Do you ever really use a Glow disc?

[Shutrbug]

Before my post count gets too high and I have to post in the 'regular' section... I wanted to ask what is probably a dumb question...

I have a couple of glow discs - one is a Moonstone Claymore I got used at a tournament event, and another is a Discraft Ultimate disc I bought for throwing in the evenings in the yard.

Neither seems to actually glow all that much. I've put on top of lamps, left in front of a window during the day, or had sitting in the kitchen ceiling lights. Even though you can see a little bit of a glow outside, it isn't much, and it doesn't last long.

So this seemed like a good place to ask - is the glow plastic just a gimmick? Do you really use it outside at night? If so, how much light did you give it?

Maybe I'm just spoiled by my Nite-Ize light up disc... but that's not technically a glow disc. What is your experience?

 

[R-Ogre]

I haven't had a chance to play a glo round yet, but I'm told that the key to getting them really glowing is to use a UV flashlight.

 

[Future_Primitive]

It varies by plastic type, some glow discs are awesome when hit with UV flashlight others are mediocre at best despite whatever light source you try. Dont care much for old Champ/Z type plastic glow myself. But some of the new color glow plastic works quite well.

While not a problem now, the glow plastic doesnt like work much when temp gets near freezing either. Most the folks I know who play Glow regularly lean towards the flat LED lights you can tape on as they work the best.

 

[BogeyNoMore]

I know this to be true from personal experience: UV Flashlights work WAYYY better than conventional flashlights.
The difference is impossible to ignore.


Now for conjecture:
I've heard that continuously/regularly exposing glow discs to light (particularly sunlight), reduces their ability to "hold a charge," in terms of intensity, and perhaps more so in terms of duration.

I had a Moonlight Diamond that I used in my regular bag for a while, so it was exposed to plenty of sunlight on a regular basis.
When I used it during a glow round, it didn't glow very brightly, nor did it hold a charge very long... got very difficult to find, even using UV flashlight to charge it.

I now keep my glow discs zipped up in their own bag in a closet, so as minimize their exposure to light when not being used for glow rounds. While I have no data to support that storing them in the dark works better, my personal observation is that its works quite well.... and I certainly can't imagine that it hurts.


FWIW - Personally prefer using glow discs to taped on lights.. but to a certain degree, that's personal preference.
I just know I've never had a tree-hit "knock the glow" off the disc. Nor have I had trouble finding a glow that landed upside-down.

 

[Jolt]

I have Glow discs in my bag all the time, like how the plastic feels.. .two of my most used disc are in glow plastic

But one "real" glow round a year

 

[Leonidas187]

I haven't played any, but my MS Westside Queen I bought last year is finally going some distance and getting to be one of my faves. I've got a Explorer in glo as well, they seem to glow when under a lot of lot or as they say UV but...I just like the feel of the plastic...

 

[kenjiac]

Before my post count gets too high and I have to post in the 'regular' section... I wanted to ask what is probably a dumb question...

I have a couple of glow discs - one is a Moonstone Claymore I got used at a tournament event, and another is a Discraft Ultimate disc I bought for throwing in the evenings in the yard.

Neither seems to actually glow all that much. I've put on top of lamps, left in front of a window during the day, or had sitting in the kitchen ceiling lights. Even though you can see a little bit of a glow outside, it isn't much, and it doesn't last long.

So this seemed like a good place to ask - is the glow plastic just a gimmick? Do you really use it outside at night? If so, how much light did you give it?

Maybe I'm just spoiled by my Nite-Ize light up disc... but that's not technically a glow disc. What is your experience?

Nite ize i feel are too bright sometimes and ruin your night vision. Bring a black light flashligh and charge the glow disc for each shot stays plenty bright to see and the black light doesn't effect night vision.

 

[Shutrbug]

Nite ize i feel are too bright sometimes and ruin your night vision. Bring a black light flashligh and charge the glow disc for each shot stays plenty bright to see and the black light doesn't effect night vision.

I use the Nite-Ize in the yard with my 7yo, and I do admit to using a Nite-Ize putter for my cheap target in the back yard... but I don't think they fly well enough to actually throw for any real distance.

I appreciate all of the replies! I was really thinking of trying to keep my discs glowing enough to play in the back yard with my target - I didn't even realize that they made UV flashlights so you could recharge on the go! Per the pictures on the Amazon page, most people use them for pet stain and scorpion locating... ugh. But the Amazon's Choice flashlight has a 40% off coupon today, so there's one on the way now. This worked out great. I think playing a whole round at night now will be a real hoot. Thanks, all!

 

[Sethamphetamine]

I use glow discs and LED lights a lot during the short days in early spring and late fall. UV flashlight is ideal for the glow plastic, but I prefer taping lights onto the discs for visibility.

Different glow plastic from different companies varies in effectiveness. I have never had any luck with moonshine plastic. Innova champ glow is also okay at best. Color glow from Innova is best.

 

[ThrowaEnvy]

The UV light is indispensable!!!! Good to charge and awesome to look for discs.. Shine it around the bushes and it recharges your glow disc so you spot it after you move the light. It also works on my Halloween glow envy's with neon rims, they just jump out!

Not so good to walk with a UV light though.. And I concur on wearing the glow out with sunlight.. But if you know you are playing glow pull em out for the last hour or so of light and for a pre charge, at least I do.

 

[kenjiac]

I use the Nite-Ize in the yard with my 7yo, and I do admit to using a Nite-Ize putter for my cheap target in the back yard... but I don't think they fly well enough to actually throw for any real distance.

I appreciate all of the replies! I was really thinking of trying to keep my discs glowing enough to play in the back yard with my target - I didn't even realize that they made UV flashlights so you could recharge on the go! Per the pictures on the Amazon page, most people use them for pet stain and scorpion locating... ugh. But the Amazon's Choice flashlight has a 40% off coupon today, so there's one on the way now. This worked out great. I think playing a whole round at night now will be a real hoot. Thanks, all!

Mantra of glow golf. If you can't see the trees there are no trees.

 

[John Rock]

I use the Nite-Ize in the yard with my 7yo, and I do admit to using a Nite-Ize putter for my cheap target in the back yard... but I don't think they fly well enough to actually throw for any real distance.

I appreciate all of the replies! I was really thinking of trying to keep my discs glowing enough to play in the back yard with my target - I didn't even realize that they made UV flashlights so you could recharge on the go! Per the pictures on the Amazon page, most people use them for pet stain and scorpion locating... ugh. But the Amazon's Choice flashlight has a 40% off coupon today, so there's one on the way now. This worked out great. I think playing a whole round at night now will be a real hoot. Thanks, all!

It is fun, especially with the right group. We had a glow round here around Halloween time and in the park where our course is located there is also an amusement park. The amusement park was doing a haunted house thing that year so all night long we could hear the scary music they were playing. Pretty cool touch for a glow round.

 

[F. Howl]

When glow season comes around I have a dedicated bag of dayglow green discs with LED's, which I prefer, but some of my molds I have had trouble getting to fly true. The Undertaker and Buzzz I glow up with a UV light. Both have a decent glow.

 

[thirtydirtybirds]

UV flashlights work great. It's not going to be bright like a light bulb, but it's enough to see in the dark. Glow ultimate disc on the beach is pretty sweet. Putting in the dark with a glow disc is really helpful IMO, makes you putt hard.

 

[Casey 1988]

Lighting brand had glow discs in the base plastic, however it made the discs softer not as durable plastic. The thing I did was let the discs sit outside in sun for 2 hours before a glow round. The Disc was a #2 Driver That flew like an XL, reason I got the XL in Z and later ESP. ESP was the better flier so it is still in my bag. I have curently a Champion Glow Valkyrie because at the time in 2017 when I got it the Standard plastic was slick and stiff, more like the old runs that Champion had the odd font to it from very first runs of True Champion not Champion Edition. I have thrown Valkyrie at night but the moon was so bright that I did not need to play a glow round.

 

[Steve West]

For new players, here's the real real:

Glow doesn't really work well for playing night rounds. And, the charging slows you down. Get lights, but get the dimmest lights you can find. You'll need to use expensive tape to stick them on.

 

[kenjiac]

For new players, here's the real real:

Glow doesn't really work well for playing night rounds. And, the charging slows you down. Get lights, but get the dimmest lights you can find. You'll need to use expensive tape to stick them on.

I don't agree with this. Glow works fine for night rounds. Glow tape works for discs that you can't find in glow. And lights fly off when you hit a few trees. Every fall at the time change we have glow that happens locally most use glow discs and/or glow tape. Very few use lights as they learn the lights fly off eventually.

 

[Future_Primitive]

For new players, here's the real real:

Glow doesn't really work well for playing night rounds. And, the charging slows you down. Get lights, but get the dimmest lights you can find. You'll need to use expensive tape to stick them on.

I don't agree with this. Glow works fine for night rounds. Glow tape works for discs that you can't find in glow. And lights fly off when you hit a few trees. Every fall at the time change we have glow that happens locally most use glow discs and/or glow tape. Very few use lights as they learn the lights fly off eventually.

Kind of feel their is a gray area where you both of sort of right when it comes to lights. If you are going to use the LED lights and tape them on, you need to make sure the discs are prep'd for them. Clean the discs and make sure they are DRY before taping. Dont tape them on 2 minutes before using them. Dont put tape on in the cold, make sure the discs are room temp, dry and free of dirt for best results.

Playing in weekly glow league for 4 years now the majority of the time a light flies off is when somebody ignores the above and slaps the lights on in the parking lot when they are dirty, wet and or cold. I have a dedicated glow bag now and my tape has been on for a year and really only comes off when I peel it off to replace the LED. Since we are talking about an adhesive you can really secure the tape by giving it a quick warm up with hair dryer after it has been applied. Warm it up and press the tape on good and it can take the majority of tree hits as I have years of visual data on tree hitting.

LEDs work great most of the time. The Glow duct tape and vinyl tape works great too, really holds the charge from the UV flashlight. Glow discs are hit or miss based on the plastic used, the temp outside and even too much moonlight can be problematic.

 

[kenjiac]

I would agree with you if prepped properly the tape should hold. I have tape on my discs sometimes all winter if the fluffy snow is bad. I too have a dedicated glow bag of glow discs i've collected. Some took a few years to find. Glo dx stingray and photonglo magnet were hard to come by.

 

[Jukeshoe]

I've used all the methods in a variety of conditions...

Best of all is a glow disc with uv light.
Next best is glow duct tape with uv light.
Then led or glow things taped to regular disc.

Glow disc can't have anything come off, either through weather or tree hits.
Glow duct tape is surprising good (tip of the hat to BogeyNoMore on that one) but there's a chance it comes off or is obscured (be sure to put it on both sides).
Leds or glow sticks or whatever taped to discs look great but are most likely to come off.

When taping your disc it helps if disc, tape, and ambient temperatures are all the same. Otherwise condensation occurs and the tape comes right off!

Drawback to uv light is you have to exercise caution or you'll spoil your night vision...don't be that guy that lazes people. :|

I've also come close to leaving a uv light on the ground while off...now I put a bit of glow duct tape on the lights so I won't lose 'em.