Every way to throw a disc! (That I could find) | Disc Golf Beginner's Guide

There are dozens of ways to throw a disc golf disc and knowing which one people are talking about can be tricky! Danny did some research and these are all the ways he could find to throw a disc so maybe you can know better what your friend is talking about next time they say they threw a scoobie, chicken wing, or even pterodactyl!
0:00 - Intro
0:40 - How to throw a backhand
1:23 - How to throw a backhand roller
1:57 - How to throw a backhand spike hyzer
2:41 - How to throw a backhand skip shot
3:16 - How to throw a forehand
4:06 - How to throw a forehand roller
4:57 - How to throw a thumper
6:04 - How to throw a tomahawk on Disc Golf
7:19 - How to throw a grenade on Disc Golf
8:17 - How to throw a upside-down on Disc Golf
8:57 - How to throw a skomahwak on Disc Golf
9:43 - How to throw a scoober on Disc Golf
10:28 - How to throw a pterodactyl on Disc Golf
11:29 - How to throw a chicken wing on Disc Golf
11:57 - How to putt on Disc Golf
12:12 - How to spin putt on Disc Golf
12:21 - How to push putt on Disc Golf
12:48 - How to spush putt on Disc Golf
13:14 - Different stands when putting on Disc Golf
13:20 - How to Stagger stand when putting on Disc Golf
13:30 - How to straddle stand when putting on Disc Golf
14:00 - How to throw upside down putt on Disc Golf
14:20 - How to throw a turbo putt on Disc Golf
14:54 - How to jump putt on Disc Golf
15:41 - How to step putt on Disc Golf
Links:
Felons: ddiscs.com/FelonShots
Evaders: ddiscs.com/EvaderShots
Raiders: ddiscs.com/RaiderShots
Putters: ddiscs.com/puttershots
JohnE: ddiscs.com/JohnEShots
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[@Coreymill]

Surprised not to see Calvin’s basketball style putt.

[@Phyco8]

Buckets!

[@dustinheese]

I've been switching to this style when I get frustrated with bad putts. It only counts if you say "buckets".

[@JamesLaisGlass]

Glad you included the chicken wing. I learned it in the 70s and developed it for distance. I threw 345 in 1982 with the whamo midnight flyers (the first drivers?). I thought disc golf looked boring compared to ultimate but was obsessed with throwing far, so I did the work.....in 2019, I started disc golf and was surprised to see nobody using the chicken wing for anything. I consistently throw it about 40 ft farther than my best backhand and sidearm. At 62, that's only about 310 ft......great videos! Love me some DD!

[@RGMDG]

I throw it too on the course and people are surprised how far it goes. It is quite accurate too..

[@briancoyne8815]

I have always liked the chicken wing as an option throwing the Frisbee…I guess I would call it an overhand grip. As for forehand and backhand, think of a tennis player. I’m brand new to disc golf (starter set 2 days ago). Tx for the helpful videos!

[@lawrencesmeragliuolo4651]

I enjoyed this video. Thanks for not cutting the missed throws. It was entertaining and kept it realistic.

[@jacksonparis2637]

There is such a thing as a thumber roller. Where you hold the disc in a thumber grip and then lay it down on the ground like a forehand roller but the disc will go the opposite way. It's useful for those woods shots where you don't have space for a normal backhand roller. There is also a thumber grenade where you grip the disc with thumber grip and throw it like a grenade. Pretty self-explanatory. It's also some times called a forehand grenade because instead of throwing it with your throwing shoulder toward the target like a normal grenade it is thrown with your non-throwing shoulder towards the target, like a normal forehand Sidenote: there is also a shot that I've only ever seen eagle throw where you throw a grenade with a really understable disc so that it flips up and flies to the right on a RHBH. Great vid btw. Just wanted to add the few throws I know about that were not included.

[@TEDIUM88]

I've seen Tristan Tanner throw grenade distance lines also

[@sethjones3941]

I love how you explain things. Thank you for your content. I don't have many sources to draw from locally so thank you!

[@chaseironborn450]

Really enjoying your vids, thanks for the quality content.

[@jimmyblundell7600]

I just played a tourney with an MA50 player. He shot -1 on a part 61 course, very challenging, which was a 976 rated round. He threw 95% thumbers. Just insane

[@stealthyshadow567]

Yeah I met someone who threw an aerobie epic consistently 500 feet on a tomahawk, some people are just sick in the head, but I guess if it works it works.

[@qedyt]

Danny, I love the idea of your video, but it would be nice to actually see the flights 😂!

[@ParadoxAssassin]

Agreed, need a tracer on the shots if possible

[@cycledelic7066]

Loving this content lately 👏 thank u.

[@DirtRider22a]

Not sure if it has a name but I’ve seen Paul do it before playing a spin the wheel game on foundations channel, anyway the hole required a forehand (shot moving to the right) but his spin of the wheel resulted in having to throw a grenade, so he grabbed the most under stable disc he had and basically threw a hyzer flip with the disc upside down (grenade), but because it was under stable and released near perpendicular to the ground while being thrown forward and not up it flew identical to a hyzer flip forehand 🤷🏼‍♂️ pretty cool to see

[@MaximilianBerkmann]

That sounds the Scroogie in Ultimate.

[@gromeka]

Super helpful video for newcomers like myself! Thanks for the info!!

[@1992Bwhite]

This video is incredible! thank you!

[@garrisonbauska7520]

Hey Dynamic discs, what about the Calvin Heinburg "basketball" putt. P.S. Great vid by the way!

[@danielsondiecastracing]

I am a huge Chicken Wing lover and I would argue against it simply being a trick throw. For those who have a hard time with the forehand or just have a hard time getting their discs to curve right, especially when needing to get around an obstacle, the Chicken Wing is a very handy throw. I often can even throw a Chicken Wing further than my standard backhand. First learned it playing ultimate because you often need to have many different throws in your arsenal to help get around the player defending you. It even became my go to throw for throw-offs. Chicken Wing has saved me many times both on the field and the course.

[@andershaugen4738]

Can’t wait for episode 2. I miss the basketball putt and the new invented low-straight to the ground-hyzer-backspin that Big Jerm showed in the practice round at Wild Horse. And the Seppo Paju pterodactyl like over the head roller shot. And thumber roller.

[@floodj3230]

I like the presentation of all the throw types. I love how many options there are to throw a disc. There are 2 throws I sometimes us I didn't see you mention; 1) I use a putter and throw it like a tamhawk only slightly tilted release path is over the top of my head with the object of the disc to go over an obstacle land upside-down and slide. 2) You mentioned Backhand and Forehand Rollers, although there is another type of roller used as a utility shot. A cut roller is thrown on a different angle then the one used for a distance roller. At least it is the way I throw them. I also club way down when throwing these as well and use like a Star Whippet. I use it to get around an obstacle when in trouble and can't go over it.

[@kyleweir689]

You're still throwing a tomahawk in your first example, and you're still throwing a roller in your second lmfao

[@trustingcynic]

Great video. Check out the 6 shooter putt/approach. It's the old school Frisbee throw from the hip

[@jeffshouse3695]

No Patent pending? One of my favorites!

[@michaelcushman]

Agreed. This was on my list of missing shots. It is very common in the woods. The guy who came up with that term, patent pending was Pryor ?, from Philadelphia in the 70's. He was very funny. In those days, new throws and naming throws was a common event. There were verbal battles over who invented what. So to make fun of all that, Pryor named that shot Patent Pending, meaning he was claiming it as his idea, pending someone else claiming he invented it first. Very funny. Sadly, Pryor died about the age of 30 in a plane crash in Mexico.

[@golfnomad4776]

I throw what I’d consider a hammer shot with a flippy putter for some upshots and obstructed putts. Somewhere between a tomahawk and scoober. Also will bust out an underhand shot for upshots and putts over big obstacles. I call it the lawn dart and can be thrown with a driver or putter depending on distance. Some may call it a horseshoe, but I put more backspin on it for very controlled upshots.

[@derrickdigiulio4027]

There are so so many trick shots I picked up playing ultimate that I love using to dink around on the course! There's the seabiscuit, the bowler, slapshots of all varieties, true horseshoe (zero spin) and the looper one finger spin thing that nate did in the one putting game are all fun!

[@TEDIUM88]

I think Nate called it a Dipsy Doo? I've been trying to figure that one out but can't get it. That and the Sexton pre putt flips lol

[@prochy123]

What is a horseshoe throw? Please explain. Describe in detail. I've not been able to find it anywhere. Only thing coming close was some fireball it looked like a throw with almost zero spin.

[@derrickdigiulio4027]

@@prochy123 you hold the disc like a horseshoe, and throw it underhand with zero spin. My goal is to see if I can get it to fly without flipping. It's definitely a 30 foot max range throw!

[@aceultimate4533]

Loved the video, super helpful! Only thing I would say if you can figure out how try to trace the discs flight path to better show the path of each throw!

[@williamfowler8686]

Never forget Jerm threw a pterodactyl in a tournament. One of the best jomez moments ever.

[@sarinhighwind]

I've got some shots I throw that are very useful, but pro's dont even think or bother with them. haha. I'm excited for this video.

[@georgesharp8030]

Hey my name is george sharp I want To say thank you for all your videos they have helped me More than most any other videos I've learned a lot from your content I've only been playing for 3 years Most of what I can do is thanks to you I put a application in about 2 weeks ago for sponsorship through dynamic and westside If you could take the time to refer me that would be amazing You don't have to But I would appreciate it greatly Love your videos and content please keep it up

[@dynamicdiscs]

Thanks for the feedback, George. Good luck with your team application!🍀

[@georgesharp8030]

@@dynamicdiscs thank you

[@frisbeegolftuunailut]

Nice list 🙂 One variant of tomahawk could be called somahawk (= slider tomahawk, or pulkka in finnish) if there isn't yet a name for it? It is used in shorter range scramble throws above obstacle when there is a opportunity or need to slide the disc on the ground after impact. Intention is to land disc upside down (single rotation from 11 o'clock angle to 9 o'clock) and have a domy disc shape (like teebird) and a preferably slippery plastic (like champion) to help sliding on the ground. Sometimes useful on snow & ice, but also on other slidy surfaces. For harder snow & ice downhill slopes (like Varistonniitty), you can also make gravity do most of the work. Take a wide rim domy disc, flick it upside down close to you to the slope. As long as its upside and is spinning like crazy, it will slide atleast as long as the spinning continues. List could also have scramble use forehand put.

[@kalebhartman7327]

Don’t forget Patent Pending! Its a good utility throw to have! I didn’t see that drive where they spin in the run-up for a backhand either! But now I want to go out and get good at pterodactyl throws lol

[@jhillyt]

Good stuff, had no idea so many existed....

[@elusivelectron]

There's only one I didn't see you do. There's a way to fold a super floppy putter in on itself like a ball then throw it in the basket. It's apparently a legal putt. I also didn't see any behind the back or under the leg shots.

[@1joku2]

Maybe 360 is also one different shot...

[@alexpatten3027]

Seppo used to use that Pterodactyl motion to get backhand rollers down from tighter lies where he couldn’t get a full arm swing in.

[@ryansuter4424]

Thanks 👍

[@davismorehead2494]

Scobbler is nice for an approach shot or circle 2 put where you don’t want it skip away, like if you have a cliff next to the basket

[@sethheasley9538]

If a thumber is a thumber, a forehand is a finger.

[@michaeladams6230]

It’s an entertaining video.

[@1P217]

Gunslinger putt is one you missed. When I throw tomahawk and thumber throws I usually keep the disc more vertical to get up and over obstacles and not on an angle you you are. Never thought of doing it like that to get a flip on the flight path.

[@captainxorro8553]

Pretty cool of Matty O to lend Danny some sunglasses 😎

[@jdybballfreak1]

Danny with a full beard now. My guy! Your videos keep getting better

[@TheFats216]

Man there is one "catagory" you didnt mention that im most interested in, the "underhand" this seems to be a very old-school throwing style, I once saw a man throw a 164ft laserbeen where his throwing hand really never got higher than his hips

[@AtheistEdge]

A scoober is an approach shot. Brodie: hold my beer.

[@JamesLaisGlass]

That's the first throw my dad showed me in the early 60s

[@Motorboatasaurus]

No basketball putt? Vinnie is an expert at it, dunno if he's used it in a real round but he's made some putts in skins with it.

[@nitbot]

I think conventional wisdom says to throw neutral to understable plastic for Tomahawks

[@Peadeymclovin]

Great video, just wish you had follow flight so I can see what the disc is doing on the big screen. Thanks for the timestamps so I can click right to what I need while playing!

[@tymonjames8577]

Fun vid! Didn't know the chicken wing.

[@MaximilianBerkmann]

Some good on there. The first grenade you did looked like a hybrid scoober/grenade. You missed the thumber roller (Joel Freeman has a video on this), death throw (likely the most useless throw even in Ultimate), daddy flick/forehand (can be useful when you only have room for a flick but want to get a disc that fades left) and a knife (basically a 90° hammer/tomahawk throw, pretty useful with tiny gaps).

[@foilcladshadows]

Good video. I was hoping to see the Calvin heimberg basket ball putt

[@coffeestains8322]

Love throwing chicken wings, such a goofy but fun shot

[@jacksonpalmer8955]

I have a shot where I take a thumber grip and throw it like a scoober. It requires an INSANELY overstable disc or a soft throw, but if you’re stretching to get around a large obstacle, I have actually found it to be my only option before

[@JamesLaisGlass]

In the 70s that was known as a staker, and with a lot of practice, could be thrown with accuracy

[@michaelcushman]

Actually that was known as a "thumber" and the fastest throw in the game of Guts. It was also used in ultimate in the early years when the Master Frisbees were floppy and you wanted max spin.

[@gjhop]

I’ve heard of a ‘patent pending’ and I think a couple of others that are from a stationary position (no run up)?

[@knoxfrzb71]

There is also a Bi-Moto putt...a two handed shot from back in the day...guy had a whole website devoted to it

[@AlwaysDunnRight]

One other throw that is useful. I have always heard it called a scooby, but idk. if there is super low ceiling or you are in the middle of a bush and the disc cant fly hold it upside down and throw it on the ground that it will slide on the flight plate.

[@LerrinB]

Where are you filming? Random field with a basket in it? Just curious.

[@Ora_]

When you only had the mushtache it really didnt look that great. But now with the beard it looks much better. Very nice!

[@patrickwayne5722]

Great Video. What about the Kobe putt.?

[@jasonlewis6116]

Great vid.. I'm still learning .. could you explain the stability of discs.. like, what determines stability.. over stable/understable etc thx .

[@1P217]

It's your 3rd set of numbers, the turn. 0 is over stable or in the case of the new captains raptor its a 1 and the greater the negative numbers are understanble so like -4 or -5 would be really understandable.

[@lingofearth2786]

Turbo putt is held identically to a Flutter Putt which I often use. Thumb in middle, fingers to the back. But don’t spin it on release, instead flip it end over end.. the further from the basket you are, the higher you must aim…

[@dr.michaelengland3364]

What disc did you throw for the roller?

[@owldish7381]

Thumb roller, step putt, forehand grenade, and the horseshoe putt are the only ones I think weren’t mentioned.

[@jameshawkins2234]

That beard is looking nasty brother! Love it!

[@kyleweir689]

I love the thumper

[@CooperDG13]

A few left out: Skanny = sky anhyzer forehand Thumb Roller Basketball Putt

[@1andonlyMiro]

Imma let you in on a secret. Take the FLIPPIEST disc you have, so understable it starts to flip if you putt with it, THEN throw a grenade with it.

[@mindlander]

Good vid. It would be cool to see clips of people pulling off these shots successfully lol. No offense Danny.

[@jakec5550]

To be fair (pause for Letterkenny fans to respond), I have usually seen Big Jerm do the Pterodactyl down hill. Which may work better for that particular shot. But, he's also more practiced at it, too. Enjoyed the content and the bloopers included. Great stuff.

[@ILoveAnimation2]

What about a sky roller? Or that might be in the category “Roller”. Also maybe it’s possible to throw an upside down forehand?🤔

[@Scalemailmailmail]

Fun fact! The tomahawk and the "annie upside down throw" has the same shot shape and spin. Those shots are interchangeable, so pick the one you are most comfortable with if you need it on the course.

[@Schwick-wc7uo]

Great tip. Overhand tomahawk is like baseball, the other comes across the chest like a verticle roller release.

[@dpate11]

Thanks for the tutorial. A flight tracker would have helped a little but still informative.

[@discgolfillustrated2640]

“Chicken wing” was called an overhand wrist flip in early years

[@boblucas5082]

There's a guy that showed me an approach throw to get out of sticky situation in a short distance. Don't think it had a name. Hold as you are throwing a tomahawk. Then bring then bring the disc to the top of the opposite shoulder. Then toss it up. If you use your right hand to throw it, it will go up and to the right, fade hard left and bounce on the ground. Never had it leave that are more then 1 or 2ft at the bounce.

[@captainxorro8553]

There's a compact forehand thrown with a grip similar to the upside down backhand grip. Grab the disc like you are doing an upside down backhand, but put the pad of your thumb against the inside of the rim, tuck your elbow to your ribs and bring the disc to your chin (the flight plate should now be facing up with your thumb pointing towards your ear) then extend your arm straight out in front and point your thumb towards the target. I've heard it called a reptar or T-Rex. it's useful when you want to throw a forehand but you don't have room.

[@JamesLaisGlass]

That was the original thumber used in the game guts in the 70s. Take it to your backhand side and move your grip to palm down, and you can throw the staker

[@michaelcushman]

@@JamesLaisGlass I think you are mistaken. It was called simply a Thumber in Guts. It still holds the world record for disc speed, 89 mph. If you look it up in the record books, it is listed as Thumber. I played at a high level in most Frisbee sports, was a pro for a year, with the exception being Guts, so I am not a historian there. In other sports, DG and Ultimate, a Staker was index and middle finger in the front of the rim, thumb on top, spun like a tightly curled backhand but a high release from neck area then released similarly as a spin putt, arm fully extended.

[@BigBig5]

I saw an old video not too long ago that shows how to forehand putt.

[@respectedworlock5223]

Does a whole video about shot shape and technique, then proceeds to throw blue discs into a blue sky. Insert thumbs up meme

[@J_Halcyon]

forehand and backhand are called that because they match a tennis forehand and backhand motion. I assume. It's at least related to another sport that uses the same words lol

[@michaelcushman]

Agreed. Originally, the throws were called backhand and sidearm, organically named within the Frisbee world. Over time, sidearm has given way to "forehand", because of the parallel to tennis and the symmetry. When teaching people to throw Frisbees, it was useful to use the Tennis analogy, some more people played tennis and tennis was very popular on TV in the 70s and 80s.

[@DelvadoMekiatti]

Played with a guy that putted like he was literally throwing horse shoes. Kinda like a spush putt but off of the side of the hip. Dude could drop dimes.

[@ajcarter6546]

Wheres that patent pending though? Great vid lol

[@owenthieme7793]

missed the bowler! basically throwing a disc like a bowling ball. haven't seen it too much, but my buddy who started not too long ago uses it to get out of the woods sometimes

[@mosk11tto]

My goodness, I have never heard of that or thought about that. That sounds amazing haha!

[@gothard5]

I always wondered what Jerm’s goofy throw was called. I don’t think anyone can do that throw quite like Jerm does.

[@samhowl1152]

Gotta love how he's talking to us like we can actually see the flight of the disc.

[@discgolfillustrated2640]

Butterfly putt: upside down end over end, flutter putt.

[@shredandenjoy7311]

A great way to remember how a thumber or tomahawk will turn is they always turn to hold water, and then they dump the water right back out!

[@BstUserNmevah]

Kobe Putt (calvins basketball-like putt)?

[@dnew56]

What about the Kevin jones putt

[@haydnrzepeckidiscgolf4298]

Danny wins world's this year?

[@casey3970]

LOL that might be better than my putt honestly

[@thomasrush8967]

For big jerms throw I think he uses a very over stable disc not understable it's an air bounce flex shot

[@andershaugen4738]

Understable disc. But you need some hyzer and push down the thumb to get the nose up.

[@willimitus]

My friend saw a guy putt like he was bowling with the putter being swung beside him. I actually used it for an approach from behind a tree.

[@michaelcushman]

In the early days, late 60s and 70s, the Frisbees community was small, all the top players knew each other, and we all competed in many different Frisbee sports: guts, freestyle, frisbee golf, ultimate, distance, throw run catch, maximum time aloft, accuracy, and double disc court. The names used for different throws were almost standards. Then people started to specialize in different disc sports, and the same term became associated with completely different throws, and regional differences grew within the same sport. Now, people are given credit for inventing throws that were used in other disc sports decades ago. With Disc Golf being the top surviving disc sport, and with all its media coverage, its terms and history of the throws are now dominate, even though they are often historically wildly inaccurate. A bit sad from my perspective. Here are some examples. The pterodactyl was a very common throw in the mid 70s in Freestyle. It was called an Air Bounce off the Shoulder then. The chicken wing was the second most popular throw in Ultimate in the early 70s. This was because the early Master Frisbee was very floppy. If you threw a forehand hard it just fluttered and turned over. If you throw, what was then called the Overhand Wrist Flip, it has a smoother release, with more spin. Some people could throw it as far as a backhand. What is called a Scoober in DG was originally called a Pancake. A Scoober is still the name used in Double Disc Court for a backhand throw thrown off the throwing arm shoulder (it is an upside down shot) and a key skill in that sport. It can be thrown hard and low for an ace shot the digs into the grass and sticks in the court or thrown very high like a lob shot in Tennis. I have used the the throw in DG, when pinned up against tall and wide bushes, with the basket on the other side. I have even landed my putter in the basket, a similar arc to shooting a basketball over the backboard from behind it. Thanks for sharing your version of throws from your research, Danny. Some out of date books from the 70s would have given you a more robust and historically accurate take. That is more Scott Stokey's thing, but you seem like someone who would find disc sport history interesting.

[@CaliMeatWagon]

I'm disappointed you didn't mention the butterfly putt. It starts like the turbo, but instead of spinning the disc, you push it, and it flips end for end, almost like shooting a basketball.

[@YesImRoadKill]

That beard tho

[@tnmando1]

It would be great if you could see the discs in flight

[@MicahHicksDiscGolf]

I like the facial hair🧔‍♂

[@renfrog67]

Although it's technically just a forehand roller, putter rollers are great get out of jail shots.

[@babirb]

You missed Andrew Fish's gift putt.

[@shawnhill4779]

I think I have to try that chicken wing. My forehands are not good either.

[@spacejam7777777]

Sad I lose the disc on most the throws hahah 😅

[@shawnpatterson2230]

Forgot the 360 backhand and forehand!

[@tysonjones3526]

Ummm is anyone else generally concerned about Danny?? This video was every video he's ever made but if a coke addict did them all at once

[@SynthiaVan]

Yeah I'm still at the "just throw it" stage

[@Stumpis91]

U forgot calvins basket putts 😅

[@krUsberry]

10:55 I like to watch Jerm throw them and imagine i'd be able to and then never attempt cause i would fail. yeah.

[@tonykeith8823]

Are we gonna ignore the folding up the putter and throwing it like a baseball putt

[@elusivelectron]

I just posted the same thing. Id there a name for that or know where I can find a video of it? I've only seen it done once.

[@aaronwoodley9624]

Lol" forehand" the term comes from tennis I believe.

[@Whosoever446]

Cant see them once you throw them