Using both arms (Righty/Lefty)

[YoDesigner]

Anybody use both arms in your game?

[dobbins66]

I don't but I have played with Blair Bose who can throw with either arm.

[ERicJ]

My girlfriend can throw with both arms. She primarily drives with one and putts with the other.


Last fall at one of the weekly handicap Minis that I run Craig Leyva (http://www.pdga.com/player-stats?PDGANum=5787) showed up to play The LINKS (http://www.dgcoursereview.com/course.php?id=2576) with us. The course is mostly open but with a lot of water. So generally it's more about landing your disc in the right spot vs. dictating how you get to that spot.

Anyway, Craig is a lefty so it was interesting being on his card and watching a good Pro throw some (lefty) lines I hadn't seen on that course before. On the same 350' holes where I'm winging TeeRexes, Monarchs and XCalibers hoping to get to the basket, Craig is chunking Star Aviar Drivers and parking them 10-15' away!

So we're playing along and get to #17 (http://www.dgcoursereview.com/course_files/2576/d257f5dc.jpg) which is a big, sharp hyzer shot for a RHBH player like myself. I wasn't watching Craig's release but I looked up in time to see the disc flying and it looks like a shot I'd throw. So I ask "Did you just throw that right handed?" He answers "Yeah, but I can't throw quite as far." I think he still birdied (2) that hole.... He ended up almost tieing the course record and took first place in the Mini (http://hfds.org/vbull/showpost.php?p=1836&postcount=32) with a 1036 rated round.

ERic

[t i m]

Craig is a lot of fun to play with. I used to see him at minis and whatnot when I first started playing back in Dallas. That guy can bomb -- but it was even more ridiculous 10 years ago.

Up here in the NoVA/DC/MD area, we have a pro named Tom Kim who's a smallish guy, Asian in descent, and he switches hands more than anyone I've ever seen. I had the pleasure of playing in a tourney round with him on The Whippin' Post at Paw Paw (http://www.dgcoursereview.com/course.php?id=1910). You can't tell much from the photo of Hole 6 (Chloe's Run) (http://www.dgcoursereview.com/view_image.php?p=course_pics/1910/343e7a37.jpg), but it is over 900' down a decent fairway. Slight downhill on the teebox with two semi-valleys in route to the basket. Lots of stuff in the way as you approach. I play 970-golf and I've taken more 5s than 4s on this hole.

Anyway, I'm standing there with TK, and he rips a big RHBH hyzer drive ~450' and sticks it in the fairway. Walks up to his shot, takes out another driver, puts a big LHBH hyzer out over the trees ~430' and puts it inside the circle to can his putt for the three. It was sooo sick to watch.

I've played with other folks who can throw with either hand, but he's the only person I've ever played with who can throw 400'+ (golf distance) with either hand. Nice guy, too. If you're ever up this way, try to catch him at a tournament and you'll see some great shots.

[ERicJ]

Craig is a lot of fun to play with. I used to see him at minis and whatnot when I first started playing back in Dallas. That guy can bomb -- but it was even more ridiculous 10 years ago.
Yep, really nice guy.

He's the only player I've ever seen take the back door route on #16 (http://www.dgcoursereview.com/course_files/2576/d257f5dc.jpg). Most of the good players I've watched play straight up the fairway to the edge of the pond, crosses on their second shot, and putt in for 3.

Craig, on the other hand (literally), threw the lefty bomb over #14's basket, crossed the lake, and went probably 25' past the #16 basket on his drive. I'd never seen anyone take that line before. It was one of the few holes out there he didn't tee off with the Aviar Driver.

ERic

[BENFTS]

i play LHBH due to an injury. i played RHBH for the first 10 months that i played disc golf but then i hurt my right shoulder and and had a 3 week layoff. finally i decided to play left handed just because i had the itch. now 7 months later i am more accurate off the tee and have just a bit more power LHBH. i have been cleared to play right handed by my doctor and have been doing so for about a month. i have drives that will stretch 350 but with just better than 50/50 accuracy. still not ready to throw RHBH in a game for score but i practice everyday on my lunch hour and this has drastically improved my game. before i played LHBH my personal best on De Leveaga was +16, after 5 months LHBH my best had fallen to +4. just keep working on it while on lunch. i hope to have equal distance and accuracy for both arms within a year.

[gusc2375]

I play both handed I mostly drive RHBH Putt LHBH tomahawk LH forehand LH ( i know same flight as RHBH but sometimes I see a better line) I can approach with either LHBH not as far but more accurite.
I know my friends call me weird.

[Donovan]

This is not what you were looking for, but my 11 year old daughter throws identical for all shots with both hands. It makes me sick! :D

[DSCJNKY]

Play DDC (double disc court - another disc game). You'll learn to throw with both arms. As for me... I need to play more DDC first!
DSCJNKY

[DgWraith]

I can do both arms. I am right hand. I tried to throw sidearm but it hurt my right elbow. So I decide to try left hand so I can get disc go right. Anyway surpisely it flies well. I will say 250 feet. At that time, I could throw 325' right hand. I practice my left backhand for a while. At Deaf National tournament at Paw Paw, WV, a day before first round my buddies and I drank lot. I fell on my way to toilet down the hill. In the morning, I wake up and my right shoulder hurt like hell. It must happen when I fell on my way to toilet. Anyway, lucky I did numbers with my left but Paw Paw required precision. So I play 5 rounds with my left. So ever since I had been working on my left and right. Now my right could hit occasion 375' and my left can hit 300' with good throw maybe 325'. Before, I find better form for my left hand. It jump 50 ft easy. So now I can do both hands which are very useful in play. Suppose you could throw with your opposite hand. Go for It. be sure you get the form right. U could see your results instantly.

Andrew

[DiscJunkie]

I throw mostly LHBH but I thumber rightie and RHFH. I can also throw a decent RHBH, but it's really just for tight spots and one water hole at my home course.

[Dave242]

I am right handed, but drive LHBH. I putt righty. I can throw RHFH pretty well, but do not practice it much since it pretty much duplicates my more accurate LHBH. I use it at times to get out of trouble.

I can throw RHBH too about as far as LHBH, but I do not trust it much - I use it only on holes where the risk-reward makes sense to go for it RHBH. I cannot throw overhand shots lefty worth a flip.

I'm not sure exactly why I am this way, but I have talked to several others who are like me. I think it is partly a left foot dominance sort of thing. I do two other things that tend to be more lefty (but these are not exclusive to lefties): play hockey lefty and waterski left foot forward (1 ski). I also have (well....used to have) a very good left foot in soccer, but not as good as my right.

[kmrynders]

I throw with both arms regularly. I am lefty, but I was taught when I was younger to throw a frisbee righty. I putt righty. I sidearm and hammer lefty. I can drive 350-400 with either arm. I love/hate having so many options...

[DiscJunkie]

"I am right handed, but drive LHBH. I putt righty. I can throw RHFH pretty well, but do not practice it much since it pretty much duplicates my more accurate LHBH. I use it at times to get out of trouble.

I'm not sure exactly why I am this way, but I have talked to several others who are like me."

I think I started throwing left-handed because it duplicates my rightie golf stance and batting stance. Who knows? I throw and putt LHBH and RHFH and when I throw a thumber, it's rightie.

[BrotherDave]

Anybody use both arms in your game?

yeah, my left arm usually holds a beer for me.

[bazillion]

I'm a natural lefty but drive RHBH, throw half my approach shots LHFH, and putt mainly turbo-style with my left hand. One time I screwed up my right arm and had to drive LH for a while - shocked myself when I actually could get some D, although accuracy was a joke.

Practice would probably help, but since then my arm's healed up and I'm back to flinging RHBH again.

[Omega SuperSloth]

i can throw an anny just as far as my backhand hyzer and make it stay anny pretty much the same line as my hyzer just in reverse and also throw fairway shots and short drives sidearm so other than the ocassional lefty sidearm( or tomahawk) to get out of a wooded jam i dont see a reason for learning it. also ive never seen anyone throw both except for people throwing around 250ft or less so i think most people would be better off learning to throw with one hand first.

[solomon.trenton]

i can throw half my distance BHRH as i can BHLH

[BENFTS]

while playing yesterday i threw all but 3 of my drives LHBH. the 3 that i threw RHBH are throws that while i was injured would have had to play a long annie for. now however i am back to my old form pre injury and throwing RHBH over 400' and LHBH right at 385'. instead of throwing long annies i can just throw long right hand bombs. i am so glad the i learned to play left handed because now that my right is healthy again i am far more versatile in my game. i did not learn to play LHBH because i just wanted to, i tore my shoulder and had to. learning to play with one hand is the way to go for overall consistency. i was just fortunate enough to be able to use both hands for near the same accuracy and distance.

[_.-Dut-._]

My buddie throws left and right handed. Pretty jealous.

[Discgolfer219]

I do. I was a switch hitter and highschool and can use both hands. I always throw forehand. I don't know why, but when I try to throw a rhbh or a lhbh I sturggle. i can when i need to, but it isn't pretty. anyone else throw both ways?

[solomon.trenton]

i can when i dont have a shot LHBH/LHFH but like you said it isnt that pretty, i have practiced it a few times and im just good enough to get out of trouble without causing too much.

[Midnightbiker]

The only time I throw lefty is to get out of trouble.

[Marv Vega]

I'll throw lhbh only on short approaches when it would be nearly impossible to throw it rhbh. Anything longer than a short approach I'll throw rhfh.

[Ryan P.]

I can throw lefty, but there's rarely a case where I can't throw a right handed shot further and more accurately.

There is a local pro that can throw right and left handed. He brown his arm or elbow or something a few years back in his right arm, and didn't want to stop playing. He's got a course on his farm, and he just kept practicing and eventually learned really well how to throw lefty. He can throw 350' with both hands consistently. It's pretty entertaining to see him when he can't decide, because he can throw forehand and backhand both ways. So every now and then he'll just switch and switch and switch.

[runnaman]

I have a friend who throws RHBH and LHFH. I'm not really sure why because they both would have similar flight paths.

[solomon.trenton]

I have a friend who throws RHBH and LHFH. I'm not really sure why because they both would have similar flight paths.

THAT IS AWEFULLY PECULIAR. ALTHOUGH FOREARM YOU CAN GET REALLY LOW TO THE GROUND.

[Midnightbiker]

I have a friend who throws RHBH and LHFH. I'm not really sure why because they both would have similar flight paths.

Maybe he just likes to change it up now and again

[DgWraith]

I can throw both arms backhand, I only can throw forearm with my right but it is pain to throw forearm that why i use my left. I was surpised when i throw left for first time. It was not bad so i practice with my left arm. Now i can throw left 280, my right 350. Reason i use left because when i need discs go right. My forearm suck. It's really nice when people say you can throw both arms. It make some people in awe. It is funny to watch their respond.

[jeremy]

I broke my right elbow, and left wrist 3 years ago. I'm right hand dominate, and my right elbow took a long time to heal, I still can't straighten it. For some time I couldn't play right handed because of the injury, so I decided to start working on the laft arm. I could never putt left handed, but could drive up to 320-340 pretty accurately. I actually aced hole 18 at the Red Hawk course in Crystal River. I don't know what the distance is, but I beleive it was around 330ft. I don't play near as much left handed now because my right arm is alright, but it would be nice if I would have stuck with it.

[ChronoDisc]

back when i played baseball i messed up my right arm. so i learned how to pitch with the left. i can throw left handed but it only goes about 300. but hey... i got my first ace left handed.

[Heart0fGld]

I throw with both arms. Not much of a difference in the results other then the disc fading to one side or the other. Throwing both arms means you can play twice as long!!

[drevim]

Just started trying this a few days ago, wicked shin splints in my right leg. Find my form is probably better throwing LHBH, simply because I don't have a the thought of trying to throw the lights out, like I do with the RHBH. Distance is nonexistent lefty, probably lucky to get my Buzzz 150+, but seem to throw it straighter with less fade. Can't throw a driver lefty at all, but several of the holes on my home course (Mesker Park, Evansville, IN) are shorter holes, so mids and fairways cover most holes.

Will be trying LH on a couple of holes tomorrow night during league, should be interesting to see the results. I can't get a disc to turn right throwing RHBH, so for now the LHBH may save me a couple of strokes. We'll see.