Which Discs Should I Start With?
Whatever brought you to try out the incredible game of disc golf, congratulations! Whether you just want to play a few casual rounds a year with friends or family or you have competitive goals in mind, the most important rule to remember is to always have fun. When you approach disc golf with that in mind, you will never grow tired of it.
What Are the Best Beginner Discs?
The biggest question we get at DGU is which disc (or discs) should a new player start out with? The easy answer would be to point you to one of our Innova Starter Sets. Each of these packs includes one popular fairway driver, mid-range approach disc and, of course, a putter. The discs we put in these Starter Sets are designed to be neutral flyers, which allow you to go right out and play or practice. They can help you dial in your form before you are ready to start exploring other disc molds.
Just Go and Throw
As you start playing disc golf, you will inevitably have your friends giving you plenty of tips and letting you try out different discs from their bags. They may even supply you with a full set of used discs from their reserve pile. It’s never a bad idea to go out to an open field or to your local course by yourself and just throw. This will allow you the opportunity to see how the discs fly while also helping you learn better form. However, it is usually still best to start simple with a smaller amount of discs.
There are plenty of helpful videos on YouTube and tips on social media that can help you learn more about form and different throwing techniques. When you are brand new to the game, though, it can be very overwhelming. You will quickly learn there are a variety of different throws. There are many different throwing styles you can adapt. And obviously, there are so many different discs you’ll want to try. It can be information overload!
Starting with just a few discs out in an open field is going to be a great way to start your journey toward becoming a better disc golfer. You’ll slowly develop a flatter throw, more power and improved accuracy just by going out and throwing discs. Then, you can start refining your form and expanding your knowledge of new discs.
Start with a Mid-Range or Putter
One recommendation you will hear from many of the top professional players is to start with a neutral mid-range. The Innova Shark has been a staple of our Starter Sets for many, many years. Its rim is somewhere between a slower mid-range and a slightly faster fairway driver, making it a comfortable disc for beginners. When thrown properly, it is a very straight flyer with a dependable stable finish (meaning it will curve left at the end of a right-handed backhand throw).
Keep Practicing and Learning
You may find that every disc you try dumps immediately left on you when you first throw. Don’t get discouraged by this. We’ve all been there. It takes some practice to learn a flat release and to get the right amount of power behind the throw that allows the disc to do what it is designed to do. You may find that you can throw your mid-ranges further than your drivers at first. This is because they are designed to have a lot of glide and they are much more forgiving out of the hand. Just like in regular golf, it’s going to be easier to hit a 7-iron or a pitching wedge than it will be to hit a 3-wood or a driver at first.
Some of Innova’s other most popular mid-range discs include the Champion Roc3 and the GStar Mako3. The Roc3 is designed to be more stable (meaning it will turn harder left on you) and the Mako3 is less stable (meaning it should flex right if you throw it flat). The more you play, the more you will understand stability and how to maximize your throwing angles. These will be different topics for different days on the DGU Blog!
Putt for Dough
Of course, we also have to talk briefly about putters. Some new players may only want to start with a putter and really learn the short game before worrying about how to throw for max distance. Learning to throw a putter with full power and on different angles will really help you refine your form and make it easier to move up to faster discs over time. The Innova Aviar will probably always be our most popular putt and approach mold and it’s a fantastic beginner disc with a neutral flight path and excellent glide.
Keep it Simple
The key thing to remember when getting started with disc golf is to keep it as simple as possible. Don’t go out and buy 100 different discs immediately. That will only be overwhelming and probably very frustrating because you won’t see consistent results. Start with just one disc or only a few as you learn how to throw properly. Then, you can slowly start to experiment with new discs and techniques as you develop into a more rounded player. Have questions about disc selection? Let us know and the DGU team will get you pointed in the right direction!
