Author: Ted Hegemann

Ted is the Chief Writer at Infinite Discs. He is responsible for the State of Disc Golf Survey articles and most of the "best discs" posts. Ted runs all kinds of local disc golf leagues and tournaments and tournaments in Northern Utah.

Overstable vs Understable

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The flight of a disc is one of the most important factors we consider when buying a disc. The feel of the disc in our hand would be a close second. But, how the disc actually flies for us tops the list of factors. One of the most important aspects of the flight of a disc is its stability.

Disc Stability

The stability of a given disc is how the disc flies immediately out of our hand, and how it behaves as it slows down. I talked about those disc qualities in my blog about flight numbers, HERE. For this blog, we’ll explore the terms ‘overstable’, ‘stable’, and ‘understable’. We will also looks at the weakness in using those terms to describe the flight of a disc. So, let’s get right to it!

The terminology can be confusing. For the sake of this blog post, I’ll look at each of the three terms mentioned above and establish a definition for each of them, so we can be consistent in our description about the flight of the disc. I’ll start with the term ‘overstable’.

Overstable

Let’s define ‘overstable’ as a discs ability to resist turning during the first part of the flight, and its hard fade as the disc slows down. The ‘turn’ of a disc, for a right-hand back-hand throw (RHBH) is its movement to the right immediately after the disc is thrown. The ‘fade’ is its movement to the left as the disc slows down. As players improve their technique and skill, their ability to throw the disc at high speeds increases. As the speed of the throw increases, so does the need for more overstable discs to prevent the flight from turning too much.

Check out this list of the highest rated overstable disc golf discs.

Understable

Now let’s consider the term ‘understable’. We consider a disc as being understable if it has a tendency to turn a significant amount right out of the hand. A disc that is very understable typically doesn’t have very much fade at the end. An understable disc is great for newer players who lack the arm speed to throw more overstable discs, since they can’t generate enough speed for the overstable discs to fly right. If the necessary speed can’t be achieved, nearly every disc becomes overstable to a beginner. Check out this list for the top understable disc golf discs.

One of the ways the manufacturers can offer more molds to beginners is to offer overstable molds in lighter weights. Due to the disc having less mass to get up to speed, newer players can ‘cheat’ the system and still throw molds that would be too overstable in heavier weights.

Check out this list for the most understable disc golf discs for sale.

Stable

Now let’s talk about the term that has a little more flexible definition: ‘stable’. When I hear people calling a disc ‘stable’, they typically mean that the disc doesn’t have a lot of turn, nor does it fade hard. When I hear it in reference to another disc, it can either mean more overstable or more understable, depending on the situation. If you say that you are throwing a Slab (12, 3, 0, 4), but want something a little more stable, you are saying that you want a disc that is not so overstable.

If you are throwing a Kon Tiki (4, 5, -3, 0) and say you want something a little more stable, you mean that you want something that is less understable. Basically, in both examples you are saying that you want something that flies a little less extreme and a little closer to a neutral flight.

Occasionally, I’ll hear someone refer to a disc being more stable than another, when they mean more overstable. That is an inconsistent use of the term, and may lead to a follow-up question to clarify the meaning. To eliminate any ambiguity, I recommend referring to discs as being more or less overstable or understable.

These are the top rated “stable flying discs.”

Flight Numbers

 

The flight numbers of a disc help us know the basic flight of a disc, assuming we can throw the disc at the proper speed. If we can meet the speed requirements of a disc, we can then look at the last two rating in the flight rating to determine the overstability or understability of a disc. Let’s look at some examples.

Disc Examples

The Scepter and the Sphinx are speed nine discs from Infinite. The Scepter’s flight numbers are 9, 4, 0, 4. The ‘0, 4’ are the last two numbers, and tell you that this mold would resist turning, even at high speeds (the 0), and will finish strong to the left (the 4). It is an example of an overstable fairway driver.

The flight numbers for the Sphinx are 9, 6, -3, 1. The -3 is the amount of turn that the Sphinx exhibits when thrown at the necessary speed. That means it will turn to the right quite a bit at high speeds. Add a little headwind into the situation and the Sphinx could end up as a roller. Plus, the last number, ‘1’, indicates that the Sphinx isn’t going to fade very much to the left. It is an understable fairway driver.

The more negative the turn number means the more turn to the right the disc will move during the high-speed portion of the flight. A disc with a -5 turn number will turn more to the right than one with a -1 turn number. Discs with a turn of 0 or positive 1 won’t turn to the right very much at all, and are great for headwind shots.

The fade number tells you how much a disc will move to the left at the end of the flight. The higher the number, the more it will travel to the left as it slows down. In our examples above, the Scepter (fade number is 4) moves a lot more left than the Sphinx (fade number is 1).

Using The Numbers

Knowing the stability of a disc helps up choose discs that work for our needs. Keep in mind that the weight and plastic type also affect the stability of a disc. Check out Infinites flight ratings for each disc, for a more accurate depiction of a discs actual flight. Click HERE to see the blog mentioned previously, which talks about the Infinite Flight Rating.

The Best Disc Golf Baskets – Top 5 Portable Practice Baskets

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I’ve discovered that the times in my life that I’ve hit the most putts in games and leagues have been when I am practicing putting regularly. Not surprising. However, sometimes it is tough to carve out enough time to drive to a course to get in the putting reps. Owning a basket gives you a convenient way to get in scores of putts every day.  Do that on a regular basis and over time you will see more and more putts starting to drop during leagues, tournaments, and casual rounds. Enter: the practice basket! We’ll look at the best disc golf baskets and determine which will be best for you.

Best Disc Golf Baskets

Today we will look at the top disc golf baskets by sales, features, popularity, and cost.  We’ll examine the qualities of each basket and rank them accordingly. This guide will help you weigh the pros and cons of each basket so you can decide which will work best for you and your particular situation and needs.

Having the best professional-grade basket still won’t help you improve if you don’t use it regularly. Having a nice basket that you can practice with definitely makes it easier and gives you a little more motivation to putt than using a basket that rarely holds a putt. With that in mind, let’s look at the best baskets for practicing at home.

5- Dynamic Discs Recruit

Okay, let me just say flat out that I’ve spent a lot of time putting on this basket and I love it! I consider it to be about the best made, closest to a course quality basket that you can buy in a portable. It catches a disc well, is solidly built, looks great, and even has a wheel on the base to help you move it around. I’ll talk about some of the things to consider which might steer you away from this basket in a minute, but if those aren’t an issue then this is the basket for you.

Pros: Excellent quality, 26 disc-grabbing chains, attached wheel for ease of movement, will last you a long time, even with heavy use.

Cons: Price, weight, tools needed for disassembly/assembly.

 

 

Although I’m listing the cost in the ‘con’ section, I do so only because it is more than the other baskets on our list. You could get two of some baskets for the price of this one basket. If you want the best quality basket on the market and either won’t be transporting it much, or are willing to deal with the extra size and weight, then look into the Recruit. It will last a lifetime. If you are looking for a basket that will get transported a lot, you might want to look at some of the other baskets on the list. They would be easier to tear down and haul to and from the park or course.

4- Axiom Lite

(Streamline Lite, Black Hole Lite) – Although this is an entry-level class of basket, it still has a lot of chains and some good disc-grabbing power. It is easy to assemble/disassemble and its light weight makes it easy to transport. It still takes up a decent amount of room, but I can fit one in the back seat of my Accord or in the trunk. The Lite baskets are great if you regularly move them around your yard or basement. At that price point you can get two baskets for the price of one Recruit!

Pros: Weight, portability, cost, tool-less assembly/disassembly.

Cons: Chains and cage are lighter weight than other baskets, you will have spit outs, run throughs, and bounce backs on this basket, although not all the time.

The Axiom Lite, Streamline Lite, and Black Hole Lite baskets are perfect for a first basket, people on a budget or who don’t want to spend a lot for a practice basket, and for people who will be using the basket at home and don’t need course-quality baskets. If you will be using the baskets on a temp course on a regular basis, I would step up to a heavier basket. Even with the lighter chains and metal, the Lite baskets are great for at-home use.

3 – Mach Lite

I’m always happy to talk about the Mach Lite because I’ve owned one for many years and have recommended the basket to many customers. The Mach Lite is a well-designed portable basket that sets up easily, folds up quickly and is easy to transport, and comes with a travel bag. If you will be transporting a basket on a regular basis, this is a good one to consider. It is not the best at grabbing discs, and you will have bounce backs, but it is not terrible for a practice round. After years of use, the basket still holds up well, even though has been used regularly.

Pros: Portability, good quality, reasonably grabby, ease to open and close

Cons: Needs to be set up on level ground, doesn’t hold discs like course baskets, the fabric basket makes discs react different than metal

Whether or not you add the Mach Lite to your list of baskets when you are shopping for one depends on how you will use the basket. If you will be transporting it to the park to putt on a regular basis, I would add this basket to the top of your list. If you are looking for something you will set up at home and only transport a couple times per year, I would go with a different choice. Then, maybe consider the Mach Lite as a second basket.

2- Black Hole Pro HD

The Black Hole Pro HD is another example of a great basket that is easy to disassemble and transport, but still offers amazing quality and durability. It is priced slightly higher than many of the less expensive baskets, but offers impressive quality and nearly course basket performance. Its heavier weight is due to thicker gauge metal used on the basket. The extra weight makes the Pro HD slightly more difficult to haul lift and transport. However, the extra weight means it is more durable than thinner gauge baskets.

Pros: Quality, ease of disassembly, catches discs very well

Cons: Extra cost, heavier weight

 

 

Since the Pro HD is not significantly more expensive than the Pro, it may be worth the extra few dollars to have a more heavy-duty basket. If you won’t be transporting it a lot, or are willing to lug around some extra pounds, the Black Hole Pro HD is a great choice for a practice basket.

1- Black Hole Pro

The best way to sum up the performance, cost, and ease of transport of the MVP Black Hole Pro is ‘balance’. The Pro is not so inexpensive that it suffers poor quality, but also won’t gouge its buyers. It is easy to move around your yard and to transport, but heavy-duty enough to last a long, long time.  You will get some bounce outs and occasional run-throughs, but those will be rare. The Pro is in the sweet spot of most of the things people are considering when shopping for a practice basket.

Pros: Cost, ease of transport, performance

Cons: Not as heavy-duty as high-end portables, weighs more than some

 

 

The Black Hole Pro performs great, is reasonably priced, is easy to disassemble and transport, and will last a long time with regular use. With its high quality at its amazing price point, it’s easy to see why the Pro is so popular.

Which basket is right for you?

Your choice of baskets will come down to a few factors that work for you: How much will you be transporting the basket, and how much room do you have to transport it? What is your budget for a basket? Will you be using the basket as a temp at tournaments and leagues? Will the weight of the basket be a factor in your purchase?

Once you determine the basket that suits your needs, stop by Infinite Discs to check out our supply of disc golf baskets, HERE

Note about basket inventory: Since our supplier’s inventories vary frequently, we can always list the baskets that we can drop-ship. If you are interested in one of the baskets that is not in our inventory, send us an email to see if we can have it drop-shipped directly to you. support@infinitediscs.com

Comment Below!

Let us know what basket you practice with, and how you like it.

Note about comments: To prevent bots from spamming the comments section, we have to approve each comment. You won’t see your comment on the site until after we approve it. Sometimes it takes a few days to get them approved, so please be patient.

 

Introducing Doomsday Discs

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In my series focusing on the smaller brands that we sell at Infinite, I started each blog by highlighting where the company was headquartered. I’ve written blogs about disc companies from numerous US states and countries around the world. However, that tradition comes to a screeching halt with this blog, because I have no idea where Doomsday Discs is located! That specific question is on the list that I send to each company. But, they didn’t answer that question. I didn’t even get the name of the founder!

Here are the answers that I did receive. They will help you get a glimpse of this unusual company. Do yourself a favor and check out their website after you read the blog. You could even join their team and give input on future releases. For now, let me introduce Doomsday Discs!

Introducing Doomsday Discs

When did your company begin, and who started it?

The company conceptually started during the heart of the pandemic– a natural time for a brand built upon the pending apocalypse and a survivalist attitude. It was founded by a small group of anonymous disc golf enthusiasts and preppers who have come to accept the inevitable.

However, the “who runs this company” has always intended to take on a decentralized focus, where the fans of the brand become the team that ultimately runs the brand. We see it as the first brand run by the people, for the people, as least as long as there are people around to do so.

 

Can you give a brief history of your company?

We saw a need for new sources of essential items like food, water, fuel, and flying plastic. We began taking steps to fill that need by introducing new sources of discs to the market. Team Doomsday was initiated and is still growing daily. To join the team, interested participants simply need to visit the doomsdaydiscs.com website, enter the store, and purchase a Prepper Team Pack. They will then become a part of the brand’s early history.

Where is your headquarters located?

The founders are located in an undisclosed bunker. But since our focus is to make Team Doomsday into the driving force behind the brand, the headquarters can be anywhere, and will be everywhere.

Which were your first few molds?

We currently use five different plastics manufacturers, four of which had never made discs before. So it has been a long process to get from concept to mold to prototype and to final product. A lot of our disc concepts are still in those different stages. Some of the first prototypes to be available to our team were the Plague, Famine, Blackout, Flat Earth, and Land Mine. There’s more expected in the coming weeks and months.

 

How did you choose the names for your molds?

We came up with some of the initial names of our prototypes. A few of those have been kept, but others were renamed by our team. Since we want the members of Team Doomsday to make a lot of the decisions, we encourage ideas and names on the Doomsday Discs Discord server. For example, two of our discs were originally called the Can Lid and the Hubcap while in the design phases, but the team members chose to change the names to the Land Mine and the Frag, as part of the “Munitions Line” (also their idea). Mold names, plastic names, different lines, and flight path numbers…all now have the input of Team Doomsday members.

Which are your three most popular molds?

Since the Blackout is the proto that was shipped to the team members with their team shirt, it became one of the most loved. But almost every time we introduce something else, it seems to find an audience of fans. The Land Mine will probably go through a wave of popularity due to its very unique shape and dependable flight characteristics.

 

What plastics do you offer, and what is your most popular plastic?

Since we have several different disc lines from the different manufacturers, there will be many different plastic types in play. We have some names decided and others undecided. The Catastrophic Line has plastics like Meltdown, Uranium, Toxic Waste, and Fallout. The Munitions Line has plastics like  Weapons Grade and C-4 (soft). Prepper Line will have Ration, Survival, etc. There will be a lot of plastics to keep track of once things get rolling.

Can you tell us about some upcoming releases?

Almost everything is still upcoming. We’re excited about the Land Mine since it is so unique as far as an approach disc goes. Plus the Frag is super overstable, to a ridiculous level, which makes it fun.  But I think the real workhorse discs that are coming soon and we’re excited about are the Bleak putter and the Dystopia driver.

We’ve also started developing an oversized driver that will be epic.

 

Who are some pros or other players that you sponsor?

We do not currently have sponsored, touring pros, though we are excited about our entire team, from the ones that are highly rated to the ones who throw lower-speed discs and light up the course with their Doomsday swag and fun personalities. We believe everybody who wants to be on the team should be, and if they’re on the team, they are valuable and appreciated. After all, when the doomsday comes, every human relationship and interaction will be precious.

 

What does the future look like for you?

The future in general may be bleak…even hopeless…but we are optimistic that a lot of people will find a lot of joy throwing and storing up Doomsday Discs in the present and into the future. Whether chucking your disc across a Dystopian landscape, or using that disc to eat your cold squirrel stew, we feel like the future will be better if a lot of our discs make it into that future.

 

What will disc golf look like in the future?

In the near future, hyper growth. In the long term, maybe something like this (see photo below).

 

What is something unique about your company?

 

We feel like Doomsday Discs will be one of the most diversified and decentralized disc golf brands in the world. Discs will be sourced from many places, released in many forms, and we hope that many players will embrace it. We hope that many players try the brand for the love of that variety and their desire to be a contributing part of the brand image and growth. Who knows…maybe we’ll be the last brand standing after the sun goes micro-nova, the earth’s magnetic field collapses, and we no longer have the same rotational axis.

—- Dr. Death

 

Check out the Doomsday Discs website HERE

Check out Infinite Discs’ inventory of Doomsday molds HERE

Let us know what Doomsday molds you’ve tried

 

Have you tried Doomsday Discs? Post below and let us know what you think about them. Haven’t had a chance to try them? Post below and let us know which ones you would like to try.

 

Congrats to our random disc winners:
Joe

Tyler

Dan

 

Best Disc Golf Carts

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One of the disc golf accessories that has become more popular in the last decade is the disc golf cart. With more and more cart companies trying to carve out a slice of the accessory pie, disc golfers have a variety of brands and models to choose from. Disc golfers of all skill levels, from beginners to seasoned pros, have gladly converted to using a cart whenever possible. The help us save energy and avoid repetitive motion, and give us the ability to bring extra discs, snacks, water, or additional accessories. Carts make a round of disc golf even more relaxed and enjoyable.

As a devoted cart user I’m actually surprised more people don’t join those of us who have discovered their benefits. Maybe this blog will help! You can also click here to check out the top selling carts.

 

In this blog I will talk about the different types of carts available and break down the pros and cons for each one. That will help you find the cart that will fill your particular needs and wants, since we all have different tastes and approaches to disc golf.

Best Cart Types

I like to sort carts according to whether or not they need an additional bag to hold discs. Some carts are made to hold your bag in or on them, while others have built in shelves to hold your discs.

For the ones that require an additional bag, all you have to do when using the cart is to attach your current bag. It’s pretty fast and usually effortless. For some of those carts you can leave the bag in the cart while transporting. Others are separate and would take additional space in your vehicle for the cart and the bag.

With the carts that hold discs on their own, you would need to transfer discs from your bag to the cart. If you frequently play courses that are not cart friendly, you would have to move discs from your cart to your bag and back quite regularly.

 

Here are the carts, starting with the ones that require an additional bag:

 

ZUCA Trekker and Trekker LG cart

The ZUCA Trekker and Trekker LG cart is based on the ZUCA Backpack and Backpack LG. The ‘LG’ stands for Large and that model is slightly larger than the regular Trekker/Backpack cart. The Trekker has a 22” axel (which means the cart is 22” wide) and carries 20-25 discs, while the LG has a 24” axel and holds up to 30 discs. They both have a telescoping handle and a built-in seat that supports up to 300 lbs.

Pro:

  • Built-in Seat
  • No additional bag needed

Con:

  • An additional bag would be needed for non-cart courses
  • Takes a lot of space to transport

ZUCA Compact cart

 

The Compact is for people who don’t carry as many discs, and who don’t need as much space. It sits a little lower, but still has the 22” axel for stability. It also has a built-in seat, which sits a little lower than other carts.

Pro:

  • Smaller, lighter cart is easier to move and transport
  • Built-in seat
  • Low center of gravity

Con:

  • An additional bag would be needed for non-cart courses
  • Limited space for extra discs and accessories

ZUCA All-Terrain

The All-Terrain Cart is a larger version of the Compact cart. It carries up to 32 discs, with side pockets and interior storage. It has a built-in seat and a 22” axel.

Pro:

  • Built-in seat
  • Lots of storage space for discs and accessories

Con:

  • An additional bag would be needed for non-cart courses

ZUCA Transit Cart

The Transit Cart has a built-in bag for discs, and also has storage space below the bag. It has a 24” axel and a built-in seat. The Transit Cart holds up to 25 discs.

Pro:

  • Built-in seat
  • Extra space for storage or a cooler bag

Con:

  • An additional bag would be needed for non-cart courses
  • Limited space for extra discs

Frame Carts – Bring Your Own Bag

The other kind of cart is one you use to transport an existing bag. The bag will go on or in the cart. The nice thing about these disc golf carts is that your discs are always in the same place (your disc golf bag) so when playing courses that are not cart friendly, you don’t have to shuffle your discs around.

These kinds of carts vary in size and style. Some have seats, while others don’t. Some have two wheels, and one model has three. Here are some of these carts where you need to provide a bag:

ZUCA Backpack and Backpack LG

 

Zuca Backpack and Backpack LG are carts that have a seat, telescoping handle, water bottle holders, but no extra storage space. All of the storage must come from the bag used in the cart. The Backpack cart has a 22” axel, the LG’s is 24”.

Dynamic Discs offers a version of this cart that is the same as the Zuca, except the front plate says, “Dynamic Discs”.

Pro:

  • Easy to remove your bag for non-cart courses
  • Built-in seat

Con:

  • Larger cart to transport
  • Additional cost of buying a bag
  • Storage space is limited to the size of the bag

 

MVP Rover Cart

The Rover Cart is a small cart and the most compact of any cart. It does have water bottle holders and a telescopic handle, but no built-in seat. It has a low center of gravity, making it easy to move and maneuver.

Pro:

  • Easy to remove your bag for non-cart courses
  • Low center of gravity for ease of moving
  • Small cart to transport
  • Easy to get in and out of car trunk

Con:

  • Additional cost of buying a bag
  • Storage space is limited to the size of the bag
  • There is no seat.

ZUCA EZ Cart

 

The EZ Cart has a shelf for your bag to sit on, and a little storage area under that shelf. Like the Rover Cart, it doesn’t have a seat, so you would need to carry one. It has a 24” axel.

Pro:

  • Easy to remove your bag for non-cart courses
  • Low center of gravity for ease of moving
  • Small cart to transport
  • Extra storage space for accessories or a cooler bag

Con:

  • Additional cost of buying a bag

Rovic RV1D

The Rovic RV1D is a foldable cart from ball-golf cart maker, Clikgear. It will hold any bag. The Rovic has a locking brake to prevent the cart from rolling away on an incline. There is a small storage area for snacks, keys, etc. It comes with drink holders, an umbrella storage loop, and a place to hold your umbrella when it’s up. There are many accessories available, including a seat with cushion, insulated storage bag, and mitts for cooler weather. The cart doesn’t push well on bumpy, uneven ground, but you can simply pull the cart over those sections of the course. The large handle makes it easy to get the cart up curbs and over ditches. I was concerned that the cart has plastic pieces, but I’ve been using one year ‘round for three years (including in the winter) and it has held up perfectly.

Pro:

  • Easy to push: I never thought tipping back a two-wheeled cart to get it to roll was a big deal. But, when I didn’t have to do it, it was really nice!
  • Accessories available to increase storage space, give you a place to sit, and make your life a little easier on the course.
  • Very Compact. Folds up into an impressively small space.
  • Holds your bag higher, so you barely have to bend over at all to retrieve a disc.

Con:

  • Since the front wheel doesn’t pivot, you have to tip the cart back to turn the cart. By mounting your bag a little higher, it makes the tip-to-turn a little easier.
  • The accessories are an added expense.
  • The cart fold up very small, but if you add the dimensions of your bag and accessories, the total space is comparable to a large cart.
  • The included water bottle holders are too small for larger water bottles to fit.

Bagboy Disc Golf Quad XL Push Cart

BagBoy Quad XL Disc Golf Cart

The Bagboy Quad XL is a four-wheel push cart that boasts more stability and two- and three-wheel carts. It is easy to set up and once you hang your bag on the cart, you’ll be ready to roll. It comes with a drink holder, umbrella holder, and built-in storage for snacks, phones, or accessories. The BagBoy has a handle-mounted brake for parking on an incline.

Pro:

  • Stable and easy to push
  • The bag sits higher than most carts, making it easily accessible without bending over.
  • Has built-in accessory holders

Con:

  • Has an optional seat, but it is very expensive
  • Other accessories are expensive
  • The front wheels don’t pivot
  • Built-in water bottle holder won’t accommodate larger bottles

The BEST Disc Golf Cart

Now that you know the pros, cons, and features of these disc golf carts, you can narrow down your selection by considering your disc golf needs.

Do you play most of your rounds at courses that are cart-friendly?

Do you enough room in your vehicle to transport a cart?

How much extra space will you need for accessories, food/water, and extra discs?

How often will I be using the cart at tournaments? (Tournament needs are different than casual-round needs. You’ll want to make sure you can take food, water, chair, repellant, sun screen, umbrella, raingear, etc.)

How much can you spend for the cart and all the accessories you’ll need?

Do you want to be able to sit during rounds?

Once you answer these questions, you’ll start to see which cart makes the most sense for you. Then you can further refine your choices by looking at available colors and styles.

Carts FTW!

I’ve heard many times how glad people are that they bought a cart! With all of the benefits a cart provides, it really is a game changer for many of us. Use this guide to help you decide which cart will be best for you, then check out the selection at Infinite Discs HERE.

What features do you like or wish you had in a disc golf cart?

We want to hear from YOU about your thought on carts. Do you have a cart? Let us know which one (or, which one is your favorite if you have more than one). Don’t have a cart? Tell us which one would best suit your needs. Won’t ever get one? Tell us why.

 

Best Disc Golf Grip Enhancers

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How a disc feels in our hand is an important part of our game. Plastic type, rim width and depth, and whether or not it is beaded can affect our decision about which discs we throw. However, even when we are throwing discs that we love and feel great in our hand, our grip can be negatively affected by the amount of moisture on our hands.

Playing disc golf on a hot day or in a humid environment can make our hands wet with sweat. Playing in the rain can be a non-stop effort to keep our hands dry. Enter the grip enhancer.

Get a Grip

Grip enhancers are products which help us alleviate the problem of moist hands. They come in a few types. There are some who which absorb the moisture to keep our hands dry. There are some that have a powder to dry our hands. A final category is solids, which give our hands a little extra grip. Let’s look at some of the grip enhancers available.

Moisture wicking bags:

Osmosis Sport Bag and Sport Ball

Filled with moisture absorbing beads, the Osmosis Sport Bag will dry your wet hands. The Sport Ball is a round version of the bag and fits nicely in your hand.

Discmania, Trilogy, and Innova Sportsack

The Sportsack is also filled with moisture absorbing beads to keep your hands dry.

Powder or chalk bags:

Option Bag

The Option Bag is a grip enhancement tool that is filled with a blend of chalk and ceramsite with a subtle minty scent. It is also designed as a footbag, or a Hacky Sack.

This will help you to have better grip on your discs. Or, it can keep you entertained while you’re waiting for the card in front of you to finish.

 

DryV Bagz

The Dryv Bags are made of a proprietary blend of three all-natural ingredients that will help you achieve the perfect amount of hand drying and “tack”, optimizing your grip on every drive. They come in three different sizes to fit any hand.

Mitten Bags

Mitten Bags help to remove moisture from your hands when you’re playing in hot, sweaty conditions or otherwise wet conditions. This will help to enhance your grip on the disc. Plus they come in a great selection of fabric designs and have a nice little loop that can be used to hang the bag on a bag or cart.

DrySack

The DrySack is an excellent grip enhancement bag for disc golfers. It is uniquely crafted with long-lasting denim material and moisture absorbent filler. You can clap the DrySack to dust it up for better grip on your disc, or use it to wipe moisture off your discs. It comes with a handy carabiner to clip to your bag or cart.

Prodigy Chalk Bag

The Prodigy Chalk Bag has a similar to design to the rock climber’s chalk bag. This will hold a lot of the chalk, ensuring that you have sufficient for your needs. There are some additional small zipper pockets for small items. You can purchase the bag, or the bag with chalk.

Infinite Discs Chalk Ball

The Infinite Discs Chalk Ball is a unique grip enhancement tool for disc golfers. Rather than being a bag of beads, dirt, sawdust, or other filler, it features magnesium carbonate grip chalk. The chalk ball comes inside a pouch which keeps the chalk from getting all over your bag and clothes while you carry it around. The pouch has pull-strings to keep it closed tightly and includes a carabiner which you can use to clip the pouch to your backpack, disc bag, belt buckle, etc. When needed, simply remove the chalk ball from the pouch to apply a solid dusting of grip-enhancing chalk to your hands. This is similar to the stuff you see rock climbers using to keep from losing a grip on their handholds, and many serious disc golfers have been looking for a similar product to help them handle their plastic in all weather conditions.

Legacy Discs Confidence Bag

Play with confidence in your grip when you use a Legacy Discs Confidence Bag. Much like the Dynamic Discs Dirt Bag, use these chalk filled bags to keep your hands grippy and your throws consistent!

Whale Sacs

A Whale Sac is a whale shaped grip bag, that you can tie onto anything! It will keep your hands dry in the heat of the competition. The Whale tail ties onto your disc golf bag, or belt. The bag is filled with clay based stone/powder to knead into your hands or rub onto a disc!

Solids:

 

Dryv Bagz The Marker

The Marker, by Dryv Bagz is a unique hand grip product for disc golf. It’s a 2oz solid grip bar, taking the Dryv Bagz technology to a solid form.

Just gently drag the tips of your throwing fingers across the surface and you will notice increased grip immediately! The added grip will replace the need to lick or dust your fingers, and the grip will last the entire hole.

Max Wax Windsurfer Mini and Snap Stick

The Max Wax Windsurfer Mini is about to bring new grip to your game! This is the Original Disc Golf Grip Wax – a specially formulated grip wax used to apply to your hands for superior grip, control, and distance out on the course.

It’s a tournament legal mini marker, made out of 100% natural product. The specific grip formula was worked on for over a year to achieve the perfect, consistent disc golf grip. The Windsurfer Mini has a “citra-delic” scent, made from a blend of essential oils. Take the grip variable out of your game by using the Max Wax Windsurfer Mini.

Which one is the best grip enhancer?

Do your hands get a little sweaty? The SportSack will treat you just right. Its size and shape fits naturally in your hand and will keep your hand dry and ready to rip! Plus, it comes with the names or logos of some of the best brands on it, so you can always be reppin’ your favorite.

If you need a little more drying power for your hands or prefer the feel of powder for your grip, the Whale Sac is the way to go. Toss it in the air a couple times and let it smack down on your hand to get some moisture-wicking powder on your throwing hand, and you’ll get the grip you’re looking for. Whale Sacs come in a variety of colors and patterns.

Looking for a little extra grip on your throws? The Max Wax Windsurfer Mini is what you need. It will give you extra grip in any condition. Wet hands? Dry hands? Cold hands? The Max Wax will give you a consistent grip and confidence in your throws.

 

 

 

 

Introducing Prodiscus

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If one travels from the United States across the Atlantic Ocean toward northern Europe, they might reach the Baltic Sea. The eastern arm of the Baltic Sea is known as the Gulf of Finland. Along the shores of Gulf lies the Capital of Finland, Helsinki, and northwest of Helsinki is the city of Nokia.

Nokia is known throughout the world for the phone/electronics company that used to be located there, and bears its name. For disc golfers, Nokia is where The Beast at Disc Golf Park is found. And Nokia is home to disc golf manufacturer, Prodiscus.

First in Finland

Prodiscus was founded in 2006 by Kai Vesa, and started as an importer of disc golf products. However, after a few years, the company wanted to expand beyond just importing products. They decided to work toward producing their own line of discs.

In 2010, their first disc was approved by the PDGA for production. That disc was the Jokeri, an overstable putter that remains one of their most popular molds, and an exceptional throwing putter. Following the Jokeri, Prodiscus began adding more discs to their lineup. For the next few years they would design and release 1-3 new molds per year, slowly growing their brand and the discs they offered.

Popular Molds

Their most popular molds are the Jokeri, Midari, and Laseri. Those are a putter, midrange disc, and a control driver, respectively.

As mentioned previously, the Jokeri is an overstable putter. It is beadless, an excellent driving or approach disc, and perfect as a headwind disc. The Jokeri was the first mold for Prodiscus, and it has been a hit from the beginning.

The Midari is one of Prodiscus’ midranges. It is shapable with its straight flight and good fade. The Midari is available in base and premium plastics.

The Laseri is a control driver that lives up to its name. It is a laser-straight disc with just a little turn and fade. Pick up a Laseri in a premium plastic and it will give you consistent flights for a long time. It also comes in base plastic.

Finnish Names

The naming convention used by Prodiscus is to choose English words, then add a Finnish vowel. Thus, the Joker becomes the Jokeri, and the Laser becomes the Laseri. The proper pronunciation is to say the English word, followed by long ‘e’ sound, as in ‘feet’. Their names also take inspiration from mythology and ancient civilizations. Sparta, Titan, and Troija (an ancient city in Asia Minor) were chosen for that reason.

Along the way they developed several different plastic blends for their discs. Those include Basic, Basic Hard, Premium, Ultrium, and Platinium. The most popular of these options is the Ultrium.

Ultrium is a premium plastic that feels like a slightly more grippy Star plastic. Their Premium plastic is similar to Champion in durability, but a little gummier for added grip. Basic is similar to other base plastics. It is grippy and less durable than other Prodiscus plastics.

Sponsorships

In addition to the new molds and plastics they were releasing, they also started serving the disc golf community by sponsoring some of the most promising players in the world. Current European Champion Henna Blomroos, Devan Owens, and Henrik Johansen were all sponsored by Prodiscus. Other big names originally sponsored by include Kevin Jones and Luke Humphries, who have gone on to make careers out of disc golf. Some of the current athletes sponsored by Prodiscus include a top European Masters player, Kristian Bengtsson and US Tour disc golfer, Josh Coghill.

 

Prodiscus has also created several different levels of sponsorship and made them available to disc golfers with a variety of skill levels. Here are the Team levels:

Team Spartan: This entry-level sponsorship if for people who use Prodiscus products and want to help promote them. It is the Team for amateurs who just love to play, or who want to improve and compete at higher levels.

Team Ambassador: This Team level is for Prodiscus fans who are already working to grow the sport. It is for people who run tournaments and leagues, and who promote the sport. These team members will be supported by Prodiscus as they help grow the sport.

Team Prodiscus: This is the highest Team level. It is for players who compete regularly and are committed to improving their game while serving as a representative of Prodiscus. This level already has members who are growing as disc golfers, and whose names you will be hearing about in the future!

Anyone Prodiscus fans interested in applying for any team membership may contact Prodiscus directly at: team@prodiscus.fi

New Molds

Prodiscus works hard to give the best possible equipment to the disc golf world. They are also working to add to their product line. There will be several new molds coming out soon. Prodiscus says one of the new molds, the JokeriX, which was PDGA approved on May 9, has a rim depth that is between the Jokeri and the Sparta. The JokeriX and MidariX will be joined shortly by the SpartaX.

Kai Vesa, the founder of Prodiscus is optimistic about the future of the sport, and the future his company. Like other businesses in the industry, they got a boost from the pandemic that will last for years to come.

“Our future looks really promising. We’ve made major investments for our own factory and our manufacturing volumes are going up significantly”, he said. “And so is the demand for Prodiscus products.”

Disc Golf In The Future

Kai anticipates big things for the sport as well. He predicts even bigger sponsors and audience than ever before. He also expects that Finnish and European players will be regularly challenging the top US players for the top tournaments every year. We got a glimpse of that earlier this year with Kristin Tattar either winning or finishing on the podium at several major tournaments.

Whatever the future may hold for disc golf, Prodiscus will continue to innovate and create new molds and products for the disc golf world. They were the first Finnish disc golf manufacturer, and they strive to be the best. According to Kai Vesa, “We try to be down to earth company that serves the customer the best way possible.”

 

Visit Prodiscus here: Prodiscus USA

Check out our Prodiscus products at Infinite Discs here: Available Products

Win a Prodiscus Disc

Let us know your thoughts about Prodiscus discs and you could win a free disc! Have you tried a Prodiscus mold? Let us know which one(s) and what you thought. Haven’t tried Prodiscus  yet? Check out their discs and let us know which one could make it in your bag. We’ll pick three random commenters and send them a free Prodiscus disc.

 

Introducing Wing It Disc Golf

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Cache County, Utah, is in the northern most part of Utah. Commonly called the Top of Utah, the county sits on the border of southern Idaho. It is about an hour from the Fort, home of the 2021 World Disc Golf Championship. The county gets its name from the trappers in the late 1700’s and early 1800’s who used to store, or ‘cache’, their furs in the valley while waiting for an upcoming rendezvous.

Cache County has a long history of dairy production and a reputation for producing delicious cheese. It is home to a land grant school, Utah State University. The County Seat is Logan, Utah, where the largest disc golf retailer in the world has its headquarters: Infinite Discs. And Cache County is home to Wing-It Disc Golf.

Starting A Disc Golf Business

 

I suspect that a large number of us have thought how fun and interesting it would be to design our own discs or start our own brand of disc golf. Whether we are picturing ourselves as the new Innova, or just wondering if we could produce a mold or two that would resonate with other disc golfers, the idea of creating a new disc is appealing to many of us. Two brothers that live in Cache County decided to pursue that dream.

Brothers With A Plan

 

Wing It Disc Golf began fairly recently, and started with conversations among Eric and Jamin Burningham and their friends. The group shares a love of disc golf, and wondered what it would take to produce discs locally. Ed and Jamin decided to act on that idea, and found a local plastics producer to talk to about making molds for a disc.

After finding a plastics manufacturer in the county, the brothers began working on a 3D model of the disc they wanted to make. Then came the process of making a mold out of the 3D design. Once that was done came the job of finding a plastic that they liked.

Eric and Jamin decided on a polyurethane/ABS combination that they like. The plastic was durable yet grippy. Plus, it felt good to the brothers and other people who gave their input. That brought them one step closer to a finished product.

Winging It In Utah

 

Along the way to producing a disc, the pair had to come up with a name for their new company. The name they chose was Wing It Disc Golf. According to co-founder Jamin, “We picked Wing It Disc Golf because neither of us were pros. We were basically ‘winging it”. Eric, the other co-founder, is a serious birder, so the name turns out to be a nod to his other hobby.

The brothers also wanted to use birds and their flight to be themes for the names of their discs, but that turned out to be more challenging than they thought. Said Jamin, “We found that bird names were very popular choices for disc names. So much so that we felt it a little overused. “

 

High In The Sky

 

Instead of a bird-related theme, the name Stratosphere was chosen for their first mold. The Stratosphere was PDGA approved at the end of 2021, and the first run was selected for the Infinite Discs VIP club and sent out in early 2022. Since then, the Stratosphere was released to the public. The plastic for those first runs is called Lift Plastic, a nod to flight in general, birds and discs.

The disc-making duo is planning their next disc, which will be a higher-speed driver. They are still in the early phases of development for that disc, so it will still be a while before it is released. However, they have more lined up for the future besides new molds.

Currently, Jamin and Eric are experimenting with plastics, including adding agents into the Lift Plastic that will allow them make the lighter weight discs that are popular among beginning disc golfers. They don’t have that process down yet, so it may be a while before they can release lighter discs. Until then, they’ll keep experimenting with plastic and working on new molds.

Following A Dream

 

Eric and Jamin are brothers who share a love of disc golf. They truly enjoy playing with each other and with friends, and just having fun in the outdoors throwing discs! They also share the desire to grow a business, and both have a goal of providing discs for people who want to enjoy our sport. The two brothers are excited about the future of their company and the sport of disc golf. They love the growth that disc golf has seen the past few years, and are happy to be a part of increasing that growth. The fact that they are able to produce their discs here in Cache Valley makes chasing their dreams all the better.

Follow the progress of Eric and Jamin on their website here:  Wing It Disc Golf

Be sure to visit Infinite Discs to see the Wing It Discs we have in stock, here: Infinite Discs

Post below and tell us what you think of Wing it Disc Golf’s first disc. Have you thrown it? Let us know what you think.

 

The State of Disc Golf: Disc Golf Con

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Throughout the course of the State of Disc Golf survey results bogs, I’ve mentioned the effects of the pandemic on our sport. Everything from supply issues affecting our purchases to our attendance at tournaments were affected to some degree by Covid-19. Infinite Discs was no different.

If you’ve been shopping with Infinite, or have been following our social media, you’ll know that the past two years have been challenging and at time frustrating as we grappled with supply chain issues. Just as the number of people who were playing disc golf skyrocketed, many of our suppliers were having trouble making the products that we, and other retailers, desperately wanted to have to sell to our customers.

While all retailers were in the same boat when it came to keeping stocked with the discs we wanted, there was one aspect of the pandemic that cut a little deeper for us. That would be the forced postponement of what was to be the inaugural Disc Golf Con.

 

Disc Golf Con

 

In case you aren’t familiar with Disc Golf Con, it was going to be a convention dedicated to the fans of disc golf. There were going to be flymarts with vendors selling disc golf goodies, professional disc golfers running a variety of clinics, limited edition discs for attendees, the option to caddy for pros, the option to play with the pros, and it would have opportunities to attend panels and a swap meet. Attendees would also have the opportunity to watch the top pros in our sport play for $84,000 cash!

The Disc Golf Con (DGC) was going to be held in Las Vegas in conjunction with the Las Vegas Challenge. We worked hard to prepare for the DGC.  We worked with pros, a hotel/convention center, and Wild Horse Golf Course to plan for a successful convention. Then, in January came a spike in the number Covid-19 cases and the decision was made to postpone DGC until 2023.

While it was very disappointing to put in the work preparing for the DGC, only to have it postponed, we also feel like we learned a lot and the inaugural event next year will be better because of our experiences. Which brings us to the topic of this week’s survey results: your thoughts about Disc Golf Con.

Were You Going?

 

In our survey we asked several questions about the Disc Golf Con. We asked if you had been planning on attending, and if not, what might make you change your mind. We also asked about your opinions on several aspects of the convention that we had planned. Below are the results.

The first question we asked was simply, “Were you planning on attending the Inaugural Disc Golf Con?”

Here are the results:

While only a small percentage of us indicated that we were planning on attending for sure, we were confident that those numbers would rise as the convention got closer. Between those who had already purchased tickets, those on the fence, and those who were just learning about DGC, we felt like there would be enough people attend to make the convention a success.

 

Not Going to Attend

 

The next thing we wanted to find out in the survey was why people weren’t going to attend. We had a list of responses, and allowed people to add their reasons if they weren’t on our list. The overwhelming majority of the ‘other’ responses were because of scheduling or responsibilities that prevented people from getting time off to attend. Many people chose more than one answer. Here are the results of the options offered:

 

 

The most popular answer is location. We’ll explore that a little more in the next section. The next highest answer is time. You would definitely have to use some vacation days to attend a multi-day event. Ten percent of us are still concerned about the pandemic, and nearly 20% of us wouldn’t attend because of the costs.

 

Motivation

 

The next question was for people who indicated that they definitely were not attending DGC. We asked what it would take for them to attend. Since it took a while to get through all of the answers!

After dismissing all of the responses that wouldn’t ever happen, such as covering for people at their job while they were in Vegas or babysitting for them, we were left with a good idea of what would get the most people to attend. Below is a list of the top 5 answers.

 

 

Hands down, the top response was location. Not that everyone disliked Vegas in general, although many specifically mentioned that they didn’t want to go there. It was mainly just too inconvenient to travel that far to attend a convention. Many in the survey indicated that they would attend a regional disc golf convention. Others said it would have to be in their home town for them to attend. While having a DGC in every major city would be impossible, having one more centrally located is something to consider.

The second most popular response was concerns about Covid. Some people were concerned about being around that many people at an indoor event. Others were mainly concerned about traveling in a plane during a pandemic. We sincerely hope that Covid will be much less of a factor next year.

The next three responses on the list are things could be considered and/or implemented. They are: Virtual options, all-inclusive packages (flight, hotel, tickets to the convention, etc.), and more unique swag.

 

Ticket Pricing

 

The next DGC-related question concerned the cost for tickets to the convention. We put a lot of thought into the ticket pricing, given everything you would get for your ticket. We felt it was a fair price, and certainly in the range of other large conventions. Here are how those who were not attending thought about the ticket prices.

 

 

Over half of the respondents either thought that the price was what we could expect for a convention of this size, or that the price wasn’t preventing them from attending. Over 46% indicated that they would pay less than $100 for tickets, with about 20% saying they would buy tickets if they were under $50, and nearly 27% saying they would spend between $50-100 for tickets.

 

Excited/Don’t Care

 

The final question about DGC we wanted to cover in the survey was to see which aspects of the convention appealed to you. We asked you to rank those events on a scale from ‘Don’t Care’ to ‘Very Excited’

Let’s start with the list of events that respondents are very excited about. Below is the list. I was surprised to see the high-stakes rounds rank so low. That was one of the things I was most looking forward to! Topping the list is people’s desire to get something unique from the event.

 

Conversely, below is the list of things that are the least appealing:

 

DGC Next Year

 

We are looking forward to next year and the inaugural Disc Golf Con. We are already planning and preparing so we can make sure it is a memorable event, and one that will grow and become better in the future. We’ll start making announcements as soon as we can. We sure hope to see you there!

 

 

 

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