Pulling
It may be surprising to see a section on taking the pull, but in a high level game a good pull may be the difference between the defence shutting down the offence, and the defence getting shredded because it has not had a chance to set up. This section will look at what styles of throw to use, throwing technique, grips, positioning of the throw and external factors such as the wind and rain.
Due to recent rule changes, this is the third revision (last revised 18 April 2000) of this document. The original document can be found here.
Note that the rule changes are still being trialled, and as such they may be subject to further change. Until they stabilise, this will be a document in progress.
Some people will argue that the primary aim of the pull is to have the opposition drop the disc on their own line, but realistically speaking, the main aim of the pull is to have the opposition trapped on their own goal line or inside their own endzone with the defence already down there and set up. The key to this is time and placement:
The secondary aim is to have the opposition on a particular side of the field as well, so as to cut down their options.
For those who do not know, trajectory is the flight path taken by the disc. There are basically three different trajectories which can achieve the primary aim as stated above, although two do it considerably better than the third as a rule.
The three trajectories are shown above :
Is it better to throw a forehand or a backhand (or a hammer!)? In general most players cannot throw a forehand anywhere near as well as a backhand, at least where distance is concerned. The only time when a forehand is definitely the better throw is when you are throwing a roller and the wind is coming from over your throwing shoulder. In this case the forehand will catch the wind and get greater airspeed and distance.
Other than this, the backhand is the better throw. It is easier to get distance into the wind because it is easier to put spin on the disc. It is also less prone to error, as a rule.
The only grip to use is the power grip. No other grip gets as much distance. The thumb should be roughly parallel to the rim of the disc. This loses a little control, but makes sure the thumb does not drag the trailing edge of the disc on release.
Either the power grip or the hybrid grip should be used. The disc should be gripped as tightly as possible to make sure there is little wobble just before release.
Most people by instinct have worked out the best way to pull up to this stage. Probably 99% of pulls are backhand, and most of these are high-flying slow-descending ones, at least as far as people are able. Where most people lose on distance and power is in the run-up and the release.
There are two different run-ups which will give good distance. The first one, which is easier, is used by most good disc golfers, and is known as the 3-step run-up. The second is harder, but has the potential to get more distance, and involves a complete 360 degree body turn just before release.
The disc golfers seem to know what they are talking about, and this is one of the most detailed descriptions I have seen, with thanks to Mark Ross.
The most important element of throwing technique is to forget your arm. Arm strength is not important. A good throw starts from the legs and hips and moves up your body and down your arm. In ultimate, where you can get a running start for a pull, the best form involves a full 360 degree spin, but I've never been able to keep my balance during the spin, and it's not too useful for disc golf. The trick is to get your body just enough off-balance that the snap and the disc release pull you back upright.
Simply put, a 3-step release, without the spin, for a right-handed backhand pull:
Start with your right side towards the direction you are pulling. Hold the disc with all four fingers inside the rim (this is absolutely crucial - do NOT put your forefinger on the rim). Step in that direction with your right leg, then cross your left leg BEHIND your right leg. This should twist your body so your hips are facing almost directly AWAY from where you are throwing to. As you bring your right foot forward, start with the disc low and your arm straight across your chest. Your wrist should be curled and your right shoulder should be as low as is comfortable. The further you can get the disc behind your body, the more distance you will have to pull on the disc before it leaves your hand.
As your hips rotate forward (and make sure you lead with your hips), use the muscles in your back and shoulder to PULL the disc straight across your body. You should really feel this pulling motion and it should be started in your hips and lower back. The disc should cross your body at approximately constant height (maybe rising slightly, but not much). The muscles in your arm should be relaxed (except for your grip and your triceps). As you pull the disc, your arm, which started fully extended, will bend slightly at the elbow until the disc has passed your body, when your arm will start to straighten out. When your arm has reached its full extension, the disc should rip itself out of your hand and fly off to the horizon.
The disc should travel in a straight path from start to finish of this motion. Do NOT swing your arm like a pendulum. Any curvature in the disc path will take distance off of your throw. Your arm should reach its full extension at precisely the point where that straight line is aimed. The disc should start and be released with an almost vertical orientation relative to the ground (strong hyzer). If your form was correct, the disc will pull itself level soon after it leaves your hand. After the release, allow your arm to follow through. It should end up pointing above and to the right of where you were throwing, in a line with your shoulders.
Start practicing this with a walk through. Even if you develop a running start, you will always end with these same last three steps. A good throw will feel like all the momentum of your movement got put into the disc and your body is left at rest. The snap as your arm straightens out is probably the most critical part of the motion, but using your hips and back is usually more difficult for people to learn.
The motion really starts low and travels up your body. As you are bringing your right foot forward in your last step, your hips get ahead of your legs and your upper torso. Your right foot should not come down until right before your arm snaps straight. Well, really, it should come down whenever it is convenient, but you don't want to slow your forward momentum until the disc leaves your hand. You can practice snapping your arm straight just standing in place. Start the motion with your hips and butt, and snap your arm out to the right. Your arm starts straight, curls as it crosses your torso and then snaps straight. Get a good push from your left leg, and feel your weight shift over to the right during the motion. But most of the push from your left leg should go into your hip twist and right arm, not your right leg. After the release, your right arm is way up in the air, and your left big toe is just touching the ground as you drag it forward.
The main points to note are :
I know nothing about this run-up, but it seems to me that it is just another way of getting the back facing the target and getting as much arm speed as possible. The main drawbacks with doing this spin are a loss of accuracy and direction, and the tendency to turn the disc over on release.
The main problem with using the forehand to pull is that it is very difficult to get the disc to move in a straight line through the release. Try it and see. Your arm naturally bends one way at the elbow, and this is the right way for keeping a backhand moving in a straight line, but the wrong way for a forehand. This means the disc will move in an arc, with the corresponding loss of power and control.
It is possible to throw an Ultra-Star almost as far using a standing forehand as using a run-up, so we will only look at the standing throw.
Using some of the ideas from the backhand huck, the most important thing is to get the disc as far behind you as possible before you throw. For a right-handed forehand huck, the steps are as follows. Set-up with sideways with your left shoulder facing forwards. This allows you to extend your right arm as far back as you are able. For the throw itself, swing your right arm back shifting your weight to your right foot. Then lead forward with your right shoulder. This should turn your upper body naturally and start your right arm swinging forwards. Step forward with your right foot. By this stage your arm should be roughly perpendicular to the direction you are throwing and your right wrist should be well cocked from the inertia of the disc. Snap your wrist hard to impart good spin on the disc. To get maximum power, this is the point at which the disc should be released since it is moving in the direction you want it to go. Try not to let the disc get much in front of your shoulder before release, as this is where you start to lose control.
Positioning is usually of secondary importance behind time, often because most people have enough to worry about getting distance even without direction. Nevertheless, it is still worth thinking about where you want the disc to go, or, in some cases, where you don't want the disc to go.
For example, if you are not playing the brick rule, there is no punishment (except maybe the derision of the other players) for hurling the disc out the back of the endzone. If the brick rule is being played, you must decide whether the possibility of a 20-yard penalty is worth the chance to set up your defence properly.
Similar arguments apply to aiming for the corners of the endzone. If the throw lands in you are a hero, but if it is even a centimetre over the line then the opposition gets to take it 20 yards up and in the middle of the field, a double whammy.
Basically, you need to weigh your chances of what you know you can throw with what you think you might be able to throw, and decide whether to gamble or not. Mostly you will find that the best play is simply to try and land a good throw in the endzone, and not to worry about going for corners and the like.
The one thing that has been mentioned little so far, but which can play a large part in the effectiveness of a pull, is the influence of external factors such as wind, rain and sun.
Obviously the most significant external factor is the wind. In general, you should try to let the wind do some of the work, as fighting against it is always much harder. If there is any sort of a crosswind, send the disc curving across it and let the wind bring the disc back into the field of play. If you have a tailwind, you may wish to consider using the roller, because the tailwind will cause the disc to drop rapidly at the end. If you throw a high flat throw, give it extra height to compensate for the expected drop at the end, or put a bit of curve on it and try and get the wind under it a little. The opposite is true for a headwind. Make sure the disc gets lots of spin, grip it a little tighter, and throw the disc a little lower. The wind will help keep it up in the air for longer.
The main thing to remember in wet conditions is that the disc is slippery. If you have a dryish article of clothing, wipe the disc and your throwing hand on it. Grip the disc extra tight and again cock your wrist just before release to get as much spin as possible. The distance that you lose throwing in the wet is a combination of the extra weight of water on the disc, and the loss of friction between the disc and the pads of your fingers, so you need to do everything possible to minimise them.
Apparently it is possible to get stuff to rub on your hands which gives them much more grip. Rock climbers chalk may help, and I have heard that shoe polish gives a similar result. You may want to give one of these a try if you have a lot of trouble gripping the disc in the wet.
Lastly, remember that the disc itself will make a difference. The difference between a brand new disc and a slightly worn one is significant enough, since the older one has more of a tendency to drift right (from a right-handed backhand). The solution is to drop the outside edge of the disc a little if the disc is not as new. Older discs in general will still not fly as far.
-Courtesy of the AFDA