Infinite Discs Blog

State of Disc Golf Results: How Often We Play

March 10, 2022 Ted Hegemann One comment

As I write this blog in early March, it has been snowing recently and the temperature will approach zero tonight in northern Utah. I suspect there will still be a few local golfers that will still huck today. However, most of us will be holed up inside, waiting for a reprieve from the inclement weather. While we still play disc golf year ‘round here, there are days that the local courses remain empty, or nearly empty. Almost every time that happens, it is related to bad weather.

How often we get out to play can be heavily influenced by where we live and the weather conditions we experience. Extreme temperatures, rain, snow, and excessive winds can reduce our playing time. The level of our desire to improve also plays an important part in how much time we carve out to throw. And of course we all have life events that dictate our free time or lack thereof, such as school, family, and careers.

How Often We Play

In this blog we will explore the survey question that asked how often we get to play disc golf. We’ll breakdown those numbers based on where we live and our skill level, to see if those factors play a part in how often we play. And we’ll look at other demographics, liked age and gender, just to see if we can find any interesting numbers.

The question we asked in the survey was, “On average, how many rounds of disc golf did you play per month in 2021?” The options to choose from ranged from zero to ‘31+’ days. Here are the survey results. The first graph shows the results in raw numbers, and the second graph shows the results as a percent of the total.

Over ten percent of us are getting out to play 20 or more times per month, which is a lot of disc golf. If you are playing competitively, you are likely one of the more frequent players. Nearly a fourth of us are playing, on average, at least once every other day.

At the other end of the active spectrum, a tiny percent of us aren’t even averaging one round per month. Maybe from injury? Or an excessively busy schedule? Whatever the reason, at least they were able to fill out the survey!

The ‘one-percenters’ in this survey average more than one round per day. Whether they are going out a couple times per week and getting multiple rounds each time, or playing at least one round per day, they are the lucky ones. Or they are unemployed or retired, or professional disc golfers.

Where We Live

I started the blog discussing the weather and how it affects local disc golf. My first thought in seeing the results is that there may be a direct correlation between where we live and how much we play. Yes, we CAN play in pretty much any kind of weather. We are just more easily motivated to play when the temperatures are above a certain temperature, and when the ground isn’t covered with snow, ice, or mud.

To test my hypothesis, I took all of the southern US states and Hawaii, compared the number of rounds they played per month with the rest if the country. Not an exact science, but there is a reason why many pros gravitate to those states in the winter. Low temperatures and poor weather can still a factor, but winters in the states north of them are colder and have more snow. For the comparison, I took Florida, Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, California, and Hawaii. I compared those to the rest of the states. Here are the results, shown as a percentage of people in each group:

So much for that theory! There were some categories that the Southern states were slightly higher in, and others they were slightly lower. Overall, we can’t conclude that the states with warmer winters get in more rounds. Their hands may be less numb, but they aren’t playing more than the rest of us.

Skill Level

Another aspect of disc golf that I wanted to explore is to see if there is a correlation between our skill level and the number of rounds we play per month. My initial thought is that someone who plays more, gets better and considers themselves as a higher level player. Also, we could say that someone who is as better player may be more interested in playing more to maintain a competitive edge in leagues and tournaments. Below is a chart showing the percentage of each skill level, according to their monthly number of rounds.

This time the numbers are more aligned to what I would expect. Professional disc golfers represent a higher percentage of each number category above 15 per month, and is second to advanced players in the 10-14 category. In fact, the skill levels in the categories above 15 rounds per month are in order, from low to high, according to skill level. Conversely, beginners and intermediate players take the top spots in the categories below 10 rounds per month.

Conclusion

Since we are all active enough in the sport of disc golf that we took the time to fill out a survey, read the results, or both, we all enjoy the time out on a course. Sometimes the number of rounds we play in a month is dictated us and our desires, and sometimes it is dictated by our schedules and life circumstances. Hopefully, this year will see us getting in a few more rounds per month than last. We’ll conclude this blog by comparing last year’s results to a few years ago.

It is rather impressive how similar the results are from the prior survey. In every number category the results are practically the same. With all of the growth we’ve seen recently, and the life-changing pandemic, we are still throwing at about the same amount as before. Perhaps that is a good thing.

Tune in next week when we will look at more survey results.

New Disc Golf Disc Releases – Prodigy Falcor & Reverb

March 9, 2022 Keith Barker Leave a comment

Another week, and some more time to enjoy life. With this week there are some new disc molds that are coming out this week. Not as many as there have been in the past, but

This Week Releases

Prodigy Falcor

The Prodigy Falcor will be available for purchase on Thursday, March 10, 2022. The Falcor seems to feel a bit wider than a Destroyer. This disc is quite stable, I find that it does push a little more than I would have anticipated. Even with this nice glide, this disc is still rather quite overstable. Probably a little too much for me though, I don’t have that strong of an arm though.

The Falcor is the first disc in the Cale Leiviska line of discs. This is an overstable distance driver that provides a large amount of glide. Higher speed arms will achieve max distance out of this disc.

Prodigy Reverb

The Prodigy Reverb, feels good in the hand. This disc is a wide rimmed distance driver. Even though it is a 13 speed driver, this is still fairly comfortable to my grip. It is surprising that this is comfortable to me. This thing is quite beefy for me, it flies very straight and then fades hard. I can easily see this thing withstanding a lot of windy conditions. It definitely makes for a great utility disc, for me that is, I don’t have the strongest of arms. Come tomorrow, you’ll be able to get this for yourself tomorrow.

The Reverb is the first disc of of the Kevin Jones line of discs. This is an overstable distance driver with a little more fade at the end. This handles power, deflects wind, and works as a utility driver. The Reverb will hold a line for the majority of the time before the fade kicks in.

Be sure to check these molds out, as well as all of your other disc golf needs at Infinite Discs. Have a good one!

Introducing Clash Discs

March 4, 2022 Ted Hegemann 8 comments

Clash Discs

Tucked between the countries of Sweden and Russia to the east and west, and Norway and the Baltic Sea to the north and south is the country of Finland. It is home to professional disc golfers Eveliina Salonen, Henna Blomroos, and Seppo Paju. On the south end of the country lies Helsinki, the capitol of Finland. Further north and east from Helsinki you’ll find the municipality of Kontiolahti, which has over 20% of its area covered by water. It is about 50 miles from the border of Russia, and it is home to Clash Discs.

Filling a Need

Like many ventures, Clash Discs was born out of a need. Clash founder, Timo Nuutinen, discovered that his oldest son had borrowed then lost, one of his other son’s favorite discs. The disc was out of stock everywhere and became impossible to replace. That was Timo’s light bulb moment. He figured that the solution was to make his own discs. And a new discs golf company was born.

Clash Discs started in early 2021 and saw its first prototypes by summer of that year. Those prototypes were putt/approach discs. After receiving positive feedback about the molds and plastic from those who tested the discs, the company began selling discs locally by late 2021.

Signing a Pro

For such a young company, Clash Discs made a big splash in disc golf when they announced the signing of touring pro Nikko Locastro with a six-figure contract. The contract stipulates that Nikko can throw an ‘open bag’, which allows him to throw other brands besides Clash Discs. Even so, Nikko said that some of the Clash molds immediately made their way into his bag.

“(Their) plastic feels high performance and flies true. Several discs made my lineup from the very first box I opened. Looking forward to progressing with this company by working together,” said Nikko.

The plastic that Nikko is referring to is called Steady Plastic. It is the plastic type used to make their first few releases. It has some good grip to it, and both looks and feels amazing! Just like a premium plastic. It is also durable. Another plastic that will be available soon is Hardy Plastic. It is sturdier, more durable plastic that will give discs an even longer life. Clash also has plans for a Glow plastic.

Clash Molds

The first four Clash molds to be PDGA approved were the Berry, Mango, Mint, and Popcorn. Three of the four Clash Discs are currently available for sale and the Mango will be available soon.

Seeing the names of their discs, it becomes apparent that they have a specific naming convention. Clash Discs’ believes that their molds each have a different flavor, so Design Department head Ilkka Kosunen chose the names to reflect the unique flights of each of their discs.

The Mint is Clash’s overstable putt/approach disc. It was the first mold released by them. The Mint is a beadless putter, similar to the Zone or Harp. It will fight a headwind and deliver a reliably hard fade at the end.

The Berry is a straight-flying midrange that would be comparable in flight to a Buzzz or Truth. It is a shapeable mold that gives you control over its flight. It comes in weights ranging from 160’s to 180g and is currently available in Steady Plastic.

The Popcorn is a beadless, straight putter that still has a fade to its flight. It’s like a beadless Tomb, but with a slightly deeper rim. The fairly neutral flight means it can be shaped for approaches.

The Mango is among the few discs already planned for release. It is an overstable midrange disc. The Ginger and Pepper were approved this year and will be released this spring. The Ginger is an understable fairway driver and the Pepper an overstable distance driver. Some of these molds will be available in the Hardy Plastic, and some in the Glow. There will also be Nikko Locastro signature series discs, but no word yet which molds they will be.

Growing the Brand

Clash Discs has plans to announce additional team members later in the year. They say that their team members will represent disc golf in several different countries and continents. As for now, Nikko will be the only touring pro representing Clash Discs.

Even though signing a well-known pro was a big step for such a young company, Clash says that they wanted to come out swinging. Their plan was to create premium plastics and make those available on plenty of different molds, representing a variety of disc types. They want players to be able to have a complete bag of Clash Discs.

“The first year was spent making molds and test castings. The goal was to find good premium plastic and there were almost 100 test-driven plastic grades, ” said Markku Pyykkönen, CEO of Clash Discs. “We got about ten different molds designed and tested so we could hit the market with the whole product family. And our product development continues to be very high quality, fast and flexible.”

The Clash Future

Clash Discs has faith that they will grow as a company as disc golf continues to grow. They recognize the popularity of the sport and how disc golf can be played by such a variety of demographics. And they want to contribute to the growth and popularity. Speaking about the future of Clash Discs, Markuu said, “In the future, we will invest in actively getting more and more premium quality molds. And our product development continues to be very high quality, fast and flexible.”

Based on what we’ve seen so far, it’s safe to say they are off to great start and are headed in the right direction. They are passionate about disc golf, they have some great molds, and they have impressive plastic. Check out the the latest news and information about Clash Discs on their website (HERE).

Which Mold Would You Chose?

Be sure to check out Infinite Discs current selection of Clash Discs (HERE). Then comment below to let us know which of their current or future molds would have the best chance of making it into YOUR bag. We’ll randomly select three commenters and send them a Clash Disc! If you’ve thrown a Clash disc, let us know which mold(s) you’ve thrown and what you think about the disc and the plastic.

Focus Friday – Legacy Recluse

March 4, 2022 Keith Barker Leave a comment

Happy Friday! I’m super stoked for this weekend, I’m not entirely sure as to why though. . . It’s not that I have something epic planned. Hopefully, you do, or there is something that you’re looking forward to this weekend.

This Focus Friday is quite unique, as there will be two codes that you may use to save you some money! Last week’s code, FOCUSLEDGESTONE, is still active. This saves you 5% off all of Ledgestone wave 2 discs. Check out that article to see which molds those are by clicking here. This discount code will be active until March 12, 2022.

Today’s code is revolving around the Legacy Recluse! So use the promo code: FOCUSRECLUSE to save 20% off all Legacy Recluses! This discount code is active until Monday. In addition to providing this discount code, we are also adding some uniquely stamped Recluses online. So, go and check these out and grab yourself one today.

Legacy’s Recluse

The Recluse is an overstable midrange disc. This thing is on par with the Justice in the amount of beef it provides. When compared to other similar discs, the Recluse stands out in its amount of glide. People enjoy this disc over others as it is reliably overstable, but it will fly a little bit better before it begins to fade. Instead of dumping out of the sky, this will push straight for just a tad longer then fade into its finish.

Overall, I’m impressed with this mold. It’s a well designed disc. And of the people who have left a review, they all love it. In addition to this 20% off code, we are adding some specially stamped Recluses as well! These are pretty sweet, as no other Recluse has this stamp on it.

Save a couple bucks this weekend by using the provided promo code. And you get to try out a new disc mold. Or simply increase your spare discs, so that you’ll always have this trusty disc no matter what.

The Discount Code

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

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

We hope that you love throwing the Recluse. If you’ve thrown the disc, feel free to share what you think of this midrange.

On a side note

The Recluse (talking about the actual spider now) is a genus of spider. These spiders have a venom that sometimes results in loxoscelism (don’t click the link if you don’t like gross skin images). This basically means that the venom causes premature cellular death. Which makes your skin look like it is actively decomposing, it can get pretty nasty looking. As I was reading about this I got real self-conscious about a hidden recluse lurking around waiting to pounce. Fortunately, these spiders are not aggressive.

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

New Disc Golf Disc Releases

March 3, 2022 Keith Barker Leave a comment

Disc Golf is an enjoyable sport that is always offering new equipment to try out. It seems that there almost every week there are new molds approved for tournament play by the PDGA. The disc golf disc approved list is ever growing, and it is exciting!

There are a handful of these new molds that we’ve received and we’re excited to get them to you. Some of the molds in this post have release dates in the near future, while others will release as soon as we get them online.

In addition to these new molds, there are a few signature discs that are coming out as well. Read on below to see what is in the pipeline.

Releasing Now

This list of discs is a little bit smaller than what is to come. These discs don’t have a specific release date attached to them. Which gives us the liberty of releasing them as soon as we get them online. In fact we have our team working to get them online right now. So within the next few hours, or day or so, you should see these molds available for purchase!

Uplay Disc Golf’s Zeal

For those who are unfamiliar, Uplay is a foundation that is ran by Zoe Andyke. This foundation has the goal to teach and inform children in schools and physical education programs about disc golf. They do a lot to grow the sport.

The Zeal is beadless putter that is quite stiff. The plastic is a base plastic, that offers good grip. With a well rounded shoulder, it is comfortable to grip. This disc is really easy to throw. I found it easy to get some turnover approach shots, and incredibly easy to throw for push putts. Anyone could find room in your bag regardless of skill level. The Zeal makes a great utility putter, driving putter, or putting putter.

At the moment it is only available in firm plastic, however, there are plans to release it in a soft plastic. You can pick this disc up for $7.99.

The ZEAL is a putter released by Uplay Disc Golf Foundation to be an easy-to-throw, comfortable putter for players of all levels and abilities. It is a beadless putter with a rounded rim for maximum comfort when using it to throw on approach or as a putter. Its understable flight helps it to hold a very straight flight path, resisting an unwanted fade whether thrown long or short.

Every Uplay disc sold, including the ZEAL putter, helps to raise funds for the Uplay Disc Golf Foundation’s mission of growing the sport of disc golf in communities. They teach instructors and students in physical education programs, in elementary schools, middle schools, and high schools everywhere.

Lone Star Discs Armadillo

The first time I picked up the Armadillo I thought, “This is a Burg/Rhyno disc.” Looking at the flight numbers of the Burg and the Rhyno the Armadillo is a mix of the two. It really flies quite similar to the two as well. This is a pretty reliable approach disc, almost always flies the same regardless of the what the weather is doing. It flies very straight with a gentle fade at the end. Because of these attributes, this is a good disc and reliable approach disc. This disc starts at $17.99.

The Armadillo is a low speed and low glide disc. This disc is meant to be accurate and offer great control It has a thumbtrack on the disc for comfort. It is an easy disc to control, and will fly consistently to provide good accuracy. Lone Star says, “Our newest Putt and Approach disc holds true to its namesake with its Blunt Nosed Rim and Thumbtracked Shoulder that forces this disc to fly straight as an arrow with a reliable fade to its intended target.”

Eric Oakley’s Lucid Justice

The Justice is such a classic beefy midrange. I remember when I first started playing that I thought this disc was too much. Why would you need a disc that doesn’t fly? Now that I am much more experienced, this is almost a must have. The ability to resist wind, always fade, and just so consistent is incredible. Because of this, the Justice has saved me from so many bad lies and has been able to hit so many different lines, that its worth is immeasurable! I love the Justice.

I think it is pretty awesome that Dynamic and Eric worked together to make this signature disc a possibility. This signature disc is available now.

Strong winds will make the most experienced player look like a novice. They have forced us back into the laboratory to solve the midrange question. Our tests have led us here. The Justice is served. The Justice by Dynamic Discs is going to become your new utility disc. It will not turn over. Throw the Justice one time and you will not need to reach for anything else for a short distance, over-stable answer. No longer will you throw a good shot into a headwind only to see your disc flip over. Let the Justice get you what you deserve.

NOTE: Since the initial release, Dynamic Discs has changed the stamp on the disc to indicate “Glide 1” though the mold itself has not changed.

Lone Star Discs Jack Rabbit

The Jack Rabbit is a utility approach disc. It is not quite as beefy as I had anticipated. The flight numbers indicate that it should fly like a zone, but I found that it is not as stable. Overall, it provides some good lines, and is quite reliable in its ability to fly and fade as expected. I enjoy the lines that this disc provides.

The Jack Rabbit is a comfortable disc to grip. The bead is a medium sized bead, it isn’t obtrusive nor unnoticeable. And with the rounded rim/shoulder, I think it is more comfortable in a backhand grip than a forehand though. Overall, its a comfortable disc to grip. You’ll be able to grab yourself one for $16.99.

The Jack Rabbit from Lone Star Discs is a putter with a wide bead, flat top, and a well rounded rim. This is a stable to overstable putt & approach disc. This disc will work well has a headwind putter or a driving putter. It can handle power. This will provide good hyzer lines, spike hyzers, and even some good flex lines.

Releasing in the Future

Elevation Disc Golf Binx

This new fairway driver from Elevation Disc golf surprised me. I’m not a huge fan of the Elevation rubber, as it is too floppy for my comfort, and I feel like it inhibits its flight consistency. However, the rubber feels a little different this time around. Maybe its because the rim is thicker than a midrange or putter?

Throwing the Binx, I found that it is pretty accurate to the flight numbers provided. It is a do-it all kind of disc. Which makes it quite usable, especially in this floppy rubber blend. I found that it worked well on anhyzers, hyzers, and flat shots. It was pretty easy to throw, and a little more reliable. I didn’t feel like the disc wouldn’t catch air and just fly into the sky like the other molds. However, I do find that it is still the Elevation Rubber, and that the characteristics are still there. Despite that, the Binx is still a pretty good fairway driver, and the no-ground-play is incredible! This disc is set to release March 3, at 9-o-clock MST, you’ll be able to snag one for yourself for $19.99.

The Elevation Disc Golf Binx is a straight flying fairway driver that is useful for everyone. Its flight characteristics allow for easy control and consistent flight paths. The Binx can hold most any line you need, proving to be a good go-to driver.

The unique rubber blend is designed to limit ground play when the disc lands. Ensuring accuracy and consistency on those upshots that have OB or other hazards around the landing zone.

Eric Oakley’s P-Blend Glow Alpaca

The Alpaca is a well loved putter, and for good reason. This mold is versatile, working well as a driver, approach disc, or putter. The stability provides enough beef that it gives a consistent fade. In softer plastics, this can be beaten into submission. Allowing for straight flights and some shot shaping. Eric Oakley really enjoys using the Alpaca for these reasons among many. As one of his signature discs we are releasing the Alpaca in a P-Blend Glow plastic. This plastic offers some good grip and a little more longevity than the D-Blend. Keep your eye out of this release on March 10, 2022, you can grab yours for $15.49.

The Alpaca is the quintessential beadless putter. While the Infinite Discs Cohort has a somewhat low profile rim, the Alpaca presents a deeper rim for more of a traditional putter feel. Whether thrown at the basket or lofted high for approaches and drives, the Alpaca will carry your workload with ease.

Divergent Discs Golem

Divergent Discs is working hard to provide discs for all of the amateurs. The Golem is within their StayPut rubber blend. Designed to hit the ground and and stick, limiting the ground play. This disc is overstable, it is very much in the same playing field as a Zone, Harp, or Pig. And it really does limit the ground play, it hits and stops. Its a pretty cool disc. On March 10, 2022 this disc will release and be available for purchase. This will be available for $16.99.

The Golem is an overstable putt & approach disc. It has a flat top and a comfortable grip for both backhand and forehand throws. As an overstable putter it will provide a straight flight with no turn and a consistent fade. The Golem can also handle most windy conditions without drastically changing its flight path.

Thought Space Athletics’ Synapse

The TSA Synapse is a solid distance driver. The rim is on the large side, for me. It doesn’t feel all that much different from a 12 speed disc. My first throw surprised me with how easy the disc felt to throw. I found that I got a little bit of turn before it faded. So to me, I think there is a little less turn than what was advertised. Regardless of this though, I was still pleased with the flight path and the distance achieved upon throwing this new disc. The Thought Space Athletics Synapse will release on March 11, 2022.

The Thought Space Athletics Synapse is a professional level distance driver for maximum distance and performance.

Striking a harmonious balance between distance and accuracy, the Synapse is the flagship entry into the true “pro” distance driver slot for Thought Space Athletics. It is stable enough to handle big arm speed or a stiff headwind, with just a hint of high-speed turn. The Synapse finds its equilibrium as the reliably stable long-bomber in your bag.

Finish Line’s Era

Drew Gibson tore it up last weekend at Las Vegas Challenge. Gannon Buhr definitely tore it up as well, it was such a good competition to watch. If you were watching carefully, you would have noticed that Drew threw this disc on a few holes. I’m fairly certain that LVC was the first tournament that the Era was thrown in. Which makes it a great debut to the world.

The Era is a stable, 10-speed distance driver. And it is a comfortable disc to throw, and achieve good distance. Its stability makes it more available to people to throw and achieve good distance. All the while providing a disc that is controllable for a lot of different throws.

Infinite Discs is still accepting pre-orders for this mold. Though they are much more limited than before. Rumor has it that the pre-orders will start to ship out soon, and that the stock release is close behind that as well. It seems that they’re targeting a release for the end of March.

The Era is the first disc in Drew Gibson’s Finish Line. This disc is designed to be the all purpose control driver for players of all skill level.

With a flat top and neutral flight path the Era works well for both backhand and forehand throws. It is understable enough to work for newer players, but has enough stability that it can handle the power of Drew Gibson. The Era has enough speed and glide to go as far as many distance drivers, but has minimal fade for the straight flight of a fairway.

Finish Line Discs are designed and manufactured in the USA.

Wing It Disc Golf’s Stratosphere

Wing It Disc Golf is a new manufacturer who looks to be using a new manufacturer (new to Disc Golf that is). As such, this company is working entirely from scratch, and it is cool to see the journey that they’re taking. If you would like, check out their website to see their experience in creating a disc. On the website they’ve detailed the entire process in a blog, which is entertaining to read.

The Stratosphere is their first mold, and Infinite Discs VIP members got to try out the first run of these discs. They are incredibly pretty discs, with such a variety of swirls. And, the disc is rather enjoyable to throw as well. Additionally, it provides a consistent flight, and is a stable disc. This fairway driver can make for a great staple in anyone’s bag. At the moment, Run 2 of the Stratosphere is scheduled to release to the public in Spring 2022.

Other Ways to See New Discs

As always, every day we are adding new discs online. It can be fun to watch the “Newly Added Discs” page on our site. It is a great way to see what is new for the day. And sometimes you’ll see some sweet gems. However, we do sometimes turn this page off on big releases though, this is to provide a quick web page load time for you.

As always, thanks for reading, and I hope that you’re as excited for these new releases as we are!

Infinite Discs Restock

March 2, 2022 Keith Barker 2 comments

Here at Infinite despite all of the complications that the Pandemic has caused. We are working hard to restock all that we can. In case you haven’t noticed, here is a handful of the Infinite molds that have been restocked:

Pharaoh in Swirly S-Blend

In this most recent run of Pharaohs has a lot of great swirls in the plastic. The aesthetic of this plastic is superb! As someone who doesn’t throw the Pharaohs, these discs make me want to grab one and throw it. That’s how good these discs look. Grab your beautiful Pharaoh for $16.99.

The Pharaoh is the quintessential distance driver, built for a high speed release and maximum distance. The fade is not overpowering, making this a distance driver that will work wonders even for intermediate players. Throw the Pharaoh off the tee when you need to cover as much territory as possible. Rule your local disc golf course with the Pharaoh!

Cohort in D-Blend and R-Blend

This mold is a well loved. It makes for an excellent putter, whether your putting or using it for approach shots. This thing flies straight. For approach shots, this disc is definitely a favorite. You can get this now in D-Blend for $8.29 or in R-Blend for $11.99.

The Cohort is a unique putt-and-approach disc that is a great, beadless option for mid-range and approach shots with a comfortable rim for either backhand or forehand players. The revolution toward smaller-diameter discs for mid-range shots continues and the Cohort is stable enough to hold the line when thrown with confidence.

Scarab in D-Blend

The Scarab is a pretty solid disc. It is a stable putter that allows for some great throws or powerful putts. With its bead, it provides a comfortable resting spot for your forefinger. This is an enjoyable disc to throw. This is restocked in the D-Blend plastic, only for $8.29.

The Scarab is a beaded putter that has a similar rim configuration to the Infinite Discs Myth, but with a different flight plate that provides a longer glide for longer putts and approaches. If you love throwing putters for distance, or you’re seeking pinpoint accuracy with your putting game, the Scarab will earn a spot in your disc bag.

Centurion in D-Blend Glow

This fairway driver is a really easy disc to throw. It offers great control and decent distance. The Centurion makes for an excellent disc to use on the longer upshots, or if you’re looking for some needed control. We’ve restocked this disc in D-Blend Glow, it is available now for $11.99, perfect for those glow rounds. Especially now that it is warming up again.

The Centurion is a workable fairway driver. It is a straight-flying, precision driver that will fit into the bags of both novice and professional players. All players can count on the Centurion to hold whichever line they put it on with only a slight end fade. It is a workhorse control driver for precise placement on the fairway.

Dynasty in I-Blend

This control driver is a new release, just as of last week. It is a pretty awesome disc, it is on the verge of a distance driver. To me this 9 speed driver provides a very comfortable grip. I also find that it is quite controllable and offers just enough stability to put power behind it and work to get the distance that I’m looking for. While also able to control it, I really like this disc. For now, it is available in I-Blend, grab yours for $12.99.

The Dynasty is a stable fairway driver. This control driver offers enough stability to provide a consistent “S-curve” flight. Also, it can still fly most any line you would want. Making this into a highly controllable disc. All the while it can achieve good distance for beginner and advanced players alike.

Alpaca in Gummy C-Blend

The Alpaca is an awesome putter. I’ve enjoyed this disc for my putter, as well as a driver. Now, we will make this disc available in Gummy C-Blend Plastic. I really enjoy a flexible plastic, and that is what this blend is, flexible. It is pretty awesome! You should definitely give this putter a try, as it is consistent and floaty. A very versatile putter. You’ll be able to get this disc for $15.49, and it will release tonight at midnight.

The Alpaca is the quintessential beadless putter. While the Infinite Discs Cohort has a somewhat low profile rim, the Alpaca presents a deeper rim for more of a traditional putter feel. Whether thrown at the basket or lofted high for approaches and drives, the Alpaca will carry your workload with ease.

In Conclusion

These are the new Infinite Molds that we have added in these past weeks. We are constantly working to restock all molds, and there are always new discs added. You can check out the newly added discs by clicking here.

State of Disc Golf: Skill Level

March 2, 2022 Ted Hegemann Leave a comment

When we start out playing disc golf in a club, we are frequently confronted with the decision of which division is right for us. At a club league, it’s pretty easy to determine whether or not we are playing in the division for our skill level. If we are regularly crushing the competitors in our division, it would be time to move up to the next division. If we are the ones getting beat by significant margins, maybe a lower division would give us more competition.

When we step up to sanctioned tournaments, we have to reevaluate our skill level to determine the best division for us. A local tournament will attract a different skill level for a particular division, versus a national event. Our PDGA rating can help us find the best fit, and sometimes restrict our decisions. Having our rating and seeing how we perform at tournaments and during league can help us overcome the Dunning-Kruger effect (overestimating our skill level).

While the subject of tournaments is something that we will discuss when we analyze the results of that part of the survey, today we will cover how we view our skill level. We will look at the breakdown of skill levels based on other demographics, such as age and gender. Finally, we will look at how those numbers have changed from previous surveys.

Our Skill Level

Let’s start out by looking at how we answered the question, “How would you rate your skill level as a disc golfer?” As discussed above, how we rate ourselves can be based on a variety of things. Even those who chose, ‘Professional’ may have done so for a variety of reasons. Are they playing in the pro division for the competition, despite having a PDGA rating that would qualify them to play in an Amateur division? Here is the breakdown of how we self-identify our skill level.

With half of us identifying as having intermediate skills and more than ¾ of us identifying as a beginner or intermediate player, my first thought explaining those numbers is the rapid growth we’ve seen in disc golf the past couple of years. We could conclude that since there were a lot of people who just started playing, they wouldn’t have progressed past the Intermediate level by now. We can look at other data in the survey to see if that hypothesis is correct. First, let’s see how those numbers have changed since earlier surveys.

Checking out the survey results from 2015, we see a higher percentage of players identifying as being in the Advanced or Professional divisions than this year’s survey.

Skill vs Time Playing

Let’s compare the skill levels when they are sorted by the year the player started playing disc golf. That should show us how the pandemic affected our skill levels as a group. Here is the chart:

We can see that around 30% of all survey respondents started playing in 2020 or sooner, and identify as a beginner or intermediate player. That certainly accounts for the larger number of total players in those divisions, as compared with the survey results from seven years ago. It will be interesting to see how fast people move up skill levels in future surveys.

Now let’s take another look at our skill levels and organize them by gender and age. We’ll start by looking at data from last week, our numbers when sorted by gender. Although the number of women taking the survey was up over 2015, the percent of women dropped a bit this year compared to the earlier data. Here is the chart showing the numbers for 2015 and 2022:

Here is how the number of each skill level look, when sorted by gender:

As we can see, the skill level representing the largest number of men is intermediate. It represents 48% of all respondents, and over half of all the men who responded. For the women, the beginner/recreational division is the largest. Nearly half of all women who took the survey are in this skill level.

Sorting By Age

If we were to look at our skill level according to our age group, what would we expect to find? More pros in the prime ages? More beginners in the younger groups? We can find out by sorting age groups into skill levels. We’ll start by looking at the raw numbers, then we’ll sort them by skill level and the percentage in that age group. Here is the raw data:

I think it is more interesting to see how each age group is divided according to skill level. In other words, it is more interesting to look at the age group that you play in, for example, and compare it to the same age group in 2015. First, let’s take a look at the results for the most recent survey.

That tells us that the group with the highest number of pros is the 51-60 age group, which has about 5% of its members that are pros. The group with the highest percentage of beginners is the 71+ age group (not counting the under 12 age group). Interestingly, the 12-17 age group has the highest percentage of intermediates AND advanced players.

We can now compare those numbers to the ones in 2015.

The 2015 graph shows that the 61-79 age group had the highest percentage of pros, with nearly one in five members of the age group identifying as a professional. The 51-60 group took the top honors for the percentage of the most beginners, although the group barely beat the 30-35 and 41-50 age groups. The 71+ age group was the intermediate leader and the 12-17 was the advanced leader, both groups holding on to the titles for 2015 and 2022.

It’s interesting to see the change in how many people consider themselves ‘advanced’ players. There were more advanced players than any other skill level in all but one age group in 2015. But in 2022, the advanced division wasn’t the largest in any group. Instead, the intermediate division was the most popular in every division.

Check back next week when we will continue to look at more survey results.

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