Disc golf: Michael Johansen uses this grip for every shot

The headline might be somewhat misleading …

On ultra-rare occasions, Michael Johansen throws a forehand.

And when he does, he’s NOT using this grip. The epitome of a backhand-dominant disc golfer, however, as far as I’m concerned, the “every shot” verbiage the headline employs still works.

If you’re new to following the Pro Tour, Michael Johansen is an old-school, woods-loving disc golfer out of North Carolina. He’s been around forever. And for most of that “forever,” he’s been a loyal member of Team Discraft. If you’ve seen a skullet on the disc golf course or during DGN coverage, there’s a dang-good chance it’s attached to Mike’s scalp – his is a fast-dying fashion.

M.J. is an admired pro.

He’s a nice guy, but it’s my belief so much of the love surrounding the man has to do with the relatability of his game. Make no mistake about it – the dude’s incredible. But there’s not much imposing about the way he carves up a course. Again, he backhands everything. And incapable of throwing 500 feet, he opts for a more deliberate approach. He’s also an automatic putter.

He plays simple, too.

Scorches. Comets. Banger GTs.

That’s about it.

And incredibly, as the headline indicates …

He uses one grip.

For every shot.

Be it a max-distance effort with a high-speed driver, a circle-one bid with a putting putter or something in-between, it’s THIS fan grip that’s getting the bald-headed nod from JoJo:

To experiment with it, follow these steps:

• Place the edge of the disc vertically between your pointer and middle fingers.
• With your thumb atop the flight plate, curl all four fingers inwards.
• Fan your middle and ring fingers across the disc’s underside.
• Dig your pinky finger firmly against the disc’s inside rim.
• Don’t hook down your index finger – keep it comfy.

* Note: As told by Johansen himself, for a quick tutorial of the fan grip, click here.

Just a few more things to keep in mind for this grip …

First, though it might feel awkward initially, keep the edge of the disc distanced from the meat of your palm – you want some separation. By so doing, you’ll have more control over the disc.

Speaking of control, the fan grip is freaky versatile – it’s workable.

Play with the hand pressure you apply, the location of your thumb and the placement of your middle-two fingers underneath the disc. Different combinations of the aforementioned with different disc types allow for minor adjustments in nose angle and distance capabilities.

Here’s M.J. talking about just that …

Pure instructional gold:

No, the fan-grip-or-die mentality isn’t for everyone …

In fact, it isn’t for MOST disc golfers.

But if you’ve not got any kind of fan grip in your arsenal, you’re doing yourself a massive disservice on the course. The fan grip allows you to better control the angle of the disc at the time of release, as well as increases the likelihood of a clean release, at that. Ever tried to dial back your intensity with a power grip? It’s WAY easier with a fan grip. Furthermore, with consistent fan-grip use, getting the disc to fall out of the sky near the pin is far simpler.

Oh! And griplock – there’s less of it.

Tinker with this.

Find what works, feels comfortable and inspires confidence.

Yes, power is big in modern-day disc golf.

But give precision its due …

The fan grip makes it happen.

Have anything to add? Take to Twitter to let us know – we’ll actually (for real) get back to you.

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