Disc golf terms seem to be many and there are lots of new concepts take some getting used to. The hyzer flip is one of those terms beginners have a hard time grasping and the definitions are wide ranging and so are the explanations. Learning how to throw the hyzer flip is a great addition to your game. If you’re a beginning disc golfer and looking to expand your shot selection start here. Most importantly, you can really learn to master those understable discs in your bag and put them to work for you. So if you are getting good rip on your discs and ready for something new, then I recommend getting to know the hyzer flip.

What is a Hyzer Flip & When to Use It

A correctly thrown hyzer flip will make an understable disc (a disc with a negative “Turn” rating) fly straight-ish. The hyzer flip can come in handy for long narrow shots. You usually get more distance out a straight hyzer flip, because you are using fast understable distance drivers.

Hyzer Angle

How to Throw The Hyzer Flip

First, you’ll need an understable disc. Something new like the Sidewinder, or a beat-up or well-worn disc like a old DX Teebird or Eagle (see below for more recommendations). You’ll want to be aiming for a basket 300-400 feet away, straight out.

A hyzer throw is with the nose of the disc pointed down (see illustration). So a “hyzer flip” is basically a hyzered throw with an understable disc — which is where the “flip” comes in. You’ll want to keep the disc low to the ground — maybe 8 to 10 feet off the ground or so. Any higher and the glide might become a factor causing the flip to either turnover completely, or to activate the fade of the disc and sail off to the other direction. Keep it low. Remember the more understable the disc, the more you’ll adjust the release angle of the hyzer. Below, I’ve compiled another slideshow of videos on Youtube, explaining in different ways how to throw the hyzer flip — each with their own take on it.

Best Discs for the Hyzer Flip

This is by no means an extensive list, it’s just a small list to give you an idea of the best discs for the hyzer flip throw. I like discs that aren’t too understable and have just mild to medium fade.

• Innova Roadrunner
• Innova Sidewinder
• Discraft Flash
• Impulse
• Innova Valkyrie
• Beat-up dx discs

More Resources

• • Reddit post about the Hyzer flip. Also a nice comment in here describing snap.
  • Forum conversation about the best hyzer flip discs.
  • Good argument about discussing the types of discs people like to use for this shot.

How to select the discs that go in your bag

Build your disc golf bag. It’s something that you will be doing throughout your disc golf days. Here are some ways to build your bag. With so many discs out on the market, each available in unique plastics, you can really spend a long time finding the perfect discs for your bag. Most people start playing disc golf by going with a friend and using their discs. If they like it they might buy one or two depending on the color or shape. I did this. I then bought a few discs based on their look and played with them over and over and eventually started to figure out what they are supposed to be used for (ie. their disc flight ratings).

Eventually, over the course of a few years I realized a few of the discs I liked better than others. Some just seemed to fit in my hand better and released cleanly and went where I wanted them to go. Then I learned about the ratings and started seeking out discs that lended to the courses I liked to play and the types of throws I felt most comfortable with.

My friends always had these enormous bags they would take out and I wondered if they knew what each disc was capable of, after all they were better players than me, but not by much. After watching a few videos of the pros “What’s in my bag” on YouTube, I started to build a strategy for myself. And while part of it is just what I’ve had access too, I’ve began to see what kinds of discs I’d likely incorporate into my future bags.

Building a disc golf bag strategy:

1) Determine on number of discs you’re comfortable carrying

I want to build a bag that doesn’t have a ton of discs in it, between 10-12 max. I just feel that for my current needs I don’t need anymore than that. Some people haul around these 20+ disc bags and for me that just seems to much. At some point the paradox of choice has to interfere and I don’t want to be mentally stuck trying to decided between two discs.

2) Have a few discs molds of your favorite go to disc

One thing I noticed about the pros is that they rely on a handful of models of discs, in different plastics, weights, and wears. This kind of struck me when I first realized it. It makes sense though, you get comfortable with a particular disc in your hand, then each plastic lends itself to different wear and stability. So In my bag I try to have only a handful of models and some with different weight or plastics. For example, I’m currently holding two Innova Firebird’s: one at 150g one at 175g — the 150g is my go to disc, but I picked up the 175g for extra windy situations.

3) Change your bag depending on the conditions of the course

Disc selection is going to be different for everyone. That’s what makes the “What’s in my bag” series so interesting. For me, I currently have 4 distance drivers, 3 fairway drivers, 1 mid-range driver, and two putters, and one beat-up semi-experimental roller disc. So my bag is somewhat an all around bag right now, but depending on where you’re playing you might want to switch up your bag for the conditions of the course.

4) Buy and try – have a few experimental discs

There are literally thousands of discs on the market and if you’ve gotten to a spot where you want to dive deeper into disc golf, then try different discs! Try some distance drivers from MVP, some putters from DGA, a Mid-Range disc like the Roc3, and if you don’t like them sell them on eBay or Disccoursereview.com. Some will feel better than others and when you know the difference you’ll be a stud out on the course!

5) Take notes on practice rounds & aim for continuous improvement

Hands down the best way to continue to get better and to always have the bag that is perfect for your course is to take notes. I’ve been using the memo function on my android to make quick remarks from the day. Nothing too serious. Just reminders, discs that worked out particularly well on certain holes, and things I learned from the day. You’ll thank yourself later when the beers you had erased your memory (speaking from personal experience).

So that is how to build your bag. It can take time, and there’s probably at least one disc that is not in your bag that feels probably feels better in your hand and can get the job done better. Another plastic that is just around the corner — So try new discs! Don’t forget to bring a disc or four that you want to experiment with on practice rounds, and take notes! Load up that bag everytime you take off for a round and you’ll continue to knock strokes off your score.

What’s in my bag playlist

“Drive for Show, Putt for Dough”

If you’re looking to improve your disc golf game, then start with this, my disc golf putting drill. Putting is the most important and easiest place to start working on fundamentals. I’ve recently started heading to the practice basket and putting for a hour, and I’ve seen some great and unexpected effects on my game. By developing a good practice routine, I’ve benefited from having a stronger putting throw (more distance putts), more accuracy, more comfort with my discs, and probably the most important and unexpected gains…more confidence that carries over to driving and approach shots.

My Disc Golf Putting Drill

Requirements

• 30 minutes to an hour
• 5 to 10 putters (but I also will throw drivers and mid range discs)
• Athletic shoes (I turn the retrieval into a cardio workout)

Setup. Place two markers (cones, discs, or whatever) on the ground in a line from the basket; one at about 9-10 paces out (one normal walking step) and another at about 15 paces. I start out with just my putters for the first half of practice. I have about 5 Aviars that I use — with mixed plastics and weights (Currently, (3) 175gm DX Innova Aviar’s; (1) 150gm DX Innova Aviar; (1) 175gm Yeti Pro Aviar). After I throw my putters, I integrate more discs so I bring out about 15 discs including distance, fairway, and mid-range drivers.

Warmup. I start by throwing round after round of my putters form the first closest marker. I retrieve my discs at a fairly fast pace and incorporate squats into picking up discs that didn’t make it into the basket. I’m also stretching a little in-between to make sure I’m loose. After about 15 minutes of continuous putting with five discs you should get a decent workout. You can go about this drill gingerly too, especially if you have health issues. The part of the drill that’s most valuable is the repetition, and focus on footwork, accuracy, etc.

While putting, I try and pay attention to my foot position which is wide-stance perpendicular to the basket. I also am working on building a fluid arm stroke toward the basket that eliminates drag and wobble, and of course aim. For windy days you can work on the glide and dip of the disc.

Routine. After I’m warm and have a good feel for my putting discs, I move on to incorporating all of my discs…at a rapid fire. Once I am consistently hitting the basket I move back and continue the drill. For me, I’m working on arm strangth and going straight at the basket, so I’m incorporating a jump forward on the longer putt, going straight at the basket. By now incorporating all my discs, I start to get a bit of a file for how each disc flies at short range. While this is not always practical to use your drivers at short range — it has helped me build a bit of a “vocabulary” of what my discs can do. I’ll then alternate, from the closer marker to the farther marker depending on how I feel.

Finishing. While it’s not totally necessary, but I try and finish my disc golf putting drill with a few last rounds with my putters. Then I take a few notes using my memo app on my phone. This helps me in the field when I’m missing putts. Like, “Head up, shoulder back on up hill shots.”

More Resources

• DiscGolfPutting.com

With thousands of disc golf discs on the market, it’s important to understand the disc flight ratings, while you’re in the field, so that you know what each disc can do. Especially if you’re carrying a bunch of them.

Understanding the disc flight ratings is an important step to mastering disc golf. When I first started I pretty much just threw whatever plastic disc was available to me. I had some friends that would talk about “overstable” and “hyzer” but I never really understood, or could remember, what each of those terms meant.

As I progressed in the game, I began to understand that each disc has a different flight path — from the speed, glide, turn, and fade — and knowing what each disc can do well, and not so well, can really propel your game to the next level.

To summarize in my own quick and dirty words what each disc flight rating represents:

Speed is has a lot to do with the width of the rim of the disc, as it relates to how fast it can be thrown — if you need distance you need speed, but it can be harder to control.

Glide is the ability to stay afloat in the air — which can effect the flight differently in different winds.

Turn is the stability of the disc — a negative rating meaning “understable” and will turn the disc to the right early in flight, a positive rating meaning “overstable” meaning a tendency to turn to the left (on a right handed backhand throw).

Fade is the finish of the disc after the inertia slows down — most discs will have natural fade to the left and some will have more than others.

You can always carry around a cheat sheet with the Disc Flight Ratings on it, or like I do, write the numbers right on the disc. This has been helpful for me. Ever since I started doing it, I find my shot selection has been a lot sharper and it’s saved me some headaches and from having to go find my discs in OB.