When I first seriously took up disc golf three to five months ago i used a strange approach on my drives. I would take an x-step (rhbh), but i would put my left foot in front of my right foot (strange i know, but it felt comfortable). I would not (obviously) get much or any torque from my legs and hips, but I was able to drive the diagonal of a soccer field (so something over 300 feet) most of the time with pretty good accuracy. Now I've done a little reading and I have since started driving with a real x-step with my back to the hole and everything. The problem is that I've lost a lot of accuracy (from a best of 2 under to usually 4 over after nine) and haven't gotten much more distance from changing the drive (maybe 10 to 20 feet). So the question is: should I go back or should I hope to get better in the long run by working on the new drive?

if that extra 10-20 feet would take a difference of a couple strokes off of your average round score, I'd say stick with the conventional x-step and practice to get accurate with it. If it's not going to help that much, stick with what you know. it'd be work to gain accuracy, but you'll have that little extra distance.

I know a top advanced player around my area (mike morano i think) and he uses a reverse type x-step where his left foot goes in front instead of behind. he said it relieves a lot of tension on the knees and he throws way more consistent than me and further on average too.. i guess just do what makes you the most consistent..

-Scott LEwis

from the sound of it, changing the x-step greatly affected your timing and the way your body rotates.

imo, the real key of the cross step behind is not so you can get more upper body rotation (over-rotation during the reach is a common problem), but more so you can fully utilize your hip power and the kinetic chain linking your left glut to your right upper trap.

you may benefit from revamping your x-step to a form that will more closely mimic your older throwing form and making sure that the footwork doesn't so much change the fundamental motion of your throw but more adding power to that form through additional hip thrust/explosion.

hip thrust/explosion.



I like the sound of that.

an entire new footwork procedure is going to take quite a few rounds in order to gain your timing and balance back. The extra torque will help take your drives to the next level once you have mastered it. Give it a few more weeks, and if the consistency has not come online then think about switching back.

I also have a little bit of an accuracy problem with a cross step, but only when I twist too far trying to generate more power, and lose site of the basket. As long as keep an eye on the target, then my drives are nice. It's all about arm speed and follow thru.

I'm my opinion, If you're driving 300+ accurately, then stick to whatever it is you're doing. That's a huge drive!

not allowing your eyes to leave the target will limit the potential rotation of your upper body. i notice a tendency for inaccuracy from players who generally turn fully away when they have to hit a tight gap, they will often not turn and throw their timing off.

imo, a lot of building confidence and spatial awareness is by aiming more with your body than with your eyes, and being able to picture the line you wish to throw without visual contact.

i don't really have a set philosophy on this but any time you limit your rotation you are robbing yourself of potential D.

i would suggest that your dilema sounds less step related then grip or timing related. A local junior that i play with threw with the same reversed X-step. when he asked me to show him the motions of my distance drive, he then switched to regular X-step. with similar results to yours. increase in distance decrease in accuracy. After about a week of play w/ no change, i suggested changing grip and/ or angle of release to lessenthe effects of the speed icrease on timing. The angle of release (closer to 45 degree downward) really helped, and the grip assited in release timing. I would suggest this only if you find that your problems with regular X step continue, and if you feel the added distance is a nesescity.