Is your stability in question?
Disc golf thrives on both knowledge and creativity to enhance your game. The challenge lies in learning both how to throw, whilst, and at the same time, learning how the disc that you throw is designed to fly.
I have been playing golf for over 20 years and I have consistently played with four sets of clubs over that span. I played baseball for about 12 years and played through various levels during that time, only using about seven different bats and a similar amount of gloves. Last August, I got hooked on disc golf...I own 97 discs, not including the 15 my son has and the six I sent with my daughter back to college.
I have been playing golf for over 20 years and I have consistently played with four sets of clubs over that span. I played baseball for about 12 years and played through various levels during that time, only using about seven different bats and a similar amount of gloves. Last August, I got hooked on disc golf...I own 97 discs, not including the 15 my son has and the six I sent with my daughter back to college.
It's a process
Equipment in many different sports seems a bit marginal to me. I played golf just fine (relatively) with the last set of clubs I had. That set was an upgrade from my previous set, but the improvement wasn't dramatic. Baseball bats are mostly about length and weight, with a lower range of variance for selection. Disc golf will make you crazy.
I'm not going to say that I went overboard in collecting discs...but the numbers certainly speak for themselves. Quite disconcerting considering that I carry 23 in my bag when I play. After this session, I'm tempted to make a few moves though.
Learning what discs work well for you is a process. Playing with groups, especially doubles, will give you an opportunity to throw discs you don't own yet and garner some suggestions from experienced players as well. I'll make some recommendations in this post and you can watch my video on YouTube as well to see how I worked with these.
Inexperienced players have two basic problems: a lack of form and a lack of power. These produce inconsistent, weak shots which can be countered somewhat by finding discs that will help them achieve more success (or minimize frustration) during their rounds, with flight ratings as support. It's one of the reasons I was drawn to Innova discs, but that's a conversation for another time.
You can jump back to my beginning as I was learning the game and trying to understand flight ratings. While flight numbers are more of a guide for discs than a certainty, we'll be highlighting some high turn discs from Innova and one from Discraft (equal time, so to speak.) If you get the chance to throw these, take it. The only way to know is to throw...
Innova Sidewinder - DX (9, 5, -3, 1)
Innova Roadrunner - Star & Champion (9, 5, -4, 1)
Innova Monarch - Champion (10, 5, -4, 1)
Innova Mamba - Champion (11, 6, -5, 1)
Discraft Heat - X (0.0 their numbers, 9, 6, -3, 1)
While it would be easy (and lazy) to give you some sort of rundown from most to least preferred, that's not where I'm going with this. I have been playing for a little over 6 months, plus, what works for me might not be best for you. You can watch the video to get some idea of flight, but what that was truly done to show was how an inconsistent, inexperienced player may benefit from understable discs. It wasn't about reviews and making a list. There are some factors to consider and I will share my opinions on each.
Innova Archangel
Innova Sidewinder
This was the most successfully thrown of these during the filming. I was about 225, just left of target. I'm not partial to DX plastic, although this one felt pretty good. I still think that anything over a speed 8 is less useful for beginner's due to the lack of power.
Innova Roadrunner
This disc was a top recommendation by experienced players as I began to play. I have two now, the Star I got early on (used) and a Champion that I recently won through Innova's Naughty and Nice Giveaway. I was able to get the Star Roadrunner almost to the 240 foot mark of my target, but grip locked some so it started right and finished right of my basket. I released early on the Champion so it went left, but not as much as an overstable disc, so I still think it's a good choice. As a bonus, I throw a pretty good roller with this one too, so it's a good option in the bag even as your skills improve to where you may not use it so much off the teepad as a backhand throw. Very versatile.
Innova Monarch & Mamba
I bought these two within the first month or so for playing as rollers. Rarely do I ever throw these with enough power to work for me but they have been solid rollers, but I prefer the Roadrunner. I released both of these early when I threw in my video. The Monarch fought back a little. I got the Mamba high on a hyzer release and that got farther but still went left. I just don't see these as being useful for beginners. Too much power required.
Discraft Heat
I have a few discs that aren't Innova. I haven't had this one in the bag but it's up for consideration as a disc I threw well. I still find the numbers that were a staple of Discraft for so long to be lacking as a guide so I am encouraged to see them employing more than just 0.0 with that straight arrow as some descriptor of flight path. The rim is easy to grip and feels very comfortable. Despite being a speed 9 (not comparing to Innova) this is a good option for players just starting out.
Learning what discs work well for you is a process. Playing with groups, especially doubles, will give you an opportunity to throw discs you don't own yet and garner some suggestions from experienced players as well. I'll make some recommendations in this post and you can watch my video on YouTube as well to see how I worked with these.
A little about stability
Talking about stability can make you go in circles, with a variety of definitions and the same term used in different ways. For the sake of this exercise, we're looking at understable discs used by beginners in order for them to achieve a relatively straight flight.Inexperienced players have two basic problems: a lack of form and a lack of power. These produce inconsistent, weak shots which can be countered somewhat by finding discs that will help them achieve more success (or minimize frustration) during their rounds, with flight ratings as support. It's one of the reasons I was drawn to Innova discs, but that's a conversation for another time.
You can jump back to my beginning as I was learning the game and trying to understand flight ratings. While flight numbers are more of a guide for discs than a certainty, we'll be highlighting some high turn discs from Innova and one from Discraft (equal time, so to speak.) If you get the chance to throw these, take it. The only way to know is to throw...
Our Lineup
Innova Archangel - DX (8, 6, -4, 1)Innova Sidewinder - DX (9, 5, -3, 1)
Innova Roadrunner - Star & Champion (9, 5, -4, 1)
Innova Monarch - Champion (10, 5, -4, 1)
Innova Mamba - Champion (11, 6, -5, 1)
Discraft Heat - X (0.0 their numbers, 9, 6, -3, 1)
While it would be easy (and lazy) to give you some sort of rundown from most to least preferred, that's not where I'm going with this. I have been playing for a little over 6 months, plus, what works for me might not be best for you. You can watch the video to get some idea of flight, but what that was truly done to show was how an inconsistent, inexperienced player may benefit from understable discs. It wasn't about reviews and making a list. There are some factors to consider and I will share my opinions on each.
Innova Archangel
If I had to start over, or help a new comer to disc golf, this would be one of the first five discs in the bag. I was never very fond of my Leopard at the beginning and I'm only slightly warming to my Leopard3. I don't feel like it's a huge stretch from a 6/7 speed up to the 8 and I believe that most beginner's can make it work. The high turn, high glide seems to have a noticeable benefit. It was the first disc I threw in my video, getting it a shade over 200 feet and fairly straight, finishing right of my target line. This was also a used disc in the DX plastic and a bit beat in, so that helped as well.
This was the most successfully thrown of these during the filming. I was about 225, just left of target. I'm not partial to DX plastic, although this one felt pretty good. I still think that anything over a speed 8 is less useful for beginner's due to the lack of power.
Innova Roadrunner
This disc was a top recommendation by experienced players as I began to play. I have two now, the Star I got early on (used) and a Champion that I recently won through Innova's Naughty and Nice Giveaway. I was able to get the Star Roadrunner almost to the 240 foot mark of my target, but grip locked some so it started right and finished right of my basket. I released early on the Champion so it went left, but not as much as an overstable disc, so I still think it's a good choice. As a bonus, I throw a pretty good roller with this one too, so it's a good option in the bag even as your skills improve to where you may not use it so much off the teepad as a backhand throw. Very versatile.
Innova Monarch & Mamba
I bought these two within the first month or so for playing as rollers. Rarely do I ever throw these with enough power to work for me but they have been solid rollers, but I prefer the Roadrunner. I released both of these early when I threw in my video. The Monarch fought back a little. I got the Mamba high on a hyzer release and that got farther but still went left. I just don't see these as being useful for beginners. Too much power required.
Discraft Heat
I have a few discs that aren't Innova. I haven't had this one in the bag but it's up for consideration as a disc I threw well. I still find the numbers that were a staple of Discraft for so long to be lacking as a guide so I am encouraged to see them employing more than just 0.0 with that straight arrow as some descriptor of flight path. The rim is easy to grip and feels very comfortable. Despite being a speed 9 (not comparing to Innova) this is a good option for players just starting out.
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