I'm just curious where the disconnect here is... I've been throwing a consistent 400+ range with a max of 430 (for a very brief time I was able to hit 450, did something right for about two weeks and then lost it) with drivers for about, oh... seven or eight months now.

Now, during this same span of time I've gone from being able to throw my DX Aviar P&As about 190-200 to being able to throw them 270-275. I've really noticed great strides in what I can do with my putters to the point where, lately, whenever we play the short tees on my home course (Vienna Park) I'm almost exclusively throwing Aviars lately on my drivers (hyzer, anny, straight...).

So is there something I'm doing wrong where I can't seem to increase the distance by any major stride with my drivers, but I am really increasing my putter D by great strides?

Typical distance driver is a 175 beat to hell (16 month old) Pro Wraith for downwind, 175 newer (2 month old) Pro Wraith for neutral or headwind. For putter drives I use 175 gram DX Aviar P&As. Should I be using different long distance drivers to unlock more distance?

Should I throw my distance drives in a manner more similar to my putter drives?


-Chris.

Drivers have a tendency to fade out at a certain point in their flight so unless you switch up how you throw the disc entirely (nose down, anhyzer bomb or whatever) then they are going to get somewhat consistent distance. Putters can maintain their float even towards the end of their flight (more low speed glide?) so as you learn to put some height on a putter and get the angles right, putters can really get out there to decent distances. The aviar is a great driving putter, very consistent for a wide range of speeds
not sure if this helps you at all :confused: you've probably played a lot more golf than i have
p.s. pro wraiths are my favorite distance drivers too

Note: this is completely anecdotal, no real basis in reality....

From my experiences cranking on drivers, mids, and putters, once your form gets decent, putters see the most gain in distance, mids second, and drivers third. Also, as far as max D in the high 400s, all the drives I've thrown further than that (like 4) have been non golf shot lines. I can get this beat up 171 surge out either 275-300 or 450-500 depending on if I get it to turn all the way over on a huge sweeping S hyzer flip line. It's a horrible golf shot, but great when you're wrapping up a practice session in a field.

Putters, on the other hand, seem to get their distance out of a clean release more than fancy tricks like that. Snap, height, and speed are all it takes to get a putter to carry. The down side to that is, putters with a bad release are a lot more punishing.

If you already throw 400+ consistantly, what is the problem? It's a game of accuracy and consistancy, NOT distance.

Note: this is completely anecdotal, no real basis in reality....

From my experiences cranking on drivers, mids, and putters, once your form gets decent, putters see the most gain in distance, mids second, and drivers third. Also, as far as max D in the high 400s, all the drives I've thrown further than that (like 4) have been non golf shot lines. I can get this beat up 171 surge out either 275-300 or 450-500 depending on if I get it to turn all the way over on a huge sweeping S hyzer flip line. It's a horrible golf shot, but great when you're wrapping up a practice session in a field.

Putters, on the other hand, seem to get their distance out of a clean release more than fancy tricks like that. Snap, height, and speed are all it takes to get a putter to carry. The down side to that is, putters with a bad release are a lot more punishing.



<golf clap>

Drivers need a lot more nose down. Everything else is the same.

We have a lot in common.

If you already throw 400+ consistantly, what is the problem? It's a game of accuracy and consistancy, NOT distance.


Sorry, when I say consistantly I mean I can consistantly reach that distance, not that I'm consistant in my accuracy at that distance. I'd like to get to the point where I can consistantly control out to 430-440 so that I can be consistantly accurate, take off strength and add control, to the 400 foot drives.

Ahhh, I think I follow. I guess I just don't really worry about distance at all. I just try to throw the disc straight and it goes as far as it goes (I throw @ 380 consistantly and acurately). The only thing that has improved my distance is time and practice.

I will also add that my disctance decreases as I try harder. When I throw in the field I always throw my first 2 or 3 shots at 60-70% power and frequently they will be my longest drives.

I just need to get my putting up to the level of my driving. /msgboard/images/graemlins/smirk.gif

I've been wondering about this topic, too. I recently took my distance drivers out of my bag because they weren't that much longer than my "fairway" drivers, and weren't nearly as controllable. I now have Teebirds, a TL, and a Firebird in my bag, and I can throw them around 380' usually, maxing out about 400 (only about 350 with the Firebird.) I throw KC Pro and DX Rocs about 325', and my Wizards out to about 300'.

It just seems that if I can throw a putter 300, I should be able to throw a mid a good deal farther than that, and a driver a good deal farther than that. Different discs have different flights though, so its hard to judge. A putter and a mid just need height, and the natural glide will take care of much of the distance. Drivers (especially most high speed drivers) are more about penetration, so height only won't help too much. When it slows down, it'll fall, no matter how high it is. You might only get a little bit more extra distance. I've been working on increasing my driver distance though recently. My Wizards have been maxed at 300 for six months or so now, but it's only in the past month or so where I've increased my Teebird distance from around 340-350 or so up to 380-400. Increasing driver distance is much more about intangible stuff that's hard to learn. It's not just things you can train yourself to do like nose down, height, or clean release, but more things like snap and timing that are harder to recognize, harness, and apply.

I have been having a similar problem as well. I can throw my Aviar-X's consistently between 200-225, and mids between 225-250 but my drives are so inconsistent. Back in November I was driving 350ft, but now I struggling to get past 300ft. I know cold weather doesnt help, and my body is stiff from the wind chill, but I am doing something completely wrong. I know I'm taking my Wraiths out of my bag because I'm throwing them with much more effort, but no distance increase. I find my Champion Orcs to get the most distance. Its just weird that I have suddenly lost 50ft of distance in 2 months. I really need it back plus 75-100ft more for BG Ams. I've been taking bigger steps on my run ups instead of running up conservatively and also shifting my weight on the release but everything is still inconsistent. Maybe when the weather gets warmer my drives will be better, but I would prefer the distance now.

I have been having a similar problem as well. I can throw my Aviar-X's consistently between 200-225, and mids between 225-250 but my drives are so inconsistent. Back in November I was driving 350ft, but now I struggling to get past 300ft. I know cold weather doesnt help, and my body is stiff from the wind chill, but I am doing something completely wrong. I know I'm taking my Wraiths out of my bag because I'm throwing them with much more effort, but no distance increase. I find my Champion Orcs to get the most distance. Its just weird that I have suddenly lost 50ft of distance in 2 months. I really need it back plus 75-100ft more for BG Ams. I've been taking bigger steps on my run ups instead of running up conservatively and also shifting my weight on the release but everything is still inconsistent. Maybe when the weather gets warmer my drives will be better, but I would prefer the distance now.


Hmm... well I don't know your form so I can't say anything for sure, but on the drives try shortening those run-up steps. Too many players have decided they need a 20 foot runup, with six foot strides. Nope. Just something short and controlled, smaller steps just to get yourself both into a rhythm and to get your body in position for an optimal pull back and through.


-Chris.

I've been wondering about this topic, too. I recently took my distance drivers out of my bag because they weren't that much longer than my "fairway" drivers, and weren't nearly as controllable. I now have Teebirds, a TL, and a Firebird in my bag, and I can throw them around 380' usually, maxing out about 400 (only about 350 with the Firebird.) I throw KC Pro and DX Rocs about 325', and my Wizards out to about 300'.

It just seems that if I can throw a putter 300, I should be able to throw a mid a good deal farther than that, and a driver a good deal farther than that. Different discs have different flights though, so its hard to judge. A putter and a mid just need height, and the natural glide will take care of much of the distance. Drivers (especially most high speed drivers) are more about penetration, so height only won't help too much. When it slows down, it'll fall, no matter how high it is. You might only get a little bit more extra distance. I've been working on increasing my driver distance though recently. My Wizards have been maxed at 300 for six months or so now, but it's only in the past month or so where I've increased my Teebird distance from around 340-350 or so up to 380-400. Increasing driver distance is much more about intangible stuff that's hard to learn. It's not just things you can train yourself to do like nose down, height, or clean release, but more things like snap and timing that are harder to recognize, harness, and apply.



I went a similar route, but rather than eliminate the ultra long drivers, I just narrowed my drivers down to:

Overstable - Really Long (Pulse)
Stable - Really Long (Surge)
Understable - Really Long (Beat Surge)

and

WAY Overstable - Long (Xtra)
Stable - Long (Tsunami)

and loaded my bag with mids and putters. I found that, if the hole is 400 feet and requires a technical shot, I'm better off throwing Mid-Mid-Putt Out, than Driver-Recovery-(1 or 2)Putt out. You eliminated the squirly discs, while I left them in for the situations where accuracy can be sacrificed. If I have to throw a driver off the Tee, it's either going to be the Tsunami, or there's room for error and I throw a driver that gets the extra distance. Anything other than that, it's going to be a buzzz or a wasp.

I played in an ice bowl last weekend and only threw 7 shots over 2 18 hole rounds with a driver and took 3rd in Am-1, missing 8 putts in the second round(enough to have won it :( ). Maybe a control driver in there will make the difference.

Pat, I threw 22 drivers(6 thumbers included) over those two rounds. I feel drivers are more predictable in the winter.

I like to throw Putters up to 275 feet, mids up to 315. I throw my T-birds typically 300-370, and Wraiths for 370+. I can get my wraith to travel over 415 feet with relative consistancy but don't have that luxury with my fairway drivers.