I've been playing for a couple years now, not really all that seriously. I get out to the course when I can and play a round or two (maybe 20-30 rounds a year). The last couple of months I've been throwing more sidearm as it seems more comfortable to me and get's better distance and accuracy than my backhand tosses. From my ultimate days I could throw both about the same in terms of accuracy and distance.

My question is:
Considering that I can get my sidearm to do what I want (hyzer, anhyzer, fairly flat shots), with better distance (nothing great, but around 275-300 feet if I'm on a hole where I can air it out compared to around 250-300 with my backhand) and similar or better accuracy... should I stick with the sidearm and just working on making it the best I can or should I turn my focus to my backhand and figure out what I can do to get it up to par?

Is the sidearm toss a viable drive or does it end up much worse than a backhand when a backhand is working well?

P.S. On approach shots I use both sidearm and backhand since I can get the backhand to be much more accurate at slower speeds / short distances but there are cases where I'll use the sidearm for approach shots. Putting is always backhand, I just can't get the sidearm to be accurate enough at slow speeds to putt at all with it.

A backhand drive is capable of much more distance. It uses more muscles to drive the disc, therefore is capable of more power. It does take more practice for some people to master though. It sounds like you already have a pretty good sidearm going so dont give up on it to learn backhand. Both drives have their uses so why not learn both. Some good info about backhand can be gotten from the web but probably the best help you can get is going to be from someone on your own course. The next time you are out playing and see some guy just crushing em, walk up, say hi, and ask for advice. Probably 9 times out of 10 they can and will help you out.

I think having both, backahand and sidearm in the option book will increase your options tremedously. The main reason is that the both of them naturally want to go opposite ways, if you use the same arm. It is knid of ironic because a lot of beginners pick up on sidearm to throw, and finally I saw a lot of the top pros using sidearms too. Different ends of the scales, yet they both use the same technique. I am trying to learn both myself right now, currently I am only a RHBH thrower and am trying to earn how to get good distance on an RHFH throw. Wrap things up by saying learn them both... /msgboard/images/graemlins/smirk.gif

I think having both, backahand and sidearm in the option book will increase your options tremedously.


Actualy, it will only increase by 1.

Learn both!!1111

Well I think the sidearm max distance is about 600' or so. The maximum is just over 800' (right?) but that 800' was achieved with a distance style throw rather than a golf style throw. Now, to my knowledge, you can only throw the sidearm one way, so that 600' was achieved with a GOLF STYLE throw!!!!! Now there are maybe a dozen people who can really throw 600' with a golf backhand.

Thanks for the replies guys. I guess I'll keep working on the backhand. I played a couple of rounds today and since the course had no one else on it at the time I basically played as two people, one a mainly sidearm player and one a mainly backhand person. I'm still getting alot more distance and accuracy on my sidearm tosses. To the point that I actually nailed the pole on a 250 foot drive sidearm today (unfortunately it was a bit low so it didn't go in, but still, it ended up right underneath the hole). Definately can't do that with my backhand :-) Think I'm just not getting enough snap on it.

Now, to my knowledge, you can only throw the sidearm one way, so that 600' was achieved with a GOLF STYLE throw!!!!!

There is a sidearm anhyzer flip that is used for distance. If you know a dg'er who is/was an Ulty player, watch him/her throw sidearm on course, then watch him/her throw sidearm for distance in a field, and you'll see the difference.

Is there a how to throw sidearm article that's worth reading?

Yes indeed. Scott Stokley's #2 video. Scott not only explains it verywell but shows himself and others all throwing Sidearm.

One thing that would be good is to continue to play 2 disc rounds - one sidearm and one backhand. I do this at least once a week and usually twice.

I only threw sidearm until about 1 1/2 years ago when an injury forced me to learn the backhand. At first, I really hated playing backhand. My scores sucked, my throws sucked, etc.
After a while it wasn't so bad. I have finally gotten confident enough to throw my backhand in tournaments. It's still not great, but it is OK and it will be good soon.

I play rounds with two discs to force myself to practice all kinds of shots with both styles. I feel like a better player having both shots.

Just a little story to illustrate. The other day we were playing and I parked a 280' hole with a backhand. Then, I parked it again with a sidearm. It was really cool to be able to do that with both types of shots. (Yes, I know that 280' isn't that long, but I'm a weenie arm and top out around 310' or 320')

Pracice both - you'll be glad you did.