Forehand: Hints and Tips for a Newbie

I just started playing a few weeks ago on the 17th. I quickly found that I could not throw a backhand disc to save my life.... My buddy Chris suggested that I try a forehand throw about half-way through the course. It was exactly what I needed to get my game on track, and I have been a natural forehand thrower since. That day I went out and bought my first bag and 5 discs. DX Wraith 171, DX Sidewinder 175, Dragon 150, Champ Coyote 175, and a Polecat 175.

I still have no clue what the difference between hyzer and anhyzer are. I'd like to learn how to better control my throw, how to make it change direction, and how to make it turn left or right depending on how I throw it.

[Jason Lively]

practice in a field... read the blog i have posted on my page it should help man....

[kindofabuzz]

let it roll off your finger on the rim. i can't throw a backhand either, all my drives are forehand.

[mark ellis]

Hey ProjectPatterson,
Everyone is naturally forehand or backhand dominant. Some players are extremely dominant one way or the other. It sounds like both you and I are forehanders. You are lucky, it took me 3 years of playing before I figured out I was a forehander.

Of the discs you have which one is your primary driver-the one which goes farthest before it starts turning? This will tell me something about how you throw.

From your page and clubs it looks like you are seriously addicted. You have found exactly the right support group. Welcome to the club. That is how I and many of the folks on this site started.

Go watch a video on Youtube.com. Search "Discraft clinics". Look for a video on forehand drives. Some old fat guy teaches basic form. Then come back with questions.

[Nascar Mike]

Practice, practice, practice. Field work is the most important thing you can do. Set up your buddy on one end of a field and you on the other. Try to hit each others bag. You can learn new discs and yours. Each one of you pulls out like 5 discs and just start firing. Before you know it you have already thrown a couple hundred shots. You don't have to go to the course to "play" disc golf.

[RiX]

Welcome to DG....

I've been in for almost a year now and I have to tell you, It's addicting!

Just check out all the website you can find... watch all the videos on youtube, find player websites and FIND A LOCAL PRO! They can help so much... join a local club also!

And pay attention to Mark Ellis... "The Force Is Strong With Him"

[James Banevicz]

Two of the best discs I use for sidearm are a Champion Viking( 160 weight) and a Discraft Flick ( 150 class ), but you have to find what works for you.

[DC ( DISCFUNCTIONAL CHRIS )]

like mark posted watch the tutorial vidios on u tube, they can be very helpfull in getting you started with the right grip form, discs to use etc, one thing i will add is you will generally want to use your most overstable disc for forehand shots, atleast till you get used to throwing forehand as the overstable discs tend to be more forgiving if you dont throw it flat enough, from the list of discs you mentioned you had, the wraith is your most stable disc you have and should be the one you use, you might even want to invest in a more stable disc than the wraith like say for example - venom, flash, destroyer, excaliber, if your friends have any of these try thiers before you buy a new disc and see what works best for you, it can save you spending money on discs that dont suit you, unless you end up being a plastic whore like myself and have to try every new disc that comes out ( i wouldnt suggest it, as it can be hurtfull to the marriage and finances )

like Daniel, i started out forehand dominant in my game, but over the last couple years have been developing my backhand game as it does tend to have a more predictable flight and landing, as Daniel stated i wish i would have worked on my backhand drive earlier, as the first five years i played i drove almost exclusively forehand, i would suggest that you try develope both your backhand and forehand drives, for alot of people forehand is tough to learn, if you are already having success with your forehand drive then your ahead of the game, if you can develope both your backhand as well as your forehand drive then that is an advantage to you over alot of other players who exclusively throw one way or the other, for example if your a right handed player, it tends to be alot harder to get a good long turning shot to the right backhand, were the forehand naturally turns right, and the same holds true that its harder to forehand a shot that requires a long sweeping turn to the left, so being able to throw both styles is definatley usefull, give both styles a chance, before you decide which one your going to be dominant in, you might even find like others and myself have found, that your able to develope both, but either way keep playing ! just watch though as this sport is extreamly addicting !

[Tino "SilverBack" Medina]

like everyone says, go to a field and practice. Try leaning your wrist this way and that way. Mess around wiht finger placement, snap nad how hard you "flick". It will come.

[ProjectPatterson]

I'd have to say that my dominant driver has been my sidewinder, but as I'm learning how to put more power and control in my throw I'm driving more with the Wraith. In my opinion they are both great discs and I plan on buying them in better plastic soon.

[jd]

I would continue to learn a backhand even if it's mainly in the field. If nothing else, it spreads the wear & tear around. I've also had injuries where 1 side was out but I could throw the other way. Lastly, sidearms are generally harder on the body, at least the way most people throw them, so there is more possibility of an overuse injury -- hence, the advice to have a backhand in reserve.

[Scottycb]

I know a lot of guys in this forum will not agree with me but trust me, i play pro tournaments around the state and it is very rare to find a pro who can only throw forehand. Backhand is the dominate shot in disc golf, it is more controlable and more powerful. It is the key to drives, approaches and putting. I do agree you need a forehand game to be complete but my forehand game is like a lot of fellow open player and is used for shots that need to turn quick right and are no more than 250 feet. Sure we can throw it farther out in the open but there is not a whole lot of open shots that are easier with a forehand than backhand, thats what they make different discs for, and thats why your beat in (experienced) discs are so important. Learn to throw backhand first if possible, then from there learn other shots such as forehand and overhand shots (thumber and tomahawk)

Hope the advice helps

[mark ellis]

The advice players give on this site is generally excellent and it worked for them. All of us are different and we need to find out what works for us by trial and error. So do not be afraid to try different techniques and discs. And it is great to learn a variety of shots.

In terms of disc slang, lets deal with hyzer and anhyzer. The hyzer is the natural fade of a disc when it slows down. So when ProjectPatterson throws his Wraith flat and smooth it goes straight for a while then it bends to one direction as it slows down (to the right if he throws right-handed forehand), which is called a hyzer. When the same disc is thrown right-handed backhand it will hyzer to the left because it has the opposite spin as it flies.

An anhyzer is the opposite. The anhyzer bends to the unnatural direction (to the left if thrown right-handed forehand).

Hyzers are easy to throw. Just throw it flat and smooth with a stable or overstable disc (like a Wraith) and the disc bends that way by itself. Anhyzers are difficult to throw and require special discs (understable, like a Sidewinder) or throwing techniques or both-and a heck of a lot of practice.

Stable means a disc which flies straight. An overstable disc hyzers while an understable discs anhyzers. Those terms are relative because a disc which is understable for me may be overstable for you due to differences in power and technique.

Since backhand and forehand cause a disc to spin in opposite directions a player who can throw both ways can throw the easy shot (the hyzer) no matter which direction the fairway bends. Most players, especially experienced tournament players, have better backhands than forehands. Forehands are harder to control because there is a smaller margin of error. With practice though, any shot can be controlled.

Since you are just starting, try to learn forehand and backhand and overhead. Find a good player on the course and boldly walk up to them and mention how impressed you are with their skill. Then ask if they could give you a few tips, showing you how they do it. Whatever shot they are good at is a shot you want to learn. Watch some videos and try out what you see and read.

Have fun and don't be too hard on yourself when you mess up (I guarantee you will).