Best Disc Golf Discs for Beginners
If you’re stepping into the world of disc golf, you’ve probably noticed that their are a lot of different discs to choose from. Believe us, by trying to keep more than a hundred thousand discs in stock, we know just how many different discs there are. The choices can be overwhelming, but we are here to help you out. A new feature of our website shows exactly the most recommended disc golf discs for beginners.
Infinite Discs began in 2012 with a focus on disc reviews. We encouraged reviewers (disc golfers of all skill levels) to rate and review the different disc golf discs that they have thrown. In the review section, one of the criteria reviewers select is “beginner friendliness.”
The lists compiled below show you the most recommended discs for beginners. This is the perfect place to start if you’re trying to figure out what the best disc is for you.
Now, just because a disc is most recommended for beginners doesn’t guarantee that it will be the best disc for you or any other beginner. Because these lists are autogenerated based on overall recommendations, the general “most popular” discs are the ones that rank highest. There are many great beginner discs from lesser known brands and disc molds that simply don’t make the list because they just haven’t been reviewed enough. Be sure to check out the comments at the bottom of the page for more disc selection advice from beginners — or at least those who once were beginners.
Here are the top 10 lists of the most recommended golf discs for beginners:
Overall Most Recommended Disc Golf Discs for Beginners
- Discraft Buzzz: The Buzzz is the Swiss Army knife of midrange discs—versatile, reliable, and essential for any beginner looking to sharpen their game.
- Innova Mako3: A true magician on the course, the Mako3 effortlessly glides through the air, making it the go-to midrange for players seeking control and consistency.
- Dynamic Discs Judge: The Judge rules the putting green with an iron grip, offering a dependable and comfortable feel in the hands of disc golf novices.
- Infinite Discs Sphinx: The Sphinx, like its namesake, unlocks secrets to effortless distance for beginners, making it a trusted companion for those finding their flight.
- Axiom Envy: The Envy is not just a putter; it’s a confidence booster, granting beginners the power to approach every shot with poise and precision.
- Innova Leopard: The Leopard, a timeless classic, is a gateway to fairway mastery, blending speed and control for a smooth ride through the course.
- Innova Aviar: The Aviar, a putting maestro, is the trusted ally for beginners honing their short game skills and seeking reliability in every throw.
- Infinite Discs Tomb: The Tomb, with its mystical flight, digs deep into the hearts of players, offering a unique and enjoyable experience on the disc golf journey.
- Innova TeeBird: The TeeBird, a true workhorse, is a fairway driver that beginners can rely on for accuracy and control, making it an indispensable part of any bag.
- Axiom Virus: The Virus infects the course with enthusiasm, giving beginners a taste of dynamic distance and a contagious passion for the game.See the entire list of most recommended beginner discs here.
Let’s break it down by category—drivers, midranges, and putters—because each phase of your game deserves its own spotlight.
Most Recommended Distance Drivers for Beginners
Many so called disc golf experts never recommend distance drivers for beginners at all. Most beginner sets don’t include a distance driver because new players don’t have the arm speed for a high speed disc and so make up for it by learning bad form and habits. This may be true in some cases, but when a beginner has the right distance driver, it will go farther for them than other discs. New players can still get a full flight path out of distance drivers if the disc is the right stability for their arm speed. In my experience, distance is the #1 thing new disc golfers want more of, so consider trying one of these most recommended distance drivers for beginners. Lighter weight discs are generally more understable and easier to throw so consider choosing from lighter weights of the following:
- Innova Mamba
- Infinite Discs Maya
- Lone Star Tumbleweed
- Discraft Avenger SS
- Latitude 64 Sapphire
- MVP Wave
- Infinite Discs Aztec
- Lone Star Curl
- Axiom Virus
- Infinite Discs I-Blend Pharaoh
See the full list of recommended distance drivers for new players.
Best Fairway Drivers for Beginners
Fairway drivers are the usual driver type found in disc golf starter sets because these are just great discs for beginners. For those new to disc golf, the feel and flight of a golf discs is substantially different than a traditional frisbee. The fairway drivers recommended for beginners are typically understable in nature to provide good distance and a straighter flight path. If you’re looking for your first driver as a beginner I personally recommend and understable, low speed fairway driver.
I find it interesting that this list has several discs like the Dynasty, Teebird, and Exodus that I wouldn’t describe as understable. These discs are recommended for new players because in addition to a straight flying control drirer, it’s also nice to have discs that will provide a consistent fade, not easily turn over, and handle windy conditions. In addition, remember that these lists are auto generated based on the number of recommendations by reviewers, so the more popular discs are more likely it is to have “highly recommended” for beginners votes.
If you prefer forehand throws, you’ll probably also want to consider a fairway driver with a bit more overstability.
Here is the list of the most recommended fairway drivers for beginners:
- Latitude 64 River
- Innova Leopard
- Infinite Discs Centurion
- Infinite Discs Dynasty
- Infinite Discs Sphinx
- Innova Teebird
- Infinite Discs Exodus
- Axiom Crave
- Innova Leopard3
- Wing It Disc Golf Stratosphere
Full list of best fairway drivers for new players.
Most Recommended Midrange Discs for Beginners
Midranges are a great choice for new players. If you’re going to play disc golf with only a single disc, a midrange is an excellent choice. I find it interesting that this list consists primarily of neutral flying midranges. For a true beginner or low arm speed player, I would recommend a more understable mid, but all of the midranges most recommended for beginners are discs that you can grow with. They are good for new players, but professionals also use these discs for controlled shots where they want a perfectly straight flight through a tunnel of trees.
- Innova Mako3
- Discraft Buzzz
- Axiom Hex
- Axiom Paradox
- Infinite Discs Chariot
- Infinite Discs Anubis
- Dynamic Discs Truth
- TSA Pathfinder
- Discraft Sol
- Latitude 64 Fuse
Full list of most recommended midrange discs.
Best Putters for Beginners
Putters are the most universally applicable style of disc golf disc. Because of their more blunt rim and slower speed, it’s usually not too difficult for a player to throw most putter varieties and keep the flight mostly straight. With that said, these are the most recommended disc golf putters for beginners:
- Axiom Envy
- Infinite Discs Alpaca
- MVP Glitch
- Infinite Discs Tomb
- Dynamic Discs Judge
- TSA Praxis
- Kastaplst Berg
- Latitude 64 Pure
- Lone Star Discs Armadillo
- Dynamic Discs Emac Judge
View full list of all the highest rated beginner putt and approach discs.
Best Understable Discs for Beginners
For beginners stepping onto the disc golf scene, the guidance often leans toward the embrace of understable discs, and with good reason. These discs, designed to veer right for right-handed backhand throws, are ideal for players who are still honing their technique and building arm speed. Understable discs allow novices to achieve more distance and a straighter flight path. Unlike their stable or overstable counterparts, understable discs demand less arm speed, making them easier to get a full flight and more distance out of. For recreational disc golfers, it’s not just about mastering the throw; it’s about enjoying the flight, and understable discs offer a smoother, more satisfying journey for beginners finding their rhythm on the course.
These are the most recommended understable golf discs for new players:
- Latitude 64 River
- Innova Leopard
- Axiom Paradox
- Infinite Discs Sphinx
- Innova Mamba
- Discraft Sol
- Innova Leopard 3
- Infinite Discs Maya
- Latitude 64 Fuse
- Lone Star Discs BB6
See the entire list of most recommended understable drivers.
Most Recommended Discs for Beginners by Brand
Do you have a favorite disc golf Brand?
If you’re familiar with a disc golf brand and want to see which of their discs are the best for beginners, be sure to check out the most recommended disc golf discs for beginners for each of the following brands:
- Innova Discs
- Infinite Discs
- Discraft Discs
- MVP Discs
- Axiom Discs
- Latitude 64
- Discmania Discs
- Thought Space Athletics Discs
- Dynamic Discs
- Prodigy Discs
- Lone Star Discs
- Clash Discs
- Kastaplast Discs
- Westside Discs
- Gateway Discs
- Yikun Discs
- DGA Discs
- RPM Discs
- Innova Drivers
- Innova Midrange Discs
- Innova Putters
- Discraft Drivers
- Discraft Midrange Discs
- Discraft Putters
- MVP Drivers
- MVP Midrange Discs
- MVP Putters
- Latitude 64 Drivers
- Latitude 64 Midrange Discs
- Latitude 64 Putters
- Discmania Drivers
- Discmania Midrange Discs
- Discmania Putters
- Dynamic Discs Drivers
- Dynamic Discs Midrange Discs
- Dynamic Discs Putters
- Prodigy Drivers
- Prodigy Midrange Discs
- Prodigy Putters
What makes a disc good for beginners?
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Alan
Alan Barker is the founder and owner of Infinite Discs and has tried more different disc golf molds than just about anyone on the planet.
The MVP Uplink was the first disc that really just flew for me. Not knowing what my arm speed would be, the Uplink proved a great choice for this beginner. If I didn’t have that disc with me the first time I went to a course, I don’t think I’d have kept playing (Axiom Paradox works if you can’t find an Uplink in stock). Axiom discs work slightly better for me than the MVP discs they slot between. I’m sure it’s because I need to throw understable discs to achieve the intended flight paths.
Everyone recommends the Buzzz, but for me the Buzzz SS was a better choice. My shots with the SS just worked better than the Buzzz.
For more distance, the Cicada is a great new release that everyone should try.
Try the Axiom Envy or Proxy (approach/putter) in Neutron Soft plastic if/when you can find it. They feel great in your hand and fly well.
Innova discs have something in every flight number you can think of. The Alien is a fun new disc that feels good in DX or Star plastic. It’s better to experience that disc than to try and describe it. I bought a DX version, used it on the course for approach and “what should I throw” shots and loved it.
Buy the disc because you think it looks cool. Spend a couple extra $ on a premium plastic if it feels better in your hand. Enjoy the experience, laugh at the accidents and errant throws. Be prepared to search 30 minutes for a disc you SWORE was right over here in the rough (it isn’t). A shorter throw in the fairway is better than a long distance out of bounds shot or a lost disc. Consistency and repeatability are more important than distance (I hear distance improves over time).
Have fun!
I think this post is based on a good idea, but it falls short in execution. A list of the 10 best discs for beginners that includes a Sphinx and a Virus is already suspect. . . while these are great discs, I doubt many folks, when asked, would include them among the top 10 beginner discs.
You subtly admit as much yourself, telling us that the lists are automatically generated based on sales data. You switch back and forth between calling these the “best” discs and the “most recommended” discs. There’s a difference.
You describe 3 things that make a disc good for beginners. That’s fine, but those aren’t the criteria that were used to generate your lists. There’s a disconnect.
Honestly, if you’re going to go through the trouble of putting out some “best for beginners” advice, I would hope it’d be some thoughtfully curated suggestions as opposed to just sales data dressed up with caveats and subtle disclaimers.
Thanks for the feedback Bob.
This is the reason that we ask people like you for the actual feedback to determine the “best discs for the beginners.”
Like the article states, once we get feedback, we will go back and edit the article to also include what reviewers say the best discs are rather than just what the computer auto generates based on disc reviews. This is why comments are so important, just like what we did in our farthest flying discs post.
Also, these lists aren’t generated based on sales data, but on review data when a reviewer checks the “highly recommended for beginners” drop down when performing a review. So yes, discs that sell more are more likely to be reviewed more often, but the lists themselves have nothing to do with sales data.
And in my opinion, a light weight Infinite Discs Sphinx absolutely is one of the best beginner drivers. It’s my 14 year old sons go to disc.
Hi Alan, thanks for the thoughtful response!
My recommendations for starter discs would be a putter and a neutral mid, just like your article suggests. I started out with an Aviar, a P Model US, and a Judge. An Alpaca and a Myth would be solid choices too, I think. The mids I used were an Element and an M4. Both of those served me well.
I personally would steer folks away from drivers initially. I had a Champion Leopard and a dx Archangel early on and struggled with both. After a few months, however, I threw a lightweight dx Leopard and was amazed at how far it went, so I’d definitely recommend that disc once you’re throwing your putters and mids well.
Thanks for the opportunity to contribute!
Bob
When I started out I got a DX Innova starter pack which included a Wraith for the driver. It was bad. Way too fast and overstable. I couldn’t get that thing to go anywhere. But then a friend gave me a Millennium Polaris LS, and it was night and day! I would highly recommend the Polaris LS or another slower neutral to slightly US driver to beginners. Leopard is a good one for sure.
For mids I certainly lean towards a Buzzz like so many others do, but I wonder if something more truly neutral like an ESP Comet might not be better for beginners. I certainly wish I had gotten a Comet much sooner in my disc golf journey. It’ll get you better quicker if you’re patient with it.
Putters are so personal because feel is a big deal. I’d recommend a neutral disc, but most of all I’d recommend going to a shop and feeling up putters. What feels best in your hand? Get that one. Then go practice with it to learn how it putts.
I like to throw understable discs, so my suggestions are all of that variety.
Driver: Westside Underworld
High understability coupled with a high glide make for a great disc off the tee pad. It can also be used to teach how to hyzerflip.
Midrange: TSA Mana
TSA has the best stamps in the game, and this slightly understable midrange will serve new players trying to hit gaps with straight shots.
For putting, I agree with the poster above. There are plenty of great putters, but the best putter is the one that works best for you. If you have a disc golf store near you, go there and put hands on putters till you find one that suits you. I like to putt with Rainmakers, but I’ve used everything from P2s to Pures to Xings.
I wish I had found the infinite Sphinx when I first started. The understableness makes it quite a bit easier for a beginner, it is great for distance shots. It was the first disc I ever aced with (380feet downhill)
For a slower speed, the MVP relay has been a great control disc and would be great for beginners as well.
I literally learned to play with a Discraft Buzzz. I played with only midrange/putter discs for my first six weeks, and I threw a Buzzz on 70%+ of my throws. The next step up was my Infinite Discs Exodus – an easy to control, very satisfying straight fairway driver. As I moved into distance drivers, it was the Infinite Discs Maya – the first real driver I could throw far and accurately. I wish I’d had an Infinite Discs Tomb to start as a putter, but I’ve since found out how nice it is. 😉 I still play rounds using just these four discs.
Other, honorable mention, discs I believe work well for beginners are the Discraft Sol (perfect for learning the hyzer-flip) and the Infinite Discs Dynasty – a beautiful flying, long, straight disc that I grew into as I played more.
Cool
I would give a new player a light weight DX Leopard as their first disc. New players want to see a disc that flies and that gives any semblance of an S curve. Almost any new player can achieve that from a Leopard with just a little practice. A light weight VIP air Underworld would be my next choice. Very floaty and will hyzer flip with very little power.
Midrange would be a Piwakawaka. Lots of glide and VERY straight with almost no fade. Also works well with very little power. Second choice is Mako 3.
Putters are a little different. They can have drastically different styles but for the most part they behave the same within about 25ft. An Aviar or one of the many clones would be a good start but really anything that feels good in the hand would suffice. I would start a little on the stable/ over stable side though.
I started about a month ago and now have about 100 discs. My go to discs are: the Mako3, the Roc3, Fuze, an exo link putter, and a judge, a Dart, the beast, the leopard, also the teebird. Using the listed discs, I feel I have the most control and accuracy.
I’ve picked up a few dozen different discs over the last two years and tried to encourage several people (ranging from an 11-yr old nephew to in-laws in their 80s!) to give disc golf a try by letting them try out a variety of my discs to see what works best for them. As a rule, understable discs are the ones that give them their best distance, with midranges giving the control & mostly straight flight that gives them more confidence in tighter spaces. (The Discmania Origin has worked well, and I’m a fan of the Yikun Zheng.) I haven’t seen them work enough with putters to give any specific models the nod over others.
For transparency, the brands I have more complete sets of for people to try out are Innova, Yikun, Infinite, Viking and Divergent. As it happens, most of my Innova ones have proved too stable still for these beginners, except my older beat-in DX’s (Leopard, Teebird, Orc), and maybe the Pro Katana (my nephew always asks to use that one); same with my Infinite discs, except maybe my old beat-in Maya. (The Sphinx might be a good one, too, but it’s on order so I can’t say for certain yet). In general the beginners’ ability with drivers isn’t too hot, and yet in open spaces they have often gotten their best drives with a few understable fairway drivers like the 7-speed Yikun View, the 8-speed Yikun Gou, and oddly enough the very understable, light-weight, glidy 12-speed Divergent Basilisk (my wife uses this as her primary disc now — except in headwinds).
If the players are in “prime” years (late teens through 30s) and/or reasonably fit or athletic so they are naturally putting more force behind things they throw, then some other discs have proven to be a good fit too: the 7-speed Viking Cosmos, the 9-speed Yikun Hu, and rather consistently the 10-speed Viking Berserker netted them some very good results. I would surmise that other brands’ discs with similar speeds and stability would likewise suit beginners well in similar conditions.
Of course it is helpful to have some slightly less understable ones on hand as well (or to disc up) when they have to throw into headwinds. Depending on what they normally throw, the Cosmos and the 7-speed Infinite Centurion might make a couple good options for these scenarios.
If I had to give a new player one disc, it’d have to be the understable Westside Tursas (5,5,-2,1) midrange. One thing I lacked when I first started was armspeed, and the Tursas was one of the first discs I was able to turn over. Additionally, it became my go-to for approach shots because I could release it on a predictable hyzer line all the way to the basket—scored a nice number of 50’+ throw-ins for me. Now being a bit more experienced, I still love it for approaches and find it to be an incredibly workable disc for technical lines, hyzer flips, and adjustable anhyzer turnovers.
My favourite beginner discs are the midranges. They fly straight and do what you expect even for less powerful throwers. For a couple of years I played with only midranges and putt and approach discs. As I got better I could throw drivers and get them to do what they’re supposed to do and get distance. My favourites are Discmania MD3, Axiom Hex. Latitude 64 Fuse, Discmania P1 and P2, Axiom Envy. My putters have not changed, I can’t find any I like more than the P1 and P2. I still carry 2 MD3 in my bag. And 2 Fuses. My favourite company and most recommended for beginners due to the reliability and feel of the plastics is Discmania. All the best! Play disc golf every day!!
The leopard served me well starting out. I still bag it but moved to somewhat more stable discs.
The buzzz is what I recommend as a single disc to have (usually with a putter).
I had someone recommend the archangel as a beginner disc and I think I would have liked that one starting out.
To be honest, the Innova starter pack is pretty much ideal.
The only change I might make is to increase the weight of the putter for easier throws at the basket. Most other brands’ packs are good too, with a neutral midrange and a slightly understable fairway driver (preferrably under Speed 9, but 7 is more realistic for new players).
If your new to disc golf start with only throwing 9 speed and slower discs! Understable is best to begin with. Infinite Disc Dynasty is my favorite disc for new beginners in the Fairway category. For midranges I would recommend an Innova Mako3 or a Lat64 Claymore. Discraft Buzzz SS is another solid choice. Putters I suggest an Axiom Envy or Innova Aviar. Putting Putters always buy in person, sorry Infinite Discs… I believe you want a disc that feels comfortable in your hands when putting and you can spend a lot of money on Putters that end up sitting on your shelf if you buy them online. Once you find that putter though, buy 5 more just like it from Infinite Discs!
The two first discs I ever bought for myself were a Innova DX Leopard and a Prodigy 300 PA-4. I loved both of them! The biggest tip when buying discs when your new is get straight (neutral discs) or flippy (understable discs). Discs like the Paradox, Uplink, M4, Mako3, Anubis, Akon Tiki, Sol, etc. (all of these are midranges). I think keeping the game simple while you are learning is much better than getting too many discs. Pick 2-4 discs and a putting putter and just go play a lot with them. Learn how they fly. Learn how to throw them on every angle. Just get the basics down on the throw and just go out and enjoy yourself! I feel like when you get too many discs too quick, you get caught up in trying to figure out what each one does and you never actually just get to learn the throw and enjoy the game!
My suggestions for Putters:
Pilot, PA-3, PA-4, PA-5, Proxy, Challenger SS, Aviar, Tomb, Fierce, Pure
My suggestions for Fairway Drivers:
F5, F7, Underworld, River, Roadrunner, Diamond, Centurion, Sphinx
My suggestions for distance drivers:
Don’t, until you can throw 350+
Captain, Maya, D4, D6, Sapphire, Thrasher, Hades, Nuke SS, Deadlus
While I agree with all the other posts saying that beginners should start with neutral and understable discs if they want to get the best flight, I feel like beginners should also be exposed to slower speed overstable discs as well because they will eventually want to be able to throw them. They might as well start getting used to them from the get go and can measure their progress based on how well they can get them to fly. Something like a pig, zone, harp, or even a Roc could serve as a great approach disc that a beginner could work on forhands with as well since all they need is a little snap of the wrist. It will be much easier to aim and get the nose angle right to throw forehands than backhands. Plus they can work on getting spin. As for me, I felt I could throw overstable discs better than understable ones since I would often overpower understable discs. I found overstable discs to be much more reliable and easier to control than understable discs. I think it’s important for beginners to get used to and compare the different stabilities. The hardest thing to do as a beginner is to get the disc to fly flat and to aim when throwing a backhand. Most people start out throwing super nose up and will release the disc either too early or too late. I always encourage someone who is starting out to work on their backhand starting with a standstill and trying to get them to shift their weight and focus on release point and get used to the feeling of not “arming” the disc. I feel like there is no real point in having a beginner throw a fairway driver until they can at least get the disc flying somewhat flat since anyone working on their form is not going to have a huge difference in distance betweeen different speeds. I agree something like a Teebird / rival, Leopard, shark, buzz, or hex are going to be the most versatile and allow the player to practice throwing on different angles . Something with more glide is going to be more encouraging as well. A good bridge between fairway and distance is using something understable to stable like a sidewinder, mantra, Maya, essence, or sail. As for putting, it should be all about feel and depth of the putter. Depending on the person, some will prefer deeper or shallower putters. Most popular putters (P2, Aviar, judge, pa-3, envy, pure etc.) also are great throwing putters as well. As for putting tips, before trying to decide if you’re a push or spin putter, it helps to keep things simple. Just try to shake hands with that basket.
Beginner putter: Aviar
Beginner mid: Discmania Origin
Beginner fairway: Latitude 64 Diamond
Beginner driver: Westide Queen
It really helped me to improve by watching the pros play
First of all , not all beginners are right handed , so you should specify which discs are best for each player. As a Lefty , I first started with just a putter….To be specific I started with a DD starter pack and practiced with a putter to build my arm strength , and I practiced this for about 3 months , just throwing it straight….lol. But I decided to go the Innova side. I tried Westside and DD a without much success or comfort.
I like the Innova brand …..it’s a pretty simple disc and I’ve been playing 3 years this February….I play with the DX brand and my list is , Driver ( Dragon , Leopard , Teebird , Valkyrie , TL3 and The Archangel for those (Dog Leg Left Understable Shots). I Use a Firebird for those (Overstable shots)
For a Midrange , I go Makko 3 , Skeeter , and Stingray……For My Putter , I stuck with the Judge and Guard in (classic plastic) The Gateway Series of Voodoo , Wizard , and Warlock….and last , but not least ,The Daredevil Discs Woodchuck…..
Hope this was helpful for those who throw “ Left Handed”
First sentence, there. Cmon man