Can someone please explain to me what snap is?

is it a concious thing?

How do I know im doing it?

Does everyone have it?

How do you get it?

All i hear about is snap this and snap that. I never can figure this out.

[Terry Sink]

Snap is the forward motion of your wrist when you throw a disc. You will hear your wrist snap when you do it right. Try curling your wrist slightly when you throw. Some peoples snap is very loud. I'm pretty shure if have a wrist, and you don't have any wrist problems anyone can have "snap." I'm not shure how get "snap" but for me it just developed over time. practice practice practice. Also I tend to get better snap with FLX discs.

[steve]

snap is the last monent your disc releases from your hand, the disc snaps off of your fingertips and makes a distinct "snap" sound. the snap generates spin- which allows your disc to fly the way it is supposed to. its somewhat concious- i think it will just come with smooth, proper mechanics. youll know youre doing it when you hear the snap and you feel the disc kinda rip outta your hand. not everyone has good form thus not everyone has (some) snap. when you throw a drive its about accelerating your swing as you come through with it, the faster this last movement is the more energy your putting into the disc. you dont need a sprinting run up, just walk up smooth and explode at the end of the swing. ive read if you chase your disc w your off hand as you follow through, itll help you bring your body around faster and accelerate your swing. when i throw im not thinking about snap or power. im focused on smootheness and accuracy and timing.. i sometimes find my self throwing errant shots when im trying to over power, ill slow myself down and try to control it a little better, and whatdyaknow? im throwing further.
hope this helps
-steve

[John McMullen]

Yes. And it's a backhand thing. Sidearm snap is more about wrist action. Backhand snap is about arm motion, transfer of energy from your hand to the disc, and letting the disc rip out of your hand.

It is NOT the snapping of your wrist. It's the popping sound your fingers make when they hit your palm as the disc rips out of your hand. However, it's also a "technique", and is does not simply refer to the sound, it's also the snapping motion of the throw.

Sometimes you can hear a snapping sound as the disc rips out of your hand [if you've got a tight grip, like you should have] ... However, you don't always hear it. Anyone who can throw far has good snap. Players that throw hyzer pops usually have very good snap.

No, but they can learn how to do it.

Reach back, pull flat across your chest, follow your elbow, and let the disc "rip/snap" out of your grip. Don't let go of the disc ... lett'er RIP. Controlling your reach back, release angle, rip point, and timing is how you control the disc. A tight grip at release is how you transfer energy into more spin.

To learn to get snap, it's good to understand grips. One of the fingers on your hand is a "rip point". You should always be letting the disc rip from the same finger [say, index, but it depends on your grip of choice]. If it releases from different points, you will not have consistent control of your disc.
When you throw don't release the disc, let it pop/snap out of your grip at the RIP POINT.
Your basic throwing technique should be solid. Reach back, pull flat across your chest, correct angle on the disc [hyzer/flat/anhyzer], follow your elbow, let the disc rip out of your hand, telegraph your follow through [arm follows your hyzer/flat/anhyzer disc angle].

I learned how to get better snap using several Innova Sidewinders. This is a good understable disc that when thrown at hyzer angle with a lot of snap, POPs up and flat. When you can pop an understable driver up flat from a hyzer release, you know you're getting good snap. Same goes for long drives. If you can throw a driver flat, and it pops up and turns over some, you know you've got good snap.

It's a little tough to describe snap, and I'm sure others will have their own way. But putting it simply, it's the efficient transfer of energy from your hand to the disc using a snapping motion with a firm grip. If it's done right, you might hear the snap of your fingers hitting your palm when the disc rips out of your hand.

[Bill]

here's the DGRUS discussion from a while back about SNAP. Innova founder Dave Dunipace threw in a few pointers as well-

http://www.discgolfersr.us/forum/topic/show?id=1809917%3ATopic%3A31211

[John McMullen]

Yeah, what he said ...

[Bill]

Actually John, I like what you said a lot. It's much clearer than Dunipace's 'cold, steely stop' comment and the SNAP itself should not be distinct from any other part of the throwing motion just like you referred... you've replaced DJ as my new hero.

[bobbydiscin]

informative stuff guys. i too was unfimiliar with exactly how to get a lot of snap and the replies were concise and made perfect sense. bravo

[Ben Calhoun]

just watch me throw..

[beatz]

After playing with ben for a few rounds, im gonna say yes watch ben throw. I knew what snap was but literally never heard it on every drive untill i played with ben.

[Shizzler]

Snap is an awesome sound and it feels great. I can do it about 90% of the time. You know if you hear the snap, you can actually feel that you have gotten all of the disc. The snap sound comes from when my middle finger pops off the rim and hits the palm of my hand. I can mainly do it more consistantly with those drivers that have fatter rims in which my grip is tighter (ie Destroyer and XCaliber), I can also get it consistantly with my midranges (ie Teebird, and Stingray).

All I know is that when I hear the pop, I know I have gotten all of it.

[Born A Buckeye]

When i try to hold on to the disc tight and get this snap... my disc never comes out. If i dont let it go then it just stays in my hand as i keep spinning in circles....

Im just dont get it....

[Born A Buckeye]

If i try to stop my hand and arm I have absolutely 0 follow through?