Introducing Lone Star Disc

Infinite Discs carries over 55 brands of discs! We started this blog series to introduce you to some of the brands and molds that you might not be as familiar with. Each week we will spotlight a different company and tell you a little more about them. Because of Covid shutdowns our supply of discs was severely affected. Therefore, we may not have all of the molds from all of the brands we will talk about. But, it might put a few more molds on your radar for the future. This week we are back in Texas to learn about Lone Star Disc.

Back to Texas

 

About 40 miles north of Houston lies the city of Conroe, Texas. It is the county seat and boasts a population of about 92,000 people. There are a handful of disc golf courses in the city. And one disc golf company: Lone Star Disc.

Lone Star Launched in 2020 by Travis Dillard and his family. Travis and his brother, Synjin, have been playing disc golf recreationally for the past 20 years. As their interest in the sport grew they started to consider manufacturing their own discs. Lone Star Disc is veteran owned and operated, and their family helps run the business.

First Approved Molds

 

The first two molds that were approved for the company were the Penny Putter and the Middy. A month later, the Mockingbird was approved. The Penny Putter is a straight-flying beadless putter with little turn and a nice fade at the end. The Middy is a good wind fighter with a flight similar to a Roc3, but with a little more glide. The Mockingbird is an understable control driver. It has a little turn, but a dependable fade. In addition to those three molds, Lone Star also has a good mid/approach disc with the versatile Harpoon. They also have the Mad Cat, which is a straight control driver with a moderate fade at the end. The Mad Cat is also one of the hot sellers for Lone Star Disc.

Just last month the PDGA approved the next mold in the Lone Star lineup, the Bowie. It is the company’s foray into high-speed discs. The Bowie is a speed 13, overstable driver. Excellent for forehand drives, especially in a headwind. Beyond that, they have an understable Mid and a more stable high-speed driver in the works.

Plastic Types

 

Currently, Lone Star offers a couple different plastic types: Bravo Plastic and two firmness’s of Victor Plastic. The Victor plastics are used in their putters. Victor 1, or just ‘Victor’, is a much softer blend than the Victor 2. Both Victor Plastics are grippy and fairly durable. The Bravo Plastic also comes in Glow Plastic for some molds.

A Pro On Board

 

Despite being a fairly young company, Lone Star Disc is sponsoring a pro for the 2021 season. Tanner Girouard, PDGA #88077, will be out on his first DGPT season. Tanner is a ‘local’ from the Houston area, and has been a huge supporter of the vision being created by Lone Star. He ha

s numerous wins in his career and will now match his skills with the best in the world on the tour.

In The Future…

The folks at Lone Star Disc are excited about their future in the sport. Their molds that are currently available are just the beginning, and they have big plans moving forward. They want to design more molds that fly like they are meant to fly. And they want to have a big enough variety of molds and flights so that people can throw exclusively Lone Star, and have all of the flights covered. And they are shooting for next quarter to roll out the next molds.

The sport of disc golf has been growing at a fast pace for quite a while. Lone Star believes that trend will continue. With more people playing and experiencing the awesome feeling of watching the beautiful flight of a well-thrown disc, the more people will share their love with friends and family. That love, along with the growth of live tour coverage will expose even more people to the sport. And as disc golf grows, Lone Star will be there to provide the disc molds that people want!

 

Check out Infinite Discs’ selection of Lone Star molds here:

https://infinitediscs.com/category/Lone-Star-Disc

 

Comment About Lone Star Disc

 

We want to hear from you about Lone Star!

If you’ve thrown a Lone Star disc, which one(s) did you throw, and how did you like it?

If you haven’t thrown a Lone Star disc, which one would you most like to try?

 

Last Week: Elevation Discs

 

Last week we looked at Elevation Discs. We selected three random people who commented on that blog. Here are the winners:

Ben K

Jon W

Frederick B

Congrats! We’ll get your disc shipped out shortly.

Customer Questions and Infinite Discs Answers

Infinite Discs recently asked on Facebook if anybody had any questions for us. Our original intention was to produce a video with the answers to the questions that were posted. However, we became so busy with the business of adding and shipping inventory that we didn’t get the time necessary to complete the video. So, rather than keep you waiting, here are some of those questions along with some simple answers. We hope that you find them informative.

INVENTORY QUESTIONS

Q: When are you going to restock [ fill in the blank ]?

A: We restock all brands and discs as fast as we can. However, if a certain disc model is not available at the manufacturer, we can’t restock it. We can only restock what has been manufactured and is ready to ship out to retailers. As soon as discs are available again from the manufacturers, we order more.

Q: How has the Global Pandemic effected Disc Sales?

A: Disc sales have increased, often dramatically, during the pandemic. That is the reason why manufacturers can’t keep up. That is why many of the most popular discs seem hard to find– the supply has been unable to meet the increased demand.

Q: Which disc is most commonly purchased?

A: The most popular discs purchased can vary week to week. We post “Top 20 Tuesday” charts on this blog which allow you to see how disc sales are moving week to week. But we also post best-seller charts for entire years. We can only track sales through Infinite Discs, but that can give you a very good idea of what is popular. Traditionally, for putters, you’ll find the P2, Aviar, and Judge frequently need the top, and for drivers, you’ll find Destroyer, Wraith, and Zeus are often leading the pack, when available.

Here is where you can search for past “Top 20 Tuesday” charts:

https://blog.infinitediscs.com/category/top-twenty-tuesday/

Here is an example of a post showing sales for an entire year:

Best Disc Golf Discs of 2023

Q: What are the biggest challenges you have faced with the increase in disc golf popularity?

A: From a retailer standpoint, the biggest challenge with the recent growth in disc golf is the availability of discs. It can be very challenging finding products to meet the demands of the growing number of players.

Q: How many discs do you sell each week?

A: We sell a lot of discs every week, but we don’t usually give exact numerical data to the public. Our charts and stats that we openly publish are usually comparisons– looking at sales of one disc compared to another, etc. to show percentage differences, or percentage growth, etc.  But since you asked, we’ll just say that yesterday (March 4th) we sold 2217 discs.

Q: When will there be some infinite jackets again?

A: That is a very good questions. We should get on that! We don’t focus as much energy on apparel as we should. Thanks for the reminder!

Q: Does your market share give you any leverage with manufacturer’s production process in any way?

A: Yes, it does.. Thanks in part to our VIP Club, we have been able to develop relationships and leverage with manufacturers that allows us to order special runs of discs or plastics that are not in regular production. That has become more difficult with manufacturing being so overwhelmed for the last few months, but we keep trying to get those special runs into the queue.

Q: Will Infinite be releasing any understable mids like the Sol or Meteor, or putters like the Sonic or Mirage?

A: Yes, a very understable mid-range / approach disc has been in the plans for the Infinite Discs brand and has been on order since early 2020. However, the overwhelming stress on the manufacturing at Innova has caused a repeated delay of that easy-to-throw, understable approach disc. We plan to call it the Kon Tiki. Hopefully it will see the light of day in 2021, but we don’t know when at this point.

Q: Why do some disc come in a variety of colors while others only seem to come in a couple?

A: First of all, as a retailer, we are not able to pick and choose colors when we restock discs from the manufactures. We get whatever they send to us. Some of the larger manufacturers make a variety of colors, since they are running large enough quantities to justify the color changes during the production run. Other smaller manufacturers tend to only include a color or two every run because they are making smaller quantities. We’ve noticed that some smaller manufacturers who run only one or two thousand discs at a time will only hit one color in that run. It’s most likely due to production costs and efficiency. Then maybe the next time they run a different color.

Q: How do you decide on which discs to stock up on?

A: We try to stock up on all of the discs that are on the market. However, the quantities that we stock are driven by previous sales history. If a particular disc has had a strong sales history, then we try to restock a lot more of them than a disc that has not historically sold many. Sometimes a customer will ask, “why don’t you get more of the [ fill in the blank ] discs?” and it’s hard to answer honestly with, “because apparently you are the only person that wants it.” But that’s the way the market has always been driven– larger quantities of products that are popular, and lower quantities of products that only sale occasionally. We have a formula that uses short-term and long-term sales history to predict the needed inventory levels. Of course, if we can’t get a disc because the manufacturer doesn’t have it, then it doesn’t matter what the sales history shows, because we can’t buy what is no longer available.

Q: How do you determine how much to price special stamped discs for?

A: Many times we don’t get to decide the price. Some disc makers determine the price and have what is called an MSRP and a MAP. MSRP means “Manufacturer Suggested Retail Price” which is the price they’d like the stores to sell the discs for. MAP means “Minimum Advertised Price which means that the retailer absolutely cannot list the product for less than that price. So, if a manufacturer says that MAP is $19.99 then we can’t sell it for less. If it is up to Infinite Discs to determine the price, then we’ll usually add a little premium, like an extra dollar or two to cover the stamping costs and the design cost (we have to license images or pay artists for cool artwork).

Q: What factors go into the discs carried by a retailer and what factors go into a mold no longer being produced?

A: The factors that determine what a retailer carries has been discussed above (availability and popularity of the product). When it comes to a disc mold no longer being produced, it is almost always because the demand for that particular mold was very low. If a manufacturer only has so much machine time to produce discs, they will focus on the discs that sell the most rather than dedicate the time and expense to making discs which do not sell well.

Q: Would you consider Infinite Discs molds not produced by Innova?

A: The partnership for our Infinite Discs brand is with Innova. It is planned to stay that way. We do work closely with many other small brands, some of which are produced in partnership with other manufactures.

Q: Why are putters cheaper than other discs?

A: Putters are usually made in softer, “base plastic” (which is cheaper plastic). Since price is determined by the cost of the plastic used to make the disc, those softer plastics tend to be cheaper. Base plastic is preferred for many putters because it has better grip, and you’re not throwing them hard.

Q: Do you have any discs that float in the water?
A: Yes! There are several different brands that make discs specifically designed to float in the water. This link shows you all of those floating discs that are available for sale, including the individual pictures.

Q: How do you determine when a new disc design is actually an improvement and not just new?

A: When it comes to discs, a lot of them do the same things as others. There are many choices for anything from overstable to understable, and it just boils down to player preference and throwing styles. A pro may “need” certain kinds of discs because of their amazing arm speed and power, while recreational players need something completely different. But there are rarely “new” innovations in disc golf discs. If a disc design were to get a little more adventurous, it is likely they wouldn’t pass PDGA approval for competitive use.

Q: What small / smaller company do you see making significant growth and that you will be stocking more this year?

A: We’ve already seen a lot of growth in small brands during 2020 and early 2021. For example, our restock of the Thought Space Athletics MANTRA sold out in a couple of days. Another example is the introductory rubber disc by Elevation Disc Golf which sold out in a couple of hours. While larger manufacturers are struggling to meet demand, this is a great time for small brands to break into the spotlight with products that are often just as exciting and that perform just as well as established brands.

Q: Do Infinite and Millennium use the same molds as other Innova discs or does each named disc have a unique mold at the Innova factory?

A: While we can’t answer about Millennium, we can say that the Infinite Discs molds are often variants and reconfigurations of existing Innova molds. Discs actually take a couple of mold parts to make. To keep it simple there is a mold part for the rim and a mold part for the flight plate (a little more complex than that, but keeping it simple). Different rims and plates can be mated together to create different flight characteristics. Under the terms of our agreement with Innova, we can’t publicize exactly which mold parts are being used for which discs, but often there are older Innova molds in use, or there is a rim for one popular Innova mold being used with the flight plate of a different Innova mold, etc. Some end up looking similar to existing molds, or are throw-backs to previously discontinued molds, or may just be a beaded or non-beaded version of an existing putter. It’s a fun thing to explore and basically gives Infinite Discs a chance to make different Innova mold configurations available to players.

Q: Do you see yourselves stocking Starlite plastic discs again?

A: “Starlite” plastic was a name given to Star plastic when it was run in very light weights. Often that is accomplished by adding micro-bubbles to the plastic in the rim. The same process is used for Blizzard plastic, which is Champion plastic with micro-bubbles in the rim. From what we understand, Innova is simplifying by just calling Star plastic by that name, even when run in lighter weights. Same with Blizzard vs Champion. Usually a disc we receive now that says “Starlite” is from an old run. The newer runs just say Star, even when run in very light weights. So, what you’ll want to do going forward is just look for Star discs in light weights. It’s the exact same thing, just calling it what it is instead of marketing it as something different.

Q: I’ve bought MULTIPLE “factory seconds” and compared them to “regular stock” discs and just can’t find what makes the disc a “second.”

A: First, let’s clarify something that can be confusing. A factory second disc is also called an “X-Out” which is a name created because the top of the disc is marked with an “X” when it comes out of the molding machine to show that it was not considered perfect. X-Out is a disc golf term, and Factory Second is a more generic term for something determined to be less-than-perfect by the factory, but they are one in the same. A “misprint” is usually a disc with stamping problems (multiple stamps, messed up stamps, etc.).

Second, Infinite Discs does not determine what is or is not an X-Out or Factory Second. That is determined by the factory before we receive the discs. We’re not a factory. Factory seconds are sold to us for a lower price, so we then sell them to the customer for a lower price. They are marked as such, either by a special stamp or the little “X” on the disc, so the customer knows it was sold cheaper as a factory second.

Usually it is for very minor cosmetic reasons, like impurities (dirt or flakes) in the plastic, or a little divot in the rim or flight plate, or something that makes it less than perfect, but still a throwable disc. It is not uncommon for our customer service department to receive calls or emails complaining that a factory second that they purchased has a problem. “This has dirt in the disc,” or “this has a small dent in the rim,” etc. Well yes, that’s because the disc was purchased as a discounted factory second, and the imperfection is why it was cheaper.

Back to the original question– sometimes it is very hard to see what the imperfection may be. It might be that the disc was marked as a factory second simply because it was early in the run and the factory wanted to make sure everything was running smoothly before cranking out perfect “stock” discs. Again, we don’t get to determine what qualifies– we just sell them as they are sold to us.

Q: Will companies limit how many discs one person can buy in an order, so more people can get tour series or highly sought after molds and not have to pay $80 or $100?

A: Some manufacturers already limit how many discs the retailers, like us, can get. It is frustrating for us to deal with limitations like that. For example, if all of our customers want a Nate Sexton Firebird, but we can only get 100 of them, there’s no way on earth all of our customer are going to be able to get a disc from us. We can’t sell what we don’t have.

The lack of availability of those desired products is what causes the price to go up very high in the “after market.” The after market is when somebody who was lucky enough to get some then turns around and sells the disc for a huge profit. Why do they do it? Well, because they can. If they buy something for $25 and then see that another person wants to pay $50, then why not? That’s the way supply and demand works. But Infinite Discs is not the after market. So we do not want to inflate the price– we want to make it available at a reasonable price.

With that said, we do struggle with having too few discs for too large of a customer base. To help deal with some of those difficult limitations, we have started to make some of those limited editions available only through our VIP Club Store. Since the VIP Club pays for collectible monthly discs anyway, we felt like they deserve access to other limited editions when we don’t have enough for everybody. Also, the VIP Club members have been very good at following limitations like “One Per Customer” because they don’t want to step on the toes of other VIP Club members. It has been a great way to help distribute those kinds of discs to a smaller audience of collectors who appreciates limited editions.

Our future website development may include a “limit per customer” feature which only allows a pre-determined quantity to be added to a customer’s cart.

Q: What is the most popular non-disc product that you sell?

A: After pulling up a report, we’d have to say that grip enhancers like Whale Sacs and Sportsacks or the most popular, along with towels. We also sell a lot of bags. Also on the rise are disc retrievers, and novelty games like RIPT Revenge.

OTHER SERVICES

Q: Will there be any updates to the Infinite Disc Golf app?

A: We have stopped work on the Infinite Disc Golf app for now. We feel like it was a great, no-cost product that could be used for a variety of score-keeping and statistical purposes. There are other great apps that do the same things very well. Since we use the same developer for our app and for our website, we turned the focus back to updating our website so that it can get a functionality and feature overhaul that it badly needs. But even that has been delayed by the pandemic and other factors. We hope to revisit the app again in the future.

Q: How do I get a tournament sponsored by Infinite Discs?

A: We can’t sponsor every tournament that asks, since there are so many. But we do try to help when we can. We are unable to sponsor tournaments by sending money– we never do that, so if that is what you want, it’s probably best not to ask. However, for smaller events we can sometimes provide fun CTP prizes or little items to give to players. For larger tournaments, we handle those on a case by case basis and usually approach sponsorship in ways that helps the tournament in their fundraising efforts while also providing unique products that we can sell to our customers. We tend to like mutually beneficial arrangements, which is what we feel is best for the marketplace. One-sided relationships are never very fun, right?

Q: What does it look like to build a partnership with a player? Do they need to be 1000 rated to qualify?

A: We have different team levels, so the relationships are different depending on the team level. Most of Team Infinite are simply players that interact positively with their local disc golf scene, have an active social media presence, and are actively trying to grow the sport. Of course we can’t accept everybody, but we try to take a look at those factors. The player rating doesn’t have much to do with those kinds of players. We accept Team Infinite applications at the end of each year so we can pick a team for the next year.

When it comes to professional, touring players, the arrangement will likely be different for each player. We address those agreements individually and support those players through signature discs and in other ways, hoping that they also support and represent the Infinite Discs brand while they’re out competing.

Q: How many members are in the VIP club and how many did you originally start with?

A: We started the VIP Club in May of 2016 with a run of 500 discs. But there were just under 300 people who subscribed to the club at the time. There are currently just over 900 VIP Club subscribers.

Q: Will Infinite Discs be able to make its own stamps in house?

A: We have been stamping in our own warehouse now for a few months. We commission and license artwork frequently for the stamps and also have some stamp designs made by our staff. We love stamps and stamping, since it is another way to create a variety of discs for people with varied tastes.

Q: How do you determine the disc and stamp style for the VIP Club?

A: Since the beginning of the VIP Club, we have taken a lot of effort to get different kinds of discs from many different brands for the monthly featured discs. There have been drivers, mid-ranges, and putters, with some overstable, some understable, some neutral, etc. The more variety, the better. We have also tried to mix it up with the stamp designs, with some stamps looking more edgy, while others are more intricate, or humorous, or visually unique. We don’t want the VIP Club monthly discs to become predictable or the designs to become too common. So we try to keep the journey interesting.

Q: If you were to have a disc warp on you or have too much damage, what would be the best way to attempt to reshape it at home?

A: When we get warped discs in the bulk disc shipments from manufacturers, we deal with it as simply as possible. When discs come in boxes of 50 or 100, they can often shift around and become slightly warped, and this is what we do: We stack them neatly on a shelf with the weight evenly distributed around the rims. We leave them there for a few days. The vast majority of the time they will be perfectly fine after that. This is what we mean by a stack:

When customers have asked us what to do about a warped disc, we often recommend the same approach. Again, when customers stack their other discs neatly on top of the warped one like this and leave them for a couple of days, the disc looks as good as new.

We have found this to be the most effective and least risky way to address a warped disc. We usually do not recommend some of the other more dramatic “fixes” that float around, like microwaving discs with water or other things that can actually damage the disc.

If a disc arrives so badly warped that it won’t repair, we take care of our customers in those cases.

OPERATIONS QUESTIONS

Q: What is the process for stamp design from concept to being pressed?

A: The first step is to find artwork that addresses the artistic need or matches the desired flavor of the release. Sometimes we can find an existing image that has the desired look, in which case we license it so that the artist is paid. In other cases we commission an artist to put together what we’re looking for. Sometimes we design it in house. After the artwork is complete, we have to send the digital image file to a machine shop that will make the metal stamp plate (called a dye). That stamp plate can be rather costly, but it is made so that the stamp can be used over and over again, if necessary. The stamp plate is used on a stamping machine to head the plate and press the foil into the plastic of the disc, which is a delicate, precision process. There are usually several misprints resulting from the initial stamp setup and calibration.

Q: How do you determine which stamps go on a disc?

A: We try to appeal to many different tastes when it comes to stamping. A stamp is art, and like any art, different people like different styles. If we stamp something silly on a disc that one customer thinks is the “stupidest thing I’ve ever seen,” then it is highly likely that those discs are selling fast to other people who think, “this is the funniest thing I’ve ever seen.” One person may like skulls and crossbones, while another may prefer pretty birds or colored patterns. And believe it or not, whatever you think is awesome, somebody else thinks it is ugly. That’s the nature of the beast, so we try to take a couple of steps back and use an approach that has a little something for everybody. Sometimes we look for art that thematically fits the name of the disc. Other times, it is just a cool image, no matter what the disc is called.

Q: When are you going to add scaled weight, flatness/dome, gummy/stiff ratings to your site?

A: Infinite Discs was one of the first online disc sellers to use individual photos of every disc. That was really rather groundbreaking at the time– to get the exact disc you were looking at when you place the order. We have not expanded on that by scaling every disc or flexing them, or looking at the profile, etc. There are several reasons for that. One of them is the cost of labor. It’s already a huge, time consuming process to photograph every disc, upload that photo, add the color and weight data, over and over again for hundreds or thousands of discs a day. That process would be slowed considerably by adding more requirements.

On top of that, we have as many as four people at a time working on disc listings, with different shifts that involved a dozen different people. Not all of those people can eyeball a disc and feel the same way about it, or flex it and decide how flexible it is compared to somebody else’s estimation. One person’s domey disc is another person’s normal disc. One person’s standard disc is another person’s flat disc, based on what they’ve seen before or thrown before. If we hire a college student to help add discs to inventory and then attempt to train them in relative dominess, that could have very mixed results. It’s hard to imagine it being very consistent when handling so many discs. Our customer service department would very likely start receiving calls and emails saying “you said this disc was flat, but it isn’t as flat as my last one…”

The same can go with flexibility.  Often a disc that is flexible is already indicated as such by the plastic name. Innova GStar is “Gummy Star” so you know it is more flexible than Star. An SSS (Super Stupid Soft) Wizard is already known to be more flexible than an SS (Super Soft) Wizard. MVP’s Electron plastic has regular, firm, and soft varieties. Latitude 64 has Zero, Zero Soft, and Zero Hard plastic. Most brands indicate the softness or flexibility in those names. But when it comes to saying if one kind of plastic, like S-Line plastic, is more or less flexible than the last S-Line disc you felt, it gets to be more of a nuance that will change from one person to the next.

With scaled weights, we’ve addressed the reason that we don’t weigh discs in THIS BLOG HERE . In a nutshell, the manufacturers weigh the discs at the factory. The discs come with weights on them (or at least a weight range) so we use the information provided by the factory as determined by their scales. We do not feel like we should alter or change what the manufacturer has declared to be the weight. Can they be wrong sometimes? Yes. Could we be wrong sometimes if we weighed them? Yes. We have chosen to trust the manufacturer and only weigh discs that do not come with a weight indicated on the disc by the factory. We don’t choose to alter the disc or dispute the weight.

With that said, we know that there are retailers who do all of the above. We are grateful for the efforts that they go through to provide that extra service to their customers. We don’t mind recommending those other retailers as options for customers who want a verified weight or to know somebody’s estimation of flexibility and profile. We also fully support and love the pro shops and the brick-and-mortar stores out there, where customers can pick up the disc to feel it and flex it and decide if it is right for them. There is a place for all of us. Marshall Street takes a photo of the disc on a scale. OTB puts flexibility and profile details on their listings. Those are both great places to buy discs. We are thankful to the people who have loved buying from Infinite Discs and continue to buy discs from us, but also love what other stores are doing to offer alternatives.

Q: How were you able to overcome the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, and were there any lessons you learned through it that you will apply post-COVID?

A: We are still learning to cope with challenges of Covid-19. We had to move around some work stations, we’ve had to use masks when working in close proximity, and we’ve had to deal with a lack in supply while demand has increased. We still don’t know exactly when things will “normalize,” or if they ever will.

Q: What’s something special that sets Infinite Discs apart from other online disc retailers?

A: Probably one of things that most immediately sets us apart is the selection. We carry a larger quantity of brands and disc varieties than most other retailers. We try to keep more than 50,000 discs in stock on our online store at all times. We also currently carry more than 55 different brands. We also like to present a huge variety when it comes to custom stamps, tournament support discs, pro signature discs, and other unique, fun products.

Q: Do you plan on expanding to any other locations?

A: We currently have two independently owned Infinite Discs franchise stores. There is one in Pocatello, Idaho, and another in Saint George, Utah. They are owned by individuals who love disc golf and love the Infinite Discs brand. We do not have immediate plans to relocate or open other locations.

Q: Has Infinite Discs thought about doing a Infinite challenge? Similar to the Discraft ace race, or trilogy challenge of the Prodigy par 2 events?

A: We’ve thought a lot about it and had plans to do it. But Covid-19 changed those plans because we have not been able to get enough of our Infinite Discs brand discs in stock to host such events. We can’t offer a 3-disc player pack when we can’t keep discs in stock in our warehouse.

Q: When will the Infinite Discs website get an overhaul?

A: The website has been in overhaul mode for a couple of years. It has run into pandemic related delays and other technical hurtles that have needed to be handled. We need our website to not only be designed well for the customer experience, but to handle huge amounts of data pulling from tens of thousands of photos and storing vast amounts of information. It’s a big chore and is taking much longer than we would have hoped. Our fingers are crossed for a launch in 2021…sometime.

Q: Is it hard to find the discs people order? I bet you inventory is crazy!

A: Thankfully, our inventory system is very easy to manage. The crew members pulling the orders become very good at knowing exactly where things are. They know where each brand is stored, and then the discs are divided up in alphabetical order, and each disc is tagged with a code that lets them know when it was photographed and entered into inventory. So they can find the discs quite quickly. Sometimes human errors are made, but thankfully not very often.

Q: What would you say, moving forward, are some of the main goals for Infinite Discs?

A: We always have something new in the works. We always have a lot of ideas. Our main goal is to keep building the disc golf market. One of more recent goals was to work more closely with other stores to meet the increased demand for discs. We love partnering with all business in the industry to unite and grow the sport.

Q: Given that you take pictures of each disc that gets listed, how long does it actually take to list a run of discs?

A: It’s hard to say exactly, but it takes a long time. We can usually add at least 100 discs per hour with two people working a station. Sometimes more, sometimes less, depending on the nature of the discs being entered.

Q: I haven’t bought a disc in years. Is there a return costumer loyalty deal.

A: While you may not know it, anybody shopping at Infinite Discs already has reward points for all purchases. Those points add up and then can be redeemed for gift cards that give you discounts. So, just by shopping with Infinite Discs, you’re being rewarded. But it requires creating a login and filling out a profile to use that point system to your advantage.

Read more about the points rewards system here.

Q: Have you thought of producing your own discs instead of having Innova doing the injection and molding for you?

A: We do not currently have plans to manufacture discs in our warehouse. We don’t have the space in our current building to do that.

Q: As the Infinite Discs brand of discs continues for your company do you see yourself staying like you currently are, meaning carrying and offer all other brands as well or are you looking at going the way Dynamic Disc did as a company.

A: We are first and foremost a disc retailer. Our own brand is a way to offer more unique, fun products to our retail customers and also to other stores. But we do not plan to leave our retail business behind and become centered only on our brand. While we love and appreciate what Dynamic Discs has done with their brand and the marvelous things they do for the sport, we are not following the same model when it comes to brand selection. We want to sell as many Dynamic Discs and other brands as possible.

Q: Why do you have to collect 1000 points before the points are available for redemption?

A: Since 1000 points equals $10 (points are roughly 5% of your purchase price) we figured it would make sense to at least have $10 available before redeeming. Since we have to approve each requst manually, it would feel a bit odd to sort through and approve a bunch of redemption requests for $1.56 or $3.11 etc. We thought this would be easier.

Q: Do you have plans for building automation into your intake, inventory, and shipping processes?

A: No, we do not have plans for that right now. At the moment, our crew is awesome and we love having a business that employees real people to do the work of entering inventory and shipping out orders. Plus, we can’t afford all those fancy Amazon warehouse robots.

Q: Would you consider doing a crowd sourced disc design?

A: We actually did that through the Stamp Wars contests that we hosted up until this last year when Covid-19 made it impossible to even order discs that could be stamped. We always invited anybody who wanted to submit a design to do so, then we allowed our customers to vote on their favorites. It was a fun problem, with some plusses, and some negatives (like having to deal with cheating). We might bring it back again, but we’ll evaluate at the end of this year.

Q: Have you ever thought to make the Infinite molds available in retail stores and pro shops around the country?

A: We already do make Infinite Discs products available to other stores. We have a wholesale department that distributes not only the Infinite Discs brand but also other great import and boutique brands. That way, other pro shops, retailers, and online stores don’t need to set up little accounts all over the place to get a few discs here and a few discs there. Instead they can grab a variety of interesting discs in one stop and offer those discs to their customers.

We have never felt that “competition” means that one business must destroy another. We believe that it is more healthy to cooperate and work with each other. Different retailers should rise or fall based on their own choices, their own strengths, and their own unique situations. We’re not looking to take anybody down– we’re looking to help as much as possible so that we can all continue to grow and evolve as individual businesses. There is strength in numbers and a great deal of reward in cooperation. So yes, we do sell discs to other stores, and we love when it helps their businesses to grow. So if you see Infinite Discs in a local store, be sure to thank them and support with a purchase.

Now…if we could just get more discs!

OTHER QUESTIONS

There were a lot of other questions pertaining to personal preferences for discs, brands, etc. Those preferences would of course change depending on who in the company you ask. So we felt like those are best on forums where everybody can answer with their own opinion. There were other questions about the game of disc golf. Answers to those questions can be found in blogs, on videos, and on websites all over the place. When it comes to rules or tournament procedures, you might consider looking at the website for the PDGA.

https://www.pdga.com/rules/official-rules-disc-golf

There were a lot of questions, so in the end, we hope that we’ve answered some of the ones that Infinite Discs, as a retailer and boutique brand is able to address. We can’t speak for the entire disc golf market, but we can share a little bit of information about how thing work around here and the experiences that we’ve had.

If you have follow-up questions or other questions that you’d like to ask, feel free to do so in the comments below. Thanks!

 

Focus Friday – Divergent Discs Narwhal

Happy Friday, I’m glad it is the weekend as the 2021 Pro Tour has kicked off. Good things are happening. With the Pro Tour starting this weekend, and to celebrate beginnings, we figured it would be good to focus on a beginner disc. The Divergent Discs Narwhal. Use the discount code FOCUSNARWHAL to save 20%.

Divergent Discs is a brand that is aiming to provide easy to throw discs that are affordable and made well. The Narwhal is an understable putter with very little fade. Making it a solid first putter. It has a lot of glide, allowing it to float through the air. The plastic of this is feels firm and tacky. Giving you a little more confidence in the plastic than a baseline plastic. Which also makes the disc an excellent choice for putting or for driving.

You can select your disc by clicking here. Simply add as many Narwhal Molds to your shopping cart as you want, then BEFORE you click to checkout, look below the shopping cart. Right below the shopping cart is a box for Discount Codes. Click there and paste the code, FOCUSNARWHAL, into the box. Then proceed to checkout and you’ll get the discount.

Here is a screenshot to help you out, though it doesn’t necessarily show a Narwhal in the cart – it’s just a generic visual to help you find the discount code box:

We hope that you love throwing the Narwhal. If you’ve thrown the disc, feel free to share what you think of this putter. Thanks!

STAY TUNED for our next Focus Friday for another chance to try a featured disc at a nice discounted price!

Introducing Elevation Disc Golf

 

Infinite Discs carries a large selection of brands and we want to introduce you to some of the brands and molds that you might not be as familiar with. Each week we will spotlight a different company and tell you a little more about them. Because of Covid shutdowns, our supply of discs was severely affected. Therefore, we may not have all of the molds from all of the brands we will talk about. But, it might put a few more molds on your radar for the future. This week we are traveling to the west coast to visit one of the newest manufacturers, Elevation Disc Golf.

First Elevation Disc

North of San Diego and southeast of Los Angeles lies the city of Temecula, California. It is home to one of the younger manufacturers that we will cover in this series. It is so new that its first mold was just released a couple of days ago. That first disc, the Interceptor, is the result of a year and a half of preparation, planning, and designing. (Infinite sold out of the Interceptor fast! We’re ordering a ton more.)

The Team

The company was founded by husband and wife team, Austin and Macy. Austin was working as a Biomedical Engineer and despite having a good job, he also had a burning desire to start a business. With some financial support from family, and lots of support from his wife Macy, he started Elevation Disc Golf. The name comes from the couple’s philosophy of life and of disc golf. The logo includes the image of a falcon, which represents peoples ability to conquer whatever mountains and obstacles come before them, and use those obstacles to climb to higher heights in life. They look at disc golf as an expression of individualism and freedom.

 

 

Macy was in the Army Reserve and finishing a doctorate degree when Austin had the idea for the business. Since he supported her while she finished her degree, she was happy to support him and his dream. She fills many roles in the company. Everything from shipping, media, and customer service, to testing the discs. All vital roles in a small business.

Starting With A 3D Printer

 

Austin started by getting a 3D printer and studying aerodynamics while experimenting with designs.

Once he felt like he could create usable discs, he knew he could start a business. After many attempts to find a prototype that would work, he came up with a design for an overstable midrange/approach

disc. That became the company’s first mold, the Interceptor. The mold name is a nod to the Peregrine Falcon. The Interceptor, like the bird of prey diving for its meal, will end its overstable flight by diving toward the basket. While the mold shape is definitely unique, so is the material used to make it.

Durable Rubber

 

Instead of the usual variety of plastics that we see with most manufacturers, Elevation went a different route for their discs. They found a premium rubber material that offers grip, comfort, and impact absorption not found in plastics. The flexibility of the disc helps it stick to the chains when you hit the target, or stick to the ground if you miss. My first throw with the Interceptor was straight into a tree. It didn’t ricochet in another direction. It just dropped. Currently, that material is the only option available from Elevation. In the future they will offer a variety of firmness’s. Right now they are in the process of making another run of Interceptors in three new color combinations.

Elevation doesn’t sponsor any pros at the moment. They want to focus on amateur players who are active on a local level. They also want to focus on underrepresented demographics, so that everyone feels like they can be part of the sport. For now, Austin will be representing Elevation on an amateur level when he plays in tournaments. As the company grows, they will have more opportunities to add more players to their team.

New Disc On Deck

 

Another thing that will change as they grow is the number of molds offered. Next up for Elevation Disc Golf is a putter. They are working on a straight-flying putter for approach shots or putts. Their goal is to have a disc that compliments their current midrange, the Interceptor. They have a couple of other mold ideas, too.

Moving forward, Austin and Macy will continue to grow the company and seek to accomplish some goals they have set. As the sport grows and as technology improves, they want to meet the needs of the market through their unique materials and innovative ergonomic designs. They will focus on staying at the forefront of creativity and engineering. However, creating new products isn’t their only goal.

All Inclusive

 

At Elevation Disc Golf, they want everyone to have an opportunity to enjoy our sport. That includes people who might not have conventional access to disc golf: people with disabilities and people who can’t afford equipment. Macy has worked with people with disabilities and even envisions a disc golf course that allows people in wheelchairs to play. She would also like to see equipment in underprivileged schools so children can play during P.E. or recess.

Another area of focus for Elevation is the environment. Austin and Macy want to use their company to draw attention to environmental and conservation issues. They plan on choosing good causes, then

using the sale of their discs to support those causes. They want to tie the causes to certain molds so disc golfers can support the ideas they are passionate about by purchasing the specific mold associated with the cause.

The Future

 

Elevation Disc Golf is optimistic and excited about the future of our sport. They are happy to be a part of the growth, and will continue to find unconventional designs and materials for the disc golf community. And they want to use their goals and business ideas to promote a positive influence in the world.

 

Check out Infinite Discs’ selection of Elevation discs here:

https://infinitediscs.com/elevation-disc-golf

See Elevation’s website here:

https://www.elevationdiscs.com/

Watch a video of the benefits of floppy discs:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fJ4QRJOECIg

Elevation’s Instagram: @elevationdiscs

 

Comment About Elevation Disc Golf

If you’ve thrown an Elevation disc, let us know what you think.

Last Week: Wild Discs

Last week we looked at Wild Discs. We selected three random people who commented on that blog. Here are the winners:

Mike M

Micah M

Thomas H

Congrats! We’ll get your disc shipped out shortly.

 

Focus Friday

Happy Friday, another week has come and gone. Making summertime all that much closer. Where it is Friday, its time for another discount code: FOCUSPMODELS. As we are focusing on the Prodigy P Model S, so over the weekend use that code to save 20% on all P Model S molds.

The P Model S is a fairly stable putter. Great for straight putts with little fade at the end of the flight. Its stability helps it to be a good driving putter as well. Coming in a variety of plastics it will be easy to use this disc for an approach disc or putting. Where this is a beaded disc, it’ll hold onto its stability for a bit longer than if it didn’t have the bead. Keep your eye on these as later this weekend we’ll add some glow plastic with a fun stamp on it.

Head on over to https://infinitediscs.com/Prodigy-P-Model-S/DuraFlex-Glow to select your P Model S. Once everything you want is in your cart, you can apply the discount code FOCUSPMODELS and get 10% off all P Model S molds in your cart.

Note: After placing your discs in the shopping cart and before checking out, click on the “Discount Code” box under the shopping cart and enter that code. Then proceed to checkout.

 

Introducing Wild Discs

Infinite Discs carries a large selection of brands and we want to introduce you to some of the brands and molds that you might not be as familiar with. Each week we will spotlight a different company and tell you a little more about them. Because of Covid shutdowns, our supply of discs was severely affected. Therefore, we may not have all of the molds from all of the brands we will talk about. But, it might put a few more molds on your radar for the future. We are back in the US this week and we’re featuring Buffalo, New York manufacturer, Wild Discs.

Wild in Buffalo

Buffalo, New York, sits next to Lake Erie in the western part of the state. It is just across the Niagara River from Canada.  It is home to the Buffalo Bills, and Wild Discs.

Wild

Discs was started in June, 2020, by Kyle Knab and Becky Fix. It was created out of a two-pronged desire: first, to grow the sport of disc golf by providing quality discs and accessories. And second, to give back to the world by committing 5% of all proceeds to wildlife conservation. The founders love disc golf, love animals, and love to spend time outdoors enjoying the wilderness. Wild Discs is a combination of their passions.

First Molds

The first disc approved by the PDGA for Wild Discs is the Hummingbird putter. The mold has a small, smooth bead and a straight flight with a lot of glide. It was approved at the end of 2020, and since then two other molds have been approved and released: the Orca and the Addax. The Orca is a high-speed driver whose flight is similar to an

Innova Tern. The Addax is their midrange with a straight flight and solid fade. The stamps for all of their discs are created by Co-founder, Becky Fix.

What’s An Addax?

Although most people are familiar with orcas and hummingbirds (the animals), the Addax might not be as familiar. You have probably seen a picture of one, without knowing its name. It is an African animal whose body shape is similar to an antelope, but with long, spiral horns. The animal is nearly extinct in the wild. Details about each the animals featured on their molds are found on Wild Discs’ website.

Wild Discs currently offers three plastic types for their discs. However, the have several more plastic types that they are experimenting with. Currently, the company lists Landslide, Quicksand, and Whirlpool as their available plastics. Landslide is a durable plastic that is firm, but still has good grip. Whirlpool plastic has even more durability than Landslide, and with a little more grip. Quicksand is a nylon based plastic mixed with some Landslide plastic, with a ton of grip – the most of all their plastics. It also has a soft flex and is very durable.

Coming to Wild Discs…

As mentioned above, Wild Discs has several new plastic types they are experimenting with. They are also working on expanding both their disc and product lines. What will the future hold? Coming out in a couple of months will be a fairway driver and a mid/approach disc. Even before those hit the market Wild will be releasing a new bag that, according to founder Kyle Knab, will be “the most eye-catching bag on the market” whose functionality is “next level”. Stay tuned to Wild Discs for their new releases! Here is a sneak peak of the bag.

Although Wild Discs is a new company, selling their first discs in October 2020, they are already looking forward to the future. One avenue of growth that Wild uses is supporting an ambassador team. Anyone can apply to be on the team. Details can be found on their website.

Growing And Supporting Conservation

In addition to adding more molds and products to their brand, they are excited about the growth of the sport. They are looking forward to getting more women and youth involved in disc golf and are glad to be in a position to make a difference. Even in the short time they’ve been a business, they have received a lot of support, kind words, and positive feedback from the disc golf community. They have already raised over $1,000 that will go toward wildlife conservation.

Wild Discs will continue to support conservation efforts, and that commitment is one of the unique aspects of their company. They will continue to contribute 5% of proceeds toward conservation efforts. Plus, they will be holding charity events and tournaments to further support the cause. Wild Discs’ commitment to animals is apparent in their mold names, stamp designs, and even their company name. Check out Wild Discs today! Then see below how you can win a Wild Discs mold.

Check out Infinite’s selection of Wild Discs molds here:

https://infinitediscs.com/category/Wild-Discs

Check out the Wild Discs website (and their awesome hoodies!) here:

https://wilddiscs.com/

See how you can support conservation efforts here:

https://www.wcs.org/

Comment About Wild Discs !

 

Do you throw Wild Discs? Tell us which mold is your favorite.

Never tried them? Tell us which mold you would like to try.

 

 

Last Week: Disctroyer

Last week we looked at Disctroyer. We selected three random people who commented on that blog. Here are the winners:

Colby S

Brian F

Harry S

Congrats! We’ll get your disc shipped out shortly.

 

Focus Friday – Particle

Another week has come and gone. The weekend is upon us, happy Friday. For this Focus Friday we will be on MVP’s Particle. You can use the discount code FOCUSAPRTICLE to save 10% on all MVP Particles. Valentine’s day is upon us as well, so I hope the weekend treats you all well.

The MVP Particle is a stable putter that is currently available in Neutron and Neutron Soft. You can use this disc as a putter or as an approach disc. The stability of this disc is comparable to that of the Axiom Envy. Whether throwing the Particle or putting with it, you can expect it to be quite reliable. For this Focus Friday, we decided to bring back the Skulboy Maurader and the “Its’ Okay to Be AloneValentines Day stamp.

You can select your disc by clicking here. Simply add as many Particle Molds to your shopping cart as you want, then BEFORE you click to checkout, look below the shopping cart. Right below the shopping cart is a box for Discount Codes. Click there and paste the code, FOCUSPARTICLE, into the box. Then proceed to checkout and you’ll get the discount.

Here is a screenshot to help you out, though it doesn’t necessarily show a D Model S in the cart – it’s just a generic visual to help you find the discount code box:

We hope that you love throwing the Particle. If you’ve thrown the disc, feel free to share what you think of this putter. Thanks!

STAY TUNED for our next Focus Friday for another chance to try a featured disc at a nice discounted price!

Introducing Disctroyer

Disctroyer Disc Golf Discs

Disc Golf Manufacturer Spotlight: Disctroyer

 

Infinite Discs carries a large selection of brands and we want to introduce you to some of the brands and molds that you might not be as familiar with. Each week we will spotlight a different company and tell you a little more about them. Because of Covid shutdowns, our supply of discs was severely affected. Therefore, we may not have all of the molds from all of the brands we will talk about. But, it might put a few more molds on your radar for the future. We are out of the country again this week checking out Estonian disc manufacturer, Disctroyer.

The country of Estonia sits along the Baltic Sea, with Finland due north, Sweden to the west, and borders with both Russia and Latvia. According to UDisc, Estonia got their first disc golf course in 2004, and now has more than 180. Based on the population, that makes the course density at about one course for every 7360 people. If the USA had that same ratio, we could have more than five and a half times as many courses as we have now. The sport is blowing up in Estonia, and in the midst of that growth, a new company was started: Disctroyer.

Starting a Brand

The company was started in Tallinn, Estonia, by Alver Kivirüüt and Kaspar Lillmaa in 2016. The name ‘Disctroyer’ was introduced in 2018. One year later, their first disc was PDGA approved. The Starling, a high-speed driver was the first disc produced by Disctroyer. After that was the midrange, Skylark. Their third disc that was approved in 2019 was the Sparrow, a stable putter. The Stork is their fairway driver, and is the most recent release from the company.

The Disctroyer Lineup

The most popular plastic from Disctroyer is their A-Medium. As the name suggests, the plastic is middle of the road when it comes to firmness. It has a slight amount of flexibility and is a durable plastic, although the A-Hard and A-Soft have a little more grip. The A-Soft definitely has a lot of grip and flexibility, but not the durability of the Hard and Medium. Their A-Hard Plastic is popular for the Stork,

their fairway driver. The folks at Disctroyer are working on a B-plastic, which they think will be popular for their putter. That plastic is currently in the testing phase. They expect to have it in production later this year.

Disc Molds

The Starling is the high-speed member of the Disctroyer family. It is a speed-13 disc that has a little bit of turn and a reliable fade. The flight is similar to the DD Captain, Innova Shryke, or Discraft Crank. The Stork is the newest member of the Disctroyer lineup. It is a fairway driver with high-speed stability and a good fade at the end, similar to a Teebird3.

Disctroyer’s midrange, the Skylark, is a stable disc similar to the Shark in flight. Fairly straight flying, the Skylark can fight off a headwind, and still give a good fade at the end. The Sparrow rounds out the lineup. It is a slightly overstable beaded putter that flies similar to the PA-1 or Axiom Envy.

Disc Identifiers

One of the things that makes Disctroyer stand out is their desire to make the flight of their molds easy to understand and identify. To that end, they have made a clear visual method to show what type of disc you are looking at. Is the disc light grey? That would be a high speed driver. Putters are blue, midranges are red, and control drivers are yellow. Additionally, discs will have a symbol in the center that indicates the stability of the disc. A circle indicates a stable disc. A star is for overstable discs, while the plus sign means the disc is understable. This method of understanding the mold’s flight makes it easier for newer disc golfers to identify what molds they should be throwing.

Growing Disctroyer at Home

Although Disctroyer isn’t sponsoring players at the moment, they are constantly looking for ways to grow the sport, and make it better for existing players. Currently, the sport is more popular in some countries than others. Disctroyer recognizes that as an opportunity to teach about the benefits of disc

golf to communities that aren’t familiar with the sport. That desire to introduce the sport has become even more urgent with Covid19 causing disruptions with people’s lives. Now, more than ever, people need a safe activity to participate in.

 

Other ways they hope to grow the sport is by introducing it to a variety of people. Including disc golf as part of a school curriculum, teaching people in nursing homes about the benefits of disc golf, and

working with private businesses to teach their employees about the sport are ways they are working on to grow disc golf. As the sport grows, there will be more incentives for TV programs to air disc golf related content such as tournaments. Which will speed up the growth.

In addition to educating the public about disc golf, Disctroyer works to improve disc golf technology. They work with specialists in a variety of fields, including people at a university, to explore possible designs and ways to make designing more efficient. They feel that living in a small country adds more opportunities to work with people outside the industry.

On The Horizon For Disctroyer

In addition to work on another plastic, Disctroyer is also working on molds to add to their catalogue. Two molds that are in the que are a driver and a putter. For the driver, they want something more overstable, to complement the more flippy Starling. For the next putter, they want a straight flying putter. One with a little more flip than the Sparrow. It will be fun to see what future molds and plastics come out of this Eastern European company.

Popular Disctroyer Molds

 

Check out Infinite Discs’ selection of Disctroyer molds here:

https://infinitediscs.com/category/Disctroyer

Check out Disctroyer here:

https://www.disctroyer.com

 

Comment About Disctroyer And Win!

 

Infinite Discs would like to give a couple Disctroyer discs to random commenters to this blog post. Answer one of the questions below with your opinions of Disctroyer discs.

Do you throw Disctroyer discs? Tell us which mold is your favorite.

Never tried Disctroyer? Tell us which mold you would like to try.

We’ll pick the random winners and post the results next week when we look at another brand we sell.

 

Last Week: Mint Discs

Last week we looked at Mint Discs. We selected three random people who commented on that blog. The winners will receive a Mint mold. Here are the winners:

Gabe S.

Nathan D.

Russ R.

Congrats! We’ll get your disc shipped out shortly.

 

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