How much does 7-10 grams less weight effect the timing of the snap?

The reason I ask is because all my discs are at or close to max weight. Any time I try a lighter weight, I usually grip lock, ie my timing is off, and shank my disc way right. I bomb them when I do get the right timing, but that doesn't happen bery often. On shorter fairway type drives I'm fine, but my throw is different on those type of shots. I throw my son's 150g Leopard fine on those type of drives.

Is this a mental thing or does that amount of weight make that much difference of a high speed throw.

Have you tried throwing them with more hyzer?? If I'm throwing a light weight disc I throw the disc with hyzer, but also dont do a full run up, and only reach back about 1/2 way.

They aren't turning over, I'm getting a late release. I'm fine on shorter shots. I'm talking about full drives

i have to change my orientation on the t pad to throw low weight plastic, and slow my run up drastically.

They aren't turning over, I'm getting a late release. I'm fine on shorter shots. I'm talking about full drives



It might have something to do with centripetal force. When you come out of your drive swing the heavier disc would be trying to rip out of your hand with greater force than a lighter disc. Perhaps try to loosen your grip a bit with the lighter discs to allow them to rip out of your hand on time.

Lighter Weights = Further Distance.

I used to throw max weight then eventually switched to mid-weight 160g drivers. For me, the change in driver weights resulted in a significant increase in distance. Physics prove that a lighter disc will fly, or carry, further than a heavier disc. In fact, the last few world-record throws have been set with discs weighing in the upper 160's. Because lighter discs are less stable, practice is all one needs to learn the technique of throwing lighter plastic for bigger D. :)

Lighter Weights = Further Distance.

I used to throw max weight then eventually switched to mid-weight 160g drivers. For me, the change in driver weights resulted in a significant increase in distance. Physics prove that a lighter disc will fly, or carry, further than a heavier disc. In fact, the last few world-record throws have been set with discs weighing in the upper 160's. Because lighter discs are less stable, practice is all one needs to learn the technique of throwing lighter plastic for bigger D. :)



While there is much truth in this, it is also misleading. While light discs can carry further, especially downwind, velocity and momentum are involved as well. A heavy disc, thrown at the same speed as a lighter disc, possesses more momentum. This means that it will go farther more consistantly across all conditions than a lighter disc.

Everybody knows that our distance follies, I mean records, are set in a dry lake bed in the desert with huge sustained winds. The discs used to achieve this feat tell us nothing about what will work on the disc golf course (unless your home course is on a dry lake bed in the desert with huge prevailing winds).

The biggest factors in what weight will fly best is the individual thrower's style and physical attributes. To gain a benefit from heavier discs one must be have a strong enough grip to pull the disc through the snap smoothly with enough speed and correct release angle to get the nose down. To gain the benefits from lighter discs one must be have a very smooth, quick release without any off-axis torque. It comes down to style and technique alone that determine how far you throw your plastic, no matter what it weighs.

While I will agree that technique is relative to the style and/or weight of a throwing a particular golf disc, I will reiterate the fact that lighter discs can fly further than heavier discs. Terminal velocity proves this. Click here (http://www.grc.nasa.gov/WWW/K-12/airplane/termv.html) to view a detailed explanation of terminal velocity, courtesy of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). Below is a relevant quote from the web site:

"The terminal velocity equation tells us that an object with a large cross-sectional area or a high drag coefficient falls slower than an object with a small area or low drag coefficient. A large flat plate falls slower than a small ball with the same weight. If we have two objects with the same area and drag coefficient, like two identically sized spheres, the lighter object falls slower. This seems to contradict the findings of Galileo that all free falling objects fall at the same rate with equal air resistance. But Galileo's principle only applies in a vacuum, where there is NO air resistance and drag is equal to zero."

What they are saying is the lighter disc will experience more drag. It falls more slowly because it experiences more drag. It will also lose forward momentum quicker because it experiences more drag. So it may be a wash when you are talking about flying discs and not about free falling objects.

Whether a lighter disc is going to go farther depends on how you throw it and what the throwing conditions are.

On topic, if you are jerking the light weight stuff to the right throwing RHBH, you probably have some windmilling in your throwing style.

hence why i change my sholder orientation onthe pad.

While I will agree that technique is relative to the style and/or weight of a throwing a particular golf disc, I will reiterate the fact that lighter discs can fly further than heavier discs. Terminal velocity proves this. Click here (http://www.grc.nasa.gov/WWW/K-12/airplane/termv.html) to view a detailed explanation of terminal velocity, courtesy of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). Below is a relevant quote from the web site:

"The terminal velocity equation tells us that an object with a large cross-sectional area or a high drag coefficient falls slower than an object with a small area or low drag coefficient. A large flat plate falls slower than a small ball with the same weight. If we have two objects with the same area and drag coefficient, like two identically sized spheres, the lighter object falls slower. This seems to contradict the findings of Galileo that all free falling objects fall at the same rate with equal air resistance. But Galileo's principle only applies in a vacuum, where there is NO air resistance and drag is equal to zero."



In free fall the main force affecting an object is gravity. The lighter object resists this force more than the heavy object (lighter carries less momentum). The heavier object is affected more by the force (gravity). When throwing discs, gravity is the secondary force as the strongest force in play is the throw. Its only when the momentum of the throw weakens that the force of gravity becomes more obvious. So while gravity may pull the heavy disc down faster, the momentum of the throw punches the heavy disc further on a horizontal line at the same time. The result is a longer flight on a lower line. To experience the benefits of the lighter disc you would need more height on the shot and another force helping the horizontal momentum (tailwind). Thus throwing lighter discs requires a greater mastery of throwing as they are more affected by ambient forces other than gravity and the momentum of the throw.

I argue this because I know in my own experience that lighter discs do not help my golf distance at all. They are fun to play with and I'm sure that if I came out on a windy day just to throw max D the lighter disc could get the longest flight of the day, but my heavier stuff would yield me more consistant flight lines and accurate distance.

Let me take the liberty for the sake of this discussion of judging you by your profile...You probably are very skilled with a lid and you probably have a very smooth, old-school, air-bounce type of hyzer release. Your skill probably allows you to maximize the benefits of the lighter discs without throwing them as hard as you would have to throw the max weight discs. Your experience probably allows you to avoid the pitfalls of throwing the light stuff the majority of the time as well (nose-up stalls, over-torquing, flipping, throwing to low...). If I am totally off-base I apologize. :p

Solid analysis from many posters! This is why, even though i'm not a big arm, I like to throw mostly full weight plastic. I find that with my technique heavier plastic flies further on average. I learned to throw on golf discs, not lids.

Dave,

Try watching video's of Dr. Rick. He throws only 150 class, with the excpetion of a 169 Star Leopard. I know when he and I play together it's amazing what he can do with such lightweight discs. His game is very finesse oriented so emulate his style if you get a chance to watch anything with him on it.

If you are having troble with the control of light plastic, try slowing your arm speed down and concentrating on the angle of release and your wrist snap. Be sure not to "break" your wrist upon release.

They aren't turning over, I'm getting a late release. I'm fine on shorter shots. I'm talking about full drives



It might have something to do with centripetal force. When you come out of your drive swing the heavier disc would be trying to rip out of your hand with greater force than a lighter disc. Perhaps try to loosen your grip a bit with the lighter discs to allow them to rip out of your hand on time.



having a hard time explaining this.

A lighter disc would take less energy, allowing it to rip at the same time and have more force.

A heavier disc would take more energy to make it rip at the right time.

i think it pretty much equals out in the end. try throwing it the exact same way as a heavier disc.

They aren't turning over, I'm getting a late release. I'm fine on shorter shots. I'm talking about full drives



It might have something to do with centripetal force. When you come out of your drive swing the heavier disc would be trying to rip out of your hand with greater force than a lighter disc. Perhaps try to loosen your grip a bit with the lighter discs to allow them to rip out of your hand on time.



having a hard time explaining this.

A lighter disc would take less energy, allowing it to rip at the same time and have more force.

A heavier disc would take more energy to make it rip at the right time.

i think it pretty much equals out in the end. try throwing it the exact same way as a heavier disc.



Maybe this can explain what I meant better. When you pull a heavier disc through the snap you feel more resistance. The feel of this resistance is related to muscle memory and the timing of the release. When throwing a much lighter disc you do not feel as much resistance and it is harder to time the release properly.

F = ma
If you suddenly switch to lighter weight plastic and use the same force, the acceleration will increase and thus shorten the time the disc spends in the whip of the throw. The timing of the throw has to change slightly when the weight of the disc changes. Being smooth without off-axis torque is more important for lighter discs because they are more affected by air resistance and any wobble on the release will decrease the velocity of the disc more dramatically

Heaviest disc in my bag is 172g, and I throw as far as most people (maybe not as big as some - but I keep up) If you are having trouble controlling lighter weights - pay attention to what you are doing with your wrist as you pull through the snap. If your palm turns to the sky - your disc will turn over.
Those that have referenced technique as a predominant factor in the difference between lighter/heavier discs are right on. Heavier discs require a little more torque to get the same result as a lighter disc (aka Dr Rick) -and when you switch from heavier to lighter discs - that extra effort you're used to needing sometimes translates into off axis snap. One solution is to try a little more hyzer -as this forces you to pay attention to your release angle. But once you get comfortable with the speed of the pull - you should be able to use very similar technique regardless of weight.

i sidearm 150 flicks about 400 and really prefer them for a lot of forehand shots. they can turn over a bit too much in the wind though. i rarely use lightweights for backhand though.