Disc Golf Tips and Technique: Driving with Dan Beato (Video)

[patdabunny]

i have been doing the pen throw, even though i have the wrist extension on lock down, i just wanted to see if it helps, and sure enough after you do that for about an hour each day you can really focus hard on it.

if you are having trouble i suggest working that pen drill for some time with your focus merely on that wrist position. stop your hand and see where its at, and try to do that in standstill throws and stop your hand to see if its in the same position as the pen throws.

Good idea. I've been trying to find the description of the pen throw and I can't for some reason. You just throw a pen with your regular throwing motion? The point is for you to actively extend your wrist, right? I have done this a while back and was grip locking the hell out of the pen...

[masterbeato]

i have been doing the pen throw, even though i have the wrist extension on lock down, i just wanted to see if it helps, and sure enough after you do that for about an hour each day you can really focus hard on it.

if you are having trouble i suggest working that pen drill for some time with your focus merely on that wrist position. stop your hand and see where its at, and try to do that in standstill throws and stop your hand to see if its in the same position as the pen throws.

Good idea. I've been trying to find the description of the pen throw and I can't for some reason. You just throw a pen with your regular throwing motion? The point is for you to actively extend your wrist, right? I have done this a while back and was grip locking the hell out of the pen...

it is OK to grip lock it as long as you get the motion down correctly. i forgot where the Blake drill is since it was a while ago. if you just throw a pen naturally it shouldnt grip lock, naturally your wrist will be open, that is the whole point of the exercise is throwing the pen at a target and your wrist will just open.

it is a different way to visualize, and mold an area which most people are not getting (throwing a disc in a way to throw far) and throwing something that makes stuff happen naturally (throwing a pen) together. it is a training tool to help you "feel" the differences, and another wya of ecplaining things to hopefully get it, or help get it to click for some people is the whole purpose.

[MrScoopa]

Gotcha. Hmm. Something to ponder. How do you keep your wrist stiff without keeping your forearm and upper arm too stiff and therefore slowing down and missing the whole timing thing?

My wrist is a little closed. You can feel the muscles start burning a little bit from holding back the extension. When I feel that I forcefully open it up. You can have an unmovable wrist without a really stiff forearm. Just use the same muscles you use to open and close the wrist. It use some forearm muscles, but not enough to stop the momentum you've built up or anything.

Do you do this with a standstill throw, a full run up or both? This seems REALLY difficult to time and feels really unnatural. Is this something that you started to practice while doing the right pec drill? Or, can you even do it then? Just tried it in my back yard and felt a little with my putters, but will have to try it more on the practice field to tell more.

I can do it with all of the above. When your forearm is swinging out it gets to a point where your wrist wants to open. Stiffen the wrist and delay it. Then try to accelerate with the wrist. This the second pause("Blake: But not really a pause"). The second point of contact in the drive. This is the throwing of the hammer. Yes, it is very difficult to time. Blake obviously has a keen eye, but I can see why he didn't see the difference between half hitters and full hitters. The difference is insanely subtle.

When I throw putters or even mids I don't do it. If I try to throw hyzer it will immediately snap back to flat. But, if I do it with a driver I get the crazy flights like: Start hyzer, flips flat VERY abruptly, then turn, and really no fade. When I get it I have that nice feeling of finger stretching, the disc is noticeably faster, and I get an added 50' or so. Throwing the Center of the Disc Vs Throwing the head of the disc(hammer). With a putter it is much more relaxed for me. I still snap, just not as hard. I don't throw anything without snap now. There is always wrist extension. My accuracy is greater because I am relying on the snap to propel the disc, not arm speed, and so its more "point and snap".

Sorry started rambling

I noticed that I can get much more snap on a towel when I lift my elbow up from its "normal" position at my stomach to closer to my chest. Hmm. Yet another thing I must try...

Woo! Something I didn't have to manually teach myself. I do that naturally.

Oh and I can't snap hard on anything with a larger rim than a Beast. It ALWAYS slips out and I end up with a lousy hyzer

[patdabunny]

My wrist is a little closed. You can feel the muscles start burning a little bit from holding back the extension. When I feel that I forcefully open it up. You can have an unmovable wrist without a really stiff forearm. Just use the same muscles you use to open and close the wrist. It use some forearm muscles, but not enough to stop the momentum you've built up or anything.

Believe it or not, last night while I was annoying my wife (read: snapping the towel very loudly), I could feel the weight of the towel against my fingers! I couldn't believe something so light could feel heavy like that and EVERY time I felt this, it snapped hard. Now, I couldn't do that every time, but I think that's it. I think that's what you guys have been talking about the disc feeling "heavy." I really think that I've been tensing my upper body way too much to take full advantage of the "whip."

I can do it with all of the above. When your forearm is swinging out it gets to a point where your wrist wants to open. Stiffen the wrist and delay it. Then try to accelerate with the wrist. This the second pause("Blake: But not really a pause"). The second point of contact in the drive. This is the throwing of the hammer. Yes, it is very difficult to time. Blake obviously has a keen eye, but I can see why he didn't see the difference between half hitters and full hitters. The difference is insanely subtle.

When I throw putters or even mids I don't do it. If I try to throw hyzer it will immediately snap back to flat. But, if I do it with a driver I get the crazy flights like: Start hyzer, flips flat VERY abruptly, then turn, and really no fade. When I get it I have that nice feeling of finger stretching, the disc is noticeably faster, and I get an added 50' or so. Throwing the Center of the Disc Vs Throwing the head of the disc(hammer). With a putter it is much more relaxed for me. I still snap, just not as hard. I don't throw anything without snap now. There is always wrist extension. My accuracy is greater because I am relying on the snap to propel the disc, not arm speed, and so its more "point and snap".

I'm feeling this more and more. It's still hit and miss (haven't felt the best this week, so I haven't practiced as much). Yesterday when throwing mids, I could feel the disc really pulling against my fingers and I was getting them an easy 320-340' when this would happen. When it would happen the nose would also be down and it would be the "perfect throw." (No fade, no turn, straight as anything.)

Not trying to be difficult, but when you say "relying on snap," by snap you mean what's generated by extending your wrist (throwing the hammer)? So, it's a lot like Dan's punching at the target with putters from 120-150', right? Just trying to understand.

What's weird is that I was doing the wrist opening with a towel, just not a disc (again). I think it's because I am trying to accel my arm too early with a disc but not with a towel.

The sudden flat-flip is a very good thing. I've seen it with big arms like Stokely years ago.

I wonder why you can't throw putters with hyzer? That's kinda strange. My Ion yesterday blew by a 280' hole by almost 70'-80' on a hyzer line!

Oh and I can't snap hard on anything with a larger rim than a Beast. It ALWAYS slips out and I end up with a lousy hyzer

Have you tried PDs? Those things are really as good as everyone is saying... I completely understand. I can't either!

[MrScoopa]

Not trying to be difficult, but when you say "relying on snap," by snap you mean what's generated by extending your wrist (throwing the hammer)? So, it's a lot like Dan's punching at the target with putters from 120-150', right? Just trying to understand.

Yeah. That's it.

Believe it or not, last night while I was annoying my wife (read: snapping the towel very loudly), I could feel the weight of the towel against my fingers! I couldn't believe something so light could feel heavy like that and EVERY time I felt this, it snapped hard. Now, I couldn't do that every time, but I think that's it. I think that's what you guys have been talking about the disc feeling "heavy." I really think that I've been tensing my upper body way too much to take full advantage of the "whip."

This is kinda funny but I have had the towel RIP out of my grip and fly through the room. I was like holly crap I made a flying carpet! It went from my living room AROUND the corner and into the kitchen. A good 40' dogleg throw with a towel

I wonder why you can't throw putters with hyzer? That's kinda strange. My Ion yesterday blew by a 280' hole by almost 70'-80' on a hyzer line!

I have found that I stiffen up with my putter in my hand. Its a mental thing where I don't want to turn it over from strong arming. So, I wasn't following through hyzer like I should! I was doing well today.

What's weird is that I was doing the wrist opening with a towel, just not a disc (again). I think it's because I am trying to accel my arm too early with a disc but not with a towel.

Something that has helped me also(theres a lot I know ) is making sure the shoulder pulls the arm first. Then the arm starts to accelerate.

Have you tried PDs? Those things are really as good as everyone is saying... I completely understand. I can't either!

Oh yea! I have a 170g Freak. I LOVE that disc. Easy 400' shots.

[patdabunny]

The other thing I was going to mention about the putter throws is to make sure that your follow through is HIGH. Don't drop your hand to level or lower than level, or your disc will flip.

So, you actively think about opening your wrist at the hit? Also, with your grip, you just pinch the index/thumb at the hit and not the entire hand, right? It's going to be interesting to see exactly how much of a "problem" my grip is once I get my timing right such that I accel my arm after the right pec. I'm still translating it from towel to disc. Just a time issue, I'd imagine.

Aw, man! I was hoping the 400-425' thing with a PD was my awesomeness! I'll take that as a "no." Who knows...maybe I'll make my goal of 500' by the end of the year?

[MrScoopa]

The other thing I was going to mention about the putter throws is to make sure that your follow through is HIGH. Don't drop your hand to level or lower than level, or your disc will flip.

Yep. That is what I was doing. Not following through on plane.

So, you actively think about opening your wrist at the hit? Also, with your grip, you just pinch the index/thumb at the hit and not the entire hand, right? It's going to be interesting to see exactly how much of a "problem" my grip is once I get my timing right such that I accel my arm after the right pec. I'm still translating it from towel to disc. Just a time issue, I'd imagine.

Yes. That is all I think about. The hit. And powering the hit. If you are hitting 425' you are having wrist extension. Just think about snapping that towel and being the strongest at the end. No arm action until the last 12" or so. Before that my arm is being slung around by the rest of my body.

As for my grip when I started hitting it better my 3 finger grip wasn't cutting it, so I switched to a 4 finger like on the front page "Grip it to rip it".

Aw, man! I was hoping the 400-425' thing with a PD was my awesomeness! I'll take that as a "no." Who knows...maybe I'll make my goal of 500' by the end of the year?

Dude, that is awesomeness!! I can't hit much beyond that with my current walking x-step. Maybe if I added speed, but I feel like I might lose control at this point. I wasn't pissing on your progress. Nothing but respect here I think we can both make 500

[patdabunny]

Dude, that is awesomeness!! I can't hit much beyond that with my current walking x-step. Maybe if I added speed, but I feel like I might lose control at this point. I wasn't pissing on your progress. Nothing but respect here I think we can both make 500

I was just having some fun, no disrespect taken or given! Just joshin' around.

I found that adding the pivot hop step really does add a lot of momentum to your arm and therefore the disc.

I'll tell a little story here about a local guy who works at a chain sporting goods store. I returned a disc I had bought and decided I didn't want. He said he played and said he was hitting 425-450' with a boss and I mentioned DGR and that he should think about discing down because he said he isn't very accurate. He said no, as all noobs do. He actually agreed with me that newer players have to have the newest, fastest disc out there! He's a newbie and will learn to focus on form vs power at some point. Kinda disappointing to see new players with a decent level of talent get bad habits ingrained from the start when they don't want to hear any advice...

On another point, I made two guys' day yesterday. Two players were just playing a round before a wedding here in town and were obviously very new. They were having bad problems putting and I gave them advice about using weight transfer when putting and by the end of the round, both were hitting puts from 30' and getting very close from farther out. They were very happy! Made me feel like I did my good deed for the day!

[masterbeato]

no dis-respect to anyone, but 450' with a boss does not impress me, but 430' with a teebird does really impress me. that is the difference between snap and snap jr.

[patdabunny]

no dis-respect to anyone, but 450' with a boss does not impress me, but 430' with a teebird does really impress me. that is the difference between snap and snap jr.

Yeah, that's why I was really trying to get him to disc down and learn how to throw.

So, just curious, what is impressive to you in throwing bosses and katanas? 500'? 550'? I'm able to hit 500' with both bosses and katanas and probably 400' or a little more with a TB (don't throw 'em much anymore).

[masterbeato]

no dis-respect to anyone, but 450' with a boss does not impress me, but 430' with a teebird does really impress me. that is the difference between snap and snap jr.

Yeah, that's why I was really trying to get him to disc down and learn how to throw.

So, just curious, what is impressive to you in throwing bosses and katanas? 500'? 550'? I'm able to hit 500' with both bosses and katanas and probably 400' or a little more with a TB (don't throw 'em much anymore).

i go more by a realistic ball park calculation.

if you can "touch" a TB 400' that is big power and that is quite impressive, just watching someone throw a TB 400' without hardly even throwing it, that is sickness. if you are throwing a TB without taking anything off to make it go 400', that is like a 380' avg. of course the more new technology comes, the longer the plateau's will be, what is impressive is watching someone that has moved past the plateau, and concurred BIG snap because plastic flies very differently.

now if you can "touch" a boss, destroyer, katana etc. 480' - 500', that is impressive.

[patdabunny]

now if you can "touch" a boss, destroyer, katana etc. 480' - 500', that is impressive.

In leagues Tuesday, some guys I was playing with said that about an E*Boss 480' drive (400' length, but at least 30' uphill) that looked "effortless." (I don't get to play with others much due to schedule and family, so it may happen more often I don't know.) I know I can feel it when I use my hips and pull late vs when I don't. I know immediately. This was definite hip action.

I know that my power has increased, as I'm throwing z preds for holes 375-400' now and could never have done that before. I'm also just starting to throw destroyers, so I'll see what they do later. I do love the E*bosses and katanas. Just soooooooo much glide, it's crazy. I've heard the E*destroyers are the same.

Thanks for the help, Dan.

[kachtz1]

HI, i have been playing a little over 3 months now...

i was going to try this drill to maybe clean up my OAT that i have, and hopefully gain 50+'

but the question i have after reading all these pages is, what driver (or mid) should i be practicing this with?

[kachtz1]

the drivers that i currently have or have access too (friends) only 2 are mine

Destroyer
Boss
Eagle
Teerex
Star TL
Surge SS
Katana

[dgdave]

Out of those, TL