PDGA Approved Discs: Release Rate

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As disc golf becomes undeniably more popular, more discs enter the disc golf scene, vying for space in disc golfers bags. These facts about how many discs are being approved today, vs just 10 years ago may blow your mind.

PDGA Disc Approval Rate

1964 – 1987 Disc Approval Numbers

According to the list of PDGA approved discs (found here), the first approved disc was in 1964. That disc was named, according to the sheet “Professional” and was made by Wham-O / DTW. Twenty three years later, at the end of 1987 that number had grown to 71 approved discs.

Discs Approved Today

Fast forward to 2013. In 2013 alone, there were 73 PDGA approved discs, and as of October 15th, 2014 there are 70 PDGA approved discs in 2014. Since January 1, 2013 there have been 143 PDGA approved discs.
In all, there are 686 PDGA approved discs. Nearly 21% of approved discs in the market, have come within the last two years. This does not take into account the large number of discs which were once approved, but no longer in production. Were currently produced discs only taken into account, the percentage would be much higher.

Disc Approval Rate Per Year, by Decade

One final way to look at how disc production has changed, is to view the average number of discs approved per year, during a given decade.

1960’s:

    • .2 discs per year, or 1 disc every 5 years.

1970’s:

    • 1.6 discs per year.

1980’s:

    • 6.9 discs per year.

1990’s:

    • 10.6 discs per year.

2000’s:

    • 23.6 discs per year.

2010’s:

    (To Date):51.6 discs per year.

Disc Brand Increase

  • In the history of PDGA approved discs, 48 different brands have produced discs all time.
  • Within the last two years (after October 15, 2012) 27 of those 48 brands have produced a new approved disc.
  • 21 brands have not produced a new model within the last two years, either because they no longer manufacture, or they have not expanded their lineup.
  • Within the last two years, of the 27 that have made an approved disc, 14 of those brands had never created a disc previously. Over half of the brands creating new models today, did not exist before October 2012.

Brand status for the last 2 Years

New Brands:

  1. Axiom Discs
  2. Deity Discs
  3. DMI Sports
  4. Dynamic Discs
  5. Essential Discs
  6. Eurodisc
  7. HOLE19 sarl
  8. Kastaplast
  9. Obsidian Discs Oy
  10. Paradigm Disc Golf
  11. Prodigy Disc
  12. Salient Discs
  13. UB Disc Golf – Hand Candy
  14. Yikun Sports

Older than 2 years, with 1 or more new models

  1. CHING Sports
  2. Disc Golf Association
  3. Discmania
  4. Discraft
  5. Gateway Disc Sports
  6. Innova-Champion Discs
  7. Latitude 64
  8. Legacy Discs
  9. Millennium Golf Discs
  10. MVP Disc Sports
  11. Prodiscus
  12. Vibram Disc Golf
  13. Westside Golf Discs

No new models within 2 years

  1. 1080 Disc Golf
  2. ABC Discs
  3. Aerobie
  4. Crosslap Discgolf Parks
  5. Daredevil Discs
  6. Disc Golf Aotearoa
  7. Discwing
  8. DKG Disc Sports
  9. Dynamic/Destiny Discs
  10. Ferris State University
  11. Hero Leports Co., Ltd.
  12. Lightning Discs
  13. Pacific Cycle
  14. Plastic Paradise
  15. Quest Applied Technologies
  16. Rip Disc Golf
  17. Skyiron
  18. Skyquest
  19. Snap Discsports
  20. Wham-O / DTW/li>

Discs Approved Since October 15, 2012

Model

  1. Lace
  2. King VIP Air
  3. Stag
  4. Tursas
  5. Underworld
  6. Rival
  7. Zombee (Ace Race 2012)
  8. Amp
  9. Patriot
  10. Tern
  11. Escape
  12. Fugitive
  13. Judge
  14. Trespass
  15. Delivery
  16. Transition
  17. Transporter
  18. D1
  19. D2
  20. D3
  21. D4
  22. Shock
  23. 135G UltiPro Junior Ultimate
  24. 150G WaKa Freestyle Disc
  25. 175G UltiPro Ultimate
  26. View
  27. Assault
  28. Sabotage
  29. Vendetta
  30. P3 – Putt & Approach
  31. Proline Breaker
  32. Tangent
  33. Mace
  34. Laseri
  35. M1
  36. M2 (originally the M3)
  37. M3 (originally the M2)
  38. M4
  39. PA1
  40. PA2
  41. PA4
  42. Suspect
  43. Giant VIP Air
  44. Stag VIP Air
  45. Sword VIP Air
  46. Warship VIP Air
  47. MD3 – Midrange Driver
  48. Renegade
  49. Fury
  50. Tensor
  51. Mystic (retooled)
  52. Verdict
  53. Delivery Organic
  54. Transition Organic
  55. Transporter Organic
  56. Stiletto
  57. Truth
  58. Atlas
  59. Omega SuperSoft Big Bead
  60. O-Lace
  61. unLace
  62. F1
  63. F2
  64. F3
  65. F7
  66. Crank
  67. Rask
  68. Rage (retooled)
  69. Tank – Panzer
  70. D5
  71. Procul
  72. Nova
  73. Mortar
  74. Prometheus
  75. Resistor
  76. Bandit
  77. Gauge
  78. Mongoose
  79. Warden
  80. D5 (retooled)
  81. Saint Pro
  82. Foxbat
  83. Harp (Kannel1)
  84. Hatchet (Sotakipves1)
  85. Sorcerer (Tietäjä1)
  86. World (Maailma1)
  87. F5
  88. Yao
  89. Mantis (Ace Race 2013)
  90. Servo
  91. Antidote
  92. Jade
  93. Aries
  94. M5
  95. Alias
  96. Envy
  97. Rask (retooled)
  98. Tiger
  99. Inertia
  100. Switch
  101. Witness
  102. Daedalus
  103. Chimera
  104. Impulse
  105. Motion
  106. Tesla
  107. Outlaw
  108. Crave
  109. Claws
  110. Gui
  111. Wings
  112. Inspire
  113. Thief
  114. FD2
  115. Scythe
  116. Boatman VIP Air
  117. Shield
  118. Tursas VIP Air
  119. Underworld VIP Air
  120. Torrent
  121. PA3
  122. Four20
  123. Enforcer
  124. Claymore
  125. Dagger
  126. X1
  127. Monstrum
  128. Vein
  129. Lex
  130. Da’e
  131. Gou
  132. Hu
  133. Jun
  134. Assassin (retooled)
  135. Chief (retooled)
  136. Kaxe
  137. Missilen
  138. Backdraft
  139. Shaman
  140. Clash
  141. Supreme Legacy
  142. Felon
  143. Freedom
  144. Buzzz OS
  145. Bird-Dog
  146. Terrapin
  147. Touch
  148. Thunderbird
  149. Veteran
  150. Solace
  151. Honey
  152. H1
  153. Jiao
  154. Wei
  155. CD2
  156. Outlaw (retooled)
  157. Splinter
  158. Proxy
  159. Theory
  160. H2
  161. H4
  162. All in One

 

Manufacturer

Vibram Disc Golf
Westside Golf Discs
Westside Golf Discs
Westside Golf Discs
Westside Golf Discs
Legacy Discs
Discraft
MVP Disc Sports
Legacy Discs
Innova-Champion Discs
Dynamic Discs
Dynamic Discs
Dynamic Discs
Dynamic Discs
Eurodisc
Eurodisc
Eurodisc
Prodigy Disc
Prodigy Disc
Prodigy Disc
Prodigy Disc
MVP Disc Sports
Yikun Sports
Yikun Sports
Yikun Sports
Yikun Sports
DMI Sports
DMI Sports
DMI Sports
Discmania
Disc Golf Association
MVP Disc Sports
Latitude 64
Prodiscus
Prodigy Disc
Prodigy Disc
Prodigy Disc
Prodigy Disc
Prodigy Disc
Prodigy Disc
Prodigy Disc
Dynamic Discs
Westside Golf Discs
Westside Golf Discs
Westside Golf Discs
Westside Golf Discs
Discmania
Dynamic Discs
Latitude 64
MVP Disc Sports
Gateway Disc Sports
Dynamic Discs
Eurodisc
Eurodisc
Eurodisc
Latitude 64
Dynamic Discs
Innova-Champion Discs
Millennium Golf Discs
Vibram Disc Golf
Vibram Disc Golf
Prodigy Disc
Prodigy Disc
Prodigy Disc
Prodigy Disc
Discraft
Kastaplast
Gateway Disc Sports
Millennium Golf Discs
Prodigy Disc
UB Disc Golf – Hand Candy
Innova-Champion Discs
Millennium Golf Discs
Salient Discs
MVP Disc Sports
Legacy Discs
Legacy Discs
Legacy Discs
Dynamic Discs
Prodigy Disc
Latitude 64
Innova-Champion Discs
Westside Golf Discs
Westside Golf Discs
Westside Golf Discs
Westside Golf Discs
Prodigy Disc
Yikun Sports
Discraft
MVP Disc Sports
Salient Discs
Latitude 64
Millennium Golf Discs
Prodigy Disc
Axiom Discs
Axiom Discs
Kastaplast
Paradigm Disc Golf
MVP Disc Sports
MVP Disc Sports
Dynamic Discs
Innova-Champion Discs
Deity Discs
MVP Disc Sports
MVP Disc Sports
MVP Disc Sports
Legacy Discs
Axiom Discs
Yikun Sports
Yikun Sports
Yikun Sports
Axiom Discs
Dynamic Discs
Discmania
Latitude 64
Westside Golf Discs
Westside Golf Discs
Westside Golf Discs
Westside Golf Discs
Disc Golf Association
Prodigy Disc
Vibram Disc Golf
Dynamic Discs
Latitude 64
Latitude 64
Prodigy Disc
UB Disc Golf – Hand Candy
Salient Discs
UB Disc Golf – Hand Candy
Yikun Sports
Yikun Sports
Yikun Sports
Yikun Sports
Gateway Disc Sports
Gateway Disc Sports
Kastaplast
Latitude 64
Salient Discs
Gateway Disc Sports
Axiom Discs
CHING Sports
Dynamic Discs
Dynamic Discs
Discraft
Paradigm Disc Golf
Paradigm Disc Golf
Salient Discs
Innova-Champion Discs
Millennium Golf Discs
Vibram Disc Golf
Essential Discs
Prodigy Disc
Yikun Sports
Yikun Sports
Discmania
Legacy Discs
Obsidian Discs Oy
Axiom Discs
Axiom Discs
Prodigy Disc
Prodigy Disc

Date Approved

10/30/12
10/30/12
10/30/12
10/30/12
10/30/12
11/02/12
11/13/12
11/14/12
11/28/12
12/03/12
12/07/12
12/07/12
12/07/12
12/07/12
12/11/12
12/11/12
12/11/12
01/01/13
01/01/13
01/01/13
01/01/13
01/15/13
01/16/13
01/16/13
01/16/13
01/16/13
02/08/13
02/08/13
02/08/13
02/13/13
02/22/13
02/22/13
03/04/13
03/04/13
03/05/13
03/05/13
03/05/13
03/05/13
03/05/13
03/05/13
03/05/13
03/10/13
03/10/13
03/10/13
03/10/13
03/10/13
03/29/13
04/04/13
04/19/13
04/19/13
05/14/13
05/30/13
05/30/13
05/30/13
05/30/13
05/30/13
06/18/13
06/18/13
06/22/13
06/25/13
06/25/13
07/06/13
07/06/13
07/06/13
07/06/13
07/08/13
07/18/13
08/29/13
08/29/13
08/29/13
08/29/13
09/03/13
09/03/13
09/03/13
09/23/13
09/25/13
09/25/13
09/25/13
10/14/13
10/14/13
10/17/13
10/22/13
10/28/13
10/28/13
10/28/13
10/28/13
11/01/13
11/01/13
12/01/13
12/01/13
12/16/13
12/20/13
01/06/14
01/06/14
01/12/14
01/12/14
01/12/14
01/19/14
02/10/14
02/10/14
02/17/14
02/17/14
02/22/14
02/22/14
02/22/14
02/22/14
02/25/14
03/09/14
03/09/14
03/09/14
03/09/14
03/22/14
03/22/14
03/24/14
03/24/14
03/24/14
03/24/14
03/24/14
03/24/14
03/25/14
03/25/14
03/31/14
04/07/14
04/13/14
04/13/14
05/04/14
05/04/14
05/13/14
05/13/14
05/13/14
05/13/14
05/13/14
05/13/14
05/19/14
05/19/14
05/19/14
05/22/14
05/22/14
06/09/14
06/10/14
07/14/14
07/14/14
07/14/14
07/19/14
07/19/14
07/19/14
07/20/14
08/05/14
08/05/14
08/05/14
08/26/14
08/26/14
08/26/14
08/26/14
09/05/14
09/17/14
09/17/14
09/24/14
09/24/14
09/26/14
09/26/14
10/01/14

We’re curious what you think. Comment below and let us know your thoughts on any or all of the following:

  • With this many new models and new brands, is it good for the sport?
  • History shows us that not all of the molds being produced today will remain in production. Will discs be moved to “out of production” more quickly, because more discs have entered the market? Or is there room enough for all of the new molds being released, especially when considering industry growth in general?
  • Do you like the additional selection, or do you wish we were back to the days of ?
  • How much of your bag is comprised of these new molds?
  • From the brands which are older than two years, and have not produced any new discs, do you own or use any of their discs? If so, which discs?

 

Infinite Bags

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Introducing the Infinite Bags

Over the course of the last year we have been quietly working on our own version of bags for disc golfers. Our goal throughout the process was to create a bag that exceeds similarly sized bags in both quality and affordability. We feel that we have accomplished that with both the Infinite Small Bag and the Infinite Large Bag.

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Launch Promotion – Limited Time Only

During the entire month of October, we are offering this bag at an excellent introductory price.

  • Small Bag Value: $19.99. On sale for $13.99

  • Large Bag Value: $49.99. On sale for $39.99

  • Straps Value: $23.99. On sale for $19.99

  • Large Bag w/ Straps Value: $74.99. On sale for $49.99

    • * Offer Ends 10/31/2014

    [/box]

    Bag Features

    Small Infinite Bag – Shop Here
    Regular Price: $19.99

    1. Holds 8-10 discs
    2. 1680 denier nylon (The most durable)
    3. High quality zippers
    4. Pocket for putters
    5. Drink holder with drawstring
    6. Embroidered Infinite Discs logo
    7. Padded bottom with rigid plastic
    8. Single divider so discs stay better organized
    9. Shoulder strap with rubber shoulder pad
    10. Available in: Red, Blue, Black or Orange

    Large Infinite Bag – Shop Here
    Regular Price: $49.99

    1. Holds 18 – 22 Discs
    2. 1680 Denier Nylon (The most durable)
    3. YKK Zippers
    4. Strong elastic putter pocket holds 1 or 2 putters
    5. 2 large strong elastic bottle holders
    6. Embroidered Infinite Discs logo
    7. Large storage pockets on both sides
    8. Two removable dividers to keep discs organized
    9. Scorecard and/or phone sleeve
    10. Mini pocket
    11. Small accessory pocket
    12. 3 small pencil holders
    13. 1 large pencil holder
    14. 4 plastic pegs which prevent rollovers and keep bag slightly elevated
    15. Shoulder strap with fabric shoulder pad.
    16. Compatible with all major backpack style bag straps.
    17. Available in: Red, Blue, Black, Orange or Burgundy

    Infinite Straps – Shop Here
    Regular Price: $23.99

    1. Compatible with all major large bag designs
    2. Chest clip to more evenly disperse weight load
    3. Spring loaded metal clips
    4. Embroidered Infinite Discs logo
    5. Available in black only

    Addressing Previous Bag Issues

    Fabric Durability
    We had two options to fix concerns with fabric. Stop using fabric, or use better fabric. To keep the bag affordable, fabric is the answer. To make it more durable we found 1680D Nylon; the most durable nylon fabric available in textile manufacturing. When you touch the fabric you can feel the density of this durable material which is more and made of dense strands of nylon which are more resistant to shredding or tearing. This is the most resilient fabric to adverse conditions.

    Zipper Durability
    Zippers frequently come off their tracks, or the pull tab completely breaks off of the zipper; requiring you to improvise with a paper clip or just never zip your bag again. To remedy this, we went with YKK zippers. In case you are unfamiliar with zippers, YKK is the most trusted brand of zippers in the world. All metal, and smooth sliding, you should be pleased with your YKK zipper.

    Straps tearing out of seams
    Seams in other bags separate easily. We have strong stitching on all seems; especially on seems where straps are attached. That way if your bag

    Having addressed all of these issues, we hope that your Infinite Large Bag or Infinite Small Bag treat you well for years to come. Will your bag have issues eventually? We hope not, but unfortunately everything comes in need of repair; with an Infinite Discs bag, chances are that your time between replacement bags will be drastically reduced.

    Our Promise

    We feel confident that we have created a very quality bag made of durable material. If you experience any issues with the workmanship listed above within the first three months, contact us and we’ll gladly help you. Please view our Return & Exchange Policy.

    Free Infinite Discs Towel

    4 comments

    Do you want a free Infinite Discs Golf Towel?
    – Ultra Absorbent
    – Micro Fiber
    – Waffle Weave
    – Durable
    – Black

    Of course you do.

    The Infinite Discs 2.0 website is nearing an official launch! For the new site to provide everything disc golfers want, we need YOU to update your Infinite Discs Reviewer Profile.

    Complete these 4 Steps to get your free towel promo code.

    1. Log in to your Infinite Discs account

    If you have written reviews on Infinite Discs before, you should already have an account under the email address used when you submitted your review. You don’t know your password because the old system didn’t have passwords.

    To reset your password go to our beta test 2.0 website at https://infinitediscs.com/login

    Then select “forgot password” with the email address you previously reviewed with. You will be emailed a new password.

    If you have never reviewed discs on InfiniteDiscs.com before, then simply register for a new account.

    2. Update Your Reviewer Profile (Including your profile picture and a new password you can remember).

    3. Edit Your Reviews Including Both Star Ratings and Plastic Type

    Our old system did not tie the ratings to the review so the listed star rating is probably not how you would rate the disc.

    If you’ve have YouTube footage with a video review of your disc, you can actually upload a video review here too using the film strip icon.

    ***Note, when you update your review make sure you update your star rating. The default star rating is set as 1. So if you don’t click the star amount you want to give, you will probably be rating the disc lower than you mean to.

    Discs should be rated according to the following criteria:

    • 1 Star – Waste of Plastic. Not Recommended for Anyone
    • 2 Star – Below Average
    • 3 Star – Average Disc
    • 4 Star – Good Disc, Above Average
    • 5 Star – Must Have

     

    If you haven’t written any reviews, now is the time to do so. Simply create an Infinite Discs user profile, rate and review five products you’ve used, and you to are eligible for a free towel.

    4. Complete This Form

    Once you have completed all these steps, simply complete the form below, we will review your profile and email you your promo code for your free towel.

    Everyone who updates their reviewer profiles by Oct 31st, 2014 will be eligible to receive a free Infinite Discs towel.

    To redeem your free towel promo code, simply add the towel to checkout on the beta site when you place your next order. Enter the promo code under “discounts” and it will make the cost of the towel $0. You will still be responsible for paying the shipping. Only one free towel per reviewer. If you want more than one Infinite Discs towel, you will need to purchase additional towels using a separate transaction without the promo code.

    Be sure to follow this post for more information on Infinite Discs free disc golf giveaways.

    Infinite Discs Reviews YouTube Channel

    Leave a comment

    InfiniteDiscs.com is well known for the many in depth disc reviews our website offers. While reading reviews is a great way to get the information you’re looking for about a certain disc — videos of discs in flight are even better. We have some friends in Ohio who have started an awesome YouTube review channel for us. They are already at it reviewing some of the hottest discs currently on the market. This new channel will provide loads of good information, and opportunities to win free disc golf stuff that you will only know about by subscribing to the channel.

    Check out the video reviews that have already been uploaded, and subscribe to this new channel right now.

    MVP Motion Review

    Latitude 64 Scythe Review

    Disc Golf & Big Box Stores

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    I have heard recently that in order for disc golf to succeed, and disc golf manufacturers to take off, it needs to make it into big box stores, like Wal-Mart. I have two quick responses for that, and then would like to explain why Wal-Mart and other big box stores generally would not be good for disc golf.

    1. Some Wal-Mart locations and other big box stores already have disc golf gear.
    2. Second, big box stores are not good for disc golf.

    Finite Amount for Discs

    The heading for this section has a bit of irony, because at Infinite Discs, we understand that there is a finite (specific number) number of discs to satisfy the demand for disc golf. Meaning, just because Wal-Mart suddenly purchases 2 billion discs, does not mean that consumers are going to purchase 2 billion discs. With the finite number of discs that can be sold, those discs should be purchased at shops and stores which focus on disc golf.

    On the other hand, I understand that a number of purchases are impulse purchases, and the more exposure to discs increases the likeliness for sales. So in some part, yes, disc golf sales would increase if consumers were exposed to discs more often. Disc manufacturers would benefit from the disc sales, and so would the big box stores – but what would the big box stores do with that profit?

    Return for Disc Golf From Big Box Stores

    Disc golf is a back-scratch community, which big box stores can’t relate to. Why? They see disc golf as nothing more than coming in the door and going back out, they maximize profit by moving product quickly and stocking what will sell now. If disc golf is not selling in 5 years, they aren’t worried.

    Return for Disc Golf from Disc Golf Stores & Businesses

    Disc golf stores want to maximize profit as well, there’s nothing wrong with maximizing profit. However, disc golf stores like ours will only maximize profit by helping the sport. If disc golf is not selling in five years, that’s bad news.

    In every case I can think of, disc golf stores, manufacturers, and vendors are small – they not only care about the growth and expansion of the sport, their lives literally depend on it. They are invested in watching disc golf grow.

    So, what do companies like us at Infinite Discs do, we go out and promote the sport. In some degrees it could be called selfish. Before my livelihood depended on disc golf two years ago, I enjoyed the sport casually. Once I became a co-owner of Infinite Discs, I started evangelizing the sport like I had never done before.

    For example, the Cache County Fairgrounds which is a new course and one of the best in the state of Utah, and a large reason why it is in place is due to Infinite Discs. Many other stores do similar things. I would not claim the Fairgrounds as a project that Infinite Discs started, that thanks goes to a passionate disc golfer named Brandon Merzlock (thanks Brandon!), but it was one that we were highly interested in seeing become a reality for my love of the sport and desire to provide for my family. We did the proposal to the county advisory board, we organized a majority of the labor and money to make the course become a reality. Today, just three months in, the Fairgrounds management is amazed by the number of disc golfers who come through on a daily basis, in a town that barely knew about disc golf. Locally sales have been better because of the course, therefore we can afford to sponsor the Cache Valley Classic Disc Golf Tournament. If you live in Utah or Idaho, come the inaugural year of the Cache Valley Classic!

    When capable, we also inject money and sponsorship back into the disc golf community and help tournament payouts become even better. We help fan pages when possible as well. Of course, we are not currently capable of helping every tournament, but we do what we can.

    In conclusion, I once heard “every dollar you spend is a vote you cast.” So I encourage you, fellow disc golfer, go and support the stores that support disc golf and watch the sport continue to flourish. Every dollar you spend at a disc golf shop, like ours (or at ours!), you vote for improved disc golf. Not to mention, we’re actually more affordable than the chain stores.

    And as a final reminder, always be courteous to others, and respectful of the courses in which you play.

    Tournament Payout Depth

    10 comments

    After the Maple Hill Open last week, Paul McBeth posted on Facebook about the depth of tournament payouts. He stated that he felt that a player who performed far worse received compensation far above what it should have been, especially when compared to the scores of those who competed at a higher level. I can’t recall the words exactly, it looks as though the post has since been removed.

    In other words, those who placed near the top took less because the payout was spread across a broad number of people. Paul was both negatively blasted and praised for his comments.

    What is “Payout Depth”

    The payout depth is the percentage of competitors who receive a payout. You can view the PDGA “Pro Payout Table” here. Clicking the link will prompt you to download a .xls file. With this scale, the top 45% receive a payout. The last 20 paid receive 37% of the payout.

    When looking at the issue, the comments boiled down to two issues with payouts:

    Should Tournament Payouts Promote Champions or Promote More Participation?

    The argument is that when a regular champion receive more, others are less inclined to take part in the sport. I think that assumption is false.

    Disc Golf Needs a Champion. Why Tiger Woods was Good for Golf

    I once lived in Denver, where Sports Authority is headquartered, and became friends with one of the Chief Executives. He and I were lounging on a Sunday watching “ball golf”, and Tiger Woods was on the brink of losing his 5 stroke lead in the final round. With only a 1 stroke difference between him and Woody Allen and two holes left to play, what was once a leisure game of golf became intense. This executive was depending on Tiger Woods to come out victorious. I inquired why, and he said that when there is a champion which people can cheer for, the sport thrives and sales increase. In the end, Tiger was victorious, much to the relief of my executive friend.

    I share that story to kick this post off, because disc golf needs a Tiger Woods. Yes, for sales. Money coming into disc golf is a good thing for places like Infinite Discs; I’m not going to hide that. So if you feel I’m bias, that’s why.

    But it’s more than just dollars and cents. Champions are good for the competition, the passion, the structure, and most importantly, the fanaticism. It’s what we love in sports and what keeps us coming back – champions being challenged by underdogs, champions thriving, champions being disparaged by competitors fans, dynasties, and dynasties falling to a new one. This is what enthralls us in a sport and keeps us coming back for more.

    Why Compete in a Disc Golf Tournament?

    When players arrive at a tournament they want to have fun, they want to compete, they want to feel the pressure of being at the top, and they want to win. I don’t know anyone who entered a tournament who had already mentally visioned and accepted their fate of taking last place. That player would not show up on competition day. Players dream of and talk about standing atop the winners podium.

    Nearly every player outside of the touring professionals are underdogs; and that’s understood. In Utah we have the Mello Yello Challenge at the Solitude Disc Golf Course. When Paul McBeth arrives in August to compete after Worlds, each player in his division will be aiming to be on the lead card with him at the end, and then to win at the final round. Who wouldn’t want to play with and score better than the top rated player in the world!? Just to amaze yourself.

    Then you would realize you’re taking home a giant check, too.

    When all is said and done, many players scores will fall far outside of those in the winners circle. Most of the players will not be paid. Will they be disappointed and vow never to return to a disc golf tournament? Probably not. If they vow never to return, they probably had more issues than just their score with that tournament. Disc golfers are generally easy-going, happy to participate and compete, own-my-own-results type of people. Will they be a bit bummed that they didn’t play better? Usually they are. If every competitor expected to receive payouts for mediocre or horrible performance, that would be a culture issue that needed to be addressed. Competition is not about making everyone a winner, it’s about rewarding excellence.

    Many ‘losers’ will go home with stories about amazing shots, flashes of brilliance, and eagerness to improve and compete at a higher level next year – maybe even get into the money… real money, not consolation money as a result of paying a deep field, that wouldn’t even cover gas.

    By removing payout for those in the middle of the pack and bumping that up to the winners, nobody will be offended. Winners will be properly rewarded, and more inclined to focus on winning and dedicating further efforts to growing the sport (and therefore increasing their competition field… and therefore increasing their future payouts). Those who don’t win will work harder to improve as well.

    Players Competing For Money Are Greedy

    This is one of the reasons why the NBA and I get along less and less. Paul was blasted in his post for wanting more money, with critics saying that he just needs to learn to enjoy the ride. Here’s the reality of most top touring pros right now, including Paul – they’re not that wealthy. These pros stay in the most affordable accommodations available. Prior to competitions,  some ask for floor space to sleep on to save a few extra bucks. So yes, money can corrupt the love and passion in the sport… but touring pros are driven by the survival instinct right now. A little extra money to set aside for a home and hotel accommodations while touring is not greedy.

    What about “sandbagging?”

    We all know the players I’m talking about, the ones who are clearly more advanced than the division in which they are competing. I know some individuals who play intermediate regularly, even though they may take 3rd overall in the tournament. Ironically, if those individuals would have played up another division they would have won more, as the payouts in the more advanced divisions pay fewer people. In this blog post, I am not arguing for modifying amateur and lower division payouts. Continue to keep those payouts flat. In those divisions, reward participation. Keep the top division payouts aggressive, steep, and reward excellence. This, too, encourages players to improve so they can get better payouts.

    Players Need to Get Sponsors Instead of Complaining About Low Payouts

    Many of the comments blamed players for low payouts and their failure to obtain sponsorships. As one of the owners of a rapidly growing disc golf brand, I would love to reach into my pockets and sponsor more players… But, I don’t want to offend anybody, there are a few reality checks to visit:

    Reality #1: Disc golf is small (even though it is growing).
    Reality #2: Disc golf is not very profitable (yet).

    For a sponsor, it’s all about ROI (Return on Investment). A smart sponsor will reach their target audience by sponsoring (which would be disc golf companies like Infinite Discs). Disc golf companies are strapped for cash due to high competition in a relatively small market, and other sponsors hesitate because they want to connect with their target audience and get decent return as well. However, there is no single great way to reach all disc golfers and get a solid ROI. For that reason, the obtaining of sponsors cannot be put squarely on the players shoulders – it actually needs to be put on all disc golfers shoulders.

    How? Disc golf will continue to grow steadily throughout the United States and the world. Disc golfers need to respect their courses, respect others, and to invite others out to play. At Infinite Discs we try to encourage others to grow the sport through giveaways such as this: #growthesport campaign.

    On another post I’ll focus on great ways to grow the sport, as well as the best ways to get more courses in your area. Some people have a difficult time with wanting to grow the sport, as it will become more “main stream.” Obviously, I don’t have a problem with that, it helps feed my family and hopefully I’ll be able to save something for a rainy day. I also like to see the sport grow because it’s a fantastic recreational activity for all ages. It pulls people out doors, it brings us to beautiful places in which we live, and it’s a cost-effective answer to recreation for cities. Nothing wrong with having more courses to play within a short driving distance!

    Let me know what your thoughts are on the article above and what you’d like to see more of! Here’s to next time!

    The State Of Disc Golf: Leading Manufacturers

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    The State of Disc Golf 2014: Leading Manufacturers

    This is part 5 of a seven part editorial series of the 1,422 responses from the survey “The State of Disc Golf: 2014”

    Note 1: This article takes real data from real survey results, and then they are published with educated opinion. You may not agree with everything you read, and that’s completely ok. Please leave any of your thoughts or comments below. Rude, belligerent, or otherwise inappropriate comments will not be published.

    Note 2: We acknowledge and emphasize to you that the results here directly reflect the disc golf community who is in some way, shape, or form, involved with disc golf online. We therefore recognize that it would be inaccurate for us to claim that this survey is a proper reflection of the entire disc golf community. The results portray disc golfers who found this survey via Facebook, Twitter, Reddit, Google+, forums, E-mail, and other means. With over 1,400 respondents the statistical accuracy is high.

    Manufacturers & Brands

    While there are several brands, some manufacturers actually produce products for other brands.

    To best illustrate this we’ll use the MVP as our example. In January 2014 MVP launched a new brand called Axiom. MVP discs & Axiom discs are both produced by MVP Disc Sports, however Axiom is its own product lineup and brand.

    Q: Which manufacturer is the leader in disc golf today?

    Which manufacturer disc golfers believed was the leader in disc golf today? The answer wasn’t even close. Innova took it by the largest margin of any other question in the survey. In contrast to the data in the last survey “Which brand is your favorite?” is what makes the results here more intriguing. While bias likely works into the answers for many when taking a survey such as this, it shows bias was largely set aside. 38% of people responded that Innova was their favorite brand, but 74% responded that Innova is todays leading manufacturer. 3 in 4 disc golfers voted that Innova is the top manufacturer today, even if Innova wasn’t their choice of disc.

    Q: Which manufacturer are you looking forward to new releases from the most?

    This question had a very nice spread when compared to the landslide of the last question. MVP is impressive here not only because they placed first With 20% of disc golfers most excited for releases from MVP, but also because this is a small company which currently has a very small market share. MVP has created hype around each release, and their distance driver lineup which is coming out this spring is the most anticipated release that we can remember. In addition, from our point of view MVP also lives up to the hype that they create with each release – consistency and quality is a staple when working with MVP.

    The next three are Latitude 64, Innova, and Prodigy with 18%, 16% and 14% of the votes respectively. From our view Latitude 64 is establishing itself as a major player in the industry and has a strong following which faithfully buy whatever the product. Innova has also produced a handful of top selling discs the last two years with Krait, Tern, and now their overmold plastic options with the Atlas and Nova has also turned heads. Finally Prodigy, who according to their number system has released a majority of the discs which will be released, how will they adapt in 2014? More signature series?

    Q: Which manufacturer has the best public reputation?

    Innova takes first place again at 50%. Second place is Discraft with 16%, Latitude 64 with 11%, MVP with 7%, and everybody from there has just a small share.

    Innova’s dominance in this category was honestly a surprise. While we are not questioning Innova having a solid reputation, I (the author) feel that many brands are also deserving of the top vote for many. Perhaps next time, this question will be rephrased to ask “On a scale of 1-10, how would you rate the reputation of such and such company.” That question will give us a better thermometer reading of how different manufacturers are doing for the disc golf world.

    Kudos to Innova for doing an overall fantastic job! The results don’t lie!

    Q: Which manufacturer is the most Innovative?

    And we’re back to MVP, except MVP now takes it by a larger margin. MVP certainly has a unique way of doing things, and it’s catchy… and according to respondents, it’s Innovative.

    In second place is Innova, with less than half the votes of MVP. Innova is large, and continues to adapt. For example, noting the success of MVP, Innova developed their own overmold style. Innova has a steady stream of discs annually which frequently seems to fill a void in what seems to be a very well built lineup.

    Latitude 64, Prodigy, and Vibram round out the next three – each with unique aspects they bring to the game!

    Q: If you could have discs made by only one manufacturer, which would it be?

    Innova strikes again. Most disc golfers would choose Innova if they could throw with only one brand, and it’s not hard to see why. Innova has something for just about everybody.

    At the same time, it’s not hard to see why many of the other brands are chosen. The reality is, you don’t always need a disc for every possible situation, you need discs only for the scenarios which you play one. Many players choose only a handful of discs because they are versatile and they simply love them, so it’s easy to see where fan bias plays into this question more.

    Latitude 64 takes second place with Discraft not far behind.

    Q: Which manufacturer made the largest impact to disc golf in 2013?

    First place goes to Prodigy who garnered 40% of the votes here, and again, it’s not hard to see why. January 1, 2013 was the first day most of the disc golf world ever heard the name Prodigy, and it is now common to nearly all disc golfers. In fact, in the next article we’ll focus on brand awareness, but to give a sneak peak, over 73% of respondents said they are familiar with the brand Prodigy. Only 8% said that are not familiar at all. That is an amazing feat in one year of business by nearly all standards. Be it the D1, or PA-1, it’s hard to play disc golf with a league or club where somebody does not regularly use a Prodigy disc.

    Innova, MVP, and Latitude 64 were others who gathered a reasonable amount of votes. Each had a number of very popular releases which, like Prodigy, are hard not to find in a nearby players bag.

    Q: Which manufacturer made the largest impact to disc golf in 2014?

    People still expect big things from Prodigy in 2014, who gathered 18% of the votes for this question. However, first place goes to (you guessed it) MVP who gathered 19% of the votes.

    There are many ways which a disc golf company can make an impact – PDGA National Tour tournaments, or grass-roots efforts like the Vibram Birdie Bash and Discraft Ace Race. To date, MVP has not done any of these things, but they have created a new brand, they’re releasing new discs – so 2014 has not disappointed yet.

    Our Overall Impression:

    Even though they’re small, MVP has made a splash! They’re tenacious and Is the best still to come from company which has already amazed in so many ways in 2014?

    Near the top of the pack each time was Latitude 64, the manufacturer for Westside and Dynamic Discs. The Scandinavian-made plastic (aka, Trilogy), has earned a solid reputation as a fair sized contingent of the disc golf industry trades out their old plastic for any one of these brands. It is my speculation that given the current course of Latitude 64 they will be rivaling Innova for the top spot in the disc golf market.

    Innova is #1. When you’re the largest disc golf manufacturer in the world, it is inevitable that complaints will be voiced. Innova has already been through the growing pains which others are currently experiencing, and they’re in a stride. They are still most respected as #1 and have set a high mark for others to rise to. Innova will be hard to catch as their current pace will not be shrinking. Instead, the way to catch up with Innova will be to continue to grow the overall disc golf scene (which companies such as Dynamic Discs have been doing a remarkable job) and to create brand loyal fans.

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