Bryant Regional Park and the wind

[Mr. Merchant]

Heres a question for all of you in the minneapolis area that play this course. some days this course is super windy and the course is hilly. I do fine on most of the holes in the wind. except for hole #6, when the wind is coming strong off of the lake it usualy makes the disc rise. #6 is a steep downhill shot that turns slightly to the left. heres my issue, when the wind is kicking it lifts my disc high into the air and stalls there for a while before being kicked hard left. on calm days this hole is easy, usualy a 2 50% of the time. I always throw a low hard hyzer with a heavy champ beast, I Keep the nose down and the disc no more then 10' off of the ground. I do the same thing in the wind and the disc just rises high and dies.

What can I do to solve this issue? technique or disc recomendations are welcome.

heres my bag:
174 champ beast
175 champ sidewinder
169 z crush
172 z flash
175 champ monster
176 kc pro roc (beat)
172 soft magnet
175 magnet (really beat)

[garublador]

For anyone who wants a picture of the hole in question:

http://www.playdg.com/bryantlake/?h=6

Are you coming up short when the disc rises and dives hard left?

Lately I've been working on my wind game and I've been relying on throwing overstable discs so they'll keep on a hyzer the whole time when I come to a headwind. Many times this will mean sacrificing distance and an oppertunity at a deuce, but I almost always end up in the fairway rather than somewhere off to the side where I'd really rather not be.

If I came to that hole and didn't think I'd be able to make it past the trees on the left, I'd grab an overstable driver (either a Blaze or S Spirit for me) and try to throw a sweeping hyzer out to the right so the disc lands directly in line with the tee pad. Once you get down there a ways it's a really easy hole and getting a 3 is no problem. It's a lot less risky than hoping for a 2, but ending up in the woods an and getting a 4 75% of the time. If I thought I could get it past the trees, I'd do the same thing but aim straight ahead so the disc hyzers around the trees.

Either way I'd make sure the disc I threw didn't flip up to flat. I'd want it to hold a hyzer the whole time. You could try your Crush or Monster instead of the Beast. I find the Champ Beast doesn't hold a hyzer all that well.

[Mr. Merchant]

its happened twice this year. the first time I put it way out to the right. it rised up, stalled and kicked hard left and right under the trees, maybe 50'+ from the hole. the second time it kicked it up over the woods and made it right at the edge of the woods just past the seventh tee, had to take a 4 that time. thanks for the information on the beast, that solves my wind issues for that disc.

I played there again today. not much wind. I was actualy dissapointed because i wanted some practice. I usualy aim with no wind at the basket for hole 1 with hyzer, the disc usualy turns and takes a run at the basket, i try to keep the disc low otherwise I put it past the hole. i used to throw my roc but the wrong headwind can easily turn it over. maybe in the wind I should aim a little more right.

I wont throw the monster, its a sidearm only disc for me. I just borrowed out my crush. so i am going to buy a new disc that is very overstable. any suggestions? wraith,starfire or maybe a flick?

p.s.
that playdg site is awesome. I love the pictures and the pin zoom for all the holes. i never knew basset was so wicked, I have to try it. ever played the one in brooklyn park?

[Blake_T]

the monster is probably the best disc you have for that shot. my advice is that if you have any disc that you only use for 1 thing, it should come out of the bag or find a few more uses for it.

i would not classify the wraith or starfire as "very overstable."

bryant lake was my home course for two years and 6 probably plays as the 2nd easiest hole on the course (to number 10) if you can throw a consistent hyzer.

there's a number of lines you can take on 6 (i've hit chains with a putter, midrange, and a number of drivers). the highest percentage shot in any wind conditions is a low hard hyzer (you will be throwing significantly downwards with a high reach and low follow through) and a slight wrist roll under. basically your goal is to get up and down and take away the possibility of over-fading and ending up in the swamp on 8.

[Mr. Merchant]

i would take the monster out of my bag if it wasn't for the fact that i throw sidearm almost as much as back hand. i haven't found another disc that will always come back like the monster side arm. it allows me to create s curves that go a long way. i turn my other discs over too much side arm so i stick with the monster. more then likely i still need to work on my technique side arm.

i will try it into the wind next time. i just can't throw that thing good backhand, even when i put anhyzer on it, it all of a sudden slows down and goes hard left. i probably need to generate more snap.

[Blake_T]

i just can't throw that thing good backhand, even when i put anhyzer on it, it all of a sudden slows down and goes hard left.

it is supposed to finish hard left. the flight you are describing on an anhyzer throw is due to not enough nose down and/or lack of power on it.

basically, that is not a disc you should try to make fly straight unless you are doing it as a practice drill or throwing into a 25mph+ headwind.

[presidio hills]

you do not need overstable discs to battle a headwind. in fact, a lot of the newer moderately overstable discs are terrible for headwind; orcs and wraiths, for example. there are stable discs that work great for a headwind due to their rim designs; teebirds, eagles, and rocs for example. if you had a flat top DX roc you could tackle a big headwind and still make it to that hole, i'll bet. i think the KC rocs are a bit squirrely (will turn right easily). if you had a teebird (dx, champ, star... whatever) it'd hold a nice hyzer all the way even into a stiff headwind.
personally, i'd lefty sidearm a DX eagle or an X xtra with not too much power and focus on just laying it on the line... you've got some downhill to work with there, it looks like... so if you can get your disc on the right line you'll make it all the way, easy. might be a fun one for you to righty sidearm and let the disc flip left into the gap, too, for practice... but not if you're going for the highest percentage shot.

[Thatdirtykid]

I was going to say try the crush or monster . What do you throw on a calm day? A beast even if you cannot reach its cruise speed is by no way a headwind driver, it will get a ton of lift (especialy with nose up) and will flip a ton (especially with the nose down). If you can throw the crush or monster nose down into the wind, the monster should hook lleft most the flight, and the crush would probably flip up, turn a touch and fade hard.

[Mr. Merchant]

on a calm day with almost no wind i will use the roc or the flash. in moderate wind i rip the beast. those two situations are no issue. i'm junking the beast into the wind, that rise is no good. now that i think of it my flash doesn't rise as much. i think i'm going to buy a champ tee-bird, like a 172-174 and a heavy classic roc.

[lacrimosa]

how well do x avengers hold up into headwinds? I have a max weight z avenger that's extremely overstable (almost firebird-ish) but doesn't get too much d. I'll usually through an H illusion, but they've flipped on occasion.

[presidio hills]

the beast is actually not a good headwind driver at all. i'd recommend the DX teebird, over the champ. seriously, try some DX action. get 2! beat 'em in together.

[Thatdirtykid]

how well do x avengers hold up into headwinds? I have a max weight z avenger that's extremely overstable (almost firebird-ish) but doesn't get too much d. I'll usually through an H illusion, but they've flipped on occasion.

Brand new X avengers get much better distance into a headwind, however they can be a bit squirrly into the wind broken in much. I carry a Z avenger, new x avenger and a couple broken in ones. Im very confident in the new one for most headwinds, and when its really blowing, or I dont have room for any turn, then the Z is the disc of choice. (although it falls a good 75' short of the X)