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Using the sidearm for your main driving technique can be great. You line up your shot, take your hop step, flick your wrist and just watch your disc fly. One really great thing about the sidearm drive is you never have to take your eyes off the target.
But not all of us are conformable flicking our discs. We like to use our backhand drive more often than not. If you fall into this camp, developing a forehand drive can still be usual. It can help you get out of some sticky situations on the course. Plus, sometimes (if you are a right-handed player) you just need your drive to finish right. The sidearm can be a great way to do that.
In this article, we’re going to go over some great options for distance drivers that you can use to for forehand drives. We’ll also take a look at what makes a great distance driver.
Here are my picks for the best disc golf distance drives for your sidearm:
- Innova Destroyer
- Discmania PD
- Discraft Flick
- Prodigy X1
- Dynamic Discs Defender
Let’s take a look at the list in greater detail:
Innova Destroyer – Speed: 12 Glide: 5 Turn: – 1 Fade: 3
Innova created an excellent sidearm distance driver with the Destroyer. It’s actually one of the top-selling discs today so you know it’s a great option for your bag.
This disc is highly recommended for throwing forehand because it’s quite overstable and has a low profile. New players might not be able to handle this disc with their backhand but they should see some success when using this disc for long distance forehand throws.
If you want to be like the pros, grab a destroyer for your bag today.
Check it out on Infinite Discs.
Discmania PD – Speed: 10 Glide: 4 Turn: 0 Fade: 3
The Discmania PD is a great overstable distance driver. It’s a go-to distance driver for many pro players and recreational players alike but also works well for a sidearm driver.
If you are a new player you probably won’t see immediate success when throwing this disc backhand, but if you need a long distance flick, the PD is a great option for you.
Once you build up your arm sped, this disc will work great for hyzer shots and skip shots. So if you are in the market for a forehand distance driver, you should really consider the Discmania PD.
Check it out on Infinite Discs.
Discraft Flick – Speed: 9 Glide: 4 Turn: 1 Fade: 4
Are you a Discraft player looking for a long distance sidearm driver? If so, you should really check out the Flick.
The Flick has a nice thin profile and is really overstable which make it great for throwing forehand. It will also work well for your overhand drives.
Grab the Discraft Flick today and you won’t be sorry. It will be your go-to distance disc for all your sidearms drives.
Check it out on Infinite Discs.
Prodigy H1 – Speed: 13 Glide: 5 Turn: 0 Fade: 5
Prodigy built a great distance driver for forehands in the H1. This disc has a very flat profile which makes it great for any player’s forehand grip.
It’s also super overstable which is another bonus for your sidearm throw. Not only is it great for the forehand,it’s also a great disc for headwinds and overhand drives.
So if you are a Prodigy fan, you should really consider grabbing the H1 for all your long distance forehand needs.
Check it out on Infinite Discs.
Dynamic Discs Defender – Speed: 13 Glide: 5 Turn: 0 Fade: 3
If you are a big fan of Dynamic Discs you should really check out the Defender. This is a high speed, overstable disc perfect for your sidearm.
It will quickly become your go-to distance driver for throwing forehand. It doesn’t just work for flicking, you’ll also be able to use it for headwinds, hyzer shots, and overhand drives.
If you go with the Defender, you won’t be disappointed.
Check it out on Infinite Discs.
What makes a good Sidearm Distance Driver?
There are two main differences between throwing a disc backhand and throwing it forehand. Those two differences are how you grip the disc and how much spin you put on the disc when releasing it.
To accommodate the forehand grip a flatter disc profile is recommended. A low profile allows your hands to get a better grip on the disc and assists with a good clear release.
When throwing a disc with the sidearm technique, you usually put less spin on the disc than when throwing it with the bank hand technique.
The spin of the disc helps keep the disc in the air and flying on a stable path. To combat this loss of spin it is recommended to throw more overstable driver discs.
When to use a distance driver sidearm disc?
There are a lot of factors to consider when selecting a disc which I’m not going to discuss here but for most players, they are going to select a distance disc for a distance of about 300 feet to 500 feet.
So if you are at this distance why would you choose to throw a distance driver disc forehand instead of backhand?
Probably the best reason would be because you are more comfortable throwing the disc using a sidearm technique. Meaning you are more consistent and accurate with your forehand at this distance.
If your main throwing method isn’t the forehand or you aren’t as comfortable using the forehand throw, why might you decide to use a forehand shot at this distance?
The best answer would be because you want the disc to finish a certain way. For instance, if you are a right-handed player and you need the disc to fish right instead of left, throwing a sidearm throw would be easier and more consistent than trying to get the disc to turn over.
Some other instances that you might choose a sidearm throw of a backhand would be that if there is an obsolete in your way and you can release the disc using a backhand throw.
You may also need to release the disc low or you may not want to take your eyes off your target. Both situations would lend themselves to a forehand throw.
Aside from throwing sidearm, what else are these discs good for?
The discs in the list are all stable to overstable and all have a low profile. Aside from using them for a forehand shot, they will also work great with your backhand throw.
They should fly straight to overstable so using them for a long distance tunnel shot would be a great option. Also, if you need a disc to finish with hyzer using one of the discs on this list would get the job done.
These discs should also work well for windy days and if you need to throw a long distance spike hyzer or skip shot.
Final thoughts
If you are looking for a distance driver disc for your forehand throwing needs any disc listed here should work great for you.
If you aren’t interested in these discs, that’s okay, just use my recommendations when selecting a distance driver disc to flick. You are looking for an overstable disc that has a low-profile.
Select a disc with those characters and you won’t be sorry. You can use these discs for long distance shots that require you to finish right instead of left (if you are a right-handed player). Grab one of these discs and get flicking!
If you are looking for a midrange disc to use with your sidearm, check out this article!
Image Credit Flickr Creative Commons – Bureau of Land Management Oregon and Washington
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