The Backhand – A Disc Golfer’s Best Friend

The Backhand shot is crucial to having a powerful drive or tee-shot. Beginners may get frustrated learning the Backhand due to their lack of accuracy and distance. Hence, new players will usually avoid using their Backhand like the plague. This is a HUGE mistake because of the overall power and accuracy that can be achieved by using this throw. I will admit, there is quite a large learning curve that makes the Backhand difficult to perform correctly every time but the benefits of this powerful throw outweigh any difficulties experienced mastering this technique. Like any skill worth learning, practice makes perfect. Do yourself a favor and don’t abandon your Backhand because it doesn’t work for you immediately.

There are 4 Basic elements to the Backhand

  1. Grip
  2. Stance
  3. Pull Back
  4. Pull Through
  5. Run up (Advanced technique – I personally do NOT recommend it for beginners. I know I just said four elements but the Run Up actually covers 2, 3 and 4)

The Grip

First and foremost, you need to use a “power grip”. In the power grip, your index finger is under the rim of the disc and your thumb on top. Resting the index finger on the outside of the rim is called a “control grip”. This grip will take away at least a quarter of the power from your throw, which is just fine for upshots or short drives but we want maximum distance off the tee pad in most cases. It might feel uncomfortable at first but stick with it. The results will speak for themselves. You should grip the disc as tightly as possible. (note: there is gripping it TOO hard. You can easily determine this by flexing your wrist up or to the top side of your forearm. If you can’t freely move your wrist in this fashion then you should ease off on your grip until you can. Another way to do this is wait until your disc is coming forward to tighten your grip) Many times on the course I’ve heard an adage that makes this easier to remember. The harder you grip, the farther you rip.

The Stance

Although there are many very good players I know that go for the gusto and teach beginners to drive with a backhand using a full run up, I prefer to teach new players the Backhand from a balanced, stationary stance. This technique is already frustrating enough to learn without the added difficulties of running or stepping into the throw. I truly believe that it is incredibly beneficial in the long run for those new to the backhand to learn the basics first, then add the run up later on when you’re comfortable using the Backhand. This will not only simplify the entire process but I strongly feel it also builds confidence due to the increase in accuracy that is gained by remaining stationary and you can apply this to upshots and shorter or tighter drives where the extra accuracy is preferable to distance. So, that said, line up your shot. Start aiming your shot by pointing the shoulder on your throwing arm at a spot on the fairway where you want the disc to start its fade or turn, which can be tricky at times depending on many factors including disc stability, wind and elevation. Becoming more familiar with the disc makes this much easier. For simplicity, I’ll refer to the point where the disc begins to turn as the target. Relax your knees and set your feet at a little past shoulder width. Make sure to stay balanced. You should now be facing 90 degrees from your target.

The Pull Back

Keep in mind that it is crucial that you maintain balance through-out your entire throw. Balance is the key to achieving consistency and accuracy on each and every throw. Also, if you watch the pros play, they are all very smooth. Try to emulate this and avoid being herky-jerky and sloppy to further add to your consistency and accuracy. This is a fun game regardless, but lower scores increase that enjoyment! Keeping your arm straight, bring the disc back to about shoulder or chest height, stretching back as far as possible without losing your balance.  Keep your non-throwing arm away from the body. I tend to bring mine back with the disc, allowing me to stretch further. This allows for better balance and keeps that pesky thing from interfering with your throw. Also, it is crucial that you allow your head and shoulders to turn almost completely away or a 180 degrees from the target. Despite our natural tendencies, the arm/disc merely follow our hips and shoulders to generate the snap needed to make the disc fly. At this point, your weight should also be shifted almost completely to your back foot to generate more power when you transfer your weight back to your front foot on the follow through or release.

The Pull Through

In one fluid motion shift your weight to your front foot, turn your shoulders, head and hips towards the target as you bring the disc forward and release. You want to generate as much arm speed as possible when doing this, thus creating more snap. Remember that it is your arm being PULLED by your head, shoulders and hips. Trying to muscle the throw actually will decrease the amount of snap you can generate and can also lead to some nasty shoulder injuries if your not careful. It shouldn’t hurt to throw your disc and if it does then something most likely wrong with your form and adjustments should be made. Back to my point,  The more snap you put on the disc, the more spin it has, causing it to fly further. Let the momentum of your throw carry your body around for a natural follow-through and the disc should rip from your hands. Don’t worry about actually having to release the disc. If you are doing this right, the disc WILL naturally snap from your grip. If your listen close to those fellas with monster drives, you can often hear a pop or snap as the disc comes out of their hands. Simple, right? With practice it really is.

The Run Up (Advanced)

The proper run up is called the X-Step or Three Step. This produces the most efficiency and power. It also beats the heck out of just launching forward off balance (therefore OUT OF CONTROL) and fighting the natural mechanics of your throw. The entire point of this run-up is to use your hips and shoulders in the most efficient way to generate snap. Learning this is crucial to a good Backhand. (Note: I will describe this for right-handers. All you southpaws, do what you always do and translate it)

  1. Take your first step to the right. Step out toward the target at approximately a 45 degree angle with your right foot. Shift your weight onto your right foot as you step. How big a step is determined by what is comfortable for you. Focus on your target as you take this step. Start lifting your disc to about chest height.
  2. Your second step is to your left. Place your left foot behind and past your right foot so it points directly behind you, 180 degrees or completely opposite of the direction of the target. This will make your legs, hips, back and shoulders turn. At the same time this is happening you need to stretch back with your disc, still at shoulder level and shift your weight onto your left foot. You need to rotate your head with your shoulders, also taking your eyes off your target. No need to panic though, you already know where the target is located. You should now be reaching backward with the disc, with your back turned to the target.
  3. Your third and final step is the right again. Explode forward as you take this step and release, allowing your weight to shift towards the target. Lift your right foot and plant it forward pulling the disc back towards the target. You want to generate as much snap as possible and have your weight OVER your right foot as you release. Allow yourself to follow through the shot. Remember to stay balanced, as this will not only increase accuracy but power as well.

There are a few things to keep in mind when throwing the Backhand. You want to release the disc flat. If the nose, or leading edge during flight, of your disc is up above the trailing edge, the disc will “stall.” It will fly upward, slow quickly, and fall short left. If you can see the top of your disc as it flies – then the nose is up. If the fairway allows it, you want to throw low and flat with your discs. Most discs fly best when thrown somewhere between 8 to 15 feet above the ground. Also, DO NOT get yourself in the bad habit of bending your arm or curling it around the disc. I cannot stress this enough. Over and over again I see beginners making this mistake and it takes a lot of work to cure this bad habit once it is locked in place. I should know, I also fell victim to this when learning the Backhand. Not only does this kill the force of your throw but in time it can also lead to injuries. Let your shoulders, waist and legs do all the work. Your biceps and triceps have next to nothing to contribute to this throw other than frustration and pain.

Lastly, you can only learn so much from reading about how to throw. You need to go to the course and PRACTICE. To get truly good at this shot, it takes most people anywhere from 3 to 6 months of serious practice. Also, don’t be afraid to ask local “Pros” if you can join them for a round every once in a while. Watching them execute good throws is an invaluable learning experience. They also can watch your technique and usually offer good advice to accelerate your learning curve.

Now, get out there and practice.