Disc golf: No flick? Try a (controlled) ‘chop’ sidearm

I call it a “chop sidearm.”

You might’ve heard it referred to as a “dirty flick.”

And if none of the above sounds familiar, perhaps “flex forehand” will do the trick. Whatever term you use, I’m referring to a flick that exits the hand with a heavy amount of anhyzer.

Ohn Scoggins is BIG on the chop sidearm …

With a dash of luck, here’s how one looks in the air:

Ohn Scoggins' celebrations are second to none! pic.twitter.com/loBM52Tmyr

— Disc Golf Pro Tour (@DiscGolfProTour) December 2, 2022

Nine times out of ten, when you see something like this out on the course, it’s purely accidental. That, or it’s some amateur (yours truly) with trash form. Two things make this work, though:

• Need No. 1 – Intentionality.
• Need No. 2 – Control.

But first, if your forehand is virtually non-existent, why do this?

It’s simply, really …

It feels more natural.

If you didn’t play baseball or tennis in your younger years, the sidearm movement is a foreign one: It’s violent and awkward. And your 40-year-old arm’s hardly ripe for just now mastering it. More specifically, launching a flick on a pure hyzer line – or even flat, for that matter.

It’s ugly, but coming over the top of the disc puts WAY less strain on the shoulder and elbow …

Just be intentional about it.

And now for the second part: control.

Or in other words, even though there’s a “chop” to this, don’t roll your wrist. Given the angle of release, that might sound counterintuitive. Still, throughout the throw, keep your palm on the same plain you originally set it on during your backswing. In this case, an anhyzer angle.

Your hand shouldn’t flip over.

The result of NOT doing this is threefold:

• The disc will flutter out of your hand.
• You’ll inadvertently throw a forehand roller.
• Your shoulder will hurt. Maybe your elbow, too. Injury.

No bueno.

The chop sidearm is more comfortable. Incredibly, you can achieve most lines with it, as well. To do so, adjusting the degree of anhyzer helps. Also, though overstable discs will see the bulk of the action, put some thought into the tools you choose: Left, right, straight – it’s all doable.

Going this route, nobody’s likely to confuse your forehand form with Jeremy Koling’s …

But it works plenty well for Scoggins. And for Paul Ulibarri and Nikko Locastro, too.

In disc golf, all you (really) need is a serviceable forehand …

Play around with this: It’ll get you there.

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

Editor’s Suggestions:

• The beauty of an empty disc golf course
• Disc golf: There’s something about white putters …
• Disc golf: How to bend a disc to alter its flight (and what to expect)

Real quick, if you happen to buy something through a link in this article, there’s a chance we’ll get a small share of the sale. It’s how we keep the lights on. To learn more, click here.