Need help off the tee.

I've been playing since late 2007. Usually shoot around 4-5 over. I feel like I have a pretty good arsenal of shots to get around the course. I'm accurate with the mid-ranges and my short game is getting better every season. None of my friends play this great sport, not from a lack of effort on my part, and I haven't met anyone in the area to play with on a consistant basis. So every thing that I've learned has been from YouTube and practice. I want to get into tournament golf this year but I feel like I should be playing even par before I jump in to tournaments.

The one area of my game that hasn't gotten any better is my tee game. I just don't have any distance and I struggle with the accuracy (usually a early release = early tree) I probably throw anywhere from 250 to 275 ft. Can't pick up the extra 25 feet regardless of what I try. Does anyone have any drills or advice that helped them in this area they can suggest?? I love this game and its killing me that I can't figure this part out.

HELP>

Bob
Atlanta

[Justin NUDGA#15]

My advice is to jump right into the tournaments. Get your PDGA membership and go for it. Your skills will increase rapidly!

[Disc-O Golf]

Tournaments are some of the cheapest lessons available.
Take your entry fee and divide it by 4 and that is the cost of each lesson (each round you will learn something).
To really take advantage of this, play in a division above your skill level (athletes will always play to the level of their competition...play in a group that is not as good as you and they will drag you down).
Remember that this is a game of accuracy, not a distance competition.
Land in the middle of the fairway and set up for your next shot (where do you want to throw from next?)
Slow and Steady wins the race in Disc Golf.
That said, extra distance can be obtained by proper form, not power.
Learning to snap a towel well can add to your distance as it is snap and spin that holds the disc in the air.
Use old towels to work with as the snapping destroys them as you get good...

[Barrie]

I have the same problem. My oldest son gets around 400', where I get around 275. and if you watch our throwing motions, they are radically different. He looks like barry bonds (cheater) hitting a home run. He torques everything from knees up, where i have a more straight slow motion with a high release. I have modified my motion, dropped my release and started to rotate my hips and shoulders. It seems to work, but with anything new, its a slow process. look at what the other, better playerws do, and you will get it. don't give up on our awesome sport. the frustration will payoff in the end through hard work and patience. and the above mentioned dvd is GREAT, even if dave feldberg does come off as kind of arrogant.

[Bob]

Interesting, I hadn't heard about the towel drill. I appreciate the feedback and will definately try that.

Thanks

[Disc-O Golf]

Towel Drill is from Living in Michigan...for the 6-10 months that you cannot play, I devised a way to keep my arm in shape for the next season (indoor driving, no discs=towel snap).
What I noticed is that every year after the long hard winter that even my first shots went further than any shots I ended with last year. So the towel snap drill increased my distance every year without even thinking about what I am doing...it just creates muscles and muscle memory to get the snap and spin that you need for the disc to glide.
Lowering your weights can allow your wrist strength to generate more spin on the disc, thus creating more glide and greater distance. knock 5 or 10 grams off your drivers and watch the results. The more you go to an open field and practice, the better you will get. Take a friend and throw back and forth. Lessons are always available at the Clearwater Disc Golf Store if you ever decide to take a Disc Golf Vacation! My lessons are personal and get you to work with what you already have as well as what to work on (how to practice properly) to get where you want to be. Feedback from lessons has been phenomenal and people are even taking refresher lessons just like other sports (I used to go to the same tennis instructor every year for refresher lessons and I loved it!). Even I learn something every time I give a lesson!!!
Now go and throw...

[Bob]

Disc golf seems to be huge in MI. Its seems to be growing down here as well. If I'm ever up that way I will drop into CWDGS. Thanks for all the advice.

[Geoff G]

Do you use a small towl, or a full size towl for ur snap?

[Bob]

Thanks Justin. What is the best way to find local tournaments?

[Bob]

Thanks Justin, when you play your first tourny do the organizers place you or do you get to choose what division you want to play in?

[Disc-O Golf]

They will put you in the division you Pay for...
They will only limit you if you are rated too high for that division.
Some players have a "win at all costs" attitude and will try to sign up in a division that they are overqualified for so they can win easily...over and over.
The ratings system cuts a few of them off.
I prefer the OPEN division which is OPEN to anybody who thinks they know how to compete.
No age protection, no handicaps, just bring your best performance to the table!!!
Ams are encouraged to play in the OPEN PRO division, not to win their first time, but to walk away with the knowledge of what it is going to take to win in that division as well as tons of information about discs, grips, run-ups, etc...the pro disc golfers love to show off their stuff and talk about it in depth both during and after the rounds. The cheapest lessons on the planet are to sign up for the OPEN PRO division and be courteous, ask questions at appropriate times and learn all that you can that weekend!!!
I stole half of what I do now. Every time I found a player using proper form and getting great results, I would emulate them until I had the same results with the same form. Take the good parts, leave the bad ones...quirky, unorthodox players are not the ones to try to emulate...they use what works for them. You will eventually come up with a few quirky shots that are only going to work for you. But try to only emulate the best parts of what you see. Think fundamentals. Leave the rest. Take notes, study, ask questions and LEARN the same way you were taught to LEARN in school. School is not FREE, Learning is not FREE, so you are going to have to buck up at some point. A degree costs $$$.
I already told you where to get the cheapest lessons...Upper levels of sanctioned tournaments!

[Ian Wagner]

Those videos are great and can't wait to hit the course tomorrow... I had a question about the pdga. Playing in the open pro divison should I join as a pro or am?

[Birdie-man]

I would also recommend that you start playing tournies now, no matter if you above par or not. There are divisions for everyone. The site Discgolfscene.com will track your scores and help you find local leagues, sanctioned, and unsanctioned tournaments.