recommended drivers for (forearm players)

[Matt aka N.G.S.P.]

me being a small dude... only at a height of 5'4" and weight of 145 lbs... i don't have big arm power to chuck discs long distances (backhand)

i can throw both right and left hand in the two styles... using my right hand throwing (forehand) my max range is some what around 300 ft. i prefer this type of throw as its what i feel best/comfortable at for drives. (back hand) i can only drive about 100ft and dont feel i have the control and distance this way due to my muscle stature.

i can throw w/ my left hand about 100 ft (back hand)... and about 50 ft (forehand) i usually put/approach this way if necessary... but don't prefer using this arm.

i putt w/ the same accuracy using both hands....

so my question is... i'm looking for a long distance flat flighted driver that i can also control hyzer/anhyzer for (forehand) drives? please keep in mind while answering this for me... that i am ambidextrous in throwing... BUT AM LOOKING MAINLY FOR A FOREHAND LONG DISTANCE CONTROLLABLE DRIVER.

thanks for your time in reading my long thread post... but i hope the info i've provided can lead you guys to the answer i'm looking for :)

-matt-

[gcr_russell]

I find that my teebird and eagle are excellent forehand drivers, but they wont get you max distance. If youre throwing about 300' they should be perfect for you though. I can always hit the line Im trying and theyre the discs I have the best ability to control and do almost exactly what Im trying. If you're looking for more distance Id suggest destroyer, Boss, or the flick. These are tough discs to get to fly how you want initially, but if you learn how to throw them and have a powerful forehand release like I do then you can work miracles with them. Its best though to work long and hard with the easier drivers to build your form before messing it up moving up to such high speed discs. I still throw my eagle or teebird 75-80% of the time even though I can throw those fast speed discs well (the majority of the time)

[Matt aka N.G.S.P.]

thanks i'll look those up and give them a try
-m-

[theGryphon]

My home course is a very tight course. I've had very good luck with Innova's Dragon and Valkrie models. I throw the DX plastic. If I need to drive over some high trees or I want max distance I like the dragon. If I need to go around something and cut through some wind I really like the valkrie. Please forgive me if I'm wrong but I believe I mostly throw forehand (sidearm/chicken winging). I'm still working on my realease and control but when I uncork a good one, wow! Since I've been throwing these I've been setting myself up for alot of close putt attempts.
The Dragon has no labled weight.
The Valkrie is 172

[Midnightbiker]

My home course is a very tight course. I've had very good luck with Innova's Dragon and Valkrie models. I throw the DX plastic. If I need to drive over some high trees or I want max distance I like the dragon. If I need to go around something and cut through some wind I really like the valkrie. Please forgive me if I'm wrong but I believe I mostly throw forehand (sidearm/chicken winging). I'm still working on my realease and control but when I uncork a good one, wow! Since I've been throwing these I've been setting myself up for alot of close putt attempts.
The Dragon has no labled weight.
The Valkrie is 172

I may be wrong, but I think every Dragon is 150.

[Unkles27]

I throw lots of forehands and I use mainly a flick and a teebird. The teebird is for when I need accuracy and the flick is when I need distance

[ERicJ]

The Dragon has no labled weight.
I may be wrong, but I think every Dragon is 150.
The manufacturing target for the Dragon (http://www.innovadiscs.com/discs/dragon.html) is 150g only. But like all discs in reality they end up in a range of weights. Innova probably discards the ones that fall too far out of the acceptable range. But I've seen Dragons on my scale that weigh from 148-152g.

ERic

[ishelost]

That's interesting that a few of you have mentioned teebirds as reliable forehand discs. I have one but have never used it as such. I will try it out.

For me, I learned how to really pump a forehand drive with a teerex. I can make it "s" a little and get it out their really far sometimes. For shorter shots with more fade at the end I love a firebird, probably my most consistent and reliable disc. For quick hyzers and really stable shots I use an xcaliber. I usually stick with stable discs because I will turn over less stable ones with my forehand. Don't ask me about reliable anhyzer forehand discs because I have not found a driver to fit that billing.

[YonderScott]

The teebird works really well for me, it has a slight right fade at the end. The Valk works well for longer shots, the roadrunner does well going left. But I still can't find a better disc for accuracy than my 150 champ sidewinder when thrown sidearm. I can put this disc where I want it and it works really well for overhand out of the trees as well. I could carry this, my star skeeter, my pro jk putter, my champ firebird and play anywhere.

[mviemaker07]

hi, i drive forehand off most tee's (depending on is the hole has a dogleg and which direction it is going) but for a straight grip and rip hole the Champion Beast has proven to be my best and straightest disc when forehand'ing. I typically drive about 300ft. with the beast when throwing forehand. Like you I am only about 5'5'' and 135lbs. so therefore I cannot get much power backhand. I would highly recommend the beast because it is quite understable meaning it will go against its natural curve making it fly straighter.

[DiscChainBasket18]

You don't have to be a big dude or be super strong to throw a long backhand shot. You just need to work on the technique.
For side arm I throw a Champ Wraith for big "S" shots. I flick a Champ Cobra for upshots. I also have a lightweight Teebird that I can flick & turn over for short shots going left.
http://s282.photobucket.com/albums/kk270/jdubent08/misc DG/?action=view&current=hole06sidearm.flv

[swarren1977]

I would like to think I have a decent forehand shot. I’m about 5’7” and 155lbs. I average over 300ft a drive and my abilities have been commented on, in positive light, by local course pros. As for my backhand, well it’s coming along. Nonetheless when I first started throwing forehand I started out with a mid-weight Orc (low to mid 160g range). Once I had the technique down the power was soon to follow. After the power came along, I began to turn my Orc over whenever I drove with it. That is when my buddy introduced me to the Destroyer. This has since become my go to driving disc for forehand shots. The main reason is it can handle the power with out turning over, at least for me anyway. I must emphasize that your technique must be in good form by the time you step up to the Destroyer, if not stick with the Orc till you get it down. The Orc tends to be a little more forgiving to minor changes in your throw. In short if you’re still developing try an Orc and even if your not it’s still worth a throw. Once the technique is down I highly recommend ripping a Destroyer.

[JR Stengele]

I use a firebird or destroyer....(a lot of pros tend to use these) or for a sideam roller I use a second run orc.

[Rbuzz9]

for you guys that use Teebirds FH - how hard are you throwing? Are these gentle controlled tosses or 'flicks' or is this reaching far back and giving it all you've got? are Hyzer angles used? Before i understood anything about disc properties flight characteristics. I used to get a great helix out of a 175 teebird - not huge D - but i thought the S curve was great and it was fairly accurate. now Flicks and Xcals are pretty much the only discs i can throw with wreckless abandon that dont turn over- can get high 350-400. Anything with less speed or stability needs to be thrown with more finesse - or a hell of a lot of room for the s curve. I was disappointed with my star and especially dx Destroyers kept turning over. once in a while i'd get some huge d but felt i had to put too much care into the throw to make sure it does not turn over. The X-cal allowed me to throw harder and not worry about turning over so much - the loss of D in glide was marginal. I really like the low/straight line drive flights you can get . When control is key, A forehand "flick" with a slower disc like a Firebird still gets surprising distance.

[SimonCarr]

For most forehand drives I throw an Orc because it can handle a lot of spin and is still predictable. Many players prefer overstable discs when throwing forehand (firebird, flick etc) because they are not going to turn over as easy. Less stable discs are better for distance.

Really, any driver can be thrown forehand.. The best advice I can give is to pick something that feels comfortable in your hand. Drivers all have different rims/edges.. Whatever works best with your grip is what you will likely have the best results with.

[Rbuzz9]

i have gotten some of the best FH distance out of an ORC - seems to glide forever - i get a huge S curve that i think unless there was a wide open hole i'd have to go with something more stable and predictable.

An Orc would be a nice choice to see where your FH is at

[tenWatts]

I use a Monster for most of my forehand and ALL of my overhead shots.

As far as your size goes; Brad Hammock is a LITTLE BITTY man and he throws FAR. Steve Brenster is very small too and is know as being a CRUSHER. It's more about technique than it is strength. We're only throwing a 180g pieces of plastic...not anvils. I'm 6'-3" and weight 205 and can throw about 450'-500'. I've played with people MUCH shorter and more thin and they throw just as far and some throw further.

[landon77]

i have gotten some of the best FH distance out of an ORC - seems to glide forever - i get a huge S curve that i think unless there was a wide open hole i'd have to go with something more stable and predictable.

An Orc would be a nice choice to see where your FH is at

I have to second this thought, I use my Orc for forehands and have found the distance and flight pretty good compared to a Valkyrie or a Wraith

[t i m]

I've thrown mainly forehand since I started playing in 1997. I learned backhand in 2000, and it's never gotten quite as trustworthy. I'm 5'10" and 155 lbs; and on a flick on level ground, I can get 380-420' consistently with a lightweight (167g) Star Destroyer. But they are finicky. I think Valkyries and Orcs provide more consistent distance lines, while only sacrificing 30' or so in distance. I'd personally recommend these discs in the 160s. I've got several Champion Orcs at 162-163g and they are phenomenal discs and can hold all the snap I can put on them. I think Orcs are at their best in Champion plastic in the 160s.

Teebirds are great utility discs. It takes more effort to get a Teebird to go the same distance as a faster disc, but they are very predictable for me for flicks up to about 350.' They also can hold some very straight lines at high speed and very predictable S-lines at lower speeds. In general, I prefer the Teebird mold to the TL mold for forehand and backhand shots because it is so consistent in the wind, but for the people with less power, the TL is probably a better all-around disc.

For anything inside 300', my favorite forehand disc is the Firebird thrown on a sweeping hyzer. Lighter firebirds (low-mid 160s) are perfect for a little more distance; max weight firebirds are perfect for forehand rollers, skip shots, and spike hyzers 250' and less.

One other disc worth special mention is the Pro Wraith -- these things are the bomb for forehand throws for players with a little less armspeed. They go FOREVER without having to put much on them, but can take as much power as you can give them. The downside is that they get chewed up and flippy really fast from tree hits. So if you are playing a course with a lot of big, open shots, I would highly recommend one of these. But for me, playing in a lot of trees, they just got too flippy too fast. But I've had a couple of near aces on 400' holes when flicking Pro Wraiths -- sick, sick disc in this plastic; it just doesn't hold up for the long haul.

[Matt aka N.G.S.P.]

wow some great info offered... thanks... so far i've fell in love w/ the champion orc at a weight of 175g and am learning its predictable flight pattern. many of you mentioned the orc above and thanks... also it seems like the firebird is mentioned alot too so i'll pick that one up and see waht that has to offer.

also i love the sidewinder as a mid driver too.

thanks for all your input/info

thanks
-matt-

[solomon.trenton]

try using a 150G valkyrie. its my favorite disc to throw when i am shooting forearm.

http://www.discgolfcenter.com/main_displayProduct.php?p=16&PPQT1=19

[bdamcat]

I really like my ESP Flick 150, and it's also getting great distance compared to my orc, wraith, and boss.

[dobbins66]

I've been playing about 4 years and throw almost entirely FH off the Tee. I can consistently get 350' FH but I've never developed a BH for anything over 175 (Mainly because I don't practice). Discs that I use/recommend are below:

Teebird - First disc I ever purchased and still one of the most consistent
Banshee - Great FH disc that's really underrated - Nice S-Turn (Great for overhand and rollers also)
Firebird - Straight shot with quick finish - Best for threading a small opening.
MAX - Faster Firebird with Crazy Skip at the End. Nothing handles wind better!
XCaliber - Good D and will handle arm speed. Best D on Windy Days!
Destroyer - Best D - Can be a little finicky in the wind but great for long low shots. Champ ones are more stable and handle wind better. Great for long subtle S shots.
Whippet-X - I use these for everything! Approach shots, spike shots or Anny S shots. Throw them low and flat and they'll skip forever. Takes a little work to get used to them but be patient.

I've tried the Boss recently but can't seem to get any consistency out of them.

[skinner]

the boss and force are my 2 faves and i throw entirely forehand except for approach shots / the discraft zone is also good for forehand shorter drives

[`cjc]

The Boss, Destroyer, Wraith, are great drivers with the Star FL being a great upshot forehand disc.

[Matt aka N.G.S.P.]

so i have played w/ the orc and sidewinder... for the last few weeks... i love the orc and the sidewinder
(orc for distance) (sidewinder midrange)... i just picked up a valkrie based on your opinions above... i'll let you know what i think of it in a few days. once again thanks for the feed back.

ps i love champion plastic
-matt-

[DannyM]

Teebird is also a great forehand disc....also disc weights play a huge role in how the disc will fly. If you have friends who throw the same discs, but different weights, see if the will let you try them. for my style I have to throw close to max weight for forehand shots, but I throw in the mid 160s for backhand.

[JCthrills]

Mid range/approach/basket tosses I love my CFR/Champ Gators, pretty much the only mid I can forehand. I have numerous field aces & one from the tee with Champ Gators. Off the tee or to bend a shot I use Firebirds or Xcalibers. I only use one finger under the plate, haven't had much luck with two fingers yet though I'm hoping to learn that using a Destroyer this summer.

[Matt aka N.G.S.P.]

yeah i fell in love w/ the valk today and yesterday i'll have to try the teebird next. thanks all for the info and recomendations
-m-

[zensuit]

I like the way the Eagle settles. I can count on it staying pretty close to where I want it to land. It also works really well as an overhand escape from trouble disc.

I'm kind of old school so I play most courses with nothing but an Eagle, Cobra, and a couple of putters including a Blowfly. I think that's about 35 fewer discs than I might need but it works for me. I'm a forearm thrower as well.

Z

[Matt aka N.G.S.P.]

i played w/ a star wraith the other day... it was ok but i couldn't seem to get the distance i was looking for but it flew strait w/out a lot of fade. i also tried a teerex i didn't like that one at all. any more suggestions?
-m-

[sidewinder22]

Funny...I was stoked when I first got my star wraith as it got my distance over 350'. The only drivers I can get farther are the Boss, Force, and 150 Flick. The Boss and Force are pretty much the same disc and a bit overstable, and have to throw them with a lot of power and a 2 o'clock angle for a big S curve. The 150 Flick is the only 150 a can sidearm without flipping. I'm really starting to like the 150 Flick, release it flat and it just cruises straight, put a 2 o'clock angle and it anhyzers. Put a 4 o'clock angle and it hyzers nicely.

[Posey Ching]

for you guys that use Teebirds FH - how hard are you throwing? Are these gentle controlled tosses or 'flicks' or is this reaching far back and giving it all you've got? are Hyzer angles used? Before i understood anything about disc properties flight characteristics. I used to get a great helix out of a 175 teebird - not huge D - but i thought the S curve was great and it was fairly accurate. now Flicks and Xcals are pretty much the only discs i can throw with wreckless abandon that dont turn over- can get high 350-400. Anything with less speed or stability needs to be thrown with more finesse - or a hell of a lot of room for the s curve. I was disappointed with my star and especially dx Destroyers kept turning over. once in a while i'd get some huge d but felt i had to put too much care into the throw to make sure it does not turn over. The X-cal allowed me to throw harder and not worry about turning over so much - the loss of D in glide was marginal. I really like the low/straight line drive flights you can get . When control is key, A forehand "flick" with a slower disc like a Firebird still gets surprising distance.

why would you choose to throw with wreckless abandon over finesse? little confused.

plus, it's all about how you release it, the weight of the disc, the type of plastic etc. the good forehand throwers can throw the teebird or any disc without making it S curve. it just depends on what is in their hand and how they throw it...

[Labelkills]

i have a champion beast that is my favorite to throw fore hand. and i picked up a monster (from a suggestion that it was good for FH) and i cant throw the darn thing more than 100-150 feet with any accuracy at all. my beast will bring me to the 250 range comfortably. also enjoy the destroyer and katana FH, but they are not as easy to control and need more space to work but get more d.

[jdggna]

You don't have to be a big dude or be super strong to throw a long backhand shot. You just need to work on the technique.

This. Personally, I think that throwing FH limits your distance based upon physical characteristics at a shorter distance than BH will. BH distance is much more based on form, while FH has more emphasis on strength. If you're capable of learning both, do it, but if you're a small person, you should definitely learn a BH through.

why would you choose to throw with wreckless abandon over finesse? little confused.

plus, it's all about how you release it, the weight of the disc, the type of plastic etc. the good forehand throwers can throw the teebird or any disc without making it S curve. it just depends on what is in their hand and how they throw it...

There are certainly reasons to step up to a disc that doesn't take a lot of finesse to pull off. Asking that is kind of like asking why you would through an 11x Firebird into a headwind instead of finessing a Valkyrie into the same shot or asking why somebody would throw a Boss for distance instead of learning to bomb a Valkyrie that far. There are several reasons for wanting a disc you can really rip, and typically it has to do with the line you want to hit. I'd love to see a good FH thrower put a Teebird out to 400+ with a window for right to left movement of less than 15 feet. There are much better discs for that type of shot.

[Posey Ching]

This. Personally, I think that throwing FH limits your distance based upon physical characteristics at a shorter distance than BH will. BH distance is much more based on form, while FH has more emphasis on strength. If you're capable of learning both, do it, but if you're a small person, you should definitely learn a BH through.



I'd love to see a good FH thrower put a Teebird out to 400+ with a window for right to left movement of less than 15 feet. There are much better discs for that type of shot.

That's exactly what I said though. It depends on the shot at hand, the person, the disc, etc. etc. That is just one situation where you probably wouldn't use a Teebird. However, depending on the weight, how much it's broke in, the type of plastic....the right golfer might use a teebird in that situation. Depends. With regards to finesse vs. going all out, I meant if you had the option to do both, why would you choose to go all out? Because I think with golf (disc and ball), when you swing or throw as hard as you absolutely can, you tend to lose some control.

And with regards to FH vs. BH. Complete disagree. I think strength is much more important with BH. Yes, form is important with all types of throws. But for the FH throw, it's more about your technique, grip and flick. There is much more muscle involved in the BH throw (plus a heck of a lot of technique).

[jdggna]

That's exactly what I said though. It depends on the shot at hand, the person, the disc, etc. etc. That is just one situation where you probably wouldn't use a Teebird. However, depending on the weight, how much it's broke in, the type of plastic....the right golfer might use a teebird in that situation. Depends. With regards to finesse vs. going all out, I meant if you had the option to do both, why would you choose to go all out? Because I think with golf (disc and ball), when you swing or throw as hard as you absolutely can, you tend to lose some control.

Ah yes, I see what you meant. I just misinterpreted your post. I agree, its usually pretty pointless to rip one as hard as you can, regardless of what disc is in your hand.

[KAK3990]

For most forehand drives I throw an Orc because it can handle a lot of spin and is still predictable.


I agree 171g Champ orc is my most reliable forearm driver by far.

[midmittendgfiend]

i am 2 inches taller than you. i can throw 280ish with an effortless sidearm flick. and my back hands exceed 370 when I push it. Ive cranked over 500 for my longest shot to date (with a sweet tailwind) haha. I had problems doing backhand shots for a while then i switched for forehand, then i had trouble with that so i switched back to backhand i bought overstable discs that were out of my league so i started learning overhand shots. Now i use a fair amount of all of them each round and get consistent results. Im pretty sure you got some vacant football fields to attend man. practice more!!!!!!!! good luck son

[midmittendgfiend]

other than that if you beat the crap out of a star wraith then it turns into a sweet forehand disc.

[_.-Dut-._]

Destroyer, Starfire, or Predator.

[bryce.orbiter]

I've been throwing a Champion Boss lately forearm. If you get it up to speed its a great disk, otherwise your gonna go way off course.

[midmittendgfiend]

id say the flick, maybe even a predator. but i havent tried either yeat they are just pretty over stable so thats what you want for forearm usually. i like my surge tho.

[skurf]

distance - Destroyer
control/fairway - 11x Firebird
skips, hyzer-spikes and flex shots - Flick
approach - Zone

[sirflicksalot]

try a viking its a more stable valk that makes it easier to flick