Baseball to disc golf

[eric40817]

Ive been getting frustrated as of recently and Im hoping I can get some input from those who may be able to relate.

I played disc golf from the time I was 5 years old, right through college. My strength in the sport was offense. I always had a solid bat and pretty good form. Im right hand dominant, therefore I a righty batter. Fast forward to 2012 when I started playing DG. Driving, as you know, is similar to batting form in the sense of the front foot pivot, generating power in the legs and hips and using your hips to power the swing. The difference, is that it is now on the other side. I've been maxing out my drives around 330, and consistent around 305-315. I work on my form frequently. the X step feels good, and the rest feels off. The hip rotation and the pull feel forced.
Two years ago, I broke my right wrist. That summer I started throwing lefty. This is where it gets frustrating. Because of baseball, everything feels so fluid. The x step came after a little while, but the weight transfer the pivot of the heel, the hip rotation, the hands in close through the pull, everything feels so much more natural than from the righty side. Except when it comes to my arm. Throwing a disc in my left hand doesnt feel natural in my hand or in my arm. That being said, throwing with from the right side feels natural for my arm because, well, it is.
Today my right shoulder was bothering me. the back of the shoulder, by my armpit starting getting pretty sore every since I was practicing my throws in the field the other day. I decided to take some throws lefty. Ill be damned if my lefty throw with a Roc3, not only went as far as my fairway driver (righty), but I even got the Roc3 on a bit a hyzer flip line. My drives off the tee arent as far, or as accurate but everything feels right in terms of feet, legs, hips and rotation.

Please tell me others have this dilemma and can tell me what they did to overcome this? Do I ditch the right drives and start learning lefty more? Do I just accept that I can do both and continue getting my righty form to feel as good? As it is now, I dont need a FH. Which is good because my FH is poop.

Thanks for reading and thanks for any input

 

[FrontRimBanger]

I haven't been playing for long, but I came from a baseball background and I was a pitcher. The change from lining up from my left foot forward to the right foot forward was extremely weird. I've found that just getting out and video taping my form and trying to match pros has been the best way to make the transition as painless as possible. As of now I'm throwing upper 300s with ok form. Probably not the answer you wanted to hear, but that's what helped me.

 

[hook_nuts]

Forehand and tomahawk came naturally to me thanks to baseball background. Someone told me how to "squirrel it" and the first time I tried I parked and birdied a 350' or so hole that the only line was high on. It's similar to an outfield crow hop. Fh is similar to a turning two or playing second. Backhand did not come naturally and I'm still not as accurate backhand as forehand although it's pretty natural now. It almost feels backwards for awhile. Keep practicing and it will feel more natural overtime.

 

[jcf5083]

Have you tried throwing RHFH?

 

[runningDoc]

I come from a baseball background but am left handed so never really got to play 2nd/SS/3B so never got the sidearm flip to first =sidearm disc golf flick.

I only recently figured out how to sidearm in disc golf. It's really hard to explain but once you get the timing right it's like whipping a towel or literally cracking a whip. Similar to the quick sidearm flip a short stop will whip towards 1st base.

What really helped me with backhand was my other background in racquet sports. Tennis (one handed) and badminton backhands require footwork, hip engagement, and linIng up the contact, and timing of the hit similar to "the hit" in backhand in disc golf.

 

[dsbearsfan]

Stretch and foam roll your lats and rhomboids.

 

[runningDoc]

Also sidearm and backhand should ideally be powered a lot by your legs and core, I remember after long sessions in the batting cages or long toss it was my legs that were tired and sore more than the arm and shoulder.

It's similar now with disc golf, once I cleaned up the form, even after long tourneys or multiple round days my arms and shoulders are fine but my butt, legs, abs and sometimes back are a little sore.

 

[runningDoc]

The local innova pro in CT can throw 500ft backhands righty is naturally left handed but learned how to throw right hand backhand because that mimicked the lefty baseball swing. Weirdly he has a awesome lefty disc golf sidearm.

 

[eric40817]

Stretch and foam roll your lats and rhomboids.

I have a foam roller, dont use it as much as I should. They truly do wonders though for my traps. And as painful as it is, rolling the hip flexors is great. It seriously is one of the most painful things Ive felt though lol

Have you tried throwing RHFH?

Yes. My FH is nonexistent when it comes to distance. approach shots im golden though. Its a staple shot of mine. But off the tee, forget it. My flexibility is probably a factor as well. After I stopped played baseball almost 8 years ago, I started hitting the gym pretty seriously with many goals in mind and reaching most of them. Stretching went out the window and if I could do it again, I never would have stopped stretching.

I come from a baseball background but am left handed so never really got to play 2nd/SS/3B so never got the sidearm flip to first =sidearm disc golf flick.

I only recently figured out how to sidearm in disc golf. It's really hard to explain but once you get the timing right it's like whipping a towel or literally cracking a whip. Similar to the quick sidearm flip a short stop will whip towards 1st base.

What really helped me with backhand was my other background in racquet sports. Tennis (one handed) and badminton backhands require footwork, hip engagement, and linIng up the contact, and timing of the hit similar to "the hit" in backhand in disc golf.

I was mostly centerfield so despite the bone spur in my rotator cuff, thumbers and tomahawks I use fairly often. I play 3B quite a bit as well with some SS sprinkled in. Again, my rotator cuff and tight muscles dont help, but I actually found playing infield to hinder my DG flick. I notice when throwing a disc, I tend to roll my wrist like you would when throwing a baseball.

 

[hook_nuts]

but I actually found playing infield to hinder my DG flick. I notice when throwing a disc, I tend to roll my wrist like you would when throwing a baseball.

Only sidearm beefy discs, problem solved. Following through palm up in disc golf is only a minor change. I also did throw from a half sidearm arm slot a lot even when pitching so maybe that helped idk.

 

[eric40817]

Only sidearm beefy discs, problem solved. Following through palm up in disc golf is only a minor change. I also did throw from a half sidearm arm slot a lot even when pitching so maybe that helped idk.

Ive had the best luck with my Trident and XXX. Again, not for distance but those have the cleanest flight for me. Its not my FH though. Its my BH form I talked about that got me :wall:

 

[Dan Ensor]

There are a lot of things that your hand/wrist do. Hammer pound is still crucial to my lefty. Also, I've found thumb push to be natural RH, but foreign LH.

I'm a RH baseball player.

 

[timothy42b]

Go here:
http://baseballswingmechanics.com/

This one was very detailed. The step description is especially interesting.

 

[eric40817]

Go here:
http://baseballswingmechanics.com/

This one was very detailed. The step description is especially interesting.

thanks but im not sure you caught on to my post... I can swing a bat quite well. At least I used too. Id probably have a pretty bad day at the plate nowadays lol.

 

[mfcastillo17]

The mechanics of throwing a forehand are almost identical to hitting a baseball. I came to DG after 4 years of college baseball. When I teach the forehand (which is my primary throw), I teach it as if I were teaching hitting.

 

[slowplastic]

You're probably getting frustrated and trying to crush it with your right arm, which is why it's getting so sore.

I also throw RH and swing a bat righty. I know exactly what you are feeling.

My advice is to swing a bat left handed. With the extra weight you'll feel if you are balanced...if you aren't the bat will feel wrong when you follow through/turn your wrists over. Plus you'll feel if you aren't balanced. Just mirror your baseball swing both ways until it feels natural lefty. The arm positions will be different with a disc obviously, but it will help you stay balanced and braced, as well as getting your hips and weight transfer correct.

Then work on throws from a standstill. If you're throwing 300-325' and getting frustrated, don't even do the X-step. Just keep getting a clean brace and the timing for your throw. Once it's feeling good basically every time then you can work the step back in.

 

[timothy42b]

thanks but im not sure you caught on to my post... I can swing a bat quite well. At least I used too. Id probably have a pretty bad day at the plate nowadays lol.

No, I understood it, but this description of the brace of the front leg applies directly to throwing backhand. It's more detailed than we usually see.

 

[eric40817]

I really was looking for input on transitioning from RH batting to the opposite - RHBH DG. Somehow this got derailed to FH technique. :doh: oh well. good pointers nonetheless.

So... maybe I should do the batting drills for step, plant, cock the hips, and twist like we used to do in baseball, just from the other side? Just help get the muscle memory and comfortability? Its truly frustrating how clean my form feels throwing left, when Im a righty, because of all the years of baseball. 15 years twisting to the left and Im not trying to mirror that to the right. Maybe i should hit up McBeth, hes a baseball player

 

[eric40817]

You're probably getting frustrated and trying to crush it with your right arm, which is why it's getting so sore.

true. I shorted up my stride in the x-step. I suddenly realized I was losing all my power and couldnt get the hip rotation to do much because I was striding too far. I also when from the usual power grip with all fingers under the rim to just three fingers under the rim and pretty much fixed my nose angle problem.

I also throw RH and swing a bat righty. I know exactly what you are feeling.

My advice is to swing a bat left handed. With the extra weight you'll feel if you are balanced...if you aren't the bat will feel wrong when you follow through/turn your wrists over. Plus you'll feel if you aren't balanced. Just mirror your baseball swing both ways until it feels natural lefty. The arm positions will be different with a disc obviously, but it will help you stay balanced and braced, as well as getting your hips and weight transfer correct.

Then work on throws from a standstill. If you're throwing 300-325' and getting frustrated, don't even do the X-step. Just keep getting a clean brace and the timing for your throw. Once it's feeling good basically every time then you can work the step back in.

thats good i didnt think of that. time to dust off the ol' Easton Reflex!

No, I understood it, but this description of the brace of the front leg applies directly to throwing backhand. It's more detailed than we usually see.

Ill have to check it out again. and see what I can pick out of it.