
What Disc Golf Numbers Mean
- Speed. The first number on a disc is it’s Speed rating. ...
- Glide. The second number found on a disc is going to be the Glide rating. ...
- Turn. Next, we will find the third rating known as Turn. ...
- Fade. Lastly, we come to the 4th rating on a disc known as Fade. ...
- Putting It All Together. ...
Full Answer
What are the numbers on disc golf discs?
What Disc Golf Numbers Mean
- Speed. The first number on a disc is it’s Speed rating. ...
- Glide. The second number found on a disc is going to be the Glide rating. ...
- Turn. Next, we will find the third rating known as Turn. ...
- Fade. Lastly, we come to the 4th rating on a disc known as Fade. ...
- Putting It All Together. ...
What do you need to know about disc golf?
What Do You Need to Play Disc Golf?
- First things first: you need some discs. Discs are important in disc golf. ...
- Next up, a bag. After you grab a few discs, you’ll need a good bag to store them in. ...
- Miscellaneous accessories. ...
- Finding a course. ...
- 5 general improvement tips for new disc golfers. ...
- Overall. ...
- Great job! ...
- Related Content. ...
- Don’t forget. ...
What is the best golf disc?
Best Overall: Innova Champion Roc3 Innova is one of the best and most popular disc golf manufacturers on the market. Available in three weight ranges — 165-170, 170-175 and 175-180 grams — this disc is perfect for control shots and called Innova's “go-to mid-range” disc.
Which disc golf brand is best?
Best Golf Deals: Save up to 31% on golf equipment from top brands including Callaway and Titleist at Walmart - including a wide range of golf clubs, balls, bags, apparel, and disc golf products ...

What do the numbers mean on discs golf?
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.
What do the 4 flight numbers mean on a disc?
The four numbers on the disc indicate the speed, glide, turn, and fade of the disc in the same order. The flight rating system is often used by players to compare different discs and how they will perform during the flight in the air.
What is the 5th number on a disc?
We applaud this move! First you'll see the four digits which equate to speed / glide / turn / fade, followed by a fifth number which is the old-school Discraft flight number.
Do lighter or heavier discs go further?
In general, lighter discs fly farther than heavier discs, but heavier discs may fly farther in a headwind due to their greater stability. A safe bet for the average player is to throw discs weighing around 160-165 grams for best distance.
What is the most stable disc?
The 13 best stable distance driversInfinite Discs Pharaoh (13, 6, -1, 2) ... Innova Shryke (13, 6, -2, 2) ... Discraft Crank (13, 5, -2, 2) ... Dynamic Discs Renegade (11, 5, -2, 3) ... Innova Beast (10, 5, -2, 2) ... Latitude 64 Flow (11, 6, -0.5, 2) ... Westside Discs Sword (12, 5, -0.5, 2) ... MVP Octane (13, 5, -1, 2)More items...
What is a good disc golf rating?
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.
How do you tell if a disc is over or Understable?
A short cut method for determining whether this disc is over or understable is to add the last two numbers in the flight numbers, in this case: -2+2=0. If the resulting number is positive the disc is said to be overstable.
What is RHBH disc golf?
RHBH – Short for 'right-handed backhand'. A type of throw where a person throws with their right hand with a backhand throw. Other throws are RHFH for 'right-handed forehand', and the equivalent throws for left-handed players, LHBH and LHFH. When discussing disc flight it is important to make this distinction.
What are the top three leading disc golf companies?
Top Three Brands in Other CategoriesBest Disc Golf Brand Marketing/BrandingRankBrandAverage Score1Discraft3.07/42Discmania3.00/43Innova2.91/4May 3, 2022
What weight disc should a beginner use?
Simply put, Beginners should choose disc weights between 150-170 grams, with the sweet spot and good middle ground being in the low 160's. Discs that are this weight will be much easier to handle for new, slower arms, but also heavy enough for you to grow into as your arm strength inevitably increases.
Is disc golf good for weight loss?
Playing disc golf regularly is an amazing way to lose weight. Since you will be burning a tremendous amount of calories performing this activity, you will notice your body slimming down. What's most impressive about disc golf is that you don't need to play it every day to lose weight.
What are the 3 types of discs?
There are four main types of disc golf discs - distance drivers, fairway drivers, midranges, and putters. Choosing the right type of disc for the right situation can make all the difference in your score!
What is the fastest disc in golf?
The first category, speed, is the degree in which a Frisbee travels through air, and it ranges from 1 to 14. If a disc reads “14,” this is the fastest disc on the market today. This is also the Professional Disc Golf Association’s (PDGA) most legal option to use. The faster the disc, the more you will see it cut through the air with less exertion. If your disc reads “1,” you can expect the disc to need more power for it to be thrown in the wind.
What is a skip shot?
A skip shot is when the disc hits the ground and bounces up to fly again, before finally settling. A spike shot, or a spike hyzer, is the kind of shot that hits the ground vertically, and stops dead in its tracks.
What is the best number for a roller disc?
When looking for roller discs, -3 to -5 are a perfect number. Less turn-able discs are definitely more accurate in the wind.
What are the four categories of Frisbee?
These four categories are: Speed, Glide, Turn, and Fade.
What affects flight rating?
Flight Ratings System are Affected by Plastics. Now that you know how the Flight Ratings System works, it is also vital you know what can affect your disc numbers.
What is a high speed turn?
From +1 to -5, high-speed turn is the ability of the disc to turn over in flight, or head to the right for athletes who throw with their right hand. If you have a disc with a +1, this is the type of disc that will not turn over.
Why are long drivers impacted the most?
Different types of plastics can really throw the number system off. Long drivers really are impacted the most because of the thin plastic construction. If you use Champion and Glow Champion brands, they have less of a high-speed turn than other plastics like Driver Pro, Star, and GStar.
What is the speed rating on a disc?
The first number on a disc is it’s Speed rating. This number is usually a value between 1-14, with 1 being the slowest and 14 being the fastest. As a beginner, you’ll find that slower discs are easier to throw as they require less power and are oftentimes more accurate. Think of throwing a baseball vs a wiffle ball.
What is the second number on a disc?
The second number found on a disc is going to be the Glide rating. Glide will be rated on a scale between 1 and 7 with 7 being the highest. Glide can be described as a disc’s tendency to stay afloat when thrown.
What is the third rating in disc golf?
When a disc is thrown back hand by a right handed thrower, the “Turn” indicates how much a disc will want to “turn over” during its initial flight upon release ( disc golf lingo for a disc going flat and straight before finishing to the right) and will be rated with a scale between +1 and -5.
What does it mean when a disc is thrown as a left handed player?
When you throw a disc as a left handed player or when a right handed player throws forehand, the “ Turn” rules are reversed and will indicate how much a disc wants to initially go to the left, rather than the right.
How many numbers are on a disc?
Updated: Dec 29, 2020. As you start handling discs or even shopping for them, you may begin to notice that some of them have a series of 4 numbers marked on them. You may ask yourself,
Do discs with higher glide perform better in higher wind?
Therefore, beginners will be able to throw discs with high glide ratings longer distances more easily. On the flip side, discs with lower glide will perform better with higher wind because they will be less likely to be “carried” by the wind after being thrown.
What are the numbers on a disc?
For stable discs, look for a set of numbers close to these: 1 Speed 9 2 Glide 4 3 Turn -2 4 Fade 2
How many discs can a disc golf bag hold?
Some serious players will have bags that hold 20 or more discs, meaning they are prepared for absolutely any scenario. There are tons of great choices for disc golf bags (trust us: you want to buy a bag specific to disc golf to stay organized during play).
What is the difference between a disc and a frisbee?
Disc golf dics are smaller and denser than frisbees. Frisbees can be around 12 inches in diameter, whereas a disc will be 8 inches. Another important reason to distinguish between the two is the numbers representing flight patterns.
How does a disc stay aloft?
A disc stays aloft initially when it is thrown. The higher the disc’s glide, the further it will travel. The factor that influences glide more than any other is the shape of the disc. This shape is what air passes over and under when the disc is in flight. In addition to shape, the glide is affected by the player.
What happens if you throw a disc at an angle?
If you choose to throw the disc at an angle where the wind is under the disc, it will achieve more glide. If there is more air across the top of the disc, it will have less glide. Less glide is also inevitably going to mean less distance.
What is a high turn disc?
What to Know About Disc Turn as a Beginner. A high turn disc rating will help a beginner achieve a longer flight. Understable discs, those with a high turn rating, will naturally want to turn over. You have to get the hang of throwing these in different winds, which will affect the turn.
How to tell if a disc is faded?
Disc Fade. An easy way to picture the fade is to think of your disc fading off into maximum distance at the end of its glide. The fade describes the strength of the disc’s left turn once it nears the end of its flight. It is important to note that the fade to the left is based on a right-hand throw.
What do these numbers stand for?
Simply enough, these numbers represent that specific disc's flight ratings, or characteristics. In order, these ratings are:
What are disc golf disc ratings?
Let's take a look at each of the ratings and break down what they are and their significance.
Glide
The second number is in reference to the amount of glide that disc is rated for.
Turn
This rating is severely underutilized by beginner players when they are trying to learn how to throw. Many people, myself included, want to try to learn right away how to use fast speed drivers with stable to overstable flight patters to account for mistakes in form and technique.
Fade
Fade is the amount of "hook" that a disc is likely to have at the end of it's flight pattern. Some discs are meant to be great for doglegs and navigating around objects while others require a straighter approach to the basket or landing zone.
What are the four numbers on a disc golf disc?
The ratings can be categorized into four true and basic characteristics. These are speed, glide, turn, and fade.
What does speed mean on a disc?
What Does It Mean? Speed is generally the rate at which the disc can travel through the air. It can also be interpreted as how hard the disc must be thrown to perform at its maximum. The first of the four numbers you see represents the speed count. The speed rating is represented on a scale of 1 to 14.
What is the glide count in golf?
Glide refers to the golf disc’s ability to sustain loft during flight. In other words, it is the measure of how long the disc can stay up in the air. The glide count is measured in a range of 1 to 7. Palpably, 7 describes the longest glide while 1 means the shortest glide.
What does "turn" mean in golf?
Turn is often a measure of the stability of a golf disc. More turn means more under-stability. In an actual case, beginners take benefits from under-stability. These discs are easier to throw and beginners can easily get the most out of their throw combined with low speed and a high glide count.
Why is it important to have a higher glide disc?
As you can already assume, the glide is important because it keeps the golf disc in the air. If you’re among the players who’d want more distance when throwing a disc, then opting for a higher glide disc is the most evident choice. The same advice is given to the beginners and amateurs as well.
What is the difference between a fade disc and a 5 fade disc?
It usually kicks in after a disc has traveled its majority of the flight. A 1 rated fade disc will hardly have any fade effect and finish straight. On the other hand , a 5 rated fade disc will sharply hook at the left in the case of a right-hand backhand throw.
What is a lower speed disc?
Lower speed-rated discs are relatively easy to throw and control. These discs are referred to as putters. High-speed discs work as drivers. They are hard to throw and require more power to work properly. This type of discs is only recommended to throwers with excellent throwing skills.
What are the numbers on a disc?
The four numbers on the disc are referred to as the flight rating system . This system was developed by Innova Champion Discs with the purpose of describing each disc’s flight characteristics. The system has since been adopted by most discs manufacturers. The four numbers in the rating system stand for: Speed, Glide, Turn, and Fade.
What is a 0 rating disc?
A disc with a 0 rating is considered stable and will fly straight. While a disc with a negative rating is considered understable and will turn right. The more turn a disc has the less accurate it is in the wind.
What does a fade rating mean on a disc?
It describes how the disc finishes at the end of it’s flight. A fade rating of zero indicates that the disc won’t fade and will finish straight. A higher fade rating means that as the disc slows down the more likely the disc is to hook.
What is the second number in the sequence?
The second number in the sequence is the glide rating . It shows how well the disc maintains loft while in the air. The higher the rating the easier it is for the disc to remain in the air. The numbers in this rating range from 1 to 7. Discs that have more glide are easier to throw farther distances. Discs that have less glide are easier to throw with accuracy and do better in windy conditions.
What is the third number in a disc sequence?
So for a player who is right-handed and throwing a backhand shot, the more turn the disc has the more likely it is to move to the left or turn over. The turn rating ranges from + 1 to -5.
Why is a disc considered a distance driver?
The disc would be a distance driver because of the speed rating. The disc would have a lot of glide and would stay in the air quite easily. If you are a right-handed player throwing the disc backhanded the disc would fly to right after leaving your hand. We know this because of the -4 turn rating.
Which is more accurate, a disc or a glide rating?
For shots that require more accuracy like putts and approach shots, a lower glide rating may need to be considered as the disc should be more accurate. You don’t want your shots floating past the target. In windy conditions, discs with less glide tend to be more accurate.
Meaning Of Numbers on The Golf Disk
The number that is available on the golf disk will represent the characteristics of the disk and how it will fly in the air as it will be the flight rating system. It will also represent the speed of the disc in the air, glide, and fade as well.
Purchasing Discs Suitable for Your Style
As in the market, there are a lot of discs available however you need to choose one as per, you’re playing style. If you know about the glide only then you can decide if you want the disc to cover a longer distance in the air.
Comparing Discs
If you see two discs and they have different numbers on them, you will get confused as to what those numbers signify and why they are different. So, if you have an idea about the flight rating, only then you will be able to differentiate between both the discs. Let suppose two discs have different numbers as 12 and 13.
Why is it important to read disc golf numbers?
Learning how to read disc golf numbers is important especially if you are a new disc golfer. It will help in so many ways in improving your skills and also on your disc selection during the game.
What are the four numbers on a disc?
The four numbers on the disc indicate the speed, glide, turn, and fade of the disc in the same order. The flight rating system is often used by players to compare different disc and how they will perform during the flight.
What is the speed rating on a disc?
The Speed. The first number found on the left side of the flight rating system is the speed rating. It is numbered from 1 to 14 and is the measurement of the disc when traveling in the air. The greater the number is on the speed rating, the fastest the disc travels in the air. Usually, the faster discs easily cut in the air with less effort ...
What are the numbers on a Discraft disc?
Those four numbers can be called characters which will determine the different aspects that affect the disc flight. The four numbers on the disc indicate the speed, glide, turn, and fade of the disc in the same order.
Why was the flight rating system invented?
The rating system was also invented to help when selecting a disc during the game when playing in different types of situations .
Why use a disc with a low glide rating?
If you are just starting, I would suggest using the disc with a higher glide rating because it will give more distance during the throw.
What does 5 fade mean on a disc?
Meanwhile, if the disc has a 5 fade rating, it has the best chance to go to the left at the end portion of the flight. The fade rating of the disc can also be referred to as the stability of the disc when it is losing power at the end of the flight. The fade will come once the end of the flight starts.
