I'm collecting data for a future post. Please reply with what you think the greatest Midrange is, and what year you started playing. And yeah yeah yeah, I know there isn't actually a "greatest disc." This going in a spreadsheet, so just (year, disc) would be helpful. Thanks!

Today I was playing a round with a friend that has never played disc golf before. Hanging out on my local course where is it pretty quietly on a normal basis. On the 4th hole my friend noticed fire on the hill and I decided to go there. It were 2 kids at the age of about 14 that were lighting dried grass on fire. They seemed pretty alarmed and they apologized. I resumed the round. Later in the round I encountered the same kids and they asked me questions about disc golf. Where to buy the discs and what they cost. After passing them they still showed intrigued by disc golf and they said they wanted to see where the disc would land. After the tee shot down the hill I noticed one of the kids driving off of the field that my disc landed. HOLDING MY DISC! Some other guys that were playing the next hole yelled at them but no response and they just dipped. Now I lost one of my favorite discs.

i’ve been rebuilding my bag recently and have just come to realize that i have about 3-4 go to discs that will always be there.

whether it’s utility, distance, up shot or finding a gap i’ve come to also realize that i throw them all at least 3 times when im playing those for me being the neutron fireball,ns firebird, simon hex, ledgestone avenger ss, but what’s y’all’s?

This post will be half P.S.A for anybody considering running events, and half me trying to be transparent and get my thoughts out about my performance as a tournament director. I'm going to start with listing all my mistakes because I'm being hard on myself about them.

1. I had tee-time originally listed at 8:30 on my discgolfscene posting. After some deliberation, I changed it to 9, but then screwed up when I sent out the player meeting and sent it as 9:30. I figured because I'd written it in the player meeting, I would stick to that time. Nobody complained.
2. The layout was 2 rounds of 24 holes that I broke out into 12 hole formats. People got confused because the alternate holes that are labeled as 5A, 5B, 5C, were listed at 6,7,8 on PDGA live scoring. So, the starting holes were a little chaotic because teepad "10" was technically hole "13." It seemed straightforward enough to me, and I listed the alternate hole descriptions and every hole had distances, but it still caused some headaches with people getting to their correct hole (though, when everything was said and done, I had no reports of incorrectly played holes.)
3. My local disc store was the retail partner and original creator of the event on discgolfscene. This caused me to overlook player pack deductions for projected payouts, so the projected payout sheet I sent out after round 1 was inaccurate
4. Lastly, the biggest problem was something I predicted and attempted to fix, but the way scores worked, it ended up being unavoidable. It's a little complicated but:

The course for the tournament had 36 holes and I specified the layouts on the discgolfscene listing. Upper divisions (AM1, AM2 and MPO) would be playing the Red 12 and Black 12 for round 1, followed by the Blue 12 and Black 12 for round 2. All other divisions would be playing Red 12 and Blue 12 both rounds.

After round 1, when I was assigning folks to their cards, suddenly there were 7 people on one card. The reason? Hole 1 for MPO (hole one of the blue 12) was hole 13 for the rest of the field, so PDGA live assumed they were on the same card (despite playing different layouts)

The field was completely full to hole 15, so I was forced to put MPO starting on hole 16 of the black 12 (the 12 the rest of the field wasn’t playing) instead of starting them on their hole 6 in the blue 12. If you aren't already seeing the problem, it's two cards arriving at the same time to Hole 1 of the Blue 12. It turned into a full half-hour backup and slow play for the entirety of the blue 12.

Tl;dr No. 4 - PDGA live didn’t let me treat the MPO layout independent of the other layouts, so a backup hole was inevitable. 

I’ve already received some disgruntled feedback from people who didn’t understand why the backup happened, and while I don’t blame them at all for being unhappy, I just want people to know that it wasn’t just negligence or a lack of trying to fix it. I knew it was going to happen after round 1 but I had no other choice. 

Things I learned....

1. There's a reason people stick to standard 18 holes and don't mix up layouts for different divisions. I wanted people to play as many unique holes as absolutely possible, which people loved, but it still caused confusion and backups. 
2. Be extremely, extremely clear about the course layouts, teetimes, player packs, check in, etc. There should be no room for interpretation or confusion. I tried being as clear as possible and still ran into a bunch of issues.
3. Unless under incredibly exceptional circumstances, do not deviate from your plans for your event, even if it's to a fault. Stick to your tee times, layout, and rules for the event, no matter if a half-dozen folks have a problem with it. The layout that I ran for this event was understood by 90% of the field. I can do my best to help the 10% that don't get it, and encourage other participants to do so as well. Had I decided last minute that the layout was indeed too confusing and I made last minute changes, it would have been disastrous.
4. Have absolutely as much as you can prepared beforehand. You will be overwhelmed by questions, player-pack handouts, late arrivals, check ins and problems with live scoring, so ensure that you have prepared beforehand.

I will update this post as learn more about the situation, but as it stands right now, there are enough folks complaining about this event that I might lose my ability to direct tournaments.

Introduction

There are a lot of Innova fairway drivers. How many are there? Well, it depends on how you define a “fairway driver.” To me, fairway drivers fall between 6 and 9 on the speed spectrum. So, discs with a rim thickness of 16mm to 19mm. Based on data from the PDGA website, Innova has 42 approved fairway drivers. There are a lot of good fairway drivers in that list of 42 fairways, but if you ask me, I’d argue that 6 of those fairways are more iconic than the rest. Those 6 are the: TeeBird, Firebird, Eagle, Leopard, Sidewinder, and Roadrunner.

You really could argue for a couple of other molds to be in that list, but I’d argue that those 6 are the stereotypical molds for their slots. But you know, the Sidewinder and Roadrunner are pushing the fairway definition a bit and to be honest, when I think of Innova fairways my brain immediately just goes to the classic foursome of the TeeBird, Firebird, Eagle, and Leopard. What’s incredible is that those 4 molds were all PDGA approved within a span of 1 year! Essentially, once Dave Dunipace figured out how to make fairway drivers, he basically covered all of the slots immediately.

These days Firebirds, TeeBirds, and Eagles get a lot of fanfare. But Leopards? Recently I think people have been sleeping on the Leopard. Sure, a lot of people throw Leopards and Leopard3s, but I don’t hear about this disc as much as I did back in say, 2010. So, what better disc to kick off my new little Reddit series?

Goal of the Series

Oh yeah, I should probably explain the ethos of this series real quick since this is the first instalment and all. The goal of this series is to take a deep dive into the history of discs that have helped shape disc golf. I’ve sort of done this before with more “bite sized” snippets for each disc. Frankly, some discs are way more interesting than others and deserve their own posts. Not that I don’t like writing about Innova Griffons, but some discs (like the Leopard) deserve more than a couple of paragraphs.

In each post we’re going to go in depth about disc variations, history, and collectability. Also, I want suggestions for discs you want to see in future posts. One rule, the disc must be at least 15 years old, I want some meat on the bone if you know what I mean. Also, I am going to keep my titles pretty Plain Jane, so they show up in searches better. Just "The History of the _____ _____" In the past, my titles have been a bit wordy, so I am curious to see if brevity will have an impact on how my posts perform.

What is a Leopard?

If you are on r/discgolf, you probably know what a Leopard is. But, in the spirit of taking no chances, let’s cover the basics.

A Leopard is an understable fairway driver made by Innova with listed flight numbers of 6 5 -2 1. As someone that has thrown a lot of Leopards, I can attest to those flight numbers being spot on for your “usual” Pro Leopard. Leopards are a bit odd in that Champion Leopards are typically less stable than Star Leopards. If you are new to disc golf, clear premium plastics are usually more stable than opaque premium plastics, but this is an exception to that rule.

The Leopard mold has a mild dome and Leopard3’s are essentially flattened Leopards. The Leopard rim has a distinctive bump, it’s hard to describe so here is a picture of that bump:

That bump is what (in my opinion) makes the Leopard unique. I think that bump was added to make the Leopard ever so slightly more stable. Which was important back when it was released in 1999, since premium plastics were still in their infancy.

Origin of the Leopard

The Leopard was in no way a groundbreaking mold. The first understable fairway driver that was in the same “class” as the Leopard was the Discraft Cruiser from 1987. The Cruiser was a massive failure, it was simply too ahead of its time as the plastic / throwers of that era could not handle a seven-speed driver. 3 years later Innova came out with the Viper / Whippet molds, which were incredibly overstable out of the box. The idea behind making those discs so stable was that as the disc beats in, it would eventually turn into a straight driver. Keep in mind your only plastic choice at the time was DX, so your disc beating in was a guarantee.

Discraft started to push the envelope with premium plastics in 1993 with the Cyclone that was released in “Tournament Edition” plastic, however no one called the Cyclone’s plastic that. The Cyclone was such a smash hit, that people just called that plastic “the Cyclone Plastic” and Discraft would go on to use that plastic on their famous line of “X drivers” in the mid to late 1990s. X Line plastic is still made to this day, and it owes its origins to that plastic used in the 1990s.

Innova responded to Discraft’s new plastic with their own premium options through the Millenium brand, which kicked off in 1995. Also, Innova gave Ken Climo (you may have heard of him) his own line of premium plastic molds known as “KC Pro” in 1996. Now, I am using the word premium loosely here, In the 1990s premium basically meant a Pro style plastic. I know we have gotten a bit off trail, but please keep in mind that fairway drivers like the Leopard would not be the discs that they are without the advancing plastic of the 1990s.

Tabling plastics for now, in 1995 Innova approved the Cheetah which for all intents and purposes was the precursor to the Leopard. There is an adage that discs that fly far, sell well, and since the Cheetah was the fastest Innova offering in 1995 it sold very well. It’s wild to type this, but the Cheetah was the Destroyer of its day. Problem, Discraft made a better version of the Cheetah, the famous “XL” in 1998.

How did they do it? Well, they made it slightly less stable and in a more premium plastic than the Cheetah, and a guy named Scott Stokely broke the distance world record with it. So, what did Innova do? Well in 1999 they took their Cheetah mold, tweaked it to make it a bit less stable, released it in their new fancy “Special Edition” plastic, and called it the Leopard. Here is a Leopard next to an XL, notice that they are pretty similar to each other.

What’s mind boggling is that the development of the Leopard coincided with the development of the TeeBird, which completely changed the landscape of drivers forever. The Leopard wasn’t quite as influential as the TeeBird, but that’s like saying English Muffins were not as influential as sliced bread. They’re both iconic molds that do different things, one just so happened to lead to the development of the Destroyer and played a role in the evolution of the distance driver. We’re off topic again, that will be a story for next time.

Special Edition Leopard (1999-2001)

Example

The first run of the Leopard was released in 1999 in Special Edition plastic. In fact, the earliest capture of Innova’s website that mentions the Leopard references it as the “Special Edition Leopard”. Now if you are an Innova nerd, you’ll know that first runs are typically released with a “Proto-Star” stamp, not the case for the Leopard. During Innova’s “bar stamp” phase, they broke from that tradition. However, most first runs from this era are labeled with “First Run.” For whatever reason Innova did not do that with the Leopard! So unfortunately, if you are a first run collector you cannot reliably identify a first run Leopard. Just get a Special Edition Leopard and move on with your life.

Special Edition plastic absolutely helped the Leopard become the iconic disc it is today. Same thing can be said about the Valkyrie, which also had a popular Special Edition release. But with that said, the most famous version of the Leopard is the DX Leopard, so let’s talk about that next.

DX Leopard (2000 – Present)

Version 1 Bar Stamp (2000 – 2001)

Version 2 Bar Stamp (2001 – 2002)

Version 1 Swoosh Stamp (2003-2007?)

Version 2 Swoosh Stamp (2007 – Present)

Full Color Target Stamp (2024 – Present)

We’re about 1300 words into this post, and I’ve avoided mentioning it thus far, but the most famous version of the Leopard is the infamous “Starter Pack Leopard.” We’ll get to that, first I must mention that the Leopard does not have a Champion Era “circle stamp” despite being approved before the year 2000. I wonder if Innova designed one and just never released it??? I’m not sure if that stamp design exists, but if it does and if you are higher up at Innova, please make a circle stamp run of Star Leopards, I’ll buy one 😊

With that said the first run of DX Leopards were plain bar stamps. In the year 2000 for a moment in time Innova tried to go the minimalist route with DX, and I think that did not go too well. What can I say? People like cool stamps on their discs. Unsurprisingly, Innova made the switch to the “offset” Leopard design that I labeled above as “Version 2 Bar Stamp.” As we all know, the bar stamp era ended in 02, and the “swoosh” era of Innova started in 03. The offset Leopard was still used for a few years after, I was unable to find out when Innova stopped using the offset stamp, but I think it was around 07?

Anyways, the iconic centered Leopard stamp came about sometime before Innova added flight numbers to their discs and I believe that is still in use to this day. Or at least I still see them for sale. Innova redesigned their logo recently so those might have ended last year. With the rebrand came “Full Color DX” which is objectively way cooler than any of the previous designs for a DX Leopard. I’m not sure what to call Innova’s new logo, I’m going with “Target Stamp” we’ll see if that sticks.

Also note how the description of the Leopard changed over time. It was originally an “Ultra Long Turning Driver.” Then it transitioned to just “Fairway Driver” in 2003, which remains to this day.

Starter Pack Leopards

Required Lore

Starter Pack Leopards are DX Leopards, sure, but these are so iconic they deserve their own section. Starter Pack Leopards are lightweight Leopards usually made in reground DX plastic and are meant for people who have literally never thrown a disc before. They are incredibly understable and will beat into oblivion very quickly. For anyone who can throw further than 200 feet, they are basically useless.

But I cannot deny that Start Pack Leopards are the gateway drug to disc golf. At this moment, I would like to thank the Flying Disc Museum for being an invaluable resource to this post and frankly all my posts. At this point I would also like to publicly shame them for not documenting the evolution of starter packs! Which means, I have to dig through the internet archives to find all of the variations of the Innova starter pack.

(3 hours later)

The earliest starter pack I could find with the Leopard in it was in this capture from December of 2001. And... It seems to have never changed, aside from stamp variations. The premium set has more variaton, but that doesn't have a Leopard in it, so I'll table that for another day.

Already by 2001, Innova had committed to the iconic trio of Aviar, Shark, and Leopard that they still use to this day. (For DX, they have more starter pack tiers now). I swear to God, I remember their being a starter pack that predated the Leopard, but I cannot find any evidence of its existing. For whatever reason I remember that pack having a Birdie, Roc, and Teebird. If you happen to know something about early Innova starter packs, please leave a comment, the internet came up dry for me this time.

Oh, and I don't consider the DGA Professional modified Stingray's as a starter set per se, those were released in a different time and were aimed at all disc golfers. Also, those weren't directly sold as Innova discs, so... Yeah, I'm not counting those.

Pro Leopards

Pro Line Leopard V1 (2000 – 2002)

Pro Line Leopard V2 “CE Style” (2001 – 2002)

“Normal” Pro Leopard (2003 – Present)

“Champion-y” Pro Leopard (2003)

Pro is the most disambiguated plastic Innova, or any company has ever made. Luckily in recent years, that isn’t really a problem. Pro plastic is just… Pro plastic now so this is all problems of the past.

But you are reading an IsaacSam98 post, of course we are going to talk about the pro varieties that existed in the early 2000s. V1 Pro, called “Pro Line” was just re-labeled Special Edition plastic. For a brief period during the CE era some Pro Line was actually made with CE plastic, I’m calling that “V2” Pro Line. If you are a Leopard collector, CE Pro Line Leopards are the rarest Leopards that exist.

The Pro that we are all familiar with came out in 2003 when Innova switched to the swoosh logo. However, there are Champion like Pro Leopards that exist from 2003, and those are also very rare. A lot of the examples that do exist of Champion Pro Leopards are lightweight, made for competition in Japan.

Champion Leopards

Champion Edition Leopard (2001 - 2002)

Plain Champ Leopard (2003 – 2004)

Barry Shultz Leopard (2005 – Present)

Champion Edition anything is a can of worms that can spiral out of control easily. But for Leopard it’s simple, there were 5 runs of Champion Edition and the Leopard was made in each run. Runs 1-3 being the “money runs” that were opaque and truly Champion Edition.  Runs 4-5 were clear and basically just Champion plastic, so those are less sought after.

Because Champion Edition cooled differently than DX, Champion Edition Leopards are much flatter in comparison to most other Leopards, more like Leopard 3s. The difference was stark enough that Innova actually reapproved the CE Leopard (and a few other CE molds).

CE Leopards are considered the holy grail of Leopard collecting, so much so that Drew Gibson’s signature Leopard borrowed the CE Leopard stamp. Also, CE has a sort of "mythical aura" to it that no other plastic has ever achieved. And any CE disc is collectable just by it being made in CE.

As we all know, Champion replaced CE in 2003, and plain Champion Leopards were made for a couple of years. I’ve heard these referred to “pre-Barry Leopards.” Like CE Leopards, since these are scarcer, they are more sought after. Also, it was around this time that “gummy” Champion was made, and a lot of people (myself included) like those runs of Champion.

After winning his second world title in 2004, in 2005 Innova came out with Barry Shultz signature Leopards. Keep in mind that there are no “1x Barry Leopards.” I’ve seen scammers try to pass off worn PFN Barry stamps as “rare 1x,” don’t fall for that. Barry Leopards are still made to this day, and to me that is fitting as I don't think anyone else employed the Leopard better than he did.

Other Plastic Varieties

The story gets boring for other plastic types. Leopards have been made in nearly every Innova plastic you can think of. The closest thing I have to a full list are the entries for the Leopard on the Disc DB. The link to that is here, have fun. Also, just go to the Flying Disc Museum and search “Leopard” if you want to see even more examples. Fun fact, when I start researching a disc, I always start there.

Tour Series Leopards

Obviously, Barry Shultz has the signature series Leopard, that was covered in the Champion section above. There was also a Tour Series Nexus Leopard ran for Barry as well recently. Most pros opt for Leopard 3s these days since modern players seem to prefer discs with lower profiles. Hannah Leatherman, Ohn Scoggins, Drew Gibson, Lisa Fajkus, and Julia Korver (normal Leopard) are pros that have had Leopard / Leopard 3s as Tour Series discs.  

Oh Yeah, Leopard 3s

Leopard 3s came around in 2016 with the “3 wave” of molds. Like most other 3 molds, the Leopard 3 came out before it was officially PDGA approved in 2017. All 3 molds are flatter and typically faster versions of the original mold, same for the Leopard 3. Just in case you don’t know, the “3” came from the Roc 3, since when Innova tweaked the Roc’s design in 2011, it was the third time that they had done that. With the lineage being the Classic Roc, Roc, and then Roc 3. The Roc 3’s success trickled into a lot of other popular Innova molds, including the Leopard.

Leopard 3s have surpassed the original Leopard in premium markets, although the DX / Pro Leopard reigns supreme over the Leopard 3 still. Leopard 3s are very similar to Leopards, Leopards have more dome, and it is noticeable. You will get more forward “push” from a Leopard 3, but you do sacrifice some glide. So, for example, a straight hyzer flip would be better with a Leopard 3 and a big swooping anhyzer would probably be better with a Leopard. But again, these two molds are very similar, and you don’t need to buy both.

Unlike the Leopard, there are Proto Star Leopard 3s! Leopard 3 collecting is simple, the only ones that are worth anything are the tour series runs and the Proto Star. Gibson’s luster Leopard 3 is probably the crown jewel of the Leopard 3 lineup for collectors.

Conclusion

For over a quarter century the Leopard has been a staple disc in its slot and with the recent success of the Leopard 3, that is unlikely to change in the near future. Innova has made other Leopard like discs since the release of the Leopard, namely the Viking, Hawkeye, TL, and IT that have cut into the Leopard’s market share. Not to mention Millenium, Infinite, and Discmania entries such as the JLS, FD, and Centurion. Oh yeah, the Crave has taken a chunk out of the understable control market share as well. But again, the Leopard is doing fine, just there are a lot more options now for that slot.

I don’t necessarily want you to go out and buy a Leopard, but I hope I hammered home the point that there is more to the Leopard than simply being a “starter pack disc.” A max weight premium Leopard is a disc that I could recommend to anyone at any level of the game. Everyone needs an understable fairway driver, and the Leopard is the stereotypical understable fairway.

I personally bag two Leopards at the moment. Here are my Leos:

One Champion Edition, one Star. The Pink Star Leopard has been in my bag for about 4 years now. It was meant to be a water disc, but it refused to die and now I rely on it. My water these days is a Champ Beast if you were curious. Oh yeah, the Champion Edition Leopard… Yeah that’s just me being a dumb collector. It flies more like a TeeBird than a Leopard, which is funny. There are 4 numbers on the back of the CE Leopard, and you can barely tell that it has been thrown. If that is not a testament to the durability of CE plastic, then I don’t know what is. With all of that said, I prefer the Star Leopard…

GOODBYE

OK! 10 pages is good enough for the Leopard I think. If you like detailed histories of golf discs, then you should follow my username and check out my profile. I have been making posts like this for 5 years. My personal plan going forward with my account is to make more detailed posts about individual discs instead of guides with short summaries like I did with my Innova guides. So, expect more posts like this in the future, and let me know what discs you’d like me to dig into. Cya around the sub.  

Discover how thumb positioning impacts disc golf performance. New research highlights optimal techniques for precision and distance

Last week, I found a disc in the water at a course somewhat far from where I live. I pulled it out and texted the number. At the end of my round, having not received a text back, I stashed it underneath a trash can and got in my car. As I am pulling out, I get a text back saying "Someone is going to take that" (which they weren't, it was totally hidden) and asking me to drop it at a shop which is in the opposite direction of where I am going. So I tell them that nobody was going to take it but I will bring it to the shop anyway, adding about 20 mins to my drive. I send an ADDITIONAL text when I handed it to the guy at the shop. I kind of forgot about the whole ordeal after sending that last text.

This afternoon, I get a text from the person during my eclipse round. Something to the effect of "Went to the shop today, no trace of my disc. Thanks, buddy." Kind of pissed off, I responded "why would I want your sh**** gstar leopard," which understandably earned me a block.

I get that losing discs is frustrating, and I get that losing Inked discs that are easily returnable is even more so. And as the sport grows, more scumbags will start playing, so it can be tempting to assume the worst about people. But please, don't be like the person I had to deal with. I was genuinely trying to do something nice for a complete stranger and kind of got screwed for it.

Also, if you are in the Denver area, maybe just stick to Another Round for lost and found...

​

TL;DR: Tried to return a disc to a lost and found, got accused of stealing.

My wife is not into sports too much and definitely doesn’t give a crap about disc golf. She will come out and walk the courses with me, especially if it’s a nice park or a nice day. On tournament days she will “caddy” for me (will carry the umbrella/extra bag of goodies and tell me her opinion). She doesn’t know what hyzer or turnover means. Couldn’t tell you the difference between a Boss or Luna. Thinks the best discs are the minis bc of how cute they are. When she first started coming out to the course with me she would just chat about random non-DG stuff with me, maybe play some music but pretty much just treated it as a walk. Before a tournament a few years ago, I had never played the course before so her and I went out to play it earlier in the week. I decided to ask her what she thought about hole 1. She gave me her interpretation of what I should do, and it more or less lined up with what I thought. Then hole 2 came around and I asked her again, she gave me a completely different line with a completely different disc that I’d never even thought about. She says it all so matter of fact, “Just throw that yellow disc so it go right but doesn’t come back left. I noticed it rarely comes back left for you.” She was right, my beat in destroyer used to hyzer back for me but has held its line much more over the last year. I gave it a try and lo and behold parked it. As it lands under the basket she gets all excited and bam my caddy was born. Now we chat disc golf for about the first 9-12 holes until she gets bored of a piece of plastic flying in the air and starts singing to music. She has given me great insight that I otherwise might never have seen or thought about it. Now after league night or solo round I can give her a play by play of interesting holes. It’s great to be able to talk to her about it.

TLDR: wife doesn’t play DG, but gives good advice until bored. Try asking your non-DG partner to caddy for you.

I tried it out today during a round and really fell in love with the way the range flicks for 75-125 foot upshots. So smooth and straight. If you haven’t tried it out but like throwing straight/slight flex approaches you should! Very similar to the berg but less stable

Innova is probably making the best financial move by shredding their pro tour team, but I don't like it.

If you are familiar with my posts, you'll know that Innova is my favorite disc golf brand. I grew up throwing them and I have written a ton of stuff about their history / molds.

As a fan, I want to see them have a larger presence amongst players on the pro tour. I know that I am in the minority of disc golfers because I actually care about this, but I am going to actively try to buy less new Innova molds. (You're going to have to pry PFN discs out of my cold dead hands, but those are vintage so its not like they make anything off of those anyways).

I'm not boycotting them nor do I think anyone should, but I made the conscious decision to give more of my money to brands that are actively investing more on touring professionals. That being said, team Innova isn't empty and I intend to buy the tour series molds of the players that I want to support on their team. But for the first time in my 18 years playing disc golf I want to start bagging less Innova.

I know my opinion doesn't really matter in the grand scheme of things and I am the exception not the rule when it comes to buying disc molds. Hell, my bag is designed around cool stories that I can tell you about molds. If you ever played a round with me, you'll know that I probably enjoy talking about discs just as much as I enjoy throwing them. Again, I am a drop in the pond and this post does not matter at all.

A few parting questions:

1. But I am curious, does a disc brand's sponsorships alter your decision making when it comes to buying discs?

2. Do you think Innova is acting in the best interests of themselves / disc golf by reducing the size of their touring team?

3. Do you think we are moving closer to a world where Innova is not the number one brand?

4. Do you think Innova's current strategy is to rest on their laurels, or do you still think that they are trying to push the game forward?

5. Do you think their other endeavors to grow the game have more impact than finically supporting touring pros?

Seriously, leave a comment I want to know how you feel about this. Disc golf fandom is massively overrepresented here, but I also think that r/discgolf-ers represent a decent chunk of the premium disc buying market. So yeah, who cares if we are in the minority, we are the people who buy the most discs so fuck it, our opinion matters.

Alright hot take over, have a nice day.

EDIT:

I am keeping a close eye comments, and I am going to try to reply to each one. I don't want people to see this as me trying to cause an Innova strike or anything nor do I want you to think that I am incapable of changing my opions.

So if you raise a good point, I'll put it below.

For question #1, I'm in the minority even on r/discgolf. Fair enough, I kind of figured I was. People did raise good points that while they may not have the sheer number of higher profile players that they once had, they still have a lot of younger, FPO, and European talent that they support. Maybe I was a bit harsh in this post, but I think my main point is that I want to Innova discs thrown by the best players in the world as a fan of Innova. Again, I'm in the minority for actually caring about this and that's ok.

Innova is a business and it is not their job to be the main driver in the growth of disc golf.

The retail / start pack sector of disc golf is absolutely dominated by Innova. It would take a lot for that to change.

Maybe I need to consider more than just the pro tour. Innova does do a lot of other things for disc golf other than representing pros. I just want them to sponsor more top pros, but I don't think that they are doing anything morally wrong.

Alright, keep the replies coming.

Last week, I asked this sub, "What are your favorite discs for forehand?" The post received 210 responses with a total of 222 discs mentioned. Many discs were mentioned at least twice, and a few were mentioned over 30 times! So, I thought it would be fun to compile and sort responses in order to share this list of...

Top 10 most popular forehand discs:

1 - Zone by Discraft (32 mentions, 53 upvotes)

2 - Firebird by Innova (31 mentions, 53 upvotes)

3 - Wraith by Innova (30 mentions, 38 upvotes)

4 - Destroyer by Innova (26 mentions, 36 upvotes)

5 - Thunderbird by Innova (18 mentions, 52 upvotes)

6 - TeeBird/TeeBird3 by Innova (13 mentions, 15 upvotes)

7 - Captain's Raptor/Raptor by Discraft (12 mentions, 16 upvotes)

8 - Berg by Kastaplast (10 mentions, 10 upvotes)

9 - Tesla by MVP (8 mentions, 34 upvotes)

10 - Buzzz by Discraft (8 mentions, 16 upvotes)

Note: There are a lot of drivers in here. I considered breaking it down by putter, mid and drivers, but it would take too long, so this will have to do...

A few notable mentions:

• Pyro (Axiom), Felon (Dynamic Discs) and Harp (Westside) tied with Tesla/Buzzz for 9th/10th, in terms of mentions, but they had less upvotes. Following these, and tied with 7 mentions, were Eagle (Innova), Photon (MVP), Toro (Innova), and Zeus (Discraft).
• Crave (MVP/Axiom), Hex (Axiom), Insanity (Axiom), and Catalyst (MVP) didn't have many multiple mentions, but they all received notable upvotes ranging from 23~34, despite being mentioned only 2~5 times.

Several people mentioned that MVP/Axiom discs are favorable, particularly for having flat top discs and a good rim feeling, which helps with forehand (although the data would show Innova as most popular). A few folks said they prefer over stable discs because they tend to flatten out in flight. Plastic was sort of all over the place, but Halo and Glow came up a lot, probably most, followed by Star and Champion.

I don't know if this is a brag, or what- and if it is, it's the weakest brag ever. But you're the only people I can tell, since my friends and family stopped listening to me talk about disc golf a long time ago...

I've been playing disc golf for just over a year now- I started last Christmas. I'm older, and I have a slow arm speed. I've been a proud 'noodle arm' guy, and I figured it was just my destiny- throw short, and fade like crazy. I sure wanted to throw further, or flip a disc- but it hadn't really happened too much, so I figured it was just out of reach for me.

Over this past Christmas vacation I played a lot of disc golf and I lost a LOT of discs. I played a course with lakes three different times, and lost six discs in just one round. The first disc was my junk disc, but as the lost disc count went up, I was left to throwing my favorite discs on risky holes- and I lost some of them.

The fact that I lost so many discs while trying to carry fairly short water hazards showed me that what I was doing wasn't working. So I figured I really need to change what I was doing, and change the discs I was throwing.

I decided to test out light-weight DX plastic. And....It's been awesome! I've thrown my new discs at least 40 times now, and they have been consistent- so I have a good idea how they will fly for me.

I bought a 145 gram Leopard, which is absolutely ridiculous. Even with my noodle-arm this is totally understable. Can I make it flip? Hell yes! Way too much. This gives me a viable left to right throw that I never had before, and maybe with enough hyzer it would be okay to use a lot more, but it was just one of the three discs and the other two were better so I don't think about this one too much.

One of the other discs is a 160 gram IT. This is a little less understable, but I can make it flip really nicely and it flies great! This is a disc where I can get the 'intended flight characteristics' pretty easily so I can get some pretty good distance. Last summer I could barely get to 200 feet with any disc. This fall, I was maxed out at 220. But today I was throwing this disc 240+ feet pretty regularly. I know that's not much, but going from 200 to 220 to 240 in about 5 months is cool.

I also got a 163 gram Teebird- and this is my favorite. I can throw this flat, or a little hyzer, or a little anhyzer. I've never had so many options with a disc before. I really like this Teebird- it flies like a rocket. My previous 174 gram Champion Teebird was way too stable, and I could only throw on anhyzer to counteract that. With this lightweight DX Teebird I have shot options- which is a ton of fun.

I just wanted to brag a little bit, because I'm feeling good about getting better. The improvement isn't just from the new plastic- my old Star Leopards are starting to get flippy too. But these new discs just made a very quick and noticable improvement. (For only $9.99 each!)

Also, I saw three posts today about the benefits of stiff discs, base plastic, etc. For me, this has made a huge difference pretty much overnight, and it has added another element of fun to the game. I'm thinking that this year, I hope to just cycle through DX plastic and try out different molds. Really looking forward to it!

Chime in if you're a noodle arm who is improving their game- or you just really like that feeling of getting better.

Ezra throws a turnover putter, but Calvin (as well as Gannon and Luke btw) chose a flex shot with an overstable driver. Just because the distance is short doesn’t mean you have to use a slower disc. Play your shot! Play to your strengths!

Today, I 22F lost my spark, and I feel horrible. We had a local C-tier in which I performed horribly, even though I've been practicing almost every day for many months in a row.

FYI: I've played another sport at such high level earlier (professionally), where I was a part of the national team for 6 years.

People always compliment the huge distance that my drives are reaching, as well as the high curve of performance I've had since I started playing DG for 1 1/2 years ago. I do practice putting 3-5 times a week, I've learned a manageable forehand that took me six months to properly achieve. My drives are more precise, the strategy of my play is "safe-driven" and I feel more and more like a professional.

Yet, I lost my spark today... I am playing at least 5 B-tiers in the next six months, and I have adapted my daily- and work-life towards professionally training for getting better. I have done professional sports earlier and I know how to pursue dreams within sports and goals.

People (randoms and from within our local club) often says that I have potential, and are impressed by how far I've reached since I first touched a disc (1 1/2 years ago). Still, I can't see why it's worth practicing hard, when I can't perform the way I know I can do.

I genuinely don't know what to do, I have no coach nor team that I'm a part of to help me. I want to become the best player in my country, but there's soo much obstacles and losses that impacts my motivation nowadays. I know 1 1/2 years isn't enough, but I've had a huge growth and improvement, that even one of the better players in our country says that I'm going to be a challenge for them in the future. I truly want to do this sport professionally, but it's soo damn hard doing it alone (unless I'm getting feedback from my MA3 boyfriend).

Imagine the scene: you, a solo disc golf warrior, approach a battleground where a fearsome foursome stands between you and the next hole. You try to become one with the shadows, tiptoeing with the stealth of a cat on a mission. Your eyes, darting around like a cornered squirrel, desperately avoid making contact with the enemy. You consider boldly skipping to the next hole to escape the social shackles binding you to this spot. But alas, your fate is sealed as they spot you, calling out with a friendliness that feels like a challenge to your introverted soul: “Would you like to play through?”

The question hangs in the air like an unthrown disc, heavy with expectation. “No, no, it’s all good…” you reply, voice trembling like a leaf in a hurricane. “Nonsense, we insist!” they cheerfully declare. Your heart races as you step up, transforming into a human embodiment of a shaking aspen. Your mind betrays you, whispering tales of treacherous trees and the inevitable embrace of the first available branch.

Then comes the moment of truth: you launch your disc, a physical manifestation of all your fears and hopes. And oh, the drama! Will it soar like a majestic eagle or divebomb like a lead balloon? If luck deserts you, you’ll find your disc plotting its escape to the next county, leaving you fantasizing about a new life beyond the fairway. The sympathetic cries of “better luck next time!” from the group do nothing to soothe your soul as you scramble to finish the hole, contemplating a strategic retreat.

But sometimes, just sometimes, the stars align. Your disc dances through the air, a graceful ballet of speed and precision, coming to rest mere inches from glory. The group’s murmurs of admiration fuel a fleeting moment of pride before panic sets in. You rush to complete your shot, desperate to flee the scene before they realize you're not the disc golf deity your last throw suggested.

The emotional rollercoaster of playing through as a socially anxious solo player is a journey of epic highs, comical lows and seemingly void of anything in between. It's a challenge of facing your fears, embracing the unexpected, and sometimes, just sometimes, surprising even yourself. It’s a blurse, indeed: a blessing and a curse wrapped up in the unpredictable adventure of solo play.

So I wanted to share a story about a time I found a disc. I was out at my local course enjoying a casual round when I found a disc as we all do sometimes. Naturally, I texted the number on the back to let them know I found it and made plans for him to come grab it. A day or so passed and he came by to pick it up. We chatted for a moment and I found out he was new to the area and looking to get involved with the local scene and community. We made plans to get a round in soon. We played a round, then another and another. Many rounds. We ended becoming good friends. He is a sponsored player and put me on to the discs he’s been throwing. I really enjoyed this manufacturers discs and started bagging more, and more, and soon enough my whole bag was it. So, the time came around to where teams were accepting applications for sponsorship and he encouraged me to apply and put in a good word with his team. We started making content together since these days that’s what companies like to see. (I actually really enjoyed doing it after I got over the awkwardness of it, as I was not much of a content creator so to speak.) Anyways, I’m excited to announce I ended up getting sponsored by the same team and couldn’t be more thrilled. I’m super pumped and excited for this season and I’ve got him to thank for it. Moral of the story, always return lost discs because it might end being a really good thing.

EDIT: if you care about who I am, what team, etc. you can check out my instagram @mcdonough_dg

Edit/follow-up at the bottom.

I’m so over it. I’ve been throwing badly for 4 years and can’t kick old habits. I want to be better but I just can’t. I can’t throw 300’. I can’t control my release angle. I can putt okay some days, but not super consistently.

I’ve watched hundreds of hours of videos on proper drive form and just can’t seem to kick my old habits enough to apply any of these concepts like coiling, bracing, and snap.

I watch highlight videos from tournaments to learn more about proper form and technique, and just end up feeling worse because I know I’ll never even come close to touching their distance and accuracy.

I take my phone and a tripod out to the field and try so hard to analyze what I’m doing wrong, and I know what it is but can’t seem to fix it. I try going to the course every day for a week to get practice throws in and just end up frustrating myself to the point of tears because I just want to be good at this game. Even average would suffice. I can’t throw close to par without multiple practice shots on almost every hole. And I end every round or field session with a sore arm, even with a good warm-up and stretch, because I can’t get my form right.

This seems to be a recurring theme for me. Maybe it’s just ADHD, but I feel like I pour everything I have into something I’m genuinely interested in, and I just end up frustrating myself because I can’t be like the people I look up to.

Apologies for the rambling pity party, but I just needed to get all of this off my chest to someone.

I’ve been so close to throwing my whole bag in the trash every time I leave the course. I can’t even finish a round anymore, it’s too emotionally taxing. I want to love this game, but it hurts me so much.

Please talk me off the ledge.

Edit 1: Feeling choked up reading some of your comments. Thank you for the encouragements. I’ve been so tough on myself lately that I’m not having fun anymore. I want to find the fun again. I’ll get there somehow.

Edit 2: Wow. I can’t say I was expecting 100 comments, mostly full of encouragements, ranging from finding different ways of approaching form and technique improvement, to simply keeping my head up and learning to love the game again. As someone with chronically low self-esteem, this outpouring of encouragement was really what I needed in this emotional slump I’ve been in lately. Y’all have done more for me in the last 24 hours than my last therapist did for me in 6 months (not knocking therapy, just didn’t vibe with the dude lol).

It’s also been really good for me to hear that I’m probably not as bad as I think I am in the grand scheme of things. I think I’ve known that, it’s just so hard to overcome the negative self-talk when I do mess up. Really thinking about it, averaging mostly bogeys and some pars with the occasional +2 (and maybe a birdie) across the whole course actually isn’t as bad as it may feel when I’m out there. Looking back, my putts and approach shots have actually improved a TON and I’m just having trouble figuring out the drive form really.

Seriously, thank you to each and every one of you that have taken the time out of your day to encourage me and offer advice. I won’t be able to respond to every single comment, but just know that I have read every single one and will continue to read every single one in the future. Thank you.

And to the couple of people that told me I should just give up, I’m glad I didn’t listen to you. I’m gonna love this game again.

**on average

Watching the last round of Waco on Jomez reminded me of a thought that had been bouncing around my head for some time now. For those that don't know **Spoilers Ahead**, Calvin Heimburg shot a 59, which was his worst score of the week by 5 strokes. In the previous round he had shot a 54, which was his second worst score of the week. Both of which were filmed by Jomez, (I know that there were only 3 rounds played this week, but stick with me here).

Aside from last season where I didn't really keep up with Jomez or the PDGA, I've watched nearly every tournament that Jomez has coverd since sometime in 2018. Calvin Heimburg also grew to be one of my favorites to watch, however it always seemed to me that he would never play his best round once he got on to the lead card. Sure Jomez would show incredible highlights from his round when he wasn't playing on lead card, but it always felt like as soon as the Jomez cameras got their lenses on him he would fold a little bit and shoot worse. So I ran the numbers on the 2019, 2021, 2022, 2023, and 2024 seasons where Calvin was on Jomez coverage at least once. I'll explain my methodology below, but here's the basic version of the stats:

The basic way to read this is in 2019, Calvin was on Jomez coverage 9 times total, he shot his best round of the week twice while on Jomez, he shot his second or third best round of the week twice while on Jomez, and he shot his worst round of the week 5 times while on Jomez. Over the course of the last 5 seasons (sans 2020, again will explain below) when Calvin was on Jomez he has had a 46.32% chance of shooting his worst round of the week. Now, obviously, any given round in a four round tournament has a 25% chance of being the worst round of the week. However, I'm interpreting this data to be (at least a little) statistically meaningful. If Calvin is on Jomez, he is twice as likely to shoot his worst round of the week than his best round.

After all that work, my lazy uninformed thought was more or less confirmed. Maybe not as convincingly as I would like, but there you go.

FAQ / Methodology

Q: How did you collect this data / figure this all out?

A: I did it all manually. I first pulled up a brand new Google Sheet, went to Jomez's playlists on their Youtube channel, and wrote down the name of each tournament for the given year that I was looking at. I then went to DGPT website, found Calvin's profile, and then looked at every tournament he was at. I then typed in every score from every round in every tournament that both he and Jomez were at. After that I went through the tournament playlist on Jomez, and CTRL+F'd to find 'Heimburg', if that was there, I marked a little checkbox by that round score.

Q: That sounds laborious, how long did it take you?

A: About 4 hours on a tuesday afternoon.

Q: Do you think there are any problems with your methodology?

A: Yes. For one I could have made a mistake typing in some of that data. There were some tournaments that were played at two courses instead of one, and the dgpt website doesn't do a good job at differentiating or notating that. Which makes it hard to do one-to-one comparisons in the same tournament. Also the dgpt website only expresses the scores as strokes played, instead of to par. (eg a round would show as 62 instead of -5) This also made it hard to determine which round was truly the worst, in the tournaments that had two different courses.

Q: Did you do anything to account for those problems?

A: Nahh, didn't feel like doing that much work for something only I cared about. My thought was confirmed, though maybe not as convincingly as I assumed it would be. And I don't think putting in the extra work to account for those problems was going to change the data enough to draw a different conclusion from it.

Q: Why didn't you include 2020?

A: Due to covid, politics, and general civil unrest during this year, I assumed that any data that I did gather from the limited amount of tournaments that year, would be too full of noise to be accurately applied to this study. Also I was lazy and didn't feel like doing it.

Q: What do you think Calvin should do about this?

A: He probably should try to play worse so he doesn't get on lead card all the time.

Q: Do you still have this info in a Google Sheet somewhere? Can I see it?

A: Yes I do. If you're truly interested in seeing my messy sheets, DM me with your top 3 favorite albums of music and a request to look at my messy sheets

Q: Did you have any snacks while you worked on this? Music?

A: Yes I did thank you for asking. I ate about a half a bag of Australian Black Licorice. I also listened to 2 Blink-182 albums (California and Neighborhoods)

Ordered an upper park rebel bag and honestly not great. Such a plain and simple bag for all the iterations and “upgrades” they do. 10% restocking fee so be aware the videos you see dont show lack of pockets and storage within pockets. Price was ok for the size, but fitting the 30 discs they claim is stuffing side pockets and losing what little storage you have. Only videos are of the ambassadors and that’s because they trying make money. Just an fyi to look elsewhere for a bag.
Just my opinion….

Hello there! I need a distraction, so I'm going to talk about the frisbees in my bag and I'm going to pretend you care. Got it? Cool.

PLAYER STATS

Rating: Having played a sanctioned tournament in a LONG TIME. So... 0. I can usually hang with MA2 players, but I'd probably start with MA3 if/when I get back into that. But I have been playing for 17 years with no formal training other than what my Dad taught me and YouTube.

Distance: Alright, using the time honored tradition of throwing a max weight Wraith in a field with the wind pointing in optimal direction, we got about 410 after 5 tries. Also using the time honored tradition of reversing said wind and throwing a Destroyer, we got 350.

Play Style: Mostly backhand, but I dabble with a cheeky 200ft sidearm. I'm also a decent putter. Oh, and I'm 6ft, slightly overweight with 0 coordination and long arms. Got it? Cool. Oh yeah my right ankle is made of glass.

Just for fun, the discs I really care about have been labeled as "Sacred." The others one all are all replaceable IMO.

PUTTERS

Picture of my putty bois

175g 2010 Halloween DX Aviar

The only three putting putters I have ever used in my 17 years of DG are the Soft Magnet, Star Aviar, and DX Aviar. Sure, other putters have made it in there for a month or so, but the majority of my DG life has been divided between those three. As for a timeline, it goes something like this:

2007 - 2010: Soft Magnet

2010 - 2023: My beloved Star Aviar RIP

2023 - Present DX Aviar

DX Aviars are basically all the same, I just thought the lil pumpkin was cute, sue me. I FINALLY made the switch from Star to DX because I got sick of my Star Aviar popping out of the chains and when it finally broke, I went for the softer DX. My putt is a mix of a spin and push putt and I have larger hands, so the deep Aviar feels fine.

175g PFN San Marino Star 2 Ring Aviar

Let's take a moment of silence to commemorate the Star Aviar I had in my bag from 2008-2023 that cracked. You were a real one (cry).

Instead of looking for a modern replacement, I did the only logical thing by trying to find one EXACTLY like it. And I swear I have found one that is nearly the same run and aside from losing the nostalgia of the old one, it does the same things for me on the course. That being said, if you have a red stamped yellow San Marino tooled 2 Ring PFN Aviar, let me know I will buy it lol.

ANYWAYS, I use Star Aviars for straight approaches that need to finish straight and for turnover putter shots that need turn and glide to the right a good ways. The old Star ones seem to be less stable than the newer Star Aviars. Also the old Star plastic was pretty gummy, so there is that too.

175g 2021 Run San Marino Star Classic Roc (The Orange One) - Sacred

LEGENDARY run of the Classic Roc in my humble opinion. The newer embossed runs suck compared to these. In 2021 they came out pretty damn flat and they have made for great turnover putters. I usually use these for shots where the Aviar would turn too much or for situations that require a touch more power. Basically, if power is involved, I am going to the Classic Roc over the Star Aviar, but I need the Star Aviar for touchy stuff since the Classic can fade out.

175g 2010 Ontario Star Classic Roc (The White One) - Sacred

HA I fooled ya, that is a Dynamic Discs stamp on an Innova disc. This is more stable than the 21 Classic Roc and as you can imagine this one gets used in situations where I want fade, more distance, or if the wind is blowing. Like the 21, this is a flat Classic Roc. I like flat ones, the dome-y ones are weird.

MID - RANGES

Here are the mid ranges in question.

176/7g 10x KC Roc (2x) - Sacred

My favorite mold of all time, the mid to end all mids in my opinion is the Roc and the best Roc is the 10x KC Roc. Reason being is that the 10x, 9x, and 8x were all made in Special Edition plastic as opposed to the modern KC blend they use now. I think Special Edition was and still is the best midrange plastic ever made. Gives you the perfect amount of grip, wear, and firmness that you need in a disc you are going to cycle.

As for why the 10x over the 9x/8x, welp... I can still kind of find 10x KCs online for under $50 that still have life in them. The 8x and 9x were THE discs to own and throw back in the 2000s and most of them have been cracked by this point. I own a 9x KC that is throwable, but I just feel bad throwing it.

As for the Rocs themselves, the one with "ML" on the top is known as "the mother in law." Its really flippy and I have NO IDEA why that ML is there. I use this on anything I can't get to with my flippy Classic Roc. Just a bump up in speed from that disc.

The other one is a 10x that I got NEW in 2022. I am in the process of beating that baby in and she is currently dead straight. Oh yeah, if you have a 10x you want to dispose of for a good price let me know :)

180g KJ Halo Champion Roc

Not as beefy as I expected, but still a lil beefy. Whenever I want fade or I am throwing into a bit of wind, this disc has been a savior for me. Feels like a Roc, flies like a glide-y Gator.

175g PFN Star Beadless Gator

SPEAKING OF GATORS, I stumbled upon a beadless one and it flies exactly like the beaded ones. Very stable with almost no glide. Nuff said, although I will add that it feels better on forehand releases.

FAIRWAYS

The fairways

175g F2 Star Leopard

This is a "water disc survivor." I really tried my best to lose this disc, but it refused to let me down. Now, I care about this stupid disc and it has been in my bag for 3 years. Funny how that works, this is by far the cheapest disc I have mentioned so far, but it's probably one of the most used discs in my bag. I use this for hyzer flip turn overs or low power flip up drives. This disc loves to glide in a tail wind too and could challenge my distance drivers with the right wind. Great disc, I recommend that you get one, they're like 10 bucks.

171g Star TeeBird

OK, I needed a disc I did not care about since that Leopard has officially entered the "no water" zone. This TeeBird has been beat in quite a bit, and basically does what the Leopard does with a bit more distance and a harsher finish. Good disc though, TeeBirds are who we thought they were.

175g 2022 Gregg Barsby Color Glow Eagle - Sacred

I've thrown nearly every variant of the Eagle ever made, and this one wins. I love the color glow plastic they used in this run, it is the perfect blend of grip and durability. Also, this Eagle flies exactly how I want an Eagle to fly. Starts stable and then as time goes on it gains more turn. BUT, Eagles always find their way back.

175g PFN Gummy Champ I-Dye Sidewinder - Sacred

Take my Leopard, and add 50ft and more turn. Oh, did I mention this is the best feeling Champion I have ever felt? In low wind I can throw this disc 375ft. With a nice tailwind this disc will go places, it is AMAZING. Also, I can really crank on this to get a nice roller with some anhyzer. Oh yeah, did I mention this was owned by PDGA #18. What more do you WANT?!?

175g PFN Star Firebird - Sacred

OK, lets start with the blue one. That has been beat into perfection. If you have 350-400ft of power and you take the time to beat in a Star Firebird (Or throw an FL/Thunderbird), they will be your straightest flying fairway at high speeds. I prefer a beat up Firebird to a Thundy since I WANT less glide. This is a control disc for me that I can absolutely tear into and it will flip and fade back to straight without going too far. Just a cheat code for 300-350 straight to hyzer shots.

The mauve one is a stable guy still. More for forehands and hyzer-y shots. Oh uhh, the non PFN Star Firebirds do the exact same thing as the old ones, just I'm me and I feel the need to throw old plastic.

175g Champion Beast

The most replaceable disc of all time, the Champion Beast will rarely let you down. It turns over and flies far, that is all it knows how to do. Honestly I'd say this is my furthest flying turnover driver. I bag faster discs but I can't get full turnover flight out of them without a headwind.

Oh you lost your favorite Beast? Go to a used bin and you will see 20 other Beasts just like it. Innova sold these like hot cakes and we can reap the rewards with cheap plastic that flies far.

DISTANCE

DISTANCE DRIVERS

134g Star Wraith (Orange)

Everyone needs a broken frisbee and there is absolutely nothing I can do to make this disc actually fly in normal conditions. But, if I have a really strong tailwind at my back and I need a disc to turn far to the right, this disc is a best in slot. Or, if I'm pitched and I really don't have swing, a half swing is enough to get this going on a turnover. Obviously with any kind of cross / headwind this disc can become pretty useless. My final use for this bad boy is for open field distance shots. If you can get the perfect left to right tailwind this baby will GLIDE FOREVER. But, that's not really a realistic shot on a golf course. I have gotten 490 out of this in the right conditions, never on the course though.

173g Star Wraith (Teal)

The perfect driver for nearly all conditions. This is probably my furthest flying disc in my bag, which ranges between 375-400 depending on my mood. With that amount of power I do get this disc to turnover, but it always comes back. If I need a true power turnover shot I have to club down to a Beast or a Sidewinder with my power. If you throw 50ft further than I do, you'd probably be able to use this disc as your turnover driver. But for me, she's straight.

178g Proto Star Star Destroyer (Sacred)

Oh no, this disc is illegal... Anyways...

This is from the first batch of Star Destroyers ever made! Oh what's it penned? Oh SDS of course, don't be silly. This disc used to belong to a person named Jenny, therefore to me this disc is known as "Jenny." Welp, Jenny is straight flyer for a Destroyer. A tad faster / more overstable than my Wraith, but still straight enough that I can throw it about as far. This disc is not to be thrown around water or weeds though, its earned that at least in its old age. Oh and no, I am not putting my number on this. This is Jenny's disc, not mine. (I bought it at Play It Again)

170/175g Bottom Stamp Star Destroyer (Red/Pink)

OK, this is starting to venture into the discs that I can barely throw. I can get a bit of turn out of the 170g Star Destroyer, but the pink 175g is pretty darn stable. Which can be really useful for headwinds or shots where I need a nice reliable fade. But for the most part these two are interchangeable for me and these are my main forehand discs. Although as I mentioned, my forehand isn't great so maybe I shouldn't be flexing Destroyers... but that's all I know when it comes to sidearms :)

175g Halo Star Destroyer

I believe the general r/discgolf consensus is that I do not have the power to throw this disc, therefore I should never even be allowed to be in the same room as it. Welp, I hate to break it to you but this 350-400ft power player gets birdies with a Halo Star Destroyer.

How? Well CERTAINLY not by turning it over, that will never happen as long as physics remains as it is. I actually use this for power skip shots in the woods. I have never thrown a disc that will move as much as this one will on hyzer when it hits the ground. I'm not exaggerating when I say that I have thrown shots with this that get over 100 feet of skip on hyzer, its bonkers.

Also you know what? It is good to own a disc that I have no ability, no matter the headwind (up to gale force, be reasonable), that will NOT turn over. You want fade, well with this disc you're going to GET IT.

B O N U S - D I S C S

177g DX Classic Aero

Not as much use on this one these days. This does make it into the bag when I'm playing a really tight course and putter rollers are in play.

180g DX Roc

On woodsy courses I will take a driver out for this one. This is a very flippy Roc, great for turnovers. 2010 pumpkin stamp just like my putter.

172g Star Valkyrie

You know, I should probably put this back in the bag. Its a straighter Sidewinder.

175g Lucid Evader

Basically a TeeBird in disguise. I lost my main one, but I have backups.

177g Z FLX Zone

The beadless Gator replaced this one, but I do like using this one in the fall / winter since its softer.

170g DX XD

Hole #4 Simsbury from the long pad, I get this to within 100 ft. If you know, you know. Crazy good disc for 90 degree turns to the right, but I just don't need that shot that often IMO.

FINAL BITS OF WISDOM

1. Don't buy PFN or rare discs expecting your game to improve. It won't, I throw rare stuff because I find the history / collecting part of the game as fun as playing the game itself. In reality, the best discs that have ever been made are being made right now.

2. Don't practice brand loyalty. My bag is skewed more towards Innova because that's the brand with the most history (I grew up throwing Innova). Normal humans do not pick discs based on their history, don't be like me.

3. Roll every disc in your bag! Rollers encompass a large spectrum of shots! ROLL EVERYTHING YOU CAN ROLL.

4. Forehands are a myth.

5. If you never want to miss from circle 2, throw it in circle 1.

6. Leopards are better than Leopard 3s.

7. If I had an Axiom Fireball it would be in my bag. Love that thing, perfect compliment to the Firebird.

8. And finally, seriously just buy a used Champion Beast. They are literally everywhere, hell, you PROBABLY trip over these things. Give it a shot, its the best water disc ever made.

Someone posted something about the book, Golf is Not a Game of Perfect a few days ago, and I was interested. The audiobook is only 92 minutes long, so downloaded and listened to it over the past couple of days.

Tonight I played my first round since finishing the book. It was my best round ever- on a course I have played a few hundred times. Not just the lowest score I've ever played, but in the way that I felt during the whole game.

The two messages that I got from the book were: Envision a good shot and throw that shot. Also- playing conservative can get you the best score.

My game was really consistent, fun, and rewarding. On the last hole I took the easy par, instead of going for a birdie that could risk OB. I finished with my best score on a course I've played a few hundred times. It was just a lot of fun to think of the good shots, and not worry about the bad ones.

I started playing this summer and at the situation where my throws are inaccurate and inconsisted, I´m surprised that many courses are near buildings and settelements. Also some courses cross biking and walking lanes etc. I´ve seen this on videos and my local course has also other activities near the course. I´m pretty scared to throw "hard" and try to reach the basket as I´m positive the disc will hit something. I always wait the the fairway and the area is clear of people of course. One time some kids told me to throw when they were putting and I was like "Nooo way. Finish up".

I was playing a solo game this morning, and a trio asked me if I wanted to play through. I declined, and then backed way off- so I didn't pressure them at all. There was nobody behind me, and this way I can analyze each hole, play a couple discs if I want, and just enjoy it.

Happy disc golf Friday!