Quick question on stability

[vindog321]

Hello all.
I was curious about how spin affects stability. Me and my one friend have been getting more into disc golf over the past year and have been getting better with our form. My typical drives go between 410-440ft with a smooth throw and his go from about 390-410ft (these are measured with GPS). I would say that my form is a little better and I get quite a bit more snap then him. Ive noticed that when I power down a disc to go 400ft, and he throws the same disc 400 ft, I am able to turn the disc a bit more then him. So my question is, does more spin on a disc make it less stable? Just something that I was curious about.
Thanks!

 

[BirdieMachine]

Could simply be more nose down I bet, could also be a little more OAT- Off Axis Torque. More Spin will keep it turning longer, not sure about more really, more nose down makes the most sense.

 

[Jmuzz07]

What exactly do you mean by turn? Like your throw fades harder than his? Goes less straight toward the end of your throw?

 

[araytx]

Hello all.
I was curious about how spin affects stability. Me and my one friend have been getting more into disc golf over the past year and have been getting better with our form. My typical drives go between 410-440ft with a smooth throw and his go from about 390-410ft (these are measured with GPS). I would say that my form is a little better and I get quite a bit more snap then him. Ive noticed that when I power down a disc to go 400ft, and he throws the same disc 400 ft, I am able to turn the disc a bit more then him. So my question is, does more spin on a disc make it less stable? Just something that I was curious about.
Thanks!

The answer to what you're exactly saying is NO, but the answer to what I think you mean is YES. More spin when thrown (assuming all else is equal, particularly force and angle) would allow a disc to have a little more high speed turn. All shots turn to some degree. But you are correct -- otherwise those big arms wouldn't throw OS discs into a head wind, knowing they will make it turn every time.

The stability of a disc isn't changing from one throw to the next, without something physically altering the disc itself. But on a normal flight, no.

 

[vindog321]

Could simply be more nose down I bet, could also be a little more OAT- Off Axis Torque. More Spin will keep it turning longer, not sure about more really, more nose down makes the most sense.

I think nose angle would be the reason. He does tend to throw nose up. Thanks, just something I was curious about.

 

[lyleoross]

If I recall, from what the flight guys have said, and from my own experience, more torque gives straighter flight per say. Whether the disc is under or over stable, it tends to flight straighter. From what the flight guys say, the center of lift on the disc moves around depending on a number of factors, wind, speed, angle of attack etc. Hazarding a guess, more torque moves the center of lift to the center of gravity, i.e. the middle of the disc, and results in straighter flight.

 

[Dan Ensor]

More snap/spin at the same distance will yield less turn and fade.

 

[ToddL]

All else being equal (speed, angle, direction), more spin will make the disc more resistant to change. Flat throws will stay flat longer, annys will stay anny longer, hyzers will hold their hyzer angle longer.

I also always question your ability to control your spin. Not saying you don't have any control over it, but I think it'd be surprising to take measurements and see what the data actually says.

 

[ThrowBot]

More snap/spin at the same distance will yield less turn and fade.

^^^That sums it up pretty well.

A faster spinning disc has more angular momentum, which helps the disc resist any change to the orientation of its axis of rotation. That means that it will be harder to turn the disc, but once it's turned it will take longer to come back.

 

[Shipley]

Hello all.
I was curious about how spin affects stability. Me and my one friend have been getting more into disc golf over the past year and have been getting better with our form. My typical drives go between 410-440ft with a smooth throw and his go from about 390-410ft (these are measured with GPS). I would say that my form is a little better and I get quite a bit more snap then him. Ive noticed that when I power down a disc to go 400ft, and he throws the same disc 400 ft, I am able to turn the disc a bit more then him. So my question is, does more spin on a disc make it less stable? Just something that I was curious about.
Thanks!

It could be a number of things, release angle, rolling your wrist, etc. Also, the more spin you impart on a disc, the more understable it's flight.

 

[Disczealot]

I may be mistaken, but my understanding is that Spin makes a disc more stable and the speed/friction of the disc makes it turn. This is why it flies less stable in a headwind, less spin against more friction.

 

[Timeetyo]

All else being equal (speed, angle, direction), more spin will make the disc more resistant to change. Flat throws will stay flat longer, annys will stay anny longer, hyzers will hold their hyzer angle longer.

Todd has summed it up best. The part I bolded COULD be what you are seeing if you release on an anny as it will hold it longer. What is more likely is there is another factor (my $ is on nose down or more OAT) that is causing that same disc to turn more when you throw it.

 

[knettles]

If I recall, from what the flight guys have said, and from my own experience, more torque gives straighter flight per say. Whether the disc is under or over stable, it tends to flight straighter. From what the flight guys say, the center of lift on the disc moves around depending on a number of factors, wind, speed, angle of attack etc. Hazarding a guess, more torque moves the center of lift to the center of gravity, i.e. the middle of the disc, and results in straighter flight.

Not trying to be a jerk, just clearing things up. I would be hesitant to use the word torque here. Often times torque in disc golf is referred to raw power on a throw. In those cases, it would make the disc turn more. Spin does give straighter flights however. But, spin has very little effect on the center of lift. It does bring the center of lift right or left, but the plh and speed of a disc determine if the center of lift is towards the front, middle, or back of a disc. As others stated, it's mostly angular momentum that spin affects.