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

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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.

The State Of Disc Golf: Disc Consumption & Brand Loyalty

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The State of Disc Golf 2014: Disc Consumption

This is part 4 of a seven part editorial series of the 1,422 responses from the survey “The State of Disc Golf: 2014”

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.

This article was one of my favorites to piece together with the survey data that was assembled. It was both fascinating, mind-boggling, and there is an enormous amount of conclusions which can be drawn from this data. For the sake of keeping this straightforward, we’ll share some facts and conclusions which you will likely find interesting as well.

Disc Consumption & Discs Owned

Of the 1403 respondents that have data collected, a rough estimate of 32,886 discs were purchased in 2013, or 23 per respondent. These players collectively have 68,959 discs, or 49.15 on average. This means that 47.68% of discs owned by respondents were purchased this year.

How was this calculated? We took this number by averaging each segment, and placed a number discs owned for players who owned “101+ discs” at 130. Yes, this was a rough guess, but it should suffice for this editorial. We imagine that if given the opportunity, some players in this column would have said they have over 1,000 discs, and others may have only had 105. For fear of over inflating these results, we were modest. If you would like, you may want to increase those numbers a bit.

Another interesting point as shown in the graph is that the darkest areas of the graph tend to be where “New discs this year” and “Total Discs Owned” intersect at equal points. In other words, somebody who purchased 16-20 discs in their first of year play is likely to currently own 16-20 discs. This means that many players tend to gather most discs immediately, and purchasing habits in coming years tends to slow.

Roughly 71% of disc golfers who began acquiring discs this year purchased a minimum of 16 discs. New disc golfers tend to fill their bag right up.

Brands vs Purchases

The survey also asked “what was your favorite brand at the end of 2013?” Here’s a look at those answers vs how many discs consumers purchased.

Please note:

  • This survey was not promoted or endorsed by any manufacturer or brand, to the best of our knowledge.
  • Any brand who had less than 1% share, or less than 15 votes were not included in the results here.

 

Innova’s followers also made the largest portion of disc purchases, thanks to sheer numbers of fans. Many of these fans were purchasing large numbers of discs, however, the Innova fans on a spread of how many discs they were likely to purchase, were not as likely as Prodigy, Legacy, Dynamic Discs, Latitude 64, or Westside fans to purchase a large number of discs.

For example, both Innova and Discraft fans purchased 6-10 discs last year 15% and 23% of the time respectively while Dynamic Discs fans purchased 16-20 discs 21% of the time. As you can see from the graph on the right, the line represent Innova peaks in the 6-10 disc column, whereas the line for Dynamic and Prodigy peak in the 16-20 disc column.

The reasoning behind this may be simple, brands such as Innova and Discraft (while they have vast selection), are not releasing discs as rapidly. For example, if somebody has chosen Prodigy as their favorite brand, they are more likely to purchase Prodigy new releases – and there were 17 new Prodigy discs last year alone. Dynamic Discs, which is manufactured by Latitude 64 (which also manufactures Westside) also has had a number of new releases. But new releases are only part of the puzzle.

Brand Favorites: End of 2012 vs End of 2013

Respondents overwhelmingly chose Innova as the favorite brand at the end of 2012. Keep in mind, this survey was taken at the start of 2014, so Innova may be the easy answer for those with unclear memories. Even still, chosen as the favorite brand 63% of the time when 19 options are present is an overwhelming landslide victory. It wasn’t even close.

Fast forward 1 year and Innova is still the favorite, but it’s an entirely new landscape. At the end of 2013, and with 24 different options, Innova only had a 36% share of the pie, that’s a 27% drop! What changed? For the most part, Scandinavian-made brands became more popular and Prodigy hit shelves. Other brands such as MVP, Vibram, and Legacy also made modest gains.

Good Questions for the 2014 Survey

2.71% of players own less discs at the end of 2013, than the amount of discs which they purchased through the course of 2013. What does that mean? They either took heavy casualties on the course, or they were generous to fellow players. A good follow up question may be, “Do you lose more discs to the course, or by giving them to others?”

  • “Within a 15 mile radius, which brands are available for you to purchase in a physical store location? (check all that apply)
  • “How many different discs do you throw regularly?”
  • “How many different discs do you typically throw during play on an 18 hole course?”
  • “How many discs do you have in your bag?”
  • “Do you own a disc golf bag? If so, which style?”

Yes, there are many things we are already looking forward to in our State of Disc Golf: 2014 survey. Let us know what you think and what you would like to see!

New Discs For Spring 2014

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Spring is in the air and the disc golf manufactures have been pumping out new disc models just in time for peak throwing season. In case you’ve been taking the winter off from disc golf, here is an update on the new releases of 2014 thus far.

While there are already more than a dozen new releases, there really aren’t very many new disc types to choose from. Most of the newest discs are either overstable putters, understable midranges, or beginner friendly understable drivers. In addition to the new molds, there is also a variety of new plastic blends that have been released Innova’s new GStar blend.

Putters

Axiom Envy – Axiom Discs (new MVP brand) was launched at the beginning of the year. One of their initial new colorful discs is the putt and approach Envy. This new disc is described as a great driving putter, and is more overstable than the MVP Ion and Anode.

Crosslap Credo – Okay, this disc isn’t actually a new disc, but it is new to us at Infinite Discs. This overstable putter from Germany has a very unique feel, a flat top, and is available in two different plastic blends.

Westside Harp – Westside fans are excited about the new release of the second Westside putt and approach disc. This new putter will be available in BT Soft plastic and is described as an overstable wind-fighting putter. Like the Envy, this disc will probably be more popular as an approach disc than a putting putter.

Midrange

Axiom Alias – The second disc in the Axiom line is a straight flying midrange described to be similar to the MVP Tangent with the same flight ratings as the Innova Atlas. Like the Envy, this disc is available in a plethora of color combinations.

Innova Foxbat – The Foxbat is a slightly understable disc with an Innova glide rating of 6 and a fade at 0. This straight flying disc is excellent for beginners and anhyzer turnover throws.

Crosslap Lucky – If you’re looking for a unique feeling plastic blend, you may want to try your luck with the Lucky. This German made midrange has a unique look, feel, and understable flight path.

Prodigy M5 – The M5 is an understable midrange perfect for newer disc golfers and shots that you want to turn right (for right handed backhand throws). This disc has a unique rim with an indented line that goes surrounds the circumference of the disc. First run M5’s are available in a unique “2014” stamp in Prodigy’s 400G and 300S plastics.

Salient Antidote – The Antidote is another understable midrange with a very similar shape, feel, profile, and flight path as the Innova Foxbat. This disc is available in two different plastic blends that have been highly esteemed by our reviewers.

Fairway Drivers

Discraft Mantis – The 2013 Ace Race disc has been slightly re-tooled to be more understable and is now available in Elite Z plastic. This will be one of the most popular discs of 2014.

Dynamic Discs Witness – The Witness is Dynamic discs first real beginner driver. This new fairway driver is described as a more understable River.

Latitude 64 Jade – The Jade is the fourth disc in Latitude 64’s “Easy to Use” line. This driver is supposed to have a touch more stablility than the Diamond. All Jade’s are light weight and easy to throw.

Legacy Mongoose – If you can’t decide which of the many new understable drivers to choose, you might as well try one out one with an eye catching stamp. This is where the Mongoose shines. Like most of the new fairway drivers, this one was designed with the new disc golfer in mind.

MVP Switch – The Switch is the understable low speed driver in the Resistor/Servo class. It’s described as a cross between the Tangent and the AMP, a disc that is very beginner friendly.

Westside Hatchet – Bring on the Hatchet. If you’re looking for an overstable wind fighter, the Hatchet is not the answer, but this disc is supposed to be more stable than the Underworld and most of the other new releases. Should be a good all purpose fairway driver.

Distance Drivers

Millennium Aries – Millennium Golf Discs started the year off by releasing a new high speed understable driver. This disc is a little faster than the new release fairway drivers, but still understable and designed to give more distance to disc golfers with moderate arm speeds.

Westside Sorcerer – The new Sorcerer released on March 1st is really the only high speed driver of the year designed for big arm advanced disc golfers. This might be the most popular of the new discs this year. The Sorceerr has a 2.3cm rim, like the King, and a glide rating of 6. It’s been described as a faster Sword.

The State Of Disc Golf: Best Discs of 2013

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The State of Disc Golf 2014: Best Discs of 2013

This is part 3 of a seven part editorial series of the 1,422 responses from the survey “The State of Disc Golf: 2014”

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 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 many other means.

It is time to look back on the discs that were released in 2013. In our State of Disc Golf survey, we asked you which of these discs were your favorites. We have looked over the results, and with the Winter Olympics taking place in Sochi, It seems fitting to award the top discs with gold, silver and bronze medals. So without further ado, let the games begin!
Best Putt & Approach Disc of 2013

There were nine putters released in 2013. While this number is impressive there were fewer putters released than any other type of disc. Prodigy alone had 1/3 of the new putters released.

1. Dynamic Discs Warden – Gold Medal

Taking home the first gold medal of our games is the Dynamic Discs Warden. After releasing the highly rated Judge in 2012, Dynamic Discs struck again this year with the Warden. The Warden is Dynamic Disc’s beadless version of the Judge. It is no wonder this disc took the number one spot. Doug, one reviewer of the Warden said, “Within a week I was hitting more puts and from farther distances. Guess this putter is just more intuitive for me. It goes where I aim it. The rim is clean and shallow, so I rarely miss wide with it.”

2. Innova Nova — Silver Medal

This disc made an impressive late run to take the silver medal after being released very late in the year. The Nova was Innova Discs’ second release to utilize a two plastic blend known as the overmold. The Nova is a very reliable straight flying disc. The outer rim is made of a softer gummy plastic to grip the chains. Several great reviews of this disc can be found here: Innova Nova Reviews.

3. Prodigy PA-4 – Bronze Medal

In their first year Prodigy released three putters and the PA-4 won as the most popular. The PA-4 is the most understable of these putters. Many of our reviewers credited this putter as a fantastic driving putter as well. One reviewer said, “The PA-4 is an excellent approach and driving putter. It can be thrown flat and expected to turn over for a good portion of it’s flight. It is a hyzer-flipping machine and has glide galore.” One interesting note, is the other two putters released by Prodigy took fourth and fifth place, and the total votes received by Prodigy exceeded the votes received by the Warden. It is safe to say Prodigy made a big splash in the world of Putters this year.

 

Best Midrange Disc of 2013

The field was dense in the Midrange category this year with twenty new releases, each of these discs vying for a spot in the bag as a consistent flyer which feels great in the hand, flies with ease, and has beautiful control.

1. Innova Roc3 — Gold Medal

Even in the dense field of new releases it was the Roc3 that ran away with the gold by a wide margin. Innova Discs’ Roc has become a staple in many disc golfer’s bag. Therefore, it was natural that the release of the Roc3 received the attention that it did. The response to the Roc3 has been overwhelmingly positive. The Roc3 is slightly faster than the original Roc, and at this time it is only available in Innova’s more durable Champion plastic. Just recently Mike wrote this review, “If I had to choose one disc out of my bag to play an entire round with… the Roc 3 would be my choice. This disc does it all and is very predictable. In wind, it handles very nicely and its a straight flier. This is by far my favorite disc of all time.”

2. Dynamic Discs Truth — Silver Medal

Dynamic Discs Can you handle the Truth? The Truth is a very “true” flying mid-range. It will hold its line very well with minimal fade at the end of the flight. The Truth is also considered by many to be a great anhyzer disc. One review written by Jack reads,“Just got my max weight Truth and am in love. This is the disc I’ve been waiting for to fill my straight flying midrange gap. The Truth can handle some power and really will hold just about any line.” The Truth has made a great splash in 2013 and was very deserving of the Silver Medal.

3. Innova Atlas — Bronze Medal

The Atlas won a very close race for the Bronze medal followed by the MVP Tangent and Innova Mako3. The release of the Atlas also received a lot of attention as it was the first disc Innova released using a two plastic blend. The response to this disc has been a resounding, “It flies straight.” Also just like the Truth, the Atlas has a very minimal fade. We have received many reviews already on this disc, and they can all be read at Innova Atlas Reviews .

 

Best Fairway Driver of 2013

Competition for the best Fairway Driver is not as fierce as the competition for best midrange or best driver, but it’s still fierce. Fourteen discs have been released which we’ve labeled Fairway Drivers, with a full set from Prodigy, and other pairs of discs from a variety of manufacturers.

1. Discraft Zombee — Gold Medal

The Zombee was the disc of the 2012 Ace Race and carried on the momentum from that event to bring home the gold. It is a very stable Fairway driver with a predictable fade. It has been compared to be as a cross between the classic mid-range Buzzz and driver Stalker. Discraft gives the Zombee a stability rating of 1.0. The response to this release has been very positive as the Zombee has found a place in many disc golfer’s bags. One reviewer even said it replaced the Buzzz in his bag. He said, “If i had to choose just ONE disc to play with all the time it would be the Zombee. I fully endorse this disc and believe it would make a great addition to any ones bag. you can drive, approach, and even putt with this disc. Discraft nailed this one.”

2. Westside Underworld — Silver Medal

Westside Discs is a smaller but growing brand that has been establishing a strong presence with the rest of the discs manufactured by Latitude 64. Westside has a reputation for reliability and quality, so we were very excited to see them make the podium and take the silver medal. The Underworld is an understable driver with very minimal low speed fade. Our reviewers have called this disc a great disc for beginners. Here is the link to read all the reviews: Westside Underworld Reviews. We look forward to the rest of the Westside batch being released in just a few months.

3. MVP Shock — Bronze Medal

MVP is another up and rising disc golf manufacturer that has already made a great name for itself. They burst on to the scene with their revolutionary overmold technique utilizing GYRO technology which affects the aerodynamics and flight of their discs. The Shock is more stable than MVP’s other fairway driver the Volt, making it a great disc for more powerful throwers who found the Volt too flippy. James wrote, “The shock is a great disc for mid-long drives with a strong fade/flare at the end. If I ever need to take a sharp corner around a fairway with some type of height restriction the Shock is the way to go. A nice low hyzer thrown with a lot of snap will skip up and around a 90 degree corner every time. I have yet to throw a disc with a more consistent flare at the end of both long/short shots and am thoroughly impressed with the shock overall.” As with Westside, we are excited to see what the future holds for MVP. Especially after their announcement this week that they will soon release their first distance driver. Congratulations to MVP for the bronze!

 

Best Distance Driver of 2013

The competition for the top driver is arguably the most fierce. Innova & Discraft each had one release, while the Scandinavian plastic & Prodigy had a majority of the others. Vibram finished the Lace trio with the understable and overstable versions of their widely demanded and popular driver.

1. Innova Tern — Gold Medal

And Innova receives their second gold medal! With the release of the Tern, Innova again proved they are a powerhouse among disc manufacturers, and they don’t plan on changing that any time soon. The Tern is a high speed understable distance driver. This makes it a top disc for intermediate players seeking for max distance, but have found other high speed molds too overstable to control. One review by RJ had the profound statement, “You could build your game around this thing.” We have received many reviews on the Tern and they can all be found at https://infinitediscs.com/innova-tern/ .

2. Dynamic Discs Escape — Silver Medal

With the release of the Escape, Dynamic Discs showed that they aren’t just to be known for their excellent putters. The response to the Escape has been positive across the board. It is a very stable distance driver. A pattern seen in many of our reviews is the use of this disc as a great tunnel shot disc. The Escape holds its line very well with a strong fade at the very end. This predictability has helped the Escape to find a niche in many disc golfers’ game. A very deserving silver medal for the Folks at Dynamic Discs!

3. Discraft Crank — Bronze Medal

The final medal of these games goes to Discraft. Just like Innova and the Tern, the release of the Crank showed the Disc golf world that Discraft plans to stay a powerhouse manufacturer. The Crank is described as a mix between the Nuke and the Nuke SS. It provides controllable max distance and is perfect for experienced players who have found the Nuke too overstable and the Nuke SS not stable enough. Some of our reviewers have compared it to the Innova Destroyer. One reviewer wrote, “Field threw this bad boy!! Great feel!! Immediately made throwing 350′ easy. Great glide! Just took over my go-to driver!! Get one of these! You won’t be disappointed!!”

Your Thoughts?

What do you think? Did your favorite disc make the podium? Who will take home the hardware for their releases this year? Feel free to let us know what your predictions are for 2014, as well as what you would like to see us do/change for next years survey and results!

MVP Distance Drivers Release

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We received some big news from MVP Disc Sports today — a new driver, the Switch, will be available in stores on February 21st. While any MVP release is newsworthy for the disc golf world, this particular driver  isn’t the biggest news of the day. The MVP Switch will be an understable low speed fairway driver.

MVP fans have been craving a distance driver with the unique MVP look, feel, and Gyro Technology, for a very long time.The big announcement is that four distance drivers of varying stability will be released beginning this spring. These drivers are called the Motion, Tesla, Inertia, and Impulse.

The Motion will be an overstable driver, the Tesla stable-overstable, the Inertia stable-understable, and the Impulse understable.

All four MVP distance drivers will have moderate width rims of 2cm. While the rim width of these distance drivers is only 1.5mm wider than the popular MVP Volt, the aerodynamic profile places these drivers in a different speed class. With that said, these drivers won’t be quite as fast as the speed 13 and 14 high speed drivers made by other companies.

All the MVP distance drivers will have a similar size diameter of 21.1cm. Weight ranges for the new discs will range from 155 to 175g. The new distance drivers should be great for long controlled drives.

The Inertia has already been PDGA approved and we are expecting its release in early spring (likely the end of March or the beginning of April).

MVP says this about the Inertia,

The first release will be the Neutron Inertia, date to be announced. The stability spectrum of this driver class places the Inertia in a workhorse stable-to-understable slot. It provides a sampling of the speed, workability, and GYRO™ effect of the full distance class.

Other exciting news for MVP/Axiom fans is that the Alias and Envy will also be available in Proton plastic beginning February 21st. This transparent plastic blend gives Axiom fans dozens of additional attractive color options.

If you are an MVP fan, start saving your pennies as there will be lots of hot new products hitting the market in 2014.

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