
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 are the disc numbers?
It contains four numbers that indicate the behavior or the intention of the disc during the flight. Those four numbers can be called characters which will determine the different aspects that affect the disc's flight. The four numbers on the disc indicate the speed, glide, turn, and fade of the disc in the same order.
How do I identify my disc golf disc?
When you say they don't have model names listed, do you mean they don't have a stamp on top with the name? If that's the case, you can still identify the mold based on the writing on the bottom of the disc, usually 2-3 letters written near the center nipple or along the inside of the rim.
What does the 5th number on a disc golf disc mean?
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. So now players who like one system or the other can have both for easy reference.
How do you tell if a disc is Understable by the numbers?
UNDERSTABLE – An understable disc has a High Speed Turn number that is greater than its Fade number. For example, a disc with flight numbers 13/5/-3/1 would be considered understable.
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.
What speed disc should I throw?
Disc golf throws generally fall into three categories and recommended disc speeds: Putts usually use low speed discs to maximize accuracy. Approaches and midrange shots usually use medium speed discs to balance speed and accuracy. Drives usually use higher speed discs to maximize distance.
What's the best disc golf driver?
The 17 Best Disc Golf Distance DriversInnova Boss – 13, 5, -2, 3.Discraft Zeus – 12, 5, -1, 3.Innova Destroyer – 12, 5, -1, 3.Dynamic Discs Sheriff – 13, 5, -1, 2.Infinite Discs Pharaoh – 13, 6, -1, 2.Innova Wraith – 11, 5, -1, 3.Legacy Cannon – 14, 5, -3, 3.Innova Shryke – 13, 6, -2, 2.More items...
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 is the most stable disc?
A disc rated 0 will finish straightest with the least fade. Discs with a low fade rating are the more understable. A disc rated 5 will fade or hook hardest at the end of the flight. Discs with a high fade rating are predictable even in wind and considered more overstable.
How do you tell if a disc is stable or unstable?
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.
Do Understable discs fly farther?
Understable discs go farther than overstable discs of a similar speed, so an understable mid can encroach on some fairway drivers, and have zero fade.
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 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 are the four categories of Frisbee?
These four categories are: Speed, Glide, Turn, and Fade.
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.
Is a disc more accurate?
However, the slower the disc, the more accurate it will be . Also, if your disc travels with the wind, you can expect it to go further than you thought possible. Beginners should stick with slower discs, while professionals can handle the greater speed options.
Do disc golfers get more glide?
For the newest players, discs with more glide are very favorable for all-out distance. On the other hand, less glided discs have better accuracy, especially in situations where wind is a factor. So, the higher the number, the more glide a disc golf player will get from their Frisbee.
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 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.
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 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.
Can plastic discs affect flight quality?
You should also remember that the type of plastic of the disc can also influence and affect the quality of the flight regardless of the rating.
Why is speed important in disc golf?
Why? Because it more or less determines how well the rest of the three factors will work when you are in the game.
What does "glide" mean in golf?
In golf disk golf, glide means the duration your disk can stay in the flight after the throw. Glide is generally measured between the numbers 1 and 7. Here, the glide of 7 means the disk can stay up in the air for the maximum time, whereas the glide of 1 is the lowest.
What is disc golf?
It is played with a classic frisbee but smaller and heavier (different modalities and each one is different). The game’s objective is to cover the course from beginning to end with a minimum of disc throws. This sport is practiced both professionally and by amateurs in the United States, Europe, Japan, and in more than 20 countries worldwide. Disc Golf is played like traditional golf, but instead of clubs and balls, a frisbee is used. No, let’s talk about the discs!
What are the different types of discs in golf?
In Disc Golf, we find three different types of discs: Putter, Midrange, and Driver. This last category is then divided into two to make a correct classification. Putters are precision or short shot discs, midrange discs are midrange discs and are more unstable than putters, and drivers are long-range discs and are the most precarious of all.
Is disc golf the same as golf?
Disc golf is very similar to golf and presents the same challenges, whether it is making a long putt, being forced to throw from a bush, or around a tree in the middle of the fairway. However, there are some significant differences when it comes to golf. The practice of disc golf is free, and it is not necessary to rent, for example, a golf cart.
Is disc golf a hobby?
The sport of disc golf can be a lifelong hobby. It attracts both young people and adults and is also played with people with disabilities. It is easy to learn and does not exclude any person. Many people who play Discgolf also play Ultimate and vice versa.
What Are the Numbers on a Disc Golf Disc?
The four numbers on a disc golf disc were created as a flight rating system which represents the intended path of a disc golf disc as it flies through the air. The four numbers correspond to the following characteristics: speed, glide, turn, and fade.
History of Disc Golf Flight Numbers
Disc golf flight numbers haven’t actually been around as long as people think. The game of disc golf has been around since as far back as the 1970’s (not very long when compared to other sports), but the flight number rating system that is now universally accepted by most companies has only been in place since around 2009.
How Flight Numbers Are Determined
An important note to make is that disc golf manufacturers do not use an industry standardized scale for speed. This means that a 12 speed from one brand, may not necessarily fly the same as a 12 speed from another brand. However, one brands 12 speed disc, will always fly faster than the same brand’s 11 speed disc.
How The Weight of a Disc Affects Flight Path
Theo Pozzy conducted a study in the year 2000 which examined the relationship between many factors and the distance that a disc golf disc will fly. some of the key measurable data included player level, disc mold / brand, disc weight, and release velocity.
Other Flight Rating Systems
Disc Craft has used a single number rating system for years on their discs, and even though they have adopted the widely accepted 4 number rating system, they still include their single number on most of their discs.
Final Thoughts
The flight numbers on a disc golf disc are important to your game, and will influence the flight path of every disc. However, it is important to note that the numbers are only accurate when technique is perfect.
