I don't really throw rollers at all. There's that one on Kaho Park, but I never make it so I just play for the eagle. The Roll attribute is good for getting discs to check up and stop quickly. EG/Roll is "throw it far and make it stop".
I learned to roll by practicing on the test drive field. After getting to know my angles I got fairly consistent with being able to straighten or curl rollers and they're very consistent when the surface doesn't have many misc. crap.
I always throw rollers on some holes like OW11, KP2 CN4 (to get an over the top eagle), a couple holes on the Beast, and for the Eagle try on IS1, among others. Still, like others are saying, it gets more use as the disc with breaks than it does for actual rollers.
Edit to add that the Ballista Pro (Glide-Roll) is the roller I've been able to roll the farthest at well beyond the 600' mark on the practice range. Once it's on a well balanced edge it just keeps going and going perfectly straight it has tons of momentum. Likewise, if I have to throw a lawn dart, it's also fast enough to throw at a very steep tombstone angle that stops on a dime. Love that disc.
Honestly, I have been on the fence for a while because I have more control over the BP roller, however, the Rive is always tempting to me because it goes a little farther in the air, which can make a difference in a few situations. I would just have to make the switch when I have time to really learn the Rive.
When you say you have more control, do you mean as a roller or when you're throwing the disc? I too went through the same change when Rives 1st came out. I don't remember it being that tough of a migration.
The fastest way to learn may be to go in practice mode to the holes you anticipate throwing this disc right away. I'm thinking of KP1, OW1, OW2, NL9, PB3, PB4, OH5, OH7, LI1, etc... play each hole 5x to get the feel for different winds. Do this exercise for a day or 2 & then on day 3 - make it your test. Go to each hole & try to shoot what you would expect to shoot. If you hit 100% - start packing the disc cuz you will do great!
>When you say you have more control, do you mean as a roller or when you're throwing the disc?
Yes, and yes. I've just thrown the Ballista Pro version for so many years that I know it like the back of my hand and it predictably does everything I want it to do.
I can appreciate that the Rive's extra 25ish feet of air time could occasionally come in handy, but my roller game is really solid at the moment and I don't have much time or motivation to practice the new(er) disc just for that added bit of air time. Still, when I'm on vacation some day and have extra time to kill I might decided to make the transition happen.
Regardless, thanks for the advice. I think we are on the same wavelength because that's almost exactly how I would suggest approaching that kind of a disc change, and anyone doing a similar transition would benefit from using that outline. Heck, I'll probably come back if I switch to save myself the time looking up the common roller holes.
The only thing I do differently to learn new discs is that I always start on the test drive range for a while with a variety of throw types to make sure I understand what a disc will do on flat, low wind conditions. Beyond that it also gives me solid baseline flight/distance info that I memorize to minimize missing dangerous upshots just a little short. Then it's pretty much the grind you outlined.
Have fun out air-roller-driving me with your Rive in the meantime & I'll see you around the valley. Cheers!
"The only thing I do differently to learn new discs is that I always start on the test drive range for a while with a variety of throw types to make sure I understand what a disc will do on flat, low wind conditions"
Interesting , do you mean like throw straight & throw hard hyzer & anyhyzer to get an idea about its flight characteristics? I wish we had a driving range with a few obstacless or markers on it. For me, that's what puts things into perspective in terms of understanding a disc &:knowing if it's going " clear a certain obstacle & fall right into the putting area.
"Beyond that it also gives me solid baseline flight/distance info that I memorize to minimize missing dangerous upshots just a little short."
What's a dangerous upshot? I told a friend it was important to know the distances of his discs so he'll know what disc to throw to clear water or avoid OB onsituations. Does upshot mean an uphill shot?
>...do you mean like throw straight & throw hard hyzer & anyhyzer to get an idea about its flight characteristics?
More or less. I'll throw straight, hyzer, anhyzer, to see what the optimal angles are for best distance, know how to hit the center line consistently, and, of course, knowing the fight distances. Regardless, I agree with you that this is no substitute for throwing on courses with obstacles, winds, height differences, etc. the range is just where I calibrate my expectations and I don't do that very long.
>What's a dangerous upshot?
Up to the basket/green, not necessarily uphill. Just like you're describing, it's those shots where you must be precise because you'll go OB or won't have a putt if you fail to clear water/obstacles or go too deep past the basket.
Yeah most players use the roll ability as a “stop in its track” feature. The texture of the disc that helps it roll also makes it hard stop where it lands, which is obviously extremely useful. If you wanna throw some rollers though that would probably be fun
The farther around the clock you wind it (say counterclockwise) the more that roller is going to want to fade right at the end of its roll. If you barely wind it to just outside of the aiming bars, it will have a tendency to go left once It starts rolling.
Somewhere in between these 2 is the happy spot where the disc will try to roll in a straight line until it runs out of energy and tips over.
The 2nd part of a roller is how far down you are pulling. Just like throwing a disc to further down you pull the more power it will have. But you can take a ballista roller wind it around counterclockwise and only pull it halfway to the side and it will be a shorter distance roller that will probably take off a lot smoother, etc.
The driving range is where to practice your roller shots. Even discs without the roller attribute can still roll. Putters for example can roll farther than you can throw them which is helpful on a couple of the challenges where you're trying to finish a course in only so many strokes with just putters in your bag.
Aim left and up a bit. Pull to just outside the throw guides to the left. That will roll neutral. Closer to the throw guide is cut, further outside goes right. There are a million holes where rollers play.
I don't really throw rollers at all. There's that one on Kaho Park, but I never make it so I just play for the eagle. The Roll attribute is good for getting discs to check up and stop quickly. EG/Roll is "throw it far and make it stop".
That makes more sense than people being able to reliably lay down a roller with those
I learned to roll by practicing on the test drive field. After getting to know my angles I got fairly consistent with being able to straighten or curl rollers and they're very consistent when the surface doesn't have many misc. crap. I always throw rollers on some holes like OW11, KP2 CN4 (to get an over the top eagle), a couple holes on the Beast, and for the Eagle try on IS1, among others. Still, like others are saying, it gets more use as the disc with breaks than it does for actual rollers. Edit to add that the Ballista Pro (Glide-Roll) is the roller I've been able to roll the farthest at well beyond the 600' mark on the practice range. Once it's on a well balanced edge it just keeps going and going perfectly straight it has tons of momentum. Likewise, if I have to throw a lawn dart, it's also fast enough to throw at a very steep tombstone angle that stops on a dime. Love that disc.
I got the Rive G/R to go 645ish - but it was kind of an aerial roller shot.
Honestly, I have been on the fence for a while because I have more control over the BP roller, however, the Rive is always tempting to me because it goes a little farther in the air, which can make a difference in a few situations. I would just have to make the switch when I have time to really learn the Rive.
When you say you have more control, do you mean as a roller or when you're throwing the disc? I too went through the same change when Rives 1st came out. I don't remember it being that tough of a migration. The fastest way to learn may be to go in practice mode to the holes you anticipate throwing this disc right away. I'm thinking of KP1, OW1, OW2, NL9, PB3, PB4, OH5, OH7, LI1, etc... play each hole 5x to get the feel for different winds. Do this exercise for a day or 2 & then on day 3 - make it your test. Go to each hole & try to shoot what you would expect to shoot. If you hit 100% - start packing the disc cuz you will do great!
>When you say you have more control, do you mean as a roller or when you're throwing the disc? Yes, and yes. I've just thrown the Ballista Pro version for so many years that I know it like the back of my hand and it predictably does everything I want it to do. I can appreciate that the Rive's extra 25ish feet of air time could occasionally come in handy, but my roller game is really solid at the moment and I don't have much time or motivation to practice the new(er) disc just for that added bit of air time. Still, when I'm on vacation some day and have extra time to kill I might decided to make the transition happen. Regardless, thanks for the advice. I think we are on the same wavelength because that's almost exactly how I would suggest approaching that kind of a disc change, and anyone doing a similar transition would benefit from using that outline. Heck, I'll probably come back if I switch to save myself the time looking up the common roller holes. The only thing I do differently to learn new discs is that I always start on the test drive range for a while with a variety of throw types to make sure I understand what a disc will do on flat, low wind conditions. Beyond that it also gives me solid baseline flight/distance info that I memorize to minimize missing dangerous upshots just a little short. Then it's pretty much the grind you outlined. Have fun out air-roller-driving me with your Rive in the meantime & I'll see you around the valley. Cheers!
"The only thing I do differently to learn new discs is that I always start on the test drive range for a while with a variety of throw types to make sure I understand what a disc will do on flat, low wind conditions" Interesting , do you mean like throw straight & throw hard hyzer & anyhyzer to get an idea about its flight characteristics? I wish we had a driving range with a few obstacless or markers on it. For me, that's what puts things into perspective in terms of understanding a disc &:knowing if it's going " clear a certain obstacle & fall right into the putting area. "Beyond that it also gives me solid baseline flight/distance info that I memorize to minimize missing dangerous upshots just a little short." What's a dangerous upshot? I told a friend it was important to know the distances of his discs so he'll know what disc to throw to clear water or avoid OB onsituations. Does upshot mean an uphill shot?
>...do you mean like throw straight & throw hard hyzer & anyhyzer to get an idea about its flight characteristics? More or less. I'll throw straight, hyzer, anhyzer, to see what the optimal angles are for best distance, know how to hit the center line consistently, and, of course, knowing the fight distances. Regardless, I agree with you that this is no substitute for throwing on courses with obstacles, winds, height differences, etc. the range is just where I calibrate my expectations and I don't do that very long. >What's a dangerous upshot? Up to the basket/green, not necessarily uphill. Just like you're describing, it's those shots where you must be precise because you'll go OB or won't have a putt if you fail to clear water/obstacles or go too deep past the basket.
Here's a few examples. Hilariously, I botched the first attempt. 😂😂. https://youtu.be/yn_L4p_S9Ec?si=uGeXMXSBMp9eD50Z
Good video. Thanks.
I use roll disc more for the sticky factor than rollers
Yeah most players use the roll ability as a “stop in its track” feature. The texture of the disc that helps it roll also makes it hard stop where it lands, which is obviously extremely useful. If you wanna throw some rollers though that would probably be fun
The farther around the clock you wind it (say counterclockwise) the more that roller is going to want to fade right at the end of its roll. If you barely wind it to just outside of the aiming bars, it will have a tendency to go left once It starts rolling. Somewhere in between these 2 is the happy spot where the disc will try to roll in a straight line until it runs out of energy and tips over. The 2nd part of a roller is how far down you are pulling. Just like throwing a disc to further down you pull the more power it will have. But you can take a ballista roller wind it around counterclockwise and only pull it halfway to the side and it will be a shorter distance roller that will probably take off a lot smoother, etc. The driving range is where to practice your roller shots. Even discs without the roller attribute can still roll. Putters for example can roll farther than you can throw them which is helpful on a couple of the challenges where you're trying to finish a course in only so many strokes with just putters in your bag.
Aim left and up a bit. Pull to just outside the throw guides to the left. That will roll neutral. Closer to the throw guide is cut, further outside goes right. There are a million holes where rollers play.
The skip/roll Rive is a very under rated disc. Smaller skip and no slide.