Everyone can get to a 900 rating.

January 10, 2023 by Steve Andrews in Analysis with comments

Many players are stuck – they love the game but are trapped on a scoring plateau. They can sometimes put together good rounds but only occasionally glimpse how good they could be. In rating terms, I think – barring serious mobility issues or injuries – nearly every player can earn a rating over 900. You can have more fun with just a bit more attention to form and course management. Now, at the start of the year, is the perfect time to work on your game to make sure this is your best year of disc golf yet.

This article will focus on helping improve your form. A lot of instructors and pros are offering online swing analysis and very precise descriptions about elbow angle, hip turn, and off-arm rotation to help players get better. This analysis is great, but I think lots of players find it hard to watch these videos and then take it to the course.

What I would like to offer is drills that can help you fix the overall shape and athleticism of your swing – holistic drills that improve your swing without requiring you to video yourself or be able to feel subtle differences in arm position or hip angle. Like the excellent “Twirlybird Drill” (or the revamped version) from Overthrow Disc Golf, the goal is to offer simple moves that can improve your overall form and help your swing. You can do many of them without going to a course or throwing a disc (which is especially important if you are, like me, watching the snow pile up outside.) While these tips and drills are meant to help players who aren’t reaching their potential, they are useful to players at all levels.

Get Your Grip

The grip does not get as much attention as it deserves. Many players I work with are really grinding on swing theory without ever revisiting the way they grip the disc. Having a grip that is comfortable, consistent, and gets the nose in the proper position is crucial to every shot. There are many ways a grip can go wrong, and sometimes your grip can subtly change over time without you noticing. If your grip is tilting up the nose of the disc, then no amount of work on your mechanics will get the results you want.

Get your grip right and periodically check it to make sure it is staying consistent.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IJ_7uP6Amwo

The Body Connection Drill

One of the…