Sweet! New FLX Plastic from Discraft!

[J.R.]

Ok.  Well as long as this thread is already completely off topic and no one seems to be making any effort to get it back on topic:

I am a fairly new player (RHBH).  Last fall I started to turn over discs that I previously hadn't turned over like a KC Pro Roc and a Gazelle, not violently, but enough that they ended up way right of where I was aiming even after they came back left.  What is odd is that I don't seem to be getting any more distance on those discs or in general, so I questioned that it was simply more power that was turning them over.  I started to suspect maybe OAT was the culprit. 

So my question is how can a you tell the difference between turning over discs due to adding power vs. OAT?  And if it is OAT what are some good remedies?

I have read most of the articles on discgolfreview.com.  Any other good intructional articles out there?

[CEValkyrie]

.  Any other good intructional articles out there?

Watching video has helped me tremendously over the past few years. Several years ago my form really sucked. My run up was long & fast. My arm was really wide & I had to throw anhyzer to get decent D. I have watched a ton of DVD's and watch as much disc golf as possible on the PC. If you watch the best players in the world they all have several things in common. Also, throwing a ton of discs on a football field or open field will drastically help in speeding the process up.

1. Their foot work is smooth.
2. The disc stays tight to the body.
3. Smooth release.
4. Excellent follow thru.

Get on discgolftv.com an watch the final round of the GC. You will immediately see what i'm talking about. Try to mimic that form.

[discmonkey]

Ok.  Well as long as this thread is already completely off topic and no one seems to be making any effort to get it back on topic:

I am a fairly new player (RHBH).  Last fall I started to turn over discs that I previously hadn't turned over like a KC Pro Roc and a Gazelle, not violently, but enough that they ended up way right of where I was aiming even after they came back left.  What is odd is that I don't seem to be getting any more distance on those discs or in general, so I questioned that it was simply more power that was turning them over.  I started to suspect maybe OAT was the culprit. 

So my question is how can a you tell the difference between turning over discs due to adding power vs. OAT?  And if it is OAT what are some good remedies?

I have read most of the articles on discgolfreview.com.  Any other good intructional articles out there?

A couple of points (ironically mostly from DGR, check out the forums in addition to the articles.  Absolutely outstanding advice through and through) of clarification.  OAT is caused when the throw does not come through on the same plane as the disc being thrown.  When watching the pros (and I highly recommend studying Barry Schultz in the 06 MSDGC) you will notice that their entire pull and follow through are parallel to the disc.  All force and snap are imparted at a 90 degree angle to the central axis of the disc.  When force is imparted that is not on the same plane, the axis of rotation wobbles and effects the disc's flight by driving it right and down (RHBH).

So why is this important???  Discs like the valk and flash are designed to fly that way when thrown flat.  In order to get them to fly straight, you have to hyzer flip them as they naturally turn right in the high speed portion of their flight.  These discs, though, can be the best teachers of how to eliminate off axis torque.  If you can take a very understable disc and get it to hold a hyzer for a good distance without flipping flat, you know you have eliminated OAT.

On the other hand, discs like the KC Pro Roc are "true stable" meaning that they will not flip, ever, when thrown with no OAT.  Their design simply prevents that.  Other discs like this include the teebird, firebird x, and starfire x.  Those discs can only be flipped with OAT.  Soooo.  If you are flipping valks and flashes intentionally, but can hyzer them if you want, you don't really have a problem.  If you are, on the other hand, flipping the KC Roc, you have some torque issues to work on.  Unfortunately, most people deal with the problem by masking the issue with really overstable plastic.  Then they get blown away when they see Barry throw a beat to crap roc into a moderate wind 350' on a straight line.  For more info  search the DGR forums for "torque monkey" or "true stable".

[stpitner]

I can't wait to get out on the course in the summer time and try out my new form.  I know that some have seen me during the winter, and if I'm not having an off day and it's not super windy, I was just tearing it up.  I fixed up my mechanics... shortened my run up, fixed my arm angle, follow all the way through (and didn't even realize I started doing that), and I'm snapping the disc better.  Unfortunately since I have been playing Oak Brook recently you can't really wail on a disc and see what you can do.  I have a lot more accuracy now though.  My putting suddenly has worked a lot better for me too.  A lot of my putting changes have just been confidence related.

Seriously though, I hope my rating goes through the roof this year.  The best thing in my mechanics changes was to change my footwork.  I take shorter steps, and while I don't have as much momentum I'm not taking big steps and making me be off-balance.  Eventually perhaps I'll be able to work in a lot of shorter footsteps to gain momentum, but for right now I'm keeping it to a minimum so that I can get to the point where I'm controlling the disc more as opposed to it controlling me.  Now I just need to work on my upshots a little bit more and realizing when it's a time to go for it and when it's time to just lay it up.

[J.R.]

Brett,

Thanks for the advice!  Videos are definitely the way to go.  Other than an impromptu lesson by one of the Brakel women last year when I accidentially stumbled onto the ADV/PRO IOS #2 (this was before I knew anything about organized disc golf), I have learned what (little) I know from videos online, mostly DGR.

And thanks discmonkey for the ideas.  I will check out the DGR forums.   

[Fox Metro Discer]

Getting back on track a bit, The Fox Valley Club got an order of the FLX discs in earlier this week, and I have begun throwing one in my bag to try out. What a disc!!! This thing is the straightest disc I have ever thrown. No fade at all on shots up to about 280'. I have even put htis thing into a stiff headwind. Putting the normal hyzer correction I would for any disc into this type of wind, It still holds its line. This disc is definately the most suprising of any I have ever thrown. Common logic would say that if you are throwing something so floppy, You could not put any gusto into the throw, but it is not so. I cannot wait to try out the Surge!!!

[myndcraft]

I just got a FLX Surge and absolutely LOVE the feel of both the plastic and the disc..  I don't throw much in the way of Discraft, but if they bring out more discs in that plastic I might have to start =)

[Bruce Brakel]

I'll have the FLX Surge and Buzzz at IOS #1.  The FLX Challenger and FLX Predator are available at Blowing Green, but they are not generally available yet. 

The FLX plastic is so grippy and super durable.  Discraft wants the FLX priced a little above the ESP, but my ESP price is so low, the FLX is only $14. 

[Mike S]

Discraft had a setup at Kerieakes in BG, where they basically had stacks of FLX drivers and people shagging discs for you, so you could try out as many throws as you wanted and not have to run after them.  I tried out all the new drivers.  The Avenger is a PIG.  That disc was way more overstable than the Avenger in any other plastic.  The Predator was also crazy overstable but thats expected.  Really strange to pick up a disc that floppy and have it be that overstable.  The FLX Surge either flew 420+ or like 300' for me.  I wasnt consistent with it but got some big rips.  The challenger feels nice if you like floppy putters.  Its grippy and very soft.

[Dan Michler]

FLX Buzzes have been my midrange disc now for about 2 months.  I have noticed that the discs can change shape, possibly due to extreme heat in my car, but they seem to stay stable.  It also has seemed to me that on warmer days the discs seem more stable.  I was wondering if anybody else has been using FLX plastic for awhile and has noticed any changes in stability in the discs over time.

[tacimala]

I had one of the first FLX Buzzz' when they came out and it went in my bag immediately. I keep an ESP in there as well. If I want more hyzer and more D, I throw the ESP, if I want a straighter shot with a little more S action and less distance, I throw the FLX. I haven't noticed that the FLX has started to fly differently though.

[Bruce Brakel]

I think they might be a little more stable when it is warm, but i don't know if it is the disc or the air that causes that.  My Rogues have been flying more stable recently.  Everything in my bag is flying more stable or overstable.