Approach Shots

20-40m

Straight Shot

The basic type of approach shot is like a Frisbee throw.  A straight shot flying at around head height into the target.  Usually you will throw this shot with a straight flying putter or midrange disc that you feel confident throwing.

  • Stand square on with a balanced stance and throw smoothly at the target.
  • Make sure to get plenty of spin - a feathered throw will hyzer out early and you will miss left.


A great aiming technique is sometimes called mid point targeting.

After looking at the basket once you should have a feel as how hard to throw the disc, trace back the flight line you want to throw along and pick a point approximately half way which you want to fly over.  Dont look back at the basket instead just focus on this aiming point and throw.  You will often find your shot become more accurate in this way.


Hyzer

A great way of getting around an obsticale is to use the natural flight of discs to turn to the left. 

Using a quite overstable midrange wasp, drone, gator or even your driver.
Pick an aiming point high and to the right of the target a simple throw with a slight skip curve release with fly and then dive into the left to rest near the basket!

 

Anhyzer (roll-curve)

This shot can be used to shape the disc from left to right. Using a putter, stand at 45 to 90 degrees with your back facing the target.
Pick an aiming point around 20 degrees to the left of the basket and around 5m in the air.
The shot should be thrown high enough for the disc to level out with the natural hyzer on the disc otherwise it will tend to roll or kick left upon landing.
Bring the throw from near your left shoulder releasing the disc just above eye level just in front of your right foot and follow through until you are pointing at the basket.


Hyzer bomb

Can be used to go over trees or some other tall obstruction between you and the basket.

Use an overstable driver eg. firebird.  
Throw from in front of your left hip almost vertically up releasing the disc at about 75 degrees to horizontal.  
Finish your throw with your pointing vertically up in the air.
The disc will fly a little to the left and usually stick in the ground near the basket.


Hammer approach

Again useful for going over the top of obsticales curving from left to right.  

  • Use a putter with a forehand grip.
  • Stand face on to your target leaning slightly to your left.
  • Throw from behind your head aim with the left hand at a point around 15 degrees to the left and high of the target.
  • Use a good deal of flick in the throw to maintain spin and achieve the curve.  

A very useful shot if your footing is awkward ie you are in a bush and can only get your arms free to throw.

Tower

Using a stable putter the disc is throw softly with tons of zzz's at a high line straight above the basket.  It should drop straight down as it has enough spin not to hyzer or flex out. If it doesn't go in it should only fly just past the basket.
Great for windless, warm days or slight tail winds.

Base of the pin

When playing up hill or up wind to a basket, throwing high may bring in a high error margin.
Playing this shot you throw your favoured approach disc slightly harder then required aiming to fly only about 1m above the ground so that it comes to rest at the base of the pin. 

In strong side winds think about releasing the disc with a slight curve so the wind pushes the disc down.


Grenade

Has a flight path similar to the hyzer bomb, although easier to throw shorter distances.
A putter is gripped upside down so your thumb is inside the rim.

The throwing technique is similar to the hyzer although it will fly fairly straight over an obsitcale until the disc will "flex" and come down on it's edge.
Being upside down it won't fly very far and will have lots of back spin as it lands - using a gummy putter can be very useful on steep greens.
It can be thrown quite hard and is incredibly useful in extreme wind conditions.

Skip shot

This shot is great fun! if you want to go under some over hanging obsticales you can literally bounce the disc under them sometimes up into the chains!
Using a overstable driver eg firebird you throw with a fair amount of skip curve aiming to hit the ground with the outside edge of the disc hiting the ground first around 5-10m short and 2-5m right ofthe basket.
It is thrown fairly hard and the disc will kick up depending on the ground surface and fly to the left - further the harder the ground is.

 
Slider

Again to go under some obsticales or to approach a basket on a steep slope away from you.
hold the putter up side down release a short backhand throw from low down, possibly from your knees, aiming to slide 2-5m on the belly of the disc up to the base of the basket.
Make sure to land the disc flat with spin to ensure a straight and long slide.
 

Thumber

Basically the reverse shot of the hammer - the putter is held in a forehand grip witht the disc upside down.  
It will curve from right to left - pick an aiming point to the right of the target.  
Thrown much like a baseball pitch aim with the left hand.
Look to release it on an angle of about 45 degrees to get the curve from right to left.


Air bounce

Thrown much like the base of the pin shot although you release with the nose up - a very high mung angle!
This allows the disc to climb after it is released often allowing you to play under for example, over hanging branches.
Be careful however, as if the disc misses the basket it could fly quite far past!