Open hole shot selection

[Quinntastic]

So I am needing some advice with picking the correct shots when I have a very open shot. I feel strange saying this, but maybe I'm not the only one with this problem.

I HATE open shots. I have the hardest time deciphering a line to throw and how to execute it. I end up short, wide, just botch it all together. I typically throw a lot of rocs and teebirds, and I'm familiar with all of them and I can throw consistent with them when I'm in the field practicing. When I'm in the woods, having to select from 1-3 tight lines work with a ceiling, I can execute that shot fairly well most of the time. By no stretch of the imagination to I nail these shots but I feel comfortable.

So I guess my question is, how should I approach this problem?(pun unintentionally perfect) Anyone have advice to help visualize a shot without reference obstacles? Is this a pretty common plateau or should I be looking into some deeper form/technique flaws?


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[sidewinder22]

Where are you aiming?

 

[Quinntastic]

Where are you aiming?

Typically my hyzers are fine, but it's when I need to execute a more finesse or technical shot that the problem arises, 300' flex through trees and I can throw it on line and feel confident about it. Same shot in the field becomes an issue. I am sure aiming is part of the problem. Biggest problem shots would be;

FH of any type, anything I usually flip up to flat I seem to want to turn too much, anything OS stalls out.

BH flex, basically same issue as above

BH rollers, when I have a very designated "landing zone" or path I seem to be ok. When I have a big field in front of me I seem to throw a turnover or pull it way right and it hits the ground usually in rough far right.

Because of these in particular I think my confidence waned and I'm not confident in things I was much more a while ago.


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[Quinntastic]

Also a lot of the open holes I play still cant be thrown with all hyzer due to hills, water, grass etc


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[handsoffmt]

I have had success lately just not thinking about easy, open shots. I figure my body knows what to do, so I just walk up and throw without thinking at all. 200 to 300 ft, a nice easy hyzer buzzz. 300-350, nice easy hyzer Patriot. No thinking, just throw. If I do think anything, I think "this is an easy throw" then I quickly throw it.

 

[slowplastic]

Sounds like you have a good aiming point and routine when you have to aim because of obstacles. And in open shots you just let it happen perhaps, or are trying to aim too far away (aiming for the landing zone maybe?). Try to hit a window of a specific height 100' or so in front of you. Imagine a spot in the air to shoot through. If you do that with the right hyzer angle for the disc, the rest of the flight will happen.

In tunnels you pretty much have to hit the first gap and trust the disc to finish its flight. Same thing in the open...choose the disc that is the correct distance/line, and then make yourself a gap or window to throw through.

Definitely hyzers are the most forgiving for if you pull the shot off line a little bit, but as you said hills and such can make this not as feasible.

 

[Mr. Butlertron]

If there's enough room, I'm going to throwing a majority of my open field throws on a hyzer line, reguardless of the disc's stability. Overstable, stable, neutral, it doesn't matter, they're all going on some variation of hyzer. It's the most dependable way to get from point (a) to point (b). Practicing on a marked football field will help you range in the distance aspect of open field throwing.

 

[Consult20]

I tend to do an MJ and just rip a Comet at it.

 

[Trent B]

In completely open situations I like to throw a putter or mid with hyzer, aiming a little wide knowing it's going to carry into the circle.

With scary hills where I might get a roll in the landing zone. Again with a putter or mid. I will try to match the slope and landing angle. Easier said than done but practice smooth flex shots with putters and mids in the open. Practice anhyzers that float gently to the ground. Practice throwing at hills.

Hyzer aiming a little wide is usually my go to though.

 

[jtreadwell]

For me, it depends on how far I'm going. If it's open and in the 200 - 220ft range I'm almost always tossing a thumber at it. Why? Because I've practiced that shot in an open field enough to know how to do it. Same thing applies to closer and farther ranging shots. There's no right or wrong shot in these cases, unless the curvature of the land discourages landing a certain way. As such, it just comes down to practicing a few shots for this situation until you feel comfortable.

 

[roggenb3]

For whatever shot type, it all comes down to being able to accurately visualize the flight path. Pretend you are in a video game and can see the whole flight before throwing.

Pick a spot on the line closer to you than the target and hit it with the disc angle you want.

As you watch the shot, see how close it actually flies to the path you envisioned. Then adjust and do it again until you really know how your discs will fly at various angles/speeds.

Or maybe, just pretend there are trees in your way if that helps you. Though im guessing visualizing the line is what trees help you do.

 

[New013]

I didn't read any other responses but honestly it comes down to practice. Go find a big open field and bring every disc you have, pick a spot to hit and just throw all your discs at it on whatever line you're trying to achieve then rinse and repeat. Eventually you'll get the feel for it.

 

[t i m]

I second the suggestion to find a field--preferably one with a few things in it to use as targets--trash cans, trees, benches, whatever...

Take 4-6 discs. Putter, mid(s), hyzer driver and fairway driver(s)... don't measure off distance before throwing--measure off after throwing. Throw all the discs you have and see how it goes. Throw them in a different order each time. See what gets close consistently.

I remember taking all my OS drivers and mids to a field one time and being surprised that my DX Pegasus and KC Banshees consistently landed closer to the target than anything else in my bag at distances up to ~250.

Nothing can replace some field work -- but do it with targets, and do it with different discs. Experience will make you more comfortable and you'll start to figure out what discs and throws are most consistent for you.

 

[Shamis]

If you know your discs you should be able to visualize the flight path for a given release angle. Visualize a path that lands where you want, throw that angle.

 

[armiller]

For a wide open field without any slope or trouble near the green, a Firebird or Predator tomahawk is easiest for me to range throws up to 225' or so. I think that comes from baseball. I like to think I could just throw a putter or Comet, but I'm less consistent.

On the course (and in your original post), even the most open holes usually have some kind of obstacle. And I don't generally have long, open approaches, just because of the courses I play. But when it happens, I generally try to use something with some overstability, whether that's a Zone forehand, a Drone (or simply a more overstable Buzzz), or even a beefy Star Teebird.

 

[Razz]

There's no right or wrong shot in these cases, unless the curvature of the land discourages landing a certain way.

Couldn't agree more!

My comfort shot is a one finger forehand (minimum of a fairway driver.) It doesn't work for mids or putters so my fh approach shot ranges from skip to spike to flex (usually flat top firebird with minimal power) depending on trees, ground slope, and (an)hyzerability of the line. If the shot is more comfortable for MY backhand I take it, but the default for me is forehand.

Unless I am working on my backhand, I look for the forehand route first. The progression is spikes, hyzers, flexes, and straight shots (in that order). Pick a landing spot and envision that line that you've thrown on a wooded hole on a course you like. Throw the shot with confidence that you are hitting your imaginary tunnel. I'm not a great player, but I know I can throw farther and more accurately forehand by default. However, there is a large amount of shots I could throw forehand that I select backhand shots for because I'm confident with that line/disc/throw.

I was getting more snap backhand than expected and zero confidence putts low left for my last round of league on Wednesday. After my initial disbelief, I took my medicine and threw flat top firebird fh spike hyzers on 3 wide open 150-200 ft holes I usually throw backhand putters at. I 2'd all of them. I'd much rather throw a warden off the tee backhand on all of them, but it depends on what's feeling good at the time. Bh hyzer Zone, wrist shot spike with a ft Firebird, Warden right at it, etc... Those were all options, but the bh wasn't there. Easy choice since it mattered. I would've kept throwing bh if it didn't, because I know I can throw that shot, even if it takes all my putters and Zone multiple tries to do it.

I feel like spikes are underrated, because they change the ground game.