I am a fairly new golfer and I am primarily rhbh thrower but I am no stranger to a thumber. A decent one from what some others have told me. The funny thing to me is I have trouble throwing a tomahawk. Any advice is much appreciated!

Hammer Throw by Rick Bays (http://www.discgolfreview.com/resources/articles/hammerthrow.shtml)

Video of players Throws (http://http://www.discgolfreview.com/resources/throwanalysis.shtml)

I would say, stay away from The Hammer as much as possible, it is like throwing a screwball in baseball, very rough on your shoulder and mostly your elbow. I throw a few thumbers, but rarely throw Hammers.

I throw a few thumbers



Bwhahahahahahahahaha

As somebody that throws a pretty good thumber (dead nuts accurate w/in 250 ft) I can honestly say that you really don't need a tomahawk/hammer if you have a moderately strong thumb (a weak thumb can't handle a thumber, I tried with a fractured thumb in November). Tomahawks give you a reverse flight path, but unlike a forehand compared to a backhand they put you in the same landing zone.

Additionally, as has been said above, the tommy can really strain the shoulder (I like the screwball analogy, I think I'll steal it). You tend to release it from a different arm angle and snap differently with it. If you really insist on throwing it, be careful to limit how often you do it. It was my only throw when I started playing, and it almost drove me out of the sport as fast as I entered it.


-Chris.

The only reason I ask is that I have noticed several times when that "reverse flight path" would have work due either to hole layout wind conditions and/or water right of the basket. I'm not saying I want it to be a regular shot of mine, I just want to have it if It would be the best way to get me close to the basket or for a good out. It's like have the "bump and run" in ball golf. You don't drive with it, you don't putt with it, but if it is the best way to give you the best next shot, than you use it! Know what I mean?

i use my thumber quite frequently it is a very depedable throw to land inside a thirty foot circle . how ever sometimes with an uncontrolled roll can get away from me . the tomahawk can also be benificial i use it both to land on top falling the same way the thumber falls as well as a full barrel roll falling the opposite direction.the discs i use for either throw would be a firebird or teebird both in champ plastic

i played ultimate for years before disc golf, and i still prefer throwing a hammer using a very understable disc. anyone out there able to give me the gist of what the keys are to understanding the benefits and results of throwing overstable discs instead? (my muscle memory wants & expects the disc to turn over and end up "receiver friendly" a la ultimate just before it lands...)

I throw a few thumbers a country mile , but rarely throw Hammers.



fixed.

they don't go a country mile, they only go a 1/4 mile

they don't go a country mile, they only go a 1/4 mile



1/4 real mile = country mile

For me:

Golf disc --> good thumber, pathetic hammer
Ultimate lid --> good hammer, pathetic thumber

...and never the twain shall meet.

nanook

For me:

Golf disc --> good thumber, pathetic hammer
Ultimate lid --> good hammer, pathetic thumber

...and never the twain shall meet.

nanook



Agreed!

The difference for me is stable vs. understable. Hammers = understable (ultimate discs)..... thumbers = stable discs.

I agree with the observation that the hammer is hard on the shoulder, however, I still use it. For me, the secret is to go easy. There's a tendancy to really crank these shots out and you don't need to. #$*&$! = C*o*c*k* (we're just a little to worried about the swearing here) the wrist and use less shoulder and more pop. You're not going to get as much D, but you'll have an effective 250 foot shot that pops right in there.

Remember what killed Stokley's carreer, one too many forehand throws!

Blake T said not too long ago that there's an interesting correlation between thumbers/tommies and what position people used to play in baseball.

He said pitchers and something else were better at/preferred tommies, and outfielders & catchers were better at/preferred thumbers. From my experience, this seems true so far.

Blake T said not too long ago that there's an interesting correlation between thumbers/tommies and what position people used to play in baseball.

He said pitchers and something else were better at/preferred tommies, and outfielders & catchers were better at/preferred thumbers. From my experience, this seems true so far.



Well, to futher support Blake's thought - I played outfield and I am very comfortable and confident with my thumber.

On a side note, hey RumJugs, how did that winter route on #13 at Kentrock work for you at the Winter Jam? ;)

I throw hammers much more frequently then I throw thumbers. I fit Blake's theory on pitchers being more comfortable throwing hammers than thumbers. In an open field I can hit around 300 feet with my hammer but I don't generally have much use for that shot. It is primarily a shot that I use to get out of trouble but it does add an up and over option for some wooded holes. Maybe it is just the way I throw my hammer but I would liken it much more to a curve ball than I would a screw ball. As it comes past your head have it tilted slightly towards your head and snap your wrist through. I pretty much throw the hammer exactly the same way that I pitch a baseball. I imagine if you kind of short arm the throw and really snap your arm violently instead of reaching back and then extending through the throw with a wrist snap at the end that you could hurt your shoulder and elbow real easily. Stretch your arm before attempting any full power hammers. I have never had any shoulder pain throwing the hammer but I have gotten a sore elbow which is why I learned to throw backhand and forehand instead of all hammers. I throw a Champion Orc at 171g I think and it gives me a very nice flight.

Blake T said not too long ago that there's an interesting correlation between thumbers/tommies and what position people used to play in baseball.

He said pitchers and something else were better at/preferred tommies, and outfielders & catchers were better at/preferred thumbers. From my experience, this seems true so far.



What about shorTsTop?

I would agree to stay away from the hammer also, it is exactly like throwing a screwball in baseball, very rough on your shoulder and your elbow. I throw thumbers, sometimes, but never throw hammers.

3rd baseman they have to throw all the way across the diamond. be careful throwing either as some how I gave myself a rib contusion throwing thumbers :confused:

Blake T said not too long ago that there's an interesting correlation between thumbers/tommies and what position people used to play in baseball.

He said pitchers and something else were better at/preferred tommies, and outfielders & catchers were better at/preferred thumbers. From my experience, this seems true so far.



Well, to futher support Blake's thought - I played outfield and I am very comfortable and confident with my thumber.

On a side note, hey RumJugs, how did that winter route on #13 at Kentrock work for you at the Winter Jam? ;)

got it 3 out of 5 times

3rd baseman they have to throw all the way across the diamond. be careful throwing either as some how I gave myself a rib contusion throwing thumbers :confused:

But you are OLD

thanks wise one you will be there one day about 8 years from now. :D

Interesting about the baseball(/softball) positions...as I tended toward outfield or catcher and prefer thumbers...BY FAR. Though I retired from softball at 30 (44 now), I had a rocket arm and many painful complaints from the ones catching my shorter throws. Unless there were some VERY unique circumstances, I think I'd try some other trick shot other than a Tommy/Hammer as I just cannot connect with this shot with any kind of power or consistency...until I bring down to sidearm level...and even then I switch to a one finger flick (instead of 2) for accuracy.

For the Tomahawk/Hammer, try a more understable disc. I don't get as much snap with a tomahowk and thus, only throw it about 200 ft where my thumber goes about 275ft. I use a Firebird for my thumbers, and a valkeryie for my tomahawks.

I'll try that idea...thanks! :cool:

For the Tomahawk/Hammer, try a more understable disc. I don't get as much snap with a tomahowk and thus, only throw it about 200 ft where my thumber goes about 275ft. I use a Firebird for my thumbers, and a valkeryie for my tomahawks.



Doesn't hurt your shoulder ?

firebird.....

I throw a lot of hard tommies (not too many thumbers) & use a motion more like a topspin tennis serve than a baseball throw. No arm issues for me, but that might have to do with having hit at least 500 serves every day of my life between ages 4 & 24 (little, if any, exaggeration).

150 gummy Champion Firebird for max D or 150 gummy Champion Banshee for pinpoint accuracy.

Gotta throw in my 2 cents about tommies v thumbers. I'm no player on the calibre of Schwebbie, etc, but I throw a decent tommie out to 250 feet or so. It is probably my best shot.

I pitched a small stint in minor leagues and a lot in HS, so I guess I too fit the Blake diescription. My shortcoming as a pitcher and disc golfer was/is velocity.

Anyway, I feel a tommie and a thumber are equally important and complimentary as are a backhand and sidearm and a forehand and backhand roller - these six are the basic driving tools of disc golf IMHO. The tommie corkscrews in the opposite direction and skips in the opposite direction on landing - invaluable traits when trying to shoot a narrow gap in the woods - one of the times this shot can be a real stoke shaver.

I'm 44 years old and can throw 40 tommie drives plus warm ups in a day without too much arm strain

To throw the tommie, it is good to picture oneself pitching a fastball with the two fingers on the inside of the rim snapping down and forward toward the target much as a fastball is pitched with two fingers forward. With the tommie though, the two fingers stay vertically oriented with respect to the ground through the release, as they are when holding the disc vertical. The throw is an overhand nearly vertical release which probably explains the outfielder/pitcher dichotomy - non pitchers tend to throw with a more 3/4 or sidearm release. I tend to give it more altitude than the thumber which compensates for it's lesser tendency to corkscrew and improves the total distance. I use a beat up 150 z-flick (still quite overstable) for the tommie, a non-beat 150 flick or firebird for the thumber. Lighter weights tend to carry farther for those velocity challenged throwers like me as long as the disc is rigid - bend in the disc is the distance limiter it seems - probably because it increases wind resistance.

3rd baseman they have to throw all the way across the diamond. be careful throwing either as some how I gave myself a rib contusion throwing thumbers :confused:

But you are OLD



yeah he is!! I think he likes masters $$$$$$$$$!!!! :D