 topped 500'.

Admittedly, not all of the best players or biggest arms competed for distance, but it makes you really doubt how many average joes out there are really throwing 500', doesn't it?

 

[mark996]

Thanks.

The skeptic might note that at the event with the best players in the world, only 13 topped 500'.

Admittedly, not all of the best players or biggest arms competed for distance, but it makes you really doubt how many average joes out there are really throwing 500', doesn't it?

It certainly does. With some of the top rated guys who live and breathe disc golf not hitting super major distances, I have a hard time, and am pretty skeptical of some weekend warriors who claim they're drilling them out to 500 at will.

But like I said earlier, I think a lot of it is a guys disc catching a ride on a gnarly tail wind and it carrying it out to long range distances and then saying they're a 500+ ft thrower. In my mind, if you're saying you're a 500+ bomber, you're hitting that pretty much at will, or 450-475 at the drop of a hat.

 

[The Hammer]

Thanks.

The skeptic might note that at the event with the best players in the world, only 13 topped 500'.

Admittedly, not all of the best players or biggest arms competed for distance, but it makes you really doubt how many average joes out there are really throwing 500', doesn't it?

I can only speak for myself, but I didn't see much of a point in competing in the distance comp at worlds for a couple reasons.

- There was no way I was going to beat guys like Lizotte, GG, or McBeth
- Why burn out my arm before an entire week of golf on long courses?

I know of at least a couple others that felt the same way, and they are also big arms. Therefore, I'm thinking that's not a great sampling.

 

[mark996]

David Wiggins World Record: 836'
2014 Worlds Field Event winning throw: 657'

There's so much variation between the two. First in the Worlds distance event, and 52 overall during tournament play.

 

[The Hammer]

It certainly does. With some of the top rated guys who live and breathe disc golf not hitting super major distances, I have a hard time, and am pretty skeptical of some weekend warriors who claim they're drilling them out to 500 at will.

But like I said earlier, I think a lot of it is a guys disc catching a ride on a gnarly tail wind and it carrying it out to long range distances and then saying they're a 500+ ft thrower. In my mind, if you're saying you're a 500+ bomber, you're hitting that pretty much at will, or 450-475 at the drop of a hat.

If you are competing in a distance comp, you are trying to win. Therefore you aren't throwing drives with a high percentage of going a long way. You are trying to get that perfect line that will ride the wind. When trying to execute that style of shot, there is a high probability of turning one over too much, or having one stall out before the nose gets down. Those types of misses usually result in really short distances.

 

[The Hammer]

David Wiggins World Record: 836'
2014 Worlds Field Event winning throw: 657'

There's so much variation between the two. First in the Worlds distance event, and 52 overall during tournament play.

That's because the world record throw was done on the salt flats of Nevada with a howling wind. That wind wasn't available at Worlds.

 

[46YearOldSlinger]

Okay so completely ridiculous question but just curious if this would be legal for setting a distance record since you can use wind (which seems unfair to me)? What if someone could throw a disc into a tornado and they found the disc a few miles away? Would that be the record?

 

[Mixed Bag Madness]

The best thing I can say is watch tournament play on youtube, and pay attention to the distances on each hole and then see how the likes of McBeth, Wysocki, Doss etc throw on that hole. They bomb, sure, but I think it's funny people on here say they're hitting 500+ drives during course play when the lead card guys aren't even consistently hitting that distance.

You really can't compare a distance competition to course play, no 360 run up, no tailwind, etc.

I religiously watch tournaments and used to follow some of the top pros in the world in Oregon regularly and I've said and thought this exact same thing soooo many times.

 

[Cgkdisc]

Worlds is not a Distance competition but a Long Drive competition. Throwing fields for Worlds can have trees, elevation and/or OB boundaries and the throwing direction is not always with a tailwind.

 

[Mixed Bag Madness]

That's because the world record throw was done on the salt flats of Nevada with a howling wind. That wind wasn't available at Worlds.

Andrew Rich (who can seriously crush) told me the year he went there that the thermal updrafts and wind etc instantly adds around 200 ft to your drive. FWIW.

 

[The Hammer]

Okay so completely ridiculous question but just curious if this would be legal for setting a distance record since you can use wind (which seems unfair to me)? What if someone could throw a disc into a tornado and they found the disc a few miles away? Would that be the record?

Where are you going to hold a distance comp without wind? Also, the ability to hit the right line in the wind is a skill that not many have.

 

[The Hammer]

I religiously watch tournaments and used to follow some of the top pros in the world in Oregon regularly and I've said and thought this exact same thing soooo many times.

Give those guys an open field, and throw out the need to hit a fairway or avoid trouble, and I bet the vast majority can hit 500'. There were a couple big fairways in Oregon, but there was still a bit of trouble that needed to be avoided.

 

[Mixed Bag Madness]

I agree with you as I have personally witnessed this. The point is that even with the power that they have the top pros rarely throw 500+ on the course. This is the reason that I think it's funny that there are supposedly soooo many people online trying to say that they throw 500ft drives on the course. It's not even worth discussing IMO but it's winter and I thought I'd feed the trolls today.

 

[The Hammer]

I agree with you as I have personally witnessed this. The point is that even with the power that they have the top pros rarely throw 500+ on the course. This is the reason that I think it's funny that there are supposedly soooo many people online trying to say that they throw 500ft drives on the course. It's not even worth discussing IMO but it's winter and I thought I'd feed the trolls today.

Ah, I see. I agree. 500' on the course really isn't of much use. Occasionally, it comes in handy, but pretty rarely.

 

[DavidSauls]

I can only speak for myself, but I didn't see much of a point in competing in the distance comp at worlds for a couple reasons.

- There was no way I was going to beat guys like Lizotte, GG, or McBeth
- Why burn out my arm before an entire week of golf on long courses?

I know of at least a couple others that felt the same way, and they are also big arms. Therefore, I'm thinking that's not a great sampling.

Agreed. But even if all of the MPOs at Worlds had entered and all of them threw in the 500' range, it would leave me to doubt that so many other disc golfers are throwing 500', or even 450'.

Of course, there's no proof, short of rounding up ever poster who claims 500', dragging him to a flat open field on a windless day, and having him prove it. Maybe they all would. But until then, I remain a skeptic.

 

[The Hammer]

There should be a video requirement for anyone who legitimately claims to throw 400 or more. It's irritating for those of is who can throw 800 plus on flat ground opcorn:

@4:47

 

[mashnut]

I agree with you as I have personally witnessed this. The point is that even with the power that they have the top pros rarely throw 500+ on the course. This is the reason that I think it's funny that there are supposedly soooo many people online trying to say that they throw 500ft drives on the course. It's not even worth discussing IMO but it's winter and I thought I'd feed the trolls today.

The best thing about having 500' of power isn't that you can throw 500', it's that you can throw a midrange on a 400' hole or take a big hyzer route on a 450' hole rather than having to flex something out for distance and lose a lot of predictability. That's a big reason you see the top guys outpacing the rest of the field so much on courses like Fountain Hills where there are a bunch of 400'+ holes. Those guys are throwing golf shots when the rest of us are trying to throw distance shots which brings the OB into play a whole lot more. So yeah, you don't see them using 500' shots very often, but for the guys that have it you might be surprised at how often they use that distance capability in different ways if you watch carefully.

 

[zj1002]

Give those guys an open field, and throw out the need to hit a fairway or avoid trouble, and I bet the vast majority can hit 500'. There were a couple big fairways in Oregon, but there was still a bit of trouble that needed to be avoided.

You are correct that you rarely need 500ft off the tee. For me the biggest advantage is being able to hit different breaking points(fade/turn) and landing zones down the fairway than others can't hit.

My farthest throw ever on flat ground was approximately 630ft and I had no clue what the hell I did different. It felt the exact same as everything else that went 525-550ft but seemed to catch an updraft that the others didn't.

I'll take a 400ft flat shot any day.

 

[Smigles]

We are 10 people in our club. We practice regularely on a football field with marked lines, endzones etc for distance verification.

1 can throw 500 regularely. He started when he was 9 and is just so smooth. Mainly playing ultimate though
1 can throw 500 occasionaly
4 can throw 400-450
the rest can throw 300-350

we are probably the wrong sample group...