This is my first actual thread.
I just started playing DG about 1 1/2 months ago and I'm a RHBH thrower. Needless to say, I'm hooked like a fish. I go everyday at lunchtime to a field by work and work on my game for about 30-45 mins. Of the 5 days, i spend about 3 days working on my Drive.

I'm very erratic. As I've watched others play and read up on sites like this and DiscGolfReview, I've really been working on the techniques that they talk about. At first, I was terrible and it just kept getting worst.
Now to my question. I'm finally starting to get a little distance, for me, at about 250-300ft. My problem is that when I really reach back to throw, my disc always comes out like this, \ well not that pronounced but you know what I mean hopefully, and just keeps on fading way to the Right before it straighten's a little and comes down. I have a problem thightening my grip right before I let go, so I've really been working on that. I also tend to get the disc up very high even though it's still going about 280ft. When I do get a decent on it will go like that \ a little to the Right and then come back like this / and come down about where I'm aiming.
Anyway, I was just wondering if some of you other guys experienced as much when you started out. On a good note, I really seem like I'm making some progress. It seems like the more I work on it, the longer I'm getting, little by little. I just feel like I'm kind of winging my arm too much to the right sometimes, plus snapping my wrist over a little too much when I'm throwing. Maybe I'm just trying to throw it too hard. Also, sometimes I can really feel my disc snapping out of my fingers, but alot of times I don't. I'm thinking it's my grip still.

Anyway, I really enjoy reading the comments made on here and since everyone on here knows way more than me, I figured I'd just get some opinions.

Keep your disc flat. I don't know what type of disc your practicing with, although by guessing, they sound overstable (heavy left fader for rhbh shot) and you are trying to make up for it by starting out with extreme "anhyzer". \

What worked for me in developing more distance was using a lighter disc that wasn't so OVERSTABLE (roc, cobra, stingray). Right now, you are developing your "throwing muscles". Like everything else, it takes time and patience. Keep em flat and the distance will come. And try to stay away from the big drivers until you get your control down. Then pick one of those suckers up and you will find out why they call them drivers.

I grew up on a "pitch and putt" course that forced me to keep my drives flat so i could stay on the fairways. That developed technique. Back in the day, they didn't have drivers like they do today, the drivers then are our mid range discs now. I can chuck them (rocs, cobras, aviars) 400+ feet because I learned how to throw flat and straight. The drivers? That's a whole new game and I would say pick one for now and learn how to throw FLAT and STRAIGHT. The distance will come.

First, I am by no means an expert. I used to have the same problems that you are having. I just kept telling myself to keep my wrist (the disc) flat at the point of release, and to have it between the navel and the nipple, closer to the nipple. I started touching my off hand to the disc on my "backswing", just as a mental thing I guess and it helps me not get the \ release as often. I actually fixed my drive when I started throwing the thumber. It was ackward at first, but I am now more accurate and have about the same distance. I played baseball in my high school days, so the muscles used were already used to the motion involved. Just keep at it, a month and a half is still early in the game.

I get the extreme annie line (the \ thing) sometimes too when I am out of practice. For me it is always caused by getting my arm action started ahead of my footwork. That is, I am starting my pull through before I get my front foot planted and getting way over the front foot creating the anhyzer. I would concentrate on simplifying the footwork and maybe even just trying a one step "stomp" throw ot get the feel. I still use this technique on shorter holes. Line up facing about 135 degrees from your target line (the exact angle will take practice to figure out but it isn't hard to get it set) and just sorta stomp your right foot like the last step of an X step run up and throw. This allows you to get the timing between the arm and final step well and once you have that down you can just learn to walk into that position and you have the X step. Just my invaluable 2 cents.

I guess, even though I don't understand most of the terminology, everyone kind of knows what I'm talking about. That helps in and of itself.
Lately I've been practicing with a couple different discs just to see what does what.
I have a Innova Champion Valk-150
I have a Innova Eagle-149
I have a Innova Leopard-172
Of the 3, the Leopard seems to be the straightest and truest. When I get it half right, the Valk is the longest. But, I usually throw a few pop-ups inbetween. The Eagle is pretty straight as well, but I tend to sail it a few times as well.

Looking at different posts, I think that I'm about to spend alot of time with the Leopard, especially when I play. I seem to be throwing it around 250-275ft and it been pretty straight, with a slight L fade at the end.

Remember to keep your wrist locked in the down position so that the disc is parrelel to your forearm, and concentrate on that during your pull. Also something that might help that helped me at a certain point, and then stopped helping me.... was when someone told me to pretend like I'm just pulling the disc across a table. I think keeping your wrist down helps with feeling the snap too and allowing your shoulder and rest of your body to whip your arm causing a later release will help find snap. Also keeping your arm going on the same plane that you want the disc to fly on during your follow through might help achieve a flatter angle. Make sure your arm is making its way in back of you after you throw too.

i'm going to 2nd treeklunker's post and assume the anhyzer problem is caused by starting the pull before your pivot/plant foot has touched the ground.

i had this problem for a while when i was starting out and managed to fix it by focusing on a rhythm between my footwork and pull motion. 1-2-3-pull.

mistiming such as 1-2-pull/3 will result in an anhyzer pulled off to the right.

hope this could help

blake t.

i'm going to 2nd treeklunker's post and assume the anhyzer problem is caused by starting the pull before your pivot/plant foot has touched the ground.

i had this problem for a while when i was starting out and managed to fix it by focusing on a rhythm between my footwork and pull motion. 1-2-3-pull.

mistiming such as 1-2-pull/3 will result in an anhyzer pulled off to the right.

hope this could help

blake t.


Yeah, what I said. /msgboard/images/graemlins/smirk.gif Just kidding, Blake. We all value your input, and btw I can't wait to get ahold of them discs you are sending me.

Thanks fellas. I believe ya'll are dead on. I was playing this weekend and really concentrated on slowing down and working on my timing. When I did this, my throw stayed pretty much true. When I rushed and tried to throw too hard, bye-bye, it was going way to the right. I noticed that I was starting to pull too soon.
I appreciate all the feedback. I'm just going to keep on working at it and take my time. When I don't rush, it's usually pretty good.