How much distance does wind add?

[KoopaTroopa]

So this morning I had to have the two furthest drives I have ever thrown out on the course today. I flipped an Eagle into a headwind that made a long S to 380' and threw my Valk with a left-to-right tailwind to 360'. Winds reported to be 13 mph. Distances checked with google earth.

What do you think those distances would be like in calm conditions? And I seem to always throw further in a headwind. What's up with that?

 

[CaptainAnhyzer]

Tough call.......... maybe step up to a faster disc? I was throwing my Wraith in the 420's with a 20mph crosswind this weekend at Hyzer. I can get a light Star Boss out past the 400' mark too.

I think wind is the toughest variable to pin down as far as the hurt/help factor because it changes with the terrain as the disc heads down a given fairway.

Never understood why pros pick up grass and throw it at the tee to gauge the wind........ the wind hardly affects your drive until about 100' out of your hand unless it's a 30+mph headwind.

 

[hendersondayton]

I can relate. I threw a Star Katana into a headwind and it sailed about 100' further than I typically throw. Threw the dog-leg by about 200' but it was fun to watch!!

 

[KoopaTroopa]

I can relate. I threw a Star Katana into a headwind and it sailed about 100' further than I typically throw. Threw the dog-leg by about 200' but it was fun to watch!!

Right on. It was an open hole that was only 305' that I threw the Eagle. It flipped up, starting turning and then finally flexed out. Then that dude from the expert village video popped in my head. :gross:

 

[Marty McFly]

Have you ever had the tail wind and thrown a roller? Now that is how you get some major distance. I would say an easy 100 feet for about 15mph.

 

[cfair]

Never understood why pros pick up grass and throw it at the tee to gauge the wind........ the wind hardly affects your drive until about 100' out of your hand unless it's a 30+mph headwind.

This, but it is probably just a prep thing where they get an idea for the wind. As far as what wind can do to a throw... well. When Christian Sandstrom made his record setting throw they were on the salt flats where all that speed testing is done. The wind was crazy and there were two people who broke the record that same day before his final throw. So depending on where and what you're doing wind can make all the difference. Other times it does nothing.

 

[dodgeball]

Yeah, I've also found that throwing into a headwind can actually add distance as it keeps the disc flying, just so long as you don't turn it over or hyzer it too much. I actually have more trouble in a good tailwind. More often than not it will just beat the disc down. Oh yeah and rollers are probably the hardest shots to control when there's wind!

 

[Nodosaurus]

Once a disc is in the air, groundspeed is irrelevant, only airspeed matters. So if you're throwing into a headwind, you're getting a little extra speed for free. Of course, this is airspeed, not groundspeed. You'll get the high-speed turn performance at lower groundspeed, and the fade will be less significant.

A tailwind will do the opposite. One caveat is that higher speeds tend to have more turbulences and crosscurrents. Wind is rarely laminar, and it is rarely just parallel to the ground. A rule of thumb that many people use is that wind tends to make a disc less stable.

But I have a feeling that doesn't help, does it?

 

[Star Shark]

Headwinds are an odd way of cheating the disc up to a speed you can't normally throw. Discs will generally stay stable up to a given speed depending on the disc's design. Once you cross that speed threshold, you'll get turnover and more glide etc. The headwind sort of simulates the disc flying faster than it actually is. If you're getting LESS distance in a tail wind, it means you're not getting the nose down.

 

[Burrito]

I've found two things that work well for me...in fact I was just out in the field today in big wind.

Headwind: I try to keep the disc low. My best throws come when I concentrate on keeping the disc low to the ground into a headwind. Overstable discsfly straighter, and understable ones want to be even more understable, with huge s curves.

Tailwind: I concentrate on adding a bit more height, as I find the discs want to drop faster (simulating slower speed). I also find that all discs become a bit more overstable. I get greater fade on overstable discs, and straighter lines on understable ones.

This is what works for me.

 

[dodgeball]

Headwinds are an odd way of cheating the disc up to a speed you can't normally throw. Discs will generally stay stable up to a given speed depending on the disc's design. Once you cross that speed threshold, you'll get turnover and more glide etc. The headwind sort of simulates the disc flying faster than it actually is. If you're getting LESS distance in a tail wind, it means you're not getting the nose down.

Getting nose down in a tailwind seems counterintuitive, but I think this is correct. My question is if u throw at a slightly upward angle, to get the effect of the wind, will that cancel out the nose down angle? I'm thinking it's the relative angles of the two.

 

[CFH-mn]

my worst wind shot went roller,I threw it on MN kaposia hole 3, it rolled across hole 2 fairway then hole 1 fairway stopping infront of the hole 18 tee.

 

[Star Shark]

Getting nose down in a tailwind seems counterintuitive, but I think this is correct. My question is if u throw at a slightly upward angle, to get the effect of the wind, will that cancel out the nose down angle? I'm thinking it's the relative angles of the two.

Nose down refers to nose down relative to the disc's trajectory, not the ground.