Champion vs. Star Plastic: Comparing Premium Disc Golf Plastics
When you are in the market for a new disc, there are several key features that you consider: Weight – if you have a lot of power, you’re typically looking for max weight discs. If you don’t have a big arm, you’re likely looking for lighter discs.Flight numbers – Is the speed high or low enough? Does the stability meet your needs? Are replacing a disc with a certain flight? Plastic type – The plastic you choose will affect the flight, the durability, and the feel of a disc. Although there are times when a base plastic is desirable, most of us are looking for premium plastics. Two of the most popular premium plastics are Champion and Star. In this blog we’ll look at what those two plastics have in common, and how they are different.
Champion vs. Star Plastic: A Tale of Two Premiums
When you pick up an Innova disc, one of the first things you’ll notice, besides the stamp, is the plastic. Two of Innova’s most popular blends, Champion and Star, are both considered premium plastics. They each have their own unique feel, durability, and flight characteristics.
Hand Feel
Champion plastic is known for its stiff, slick, and glassy texture. It often has a clear or translucent look and feels firm in the hand. Some players love that confidence-inspiring stiffness, especially in warm conditions, while others find it a bit slippery when wet or cold.
Star plastic, on the other hand, offers a grippier and slightly softer feel. It’s opaque, has a bit more flex, and tends to sit comfortably in the hand in almost any weather. Players who prioritize grip, especially for drives and approaches where touch matters, often lean toward Star.
Durability
When it comes to durability, Champion plastic usually takes the crown. It’s extremely resistant to dings, scrapes, and tree hits, maintaining its flight characteristics for a long time. That toughness makes it a favorite for drivers that see a lot of impact. The down side to this durability is that it takes longer to beat in Champion plastic.
Star plastic is still very durable, but it’s a touch softer, so it can beat in slightly faster than Champion. That’s not necessarily a bad thing. Some players prefer how Star plastic seasons over time, giving discs a bit more glide and turn as they wear in.
Softness and Flexibility
Star plastic feels softer and more flexible in hand compared to the rigid feel of Champion. This gives it a more forgiving flex when you’re gripping tightly or throwing in colder temperatures. Champion stays firm and consistent, which some players prefer for predictability.
Which Should You Choose?
If you want maximum durability and a firm, consistent feel, Champion plastic is hard to beat. It’s great for hot weather and discs that take a lot of abuse.
If you prefer better grip and a slightly softer touch, Star plastic delivers an excellent balance of performance and comfort. Many players find it to be the more versatile of the two, especially in changing weather conditions.
What About Other Brands?
Although each brand has its own recipe for its plastic types, the end result is close to what Innova offers. If you get a Z-line disc from Discraft, you’ll notice it is very similar to Champion plastic. Same with Opto from the Trilogy brands (Dynamic Discs, Westside, and Latitude 64), Proton from MVP, and Gateway’s Diamond plastic.
Looking for a version of Star plastic? Clash has Hardy plastic, DGA has ProLine, and Discraft has ESP. Those, along with Trilogy’s Gold Line, MVP’s Neutron, and Discmania’s S-Line, are all very similar to Star plastic.
Wrap Up
No matter which you choose, both plastics represent the top tier of disc golf plastics, offering excellent performance and long-lasting quality. It really comes down to what feels best in your hand and how you like your discs to wear in over time.
As we head into October, we see the unmistakable signs of fall. The sun is setting earlier, the leaves are changing colors, and manufacturers are rolling out their Halloween-themed discs. It’s always fun to see what creative ideas that emerge each year.
We’ve received discs from a few different brands already, and we will keep this blog updated as we get more Halloween stamps in stock. Let’s see what we have this year!
Infinite Discs
Our 2025 Halloween design brings a sinister jack-o-lantern to life, with a curling vine for a tongue and a jagged grin to appear in your nightmares! The stamp can be found on lots of our popular molds. Pick one up today and start haunting your local course!
MVP
MVP is giving us the Tales of Terror stamps. They have five molds, representing five of their top pros. Each disc offers a different Tale, and a different scare!
Eagle McMahon – The Supreme Ohm vs. The Forest of Doom!
The Ohm is the tool you need to cut through the Forest of Doom. This Cosmic Neutron Ohm will help you overcome the dangers lurking in the forest, making light work of the evil Forest.
James Conrad – Trail Keeper
Farmer J. Conrad has a corn maze, and it is haunted! You’ll need this Proton Trail to navigate the twists and turns of the maze while avoiding Trail Keeper. Do you have what it takes to make it out alive?
Simon Lizotte – Fireball
This flaming skull is hurtling through the blackness of space – and it is coming for you! The glow from this Particle Eclipse Fireball might help calm you from the threat of disaster from above!
Silva Saarinen – Pulling the Strings of Insanity
Beware of the Puppet Master! The evil mind is pulling the strings and causing chaos. The Particle Proton Insanity might be just the thing to slice the strings of the monsters coming for you.
Jeremy Koling – A Simple Hex Changed Jeremy Koling Forever
Once a humble, and very tall, disc golfer, a Hex transformed Jeremy into a ravenous beast! This Particle Eclipse Hex might be the cure. Who knows which version of Jeremy you meet on the course!
Keeping their tradition alive, Discraft released their horror movie Halloween themed disc for 2025. This year, they feature Art the Clown from the Terrifier movie franchise. The silent, supernatural entity is sure make you sleep with the lights on!
The Terrifier stamp is in three different plastics:
Innova has been another brand that has been releasing new Halloween stamps for a while. This year, in addition to their traditional pumpkin stamp, they included a new Roc3 stamp.
Proto Glow Nexus Aviar
This spooky XXL stamp features a wicked pumpkin with hypnotic eyes and a menacing grin. It looks great in the daylight, and even better when it is glowing at night!
Duo Rock3
A giant skeletal Roc perched on a haunted house adorns this scary stamp from Innova. The disc is the new Duo plastic. It is part Star plastic and part Metal Flake.
This post on disc golf power and distance, 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!
Not everyone will admit it, but we all want a little more power and distance in our games.
The wise person knows that there aren’t a lot of quick fixes out there.
More realistically, we practice, make adjustments, and over time, we gradually increase our power and distance.
That same wise person will also remind us that more distance certainly doesn’t necessarily equate to better scores.
Meanwhile, approach shots, putting, accuracy and more of the other pro tips in this series (found here) will more likely improve your scores.
But sometimes, wisdom isn’t what we seek.
We just want a little power in lives, am I right?
Well, luckily, these tips for disc golf power and distance will also help you with your form.
That way you can have your cake and eat it too!
So, let’s look at some tips that will help us get some more power and distance in our lives while also improving the rest of our game as well!
Head Placement for Power
In the first video Dave Feldberg gives us a tip for what to do with our head so we don’t limit our distance.
To do this, he makes an analogy to baseball.
Baseball players that hit home runs don’t keep their head facing the pitcher for the entire swing.
Instead, they keep their head facing towards the point of contact and look up during their follow through.
In disc golf, because of the way our neck is connected to our head and shoulders, looking where you’ll throw a backhand, severely limits the range of motion you can make for a complete throw.
It also can throw off your lines quite a bit and reduce your accuracy.
Instead, keep your head down through the impact of the throw and don’t look up until your follow-through naturally brings your head up.
Then, you can watch your disc soar that extra distance!
Watch now and see Feldberg explain it as well!
Now, from the head let’s have a look at how we can position our feet to improve our disc golf power and distance!
Position Your Feet Correctly!
In this quick-hitter of a video, Joel Freeman tells us about two common mistakes he sees amateurs make that are causing them to lose a lot of power.
The first mistake is that they point their toes towards the target and the second mistake is that both of their feet are perfectly aligned with the target.
Instead, he shows us to point our toes inward and slightly away from the target.
Then, with our plant foot, it should be out in front of your other foot. If done correctly, someone behind you should be able to see the target through the “window” in your legs.
Both of these tips help engage your lower body and get a lot more power.
Give a watch and then give it a try!
Now let’s look at some grip tips for disc golf power and distance as well!
Grip It to Rip It!
In this video, Connor gives a helpful tip on how to grip so you can get max distance.
And yes, he does mix up the terms potential energy and kinetic energy. But don’t let that detract from his point.
Basically, what it boils down to is that Connor tells you to put most of your pressure (and a healthy dose of it) right between your thumb and pointer finger.
That way as you come through on your drive, the disc launches out of your hand (you are not “letting go” intentionally) creating the spin and snap you need to get the most distance out of your throw.
Watch Connor’s explanation and then give it a try yourself!
Now let’s start putting things together with some timing tips for power and distance!
Cole Redalen on Timing and Distance!
Can we all agree that Cole Redalen can throw great distances?
Because he absolutely can!
At the same time, he’ll also be the first to occasionally tell you “don’t do what I do” and “others tell me I do this wrong.”
So, with that in mind, have a look at how Cole explains his massive drives.
The major point he goes over is timing.
I’ve heard it enough in all the videos I’ve watched to know that timing is crucial.
If your throw is rushed or out of sync, it’s deadly to your distance potential.
Well, to help explain his timing, Cole give this tip.
In his “X-Step” after the back foot goes behind and lands, and as soon as he’s about to bring his front foot through is when he starts his reach back.
Then, by the time his front plant foot hits the ground his throwing arm will have reached full extension.
From there he engages his hips, pulls through with his elbow at a 90-degree angle and the disc in the power pocket (which he shows), and let’s it rip!
Other quick tips he mentions is that he’s holding the disc about waist height.
And finally, if you look at his reach back you’ll see he is reaching back with the disc at a significant anhyzer. This is something I’ve heard before elsewhere and something worth trying!
One excellent way to accumulate numerous repetitions while honing your timing is through the use of a disc golf practice net. This enables you to throw discs repeatedly without the need to retrieve them each time.
Now, watch Cole explain and see if something clicks for you!
Breaking The Drive Into 3 Steps!
In the next video Dave Feldberg gives us 3 tips that don’t require much in the way of fieldwork, but can also improve our distance.
It’s definitely worth a watch so you can see him demonstrate the logic behind each point.
Here are his tips!
Tip 1 – Drop Your Front Foot Heel Before The Disc Moves.
Feldberg shows us how, when people initiate the turn before the heel hits, it gives the disc far less runway to build up speed and severely decreases distance potential.
He calls this “cheating the turn”.
Instead, wait until the heel plants before you initiate the throw.
He also has a drill for you to check out that will help you get used to the correct form.
Tip #2 – Practice Staying on Your Toes for the Entire Run-Up!
On the course, you can adjust and have more of the foot touching the ground (with the pressure on the toes).
But to get used to this, practice doing the run up completely on your toes.
Then, for the final plant, you go to tip #1 and plant the heel then initiate the throw.
Tip #3 – Disc Golf is a 3-Part Throw!
If you can break the throw into the three key components, your throw will sync together much more smoothly and result in more distance as well.
Here are the 3 parts he goes over.
Part 1 – Get to the reach-back position. Your arm should be fully extended back as your front toe hits the ground.
Part 2 – Drop the heel then bring the arm in.
Part 3 – Twist out of the shot and follow through.
Watch at the 3-minute mark as Feldberg breaks the shot into those 3 parts visually.
The nice part, he shows, is that you can practice each of the 3 parts individually.
Dave shows you how in the video, along with some other tidbits for each, so give it a look!
Now let’s see if we can put it all together with some more general tips from Zoe Andyke
More General Distance Tips!
Having watched all of Infinites Youtube videos, I must say that I really appreciate Zoe Andyke’s teaching style.
She breaks ideas down into the key components and let’s you look at the same concept through a different lens.
And perhaps, seeing this video will help things click for you…
Here are the tips she goes over.
Tip #1 – Don’t limit your distance potential by limiting your reach back!
Essentially she reminds us to turn our head, hips and shoulders with our throw.
“It is our bodies that ultimately pull and throw our arm,” she tells us as she contorts her own body to show us (1:45).
Tip #2 – Don’t reach across your body!
This is a common mistake she sees people make.
Instead, she tells us, you want to keep a 90-degree angle between your arm and your torso.
Tip #3 – Use Your Whole Body to Pull Through
Once you have that full reach back, she tells us to “use our body to pull (legs, trunk, hips, arm at the end) [and then] follow through.”
As many have told us before, distance does not just come from the arms!
Tip #4 – Play Tug of War
This is a drill that you can try for yourself with a partner (4:00).
Have the partner hold the disc in place while your arm is extended back.
Then, use that tension to feel and lengthen your reach back. This, she repeats, is usually a key component that most of us are missing in our distance shots.
Final Tip – Bend your knees to stay springy and athletic for your shot.
She shows us that in her drive she never stands up straight to her full height through the shot. She keeps the knees bent and the leg muscles activated throughout!
Now watch for yourself and see Zoe explain it in her unique and engaging style!
In this video, you’ll see a drill that just might become your new favorite way to add speed, power, and distance to your throws. The movement forces you into the right mechanics, turning your body into a lever so that, at the release point, the disc is accelerating as far from your body as possible. That leverage is where the real power comes from.
Here’s the ironic part: the drill looks a lot like “rounding”—a term most disc golf gurus warn against. But instead of teaching bad habits, it highlights the role of keeping your elbow straighter than you’d expect. The focus is on maintaining that extension while rotating, which feels counterintuitive at first.
And here’s the catch: once you start rotating at full speed, keeping your elbow perfectly straight becomes impossible—just like how you don’t consciously “time” your release. The drill builds those mechanics naturally, without forcing you to overthink it.
The benefits go beyond distance. Keeping that straighter arm position also improves accuracy. It prevents the dreaded elbow drop and keeps you from collapsing the disc into your chest, which is a common cause of wild releases.
At the end of the day, you can trust whichever coach you want—but if your goal is to throw farther and you’re willing to put in some focused reps, this is a drill worth trying. The coach behind it has worked with hundreds of players, and the results speak for themselves.
Disc Golf Distance and Power – In Summary
There you have it folks!
From head to feet and everywhere in between, those are some tips from the pros on how to get more distance in your throw!
Luckily, those tips are also great for general throwing mechanics as well!
As always, it will take practice and patience.
But try some of those out and see if you can’t add a little (or a lot) of distance to your drives.
And, as always, if you have any must-have tips, please share with the rest of us in the comments below!
In time, we’ll have the distance we covet and the good form we need to keep dropping those scores out on the course!
Happy driving to you all, and may all of your shots soar beyond to distances your wildest dreams!
You don’t have to play disc golf very long before you realize that there are many different plastic types. Each brand has its own formulas for making plastic. The largest brand is Innova, and two of Innova’s popular plastics are Star and GStar. In this blog we will discuss those two plastics. We’ll tell you their uses, differences, and similarities. Let’s dive into Star and GStar.
Star Plastic
Star plastic combines the durability of Champion plastic with the softer feel of Pro plastic. Star is actually slightly less durable than Champion. It will wear a bit faster, meaning it will get ‘seasoned’ a bit faster. Like GStar, Star plastic is opaque, unlike the translucent Champion plastic.
GStar Plastic
GStar has a slightly different formula, which makes it softer and more flexible. Its flexibility makes it a great plastic for winter play. Its flexibility makes it less likely to crack when you hit a hard object. In addition to flexibility, GStar has a pearlescent sheen, making it look really good.
Uses:
Although any plastic can be thrown in cold weather, GStar shines in winter because of its flexibility.
Similarities:
GStar and Star are both opaque, grippy, and soft.
They are both considered ‘premium’ plastics due to their durability.
Both accept dyes well, for those who like to dye their discs.
Differences:
GStar has a pearlescent sheen, while Star comes in flat colors.
GStar is slightly softer, while Star is slightly more durable.
GStar is more flexible, in winter or summer.
GStar is less expensive than Star.
Innova has far more molds available in Star.
Star is slightly more overstable than GStar
Conclusion
Although I’ve been a fan of Star plastic from the beginning, I also like the look and feel of GStar. For my personal preference, Star has a slight advantage because it is not too firm, but not too soft. Plus, all the Innova molds I throw come in GStar.
Now you know a little more about two of Innova’s plastic types. Comment below and let us know which of those two you prefer. What is your favorite plastic from any brand?
The first time I tried playing a round of disc golf in the dark, I was hooked! It was so fun to watch the glowing discs fly through the air. And the overall feeling of playing at night made me appreciate and enjoy disc golf that much more.
As we head into the fall season, as of this writing, the days get shorter and it becomes more difficult to get in a full round of disc golf while it is still light out. It’s the perfect time to get ready for “glow season!”
Glow in the Dark Discs
There are many different molds that are available in glow plastic. If you were familiar with night rounds of disc golf, you might think that glow plastic was just a novelty. It is actually a great option for night rounds, but not the only option.
The advantage of getting glow plastic for your go-to discs is that you can play with them at night, and already be used to how it flies. If your regular discs aren’t made with glow plastic, you can still get them to glow.
One option for getting non-glow discs to light up at night is to attach LED lights. That adds a little weight to the disc, and also makes them non-PDGA legal. For casual glow rounds that is rarely an issue.
The lights can be taped to the top or bottom of the disc (or both) and provides a great alternative to glow plastic. They are fairly inexpensive and can be used for a few rounds. Especially if you turn them on and off as needed.
You also have the option of attaching glow tape to the disc. These products glow brightly and the glow lasts a while. That comes in handy when looking for discs that you threw several minutes ago.
Several big brands have reformulated their glow plastics and we now have some great options. Prior to these new glow plastics, Kastaplast and MVP were two of the best brands for bright, long-lasting glow. Now we also have Innova’s Proto Glow, Discrafts, Mega Glow, and Moonshine 2.0 (Trilogy brands) that have all leveled up their glow game. Lone Star Discs and Thought Space Athletics also have premium glow plastics.
What all of that means is that you can likely find your daily thrower in a good glow plastic. If you don’t like throwing glow plastic during the day, you could also have a glow set on hand for when you get the urge to huck at night. Or, use lights or glow tape on your day-discs, as mentioned above.
Disc Golf Accessories to Make Discs Visible in Dark
Make your discs glow, and stay glowing with a UV Flashlight
If you have glow discs, or if you choose to use glow tape, a crucial accessory is a UV flashlight. These amazing flashlights not only supercharge your glow disc/tape, but they are a bit easier on your eyes when you use them. The same thing holds if you need to use a light to see where you’re walking. Plus, if you’re looking for a glow disc that has lot its glow, you can look for it by shining a UV light in the area you think the disc might be. If it’s there, it will light up and start glowing.
If you want to charge your disc without seeing even UV lights, check out the Halo glow disc charger. This nifty little device sits in your bag between two glow discs. When you’re ready to throw, hit a button on the remote control and the Halo will charge your disc for a preset time, then shut off. They you simply remove the fully-charged disc from your bag and you are ready to throw. It’s easier on your eyes than flashlights.
How to Make Regular Discs Glow
I since discovered that a few little night round accessories that can get you playing disc golf after dark, even without a slew of discs in glowing plastic.
One of the quick ways to jump into the glow game is to pick up Glow Tape which are designed just for disc golf discs.
These are basic sticker rings that can be peeled off and stuck onto any disc to make it into a glowing disc. You can get enough sticker action out of a sheet to light up three, four, or even five discs, depending on how many sticker rings you decide to apply to each disc. They are light enough not to mess up the weight or flight tendencies of your disc. They also charge instantly with UV light and glow brightly for several minutes.
Now, if you have glowing discs, or if you have glow tape, you can charge them with traditional light, which takes a bit longer, plus lights up your fairway, or you can pick up a UV Flashlight which makes a LOT of difference in your ability to quickly charge and throw your disc.
Flat LED Disc Lights
These little LED lights are easily affixed to the bottom or top of your disc with packaging tape to light them up at night. The light works better on certain colors of discs, and best on plastics that are somewhat translucent. They are inexpensive and last quite a while. They are small enough that they don’t effect the flight of your disc. You’ll have to avoid water hazards because once your LED light hits the water, it will die.
I found some photos on Tumblr.com that appear to be time exposures with LED lights on discs. Leave it to awesome artists to find a beautiful way to highlight disc golf at night.
A couple tips:
Although it is more fun to stay in the dark the whole round, there are many reasons why you might need some extra light. It’s good to have a regular flashlight on hand for those times. It’s also good to warn people you are going to turn on a light, so you don’t blind them.
Glow sticks are a nice accessory for glow rounds. You can tape them to baskets to light up the target. You can attach them to your bag, so if you walk away from it, you can find it again. Also, if there are other people playing a glow round, you can see each other better as you move around. You can pick up some cheap glowsticks at dollar stores. Including glow bracelets and necklaces that can easily be attached to a bag.
Park courses are the easiest to play, and not trip over roots, rocks, and gopher holes. Although, we’ve play glow rounds at wooded, hilly courses.
You might want to check with local governments to see if it is legal to play on a particular course after dark. Many parks and courses close at dusk.
It really doesn’t take much to get ready for a night of disc golf under the stars. Get some glow discs, lights, or glow tape, an inexpensive UV flashlight, and you’re ready to go! The flight of a disc during the day is already a wonderful sight. The flight of a glow disc at night is MAGIC!
Let us know what you recommend for night rounds in the comments. We’d love to know!
When I was younger, a couple of my buddies and I got into baseball card collecting. There is something exciting about ripping open a fresh pack of trading cards. The suspense, the hope for a rare pull, and the celebration when you finally score one all add to the fun.
Disc golf trading cards capture that same thrill. They combine the joy of collecting with the excitement of chasing cards that feature the players we cheer for. Every pack holds potential. And when it comes to disc golf trading cards, the go-to source is Brixton.
Brixton Beginnings
Brixton began in December 2022 as a small Twitter account run by a couple of disc golf card enthusiasts. At first, they simply posted card photos and eBay auctions. They liked the idea of creating their own card company, but did not know how to make it happen. Then they connected with OTB Discs.
With guidance and support from OTB, or Only The Best Discs, Brixton Disc Golf Cards became a reality. Their very first release exceeded expectations and they have continued producing high quality disc golf cards every year since.
If you have never heard of disc golf trading cards, you are not alone. Brixton still hears from people every day who are surprised the product even exists. Only a handful of sports card companies have ever tried disc golf cards and only a few players have been featured. Brixton is different because they are dedicated entirely to the disc golf card experience.
Their sets and packs highlight all of the touring pros. The Disc Golf Pro Tour has also released its own cards over the years, but Brixton’s entire focus is giving collectors high quality disc golf cards.
Collecting Disc Golf Cards
Collectors enjoy the hobby in different ways. Some try to build a complete set. Others chase every card of their favorite players. Many look for cards they can have signed in person. Whatever the goal, Brixton works hard to make sure the experience is enjoyable.
Collecting also helps the players. Brixton donates half of its profits back to the pros who appear on the cards. That means all 184 players receive a share.
Brixton’s 2025 Base Set
The 2025 base set includes all 184 players. Each card features a player photo with a paint splatter background. You can buy the complete set or build it pack by pack through ten card packs.
Buying the full set comes with a bonus called The Grind set. This is a 25-card subset that showcases the best players in the sport. The only way to get The Grind is to purchase the full base set.
For those who like to build a set pack by pack, there are also individual packs. These 10-card packs include 5 base set cards and five Parallel Universe cards. Parallel cards are alternate versions of the base cards with different backgrounds. Some parallels are common and others are quite rare. The rarest is the Tour de Force card, which shows up only once in about 137 packs.
The Dejavu Set
Beyond the base set, The Grind, and the Parallels, there is also the Dejavu set. Each player receives 25 Dejavu cards to sell or give away directly. That makes them harder to track down and more personal because the only way to get one is through the players.
Picking Up Packs
You can purchase packs individually or in boxes of 20. Each pack includes five base cards and five Parallel cards. One of the Parallel cards will always have a Red background, so the odds of pulling Red are 1:1.
Other Parallels are more challenging to find. Some feature animal skin backgrounds. Some are numbered and show exactly how many were printed, with designs like Shattered Glass. Others are foil designs that stand out even more. The rarest foil, called Magma, appears in only about one out of 70 packs. And of course there is the Tour de Force card, the most difficult of all, at one in 137 packs.
In total, you would need 19 cards to complete a master set for any one player. There is the base set card, 17 Parallel cards (including the Tour de Force, and the Dejavu card. The Tour de Force and Dejavu cards will be the hardest to acquire.
Creative Designs
A special shout out goes to Jason, one of Brixton’s founders, for his creativity in designing the cards. The artwork and variety of designs make collecting them even more fun.
Get Started Today!
Click the links below to order your Brixton cards and experience the excitement for yourself. Open some packs, chase your favorite players, and trade with friends to complete your collection.
When it comes to choosing the best disc golf disc, getting the right weight is an important factor. The weight of a disc affects its speed, stability and the way it will fly. Understanding this relationship can provide a significant advantage in the discs you choose to purchase and throw on the course. We’ll start by explaining an important factor in disc flights: velocity.
Release Velocity and it’s Relationship to Distance
The faster you’re able to throw the disc, the greater your potential to get more distance. This provides a relationship between the release velocity of a throw and the distance the disc travels.
According to a Best Disc Golf Discs Youtube video, for every additional mile per hour in speed at release, there is an average increase of 7.2 feet in distance. So the easiest way to get more “arm speed” and throw faster is by increasing your release velocity with lighter weight discs.
Research shows that reducing the disc weight can lead to an increase in throw speed. For instance, shaving off 20 grams from a disc’s weight can enhance the speed by 6.5 miles per hour. Theoretically, this could result in an impressive gain of 47 feet in distance.
Lighter Discs for Big Distance
Lighter discs have proven their value beyond just theory. In fact, some distance competition world records were achieved using discs under 160 grams. Those are players who normally throw max weight discs. This shows that, with the right throw, lighter discs are capable of remarkable distances.
Disc Stability Also Matters
While light weight discs have potential for more distance, the flight dynamics of the disc can also change. Lighter discs, by their nature, tend to exhibit more turn, which can affect the intended flight path. To counter this tendency, it might be advantageous to choose a more stable driver or increase the weight. Increased stability allows for more consistent flight paths.
While the weight of the disc may not actually affect the discs stability, the fact that you are able to throw light weight discs faster will affect its stability.
Factoring in Wind Conditions
Disc weight makes a big difference when it comes to throwing in the wind. Lights discs are affected much more than heavier discs, simply because of physics. All other factors being equal, lighter discs will get blown around more than a heavier disc, since there is less mass to get moving. That goes for a head/tail wind, as well as a cross wind.
For headwind shots, the lighter discs will turn even more than if thrown without any wind. The opposite is true with a tailwind. In that case, it would be beneficial to throw a lighter disc.
Which Weight to Choose?
With a lot of disc golfers trying out popular discs from different brands, we thought that we would address the questions of disc weight. For some players, the weight of the disc is not particularly important as long as it flies the way that they want it to. But for other players, the disc weight is very important since they prefer the performance of heavier discs, or desire the easier distance that may come with lighter discs, etc.
Your weight choice should primarily depend on the disc you are purchasing and what you intend to use that disc for.
Choosing Weight for Putters and Midrange Discs
Because putter and midrange discs are used for control and not distance, in most instances you should choose heavier, near max weight discs.
Disc Golf Putter Weights
Most disc golf putters have a max weight of 173-175grams. That’s the range of my putting putters. However, I have tried a lighter putter for longer putts, and it does make a difference, at my skill level.
Midrange Disc Weights
Some midrange discs have wider diameters, and thus the PDGA allows for heavier max weights. Large diameter mids like the Buzzz and Roc3 have max weights of up to 180 grams.
If you’re looking for something very overstable, you probably want a heavier disc, or at least something in the 165g plus weight range. If you want something that will glide a little bit more and not fall to the ground as fast, consider something lighter than mid weight for that mold.
Best Weight for Disc Golf Drivers
Disc golf drivers and their sharp rims usually have a maximum weight of 175 grams or less.
When it comes to choosing drivers, this is when the weight ranges really matters. The reality is that you will probably want a variety of different weights depending on your intended use for the driver. If you’re looking for big distance, use a lighter disc.
While I can’t usually tell the difference between a 170 gram, and a 173 gram disc, there is a noticeable difference between max weigh drivers and those in the 160’s. When a disc golf driver gets in the 150’s or lower weight range, there is a noticeable difference in the speed you are able to throw the disc and the way that it will fly.
If you have a tendency to “turn over” your disc, you probably want to stay away from light weight drivers as the heavier varieties will provide more consistency.
Some disc golfers choose to throw light weight but very overstable discs to get the best of both velocity and stability.
The real way to choose the right disc weight for you is simply to try your favorite driver in a number of different weight ranges to see which ones perform best for you in varying situations.
Lighter Weights for Beginners
Because new disc golfers do not have the arm speed to get a full flight out of disc, the best discs for beginners are usually light weight discs, at least in terms of drivers. Mid weight midrange discs are also recommended for newer players.
Sometimes factory second blemishes make x-out discs lighter than the non x-out version, so a factory second version is a way to get a lighter disc in the mold you are looking at.
Are the Weights Listed on Disc Golf Discs Accurate?
Here at Infinite Discs, we try to represent each disc as accurately as possible on our website by including a photo and the details for each disc. We decided years ago that we would trust the manufacturers when it comes to indicating the weight of their discs.
Most major disc manufacturers take the time to weigh the discs as they come out of the mold and painstakingly mark those weights in ink, with stickers, or embossed on the bottom of each disc. We trust that they have a well-established procedure for accurately weighing those discs as part of their manufacturing process.
Another reason is that different scales may give different weights. Our scale might not be the same as your scale, or the manufacturers scale.
DIFFERENT BRANDS AND THEIR WEIGHT DESIGNATIONS
We’ve seen a lot of players throw discs from a variety of manufactures. We’d like to address another important consideration when it comes to the procedures of those different brands. Innova, for example, used to mark their weights to the precise gram by writing the weight on the bottom of the disc in ink. Players who threw Innova or discs by other brands that use a similar procedure are able to pick the exact weight that they feel is perfect for them.
Innova has changed their method of indicating the weight, and they now
Like Innova currently does, Discraft puts a sticker on their discs that indicates a weight range. For example, they’ll put a sticker on a disc that says 170 – 172. That way, they are acknowledging that there will be some variation in weight for the discs produced in that batch. Other discs may be lighter and marked with weight stickers like 167 – 169, or heavier with 177+ (typical for mid-range discs like the Buzzz). Again, we assume that their range is accurate, but can’t promise that when weighed on somebody’s personal scale that it won’t fall a gram above or below the range that Discraft indicated.
Our Policy
When we list discs by companies that use a weight range on the disc or a sticker, we have chosen to be consistent in our data entry practices by simply listing the low number on that sticker. That is because our data entry system does not allow for a range, but wants a single number. Thus, a disc marked as 170 – 172 will be listed as 170. A disc with a sticker saying 173 – 175 will be listed as 173. The “max weight” for a Discraft driver would typically be listed as 173, but could actually weigh on the higher end of that range.
Other brands that use weight ranges include DGA, Viking Discs, Yikun Discs, and the new Active Baseline series of discs from Discmania (not individually weighed, but sold in a weight range).
WHAT IF THE WEIGHT IS JUST PLAIN WRONG?
While we’d like to believe that we live in a world where mistakes don’t happen, that is simply not a reality. While taking photos and adding thousands of discs per week onto our website, it is possible that some busy, tired employee here at Infinite Discs may type a weight in incorrectly. Usually we catch that error before the disc ships and we contact the buyer to make sure that they get a weight that they want. If the disc slips past another employee at the shipping station and the buyer receives a disc that has a factory weight that is different than what we entered, then we take care of the problem.
If we have entered the disc weight according the factory-marked weight, as indicated above, but the buyer believes it is still inaccurate or marked incorrectly, then we’re still happy to help the best we can, knowing that some busy, tired employee at the factory may have made a mistake. After all, nobody is perfect, and mistakes are always possible. We just want to clarify that we are doing the best we can to represent discs on our website exactly as the factory specified.
174g vs 175g
In the end, when disc weight becomes a hot topic of discussion or a complaint, we often find ourselves wondering if that gram or two was really going to make a difference in the player’s game. Would a 174g disc perform that much worse for an average player who claims that they absolutely must have a 175g disc? That’s an argument to be settled elsewhere. As disc connoisseurs, we can attest that here at Infinite Discs we have discs in our bags that straddle a lot of weight ranges, and they fly as well as we can throw them.
We hope that this information has been helpful in understand a little bit more about disc weights and how they effect flight. We hope you better understand how brands mark the weight of their discs, and how we at Infinite Discs work with those brands and trust in those manufacturers to indicate the weight of their discs so that our buyers can make an informed purchasing decision.
What do you get when you cross a popular high-speed driver with a popular, inexpensive plastic type? You get an I-Blend Wraith. Yep, Innova and Infinite teamed up to produce this unique combination. Now you can get one of the most popular molds on earth, in durable, grippy I-Blend plastic, at a cheaper price than most plastics.
What Is I-Blend Plastic?
I-Blend, or ‘Infinite-Blend’, is a blend of recycled S-Blend plastic. From the Infinite web site: “Infinite I-Blend is an affordable plastic blend with a great feel and incredible glide. This plastic has a slightly softer, grippier feel than S-Blend and is almost just as durable. If you’re looking for a premium feel at an affordable price, you’ll want Infinite Blend in your bag.”
Tell Me About The Wraith
The Wraith is celebrating its 20th birthday this year. It received its PDGA approval in 2005. It is pretty common to hear the Wraith described as a slightly slower Destroyer. Depending on your skill level, you might want to throw a Wraith as your distance driver.
Several Innova pros throw a Wraith, including Garrett Girthie, Philo Brathwaite, and Nate Sexton. The Wraith can also be thrown by amateurs and less skilled players.
The Innova Wraith in I-Blend plastic is a great combination of a popular disc and a premium plastic, at an inexpensive price. It will be available on September 16. Get yours while they last! If you like I-blend as much as I do, you’ll want to shop early to get the colors you want.
What Disc Golf Brand GLOWS THE BEST?
These 10-card packs include 5 base set cards and five Parallel Universe cards. Parallel cards are alternate versions of the base cards with different backgrounds. Some parallels are common and others are quite rare. The rarest is the Tour de Force card, which shows up only once in about 137 packs.
