Matt Orum, or “Matty-O” as he’s known by disc golf fans, is an absolute legend of the game. Currently ranked the seventh-best player on tour with a rating of 1040, Orum will undoubtedly be remembered as one of the greatest (and quirkiest) talents the world of frisbees will ever know.
His form follows suit: It’s unorthodox.
If you’ve never seen Matty-O huck a golf disc, do yourself a solid and take a moment to watch footage of him at the 2022 Green Mountain Championship in Jeffersonville, Vermont. The guy straight-up filets Smugglers’ Notch like a skilled teppanyaki chef with a cheap halibut.
But my gosh, his form looks backwards – almost painful.
Orum isn’t the ONLY Pro Tour peep with unconventional form, though …
- MPO No. 1 – Garret Gurthie swings his left arm like a Hula Hoop.
- MPO No. 2 – Eric Oakley bombs backhands without any kind of X-step.
- MPO No. 3 – Matt Bell pivots his off-hand on his back thigh for leverage.
It all works.
That classic, McBethian form so many of us drool over? The reality of the situation is that most professional disc golfers don’t have it. Take a look back at the above list: Each guy still smashes.
So how is this possible?
Back to where we started: Off the tee, in spite of how goofy it all might look, Orum’s movements and timing enable him to generate power through the kinetic chain. More importantly, though, the dude’s been playing disc golf for over twenty years. In fact, he’s been regularly posting 1,000-rated rounds at PDGA-sanctioned events since 2004 against the likes of Cam Todd.
I’m no data scientist, but I’d wager a 2015 Sexton Firebird Orum’s thrown more disc golf shots between 2004 and now than every person who reads this article in the next month – combined.
It swallows like a horse pill, but it’s true …
Practice makes perfect – even with nutty form.
The world’s best didn’t wake up to perfect, 500-foot drives one morning. Instead, slowly but surely, they developed strength and comfort in their throwing motion through repetition.
This is the case off the tee and from the fairway, but even within circle one. It’s well known style is highly subjective when it comes to putting. Repetition puts the putter in the basket – not form.
And yet again, serving as a prime example, it’s Orum’s butt-ugly neck putt that takes center stage. On looks alone, his putt fails the eye test miserably. But wouldn’t you know it, Matty-O had the fourth-lowest bogey rate on tour last season – his weird putt played a BIG role in that.
So, what does Matt’s form mean for you?
Stop stressing.
Sunday to Monday, forehand or backhand, generating power through your legs, hips and upper body is important. At the same, it’s also important to throw in a way that doesn’t instantly turn your elbow into string cheese à la Eagle McMahon. Gregg Barsby and Aaron Gossage‘s forehands look totally different, but they both land under the basket – case in point.
Stick to the basics.
Then, find what works for YOU.
So stop posting videos of yourself on Reddit requesting form help from strangers on the internet. Besides, they’re all just going to tell you the same thing every time: “You’re rounding, man.”
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