Author: Todd Durrant

Todd is the Vice President of Infinite Discs and mastermind behind the Infinite Discs VIP Club. He writes Infinite Discs newsletters and works with pros and artists to create a masterful selection of unique discs for you to enjoy.

How to Search for Newly Added Discs on Infinite Discs Website

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Infinite Discs has been growing at a very fast pace over the last couple of years, and with that growth comes the challenge of keeping up with the website development and building the features that our customers want.

One of the features that has been requested in the past and finally made available to our customers is the NEWLY ADDED DISCS search link. On your computer browser, open the Infinite Discs website, and then look on the right sidebar of the first page to find the link for Newly Added Discs.  Or on your phone browser, simply scroll down until you see the boxed menu for Featured Discs and you’ll see the Newly Added Discs link there.

Infinite Discs has a lot of customers who are disc enthusiasts, and they want to get the best-looking discs, or the discs that meet very specific specifications, before other shoppers find them. They have asked for a way to see what we’re photographing and adding into our inventory in real time. That is now possible!

We’re not yet at the point where we’re adding inventory 24-hours-per-day, but we are usually adding new inventory onto the website during business hours on weekdays. With the Newly Added Discs link you can search for those fresh additions in almost anyway you’d like. Either refresh the page from time to time to see what else has been added in, or select a time period that you’d like to search, along with other specific queries to narrow down your search.

You can select to search for the last 7 Days, 10 Days, 15 Days, 20 Days, or 30 Days. Just to warn you, searching the discs added in the last 30 discs could pull up well over 8,000 results. If you want to search back further than that, you might as well search the entire website using the Advanced Disc Search feature, which is an excellent way to narrow down searches of the entire online inventory. Keep in mind that using the Newly Added Discs link will narrow your search to discs entered into inventory within the last 30 days (or fewer) so it will not automatically search the store entire inventory.

You can also narrow your disc search by brand, by disc model, or within a weight range, or a combination of all of those factors. Let’s say that I want to see which P2 putters by Discmania are still available from those entered in the last 30 days, but I only want max weight (175g) discs. I can select to search 30 Days, Discmania brand, P2 Psycho as the model, and 175g as my minimum weight. Suddenly, those discs appear and I can add them to my cart simply by scrolling through and clicking the “Add to Cart” button by the discs I want.

Be the first to find the treasures that used to take more effort and time! Find what you’re looking for quickly and easily! Or just sit and refresh the screen while we work to add new discs into our inventory.

Here is a tutorial video that will walk you through the process.
We always welcome your feedback!

Putter Wars 2017 – Summer Update

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PUTTER WARS…

At the end of April 2017 we took a look at how putter sales at Infinite Discs were panning out. The disc golf season was still young at the time, but we could already see which putters had momentum behind them.

Now it is time to follow-up and see if that momentum has carried through the summer months. This update covers through the end of July 2017.

At the end of April, the top four spots were held by the Discmania P2 at #1, the Innova Aviar at #2, the Gateway Wizard at #3, and the Dynamic Discs Judge at #4. Interestingly, those top four spots have not changed since the spring, though the sales have accelerated, leaving a larger gap between those leaders. For example, the quantity difference between the P2 and the forth place Judge is now a 57% difference!

Here is a chart of the top 10 putters according to numbers sold through Infinite Discs:

As you can see, the discs that are chasing the top four include three of the popular approach discs, like the Innova Nova, the Westside Harp, and the top-10 newcomer Innova Aviar3. In fact, the Aviar3 joined the race as a new disc this year and has moved up two spots since the last Putter Wars update.

The Streamline Pilot, which started the year as a hot new release, has dropped from the top 10, while the Latitude 64 Dagger has moved into the 10th spot. Rounding out the chart, we can see the Latitude 64 Pure holding strong in 8th place, and the MVP Atom holding on in 9th place.

The two honorable mentions that didn’t quite make the top 10, but that are still strong sellers are the Streamline Pilot and the Dynamic Discs Warden.

We will keep you updated as we head into the home stretch, just before the final, end-of-year holiday sales kick in. Until then, will anybody be able to catch the P2? 

Ricky Wysocki Disc Golf Clinic for Infinite Discs – Pro Tips

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On Memorial Day 2017, Infinite Discs was honored to have Ricky Wysocki come to our home town and join with the locals in a tournament at the Cache County Fairgrounds. Ricky is a class act and really treated the local players well, addressing everybody with respect and a contagiously cheerful, positive attitude. After the tournament was over, Ricky took the time to give a disc golf clinic and answered questions for the group of players who were anxious to hear from him.

These are three videos covering that clinic.

The first video covers Ricky’s answers mostly concerning putting and grip.

The second video covers Ricky’s answers about throwing rollers.

The third video covers answers to questions about Ricky’s infamous sidearm throws.

We really look forward to seeing Ricky again in the future. We feel very lucky that he has taken the time for a couple of years to visit the players of Cache Valley. It’s always fun to not only watch, but play with and learn from a professional.

The New “Macro” or Throwable Mini Disc Craze

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There is a very new trend within the disc golf market that I don’t believe many people saw coming. There has always been a small market for mini marker discs, since they are used in tournaments to mark a disc’s lie. There has been a collectible element to mini markers as well, since they have sentimental or stamp value when tied to a special event, or there are people who are fans of certain brands and want to collect related minis. Small, novelty baskets were made for mini markers and mini rounds have been played as a matter of entertainment novelty.

But now, with the hugely successful release of the Mini Buzzz in 2016, the “macro” trend has lifted into high gear. Players are loving larger mini discs that are made to throw at respectable distances, rather than just marking a lie.

Discraft was the innovator with the Mini Buzzz, a smaller replica mold of the popular mid-range disc. It was initially released in Elite Z plastic with the same stamp design as the regular-sized Elite Z Buzzz, including the misleading text “PDGA Approved” (which obviously, the mini Buzzz itself is not PDGA approved). The Mini Buzzz has since been released in other plastics, including with the Big Z design, a limited Jawbreaker edition, limited Z Dyed Ledgestone edition, and a full-color Supercolor edition. Mostly collectors and Buzzz fans snagged the first run, which became very valuable very quickly. But almost immediately the word got out that they actually fly very well, with some players throwing them consistently over 200 feet and even up to 300 feet. In fact, one of our Infinite Discs associates managed to hit a 250 foot ace on one of his first Mini Buzzz throws. Demand soared, almost faster than Discraft could keep up for the first few months.

Since the Mini Buzzz, Discraft has pushed relentlessly to release new, throwable, miniature versions of their other popular molds. One of the hottest discs in the next wave was the Mini Nuke because of its sharp-edged design and overstability, making it easy to throw for impressive, high-speed distances. The Mini Undertaker was much more understable and difficult to launch at high speeds. The Mini Challenger was Discraft’s first macro putter, released in Jawbreaker plastic.

The third wave of Discraft macro’s included another distance driver, the Mini Crank, plus a marco version of their easy-throw mid-range, the Mini Comet, and another Jawbreaker plastic putter with the flat-topped Mini Zone.

With the success of Discraft’s Mini Buzzz, it wasn’t long before other brands jumped on the bandwagon, including Dynamic Discs with their introductory Junior Judge.  The macro putter was released in their soft plastic, Prime, as well as in their premium durable plastic, Lucid. The mini was introduced at the 2017 Glass Blown Open tournament and received a warm welcome by fans of Dynamic Discs. The brand has since followed up with another miniature replication of their top-selling mid-range mold, the Emac Truth Jr. It remains to be seen if Dynamic Discs, or other Trilogy brands, Westside Discs and Latitude 64, will continue to produce these small versions of their popular disc molds. Will there be a Sheriff Jr, Compass Jr, Saint Jr, or Harp Jr?

MVP is another brand that tested the macro market by introducing their Macro Tesla. This was the first such disc with an overmold design, using MVP’s trademark Gyro technology. It is a great flyer, and sold wonderfully to MVP collectors upon its release. The quick sales are also due to MVP’s knack for catering to their brand’s fan base with limited edition stamps. The first release of the Macro Tesla was on Neutron plastic, and the limited edition stamp became an instant collector piece. The Proton plastic edition soon followed, again with another limited edition stamp which flew off the shelves of disc retailers. It remains to be seen if MVP / Axiom will continue to push the limits of the macro disc market.

While both Dynamic Discs and MVP have touched upon the macro disc market, they haven’t attacked it with the vigor of Discraft. Until it comes to baskets. Both brands were quick to introduce baskets that are appropriately sized for the new mini disc craze. MVP put out the Black Hole Macro which stands at 39 inches tall, with an 18-inch diameter. It is approximately 3/4 size of a regular Black Hole basket. With almost a $100 price tag, a player must be committed to the trend to want a special basket. Dynamic Discs also released the Junior Recruit basket, which is just under three feet tall and has the 18-inch diameter. With a price tag of $125, it is a sturdy, but expensive novelty basket.

Will such baskets begin to be used on a regular basis along with these larger mini discs? Or will they be an expensive investment into a passing trend? Will macro tournaments catch on over time, or continue to be a very small part of the disc golf novelty market? There is a lot that is still unknown about the craze.

A couple of other brands have had small versions of actual disc molds, including the Innova Sonic Jr, which is smaller and lighter than the other throwable minis, making it less useful in terms of game play. Their Sonic isn’t one of their most popular molds to begin with. Innova is yet to commit any serious effort or resources to the trend. There is also the Lil Wizard by Gateway which is larger than the other macro discs, but still smaller than the very popular Wizard putter. It is produced only in small runs, so it can be a bit difficult to find.

Like any trend, time will tell if more disc makers will consider this a real, long-term market. It takes financial commitment to invest in the small molds and add the new products into the marketing system. If the trend dies after a short life, then it would seem like wasted resources. But one thing is for sure– Discraft believed that there was money to be made, so they embraced it quickly and have been the leader so far. They also have introduced a new, Micro-Mini Buzzz, going to the even smaller side of the spectrum to see if there is anything to be done with a mini that is small enough to be a lid for a soda or beer can. At least with that product introduction, the cost can’t be very high. How much does it really cost to make a disc that is only 7 centimeters wide and takes only 17 grams of plastic material? With a retail price of $3.99 it is undoubtedly a profitable venture if it catches on. As with most product introductions, time will tell.

 

Best New Overstable Disc Golf Discs of 2017

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So far, 2017 has seen a large number of new disc releases. Among those new discs are a good number of overstable offerings. For those who are unaware, an overstable disc is one that exaggerates the natural fade. These are NOT discs for beginners.

 

 

For those who feel like they can’t get their discs to fly very far or straight before prematurely fading, these overstable discs would exasperate your problem (understable is what you seek). But for power throwers, or for playing into a headwind, or for maneuvering around obstacles, overstable discs are exactly what the doctor ordered. Let’s take a look at some of 2017’s highlights.

Would You Like Some Beef With That?

Very overstable discs are often called “beefy” or a “meat-hook”. These new releases definitely fall into that category.

MACHETE – This fairway driver is definitely a utility disc for hard turns or serious headwinds. Discraft wasn’t messing around when they named it after a somewhat large, ominous utility knife.

It flies fairly similar to a Discraft Flick, but is a little more curved (domey) on top, rather than the flat profile of a Flick. It works nicely as an overhand (thumber) disc, if that’s your game.

  • Speed: 9.0
  • Glide: 4.0
  • Turn: 0.0
  • Fade: 3.0
  • Primary Use: Control Driver
  • Stability: Very Overstable
  • Recommended Skill Level: Advanced

CRIMINAL – You’d think that Dynamic Discs already had the overstable distance driver slot filled with discs like the Enforcer and the Defender, but they’ve turned the speed down just a tad with the Criminal and made a flat-profile, “speed 10” slide of beef that will cut hard, no matter what.

  • Speed: 10.0
  • Glide: 3.0
  • Turn: 1.0
  • Fade: 4.0
  • Primary Use: Distance Driver
  • Stability: Very Overstable
  • Recommended Skill Level: Advanced

If You’ve Got the Arm…

These distance drivers can get out there, but only if you’ve got the arm for the high speed requirements and overstability.

PUNISHER – With the Punisher, it feels like Discraft is focusing on balancing their disc arsenal with some professional-level discs that can compete with juggernauts like the Innova Destroyer and Wraith. These are discs that can go the distance without having to fall into the “speed 14” category, but that have plenty of stability to keep them aloft when thrown by players with a lot of power.

  • Speed: 12.0
  • Glide: 5.0
  • Turn: -0.5
  • Fade: 3.0
  • Primary Use: Distance Driver
  • Stability: Overstable
  • Recommended Skill Level: Advanced, Intermediate

GLADIATOR – Latitude 64 has a lot of distance drivers already in their lineup, with a few overstable discs already filling the bags of top professional disc golfers. But that doesn’t mean there isn’t room for more, with a high-speed, smooth rimmed, powerhouse like the Gladiator. The ratings put it close to an Innova Boss, which currently holds the distance world record.

  • Speed: 13.0
  • Glide: 5.0
  • Turn: 0.0
  • Fade: 3.0
  • Primary Use: Distance Driver
  • Stability: Very Overstable
  • Recommended Skill Level: Advanced, Intermediate

FORTRESS – Westside has some high-speed bombers that fall into the overstable category, like the Giant or Catapult, but at a slightly lower “speed 10” the Fortress actually feels more overstable, fading sooner than those higher speed discs. While some of the Westside flight ratings seem a little off-base when compared with the other major brands, the Fortress ratings seem to be right on the money.

  • Speed: 10.0
  • Glide: 4.0
  • Turn: 0.0
  • Fade: 3.0
  • Primary Use: Distance Driver
  • Stability: Very Overstable
  • Recommended Skill Level: Advanced, Intermediate

Approach With Power

Let’s finish with a fairway driver, a couple of mid-range discs, and putter that will help you navigate your way to the basket, assuming you don’t mind a curved path.

AHTI – The Ahti is one click slower in speed than the Westside Fortress and has a very similar flight path. It wants to fade and drop before going too far. It’s an excellent head-wind fighter and overstable driver for controlled, shorter shots. Full props also go out to the designer of the stamp, because who doesn’t want a disc with what looks like the king of the sea getting ready to chow down on a very large fish.

 

  • Speed: 9.0
  • Glide: 3.0
  • Turn: 0.0
  • Fade: 4.0
  • Primary Use: Control Driver
  • Stability: Very Overstable
  • Recommended Skill Level: Advanced, Intermediate

 

ANCHOR – The Anchor is not one of those massively overstable mid-range discs that just wants to dump out of the sky once it loses velocity. It has a flight pattern more like a long, drawn-out curve. So while it is overstable, it feels like it is always in control. It could be compared to other manageable overstable mid-range discs like an Innova Roc3 or a Discraft Drone. When you get to short distances, it is always great to have a disc that flies with a lot of precision and predictability, like the Anchor.

 

  • Speed: 5.0
  • Glide: 4.0
  • Turn: 0.0
  • Fade: 3.0
  • Primary Use: Mid Range
  • Stability: Overstable
  • Recommended Skill Level: Advanced, Intermediate

 

QUAKE – DGA has put out a lot of great discs lately, making sure that each possesses a solid and unique spot in a player’s bag. They don’t do a lot of overlapping in disc design. The Quake is their more overstable mid-range, and it is a flat-topped disc with a very comfortable rim that fades predictably. It is like a more comfortable, and slightly less dramatic version of a Dynamic Discs Justice. It flights straight, then banks hard, and works great as a forehand control disc.

 

  • Speed: 5.0
  • Glide: 3.0
  • Turn: 0.0
  • Fade: 3.0
  • Primary Use: Mid Range
  • Stability: Very Overstable
  • Recommended Skill Level: Advanced, Intermediate

 

SLAMMER – The Slammer is Dynamic Disc’s first foray into the realm of the thumb-track. The outer edge of the flat-topped disc has a thumb track for grip enhancement and control. The inside rim is pretty deep, and the flight path is pretty beefy for a disc that flies at putter speed. It is much more of a short approach disc than a touch putter. In a world where a disc like the Westside Harp gets a lot of attention and love, it basically came out as a Harp-style disc that has the added thumb track.

 

  • Speed: 2.0
  • Glide: 2.0
  • Turn: 0.0
  • Fade: 3.0
  • Primary Use: Putt & Approach
  • Stability: Very Overstable
  • Recommended Skill Level: Advanced, Intermediate

KEEP YOUR EYES OPEN for more new discs in 2017. We’re expecting to see the newest high-speed overstable drivers from MVP and Axiom, and new surprises are always around the corner!

 

A Year of Fun Stamps from Infinite Discs

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About a year ago, Infinite Discs decided to improve our selection of discs for our customers by adding some unique and diverse stamp designs. The new stamps could be presented across a number of different brands, or limited to a single brand or even a single mold. After all, we do believe, as a core part of our company philosophy, that a large and diverse selection of discs is best for disc golf shoppers.

One Year of the Infinite Bomber

One of the first stamp images that we presented was the “Infinite Bomber” which is a simple, logo-style image of a bomb with wings. Now, a year later, the Infinite Bomber lives on as a regular part of our disc inventory, and it has also been presented in a few different versions through the year (Blitzkrieg stamp, Atom Bomb Stamp, etc.). To celebrate an entire year of that stamp design, we’ve just released a pair of trucker hats for players who like the Infinite Bomb.

The hats are manufactured by a leading sport hat brand called Headsweats, and they’re comfortable, flex-fit hats for using out on the course. These limited edition hats can be ordered from Infinite Discs HERE. There is a white-and-black version with a colored bomb, and an all-black hat with a grey bomb.

 

The Monster and the Aztec

One of the next big stamps for Infinite Discs was the Monster, which was released for Halloween of 2016 featuring a three-headed beast. This stamp was limited to a few disc models from Innova and Discmania and was only a one-time run of about 300 discs. A few stayed in the vast disc inventory at Infinite Discs for a few months before eventually selling out.

To kick off the 2017 year, Infinite Discs presented two stamp designs after a dispute among company employees. The younger employees generally believed that a stamp design featuring a tough, gun-toting cat would be very well received, given the popularity of cats online and in other markets. However, the older guys believed that an ancient Aztec design would be more popular. Thus, 300 discs were stamped with each design. The disc models and quantities were exactly matched, using Innova as the brand testing ground. Whichever stamp sold the fastest and the most in a month’s time would continue on as a regular Infinite Discs stamp design.

The contest was presented to our customers as “stamp wars” and a couple of Facebook fan pages were created where people could proudly display photos of their newly acquired discs. Though the contest was close at first, the Aztec stamp eventually took off and left the Tommy Cat stamp in the dust. Thus the Tommy Cat was abandoned (all discs eventually selling out, not to be seen again), while the Aztec stamp moved on to other disc brands like Dynamic Discs, Discmania, Latitude 64, Westside, and more. It has since been restocked on some brands and will be a regular part of the Infinite Discs selection for the foreseeable future.

Limited Edition Stamps

Along with the new year came announcements of new discs. Three of the first to be announced by Trilogy were the Dynamic Discs Sheriff, the Latitude 64 Gladiator, and the Latitude 64 Anchor. With two new distance drivers and an overstable mid-range in the mix, Infinite Discs decided to try a limited edition stamp which would be unique for each. Using the names of the discs as inspiration, three stamps were designed for the three discs. The Sheriff turned out to be the hottest selling of the three, and though it had the largest number of discs made with the stamp (250 total), it was the limited edition that became the most sought-after. The Gladiator limited edition had 150 stamped discs, some of which are still available. And then the Anchor had only 100 limited edition stamped discs featuring the only female character of the three discs– a woman disc golfer holding…well…an anchor.

Other single-mold stamps followed and were received well, including discs like the Dynamic Discs Slammer, Streamline Pilot, Streamline Trace, and very recently the Axiom Mayhem. Others are planned to be released as new discs hit the market, again focusing on fun and interesting stamp designs.

Most of the Infinite Discs stamp designs so far have come through the hard work of a talented artist who uses the online name of NEOmi-triX. The same artist helped to design several stamps for the Infinite Discs VIP Club, which is a subscription service that presents a limited edition stamped disc each month to the disc enthusiasts who subscribe. Most of the VIP Club discs have already become popular collectors pieces, as well as favorites in the bags of many subscribers who choose to throw their limited edition discs.

Sprucing Up Vibram

Vibram’s disc golf branch is a unique disc manufacturer because all of their models are made with rubber rather than plastic. Their discs are high quality in both material and performance. Fans of Vibram are very loyal and dedicated.

However, one thing that disc golfers will immediately notice about Vibram discs is that they do not feature traditional stamps. They are generally “blank” with only an embossed disc name and the Vibram logo. While that clean presentation is a plus for many players, it is also a missing element for other disc enthusiasts who like to have a little more personality and flair with their discs. One of Infinite Disc’s new 2017 efforts in increasing variety and selection is to add some unique images to Vibram’s great discs. So far, fans have been able to collect and throw Vibram discs with full-color Aztec variations, as well as with a really cool Medusa art image, and a new volcano graphic. More designs are planned in the future to spruce up Vibram discs for those who want to try the brand.

Infinite Discs plans to continue approaching different brands and working together on our mission to create an infinite supply of infinite disc choices. The journey will continue through 2017 and beyond!

 

Latitude 64 and the New Overmold Discs

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Most disc golfers who fall into the category of “disc enthusiasts” are familiar with the overmold approach used by MVP Disc Sports and their spin-off sister brand, Axiom. Aside from the obvious decorative effect of overmold discs, the combination of separate plate and rim plastics is also supposed to enhance the flight of the disc. There is apparently science to the approach of having differently weighted materials on the inside flight plate and the outside rim of the disc. However, the true test of how well that theory plays out on the disc golf courses comes from player experience. If a disc golfer feels like they are getting better results from one disc rather than another, then I’m not going to argue the point, whether the disc is an overmold model or a standard, single mold model. There are those who swear by the results, and those who aren’t believers. Those who wholeheartedly embraced the overmold philosophy have proudly given themselves the name of “gyro-heads.”

Overmold technology was briefly touched upon by Innova when they put out their extremely popular Nova putt-and-approach disc, and their not-so-popular Atlas mid-range. But at the moment, Innova’s interest in overmold discs has not continued beyond those two molds. We shall see if the future brings any continuation of their own unique approach.

A NEW PLAYER?

But now a new company has jumped into the overmold market, and that is Latitude 64, who not only has their own brand, but manufactures discs for Dynamic Discs and Westside all within their factory in Sweden. Latitude 64 has come at the overmold approach with a different angle, combining both of their premium plastics into their initial models. So far, they have used their durable, translucent Opto plastic for the flight plate, and the their durable, opaque Gold Line plastic for the rim. They call the combination of the two plastics “Opto-G.” They claim that this approach makes the entire disc not only more durable, but more predictable in flight.

Let’s take a look at the three flagship overmold discs from Latitude 64, all of which seem to be aimed at the larger beginner-to-intermediate disc golfer demographic.

SAREK

First of all, let’s take a quick look at the putter. The Sarek is designed for precision with a very straight flight path and very good glide. It has very light end fade, so the Sarek can hold a line for long putts or approaches and would even work well as an easy-throw driver for a novice player. If you guide the angle of release with the tilt of your wrist, the Sarek holds that angle nicely as well.The putter can also be used for gentle forehand flicks with accuracy.

The rim is not too deep for my personal tastes, and the shape feels comfortable in the hand. I would feel comfortable recommending the Sarek as a putter for players of all experience levels.

GOBI

The Gobi really surprised me when I took it out for a few throws. For a mid-range, this disc can really go. I don’t usually throw my mid-range discs with much power (that’s not really the point of a mid-range) but once I saw how well it glides, I had to throw the Gobi with a little more heat. I wanted to see what kind of distance it could attain. With a little hyzer angle on the release, I got this disc to stand up and fly up to 300 ft. It doesn’t move fast, but it keeps going, and the gentle comeback fade at the end-of-flight results it even more distance.

But aside from surprising distance from the Gobi it is a really accurate, easily controlled mid-range for upshots and for working the fairway. It isn’t too understable, but it isn’t too overstable either. It’s a straight-flyer that obeys your command, and finishes with a gentle fade.

BRYCE

The Bryce is a great introductory fairway driver in Latitude 64’s overmold line. It is designed as a neutral driver with just enough stability to hold a straight line under respectable speeds. When thrown with too much speed, it flips a bit too much to the understable side, but that is because it is not designed as a high-speed distance driver. When thrown at a lower speed it can be easily controlled for accuracy and consistency at distances between 200 and 300 feet.

Latitude 64 is smart to make this introductory overmold driver accessible to the majority of players who work within the realm of novice to intermediate. So the speed and stability are just right at those skill levels. The excellent glide gives the flight just a little extra distance. New players can build up their speed and control with a disc like the Bryce, and then continue using the disc as a manageable fairway driver even as their skills increase.

Overall, all three of these discs cast a hopeful light on Latitude 64’s attempts at moving into the overmold territory. All three discs were particularly strong in terms of their glide, much like the classic Latitude 64 River. It will be interesting to see what they do when they start to stretch into more overstable and higher speed thresholds.

Six New Disc Golf Drivers for the Summer of 2017

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Heading into the summer months of 2017, we’ve seen a good number of new drivers from different disc brands, vying for attention. Let’s take a look at six of them, which just scratches the surface when it comes to new drivers for the year, but these should give you a place to start if you want to add something new to your bag when it comes to distance.

Prodigy X4 – Slightly Understable for Huge Distance

Let’s kick off this overview with one of my personal favorites, the Prodigy X4. I thought that the line of “X” drivers from Prodigy had been abandoned when the beefy, overstable X1 seemingly vanished from production, but alas, along came the new X4 for summer of 2017. It is the much more understable installment in the X Series, which has now been joined by the more manageable overstable X2 as well.

The X4, while being generally straight-to-understable, can handle the torque associated with high-power throws. It pulls very nicely to the understable side, but still provides and end-fade to get some serious distance, while not straying too far in one direction or the other. The X4 works well even for lower powered throws as a distance driver with dependable fade, but can be thrown at high speeds for wonderful distance results. It is hyped as a great driver for tunnel shots, though I found that the S-Curve flight characteristics would require a fairly wide “tunnel.” This is the kind of disc that I can have fun taking to a large fairway and just ripping it as hard as possible without sacrificing too much in the way of accuracy.

I have a feeling that the X4 will become the top-selling disc in the X Series since it is not “too much disc” for the largest demographic of throwers who can toss in the 250-350 foot range, but is also fun for those who want to push it over 400 feet.

The Punisher – A Disc for the Power Throwers

Discraft has kicked off 2017 with a couple of beefy, overstable drivers for experienced power throwers, and the Punisher is the latest. First of all, the Machete was introduced as a highly overstable fairway driver for forehand throwers and wind-fighting, then the Punisher was released as an overstable distance driver to push the limits for power drives.

Discraft has often held an image as being a very beginner-friendly brand, using only a one-number stability rating and making discs that are manageable and even easy to throw for new players and the huge intermediate market. Of course, they have put out more advanced discs, but they are readily recognized for popular “easy throw” discs like the Avenger SS, the Buzzz, the Comet, the Heat, the Stratus, the Thrasher, and the new Archer. In 2017, Discraft seems to be interested in expanding that image into the competitive advanced and professional market.

A disc like the Punisher is much more difficult to throw as a novice, and it really takes some power to get impressive distance. It could fight head winds for a straighter result, but still requires a strong release. After a few throws, I felt like the Punisher was a Discraft answer to powerhouse distance drivers like the Innova Destroyer, with a manageable rim size– a 2.2cm rim, rather than the ultra-wide 2.5cm rimmed Nuke series. It’s a disc that I could see professional players actually carrying in their bags.

The Mayhem – Pretty in Flight

Axiom is a spin-off sister company to MVP, and the discs from the two brands often seem to mirror each other. The Mayhem is the first in the 23mm (wide rim) distance driver series for Axiom, following up last year’s 23mm distance driver releases from MVP. It is meant to be a high-speed distance driver that lands somewhere between the stability of the MVP Octane and the MVP Catalyst, with the Catalyst being the most understable of the two.

After field testing the Mayhem, I had a really hard time telling the difference between its flight characteristics and those of its MVP cousins. That isn’t saying that the results weren’t great, because the Mayhem is a very good distance driver with reliable and predictable fade, but it didn’t feel like a new disc. When it comes to Axiom, one of the great appeals is the combination of plate and rim colors and the often striking multi-color stamp editions that are often released. They are basically MVP discs that look more “pretty” if you want to throw with decorative style.

The Mayhem may have a name that sounds somewhat threatening, but the flight attributes of the disc are really not very threatening. I wouldn’t recommend the disc for new players, since it is indeed a high-speed driver, but it really isn’t too much disc for most intermediate players who should find the Mayhem to be an excellent driver off the tee.

The Drifter – A General Purpose Driver for All

Now let’s take a moment to recognize a new driver from a very young disc golf company, Full Turn Discs.  Full Turn is new on the scene and is still building the foundation of their brand. The Drifter is their 2017 driver release, and it is focused on a very large chunk of the disc golf market. Many players tend to be able to handle discs in the “speed 9” range, which is the no-man’s land between fairway and distance driver. For a lot of players, that is about as fast as they can handle and still get respectable distance in the 200ft to 300ft range. The Drifter can easily manage those distances without too much exaggeration on the understable side or on the fade. It is a somewhat neutral disc that allows players to learn good throwing technique, rather than focusing on discs that minimize their throwing weaknesses.

Full Turn discs are manufactured with the same plastic blends as the popular Finnish brand, Prodiscus, and the grippy premium plastics feel very good in the hand. The Drifter is comfortable and accessible and has the potential to be a workhorse driver for players at many levels.

The Fortress – You Should Expect Strength

Westside is part of the Trilogy collaboration of brands and is known for their popular distance drivers like the Destiny, the King, the World, and the Catapult, among others. The Fortress is the newest addition to the family, and it is very fitting of its name– it is not a disc for the weak. While flight ratings on Westside drivers can sometimes seem a little bit off-base when compared to other brands who use the same 4-digit system, the Fortress seems to be right on point. It takes power as a “speed 10” to get the distance, especially since it has no understable turn and wants to fade as soon as the velocity drops in the slightest. This is a disc for experienced players who want to navigate around objects, fight a head wind, or who simply throw with a lot of power, but aren’t looking for maximum distance. The Fortress is very serviceable for forehand throwers who generally need more stability.

Don’t hand this disc to a beginner or they might quickly become disenchanted with the sport of disc golf. It it more designed for the intermediate to advanced players who have an overstable slot in their bag that needs filling.

The Teleport – A Driver for the Sake of Sheer Distance

The first maximum rim-width distance driver from MVP is the Teleport, and it hits the disc golf scene with something that a lot of players can’t resist– sheer distance. Now don’t get me wrong– you won’t be able to flick your wrist and watch this thing fly a mile. With a rim (wing) this size, you need to put a lot of speed behind the Teleport, but if you get it released just right, without letting it go too high, this thing will really get out there! It was a fun disc to field test!

MVP has argued since their inception that the “Gyro” (trademark) overmold disc design is just plain better, creating extra glide and control that is not present in traditional discs. I’m not sure I completely buy into the idea or understand the science behind it, because I’ve been able to throw traditional single-mold discs with just as much or more success than overmolds. But whatever they did with the Teleport seems to have given it a fun little turbo-boost.

I wasn’t able to get maximum distance with every throw, but when I released one “just right” it was fun to watch. The stability tuning was just right for a disc that is designed as a bomber without being too advanced for most players. Though the rim is definitely wide and may bother those who use a power-grip, I personally hold my drivers in a loose grip, so the wide rim didn’t bother me. The Teleport flies pretty darn straight for being a high-speed distance driver, if you can find a way to handle that rim. It is going to be a disc that a lot of players want to try. For some it will be a struggle, just because it needs a powerful release, but for others, the Teleport will be a disc they’ll want to throw again and again.

Keep your eyes open and your hands ready to grab onto other new disc golf drivers that are undoubtedly heading our way!

 

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