Best Disc Golf Overhead Discs
What exactly is an overhead disc some of you may ask?
These are discs used for specialty shots including ones often called the tomahawk or the thumber.
I’ve also heard people call them the baseball shot you throw the disc over your head like a baseball. This shot is often executed in order to get over a tall obstacle like a tree. Some also use an overhead throw to try and get a skip in a certain direction after making a low straight throw.
Disc Golf Tomahawk Throw
The Tomahawk throw in disc golf, sometimes referred to as the hammer throw, is a specialized overhead shot that offers a unique flight path and utility on the course. To execute this throw, a player grips the disc by placing their index and middle finger along the inside edge of the disc’s rim, securing the hold with their thumb on the top side of the outer flight plate. The motion resembles an overhand chop – similar to throwing a tomahawk or hatchet – hence the name. The disc is released at a vertical or near-vertical angle, and as it soars, it travels through an inverted flight path compared to a typical backhand or forehand throw. This throw can be particularly useful for navigating obstacles, as the disc will curve in the opposite direction of a traditional throw, and for getting out of tricky situations where the landscape or obstacles limit a player’s throwing motion.
Disc Golf Thumber Throw
In disc golf, the “Thumber Shot” is a widely recognized throw, named for the unique grip that defines it. To execute this shot, a player firmly places their thumb against the inner rim of the disc while the inside of their index finger presses against the outer edge, creating a secure hold. This grip gives the disc golfer precise control over the disc, allowing for a powerful overhead throw that can be particularly useful for skipping tight fairways by just throwing over the top, or for achieving a desired flight pattern. The Thumber is not just about grip; it’s also about the distinctive over-the-top motion used during the throw. It is a very valuable technique in a disc golfer’s arsenal for its effectiveness in taking “short cuts” and for the unique straight up straight down flight path it can produce.
For our purposes, the discs we nominate are all going to be very overstable discs. For some specialty overhead throws, some disc golfers prefer an understable disc, but for the most part this type of shot requires a very overstable driver that completes its rotation in a wider flight path and carries for more distance than an understable disc.
As always, our two keywords are popularity and utility. The utility part for this category isn’t so much about beginner disc golfers since the overhead throw is more popular with experienced disc golfers. But we still tried to choose discs that are good choices for learning how to throw overhead shots.
Now, here are the nominees for The Infinite Discs Best Disc Golf Disc: Overhead Disc.
Axiom Fireball
Now, the Axiom Fireball might be one of the worst selling discs for Axiom nationwide, but it is one of our top sellers in our Idaho shop where the overhead throw is very popular. The Fireball is a flat and very overstable fairway driver featuring the gyro technology overmold that all Axiom and MVP discs have. If you have tried other discs for the overhead but didn’t like them, give the Fireball a try.
Innova Firebird
I have already talked about this disc in a few recent nominee posts, which speaks to the Firebird‘s great versatility. It is a disc that can be thrown for so many shots, and the overhead shot is one of them. It offers a nice overstable flight and minimal glide that is great for overhead throws. The Firebird isn’t as overstable as the other nominees in this post, but it is still a popular choice that deserves another nomination in this category.
Discraft Flick
The Discraft Flick has always been a popular choice for overhead shots. It is a unique disc designed to be a very overstable forehand disc (if you couldn’t tell by the disc name). The Discraft Flick offers a thicker rim and a very flat flight plate. And to say that this disc is overstable is quite the understatement. It is one of those discs that wants to start fading as soon as it leaves your hand. It is a great choice for overhead shots.
Latitude 64 Stiletto
The Latitude 64 Stiletto is basically the distance driver version of a lot of the other discs nominated here. It features a very flat top, a thicker rim, and a crazy overstable flight that works great for long overhead shots. Some may find that the thicker rim isn’t as comfortable to grip for a thumber shot because their thumb doesn’t fit well under the rim of the Stiletto, but if you can make it work, it is a great option for overhead throws.
Latitude 64 XXX
The Latitude 64 XXX has been a long time staple in the Trilogy lineup. It is a very overstable fairway driver that has been a popular disc to throw in the wind. In recent years it has grown as a popular disc for overhead shots. It is a similar shape, but offers a little more stability than the Innova Firebird.
And The Best Overhand Disc Is….
And here is our selection for the winner:
All of the nominees are great, but it would have been very hard to choose a different disc besides the Discraft Flick. The Flick has always been a popular choice for overhand throws, and it was a lot of disc golfers’ first thumber and tomahawk disc. It is also popular in heavy and lightweights depending on the kind of flight and overhand throw you use it for. So if you haven’t learned the overhead shot, but would like to give it a try, the Discraft Flick is a great choice to learn with.
What is your favorite disc for thumbers and tomahawks? We had less nominees this round, do you think there is one we missed? Tell us your favorite overhead disc (nominated, or not nominated) in the comments.
Latitude 64 XXX is a great choice
I love my Aerobie Epic for these kinds of shots!
It’s not on the list, but discmania fd3!
I have tried the Flick, XXX, Fireball, and the Firebird for RH Thumbers.
Flick- seemed to cut hard to the left and fought back hard to the riguy rather quickly. After a few weeks it seems like it loses some glide.Easily getting to 325ft.
XXX-Lower speed so it moved quickly left to right as well but I found I was getting the same distance as the Flick.
Fireball- Same as the Flick and XXX but the rim is definitely easier to grip. Not as durable as the others in terms of plastic.
Winner= Firebird- I find the firebird very comfortable to grip, it doesn’t fight as hard to the left, it has a nice dependable hard right skip at the end, and its very durable. I get more distance with the Firebird and can consistently predict where its going.
The Z Flick is a mandatory utility disc for me in my bag. Whether forehand, backhand, or thumber, anything from drives to approaches, this disc can do it all! I’d say the Innova Max should also be considered if it were not for it being OOP.
I started playing disc golf in Pocatello and I believe Bengal Ridge has a lot to do with the popularity of the overhand shot in that area. There are a lot of times you find yourself pinched under a tree with a long way to go up a narrow gap up hill. The Firebird was always my go to there and still is, but this article makes me really curious about the Fireball.
Nuke os does a fantastic job on thumbers and almost always gets a little bounce then sits.
out of the nominated list i prefer the Discraft Flick but overall i would have to say for me its a Discraft Undertaker is my overall favorite for tomahawks
When I am in the rhubarb, my go to disc is the firebird. Like a utility knife, it cuts its way out of the jams I get into.
The stability of this popular disc gives me the feel and confidence I need in those not so pleasant situations.
I like throwing he Innova boss overhand.
When I started out I would throw my roadrunner as an overhead disc. After playing for a few years I noticed that it was over-rotating and either ending up short or skipping in the wrong direction. Now I overhead with my GStar Firebird, and love it!
I just started throwing the Kastaplast Rask as an overhead/get out of trouble disc and it has been great. The woods of NC give me a chance to use it a few times each round!
Gonna go with the Innova firebird
I use an X1 personally. Beefiest disc ever
150 class Discraft Flick is thumber magic. Light enough for full-power throws, but still stable.
Discraft Flick is my go to overhand disc but I got a mystery box from infinite and received a latitude xxx and I think I’m going to be putting that in my bag because it’s more reliable
While I do like my fireball for thumbers nothing is going to beat the MVP Phase. This disc takes thimbers to a whole new level. And if you need proof just watch Matt Dollar throw them.
If you are talking about throwing a disc where the top of the disc is on the bottom when thrown I have a couple of discs. (also known as tomatoes, or UD) For short shots over a tall tree I use a Roc. For longer shots I used to use a Viper. Now I use like a Crank or Krait. I use whatever disc is currently in my bag. Discs are in my bag for these reasons. They accommodate various shots. They have zero turn. They thrown equally well into the wind as well with a tailwind. I don’t use discs that only accommodate one type if throw.
Innova Firebird is my favorite.
You missed the best overland disc made, a Kastaplast K1 Rask. Thrown on a vertical line, it will hold said line all the way to the ground. There is nothing better for sniping holes in the canopy above if one gets into the deep rough.