Level Up Your Forehand

Whether You Call it a Flick, Sidearm, or Forehand… You’re Going To Need One

The days of being a backhand-only disc golfer are mostly behind us. While a few top players can still get by that way, most courses demand both shots. A reliable forehand gives you more ways to shape lines and recover when things don’t go as planned.

For a right-handed player, a forehand spins counterclockwise. That means it will move left during the high-speed portion of the flight before fading back to the right—the opposite of a backhand. That difference alone opens up lines that simply aren’t available with a backhand alone.

Grip and Run-Up

Grip and run-up vary from player to player. No one style is necessarily correct, but some work for more players than others. The goal is to find something that feels comfortable and repeatable.

Innova’s Nate Sexton breaks down forehand grip and run-up fundamentals in his Learn to Disc Golf video. Use it as a starting point, then experiment with small adjustments until you find what works best for you.

Active Wrist

The forehand throw relies on an active wrist. During your reachback, you should be loading the disc by cocking your wrist. At the moment of release, spin the disc with a flick of the wrist. Think about smacking your aim point.

That spin stabilizes the flight. With enough of it, the disc will come out cleaner, wobble less, and carry farther. With a passive wrist, the disc will often come out fluttering, costing you distance and causing it to move left earlier in its flight.

Throw a Ball, Don’t Wave Hello

Your wrist has two main directions of motion: the one you use to wave and the one you use to throw an object. A lot of players use the wrong one when learning a forehand, which limits power and can lead to injury.

Think about throwing a ball. While the arm motion is different, the hinge of the wrist should feel the same. If your wrist is moving like you’re waving, you’re losing out on both power and control.

If you’re trying to make this change, you may need to adjust your grip slightly. Swap a grip where only the side of the finger makes contact with the inside rim for one where the pad of your fingers presses into the rim. Once it clicks, the throw will feel more natural, and the disc will come out with more speed and less effort.

Avoid the All-Arm Throw

Just like with a backhand, an “all-arm” forehand will limit both distance and consistency, and it often leads to injury. The throw should be driven by your lower body and core, not just your arm.

Focus on sequence and timing. Push off your back leg, rotate your hips, and lead with your elbow as the disc moves forward. From there, let the disc sling out rather than forcing it. When everything is working together, the throw feels smoother and requires less effort.

Using your full body allows you to generate more speed while putting less strain on your arm. It’s not about throwing harder—it’s about transferring energy efficiently from the ground up.

Palm to the Sky

For players who struggle with rolling their wrist, focusing on your follow-through can help. Keeping your palm oriented upward helps maintain your release angle.

You should be able to look down at your hand after your release and see your palm facing the sky. If your forehands tend to come out wobbly or turn over unexpectedly, there’s a good chance your wrist is rolling at the last moment. Cleaning up that follow-through can make a noticeable difference in both control and consistency.

Throw Putters, Midranges, and Understable Drivers on Different Angles

Many players only throw forehands with overstable drivers, and usually only when the hole forces them to. While that covers the bare minimum of what you need, you are limiting yourself.

We challenge you to learn as many disc types and angles with the forehand as you have with your backhand. Remember how long it took to be able to lace fairways on a late-flipping S-curve with a backhand? Learning that same shot with a forehand takes time too.

If you only throw a Firebird forehand, take a Sidewinder or Roadrunner to the field and learn how to control it. If you lean on a Destroyer, try working on hyzer flips with a Charger or Shryke. Spend time on shorter approach shots with a straight-flying putter. These reps will teach you how to control angle, pace, and spin.

Throwing less stable molds with more glide helps to avoid injury as well. Let the disc do the work. Think about it—if the only disc you threw backhand was a Firebird, that would probably start to hurt after a while too.

This matters even more when you’re out of position. When a forehand is your only option in the woods, being able to control different angles, distances, and speeds is what lets you scramble instead of pitching out.

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Not Every Right-to-Left Shot is a Backhand

Just because the target is on the left side of the fairway does not necessarily mean that a backhand is the best choice. Early obstacles, low ceilings, sloped greens, and wind conditions can all make a forehand the better option, even on a left-finishing hole.

As you learn to throw forehands with less stable discs at a range of angles, you’ll start to see more of these lines. Shots that once felt like automatic backhands can often be played more cleanly with a controlled turnover forehand.

And of course, the opposite is true too—not every right-finishing shot needs to be a forehand.

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Avoid Injury

The forehand can put a lot of stress on the body, especially when it’s thrown with poor timing or too much effort. That said, plenty of players have built long, successful careers around a forehand-heavy game, which shows it can be sustainable with the right approach.

Focus on timing rather than power. Trying to overpower the disc often puts extra strain on your elbow without adding distance. Using your full body, staying loose, and following through all help distribute that stress more evenly.

Choosing discs that don’t require maximum effort also makes a difference. Lighter weights and less stable molds can help you get more distance with less strain. Let the disc do more of the work.

Simple habits matter too. Warm up, stretch, stay hydrated, and pay attention to how your body feels. Practice in the field, but don’t overdo it. Building clean form at lower speeds makes it much easier to scale up without putting unnecessary strain on your arm.