Welcome back to another Focus Friday, where we look at a certain mold or brand, and give you a discount so you can try it out for yourself. This week, we are taking another look at an entire brand of discs… Divergent Discs
Divergent Discs has a focus on growing disc golf with affordable premium quality discs that are ideal for beginners and recreational players. Divergent Discs are designed primarily for disc golfers who throw less than 300 feet in total distance. As a brand focused on new disc golfers, Divergent offers a number of different beginner sets.
MaxGrip plastic is made out of a premium blend designed for maximum grip. This plastic looks fantastic with a shimmering appearance. It is moderately soft and flexible allowing for adequate safety and performance.
This is a premium disc golf blend that is much more durable than most golf discs for sale at comparable prices. The elastic nature of Maxgrip plastic allows it to quickly return to shape and gives it a heartbeat sound when pressing in the flight plate of many of our discs.
Although the sport of disc golf has been growing steadily for over a decade, none of the growth compares to the explosion in popularity that occurred during the pandemic. Disc golf was the perfect activity for social distancing, and many people discovered the sport during that time.
In addition to the increase in the number of participants of disc golf, we have also seen a growth in the number of new brands hitting the market. There have been new brands rolling out with regularity over the past decade, but the explosion in popularity of disc golf also saw a rapid increase in new disc golf brands. A quick check of the PDGA approved discs list (HERE) and we see that already this year there have been numerous new manufacturers getting molds approved. Even in the past month we see a couple new brands. It will likely take some time before people know about some of the new brands and the molds they are producing.
Which Brands Do We Know?
In the State of Disc Golf survey, we asked if how well everyone knew some of the newer brands on the market. We asked you to rank how well you knew each of 14 new brands. You could rank your knowledge from “Not aware of them” to “I regularly follow this brand”. Let’s take a look at which brands you know best and least.
Who Are They?
Let’s begin by discussing how you ranked each brand that you were unfamiliar with. Part of the challenge in starting a new brand is getting the word out about your molds and plastics. That can cost a lot of money that newer companies might not have. You can’t rely on a pro getting an ace on video using your disc, like Cole Redalen did with Wild Discs’ Sea Otter. Here is a graph showing how many of you didn’t know these brands.
Five brands have a similar percentage of individuals who are not aware of them. Momentum Disc Golf (Now Momentum Discs), Wing It Disc Golf, Goliath Discs, Premier Discs, and Pie Pan Discs are all within a couple of percentage points from each other. All of these brands are just a couple of years old, and only have a few molds. As they grow and add more molds to their lineup, maybe they’ll get more recognition. Word of mouth about a great disc can give a young company a big boost. Hopefully this blog will get people to check out these brands.
Sounds Familiar
Next, let’s look at the brands that people had at least heard about.
Birdie Disc Golf Supply and Doomsday Discs are two of the ‘most heard about’ brands on the list. Both of these brands have been featured in Infinite Discs’ blog series about smaller brands that we carry. Birdie is a Delaware company, and Doomsday is a very, very unusual company that is headquartered in Wyoming (I think) but uses a variety of manufacturers and distributors (Including Infinite Discs) around the world.
Joining Momentum at the bottom of the list is local (to Infinite Discs) manufacturer, Wing It Disc Golf. Check out the Wing It blog HERE. Only a small percentage of us have heard of these two brands. It will be interesting to see how they grow and become more well-known.
Know A Bit About Them
Moving on to the third level of knowledge about brands, we’ll look at how many of them we know some things about. Maybe we’ve been to their website or checked out discs that they make. Here is the chart:
At the top of the list we have two brands that have garnered some attention lately. Clash Discs has announced some big name pros that they are sponsoring. The move ensured that their name would be known among anyone who follows pros to any degree. They also advertise on live events, getting their molds in front of a big audience. Check out our blog featuring Clash Discs HERE
Trash Panda Discs had a decent-sized following long before they released their first disc. Jesse, the founder of Trash Panda, had a stated goal of manufacturing and producing discs that are made from recycled plastic and are fully recyclable. He achieved that goal and is now working to expand his lineup. I interviewed Jesse before Trash Panda was even a year old. Check out that interview HERE
Finish Line Discs is just a year old, but many of us know about the brand because it was started by one of the top touring pros, Drew Gibson. That certainly helps get exposure for a new company with just a few molds.
Let’s Chat About Them
Knowing about a company, and holding a conversation about the company, are two different things. To hold a conversation about a brand takes more than just seeing a commercial, watching a pro who throws the disc, or seeing one of their discs in someone’s bag. If we know a brand well enough to converse about it, that means that we’ve at least spent time checking out the company or listening to a buddy who throws their plastic. Here are the numbers:
Once again, Clash and Trash Panda are at the top of the list. UPlay made an appearance in the top five companies. That is the brand started by Infinite’s Zoe Andyke. UPlay has one disc, the Zeal. Their focus is on growing the sport of disc golf by introducing it to kids of all ages.
I Know Them Well
The final category which indicates the level of understanding is which brand we follow. These are the brands whose molds we are familiar with, and maybe we even throw some of their discs. Let’s look at the results.
Once again, Trash Panda has the highest percent. Over ten percent of survey respondents indicate that they regularly follow this brand. Since Trash Panda has a popular Youtube channel and a mission that resonates with a lot of people, it is not surprising that they are in the number one spot. The large gap between Trash Panda and the second place spot IS somewhat surprising. Their 10% number represents hundreds of people who took the survey. Well done, Trash Panda!
If we look at the number of people who either knows about the brand, can converse about the brand, and regularly follows the brand, we can find the brands with the most exposure to the disc golf public. Given the top two brand in the last couple of graphs, the winner pretty much comes down to two brands. Drumroll, please…
Trash Panda edges out Clash by just a few percentage points! Both of those brands can feel proud about the attention they’ve been able to draw to their brands in an ever-growing competition for attention. Congrats to both brands!
Check out Infinite’s selection of the brands mentioned:
Welcome back to another Focus Friday, where we look at a certain mold or brand, and give you a discount so you can try it out for yourself. This week, we are taking another look at an entire brand of discs… Clash Discs
Salt, Pepper, Ginger, Spice… these just sound like common household food items you would find in everyone’s pantry. But when disc golfers hear these words, they think of the up-and-coming brand – Clash Discs!
They have also recently come out with a new plastic – Sunny. This plastic is stiffer and therefore more stable than its other plastics. But we have heard that their other plastics are amazing as well!
They have a wide assortment of molds, each great for beginners and professionals alike. You are bound to find a Clash Disc that will work great for you!
DISCOUNT -> To get a FREEClash Disc with your order this weekend, all you need to do it order at least 3Clash Disc molds, and we will include a 4th Clash mold for FREE.
No Discount code is required.
Your order needs to be in by Monday night (May 1st) to capitalize on this deal.
Check out this page to see all the items that are on sale this week.
This post on disc golf shot selection and ground play, is the next post in a series designed to help you elevate your game. Watch the videos and reinforce the concepts through reading. Watch, read, practice, and improve!
If you have ever played even one round of disc golf, you’ll know that each time you step up to your shot, there are any number of lines you can take.
And the more you play, the more you begin to strategize about how to approach each shot.
In addition to this, as you gain experience, the more types of shots you add to your arsenal.
In this post, we’ll look into ideas on shot selection and we’ll also consider how to utilize ground play.
Combined, these two ideas can set you up for success on the course and give you more quality looks at the basket.
Let’s watch how the pros analyze their options for any given shot and then see how they can utilize ground play to get that much closer.
Disc Selection When Taking the Hyzer Lines!
Sometimes we need to take a hyzer line and carry around obstacles.
Many times, your average every-day player will just grab the most stable disc they can, thinking it will hyzer the most.
But this might not actually be the move.
Infinite pro Eric Oakley shows us that the less stable discs with higher glide stay in the air longer and can carry the turn even more than their more stable counterparts.
Go test it out with your discs and reassess which disc you’ll reach for when you need to cut around a steep corner on hyzer.
As we know, those extra feet can equate to closer putts which can mean lower scores.
Now watch and see Oakley explain and demonstrate below!
Now from disc selection we look at shot selection to make sure we’re putting ourselves in the best position possible.
Shot Selection With Dave Feldberg
When assessing a given shot, David Feldberg suggests you ask yourself one question.
“What is the highest percentage [shot] for me?”
Go through your progression of shots that are most comfortable for you. If there is a clear shot that you feel confident with, take that one. If your favorite/best shot isn’t available, cycle down to your next favorite/best shot. Keep doing this until a good shot presents itself. And hopefully you don’t find yourself throwing 360 power forehands through tight gaps in the woods too often.
The next thing Dave tells us to do is to look at the trouble.
“The number one thing I think about with shot selection is the miss.”
If you miss on a hyzer route, he explains, it could spell big trouble because the trees aren’t even halfway to the basket. The forehand route, on the other hand, might have the first trees come up 70% of the way to the basket.
So, even if you miss and hit a tree on that forehand shot, you are still much, much closer to the basket and have a far better chance of scoring lower.
“Consider where your common miss will go. And if the common miss for the shot you’re selecting, puts you in trouble or out of bounds, that’s not the shot,” Feldberg tells us.
So, sometimes your best option is going with a shot you feel less comfortable with because the margin for error is far greater.
Now watch as Feldberg takes you through it from his point of view.
Now, that we’ve seen this let’s take a look at a quick/related video on disc golf shot selection for approach shots.
Shot Selection for Approach Shots!
This is a quick tip from Kesler Martin that is definitely worth considering.
Basically his tip is this: Sometimes it’s better to take the safer line and plan to land 25 feet away instead of going for the park job.
A lot of players just look at the basket and try to figure out how to get it as close to the basket as possible on any given shot (understandably so btw).
But that shot may be blocked with all sorts of obstacles.
And if you had Circle 1 be your target their might be a much safer line that will get you close and still give you a look.
Give it a look and consider for yourself! It might just steer you clear of danger the next time you’re out on the course!
If you are interested in more information on approach shots, we have a whole post dedicated to it that can be found here.
Now, let’s see how ground play, in conjunction with shot selection, can get us closer to the basket on a given shot.
Adding Ground Play to Our Game!
Sometimes the better shot is to avoid the ground and just let your disc simply land by the basket.
If there are roots, rocks or other protrusions, these can be unknown variables that could negatively impact the path of your disc towards the target.
But other times, a shot does call for the ground play.
And if it does, it’s helpful to know how that disc will react when it hits the ground.
Basically, Feldberg breaks it down like this:
Overstable discs will skip hardest to the left (for RHBH)
Stable to neutral discs are more likely to skip straight.
Understable discs can even skip right.
This is very useful information to have, and well worth trying with the discs that you bag. By understanding ground play, Feldberg explains, you can better set yourself up in position for a more makeable putt.
Now watch him demonstrate and take you through his thinking. Notice how different discs, on similar angles, have far different reactions on the ground.
Disc Golf Shot Selection & Ground Play – In Summary!
As we’ve seen, disc golf shot selection and understanding of ground play can help shave strokes off your score.
Now, when you step up to any given shot, you can go through your progressions and pick the best shot for you in any given situation.
Over a round, by giving yourself higher percentage shots with shot selection, and getting closer to the basket with ground play, you can see strokes melt away.
And by choosing the right disc for a given shot, your odds get even better.
Let us know in the comments if you have any related tips that you swear by as well.
Over time by adding these ideas as well as other disc golf tips, we’ll evolve into the disc golfer we’ve always envisioned ourselves to be!
Last week we looked at some of the factors that are important to us when we are buying a disc. We looked at some of the more important factors: Brand, Plastic Type, and Flight Numbers. Of those people who said that Brand was Very Important, we looked at which brand that they indicated was their favorite. That blog can be seen HERE
Color
This week we are going to look at some more factors and see which of them we consider important. We’ll start with color.
If we think about color we might be tempted to conclude that the people who value the factor of color are doing it for aesthetics. Maybe they look for their favorite color, or they might have a single-color bag, with all of their molds pretty much the same color. (I’ve seen bags with all orange, all pink, all green, all blue, and all yellow discs). However, there are pragmatic reasons for selecting disc colors.
The first reason, one which I subscribe to, is that certain colors are easier to see. When your disc lands in tall grass or dark bushes, a bright pink disc is one of the easier colors to spot. Black, on the other hand, looks amazing but is difficult to spot in certain situations. If you happen to be color blind, other colors might be better than pink, but the bottom line is that some people want to be able to find a disc that is most visible to them.
The second reason someone might chose a certain color is that there is a belief among some disc golfers that the color of a disc affects its flight. This isn’t an inherent property that colors hold, but rather how some colors cool faster or slower than other colors. I haven’t seen empirical evidence to conclude that color makes a difference, but I know people who swear by it.
Whatever the reason, over two-thirds of us felt that color was at least Semi Important, and one in five chose the option Very Important. That mean quite a few of us might be competing for certain colors.
Weight
Next up is another factor that is (not surprising) very popular among disc golfers. One factor that can be a deal breaker. It can make a disc unusable by a beginner, and difficult to control as a more experienced golfer. That factor is a discs weight.
For beginners, weight is important because it can be the difference between having a disc that can be thrown easily for good distance, and a disc that is yet another overstable disc. Since discs must be thrown at certain speeds for them to fly like they should, beginners might be unable to throw heavier discs at the required speed, and they their actual flight would appear to be overstable.
For more skilled players, they do have the ability to throw discs at high speeds, but if they have discs that are too light, they will overpower the disc and it will become very understable and difficult to control. Therefore, it becomes important for powerful throwers to have the heaviest discs they can find.
Looking at the chart we see that 90% of us find weight at least Semi Important. And over 40% of us find it Very Important. Those numbers are because of how important that factor is to the flight of a disc.
The final three factors we will look at are not at all related to the utility of the disc. As such, I would expect them to have a smaller number of people who felt they were important. Let’s start with the importance of the stamp or artwork on a disc.
Stamp/Art Work
There are discs out there that are works of art. I love when a manufacturer puts some thought and effort into their designs. Some of those creative designs I have and throw. Others, I bought just to collect as wall hangers. I definitely consider the stamp when buying a disc. Let’s see how the group answered the question.
While only about 15% of us find the stamp Very Important, over half of us find it at least Semi Important. I suspect most of us would prefer a cool stamp, all other things being equal, so we have at least a little bit of interest in the discs aesthetics. Mix in some collectors looking for certain stamps and I think that is why the overall numbers are fairly high.
Collectability
The second factor unrelated to the flight of the disc is its collectability. This wouldn’t be too important for anyone but collectors. And even they aren’t too worried about the collectability of their throwers. Let check out the graph.
There are still nearly one in five of us that find the collectability of a disc as least semi important. I don’t know how much that number will change over time. I figured that with the growth of the sport we would see a growth in the number of collectors. Hopefully that growth continues so we have a thriving collector market. In this survey we asked if you’ve bought a disc to collect and not throw. Here is what you indicated:
The survey indicates that well over half of us bought a disc just to collect and not throw. It would be interesting to learn why the disc was being collected. We may need to ask that question in future surveys.
Resale Value
The final factor we’ll look at is Resale Value. I would expect that people who indicated that this factor is important or semi-important is a small subset of collectors, or people who just want to flip the disc for a profit. Let’s look at the numbers.
There is still ten percent of us that find resell value important to some degree. But, not surprisingly, an overwhelming number of us don’t care much. Most of us buy a disc to throw, and likely will never sell it.
Welcome back to another Focus Friday, where we look at a certain mold or brand, and give you a discount so you can try it out for yourself. This week, we take a look at a unique putter from the Discraft lineup… The Banger GT
The Banger GT is a unique Discraft putter that has a Groove around the top and a large bead that help provide an enhanced grip. That is what the GT stands for = Grove Top.
For putters, it actually has a fairly low profile and isn’t as thick as some.
The BangerGT is very popular for hyzer putts and offers a consistent release. It is a slightly overstable putter with a very straight flight path.
The Banger GT is available in many plastics that allow for you to choose what will work best for you.
DISCOUNT -> To get a Banger GT for 20% off, use this code at check out: “FOCUSBANGERGT”
This will end Monday night, so get on this amazing deal while you can!
Check out this page to see all the items that are on sale this week.
Note: After placing your discs/items in the shopping cart and before checking out, click on the “Discount Code” box under the shopping cart and enter that code. Then proceed to checkout.
The next set of Discraft special Ledgestone edition discs are now available! See the full selection HERE, and see each individual mold available below.
Avenger SS – This is a great disc for intermediate players that want to add more distance to their game. It is understable/straight for most players, but will still give you max distance.
Archer – This mold is an understable midrange that has a straight flight path. It glides well and is great for sll players.
Drone – This mold is a very overstable midrange. This disc is best utilized for advanced players that need to throw strategic hyzer throws, and need it to fly strong in a headwind.
Thrasher– The Thrasher is a fast, understable disc that is not as flippy as you may think. It is great for both slower arms and big arms.
Zone – This slim putter has a thick rim that gives you an extra grip when you need it. It is overstable, making it good for headwinds, fades, and forehands.
Undertaker– This moderately overstable disc offers some turn in flight but will finish with a manageable fade. This disc will take on headwinds easily, and is good for forehands and backhands.
Force – This is an overstable driver that is build for power throwers looking for more distance. It is described as a fast flying driver.
Buzzz OS – This is a very popular mid-range, which is the more overstable version of the Buzzz. This is a great choice for windy days and forehand shots.
Ringer GT – this mold features a subtle grove track for added grip. If you need a soft landing as you approach the basket, this is a great choice.
Buzzz – This is one of the most popular midranges in the world. It is realiable, stable, consistent, and performs just like you want it to.
Nuke SS – This max distance driver has a wide rim and flies very fast. This can be thrown by a variety of skill levels, and will give all players more distance.
Crush – This disc is made for powerful throwers. It will help you gain some serious distance off the tee.
Nuke – This is a popular distance driver that flies very fast. It has a thick rim, and can maintain max speed for a long time so you can get the most distance out of your throw.
Machete – This disc will slice through the air to help you get the birdies! It is low profile with an overstable flight that works well in a headwind.
Challenger OS – This is more overstable and flat topped version of the popular Challenger. This putter works best for throwing off the tee or into headwinds.
Each month, we will be using the third Thursday as our MAIN disc drop day. This is when you can expect to see social media posts about our new products, and have the opportunity to purchase some new discs on the scheduled day.
The Centurion is a dependable, controllable fairway driver that we recommend every player have in their bag! The Halo S-Blend plastic feels GREAT, and with some James Proctor luck on your side, you are bound to cash some birdies with this run of the Centurion!
The Slab is a great utility disc. It is dependable in the wind, and can help you get out of tricky situations. This is the FIRST time the Slab has been run in Halo plastic, you won’t want to miss out!
The time has arrive for the Garrett Gurthie Emperor to make its yearly debut! The Emperor is an all around great driver that you can depend on for those long distance, controlled shots. We truly belive that you will gain a little bit of Garrett’s distance power when you bag one of his signature Emperor’s.
This AMAZING new mold is just what you need to succeed on the green. The Raze is an overstable approach putter. This disc is ideal for off the tee shots and when you are approaching the green. Its flat top makes it ideal for forehand shots.
To Raze means to completely destroy something. As was in ancient times, different civilizations were at war with one another and would frequently raze other villiages, towns, and even entire cities to claim ownership of the land.
This AMAZING new mold is just what you need to succeed on the green. The