Hyzer vs. Anhyzer: A Beginner‑Friendly Guide to Two Essential Disc Golf Angles
When you first start playing disc golf, it feels like you’re learning a whole new language. Suddenly you start hearing new words, like overstable, flippy, mando, and a bunch of other terms you’ve never heard before. Today we’re going to break down two very common words you’ll likely hear early on: hyzer and anhyzer.
These two terms describe the angle of your disc when it leaves your hand. Understanding them will help you control your shots, shape lines around obstacles, and get more distance as your form improves.
Let’s make it simple.
What Do “Hyzer” and “Anhyzer” Mean?
For this explanation, we’ll assume the players is throwing right‑handed backhand throws (RHBH), the most common throwing style.
- If the disc comes out of your hand close to being level, that’s called a flat release.
- If the disc is tilted one way or the other, it is either a hyzer or an anhyzer, depending on which way it is tilted.
What Is a Hyzer?
A hyzer happens when the outside edge of the disc (the edge farthest from your body) is lower than the inside edge when you release it.
Think of it as tilting the disc slightly toward the ground.
Why throw a hyzer?
Hyzer angles are useful in many situations:
- To finish left (for RHBH players): A hyzer means that the disc will fade left at the end of its flight.
- To get around obstacles: Need to shape the disc around a tree? A hyzer helps the disc take a sharper left turn.
- Hyzer‑flip shots: If you throw an understable disc on a hyzer, it can flip up to flat and glide for a long, straight flight. This is a popular way to get a lot of distance.
- Spike hyzers: A steep hyzer angle makes the disc dive almost straight down, great for avoiding big skips, hitting small targets.
- Skip shots: A hyzer shot with an overstable disc can produce a big, predictable ground skip.
Wind and hyzer
Here is how the wind will affect a hyzer shot:
- Right‑to‑left wind: Lifts the disc and pushes it even farther left.
- Left‑to‑right wind: Pushes the disc down quickly, making your shot a bit shorter.
What Is an Anhyzer?
An anhyzer is the opposite angle from the hyzer. The outside edge of the disc is higher than the inside edge when you release it. Most players call this an “anny”.
When would you throw an anhyzer?
- To make the disc turn right (for RHBH players): Great for shaping right‑curving fairways without switching to a forehand. Plus, you may want the fade that you don’t get from a forehand (flick) shot.
- Flex shots: Throw a stable or overstable disc on an anhyzer and it will turn right before “flexing” back to the left. This can add distance and help you shape big S‑curves.
- Tailwind control: Tailwinds make anhyzers more predictable. Headwinds, however, can make the disc turn too hard and crash to the ground, or become a roller.
- Rollers: Many roller shots start with an anhyzer release so the disc tips over and lands on its edge to roll.
Practice Makes It Click
Hyzer and anhyzer angles are two important throws in disc golf. The best way to learn them is to grab a stack of discs and head to an open field. Try different angles and watch how the disc flies, and you’ll quickly understand when to use each shot on the course.
If you want a visual breakdown, here’s a helpful video:
Happy hucking!
