How does a 450 feet+ backhand drive feel like?

[Waddball]

It's actually surprising how easy it feels. If you're exerting yourself, reassess.

Side note: I always feel like discs fly further when I'm in Colorado. Locals tend to argue the opposite.

I'm not at your level of power (I tend to max high 300s on golf lines, and low 400s fieldwork). But I've thrown a few golf throws touching 440 or so. And I totally agree that exertion is a red flag. Good throws feel fluid and balanced, not "strong".

Side note: I'm a Colorado local. The biggest issue by far, for me, is getting the disc to turn and drift right without excessive anhyzer. It just doesn't want to in the thin air, so you have to nudge it a bit, and then things fall apart. I think that's why the best wind for drives here is a mild headwind, as the disc behaves more true to its numbers.

I played in Maine recently, 450' above sea level, and I loved how the turn and glide seemed meaningful. I only brought a couple discs, but I threw a Buzzz on a 400' hole and got about 370' out of it on a controlled throw. It just glided forever, drifting right for a decent chunk of the flight (RHBH). That never happens in CO, at my arm speed.

 

[drk_evns]

I'm not at your level of power (I tend to max high 300s on golf lines, and low 400s fieldwork). But I've thrown a few golf throws touching 440 or so. And I totally agree that exertion is a red flag. Good throws feel fluid and balanced, not "strong".

Side note: I'm a Colorado local. The biggest issue by far, for me, is getting the disc to turn and drift right without excessive anhyzer. It just doesn't want to in the thin air, so you have to nudge it a bit, and then things fall apart. I think that's why the best wind for drives here is a mild headwind, as the disc behaves more true to its numbers.

I played in Maine recently, 450' above sea level, and I loved how the turn and glide seemed meaningful. I only brought a couple discs, but I threw a Buzzz on a 400' hole and got about 370' out of it on a controlled throw. It just glided forever, drifting right for a decent chunk of the flight (RHBH). That never happens in CO, at my arm speed.

Interesting. I would say discs definitely act more stable (not necessarily overstable) and deviate/turn less in Colorado. However, They also seem to go forever. Something that would basically be a roller in Michigan turned into a dead straight flyer—so you would get the distance out if it without the crazy flight path. I broke 500' for the first time in Colorado this way with a DX Teebird.

My guess was that the reduction in air resistance allowed them to fly faster and more efficiently, but also gave it less to react to and turn against/affect the flight.

I understand there are a lot of factors here, but this has been my experience.

 

[Waddball]

Interesting. I would say discs definitely act more stable (not necessarily overstable) and deviate/turn less in Colorado. However, They also seem to go forever. Something that would basically be a roller in Michigan turned into a dead straight flyer—so you would get the distance out if it without the crazy flight path. I broke 500' for the first time in Colorado this way with a DX Teebird.

My guess was that the reduction in air resistance allowed them to fly faster and more efficiently, but also gave it less to react to and turn against/affect the flight.

I understand there are a lot of factors here, but this has been my experience.

I'm sure you're right, but also discs fly differently once your speed gets past a certain point. Most people aren't throwing Teebirds 500' at any altitude. My point was that for average throwers at altitude, you have to release on trickier/riskier anhyzer angles to get discs to carry further along their rated turn.

 

[ChrisWoj]

I want this question answered by someone who writes about disc golf like David Foster Wallace used to about tennis....

 

[Jussi Alanko]

When i once in a while manage to throw a 450foot drive, it felt for me actually quite effortless and i don't take a huge run up by any means but when i had good vertical brace, that you like let gravity to drop you to your brace and then if i manage to do the triple extension at my brace leg, then disc just leaves my hand something about 7miles per hour faster compared to throw that i manage not to brace so effectically. I think that almost all speed to the disc comes just from qood bracing and a relaxed body...

 

[Joecuzzi]

The one and only time I threw 400+ on flat ground felt and looked a amazing! It was so windy and my disc was so light that it hyzer flipped twice! I threw it about 5 feet off the ground on a slight hyzer. The disc flipped and started turning to the right. Then out of nowhere the wind blew the disc straight up another 10-15 feet higher and it looked like it might just hyzer out until...it flipped a second time!
150g Zero G Scorpius