Disc golf is becoming increasingly popular, but up until now, there hasn’t been extensive research on optimal techniques. Recent studies have revealed the best thumb positioning on a disc to enhance both angular and translational speeds.
Disc golf is rapidly gaining popularity, yet there hasn’t been much investigation into the ideal techniques—until recently.
Researcher Zachary Lindsey and his team examined both professional and amateur disc golfers in Georgia to understand how thumb grip affects disc throwing.
“Participants were enthusiastic about being part of the study, which highlights the demand for scientific research and data that can help players enhance their performance, both in casual and competitive settings,” Lindsey said.
A study published in AIP Advances by AIP Publishing revealed that positioning the thumb approximately 3 cm from the disc’s outer edge produced the best combination of spin rates and launch speeds.
“Although optimal throwing parameters may differ due to individual factors like body type or arm speed, our findings indicate that the ~3 cm thumb placement is a logical starting point for novice players unsure about thumb positioning,” Lindsey noted.
Lindsey’s team assessed 24 players, categorizing them by their Professional Disc Golf Association ratings. Similar to traditional golf, various disc types exist for different distances. The researchers utilized a mid-range disc, equipped with sensors, to capture data on angular speed, translational speed, and torque based on varying thumb placements, which ranged from 9.40 cm to 2.61 cm from the disc’s center.
Each participant threw the disc five times per grip, leading to a total of 600 throws in the study. While the highest angular speed and torque were seen with the thumb positioned most remotely from the center, a thumb placement of about 3 cm from the outer edge consistently demonstrated high average angular and translational speeds for all players.
“We were especially surprised to find a strong linear relationship between spin rate and launch speed during all the throws in the study. The results indicated that throws achieving greater spin rates also tended to launch at higher speeds,” Lindsey explained.
Further research on other types of discs is needed to confirm these findings, but this information could serve as an excellent foundation for those looking to boost their launch speed and distance.
“Given the current lack of data linking various aspects of a disc golf throw to performance outcomes, we hope that this study inspires similar research initiatives at other institutions,” Lindsey added.
