Disc golf rollers can be a mighty tool to have in your shot inventory, but it's not easy to throw them well or, in some cases, to throw them at all. We've sifted through tips videos available on YouTube, and we've picked five that we believe can help anyone interested in learning disc golf rollers do it more quickly and easily.
Disc golf rollers usually need to hit the ground at less than a 90 degree angle to get the distance you're looking for.
And speaking of quick and easy, all five videos are embedded in this post so you don't have to jump back and forth between here and YouTube.
Additionally, we've included brief intros describing the basics of what each video teaches and detailed breakdowns underneath each video saying exactly what information comes when. That way you can jump to the parts of each video that interest you most – or easily re-find information if you come back to this post multiple times during your journey to roller mastery.
Tip for Deep Dives
To watch anything in the videos below frame-by-frame on a computer, do the following:
1. Pause the video. 2. Use the "," and "." keys to go backward or forward frame by frame (Mac or Windows).
This works on all YouTube videos and is a great trick to know if you want to see something specific about someone's form while watching tournament coverage, tips videos, or any other content.
Disc Golf Roller Basics: Why Throw Them, How to Throw Them
We watched various beginner how-to videos on disc golf rollers, and this one from disc golf equipment brand Discraft's official channel stood out for being understandable, concise, and well-produced.
A bonus to the video is that the host is Brian Earhart, a former touring pro turned disc golf commentator. If you've ever heard his commentary in the booth when calling professional events (or saw his written instructional content years ago), it's clear that he's very into the technical aspects of disc golf form. Here, Earhart's ease in front of a mic and comfort explaining the mechanics of form are complemented by the solid production value that comes with a video being funded by one of the sport's biggest brands. Together, those factors create one of the most solid and watchable roller intro videos you'll find.
One thing to have in mind as you watch is that Earhart is a lefty, so the way his discs turn will be the opposite of how they'll turn for right-handed players.
INTRO
Start-0:10 Collage of clips showing roller throws, disc close-ups, etc. (no tips)
0:11-0:20 Earhart introduces himself and general "roller" topic (no tips)
WHY THROW ROLLERS IN DISC GOLF?
0:21-1:02 Answer 1: Backhand rollers can replace forehands in many cases if you're a backhand dominant player without a powerful forehand (includes an example of Earhart throwing a roller that moves in the direction his forehand would).
1:03-1:14 Answer 2, pt. 1: They're useful when tree canopies create low-ceiling areas because you get distance without needing height.
1:15-1:23 Answer 2, pt. 2: Discs that are rolling aren't as wide as discs that are flying, so you have a better chance to get through small gaps between tree trunks.
1:24-1:40 Answer 2, pt. 3: Rollers don't tend to take big off-fairway kicks like air shots do. They hit roots or tree trunks and tend to stop close to where they hit.
1:41-2:01 Answer 3: Distance. Well-thrown rollers on short grass or hard surfaces can go farther than any air shot.
DISC SELECTION FOR ROLLERS
2:02-2:11 Introducing the next video section on the physics of how rollers work (i.e., how discs of different stabilities should act when thrown as rollers)
2:12-2:21 Discs' stabilities in the air are the same as their stabilities when rolling
2:22-2:45 Understable discs tend to flip quickly and finish hard in the direction they flip (e.g., a right-handed backhand roller with an understable disc will flip up to the right and continue going right, mimicking the direction forehands are intended to go)
2:46-3:00 Overstable discs don't flip easily even when thrown nearly vertical. Often, they never flip. This means a roller thrown backhand with an overstable disc is likely to end up rolling in the same direction as a hyzer air shot thrown with the same disc.
HOW THE GROUND & GROUNDPLAY AFFECT ROLLERS
3:00-3:40 How rollers come in contact with the ground can alter their rolling patterns. Rollers that meet the ground gently and transition seamlessly from air travel to rolling should result in discs' rolling stabilities closely mimicking their air stabilities. Rollers that hop one or multiple times after hitting the ground will be slowed down more and won't behave as predictably.
3:41-4:04 The surface you roll on can greatly affect how your roller behaves. Includes a list of things to look for (thick grass, soft ground, wet grass) that could affect roller quality.
Note: Though it's not said explicitly in the video, all the things Earhart says to check for are bad for rollers.
FLIP ROLLERS (I.E., ROLLERS THAT MIMIC THE DIRECTION FOREHAND AIR SHOTS TRAVEL IN)
4:04-4:27 To throw a roller that will flip (i.e., move in the direction of a standard forehand), pick a disc you know you can flip when throwing normal air shots.
4:28-4:50 The angle the disc hits the ground with determines how soon it will flip and how far it will go. The closer to vertical a disc is, the sooner it will flip. The closer to 45 degrees a disc is, the longer it will take to flip and the farther it's likely to travel.
4:51-5:00 Even with fairly flippy/understable discs, if the disc hits the ground too close to a horizontal angle, it's likely to never flip and roll sharply in the opposite of the desired direction.
5:00-5:39 Where to aim and which direction to throw your body weight when throwing a flip roller
POWER ROLLERS(I.E., ROLLERS THROWN TO ACHIEVE BIG DISTANCE)
5:40-6:20 These should be done with stable and overstable discs, stay on a fairly straight line, and have the potential for huge distance when thrown on hard ground with short grass.
6:21-6:40 A common mistake is collapsing the elbow and releasing the disc nose up, which makes power rollers impossible.
6:41-7:23 A tip for practicing power rollers of keeping the forearm parallel with the shoulders that helps eliminate the nose-up issue. Includes clips of Earhart throwing power rollers showing the effectiveness of this technique.
FOREHAND ROLLERS
7:24-7:36 Introducing the technique as a useful tool for scrambling
7:37-7:57 They're almost always released at the desired angle – more similar to a power roller than a flip roller. That means you can use stable and overstable discs to throw them rather than more understable ones.
7:58-8:14 Using an overstable midrange or putter is often a great choice for short-distance forehand rollers when you need to throw one.
RECAP, BASIC ADVICE, & OUTRO
8:15-8:38 Earhart recaps what the video has covered and reminds viewers that the type of ground they're throwing on will have big effects on their rollers.
8:39-8:55 Viewers are encouraged to practice and experiment extensively with rollers to learn what helps them be most successful with the shot.
8:56-End No more tips. Asking viewers to comment, suggest more topics for the series to cover, etc. More clips of Earhart throwing rollers.
"Painting the Rainbow" for Disc Golf Rollers
A phrase used fairly often when learning to throw rollers is "paint the rainbow." In this video, former professional disc golf world champion and multi-time disc golf Major winner Dave Feldberg describes and demonstrates the technique, which he says he learned from another former world champ.
The video doesn't have the highest production value and could probably use a few throw examples that provide a decent view of how the disc behaves when it meets the ground, but getting a better understanding of this technique from Feldberg – one of the first disc golf pros to dig deep into the biomechanics of form – makes it worth the watch.
INTRO
Start-0:29 Feldberg introduces himself and the general topics he wants to talk about: How to throw rollers and "misconceptions" related to the topic
COMMON MISTAKE BY BEGINNER ROLLER THROWERS
0:30-1:01 Demonstration of a technique to throw rollers he says he often sees where players pull low and straight across their bodies before flipping their wrists to create a steep anhyzer angle just before release. Discussion of why this technique isn't ideal.
PAINTING THE RAINBOW: WHY IT'S BETTER
1:02-1:26 Introduction of the idea that some people throw consistently great rollers, and there's a technique they all have in common. Feldberg admits this isn't his own insight but one pointed out to him by fellow former disc golf world champ Steve Wisecup.
1:27-2:01 First mention of the phrase "paint the rainbow" along with demonstrations of what it means (the disc travels in an arc while in your hand that usually makes it pass face-level or higher before release)
2:01-2:12 More discussion of the problems created by the low-and-straight-pull, flipped-wrist technique a lot of people attempt
2:13-2:31 Rollers thrown by "painting the rainbow" hit the ground smoothly, creating better and more predictable results (Note: We're not sure if his use of "apex" here is quite what he meant to say)
PAINTING THE RAINBOW: ADAPTING IT FOR DIFFERENT ROLLERS
2:32-2:40 Throw different rollers depending on where on the "rainbow" you release the disc
2:41-2:52 Where on the rainbow to release a disc for a sky roller
2:53-3:02 Where on the rainbow to release a disc for a more level roller
3:03-3:16 Where on the rainbow to release a disc for a low roller
3:17-3:28 Reiteration of why the rainbow creates smoother rollers than a technique using a straight pull
EXAMPLE THROWS
3:29-3:47 Transitioning to throw demonstrations (no tips)
3:48-4:01 Demonstrating the common incorrect technique he wants viewers to avoid (Note: Amusingly, he says we don't care where the throws go and then proceeds to describe how the disc behaved after he threw it though the camera didn't follow it – presumably because he said it didn't matter)
4:02-4:13 A throw where Feldberg paints the rainbow – noticeably smoother.
PAINTING THE RAINBOW = ROLLER DISTANCE
4:14-4:48 Painting the rainbow allows discs to travel in the air longer before rolling, resulting in an overall throw that will travel farther than releasing the disc to the ground immediately out of the hand.
HOW DO DISCS BEHAVE WHEN THEY ROLL?
4:49-5:07 Discs behave on the ground just like they will in the air, e.g. discs that fly straight for you in the air will typically hold their roller angle on the ground.
OUTRO
5:08-End Extremely brief wrap-up and nothing else new from here
Disc Golf Rollers for Beginner & Experienced Players
This video on how to throw disc golf rollers from Swedish disc golf equipment brand Latitude 64° features a professed complete beginner roller thrower being tutored by someone, Tomas Ekström, who's played competitively for over 30 years.
One great thing about this video is you get to see someone make the exact same mistakes you're likely to make (or already have made) when first testing the roller waters and then be coached about how to fix them. Another is that the video is lighthearted and funny without descending into too much off-topic banner. The good sound and visual quality don't hurt, either.
It also features a rarely-used roller throw (the scoober roller) that may not need to be in repertoire but should be fun to try out.
Start-0:18 Hosts introduce themselves (Jonathan as learner and Tomas as coach) and promise viewers a "happier life" when they learn rollers (no tips)
0:19-0:42 Jonathan says he's never thrown backhand rollers before and chooses a disc out of his bag to try one while comically looking for approval from a silent Tomas (no tips)
FIRST ROLLER ATTEMPTS (FAILS)
0:43-0:57 Jonathan attempts a roller that is mostly an air shot that just barely rolls at the end of its flight
0:58-1:08 Jonathan attempts another roller that, as Tomas dryly points out, doesn't roll at all
DISC SELECTION FOR ROLLERS & WHEN TO THROW THEM
1:09-1:45 Tomas explains that flippy (or understable) discs are mostly good for short-distance backhand rollers that players want to finish hard in the same direction as their forehand would go (he doesn't mention forehands, but we're interpreting what he means here)
1:46-2:21 Jonathan asks for clarification of how rollers travel. Tomas explains that rollers often travel on the ground the same way they travel in the air (e.g., a disc that's very understable in the air will also turn and flip quickly on the ground.
2:22-2:50 Jonathan asks why anyone bothers throwing rollers. Tomas explains they can be good in areas with low-hanging branches that make distance air shots hard – but also that throwing them in areas that are too forested isn't advisable.
2:51-3:02 For distance rollers, fairway drivers and distance drivers are best
3:03-3:50 Flat-top and not domey discs tend to work better for rollers. Discs on the more overstable side work best for distance rollers, but you need to choose overstability based on your power level.
3:51-4:27 Tomas picks out a high speed, understable disc for Jonathan to work on rollers with. The goal is to get as close as possible to a basket 140 meters/460 feet away.
IMPROVING TECHNIQUE FOR DISTANCE ROLLERS
4:28-5:16 Tomas explains that to throw rollers, you should probably use a power grip and make sure to "paint the rainbow" when you throw. "Painting the rainbow" means that you throw in a way that makes your disc travel in a rainbow-like arc before you release it.
5:17-5:43 Jonathan throws a roller doing the things Tomas has said so far, and it looks better. It comes out too low, though, which Tomas says can be fixed by increasing the height of the rainbow arc.
5:44-6:05 Jonathan attempts another roller which has more speed and height than his last but hits the ground with too little angle to travel forward. Tomas explains it's partly because he wasn't leaning back enough as he threw, which is important when throwing most rollers.
6:06-6:21 Jonathan tries another throw that just cut rolls left without much forward progress.
6:22-6:47 They switch discs from a distance driver to a fairway driver. The first throw acts similarly to the distance driver but the second one is Jonathan's best roller yet.
6:48-6:55 Tomas says the same throw with the distance driver would have traveled farther. Jonathan asks why (no answer...yet).
HOW TO AIM WITH ROLLERS (WHEN & AT WHAT ANGLE SHOULD THEY MEET THE GROUND?)
6:56-7:32 Jonathan says he's having trouble understanding how to aim with a roller shot. Tomas says that same way you learn how your discs fly in the air, you can learn how they behave when rolled. He also says the angle they hit the ground with is important.
7:32-8:02 Tomas and Jonathan are on the ground, and Tomas demonstrates both the ideal angle for the disc to hit the ground with and how you should expect a disc to behave when it rolls.
8:03-8:53 Tomas explains why more overstable discs roll longer distances than more understable ones. Jonathan sums up his understanding with this phrase "holding angle equals distance."
8:54-9:27 Tomas says that he sees beginner roller throwers often making the mistake of putting the disc on the ground too soon, which makes them hop and lose speed. They also often use discs that are too understable that flip too soon.
9:28-10:00 Beginner players should try to roll discs that are fairly easy for them to throw. Distance rollers usually only work for more experienced players who can throw harder and farther.
FOREHAND ROLLER
10:01-10:27 Useful when you're in a tight spot with no air space or angle to throw an air shot.
10:28-11:07 Why putters and midranges can work better for them than drivers
11:08-11:34 The best angles to throw forehand rollers on.
11:35-11:45 Tomas throws an example forehand roller that acts exactly as he describes
11:46-12:03 Jonathan throws his first forehand roller, and it's a lot more wobbly and turns sharper left than he wants. Tomas advises him to add more spin by flicking the wrist with more speed.
12:04-12:23 Jonathan throws a second roller, adjusting the angle and adding more spin. It goes better, but Tomas is unhappy with the lack of follow-through. He tells Jonathan to throw the disc "like a dart," and Jonathan follows through with his arm on the next shot noticeably more.
SCOOBER ROLLER
12:24-12:51 Transition begins to a new type of roller before filming stops due to rain. Some banter about that before tips get going again.
12:51-13:12 Banter about throwing a disc so that it turns in the opposite direction of a forehand roller
13:13-13:27 Tomas throws an example scoober roller that rolls perfectly to the basket
13:27-13:44 Jonathan tries his own scoober roller, expresses how awkward it feels, but the shot works despite lots of wobble.
THUMBER ROLLER
13:45-14:20 Tomas explains that another way to get the disc to turn like a scoober roller is to throw a thumber roller. He shows the basic way to do a thumber roller but mostly describes why he doesn't like throwing them, which Jonathan has him clarify is a personal preference.
14:21-14:26 Jonathan throws a thumber roller that doesn't roll and just smacks the ground flat.
14:27-14:30 Jonathan throws an effective – if not pretty – thumber roller.
THUMBER V. SCOOBER
14:31-14:49 Jonathan says he'll decide whether he prefers thumbers or scoobers. He throws a near-perfect scoober roller and declares he prefers scoobers.
REMINDER & OUTRO
14:50-15:19 Tomas emphasizes the importance of practicing and understanding how your form and the discs you choose for rollers affect your release angle and the angle at which your rollers meet the ground.
15:20-End No new advice or tips.
Distance Disc Golf Roller Tips for the Analytical Mind
Best Disc Golf Discs has many great videos that explain the science of disc flight (or, in this case, roll) in ways most of us can actually understand. You've got to be ready for explanations of ideas like "moment of inertia" and the equation for calculating momentum – but they manage to make these things less daunting than they sound.
This video focuses specifically on throwing rollers that go farther than your maximum air shot distance, so if you're looking for advice on utility shots, this isn't the one for you.
We do want to note that this was likely made with fairly new players in mind, so its blanket recommendation of "understable discs" for distance rollers likely stems from that. If you're a more experienced player, you may have the power to successfully throw distance rollers with more overstable discs than the ones they recommend. Still, the information about angles, inertia, and roll patterns should be useful no matter how big your arm is.
INTRO
Start-0:08 Basic intro with music. No voice or tips
0:09-0:26 Overview of the upcoming topics (no tips)
WHAT'S A DISC GOLF ROLLER & ARE THEY GOOD FOR DISTANCE?
0:27-0:33 Definition of roller shot
0:34-0:51 Though many people think of rollers as utility shots, they can actually add 10-15% to your max distance air shot
OPTIMAL ROLLER ANGLES WHEN DISC MEETS GROUND
0:52-1:28 Two keys to distance rollers are an anhyzer release angle and an understable disc. Visual examples show the flight and roll pattern well-thrown rollers should follow.
1:29-1:41 Distance rollers should meet the ground at angles between 45 and 75 degrees depending on how fast you can release a disc (the slower your throw, the closer to 90 degrees the angle should be)
1:42-1:53 What's likely to happen when a roller meets the ground at an angle less than 45 degrees
1:54-2:06 What's likely to happen when a roller meets the ground at an angle greater than 75 degrees
OPTIMAL DISC WEIGHT FOR DISTANCE ROLLERS (SORT OF)
2:07-2:19 Whereas aerodynamics matter most for flying discs, momentum and inertia are more important for rollers
2:20-2:39 Momentum is measured by the simple equation Mass x Velocity – where mass equates to disc weight and velocity equates to release speed. Any time you increase mass or velocity, total momentum also goes up, but...
2:40-3:33 ...because disc golfers tend to release heavier discs with less velocity (it takes more power to move heavy things faster), upping disc weight is not likely to increase momentum.
Note: It's not said specifically, but the implication here is that you can throw whatever disc weight is most comfortable for you and the results are unlikely to change that much as long as the disc is understable enough for you to roll.
OPTIMAL DISC RIM WIDTH FOR DISTANCE ROLLERS
3:34-3:45 Introducing the idea of "rotational inertia"
3:46-4:24 Why wide-rimmed/high speed drivers can be thrown with the highest possible rotational inertia and have more potential to roll farther
SELECTING A ROLLER DISC SUITED TO YOUR POWER
4:25-4:40 Putting together the information from the video so far leads to the conclusion that high speed, understable discs are likely to be best for distance rollers.
4:41-4:50 But high speed and high understability rarely go together when it comes to discs, so players will need to compromise to find what works for them.
4:51-5:28 Players who can throw discs at high velocities can throw distance rollers with discs that are higher speed and less understable. Players who throw with less power will want to try discs that are lower speed and more understable.
OUTRO
5:29-End Recap of main points and no new tips
More "How" For Your Backhand Disc Golf Roller Practice
If you've watched the other videos so far, the themes of this one won't stun you – but we do think it'll make it way easier to go out and practice rollers.
We've talked extensively to one founder of Overthrow Disc Golf – the creators behind this video – about Overthrow's mission to make disc golf coaching more widespread, more professional, and more effective. This video demonstrates a coach's eye for tips and visualizations that will make the process of learning to throw solid backhand rollers more efficient for any interested player.
INTRO
Start-0:21 Basic intro with no tips from the host Josh White
AIR SHOT TO ROLLER
0:22-0:29 Two of the most-used rollers are what he calls "air shot turned roller" and the "lay it down quick" roller
0:30-0:57 Why air shots that turn into rollers are likely to get more distance
0:58-1:37 Why this type of roller is useful in situation where you need lots of distance but there's a low ceiling (i.e., the tree canopy hangs so low that it doesn't allow you to throw high enough to achieve the distance you want)
1:38-1:55 Why understable discs provide predictability for this style of roller
1:56-2:23 What disc he's throwing (a DGA Sail: 11 | 5 | -5 | 1 for flight number reference) and why its extreme understability lets him release on a fairly normal hyzer angle and still get the roller result he's looking for.
2:26-2:42 Example throw that goes and goes
THROWING A "LAY IT DOWN QUICK" ROLLER
2:43-2:54 Transition to talking about the second roller style. It's good for situations where there isn't much air space.
2:55-3:06 "Body English" tip 1: You can't lean forward. You'll need to lean back to get the disc on an angle to meet the ground quickly.
3:07-3:21 "Body English" tip 2: Instead of driving the lead hip up like in a normal throw, it needs to almost be driven downward for this roller style.
3:22-3:42 "Body English" tip 3: Use your wrist and forearm to exaggerate the anhyzer release angle so you don't have to lean awkwardly far back to create it.
3:43-3:59 Example throw from Josh
4:00-4:42 The biggest mistake he sees is lack of arm extension, so people release the disc directly into the ground. Though the hip goes down, the arm needs to go in a full arc and not follow it down immediately
Note: This is extremely reminiscent of the material in the "paint the rainbow" video with Feldberg we cover earlier in this post. Try that one out for a deeper dive into fixing this issue if you didn't watch it already.
DISC SELECTION FOR A "LAY IT DOWN QUICK" ROLLER
4:43-5:17 Discussing how overstable, stable, and understable discs are likely to behave when thrown for this style of roller
5:18-5:31 Overhead drone footage of Josh rolling an OVERSTABLE driver that includes a line showing the full path the disc travels
5:32-5:45 Same as above with a STABLE driver
5:46-5:56 Same as above with an UNDERSTABLE driver
ON-COURSE THROW EXAMPLES (SEE SITUATIONS WHERE ROLLERS HELP)
5:57-6:04 Short transition to on-course example throws
6:05-6:51 Example of a good hole for a roller that finishes like a righthand forehand (i.e., right for a right-handed backhand roller) with throw example.
6:52-7:52 Explanation of why another spot would be good for a roller. The roller would make it easier to hit a gap and avoid obstacles on the fairway that might interfere more with air shots.
7:53-8:07 Josh throws a roller at the second spot
WORDS OF CAUTION & OUTRO
8:08-8:32 Josh advises you not to overuse rollers though, once you're decent at them, the temptation is hard to fight
8:33-End No new tips
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