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Characteristics of a Downhill Shot

So, I think I learned something about long downhill shots. I went on vacation and played my old home course at Blue Mountain, in Missoula, MT. Great course. #4 is a long downhill (650' length, tee is probably 100 feet higher than the basket).

I dreamed of this hole once I knew I was going on vacation and taking my gear. I even brought my WHOLE bag because I wanted to make sure I brought the right disc for this hole, instead of just bringing the Destroyer, Cobra and Aviar, as I originally planned.

But, all of my shots stunk. But, I think I know why and hopefully it will help me in the future. There are two more downhill shots at Blue Mountain. #10 and #12, I think. #10 was pretty long but not as much drop and #12 was shorter but with a good drop. Walking down to collect my drive on #12, and thinking of the three downhill holes (none of which ended up as well as I hoped) I thought up this, we'll see with more experience if I am right:

Downhill shots add more speed than I am able to get on a flat shot. This speed makes the disc do "it's thing" better than usual. On #4 I shot my Destroyer (my real shot), plus my Beast and Roadrunner, both turnover discs (both as test shots, no one was behind me). I ripped all three pretty well. The Destroyer went out and started screaming along and then just hyzered off right big time (I'm RHFH on drives). The Beast faded left a ton but landed flat (way left but not as far toward the pin, it went farther left than down). The Roadrunner annied hard and rolled a bunch (NOT my intention, though this shot ended up closer to the hole than any... probably 200 feet away). My thought is this: These discs OVERDID what they were designed to do and I should have flicked them softer, so they wouldn't pick up so much speed. Is this a good analysis? I have some pretty good power, so with that power and the addition of gravity, the discs were just going too hard, and if they are big turnover discs, like the Roadrunner, it just exacerbates the issue? Otherwise, I can only figure to float my putter out there softly, or to put a wing up on the Destroyer so it won't hyzer so much. Not that it matters, but since I took the pic (w/my phone from the blue tee), I attached it. The tips of the pines in the distant left is the target area.

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Permalink Reply by D.J, on July 26, 2008 at 12:58pm: i am also a rhfh thrower and what i have learned about throwing serious downhills is keep your disc LOW way LOW!!!!! if the basket is 100 feet below you and you throw straight your disc is going to lose speed and hyzer out (such as your destorer did) aim under the basket because for one the gravity is pulling your disc somewhat forward and not down so the disc will go straighter and farther cuz the speed and lack of downforce other than that i would say throw a light flick with your beast dont put much power into it and try to get a nice S curve out of it and throw your road runner forehanders have no reason to throw a RR; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by windsurf17 on July 26, 2008 at 6:08pm: Good advice; wish I'd thought of it last week! I love the RR forehand, though. Great left turn disc and it flies forever.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Sean McFarlane on July 26, 2008 at 8:01pm: its not they they overdo it, its that they have more air riding underneath the disc wich gives it more room to flex out, it even takes hyzer shots a while to come down off high teepads, just throw a stable disc nice and flat from high to low and you get it out there pretty strait.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Smokey on July 26, 2008 at 10:37pm: When throwing a downhill shot you need to remember that the sudden change in air pressure and wind are playing a major part. I use a control driver off 4 because it doesn't take much to get it in the gap, 10 I use a long range control driver, and on 13 I use a slightly overstable driver to get out and flex back into the pin. The thing to remember about downhill is that your disc will tend to continue to accelerate due to gravity so make sure you get a driver that is a little beefier than one you would throw on a flat shot.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by windsurf17 on July 27, 2008 at 12:43am: Thanks Smokey. Can you name the discs you use? I might not know them well, but if they happen to be Innova (pretty much all the lumber yard that sells discs here stocks), I would understand which ones and their use (I've studied their line pretty well). Something like a Teebird on #4, Firebird on #13 and ... what on 10? Not that it means much now since I won't be able to play the course for at least a year, probably more. Thanks.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Smokey on July 28, 2008 at 2:41am: Well, I am sponsored by Gateway and I only use those discs. I would just think about what each driver that I own and use the appropriate selection for the shot type. I use a Diablo DT for 10, Assassin for 4, and Illusion or Spirit for 13. I primarily throw RHBH, but I also throw RHFH. If I was to only throw RHFH on these holes I would change it up. I would use a Raging Inferno DT for 10, Diablo DT on 4, and an Inferno on 13. This would allow me to control the turnover more to get the shot that I need.
windsurf17 said:
Thanks Smokey. Can you name the discs you use? I might not know them well, but if they happen to be Innova (pretty much all the lumber yard that sells discs here stocks), I would understand which ones and their use (I've studied their line pretty well). Something like a Teebird on #4, Firebird on #13 and ... what on 10? Not that it means much now since I won't be able to play the course for at least a year, probably more. Thanks.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Terry "the Pirate" Calhoun on July 28, 2008 at 12:29pm: The way I put it to my buddies is, "If you're throwing downhill, then you have to thrown down the hill."

And I think drivers are often overkill on downhill shots. There is some video in the Pro Worlds DVD for when it was in Flagstaff, of Elaine King smashing the chains on something like an 810' downhill drive. I remember her telling me that she threw a mid-range, but I don't recall which one.

I was just at a course in Steubenville, OH with some downhill shots. One one straight shot I threw a driver backhand, then a driver forehand, then a putter backhand. The putter was the best throw, flying inches over the basket.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by windsurf17 on July 28, 2008 at 1:29pm: Thanks everyone, now I know a bit more. There are few hills here on the coast, but for the two that I play that have signficant drop (#14, & #16 at West Guth park in Corpus Christi), I'll use this advice. #14 is short, with a decent drop from the amateur box (though longer with less elevation change from the blue tee) and I've used my putter a lot. Sometimes I'd run the darn thing and other times I'd land150 away, didn't figure it out. Bet it was "accidentally" throwing it correctly when I did well.

I can't wait to play WG again to see how it works. #16 is a bit of a dogleg with only a little drop but that should be a good test, too.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by nitegolfer on July 28, 2008 at 4:59pm: "If you're throwing downhill, then you have to thrown down the hill."

Exactly!

When throwing downhill I try to make sure my weight is a little more on the front foot which helps to force the nose down.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Jamie on August 1, 2008 at 4:46am: Gateway? Do they sell tires?

Smokey said:
Well, I am sponsored by Gateway and I only use those discs. I would just think about what each driver that I own and use the appropriate selection for the shot type. I use a Diablo DT for 10, Assassin for 4, and Illusion or Spirit for 13. I primarily throw RHBH, but I also throw RHFH. If I was to only throw RHFH on these holes I would change it up. I would use a Raging Inferno DT for 10, Diablo DT on 4, and an Inferno on 13. This would allow me to control the turnover more to get the shot that I need.
windsurf17 said:
Thanks Smokey. Can you name the discs you use? I might not know them well, but if they happen to be Innova (pretty much all the lumber yard that sells discs here stocks), I would understand which ones and their use (I've studied their line pretty well). Something like a Teebird on #4, Firebird on #13 and ... what on 10? Not that it means much now since I won't be able to play the course for at least a year, probably more. Thanks.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Kyle Jacob Smalling on August 1, 2008 at 9:20am: Well, Personally, if I am on a downhill shot, I go straight to my 169g pro wraith. It is a excellent backhand downhill driver,for me! If you throw it with a slight tilt and pointed downwards, it will comes down right next to the basket.; ▶ Reply to This