Many people have been curious about disc golf, and the trend is only growing. Disc golf is an exciting way to engage socially with your friends, compete with others, and even exercise for better health and wellbeing. If you’re new to the world of disc golf, you may be wondering about the best way to throw your frisbee disc to improve your score.
There are a long list of disc golf terms and concepts you’ll need to learn to become a master of the game. The hyzer flip is a popular term and is often confused by many beginners of the sport. Learning to throw hyzer flip correctly and incorporate it into your playing style will help you improve your scores. If you’re a beginner in the world of disc golf and want to expand your shot selection, you’ll want to begin with the hyzer flip.
If you’re wondering, “what is a hyzer flip,” then this guide is for you. We’ll cover what it is when to use it, the proper way to throw the hyzer flip, and even disc recommendations. Let’s begin!
What is a Hyzer Flip
The term ‘hyzer’ means a downward angle that the disc travels when it’s being released. For players who are right-handed, the disc will be angled downward on the left. And the opposite is true for players who are left-handed. As a result, the disc flies for a longer distance while remaining straight which is great for narrow paths. The hyzer flip is the act of throwing a disc with more force than what most understable discs are originally intended for. The terminology ‘understable’ means that the disc will sag slightly right at the backend of the flight path.
The hyzer flips are a fantastic way to get the understable disc to fly straight. When done correctly, the disc will turn right (for right-handed players) and flip to flat. The understable disc will continually fly parallel to the ground in a straight flight path. It’s the perfect alternative to throwing a stable disc with a flat release and works great for low tunnel shots or other scenarios that need a straight flight path.
When to Use the Hyzer Flip
Hyzer throws are an excellent choice when disc golf players need to achieve greater distance of their shot or for wooded disc golf courses. While it’s not typically used on disc golf courses, some pros will still throw them.
Here are two common situations when many beginners use hyzer flips:
1. You’re looking to throw a huge shot with plenty of room.
Many pros leverage the hyzer flip to achieve maximum distance on a hole that has plenty of room and requires getting maximum distance. The objective is to get a lot of force behind the understable disc and let it flip and turn over.
This allows for a guided flight that lets you achieve great distance on your throws. The Hyzer Flip are great for throws during distance competitions or throws with room over water.
2. You’re trying to throw your disc straight:
Most of the time, beginners struggle to throw a disc golf disc straight. Many intermediate and advanced players are unable to throw them in a straight line as well. That’s why many players use the hyzer technique to throw shots that will mostly follow a straight path. After achieving the proper angle and turnover flip, the disc will fly straight with a slight fade at the end. That’s why these flip throws are perfect for tunnel shots and wooded courses.
What to Know Before Throwing a Hyzer Flip
Before you can throw the Hyzer flip properly, there are a few things you’ll need to know. Once you’ve understood these three elements, you’ll be able to quickly learn the Hyzer flip in no time.
- Hyzer: the first aspect of the Hyzer Flip requires throwing the disc off of a hyzer angle from the tee pad.
- Understable disc: You’ll need to use an understable disc to complete this technique. First, find a disc that has a -3 or -2 turn rating. Ideally, the lower the turn, the faster it’ll flip over. Additionally, a slower disc requires less turn to make the Hyzer Flip occur. Sometimes, you can pick a disc with a -1 disc turn rating if it doesn’t need to be thrown with much force for it to flip over. You also want to look for a disc that has a little fade at the end, meaning under a 2 on the fade rating. Remember that the goal of the hyzer flip is to achieve the flip so that it’s flat for a straight and long flight. While a slight fade is inevitable, we want as little fade as we can get.
- Glide: Lastly, you’ll need to find a hyzer flip disc that has a relatively glide rating of 4, 5, or 6.
The Process of Throwing a Hyzer Flip
While the hyzer flip might sound overly complex, it’s a fairly simple shot. While it does require some practice to perfect it, we’ve broken down this throw into three easy steps.
Step 1: Select your disc of choice: Start by selecting an understable, high glide disc. Fortunately, we’ve offered some excellent recommendations below for you to pick from. You may want to experiment with more than one disc to see which one feels the most comfortable for you.
Step 2 – Grip the disc in a firm position: You’ll need to grab the disc in the palm where your fingers are pressing against the rim’s interior. Your thumbs should be placed over the rim. Ideally, the grip feels very tight and secure before making your throw.
Step 3 – Throw the disc with force: Make sure the disc is angled and sling your arm backward past the shoulder. Then snap the disc forward with a lot of force. Put enough force behind this throw so it automatically shifts from a hyzer angle to flat immediately once it takes flight. Remember to aim low and make sure the nose is down. If your disc is above ten feet, the disc may completely go off course in a completely opposite direction.
Pro Tips for Throwing Hyzer Flips
Perfecting the hyzer flip can be difficult, especially if you’re trying to get it right in a short amount of time. Here are some tips to follow to help you get the hyzer flip technique right:
- If the hyzer flip stays in the hyzer angle throughout the flight, it means that you aren’t putting enough power behind the throw. You can also opt for a disc that has a very low-speed rating to help.
- Besides simply changing your wrist or throw position, you can also change up your stance. Lean or tilt forward throughout the throw help to generate a hyzer angle.
- Make sure to adjust the hold as well. Some disc golf players like to reposition the thumb facing the middle of their disc, which causes it to lean into the hyzer angle without needing to change its positioning.
- You can also experiment with the hyzer angle. Each disc requires a unique angle which depends on the technique and power of the player. Keep in mind that the greater the understability, the more likely you’ll want to tweak the hyzer angle.
- Continue to practice your hyzer until it becomes second nature. Once the form is down pat, you can begin working on your speed.
- You need to commit to the hyzer. After you begin the throw-in, follow through with your arm motion.
What Makes a Great Hyzer Flip Disc
We’ve already mentioned some elements that are needed in the understable disc. But it’s important to understand the specific things to look for in an unstable disc, so you can properly pull off the hyzer flip.
First, on the disc, you’ll see four numbers printed on the top side or “flight plate.” Starting from the left to right, their numbers represent the ratings for the Speed, Glide, Turn and Fade. When searching for a disc specifically for the hyzer throw, you want the turn rating between -1 and -3. The discs will be rated from +1 to -5, and negative numbers mean that they are understable.
Additionally, speed is also a crucial element of the hyzer flip. That’s because you need to overpower the disc’s speed in order to pull off a successful flip. The higher the speed rating, the more power it’ll take to get it to fly right. Begin by practicing the hyzer throw with a lower-speed disc until you get the proper hyzer angle.
As for the right discs to buy, every player is different. The most vital aspect of choosing a disc is that you trust your hyzer throw, and you feel comfortable throughout the motion.
5 Best Disc Golf Discs for Hyzer Flips
Finding the right disc golfs can be difficult and complicated. That’s why we made your job easy by providing you with our top picks for the best disc golf discs in the market.
#1. Latitude 64 Fuse – Best Disc for Midrange(5, 6, -1, 0)
One of the best discs for the Hyzer flip that players use is the Latitude 64 Fuse. Many professional disc golfers will recommend this disc along with the Westside discs for achieving a great hyzer flip. While it only contains a -1 turn rating, it won’t take a lot of effort for the player to get the Latitude 64 Fuse disc to flip over. Not to mention, it doesn’t have a lot of fade, giving you sustained distance. As a result, this makes the Fuse the perfect straight shot or tunnel shot disc since it will go perfectly straight after the flip.
#2. Westside Discs Underworld– Best Disc for Control Driver (7, 6, -3, 1)
The Underworld is a fantastic Hyzer flip disc and control drive. One of the best aspects about this disc is that it doesn’t take much power to get it up to speed and can really glide for a long time. Furthermore, it doesn’t give much fade on the backend and turnover fairly easily. If you’re searching for a beginner-friendly disc, it’s hard to go wrong with the Westside Discs Underworld.
#3. Discraft Hades – Best Disc for Driving Distance (12, 6, -3, 2)
Discraft is continually evolving and adding to its collection. The Hades is one the best additions to the Paul McBeth disc lineup.
It’s perfect for people who already can place a lot of force into their throw. That’s because it does require some power to get it up to speed; however, if you’ve got the arm, it can turn over nicely and glide flat for a long time. This allows you to achieve long distances and improve your score. However, you should be prepared for some fade on the backend. The disc will offer a nice long flight but won’t break until the very last minute. This means it may not be the best for tunnel shots.
#4. Discraft Avenger SS – Another Distance Driver (10, 5, -3, 1)
Another excellent Hyzer flip disc is the Avenger SS. It’s extremely easy to throw compared to the Hades and perfect for beginners who want to start out slowly. These discs flip easily and hold the flight for a long glide toward the basket.
#5. Axiom Proxy – Best for Putt and Approach (3, 3, -1, 0.5)
The Proxy is a fun disc to play with since it’s a slightly understable putt, which helps to improve your short-range game. This disc is a finesse disc that is used for short-range shots and extremely narrow tunnel shots. For those who can already throw the Hyzer flip well, you can easily hit those gaps and stand out from other competitors on the course.
Final Thoughts
Everything in this sport comes down to practice. Hyzer flips are used by many advanced players, and the quicker you can learn them, the faster you’ll have an advantage over your friends. When performed properly, the hyzer throw on an understable disc will flip up flat and fly straight and far, ending with a gentle fade.
Remember to always keep the nose down, throw low and commit to the hyzer. Don’t be discouraged if you don’t achieve it on the first try. Once you’ve mastered the hyzer, you’ll start looking like a pro disc golfer out on the field! As a result, you’ll notice your score drastically improving as well.