Backhand or forehand??

[The Last DJ]

I thought this thread would contain a reference to a Key & Peele skit...

In all seriousness, a player that has both shots down has a huge advantage. It is personal experience that forehand was easier to pick up and remains my go-to shot from most tee boxes. The backhand throw seems to have much more to it as far as form goes. Backhand is the throw that I get more accuracy from, especially for approach shots.

 

[EWSdiscgolf]

BH gives you more accuracy. FH can go anywhere if you're not good at it.

 

[ambroze]

FH I believe is easier because it doesn't require your entire body to successfully throw a decent shot. One can stand still and twist their hips and hit a FH 250+ with good accuracy. I started out with FH because it came naturally to me because of baseball possibly but it took many hours (years) for me to really get a BH down where I was comfortable with using it in a game. There are so many moving parts in a BH throw. Best thing ever for my game is to have both FH and BH.

 

[Menacewarf]

Ooof. Deadheads shouldn't mix sports analogies.

Why not? analogies are fun. And this one holds up fwiw. And an avatar does not make a head my friend. Keep working on that ace. Maybe this decade?

 

[disc qualified]

BH gives you more accuracy. FH can go anywhere if you're not good at it.

as a former pitcher, i disagree with this

my fh is deadly accurate


but different strokes and all that jazz...

 

[delaveagabeast]

I get by and shoot even or under on most courses without a solid backhand. I can throw nice anhyzer bombs but ever since I learned to throw a backhand roller it hurt my standard backhand throw. I'm the ******* who throws over that oak tree everyone throws underneath if you know what I mean.

With that being said I can park a thumber, backhand/forehand roller, or forehand so I don't think backhand is as necessary as many believe. Defended #1 bagtag 4x in a row now.

With all of that being said, I would love to have a backhand as consistent as a good back hand player. I have been doing a lot of field work to work on my x step and a smooth, fluid throw-- it's getting much better but I can only do a slow walk up or I will throw away from my body w/ anhyzer.

I think backhand is more natural but forehand is easier to learn. I personally believe everyone should just do what's comfortable-- it annoys the **** out of me I can't throw over 300 ft with accuracy with my backhand, but it must annoy the **** out of people when I throw a 340 thumber and park it 4/5 times

 

[JC17393]

I think backhand is more natural but forehand is easier to learn.

Bingo. Forehand has the much easier learning curve, but there is a lower ceiling in terms of potential (distance in particular). Backhand is tougher to master, but has far more potential to tap into once you have the basics down. A good backhand requires a whole bunch of variables to get just right. A good forehand can be thrown with just a flick of the wrist (and maybe a little turn of the elbow)...no runup, no hip turn, no pivoting, etc. Sure, those elements can still be involved in a forehand throw but aren't necessary to accomplish an effective throw.

But which one is "better" does depend entirely on which style one practices more often. As others have said, different strokes for different folks.

 

[blackcatsmith]

Geez, I find myself disagreeing with a lot here. Anny's are easier forehand, putting is easier backhand, accuracy on approaches is easier forehand, but when my timing is right my backhand goes much further than my forehand. That being said, I don't drive using a forehand unless the footing is terrible, the lines are tight and must finish right and the throw doesn't need to go further than 300'. My right elbow is so wrecked that I've taken to driving predominately backhand with my left.

 

[John Hansen]

Penguins prefer forehands.

 

[bpierce08]

Coming from a baseball background forehand came easier for me. Backhand was always more difficult. I now can throw both ways but still forehand dominant. Forehand is also easier because you always are able to look forward unlike bh on you back swing.

 

[OcDiscGolf]

True story.

I started out throwing RHFH -- and still consider myself a primarily RHFH player -- but throwing an anny FH is really tough to master. Mine is basically a crap shoot: either I nail it and it rides a perfect R-L-R curve or it turns into a mad-bastard roller that could go anywhere.

.

How often does that happen with a BH anny with a stable disc? Almost never. There is much more touchiness with the FH anny, but then again if you throw BH well there is absolutely no reason at all to master that shot.

 

[ohtobediscing]

Why not? analogies are fun. And this one holds up fwiw. And an avatar does not make a head my friend. Keep working on that ace. Maybe this decade?

Mebbe. Close today again, as always. Honestly, at this point, I'd be happier with the MegaMillions.

 

[unclemercy]

yes.

 

[livextreme9]

I am a BH thrower. I find it easier as a beginner to throw more accurate with consistency. I have issues with my shoulder though and have been working on my FH starting from stand-still upshots. I think I may take the Mcbeth approach to FH and be smooth instead of powerful, but I will take it slow and see how it goes. I don't want to become a decent player and not have a FH shot.

 

[ranger]

FH seems easier at first but harder to master

idk

 

[Nemmers]

How often does that happen with a BH anny with a stable disc? Almost never. There is much more touchiness with the FH anny, but then again if you throw BH well there is absolutely no reason at all to master that shot.

Exactly what I said, brother. Point is, FH anny is harder to master. We can split hairs about which is more difficult, but in the final analysis it always comes down to ability and personal preference.

 

[GordEzo]

As a player who started at age 50 , I learned FH to be able to compete/play with kids 20-30 years younger than me . I've played AM2 for 2 years now , haven't won but should I ?

I have people much younger than me trying to learn how I do shots , which I find funny cuz I've pretty much spent this last summer trying to teach myself BH and get away from FH except in the shot that requires it . Barely pushing 300' BH , but I can park FH anywhere at that distance . Yeah , I'm old , but if I knew how to putt , I would be winning . I'm being asked to play advanced masters but I didn't start till I was a grandmaster .

But , did u notice that most BH throwers are very close to clones in throwing style , and I see many different styles of FH ? . In my first tourney , all 4 of us threw FH but we all looked completely different !

I guess what I'm trying to say is , FH is easier to start with to be able to keep up to ur buddies but u really should learn both .

And don't forget about TH , thumbers , rollers , and any variation u can come up with .

 

[ed IV]

I agree with what lots of folks have said that FH drives are much easier to learn than backhand. I started playing forehand and most new players can get more initial D that way (I sure did) Learning to drive backhand was tough but I dident play with anyone better or know about/have online technique breakdown-forums. Now I dont throw forehand unless an upshot or a get out of trouble. On some L to R holes Ill throw a thummer off the box and have workable range and accuracy(100+ more than FH) with it but sometimes you throw with a FH dominant player and can see that FH is superior in some situations. So... FH is longer faster, BH is longer in the long run, and I wish I would have stuck with both

 

[Uncle Matt]

Forehand is more difficult for me.

I'm more of a backhand dominate player because of this. Usually the only time I use a forehand is for approaches or really long upshots that require a forehand.

 

[ACE Ventura]

It's nice to see so many other people are like me... started discing using a FH shot, converted to BH and then lost most of their abilities to throw FH.

I'd say my FH now is far more inconsistent than it used to be... it's kind of a crap shoot some days.