Disc Golf

Disc golf is an almost nonsense sport in which one tries to throw a Frisbee-like disc into a metal basket lifted a few feet off the ground and with chains above the basket intended to ensnare the disc. Disc golf courses are laid out similar to regular golf courses except the course can be much more wooded and there is no green. Most courses are of the par three variety, in which you try to get the disc into the basket in three throws. Perhaps the best thing about disc golf is that it is fairly easy for a beginner to pick up, but provides infinite challenges as one continues to attempt to lower their score.

One thing most who have never played the sport don’t understand about disc golf is that you don’t actually use a Frisbee like what you’d play catch with. Disc golf discs are smaller, flatter and made of a harder plastic. The two biggest companies that make these discs are Innova and Discraft, and although there are many others (Millennium would be the third biggest I guess), to my knowledge Wham-O, who makes Frisbees, does not, and this is one good reason why the sport is not called Frisbee golf.

There are several ways to throw a disc. Backhanded, in which you throw the disc across the body (the same foot as the throwing arm should be forward), is the most familiar and popular method. For right-handed throwers, discs thrown back-handed will tend to curve to the left. Everything is reversed for left-handed throwers. (When describing the characteristics of discs, right-hand backhand is the most-used reference point and is generally abbreviated RHBH.) The curve of a disc from right to left is called “hyzer.” It is extremely useful to learn how to throw and control hyzer shots. Oftentimes, it is the only way to get around trees. Also, from medium distances, you often want to hyzer into the basket rather than throwing straight at it, because if you miss, a hyzer shot will land nearer the target. The simplest way to hyzer a disc is to hold the far edge of the disc lower than the edge held with the hand. A disc which curves from left to right is called “anhyzer,” and is somewhat more difficult for a novice right-hander to throw and control than a hyzer. Besides raising the outer lip of the disc, I’ve found backhanded anhyzers are thrown if you arch your back (or fall backward, which is one important reason to stay balanced through the swing). It is easy to accidentally anhyzer a shot while standing on a left to right slope.

A forehanded throw, or “flick,” is a sidearm throw that, for right-handers, tends to curve to the right; in other words, anhyzer. Because it requires less motion, forehand is often a very useful technique to know for getting out of bad lies. It’s preferable to have the foot opposite the throwing arm forward, but foot position is more forgiving than with backhand, so you can be more squared to the target. You can generate more speed with less arm swing by flicking, which can make flicks better for headwinds and long uphills. Flicks tend to fly a bit straighter than backhands, but are not as easy to guide or finesse as backhands.

A third type of throw is a roller, in which you throw the disc so that it rolls on the ground. It can be a useful technique on certain holes if you can figure out how to do it. The thumber and tomahawk are two other throws, both in which you throw the disc overhand like a ball. These are useful for getting over obstacles.

There are as many different discs available to buy as there are body types and throwing styles, which makes choosing the right one(s) for you a royal pain. Innova’s success seems to lie in its ability to make beginner-friendly discs, but Discraft, Millenium, DGA, Maple Valley and others all offer good discs. I’ve seen people on the course who look like they’re carrying one of each disc ever made, which gets pretty ridiculous. You have to have pinpoint control before you can actually utilize different discs to their full potential. Because each disc handles different, switching discs too often will tend to hinder a novice’s game, as your muscle memory will be working overtime trying to coordinate how to throw each one. It is more useful to devote the time necessary throwing one disc and becoming familiar with it. Besides, most people carrying all those discs only use a few of them for their primary throws per round. The rest are mainly used for chucking in frustration after the first throw goes awry.

Disc golf fact #1: There is no disc which is incapable of hitting a tree.

The main differences in discs are:
1. How much they weigh. Most discs weigh between 160- 175 grams with some mid-rangers going up to 180 grams. They also sell discs which are 150 grams- I believe because in Japan it is a tournament rule that all discs must weigh 150 grams- but I’ve never used one. As a rule of thumb, lighter drivers go further than heavier drivers, but heavier discs are a bit more predictable. For this reason, it is preferable for mid-range discs, where you are trying to land as close to the basket as possible, to be a bit heavier than drivers, where you want to get as much distance as possible. Weight also plays a huge factor in stability, wind and glide (see differences #3, #4 and #5). Heavier discs are also better at getting through obstacles like small branches and leaves.

2. How much force they are to be thrown with. Each disc has what is referred to as its “speed,” which is the optimal force each disc has been designed to be thrown with. Speed has a lot to do with amount of torque or axial spin put on the disc. Like helicopter blades, the turning of a disc will help it fly through the air. Discs with higher speeds are designed to have less drag. You can get more distance with discs that can be thrown with more force, but a disc will have much more fade (see difference #6) if not thrown at its max velocity. I’ve discovered you can generate more speed from a disc by gripping it more tightly. Speed is the first number in Innova’s rating system. Discraft rates its discs according to distance, which is a combination of speed and glide (see difference #5).

3. How they’ll tend to move at top speed. This is known as “stability.” Discs which tend to coast to the right when thrown back-handed by a right-hander at their max velocity are referred to as “understable.” Throwing a disc so that it curves to the right (for RHBH throws) at the beginning of its flight is called giving it “turn.” Understable discs are more forgiving so better for beginners. Understable discs are also the ones you can make roll. Overstable discs will tend to hyzer more, which can be useful if you need to curve around trees but best avoided for straight drives. For whatever reason, discs thrown forehanded will fly in a tighter line and so more stable discs are often preferred for forehand throws. Stability is the third number in Innova’s rating system (negative numbers given to understable discs). Innova discs range from +1 (very stable) to -4. Discraft discs are rated with a number which combines stability with fade (see difference #6), so their discs range from +3 (very stable) to -1. These rating systems do not take into account two other important factors regarding stability: heavier discs will tend to be more stable than a lighter version of the same disc, and as discs age (see difference #8) they tend to become much less stable.

4. How they’ll behave in the wind. This has most to do with stability. A disc becomes more unstable in headwind, so it’s sometimes better to choose a more stable disc or give it more hyzer when throwing into the wind. Conversely, tailwind will make a less stable. I might not be correct on this last point, but I believe higher speed discs are better for headwinds (because they think they’re going faster than they actually are) and lower speed discs are better for tailwinds (because they think they’re going slower than they actually are).

5. How long they’ll tend to glide in the air. This is what gives you maximum distance. Besides reducing drag, which is a factor of disc speed and disc design, lighter discs will stay aloft longer if there is no wind. It is probably impossible to control how long a disc will glide, and for that reason the total length of flight of lighter discs is less predictable. This is the second number in Innova’s rating system.

6. How much they’ll tend to turn as they slow down. As a disc descends, it will drift to the left for right-handed backhand throwers. This is called fade and is the final number in Innova’s rating system. More fade can be a good thing depending on the route from the tee to the basket. Discs thrown at a speed lower than its top rated speed with have increased fade. Beginners should get discs with less fade as it makes it harder to predict where the disc will land.

7. Their grip. You don’t want a disc to slip out of your hand, which is why you should always have a towel to dry your discs off. Translucent discs (Innova’s are called Champion plastic while Discraft’s are called Z plastic) are less tacky, which I tend to prefer for drivers but not putters.

8. How long they’ll last. All plastic degrades over time, but some plastics are more durable. As they age, discs become more understable. Innova’s Pro series discs age frustratingly quickly. This fact makes disc golf a real consumer sport, because if you play a lot, you must continually buy new discs to replace old ones. If a new disc is overstable, don’t be too quick to dismiss or get rid of it, because you might simply have to break it in or gain throwing experience.

Most companies have a translucent and an opaque line of discs. Usually the translucent version has less tackiness and is slightly less stable, but the new DGA sparkle discs are exceptions, being more stable than their opaque counterparts. You can get discs in an array of colors. Purchasing discs of various colors becomes helpful in being able to easily tell your own discs apart. I have found that black and yellow discs especially but also white ones blend into the ground and can be a pain to try and find. I even own a disc ridiculously colored in what I call autumn camouflage.

Here are disc flight charts for Innova drivers, Innova mid-range and putters, Discraft and DGA. More complicated than you thought, huh? I’ll try to simplify. For beginners, I would suggest starting with two discs- a driver around 165 grams; try an Innova Sidewinder, Valkyrie or Beast or Discraft Avenger SS, and a putter around 170-175 grams; try an Innova Pro Aviar Putt & Approach or Discraft Magnet. For more experienced players, I’d recommend adding a 175-180 versatile mid-range disc, like the Innova Roc, and a more stable driver, such as an Innova Wraith or Discraft Nuke or Surge. A couple discs to check out from companies other than Innova and Discraft: the DGA Rogue driver and the Maple Valley putter.

In disc golf, the first throw is from a platform, called a tee. You can move on the tee during the throw and can release the disc from anywhere on the tee. On a long drive, you are trying to throw the disc as far as you can, landing it in a spot free of obstacles. It is very common for people to brag that they can throw a disc 400-500 feet. That’s much further away than most baskets at most courses. Most experienced throwers can consistently get their drive over 300 feet on a level plain (downhill throws go further and uphill throws shorter). To maximize distance, I grip the disc tightly pushed into the palm with all four finger tips against the inside lip under the disc and the thumb flat on top and throw with force enough to rip the disc out of my hand (instead of letting it go).

On all subsequent throws one foot must be in the area where the previous throw landed when you release your disc. To mark the line of release, you’re supposed to use a marker, which is a small disc placed so it touches the edge of the thrown disc at its point closest to the basket, but most only use these for tournaments. Up until you are 10 meters (about 30 feet) from the basket, you may still step into the throw and follow-through one step past the marker. If closer than 10 meters, your body must remain balanced or stationary (I suppose to prevent you from being able to lean into or jump at the target). A disc is considered in the basket when it comes to rest connected to any part of it or the chains; but not on the very top of the apparatus holding the chains (a disc landing here is called a DROT) or touching the pole underneath the basket.

It is helpful to have what’s called a fairway driver, which is basically a disc designed for the 250 foot range; typical for a short drive or long second shot. Because fairway drivers have more drag than long distance drivers, they will not go as far but will have less fade than a long distance driver would if thrown the same distance. Most beginners should use the same fairway driver for their initial drive and fairway drives because they won’t have the technique required to be able to generate enough rotation from their tee motion to get a high-speed driver up to speed, so the disc will have tons of fade. Once you can throw a fairway driver straight or get it to turn with consistency, then it’ll be time to buy a high-speed driver.

Everybody seems to differ on how to throw mid-range shots, which I think of as being between the 75-225 feet range on a level surface. There is a technique some used called the jump-putt, but I find it easier to set my feet as you would a regular golf shot (shoulder width apart, with toes positioned so a line between them points toward the basket) and control the distance of the disk by adjusting the finger grip, straightening the fingers so they’re less against the inside lip edge and more flat along the bottom for shorter shots. One trick I sometimes utilize is that if you want to throw a mid-range shot with a lot of hyzer, you can simply throw a driver with less speed than it is intended to be thrown with.

On puts, around 75 feet or less from the basket, I point the lead toe at the basket and rock my hips, pushing my arm out from my abdomen, making sure to keep my wrist stiff and my fingers loose, resting the forefinger flat on the outer edge to minimize disc spin. Remember, even a putter will go 200 feet or more if thrown with full velocity.

One inevitable if you play enough disc golf is disc envy. Whenever you see someone else throw a disc 350 feet, you automatically want to know what brand they’re using. Guess what? Chances are good they could take whatever disc you are using and throw it that far, too.