disc golf what is -0.5 flight rating

Fade is measured on a scale of 0-5. The lower the number, the less a disc will move left at the end of the flight. Therefore a disc with a fade rating of 0 will finish straighter than a disc with a fade rating of 5.

Full Answer

What do the flight ratings mean on discs?

They are to be used to compare between models. For instance, a Wraith, with the flight ratings 11, 5, -1, 3 is faster than the speed 10 models and slower than the speed 12 and 13 models. The Glide, Turn, and Fade cannot be compared to other speeds, but can be compared to other discs with the same speed rating.

What does the speed rating on a disc golf discs mean?

The higher the number, the faster you have to throw the disc. The speed rating is also what tells you if the disc is a putter, mid range, or driver. Putters fall in the 1-3 speed range, where mid ranges are rated as either a 4 or a 5. Drivers are actually split into two categories.

What are the different types of disc golf flight numbers?

There are multiple types of rating systems, including single number, 3, and 4 number. The 4 number rating system created by Innova Discs is the most commonly used disc golf flight number system in the world today. People are often confused by these mystical numbers and sometimes don’t even pay any attention to them!

What does the glide rating of a disc mean?

That means this disc has a speed rating of 7, glide rating of 6, turn rating of -1, and a fade rating of 1. Each number is important to fully understand what type of flight to expect from a disc.

What do the flight numbers mean on discs?

These four numbers represent different characteristics of the flight. The four numbers are: speed, glide, turn, fade. For example, let's take the Discmania FD. The FD has flight ratings of 7, 6, -1, 1. That means this disc has a speed rating of 7, glide rating of 6, turn rating of -1, and a fade rating of 1.

How do flight numbers work disc golf?

2:139:08What Do The Numbers On The Disc Mean? | Flight Rating SystemYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipSo speed is very important on getting the discs to do what it's intended to do my recommendation forMoreSo speed is very important on getting the discs to do what it's intended to do my recommendation for beginners is to stay within the range of three to nine. And choose a disc that's more for beginners

What do the ratings on disc golf mean?

A disc with a +1 rating is most resistant to turning over, while a -5 rating will turn the most. Discs rated -3 to -5 make good roller discs. Discs with less turn are more accurate in the wind. Discs with more turn are easier to throw for beginners.

What does the speed rating on a disc mean?

The speed rating of the disc is on a scale of 1 to 14 indicating how fast a disc should be thrown to achieve its intended flight path. More specifically, disc speed is a measure of the disc's aerodymics and is primarily determined by the width of the disc's rim.

How do you tell if a disc is over or Understable?

The most effective way to tell if a disc is overstable or understable is to throw it. Try throwing the disc backhand and aiming straight. For right-handed players, an understable disc will turn to the right and an overstable disc will turn to the left. A stable disc will go straight.

How does disc weight affect flight?

A lighter disc will spin easier and can therefore have HSS for longer. High Speed Stability is the tendency for the disc to pull left (rhbh) early in the flight while speed and rotation are high. Generally, lighter discs tend to have lower high speed stability. But then again if it is heavier it will fall faster.

What is a 1000 Rated round in disc golf?

Any player who shot a 50 that round would receive a rating of 1000 for that round. Each throw is worth about 10 rating points for courses with this level of difficulty.

Why do discs fade left?

Discs that resist turn are still affected by turn, and discs that hold a turn throughout their path still fight to fade back over. Given enough height, all discs would fade back over to the left, regardless of their high speed turn rating.

How do I increase my PDGA rating?

Playing better in general is the easiest way to increase one's rating. There really is no way to "game" the system with any consistency. Playing with more higher rated players is a myth.

Do higher speed discs go farther?

You shouldn't take this to mean that because a disc is a higher speed, it will automatically fly farther. Most players need lots of practice and training to throw a high speed disc correctly. In fact, many beginners will find that slower speed discs fly farther for them than higher speed discs.

How far should a speed 7 disc go?

Speed 6-7 can go much further then 300, 450-500 in top pro power hands.

Can you throw a disc too fast?

If you throw too slowly, you're going to have it fade, if you throw too quickly you'll see it turn. It's not always a bad thing to throw your disc faster than intended. Putters are excellent to throw too fast. These discs will turn over and hold that turn for a long time.

What is a disc golfer's turn rating?

Turn ratings range from +1 to -5. For this example, we will reference a disc golfer who is right handed and throwing backhand (RHBH). Turn can also be described as high speed stability. When a disc gets up to speed, it will want to start to turn to the right. The more it turns to the right, the more it can be considered understable at high speeds.

Why is a disc with a lower glide rating better?

Discs with a lower glide rating will rely more on the power you can provide during your throw. At times, a lower glide rating is desired. You might be on an approach shot with a limited landing area. Too much glide means more distance than you wanted. On holes with water or other trouble behind the basket, you want to be able to trust that disc and watch it come down to the ground comfortably.

What happens when you throw a disc at full speed?

Using the Discmania CD3 as an example, when thrown at full power, or more specifically, the speed that the disc wants for it's desired flight, you'll see a good turn begin and the disc will move to the right at the start of the flight. Let's say you aren't able to get the CD3 up to full speed.

What are the numbers on disc golf discs?

For any Discmania disc, you'll find a series of four numbers and each one represents something about that the flight of that disc.

What is the fade rating on a disc?

Fade ratings range from 0 to 5. Fade ratings help describe the end of a disc's flight. The higher the number, the stronger the fade. Continuing to use the comparison of the FD to the FD3, the FD3's fade rating of 3 means that you'll see a stronger fade with that disc than with the FD which has a fade rating of 1.

What happens when you use a disc?

As you use a disc, you might see a change in the flight pattern and a flight that could be different from what the flight ratings say. Some discs will maintain their turn rating (high speed stability) while losing some of their fade rating (low speed stability). Others will see more turn go into the disc over time, but the fade rating might remain the same.

What are the ratings on Discmania?

All Discmania discs carry four ratings. These four numbers represent different characteristics of the flight. The four numbers are: speed, glide, turn, fade.

How many ratings are there on a disc?

So let’s break the system down. There are 4 ratings assigned to each disc: Speed, Glide, Turn, and Fade.

How to use flight rating?

Most importantly, use the flight rating systems as a way to compare one disc to another for the way you throw it. Say you find that a disc with a -1 for turn on Innova’s scale still flies very straight for you and doesn’t turn at all. A disc with a -2 should show more turn for your arm in comparison to the first disc. The more you can use the systems to figure out how each disc performs for you, the more you’ll be able to get a better idea of what to expect when you pick up a new disc. Just because the disc says it will turn or show minimal fade, doesn’t mean that might translate 100% to you and your style of play. Take it as a benchmark and you’ll be good to go!

How to rate Discraft?

Discraft uses a single number based on where the disc lands after completing its flight. Discraft’s rating system gives a number from -3 to +3. The best way to explain this system is to think back to the 4 number system. If you add the last 2 numbers from the 4 number system (Turn and Fade) together you will approximate the number in the Discraft system. For example, a disc in the Innova system that has a turn of -3 and a fade of 2 would be around a -1 rating on the Discraft scale. It’s not a perfect ratio, but because so many people already have knowledge of the Innova system it’s the easiest way to understand it.

What is the fade rating on a disc?

Similar to the HSS, the direction of the LSS is dictated by the way you throw the disc. The fade is how much the disc will come back at the end of its flight. The turn starts right after the disc has been thrown and is curving in one direction. As the disc slows towards the end of its flight the fade begins to kicks in. This is when the disc starts to curve back in the opposite direction of the original turn. The numbers for the fade rating range from 0-6. Zero means that the disc will settle down in a straight path. The higher the number the more severely the disc will hook.

How to tell if a disc is a fairway driver?

Take a disc with the ratings 8, 4, -2, 3. This disc is going to be a fairway driver, with a fair amount of glide. With a turn rating of -2 and a fade of 3, (when thrown RHBH) that means this disc’s will have what is called an “S curve”. Meaning right after leaving your hand the disc will start turning to the right. As the disc slows down the fade starts to become a factor and the disc will start coming back to the left. Since the fade rating is higher than the turn the disc should land just slightly to the left of where you threw it.

What is the lowest impact rating?

Glide. Glide is probably the least impactful, and easiest to understand, of the 4 ratings. Glide is rated from 1 to 7, but the vast majority of discs will fall in the 4-6 range. The glide rating is the easiest to understand because it’s exactly as it sounds; the amount of float the disc has in the air. The higher the number, the more glide it has.

What does the speed number mean on a disc?

The speed number is actually the minimum speed at which you have to throw the disc in order for it to fly like it was designed. The higher the number, the faster you have to throw the disc. The speed rating is also what tells you if the disc is a putter, mid range, or driver.

What are the flight ratings on Innova discs?

The Innova Flight Ratings System was designed as a way to describe a discs intended flight. Flight Ratings are broken into four main categories: Speed, Glide, Turn, & Fade. These characteristics can be used to rate various aspects of each disc’s flight. Each disc has a distinct "personality"; the flight path that makes that disc unique. Flight Ratings can be used to compare Innova golf discs to each other. Other companies have adopted a similar system, but it’s important to note that flight ratings shouldn’t be used to compare discs between brands since each company rates discs differently. We have over 90 disc models to satisfy a wide range of players and throwing techniques. To learn more about what each of these characteristics mean, refer to the descriptions below. Flight Ratings are based on right hand backhand (RHBH) throws.

Which plastic discs have the highest flight?

While the flight ratings should give the thrower a good expectation of a disc’s flight, the exact flight is dependent on many factors like the particular material it is made with and, the throwers style and speed. Champion plastic generally produces the most high speed stable discs, followed by Star, DX, Pro, and R-Pro.

What is an understable disc?

Understable discs are much more speed sensitive than stable or overstable discs. An understable disc will often fly stable to overstable at low speed. Beginners tend to throw discs at lower speeds. For more information on these terms or others, refer to our Glossary of Terms.

What is glide disc?

Glide describes the discs ability to maintain loft during flight. Discs with more glide are best for new players, and for producing maximum distance. Beginners wanting more distance should choose discs with more glide. Discs with less glide are more accurate in high wind situations.

What is the speed of a disc?

Speed is the rate at which a disc can travel through the air. Speed 14 Distance Drivers are the fastest, having the PDGA maximum legal wing width. Faster discs cut into the wind with less effort and are best when throwing up wind. Slower discs take more power to throw upwind, but they’re easier to throw more accurately and may actually go farther downwind. High speed discs are not recommended for beginners as they require more power to fly properly.

What is the difference between stable and overstable discs?

Stability is a description of the disc’s flight path. Understable means a flight that turns right (RHBH throw). Stable is a flight that doesn’t turn. Over stable refers to a flight that turns left (RHBH throw). Spike/Spike Hyzer is a shot that lands almost vertically and doesn’t skip.

Does the GStar retain flight characteristics?

All of our Premium plastics like Star, GStar, Champion, and Driver Pro will retain their original flight characteristics for an extended period of time.

FLIGHT NUMBERS (RATINGS) EXPLAINED

Most discs carry four ratings. These four numbers represent different characteristics of the flight. The four numbers are: speed, glide, turn, fade.

FLIGHT RATING RELATIONSHIPS

While each number can stand on its own, there is a relationship between all of the flight ratings. Turn and Fade will give you a good idea of the entire flight of a disc. The FD will have a little turn (-1) and a little fade at the end (1) which results in a very straight flight.

OTHER FACTORS TO CONSIDER

It is important to think of disc golf flight ratings as a guideline. They are designed to give you an idea of what to expect. Plastic types can effect the flight in different ways as it might make a disc more or less stable.

What is speed in disc golf?

Speed ranges from 1 to 15.

What is the second flight rating?

The second flight rating is glide. Glide represents how long a disc can glide through the air.

Why does disc speed matter?

Disc speed matters because each disc is supposed to fly a certain way. Each disc has a series of four numbers called flight ratings that allow the disc to have it’s own “personality.”. Speed is the first flight rating. Speed is how hard the disc must be thrown. The second flight rating is glide.

What does it mean when a disc is spinning?

And when it comes to disc speed, being able to get some power and spin behind your disc usually means the difference in whether your disc will fly correctly or not. But don’t worry too much about speed. Just practice up, keep learning, and you’ll soon get speed behind all your throws.

How to throw discs faster?

As you start working on throwing discs faster, you need to start out with lower speed discs and work your way up. If you stick to these discs, you’ll improve and soon be able to throw faster discs faster. If you throw discs that are too tough, you just won’t improve.

What to do if you throw too tough discs?

If you throw discs that are too tough, you just won’t improve. One way to do this is to disc down, or go down in disc to a mid-range or putter. Discing down allows you to throw easy discs and learn the game. As you get better, you can go back up to tougher, faster discs.

How many pages are in the disc golf player's manual?

Before you go, grab a copy of the best beginner book on the planet, “The Disc Golf Player’s Manual.” This ebook is packed with 200+ pages of the best info available to new disc golfers. So don’t miss out!

What is glide rating?

Glide is the ability to stay afloat in the air — which can affect the flight differently in different winds. Glide is a measure of loft. Discs with high glide rating will maintain more time in the air, maximizing the distance of your throw. Low fading discs will drop faster to the ground.

What does speed mean on a disc?

Speed indicates how fast or slow the disc flies and how much power is needed to perform it’s designed flight path. The rating has a lot to do with the width of the rim of the disc. The wider the rim, the faster typically. If you need distance, then you need speed, but it can be harder to control.

What does it mean when a disc is negative?

A disc with a negative number is also referred to as “understable.”. Fade is the finish of the disc after the inertia slows down — most discs will have natural fade to the left (for a right handed backhand throw) and some will have more than others.

Discmania's Flight Ratings

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Flight Rating Relationships

Other Factors to Consider