Q. for anyone who can help: i have been playing for a year now and still learning, im not sure what disc is best for sidearm i like the x2 and the reaper but i was wondering what other people like to use/ i also throw tomahawk, what our good disc for this type of throw and is it bad to get that disc in z plastic since they tend to roll when they hit the ground. thanks for your help- klutch

Just like with backhand, sidearm disc choice depends entirely on personal preference. I throw a lot of sidearm, particularly when I want distance. My favorites are:

Monster - Long drives that need to fade
Z Xtreme - Shorter drives and spike shots
Talon - Turnover drives

I'd feel pretty comfortable replacing those three with:

E Spirit
Demon/Speed Demon - Demon is shorter than the Xtreme, SD is longer
S Spirit

And for a midrange:

Z Buzzz

Again, that's just me. Other people will have different answers.

Every disc is a good sidearm disc if you have a good sidearm. There is no such thing as a magic disc.

Like many RH players, I use FH/Sidearm for long right finishing shots. I use a Speed Demon (Any plastic, although "E"volution is the most durable) and when I can sacrafise a little rightward hyzer for distance I opt for a Spirit (usually "H"igh Performance)

Hope that helps!

Every disc is a good sidearm disc if you have a good sidearm. There is no such thing as a magic disc.




This is SO true!! Most people's sidearms are not as good, technique-wise, as their backhands. Thats why most people chose a overstable disc to counter their technique issues, not unlike those with poor backhand technique.

If your really serious about learning a proper sidearm, use your regular drivers and work on smoothnes before distance. If you just want it as a little trick shot, just use something overstable.

This is SO true!! Most people's sidearms are not as good, technique-wise, as their backhands. Thats why most people chose a overstable disc to counter their technique issues, not unlike those with poor backhand technique.

If your really serious about learning a proper sidearm, use your regular drivers and work on smoothnes before distance. If you just want it as a little trick shot, just use something overstable.



Yes, if you think of sidearm as merely a reverse backhand, that's true. And I know Scott Stokely, and others, can sidearm understable discs incredible distances. But throwing forehand inherently gives you a higher ratio of speed to snap than backhand. You can try to fight this if you want, but there really isn't much point. Overstable discs allow you to take advantage of this extra speed - and the extra speed allows you to utilize the properties of overstable discs in a way that most people can't when throwing backhand. Plus, a disc you throw really well backhand may not be right for your forehand. Personally, I hate domey discs for forehand. That's why the Buzzz works for me even though I throw a Wasp better backhand. I recently learned that my particular Buzzz is a very flat specimen - a red one I looked at had a much higher dome.

So "if you're really serious about learning a proper sidearm," of course technique counts for most of it. But it also makes sense to think about the throw, what it's best for, and what works for you.

Monster and Firebirds do the trick.

I use z-predators for the sidearm hyzers and s-type flight path shots and the z-flash for straighter sidearm shots.

My favorites are:

PL-Monster
CH-Viking
Z-Flash
Z-Wasp
Z-Buzzz
JK-Aviar X

Knowing to throw a good side-arm shot with multiple kinds of discs is a big advantage in a Tournament.

PT Woods
#20431

I throw every disc in my bag both forehand and backhand, down to my 1st run, super flippy, x-xpress. Every disc is a forehand disc. I guess it won't be long before someone asks which disc is a good left hand disc.

I can only throw RH sidearm and my 150 Lightning F-2 Flyers are getting me as much distance as my 150 Valkyries without any fade at the end.

I'd say to learn sidearm on the flippiest disc you can find, ok except maybe a factored stingray, but learn something understable. That way you have to slow down your arm motion to get the right spin:power ratio. When i learned sidearm i learned on a 115g frisbee. Then as soon as I picked up disc golf i could throw my discs sidearm and not worry about flipping them.

[

If your really serious about learning a proper sidearm, use your regular drivers and work on smoothnes before distance. If you just want it as a little trick shot, just use something overstable.

[/QUOTE]

Yes, if you think of sidearm as merely a reverse backhand, that's true. And I know Scott Stokely, and others, can sidearm understable discs incredible distances. But throwing forehand inherently gives you a higher ratio of speed to snap than backhand. You can try to fight this if you want, but there really isn't much point. Overstable discs allow you to take advantage of this extra speed - and the extra speed allows you to utilize the properties of overstable discs in a way that most people can't when throwing backhand. Plus, a disc you throw really well backhand may not be right for your forehand. Personally, I hate domey discs for forehand. That's why the Buzzz works for me even though I throw a Wasp better backhand. I recently learned that my particular Buzzz is a very flat specimen - a red one I looked at had a much higher dome.

So "if you're really serious about learning a proper sidearm," of course technique counts for most of it. But it also makes sense to think about the throw, what it's best for, and what works for you.

[/QUOTE]

I totally agree and since it is a proven fact that you can throw farther backhand then sidearm, you should get a disc suited to WHY you want to throw sidearm: opposite hook then your backhand, and getting out of awkward lies. So therefore try a Banshee, FireBird, Whippet, and use what ever feels better in your hand. Whippet is a really hard fader, so that would be good for those tight right turns, the Banshee and Firebird are good for longer "S" turns you couldn't get with a Understable Driver. I have a very good sidearm, I can sidearm just about any disc, but I would rather throw backhand and only use sidearm when the shot calls for it, but it is a valueable tool to have in your bag, I wouldn't go to a tourney without it.
It will also be easier to learn with overstable discs, espically because that should be why you want to learn it in the first place.
Cheers,
Matt

P.S. There are 2 ways to learn sidearm, throw hard at first with overstable discs, and work your way down, or throw soft with stable discs and work your way up. Remember that the disc will have more speed then spin and it will cause it to turnover. So if you keep turning the disc over slow down your arm or get a more stable disc......

(1)I totally agree
(2)and since it is a proven fact that you can throw farther backhand then sidearm,
(3)you should get a disc suited to WHY you want to throw sidearm:




I'm in a disecting mode.
1. Thanks for agreeing and also for your opinion.
2. Proven fact? Come on now. Where is the study? I often see players at my course who only throw forehand because they can't get any distance with a backhand. Most good players throw backhands farther than forehands, but not all. Your best argument is that the world distance record is longer with a backhand than a forehand.
3. Why? Control and accuracy is the reason I throw forehand. I throw every disc in my bag for backhands and forehands. Sometimes I choose to throw a forehand turnover instead of a backhand hyzer on those textbook righty hyzer holes. Why? Because of wind conditions, terrain angle or just plain confidence.


There are no real answers. Everything is based on the thrower's preference. Let's all get together and play a sidearm round and laugh and enjoy it.

Any of the smaller rimmed disc will do
Monster, wildcat, crush, firebird.
I mainly use the monster.

those discs have small rims?

from the top of the disc to the bottom of the disc. Not from the inside of the rim to the out side of the rim.

gotcha

(1)I totally agree
(2)and since it is a proven fact that you can throw farther backhand then sidearm,
(3)you should get a disc suited to WHY you want to throw sidearm:




I'm in a disecting mode.
1. Thanks for agreeing and also for your opinion.
2. Proven fact? Come on now. Where is the study? I often see players at my course who only throw forehand because they can't get any distance with a backhand. Most good players throw backhands farther than forehands, but not all. Your best argument is that the world distance record is longer with a backhand than a forehand.
3. Why? Control and accuracy is the reason I throw forehand. I throw every disc in my bag for backhands and forehands. Sometimes I choose to throw a forehand turnover instead of a backhand hyzer on those textbook righty hyzer holes. Why? Because of wind conditions, terrain angle or just plain confidence.


There are no real answers. Everything is based on the thrower's preference. Let's all get together and play a sidearm round and laugh and enjoy it.



Thanks for not bashing me too much...haha.
I do use sidearm a lot and you definetely have more control and accuracy with it, but not when you are first learning it.
Did you like my two approaches to teaching/learning it though?
I am trying to teach a couple of guys sidearm and it is pretty hard to explain to them, but once they get that one good throw it is like a light bulb going off.

I actually have played all sidearm rounds to practice my sidearm, it is fun till you have to putt. I decided that once I am within 30ft I putt regular.

Did you read Scott Stockelys book? He says the distance record for sidearm is only like 400'.
And at one point in my game I could throw farther sidearm then backhand, but with the right backhand mechanics you should be able to throw alot farther then sidearm, as I can now.
Chris, do you throw sidearm downhill much? I never liked throwing sidearm downhill, but love throwing it uphill.
Cheers,
Matt

backhand is a more efficent shot for distance than the sidearm because it allows you to incorporate more of your body into the shot.

The best evidence (though it hardly constitutes "proof") that backhand has more distance potential than sidearm is that Scott Stokely himself - who holds the forehand distance record, or did - can throw his backhand 200' farther. My theory is that this is because you get relatively more snap backhand. You need all those extra muscles to get the disc up to a speed comparable to what you get forehand, but once you do, you're able to give the disc a lot more spin. Whenever I see a really long backhand shot, the disc always seems to be moving a lot slower than it should be to cover that distance. Most long forehand shots move faster, with a more pronounced S curve.

discgolftool, I think you're right on with your teaching methods. I learned with the fast-to-slow method, but some people are clearly more comfortable the other way around.

Forehand turnover is definitely a key shot, and with the right disc, it's pretty easy to throw. For me, the right disc is a Buzzz. I also like throwing forehand downhill. Downhill shots allow you to turn the disc over pretty hard (easier for me with forehand) without it grounding out.

I could use a little help choosing a good sidearm.

Oops, wrong board.

I could use a little help choosing a good sidearm.

Oops, wrong board.



Yeah, you need to start a "PDGA Rules Enforcement" thread for that one.