Fundamental Problem with Grip

[breaker9]

I've been playing for a few months now and have yet to find a grip that feels comfortable. I've read every guide and tutorial I can find and most say that the pad of the thumb should be pressing down on the flight plate. However, when I put my thumb there no matter how I arrange my other fingers the grip always feels awkward and my throws become unpredictable. This tells me I am doing something fundamentally wrong with the rest of my hand. I am hoping that someone can break down the grip in exhausting detail, explaining what fingers are applying what pressure in what direction and how it should feel. Pictures would be very helpful.

[Dbuntu]

There is a thread around this forum with pictures of a variety of grips. Maybe one of the stickies?
I am having a bit of trouble picturing how to hold a disc without your thumb on the flight plate though. How are you holding this thing?

[Lithicon]

You're new, the concept is new. Almost all new things can or will feel awkward. Until you get practice and adjust the grip slightly and your fingers get use to it. It will feel awkward. Everyone thinks that a new or different grip. Or all grips are awkward at first. Just keep trying them, keep practicing and your unpredictable flight will start to fix it's self as long as your throw fundamentals are correct.

[Redisculous]

You've seen this right?

http://discgolfreview.com/resources/art ... ipit.shtml

[breaker9]

You've seen this right?

http://discgolfreview.com/resources/art ... ipit.shtml

Like I said, I've read everything there is to read and nothing I've tried feels good or even capable of a clean release.




Apologies for the bad picture quality but my phone's camera isn't the greatest.

[Redisculous]

The way the tip of your thumb points up, makes me think you are digging in real hard with your last thumb knuckle. I used to do that. Now I use the pad of my thumb, which lets me manipulate the nose angle better. If you do the hand gesture for "money" while gripping your disc, you'll see what I mean.

Have you read about the hammer drill at all? Doing any kind of disc golf grip is kind of pointless unless you get how the disc is supposed to pivot around your rip finger before it comes out of your hand. It sounds like it's slipping out and random times instead of pivoting and ripping out of your grip. I'm not saying you don't get that yet, but I sure didn't when I started playing.

The reason I bring it up the hammer drill is if you grip the disc with only your index and thumb, and do something kind of like the hammer drill, you'll immediately see how a proper disc golf grip works. The rest of the fingers just stop that pivot from happening too soon, and make it so when it does happen, it happens more suddenly and with greater force.

Anyhow, if you haven't yet, I'd head over to the secret technique thread, and watch the "yo-yo" video, and try it with a two-finger grip. Once you get that feeling down, you can try to incorporate it into your throw and might hopefully help with your release problems.

[Star Shark]

The key to the thumb pressure is that it's a pinch through the flightplate between your thumb and index finger. The disc pivot that Brad talks about slings around this pinch as a fulcrum.