Beginner Disc Guide

You've learned about the basics of how to play disc golf and you read about what flight numbers mean, but it's still hard to know where to start.  We want to help squash the fear of choosing the wrong discs and get you out on the course to play!

There are many "right" ways to get started and there are many great manufacturers with similar products.  By selecting from the options below, you can be confident that you are getting started with the best disc golf equipment.

Essentials:

#1 Putter
#2 Neutral Midrange

Next Steps:

#3 Stable Midrange
#4 Understable Midrange
#5 Neutral Fairway Driver

Building The Toolbox:

#6 Throwing Putter
#7 Stable Fairway Driver
#8 Understable Fairway Driver
#9 Overstable Approach Disc (Putter)

Gaining More Power:

We recommend that you avoid these discs until you've spent time learning to use the discs above

#10 Overstable Fairway Driver
#11 Neutral Distance Driver
#12 Stable Distance Driver

As you try the many options, you may find that you prefer the feel of one plastic type over another, or you may start to gravitate toward the discs of one manufacturer.  We encourage you to try many manufacturers and plastic options as you get started, to find what works best for you.

Your disc golf bag can be built over time to eventually include a disc suited for each shot you'll be faced with.  While every individual is different, we recommend adding discs in this approximate order, with 2-5 discs being enough to get started.  These first discs will become the foundation for a growing selection of discs but will continue to fill a necessary spot in your bag throughout your entire disc golf journey.

#1 Putter


A disc golf putter is an interesting thing... Yes, they are used for that final 20-foot toss into the basket; but they can also be used for a 200-foot throw. Because they require less airspeed to stay in flight, they have less opportunity to fade to the side as they slow down, resulting in a straighter overall flight path.
Your primary putter should be in a "base" plastic blend for better grip and control.

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#2 Neutral Midrange


While a putter is able to offer the straightest overall flight path, it doesn't have the aerodynamics to go long distances as easily.  Moving up to a midrange can allow you to throw a little further even as you're learning the technique.  A neutral stability will help to keep that end-of-flight fade to a controllable level.

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#3 Stable Midrange


Throwing your disc in a straight line from the tee to the basket sounds like the best plan, right?  When you hit the course, you'll find that trees make a habit of getting in the way.  By adding more stability, and increasing that side-to-side movement, you'll be able to cut around corners and get past obstacles.  Increased stability also helps when throwing forehand with less than perfect form, and fights back against the wind in a predictable way.

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#4 Understable Midrange


To achieve maximum distance with a disc golf shot, the flight must achieve an S shape. Achieving high speed Turn before giving in to low speed Fade, aka a "full flight". Using an understable disc is a bit of a cheat code for unlocking those S shaped flights while you're still building your technique.
These understable discs also demonstrate more clearly how various release angles can affect the flight path.

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#5 Neutral Fairway Driver


With their sharper profiled rims, fairway drivers have the aerodynamics to fly faster and further than a midrange.  This comes at a cost though... not only can they fly faster, they must fly faster.  Without maintaining enough airspeed, a fairway driver will start to fade off course and drop out of the air earlier than a midrange would.  For some, the increased rim width can be more comfortable to hold with a "power grip" (squeezing the rim rather than the flight plate) than a lower speed disc would be.

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#6 Throwing Putter


Your main putting putter will be selected based on how it feels in the hand, but your throwing putter should match the flight path you're trying to achieve.  When your putting putter is used for a critical shot on every hole, you want to avoid throwing it hard into a tree and changing it's shape and, eventually, flight pattern.  A putter selected for throwing is a great chance to use a more durable premium plastic to help it maintain the same flight even after extended use.

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#7 Stable Fairway Driver


A stable fairway driver will become one of the most predictable discs in your bag.  Able to cover a substantial distance, fight the influence of mild wind, resist any turn, and fade out with a predictable finish.  While they don't achieve as much distance as a full S-curve flight, the predictability of a straight to fade flight should not be dismissed.

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#8 Understable Fairway Driver


When the fairway shape demands a long sweeping turnover shot that holds turn through most of its flight and fades back to flat before landing, an understable fairway driver is the disc to reach for.  With the right hyzer angle at release, these also work for a "hyzer flip" which uses the turn in the discs flight to lift the edge up to flat and produce some of the straightest flights possible.

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#9 Overstable Approach Disc (Putter)


A low-glide overstable putter won't carry a whole lot of distance, but it will give the most consistent and predictable result that will let you land closer to the basket.  These will allow you to ignore most wind and produce the same stable flight path every time.

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#10 Overstable Fairway Driver


Much like the overstable putter, a low-glide overstable fairway driver allows you to fight back against a spiteful wind.  These discs require good form and significant power to reach their potential, but once you're ready they are a valuable tool that will fly the same way every time.

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#11 Neutral Distance Driver


We do not recommend moving to distance driver too early.  If you're not achieving 300 feet or more with a fairway driver, there will be little benefit from these wider rimmed drivers.  When you're ready, a neutral stability will allow you to achieve a little bit of turn for the full flight S curve, achieving the maximum distance that you're after.

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#12 Stable Distance Driver


When your neutral distance drivers are turning more than you'd like, either due to headwinds or powerful throws, the next place to turn is a stable distance driver.  With enough stability to handle 600-foot throws or more, these are the discs that the top professionals use to achieve their maximum distance.

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