Get a grip

[Scott]

In the latest Disc Golfer magazine there are some articles about different grip styles. In Carlton Howard's article on page 62, he states, "Generally, one wants as tight a grip as possible. A tight grip will help you throw for distance and accuracy."

OK, I'll buy that. I've heard it many times before.

But later in the same article Clark writes, "Sling your arm through to the release point, and let the centriugal force 'rip' the dis out of your hand. Do not try to have an incredible 'wrist snapping motion' at/near the point of release. There should be no conscious wrist motion involved."

Huh?

If I grip a disc as tightly as I can that disc is not going to come out of my hand when I swing my arm forward. The disc might come out if I really whip my arm around, but the word accuracy does not really leap to mind. I have had some epic grip locks trying this method.

What am I misunderstanding here?

[all2common]

I'm not sure how it works mechanically, but my best drives are those where I'm not "letting go" of the disc. It is instead ripping out of my hand. It works the same way for the forehanders...it sounds like they are snapping their fingers.

["Over the Hill" Bob]

Originally Posted by Scott

In the latest Disc Golfer magazine there are some articles about different grip styles. In Carlton Howard's article on page 62, he states, "Generally, one wants as tight a grip as possible. A tight grip will help you throw for distance and accuracy."

OK, I'll buy that. I've heard it many times before.

But later in the same article Clark writes, "Sling your arm through to the release point, and let the centriugal force 'rip' the dis out of your hand. Do not try to have an incredible 'wrist snapping motion' at/near the point of release. There should be no conscious wrist motion involved."

Huh?

If I grip a disc as tightly as I can that disc is not going to come out of my hand when I swing my arm forward. The disc might come out if I really whip my arm around, but the word accuracy does not really leap to mind. I have had some epic grip locks trying this method.

What am I misunderstanding here?

There's your answer! I too have had epic grip locks, throwing further than ever before, just out of bounds, over the fence, into the water. The key I think is practice, so as to get that epic grip lock in a controlled manner. But you know better than to listen to me.

Bob

[TYVEK]

i have been told by a world champion and read a couple arcticles from other pros, that the disc should be held firmly in the hand, but not gripped really tightly up until your elbow passes your shoulder just before the hit. try it and you will see that when you grip really tightly just before your arm straightens out into the hit it rips your arm forward giving you more arm speed.

i am pretty sure that Dave covers this in the fundamentals Dvd that him and climo put out not to long ago.

[Shaolintrained]

I've always gripped that piece of plastic pretty hard...some may call it a kung-fu grip , but because of it, I've got this crazy callus in the middle of my palm, it sticks out about an eighth of an inch. I don't usually shank, but I don't throw crazy far, either.

[REDFIVE]

Grip and rip. I just gave a lesson where the main problem was a loose grip. You have to have a firm grip on the disc at release or the disc is not going to come out clean. If the disc falls out of your hand it is going to wobble and usually just hyzer out. I call this the dip and swoop technique, the disc dips to a hyzer angle and swoops far to the natural turning side. If you hold the disc and get a strong pull through the disc will snap off your hand creating a clean release with lots of spin. Most people can not hold onto the disc at top swing speed so it comes out on its own. It takes practice to get comfortable with your release but you can't get good flight and have great accuracy by letting go of the disc, there just won't be enough spin to keep it in flight. A good strong release should come off of your throwing shoulder as late as you can. This is result of a full pull. Most late releases are much faster than early releases. You can only hold the disc long enough to complete a full pull if you are gripping the disc very firmly. I have a crying baby in the other room so I may get back to this later.

[cefire]

I do remember some advice from Cam Todd - being that he grips the disc quite loose. Like "cradling a titty" were his exact words I believe.

[REDFIVE]

Was this for a drive or a putt?

[Scott]

OK, grip it hard. I get that. But if you don't snap the disc to release it, how on earth do you control it?

[Tim]

Originally Posted by cefire

I do remember some advice from Cam Todd - being that he grips the disc quite loose. Like "cradling a titty" were his exact words I believe.

"...OK, Tim, that looks good. Now try taking the disc out of your mouth...."

[chris7graham]

I think what the guy was saying is dont think about the snap at the end or you will grip lock it

the snap at the end of your throw should be with out any thought in to it at all muscle memory