Disc golf: Ideal weight for a driver?
 

I played disc golf (frolf) for the first time yesterday, and in the process of driving across a lake, subsequently landed my driver in said lake. Thus, I am looking to buy another and am likely going to order online, as the selection is more diverse.

I'm likely going to try out a Gateway Discs "S-Sabre (G1i)" or a Innova "TeeBird", as they are listed as being solid drivers that fly straight, but I am a bit uncertain about what weight I should order.

When ordering the S-Sabre, I am given the following weight options: 150 class, 165-169g, 170-172g, 173-175g.

When I searched for an explanation, I came across the following SITE, which provided an explanation, though given my inexperience, doesn't help me much.

If there are any here that are experienced disc golf players that could recommend an ideal weight for a new player, it would be greatly appreciated.

My SO is an experienced frisbee golfer so I referred your question to him; he recommends Innova discs. He says the two popular distance drivers out there are the Boss and the Valkyrie; many of our friends use the Valkyrie and like it. He uses an Archangel as his distance driver. The TeeBird is a fairway driver and so it won't go as far; he had a TeeBird and hated it because he couldn't control it as well as he liked. He would not recommend it; he says if you are looking for a mid-range disc that will fly straight, the Leopard is the better choice. He says you're going to want to look for a disc that's between 169-180g.

You've probably already looked at this, but just in case you haven't: INNOVA Disc Golf Driver Putter Approach Champion Pro DX

When I played I used a 172g Valkyrie. I was most concerned with not only distance, but how well I could control my driver. I liked to make sure I could throw it accurately both ways as well as a tomahawk style overhead throw.

all that being said, you can never have too many discs in your bag ;)

Thanks for the replies.

The disc that I lost in the lake was a Innova Leopard. It was part of a starter pack, of which I still have the putter and Shark. I was debating using the Shark for the cross-lake shot, as it was listed as a mid-range disc and of the two I'd prefer losing it. Given the result, it also would have been a better fit for the water it ultimately ended up in. :)

As it stands, I still have the Shark and putter, but I'll likely check out the Valkyrie, as that seems to be a nice disc.

While browsing discs online, I noticed that there are generally three classifications of Innova discs: Pro, Champion, and Star. The Valkyrie versions cost $9.95, $12.95, and $14.95 respectively.

Aside from the cost, is there any reason to not get a Star rated disc? Do the different classifications have different qualities (pros/cons), or do they exist strictly to provide various pricing/quality tiers?

From my experience the higher the quality the better the flight and also it's harder to damage the discs.

you get what you pay for.

I know many a disc golfer who would agree with this sentiment.

Be sure to write your name and phone number on your new disc! You don't want to be the guy who loses their disc in the bushes, can't retrieve it, and loses it permanently because someone happened upon your disc come winter and decided they would keep it, since they had no way of contacting you. That said, keep your eyes out on the course for lost discs. My SO and his friends all have discs they've found out on the course that they've kept because someone didn't write contact information on the disc.

Yeah contact information is essential, and most of the time you'll get a phone call..but I've had several that weren't. I saw one guy pick up one of my midranges once and try to put it in his bag. Heh he didn't keep it very long.

I like my Innova Wraith. It is 175 grams. I also have an Innova Valkyrie (172 g), which I like, but not as much as the Wraith. I saw a flight chart that had the Wraith going slightly further than all the other Innova discs. It was an Innova chart as well.

wow, didnt realize there was so much involved in this. i always thought it was a bunch of high college students playin frisbee.

I put my name and number on my first set of discs, so I suppose there's a chance I get mine back if they sweep the lake at some point. Though by then the water damage is likely to make it essentially useless anyway.

I'd like to go out in the near future and practice throwing. My first experience was actually playing a course, and there isn't a lot of learning going on there.

Are there any recommended sites for buying discs online?

I always go to the shop to buy the discs. It allows me to put my hands on them and feel them and see how I like them. I can also check for little dings in the material that may affect the flight..

man I need to get my discs out.. I had like 40+ I don't even know where they are anymore.

How much does disc weight factor into the difficulty of a successful throw?

I bought a 172g Innova Valkyrie yesterday, and it's noticeably heavier than my starter pack 150g Shark.

After going to a field and throwing for an hour or so yesterday, I feel that the Shark is too light, but that the 172g Valkyrie might be too heavy, to the point where it is impeding the quality of my throw.

I bought my discs at Dick's Sporting Goods, and while their selection is very slim, they do have Innova Wraiths there. I wouldn't say I need another driver, but I am curious if it would be worth investing in a lighter (166g range) disc in the hopes that I could find some sort of middle ground?

Their selection isn't great, but they do sell Wraiths, or perhaps I could replace my Shark (mid-range) with a slightly heavier disc, if any of you could recommend a similar disc.

Of course, it's also possible that I'm putting too much emphasis on disc weight and incorrectly assuming that finding an ideal weight will magically make my throws better.

If anyone has thoughts, please share them.

The limited selection of discs makes purchasing locally difficult, whereas the selection online is fantastic, but you're essentially buying blind in the sense that you can't hold the disc and get a feel for the weight; though admittedly holding it in my hand doesn't really help that much, either.

Do you have a Play It Again Sports near you? I've always found tons of discs there.. used and new..

For me, the weight was dependent on the weather conditions.. if it needs to cut through wind, then a heavier disc seemed to work better.. but I think the most important factor is the actual throw. Most people just have this odd 2 step run-up and only use their shoulders and elbows. I found that if you get a good wrist snap on the disc and you use about a 3-4 step crossstep run-up, the disc would be more willing to do what you want.

So basically, I'd focus more on your throwing motion than the actual disc(s) right now..

when I played regularly I carried about 15 discs with me on the courses.. selection of drivers, mids and 2 putters as well as a tomahawk disc and a roller. Everyone is different though. You just have to find what you like and play to your advantages.

Thanks for the reply.

There is in fact a Play It Again Sports nearby, though I hadn't considered them for disc golf discs. I'll give the local one a call and see if they sell any.

When I was practicing throwing yesterday, I noticed that I haven't really found a consistently successful throwing method, or even grip. I have large hands (long fingers), and when I try to use a power grip as per recommended online and on the Innova starter pack material, I'm honestly not sure I have the grip right.

I've only thrown a frisbee a few times to date, and every time it was in a very laid back and social atmosphere. The benefit of that is that I essentially have a clean slate to learn how to throw properly, but for that happen I have to get into the right form initially.

I guess my biggest question at this point is how much affect disc weight can hinder a throw. I've read in a few places online that heavier/harder discs are less forgiving and require proper form/skill to get optimum performance, and that frustration can result if the thrower isn't at that point yet.

When I was out throwing the Valkyrie, I wasn't really frustrated as much as I was intrigued about whether my grip and throwing form was correct and if the lack thereof was causing some of my throws to go awry; or if in fact it was a credit to the disc being too heavy for my level of experience.

wow, can't believe I missed this thread completely - guess it was before I returned to TFP after spending time doing other stuff

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