Welcome to our guide for learning the disc golf forehand! When you are finished, be sure to check out our post on the 50+ Best, Top-Rated Forehand Discs in Disc Golf! It has forehand recommendations for all occasions!
Note: This page contains affiliate links. This just means that if you click on a link and make a purchase, I get small percentage of the sale, at no extra cost to you. Thank you for supporting my disc golf passion project!
See over 50 of the best disc golf forehand discs on the market!
This post has discs for every forehand occasion on the course. It also makes sure to select only from the highest rated discs.
Check it out here.
The Disc Golf Forehand – Introduction
The disc golf forehand (or “sidearm”) is an absolute must-have in your disc golf toolbelt.
Unless you are Paige Pierce, James Conrad, or more recently, Eagle McMahon.
Then, it’s just nice to have.
But for the rest of us back on Earth, having a good forehand can open up so many different shot shapes and help you effortlessly have your disc naturally fade in the opposite direction as your backhand.
Now, whether a basket is dogleg left or right, you can get there without finicky backhand turnover shots and angle mastery.
And in this post, I am not your teacher! I am more of a curator.
I have gone through innumerable disc golf forehand tutorials on Youtube and selected the very best for you from some of the best players and teachers in the game.
After the videos, I will lay out the tips for you in writing so you can better process it all.
In these videos, you will learn how to throw forehands more accurately and more smoothly. You will also learn how to throw forehands farther while reducing the risk of injury.
In addition, we will cover disc selection, grip, footwork and more!
It’s comprehensive folks!
Let’s get to it.
Warm Up PSA!
This will be quick, but I am a teacher so I feel I must…
For the love of all that is holy, can we please just warm up before trying to crank forehands?
In the first video, Nate Sexton explicitly tells us that forehand is MORE taxing on the body than backhand.
So warm up incrementally. Loosen the arm up slowly. Throw short forehand shots that get progressively longer…
Do whatever it is you need to do in order to properly warm up your body before bigger throws.
The LAST thing we want is an injury that prevents us from playing disc golf, so don’t skip this crucial step!
Okay, PSA over. Now let’s learn from one of the very best to ever throw the disc golf forehand!
Nate Sexton Teaches Forehand
I do a little writing for Infinitediscs.com. (Was that name drop casual enough? I was going for super casual. How’d I do?)
And one of my posts was pretty similar to this one. But naturally, I was only using their video content.
Thankfully they have good content which is why one of the videos I reference today will be a forehand tutorial from Nate Sexton.
Nate Sexton is one of the very best forehand players in the game. He’s also an excellent teacher. That seems like a very reasonable place to start don’t you think?
In his video he will cover grip, follow-through, footwork, angle control and some general advice for practice. Let’s look!
Highlights from Nate Sexton Sidearm video!
Grip – All hands are different so make sure it’s comfortable! But make sure you have:
- Two fingers on the rim (this is his grip though others promote “stacked grip” as well)
- Tuck the disc all the way into the section of your hand between your thumb and pointer (make sure there is no space between the disc and your hand).
Footwork – Sexton shockingly promotes the “World Famous Sexton Hop”. This is the footwork I see on MOST (not all) of the videos I’ve reviewed. He likens it to a “crow hop” in baseball.
Basically you step forward with your left foot (for RHFH) and then do right, right, and plant with the left.
The other footwork I see that is similar is from Jeremy Koling found here. This is what I use and the principle is the same. It’s a Right, left, shuffle right, left but you are just setting up your for your left foot to plant so you can swing your arm and body through the shot.
Find one that works for you, practice it and don’t look back!
Wrist Action – Unlike the passive wrist in backhand, the forehand requires you to snap your wrist through. Keep that wrist loose and fire it through the hit!
Reach Back – This is NOT linear like a backhand! We’ll get into this a little more in the Scott Stokely video, but it feels very similar to throwing a baseball. And LIKE the backhand, you don’t actually have to reach back. You are walking forward and the disc is staying where it is so it LOOKS like you are reaching back.
Angle Control – This is next level from Sexton. In essence he explains it as us having 3 levers (wrist, elbow and hip) we can use to control our forehand angles.
It takes a lot of practice, but you can practice using those levers with different discs to achieve the forehand shape you desire for any given shot!
Lastly, on angle control, Sexton (and many others later on) promotes practicing with understable discs so you can learn how to properly throw the forehand rather than just cranking over on overstable discs and forming bad habits.
Palm Up – This tip is to prevent that “turn and burn” forehand that plagues so many disc golfers. Unlike most other throwing sports, the hand stays palm up for the release (and eventually rolls over after the disc has left your hand) so the disc can follow the angle you intended to release it on.
Adding Power to Your Disc Golf Forehand
I probably should have this section be last.
We should learn proper technique and then add the power.
But I know where my bread is buttered (subscribe here to my free monthly email list!).
You want the power, so here it is! (Also, this video from Scott Stokely complements the Sexton video real nicely).
On a personal level, this video helped me unlock some power. For whatever reason I was previously stuck on release angle without damaging my arm and also how to reach back.
This video helped me connect throwing a baseball (or actually a whiffleball) with throwing a forehand. Combining this with Sexton’s follow through, and you should see a boost to your distance.
Have a look and see what you think.
Highlights!
- Stokely shows how to twist, or coil, at your core to add power.
- We see how the disc golf forehand is far more akin to a baseball 3/4 throw than it is to throwing a forehand in ultimate frisbee.
- You have to use your wrist to snap through on your shot (all the videos are saying this).
Like everything else, try some of these techniques out and combine them with other video techniques to find your own personal sweet spot.
Improving Forehand Accuracy
There seems to be any number of videos out there on how to throw a backhand accurately.
Yet, when you start going down the rabbit hole of forehand accuracy, the content thins out considerably!
This may be partly attributable to the fact that you are looking at your target, and therefore it’s easier to aim.
It could also be because, as we’ve learned, it’s similar to throwing a baseball, and thus, assumed to be intuitive.
Whatever the case, I feel like I’ve found a video that will help you aim your own personal forehand.
And as you might have guessed, this approach is personal to you. But in the end, if it results in more accurate forehand shots that give you confidence in the tee box then it is absolutely worth the somewhat minimal (it’s pretty low maintenance) effort!
Have a look and see for yourself!
Highlights!
- First off, Ben gives a nod to the “common advice” of making sure that your fingers should finish pointing towards your target. Still good advice, but he adds to it in this video!
- The main point of this video is to line up your feet, hips, and body so that they align with your natural release point that is specific to your body. You can do this by:
- Finding your own natural release point.
- Learn to align your body and feet in a direction specific to your forehand. (recording yourself may help!)
- Once you do this, you can reproduce that shot on the course and line your forehand shots up accordingly and hit those lines consistently!
If I were to summarize, I would say this: Learn your specific forehand release point, and learn how to set your body up to release forehands consistently on your intended line!
Now, let’s look at the forehand from a different angle looking at common mistakes!
Common Disc Golf Forehand Mistakes!
When we see common mistakes, it can help us figure out how to throw correctly.
Look at these 7 common forehand mistakes from Coach Josh at Overthrow Disc Golf and then we’ll review below!
Highlights!
- Keep your wrist in line with your forearm to get the full range of motion in your snapping motion.
- Walking straight forward results in a high hyzer that skies out and dies. Instead, turn sideways to open the hips
- Use your off hand (instead of leaving it dead by the side) to turn shoulders away from target so you can open them later (clear the curtain!). The offhand helps coil the shoulders.
- The reach back is not a reach back, rather a “stretch away from the disc.”
- Being too upright does not create space for your arm/disc to swing through. Instead, hinge forward at the waist and allow space for your arm to come through.
- Avoid the cement shoes! Bring that leg through on your follow through like you are throwing a ball (sound familiar?). This will add to your distance and prevent injuries on top of it!
- Be loose and lag the disc rather than pushing and arming it through!
After looking at those common mistakes, let’s view some commonly issued advice for your disc golf forehand!
Learn to Throw Forehand on Slower, Understable Discs
Almost every pro/teacher of note is suggesting that, in order to learn how to throw a disc properly, you should learn on an understable disc.
And where there is smoke, there’s fire (usually).
In my head, there are just too many people that I respect saying this, so I’m on board!
The reasoning for this is that, a lot of people (myself included) learn to “arm” overstable discs and flex them out, before they fade back.
This gives a boost in distance that we didn’t previously have and is very enticing!
The problem is, it’s usually unsustainable and leads to injury.
But fear not, you can have your cake and eat it too! You don’t have to give up that overstable disc. You just need to learn on the understable stuff so that when you go back to the faster, overstable stuff and throw it in such a way that it doesn’t tax your body nearly as much.
So, with that in mind, here is a video that Joel Freeman has on properly learning disc golf forehand shots using putters. Start the video at the 5:52 mark to get right into the lesson.
Highlights!
- It’s going to help you in the long run.
- Look at Joel’s impersonation of the “Average Joe disc golfer.” Looks familiar (and so does the action on the discs)!
- He stacks the grip (different from Sexton) and tucks the disc into the web of the hand (like Sexton recommends).
- Cock the wrist and snap it to get that spin!
- Practice! Try different angles like he does in the video and get a feel for each!
- Increase distance slowly and incrementally! (Don’t immediately try to crank from 350′!)
- Don’t feel bad about imperfect! Joel Freeman notes that his form needs improvement. It’s okay! Taking video of your own shots may help find where to improve as well!
Get The Wobble OUT!
These are also ideas that come up repeatedly in the videos I see. A lot of forehand players suffer from wobble in their forehand. Here’s what they all say.
- Leave no space between disc and hand. Tuck it into the hand to secure the disc.
- Lead with your elbow. This prevents “arming the disc” which causes wobble and injury.
- Snap the wrist and increase your spin. This wrist snap is responsible for a lot of your spin/distance and prevents wobble as well!
If this is something you are struggling with, check out this video from Scott Stokely on this very subject.
One other key that he notes is how players, in their swing back, have their arms out of whack with the angle they will release their disc on. This results in trying to shift a lot of levers so you can line up the disc properly for the hit.
It introduces a lot more room for error.
Instead, Stokely suggests, bring your disc back in such a way that your elbow is already leading in front allowing you to keep the disc on the desired release angle the whole way…
Be sure to watch to see for yourself though!
Film Yourself!
I just wanted to add this element because it comes up A LOT in ALL the form correction content.
Get in the habit of filming yourself so you can see for yourself and how you look compared to the top-rated players.
A lot of times we think we are doing something when we really are not!
By filming ourselves we can see how we actually throw and adjust accordingly. This is no different for disc golf forehand throws.
Now let’s look at some great discs that a lot of players enjoy for their forehands.
Popular Forehand Discs!
We have popular forehand discs highlighted below, but for even more check out this post on the 50+ Best, Top-Rated Forehand Discs in Disc Golf!
See over 50 of the best disc golf forehand discs on the market!
This post has discs for every forehand occasion on the course. It also makes sure to select only from the highest rated discs.
Check it out here.
As we’ve said before, you can (and should) try to learn on almost any disc (including understable ones).
But when it’s time to keep score, a lot of players like a certain degree of stability in their forehand discs. Personally, I like the stability as insurance in case I accidentally turn my wrist over too early.
Whatever the case, here are some very popular forehand discs (rom putter to distance driver)that I use myself and personally recommend.
Have a look and see what you think!
The PRAXIS
Avg. Rating 4.97 Stars – Flight Ratings: 3, 3, 0, 1
The Praxis is not the most stable disc on my list of forehand discs. Really, it’s just a great disc. I probably use it more for backhand approaches and drives, but I also give it a flick, hold an angle, and watch it nestle up close to the basket.
I really doubt you can go wrong with the Praxis! Ethereal plastic is my choice for Thought Space Athletics. It’s durable but has good tack as well.
Check it out here!
Fly Straight with The Praxis!
The ZONE!
Avg. Rating: 4.90 stars – Flight numbers: 4, 3, 0, 3
The Zone is an immensely popular approach putter that is stable enough to handle headwinds, power forehands, and good rips.
It’s also slow enough that it doesn’t blow by the basket. Try it in the Big Z FLX Plastic which is soft and sits right down next to the basket!
Get The Zone!
The JÄRN
Avg. Rating: 5.0 stars – Flight numbers: 4.5, 3, 0, 3
The JÄRN, by Kastaplast, is a slightly faster Zone. Basically, it’s a hybrid between throwing putters and the midrange.
This could be your go-to approach disc for headwinds, forehands and general approach shots.
Kastaplast is also known for its high quality plastic so this disc won’t disappoint. Check it out here!
Weave with The JÄRN!
The QUAKE!
Avg. Rating 4.89 Stars – Flight Numbers: 5, 3, 0, 3
The Quake is an overstable midrange that is not overly beefy and will first fly quite straight, backhand or forehand, before fading out.
It’s a nice disc for forehand because it gives you that straight flight but still has some forgiveness if you do turn it over too much. Give it a look here!
Partake in The Quake!
The TEEBIRD!
Avg. Rating 4.74 Stars – Flight Numbers: 7, 5, 0, 2
The Teebird is an all-timer! It’s another disc that you can bag for both backhands and forehands. This disc flies straight and true, and has a nice fade at the end.
It’s dependability for many shots in different conditions make it a great disc to have for any round. For a touch more stability, you can also check out Innova’s Eagle.
See the Teebird here!
Fly with The Teebird!
The TERRA!
Avg. Rating: 5.0 Stars – Flight Ratings: 8, 5, 0, 3
The Terra is an 8-speed disc that forehand dominant players are raving about. Basically, it has the ability to resist torque and flex from a forehand, but doesn’t dump off at the end like so many other overstable discs.
MVP came up with a gem in The Terra!
Check it out here!
Test The Terra!
The PD from Discmania!
Avg. Rating: 5.0 Stars – Flight Ratings: 10, 4, 0, 3
Some call The PD the “Faster Firebird” and others just refer to it as Forehand Perfection. Either way, this is a disc that is very compatible with your more experienced forehand players.
I don’t have it as quite as overstable as the Firebird and I can get my to go farther and straighter as well.
It feels great in the hand and you can put a good charge on the PD. Check it out here!
Perfection with The PD!
The Trace!
Avg. Rating: 4.86 Stars – Flight Ratings: 11, 5, -1, 2
The Trace, by Streamline, is a really nice disc for reliable, forehand distance. I don’t have it (yet), but it’s a signature disc for forehand specialist Sarah Hokom and highly regarded amongst forehanders.
Described as a “beat in Wraith,” just release it flat on a line and let the disc take it from there! As an added bonus it is reported to have a “great feel” at a very good price.
Check it out here!
Ace with The Trace?
The Kahu!
Avg. Rating: 4.84 Stars – Flight Rating: 13, 5, -1.5, 3
The Kahu is not for the faint of heart folks! It’s a high speed driver, that can absolutely bomb!
It’s a flat disc that fits nicely in the hand for forehands. A lot of players use this disc to flex their forehands for big distance.
RPM has a winner with the Kahu! Check it out here!
Unleash The Kahu!
The Shryke!
Avg. Rating: 4.54 Stars – Flight Rating :13, 6, -2, 2
The Shryke, quite simply, is my farthest flying disc. It consistently outdistances my other forehand discs by 30 – 50 feet.
For this reason, it makes the list. Just release on a slight hyzer and watch it stand up and glide for days!
Check it out here!
Soar with The Shryke!
Disc Golf Forehands – In Summary
As I said in the beginning, I have watched a ton of disc golf forehand videos.
These ones are the very best I could find on the subject.
By watching each video, reviewing the important take-aways, and practicing a lot (after warming up each time!), it is my belief that you will dramatically improve your disc golf forehand and significantly improve your overall game in the process!
I sincerely hope this post has helped and that you feel confident hitting those forehand lines with accuracy, consistency and power out on the course!
If this post has helped you in any way, please be sure to let me know in the comments. And while you are at it, be sure to subscribe to my free monthly newsletter while also being permanently entered into a raffle to win free $50 gift cards to Infinitediscs.com!
I’m trying to build a community here and the gift cards is my way of bribi… err… enticing you to join! Thank you in advance for your support!
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Note: This page contains affiliate links. This just means that if you click on a link and make a purchase, I get small percentage of the sale, at no extra cost to you. Thank you for supporting my disc golf passion project!