Category: General

More State of Disc Golf Survey Results — PDGA: Thumbs Up or Thumbs Down?

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When I first heard about the Professional Disc Golf Association (PDGA) I was excited to join. I had been playing for a few months and really enjoyed the feeling of camaraderie with the club, so I figured that joining the sanctioning body of the sport would have the same benefits, only on a larger scale. The idea of a ranking system intrigued me, too. How cool would it be to compare my ranking to my buddies’, or the touring pros? Plus, I would save the $10 fee charged to non-members when I played in a sanctioned tournament. I did join the PDGA, and have kept my membership current ever since.

I’ve heard a lot of different opinions about the PDGA, pro and con, and have my own opinions that I will discuss later. I’ll also talk about a good, free alternative to the number one reason why people join the PDGA. But first, let’s look at the poll results.

Half Full, Half Empty

Let’s start by checking out our opinions on membership in the PDGA. We asked if you are currently, or have ever been, a member of the PDGA. Slightly less than half of us, 49.3%, are or have been members.

memberofpdga

While that part was not surprising, based on what I see in the sport, the next question had some interesting results. Of the 50.7% of us who are not members, nearly half of those said they intended to join this year. If that amount of people really do end up joining, that is an encouraging sign for the future of the sport. We didn’t ask why people plan to join, but I suspect they are interested in playing tournaments and want the savings and the ratings that come with membership. That means a growing number of us are taking the sport seriously enough to get involved in competitions. As I’ve mentioned on previous blogs, I like that idea.

intendtopdga

Something Old, Something New

 

It’s always fun to see how long people have been members of the PDGA. Members with less than five-digit PDGA numbers are way outnumbered by the rest of us. So, we asked people when they joined the PDGA. Over half of member respondents joined in the last two or so years (2014 to January 2016). The sport is growing! A little over 5% of us joined in 2000 or before.

howlongagoWe Love This, We Love This Not

We asked people who are members to rank the different benefits of belonging to the PDGA. Not surprisingly, most people ranked the personal PDGA number and rating as the top reason for joining. That’s what initially attracted me. The second most popular benefit was the lifetime statistics. It is fun to see our results and compare our ranking to other people’s rankings. Rounding out the top reasons for joining the PDGA was waiving the $10 fee for sanctioned tournaments. What was the least important reason we join? Getting a discount at motels and car rentals was the least popular reason, followed by the swag you get the first time you join, then the quarterly magazine.

whyjointhepdga

 

No, Thank You

On the other end of the membership spectrum, we asked people who indicated that they were NOT going to join or who were unsure, what their reasons were. Only little more than half of those people responded to the question, with many people giving multiple reasons. Far and away the number one reason for not joining was being content not playing sanctioned tournaments. The exact language of the question read, “I’m content playing recreationally”, but I believe that would include league play and unsanctioned tournaments. Nearly 70% of respondents chose that as at least one of their reasons. Plus, many people who wrote responses in the ‘other’ box had similar feelings about formal competition. The next two most popular reasons for not joining were lack of any noticeable benefit, and the cost being too high.

notpdgamember

Why I Belong

A sanctioning body for disc golf is necessary in order to have consistency in rules and formats among players, clubs, and tournaments, and to grow the sport. I want to support that organization and will likely always stay current with my dues. However, like many of you expressed, it seems that my decision to keep current comes down to economics: I know that I will play enough sanctioned tournaments that the $10 savings from being a member will pay for my annual dues. Were it not for that “benefit”, I doubt I would be interested in renewing my membership in the PDGA. Don’t get me wrong, I like the stats and the rating. I just don’t think it would be worth the annual fee.

 

It’s Free, It’s Good, And It’s Free

 

This would be a good time to mention the Infinite Discs rating system. It is a free player-rating system that keeps track of your scores and rates both your individual rounds, and your accumulated rating based on the ratings of other users who have played the same courses as you. After you’ve played a certain number of rounds, then your rating is used to rate other players. The more scores that are entered, the more accurate the rating. The player rating system is free to join, free to use, and can be calculated automatically by using the free Infinite Discs scorekeeping app (currently in beta testing).

 

And Finally…

 

Back to the PDGA. There are just a couple things I wouldn’t mind if the PDGA changed. First, I would like it if they could switch to digital magazines. Also, I wouldn’t mind if they stopped sending out yearly tags, ID cards, and whatever else we get on an annual basis. Perhaps these ideas might result in a slight reduction of annual dues. And finally, I would like to see a two-tiered membership option. Offer the regular membership, and one that is cheaper, but omits the $10 fee waiver at sanctioned tournaments. That way if people only play a couple sanctioned tournaments per year, they will still get their number and rating. Beyond that, I’m glad they will continue keeping track of people’s stats and ratings, and make sure the rules are as fair as possible. They won’t be able to please everyone, no matter what they do. But hopefully they will continue to offer an organization that strengthens and grows our sport.

Top Selling Discs by Brand (Summer 2016)

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It is always fun to take a look back at a period of time and see which discs are selling the most. Disc trends can come and go, but some discs manage to hold top-selling position for extended periods of time. Let’s take a look at the short-term sales at Infinite Discs for the 90-day period spanning the 2016 summer months.  Let’s break it down brand by brand.

First of all, let’s take a look at the top 10 sellers for INNOVA, which is ranked by not only mold, but plastic type:

#1 – Star Destroyer
#2 – McPro Aviar
#3 – DX Roc
#4 – Star TeeBird
#5 – KC Pro Aviar
#6 – KC Pro Roc
#7 – XT Mix Nova
#8 – Champion Colored Glow Firebird
#9 – Champion TeeBird
#10 – McPro Roc3

Now let’s take a look at the top 10 sellers from DISCRAFT, by mold and plastic type:

#1 – Elite Z Buzzz
#2 – CryZtal Buzzz GT
#3 – Pro-D Buzzz
#4 – Elite Z Undertaker
#5 – Titanium Buzzz
#6 – Elite Z Flick
#7 – Elite Z Thrasher
#8 – Elite Z Buzzz  SS
#9 – Ledgestone Titanium Crank SS
#10 – Elite X Stratus

Here is a look at LATITUDE 64 and their top 10 best-sellers:

#1 – Zero Hard Dagger
#2 – Gold Line Saint
#3 – Opto Saint
#4 – Gold Line River
#5 – Opto River
#6 – Opto Pure
#7 – Opto Fury
#8 – Opto Jade
#9 – Opto Maul
#10 – Zero Hard Pure

Here is a look at WESTSIDE DISCS and their top 10 best-sellers, where the Harp is obviously making a huge splash right now (thank you Ricky Wysocki):

#1 – BT Hard Harp
#2 – VIP Destiny
#3 – Tournament Destiny
#4 – VIP Harp
#5 – BT Medium Harp
#6 – BT Soft Harp
#7 – Tournament Harp
#8 – VIP Tursas
#9 – Tournament King
#10 – VIP King

Now let’s take a look at the top 10 best-sellers for DISCMANIA where the DDX sales more than double the sales of any other disc:

#1 – Swirly S-Line DDX
#2 – S-Line DDX
#3 – S-Line P2
#4 – D-Line P2
#5 – S-Line FD
#6 – C-Line FD
#7 – Signature Glow C-Line MD3
#8 – C-Line CD2
#9 – C-Line TD
#10 – P-Line P2

Here is a look at the top 10 best-sellers for MVP where the Catalyst distance driver is flying off the shelf. Interestingly, only one putter enters the top 10 which is otherwise entirely ruled by distance drivers:

#1 – Neutron Catalyst
#2 – Neutron Octane
#3 – Neutron Inertia
#4 – Neutron Motion
#5 – Proton Inertia
#6 – Fission Photon
#7 – Neutron Impulse
#8 – Neutron Orbital
#9 – Neutron Nitro
#10 – Electron Atom

Let’s take a quick look at the top 10 best-selling discs from Dynamic Discs:

#1 – Classic Judge
#2 – Classic Blend Judge
#3 – Lucid EMac Truth
#4 – Classic Warden
#5 – Lucid Justice
#6 – Prime Marshal
#7 – Lucid Trespass
#8 – BioFuzion Defender
#9 – Lucid Escape
#10 – Classic Soft Judge

Here are the top 5 best-selling discs from PRODIGY:

#1 – 400G A4
#2 – 400G D6
#3 – 400G D3
#4 – 350G PA-3
#5 – 400G M4

Here are the top 5 best-selling discs from VIBRAM:

#1 – X-Link Medium Onyx
#2 – Granite Medium Lace
#3 – Granite Medium UnLace
#4 – X-Link Medium Lace
#5 – X-Link Firm Lace

Here are the top 5 best-selling discs from LEGACY:

#1 – Icon Outlaw
#2 – Pinnacle Outlaw
#3 – Icon Cannon
#4 – Sparkle Enemy
#5 – Legacy Special Release Rampage

Here are the top 5 best-selling discs from DGA:

#1 – Pro-Line Sail
#2 – Pro-Line Pipeline
#3 – Signature Blowfly II
#4 – Signature Blowfly I
#5 – D-Line Steady

And here are the top 5 best-sellers from AXIOM:

#1 – Neutron Thrill
#2 – Neutron Soft Envy
#3 – Neutron Defy
#4 – Neutron Vanish
#5 – Plasma Envy

There are other disc makers that have discs that sell regularly, but the above cover the companies that sell enough discs to merit a ranking order at this point, covering the 2016 summer season.

Keep Your Grip with New Whale Sacs!

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We are excited to announce a new and unique product that is now available at Infinite Discs: Whale Sacs!

Whale Sacs are a grip enhancing bag that is perfect for all disc golfers looking to keep a firm grip on their discs during their round. What sets Whale Sacs apart from similar products that we have seen is their creative hand made design that attaches easily to your disc golf bag. Whale Sacs are made using numerous colors and patterned cloth, and their whale shape is designed so that you can use the “tail” to tie it onto your bag, belt loop, or anything else! Whale Sacs are not made using Rosin, but instead they consist of a clay based stone/powder.

We stocked up on quite a few designs of the Whale Sacs that can all be found HERE. In the little bit of time we have had to try this product out, we have been fans. It is great for people who like the substance they feel from dirt and chalk bags, but don’t like the mess they leave.

If you don’t know about Tina and Eric and the #WhalePantsTour, they are awesome people doing awesome things to grow the sport, and we are very happy to be selling Tina’s incredible product! Whale Sacs are now available HERE.

Check back often for new designs! It will be “whale” worth your time!

Watch for More “Infinite Bomber” Stamped Discs

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Infinite Discs recently started adding some unique inventory to our online store. For those players who like to pull discs out of their bag that stand out from the discs in other player’s bags, we started making some special stamped discs which are only available at Infinite Discs. The first of these special stamps is one that we call the “Infinite Bomber”.  The first discs we stocked with the Infinite Bomber stamp were a batch of Wizard putters from Gateway, which had the stamp presented in full size on the discs. We then brought in a batch of discs from Innova including popular disc molds like Destroyers, Valkyries, Firebirds, Teebirds, Aviars, Novas, Rocs, Wraiths, and more. They sold quickly!

IMG_-d190cbTo finish up the month of August, we brought in a fresh batch of discs with Infinite Bomber stamps from Dynamic Discs, Latitude 64, and Westside. They include popular molds like Rivers, Judges, Justices, Mauls, Defenders, Destinies, Harps, Diamonds, Trespasses, Pures, and more.  Once again, they are selling quickly as players find their favorite discs in their favorite colors with the fun stamp.

Now, as we head into the conclusion of the 2016 summer season and into autumn, more Infinite Bomber stamps are on the way. You’ll soon see a selection of popular discs from Discmania showing up on the Infinite Discs website. A few other brands will follow. Here is how you can search to see which discs are available with the Infinite Bomber stamp at any given moment.

First go to the Infinite Discs store website. Then follow these steps:

1 – Click on the “Advanced Disc Search” button on the top of our website, or click here.
2 – Check-mark the box that says “Extras” in the search window.
3 – Scroll down until you see “Infinite Discs Stamp” and check-mark that box.
4 – Click the “View Individual Discs” box and scroll through the discs and add what you want to your cart! This will show you all the disc colors, weights, etc. with the stamp.

OK, now that we’ve talked about the Infinite Bomber stamp, maybe you think there is another little design out there that is more your style and that makes the statement that you want to make? Well, we have good news for you. These stamps will be limited editions! We won’t keep any single stamp going indefinitely. If you like the Infinite Bomber, then get them while you can. Another exclusive Infinite Discs stamp is coming in a few weeks, and we call it the “Infinite Illuminati”.

If you are especially fond of exclusive stamps on great discs and want a surprise each month, then be sure to join the Infinite Discs VIP Club which is a disc-of-the-month subscription program, presenting limited edition, one-time runs of premium discs with special stamps. Each month you’ll get a surprise in your mailbox with a new disc to throw (or to collect and hang on your wall). READ HERE about the Infinite Discs VIP Club.

 

Infinite Discs Presents RPM Discs from New Zealand

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Here at Infinite Discs, we’re always excited to discover new disc makers, especially when they are quality companies from outside the USA. Of course, we love the home-grown American companies too, but there is something a little bit exotic about importing some really cool discs from across the ocean.

20160825_184153In August we were able to bring in our first batch of discs from RPM Discs, a great disc golf company from New Zealand. At first inspection, the discs looked absolutely beautiful right out of the box, with a quality appearance to the plastic that is instantly eye-catching, embellished with some great, Maori flavored stamps. There was a nice mix of attractive, metallic plastics, and softer, pastel plastics. They all felt great, with the perfect mix of durability and “grippy” touch. Let’s take a look at the three plastic types present by RPM Discs.

Strata plastic is the “base plastic” blend. It is the least expensive and the softest. It still doesn’t feel “cheap” as it has a comfortable feel and has a little shine to it. It doesn’t seem as destructible as some of the soft plastics out there. Of course, the TUI putter would be the disc that most players would want in base plastic, since putters are most often sold in softer plastic types.

There are two premium plastic types, and both are priced the same. The difference is mostly in the appearance, with the Cosmic Plastic being more translucent (see-through) and the Atomic Plastic being more creamy and opaque.

You could think of Cosmic as being similar to Champion, Opto, VIP, or Elite Z. The Atomic could be compared more to Gold Line, Tournament, Star, or Titanium.  However, I would emphasize that the actual feel of the plastic is not very different between the two. At first touch, they seem interchangeable when it comes to the feel of the plastic. It’s more the appearance that makes the difference.

RPM Discs has some very nice plastics, and you will by no means feel cheated when paying for either a base or premium plastic because you know when you grip it that you’ve purchased a solid, quality product.

Next, let’s take a look at the discs that make up the introductory core of the RPM Discs operation.

First of all, the putter is called the TUI and it has a unique profile which feels more like a mid-range disc when you first pick it up.  The profile is pretty low, meaning that the inside pocket is not deep and the rim edges are not tall. In that way, it almost feels more like a driving putter, and in quick field tests, we found that it can actually fly well when thrown with a little steam, especially for anhyzer turns. It flies straight for close-range shots, which is what you’d want in a putter. It has a bead on the rim edge, so the closest comparison would probably be to a beaded version of a Dart.

Next up, there is the PIWAKAWAKA (sorry, no pronunciation guide– just go with your heart). It is a mid-range disc that flies as straight as an arrow. It can even take some heat and not flip over too dramatically. It is not quite as chunky as the extremely popular Buzzz, but the flight is similar. The rim is a bit more dainty than some of the mid-range discs out there, which can make it more comfortable for smaller hands. It is certainly a finesse disc, designed for getting your disc predictably from point A to point B when you don’t have to worry about a winding path. All in all, it is a solid mid-range disc and won’t disappoint when it comes to short-range fairway needs.

Of course, every disc producer needs a beginner-friendly, easy-to-throw fairway driver, and that is where the TANIWHA comes into play. It’s still rated as a speed 10, which lands it more into the “distance driver” category for most players, but it is pitched as the “control driver” of the bunch. It would be comparable to a Valkyrie as far as beginner-friendly drivers go. It is rated as 10, 5, -2, 2.

Then there is the bomber driver for the more powerful arms, and that is the KAHU.  The Kahu is an overstable, speed 13 distance driver. It is RPM’s equivalent of the Innova Destroyer, or the Discmania DDx, or the Discraft Force, or the Legacy Outlaw. Break out the big guns when you grab this disc and let it fly. It has a low profile and a relatively sharp edge, so it slices through the air very well. I haven’t seen much of a “dome top” on the Kahu discs that came in our shipment. A lot of big throwers like that flat profile.

I admire the fact that RPM Discs didn’t feel complete without including a “super class” disc. A lot of disc makers ignore the appeal of oversized discs and the fun new angle that they can bring to the game. Of course, the roots of disc golf are found in what we now call “super class” discs with a larger diameter and slower speed. We’ve traded in that high-glide, controlled accuracy for sexy, high-speed, small discs. RPM adds to the super class family with the TEMOKO.  This is a larger disc that is PDGA approved for use in disc golf, but could just as easily be used in games of catch-and-throw. It is not as large as Ultimate discs. It is closer to an Innova Zephyr. It’s a fun disc and a unique part of the RPM Discs arsenal.

Give RPM Discs a try! Find a spot in your bag for some exotic plastic from New Zealand and you won’t regret it!

 

The New Infinite Disc Golf App Is Now Available

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Infinite Discs is very happy to announce that the new INFINITE DISC GOLF app is now available for download through the Google Play Store for Android users!

This multi-purpose disc golf app ties together many wonderful features, including course searches, course reviews, game scoring, round and player rankings, and personal statistics to track your progress. Pull out your phone and create a profile, or log in with your existing Infinite Discs or Infinite Courses website profile to start tracking your own player progress. Everything you enter on the app is available at your fingertips on your PC as you comb through your putting averages, course averages, green hit percentages, and more. See how you compare to other players and watch your rating fluctuate as you continue using the app.

Jump from the app directly into the Infinite Discs disc golf superstore with a single click to search and order your favorite discs!

Visit InfiniteDiscGolf.com for more information!

Coming Soon for iPhone!

Infinite Bomber Stamp Available Now!

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Infinite Discs is proud to present our new Infinite Bomber stamp! We’ve rolled out this fun, exclusive stamp initially with Gateway WIZARD putters, and with the most popular selling INNOVA discs.

IMG_20160726_081353The Wizards were the first to arrive and have been selling well with the larger, full-size stamp. We also received a few mini marker discs with the special stamp. We got a good variety of plastics including Special Blend, Super Soft, Super Stupid Soft, and more.

If you’re a fan of Innova discs, we just received a great selection of their best selling discs with the Infinite Bomber stamp in a smaller size for a sleek, clean look. We have Destroyers, TeeBirds, Firebirds, Terns, Novas, Aviars, Roc3, Mako3, and more! If you’ve got a favorite disc, watch for a cool stamp to make your disc even more unique and fun.

 

IMG_20160805_091015If you’d like to browse discs that have the Infinite Bomber stamp, you can use the “Advanced Search” tool on our website.

Here is a quick run-down on the steps you can take to browse the entire selection.  First, click on Advanced Search which can be found at the top of the website. You’ll then see a screen open with some little check-boxes. Click on “Extras” to check-mark it. That will open a drop-down menu to the left. Scroll down the menu until you see Infinite Discs Stamp and click to check-mark that box. Now click on the button that says “View Individual Discs” to see pages and pages of discs with the Infinite Bomber stamp!

Discs with the Infinite Bomber stamp will be coming soon from other great manufacturers, so stay tuned and keep watching the website!

Thanks for your ongoing support of Infinite Discs as we try to build the disc golf scene and make the largest selection of discs available to you quickly, easily, and inexpensively! We hope to add more unique, exclusive stamps in the near future! If you’d like to pick up exclusive, limited edition stamps and discs every month that are only available to our Infinite Discs VIP Club, then be sure to get the subscription waiting list here.

 

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