driving styles...

[iDisc]

i started disc golf a few months ago and i fell in love with the game. my style of driving had a straight arm the whole way and i got around 250 feet most of the time. im trying with a bent elbow now and im getting 10 feet more distance (maybe) but it's less accurate and less consistent.

if you have any tips for either type of throw or which one i should choose to stick with

-iDisc

 

[ptsawyer]

i started disc golf a few months ago and i fell in love with the game. my style of driving had a straight arm the whole way and i got around 250 feet most of the time. im trying with a bent elbow now and im getting 10 feet more distance (maybe) but it's less accurate and less consistent.

if you have any tips for either type of throw or which one i should choose to stick with

-iDisc

There is no question in my mind that you shouldnt keep your arm straight.

A very common analogy used is "starting a lawnmower". If you had to start a lawn mower with your arm straight, you would get no power, Put if you pulled across your chest, that is where the power comes from.

DiscGolfReview.com has some great articles on technique and form.

https://www.dgcoursereview.com/dgr/resources/articles/drivingform.shtml

 

[sidewinding]

Elbow position is just one of many factors and not the most important to focus on.

The factor that I found to be most important for developing distance is what I will call "reach back rotation distance". If you think of your release point as 0 degrees, you should reach back as close to 180 degrees as you can. In order to do this you have to take your eyes off the target. The further around your reachback is, the more time the disc will have to develop speed during the pull through.

The bent elbow or lawnmower pull is good to add in as well but it only added about 10-15' to my distance while the 180 degree reachback added about 80'

 

[JHern]

Focus on speeding up and getting through the motion faster. A good run up and plant helps with this. Then let the strong but quick uncoiling of your bent elbow and cocked wrist accelerate the motion of the disc forward.

 

[iDisc]

thanks for all of them. i was practicing my bend elbow drive and im almost up to 300' on a max drive

 

[basmith42]

here's one, while we're chatting on driving styles

How can i develop distance without the run up. The run up is tearing up my knees at this point. I want to keep playing but w/o the pain.
Any thoughts?

Let me know.
Brent
(pre-geriatric disc golfer)

 

[discinator]

You might try shortening your x step(if thats what you use) and focus on relaxing and getting the snap down. You should be able to get really good distance without straining if you hit everything right. I'm by no means an expert and really don't throw that far compared to some, but most of my really long shots felt really smooth and effortless.

 

[High Flyer]

I was playing with a group yesterday that gave me some good tips.

First, I've been rotating my whole body with the x-step, sometimes this leads to a wild shot. Second, I was keeping my arm straight. If you do the "lawnmower" type throw, it's more of a linear motion (more arm bending, avoid body twisting), which can be more accurate.

Third, I was reaching back, but using my left hand as a "crutch" before I threw. You can get more motion by leaving your left hand behind you.

A lot of people in this group weren't even moving their feet in the throw and still geting over 250 feet.

 

[Amorybulldog]

basmith42, if you want to develop distance without the run-up, just quit running up. I have a unique advantage over a lot of players in that I can clear 350-400 ft with just one step and sometimes no steps. It is how I learned to throw early and then added the run-up. Now I get more D out of the run-up but my accuracy is punished for it. A great thing to practice is the release point of the disc, if you can throw any disc that is fairly stable flat it will go a good ways. I have put my 1st run star destroyer 400+ with no run up by throwing it flat with a ton of spin. It s flights so you need some room but it can be done. Other good discs for what are not super powerful drives that I like is the orc and the sidewinder. I don't run up much at night or in the weather so I find myself looking for these discs at night or in the rain. Standing still driving is harder to get the kind of s flight you may be used to so you may have to go down in stability to make up for the loss of torque. Look into these drivers as you start to leave your run-up behind: JLS/Polaris RF(? I think that exists), Avenger SS(this is the easiest driver to S out with the least amount of power, very tricky to throw though), Roadrunner(less distance for me), Sidewinder, Orc, and then finally the 1st run destroyers(very beat in, buy one used off a guy who keeps turning it over!). One of the great things about leaving the run up behind is weather. I can still drive off natural tees to the 350-400 ft range when the weather is bad. Most of my buddies can't. Our local pro tools on me when the weather is good but give us some wind and most importantly the rain or wet tees and I look forward to returning the favor.

 

[SunIsBlue15]

How can i develop distance without the run up. The run up is tearing up my knees at this point. I want to keep playing but w/o the pain.
Any thoughts?

Let me know.
Brent
(pre-geriatric disc golfer)

I don't know if this advice will help or not, but if you throw backhand I would suggest trying a forehand drive. I take a pretty big run up / x-step when I drive my backhand, but when I use my forehand drive I pretty much just take a step and flick my wrist. It's a lot less violent of a motion and you can still get great distance. I never used to throw forehand, but a friend of mine who I play with a lot only throws forehand and it just looks so effortless. That's why I started trying it out, and that's why I think it may help for you as well. Of course, this is all assuming you throw backhand right now.

 

[iDisc]

I don't know if this advice will help or not, but if you throw backhand I would suggest trying a forehand drive. I take a pretty big run up / x-step when I drive my backhand, but when I use my forehand drive I pretty much just take a step and flick my wrist. It's a lot less violent of a motion and you can still get great distance. I never used to throw forehand, but a friend of mine who I play with a lot only throws forehand and it just looks so effortless. That's why I started trying it out, and that's why I think it may help for you as well. Of course, this is all assuming you throw backhand right now.

that's what mark ellis did. his knee hurt him so he switched to a forehand

 

[bikedoctor]

that's what mark ellis did. his knee hurt him so he switched to a forehand

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DOECjLjhiTI

Just in case you haven't seen it.