[Question] Naming system for discs - your opinions

[SD86]

Do you even disc golf?

Almost every day.

My home course is in a park that also has a popular and well used playground for children. The police patrol the area pretty heavily.

 

[jakebake91]

?:doh::doh::doh:

If youre the manufacturer, if you make a 1 disc and its overstable, then the 2 will be a little less overstable, and so on.....so if youre making the disc and not just pulling things out your B hole youll never have a moment where theres something in between......1-2-3-4-5-6-7-etc. Yes, both Discmania with FD FD2 FD3 or MD MD2 MD3 MD4 and prodigy has some consistency issues, but.....the makers of the disc should be in prototype phase long enough to know that the next disc is the next number over....there would never ever BE a need for decimals.....only discraft makes every disc completely random and with decimal stability ratings. the problem I have with discraft is they have fairway drivers, but none share any similarities of size, diameter, rim width, depth, they are all their own entity and may work together but are a completely different feel......back on track. If a company does it correctly, a numbering and lettering system is flawless

I disagree. There are many instances where the flight numbers overlap some, or a ton, within a companies line up. You need look no farther than Innovas disc charts for example. Its just not that clean cut. By the number scale, they should have a x100 something.

Also, you're assuming that they produce discs in order of stability. What if a company has three drivers to start, names them d1 d2 and d3 for example. In order of stability even. Then lets say they get crazy and mold a wildly understable disc. They cant call it d1, but what if its way more understable than d1. Oh lets call it U1. Well, is a U1 more or less stable then D1?

Its nice in theory, but doesn't actually work out.

 

[Mr. Butlertron]

I know every company/manufacturer has their own naming system for discs. Some are animal names, some are science terms, some are just verbs and adjectives, some are on a numbering system.

What do you think? What do you like? What do you dislike? Do you reallllly care? :| opcorn:

I know every company/manufacturer has their own naming system for discs. Some are animal names, some are science terms, some are just verbs and adjectives, some are on a numbering system.

What do you think? What do you like? What do you dislike? Do you reallllly care? :|

I dislike when companies name a mold that is very similar name-wise to a mold that already exists by another company. For example : Wrath vs Wraith, Aviator vs Aviar, and especially P2 vs PA2. Quit being lazy, you guys. You're making it harder for lazy people, like me, to differentiate between molds. Retoolings that keep the same name are on my dislike list to.

 

[august dupree]

FWIW, I like the name Roach almost as much as I like the putter. I love the Roach as an upshot disc it is hands down the best one I have tried for me. I also think it's one of the best stamps in disc golf, imho. To each his/her own. If you don't like the name or the stamp, don't buy it. If you like the way it flies so much that you can't use something else, wipe the stamp and call it george. Or custom dye it with stencils of Nancy Reagan and Tipper Gore.

 

[Keller]

Do you even disc golf?

Nope, He's not a disc golfer, he just plays at being one on the forums

 

[McCready]

I care 0% about disc names and 100% how they can help lower my score. That said, I think the DD naming scheme is pretty cool, and most of Innova's names are cool as well. LOL at shunning Discraft over Crank & Roach. I don't get that at all.

I've seen people smoking weed on my local course, never really cared. I wasn't aware of the association with weed & DG until I started playing two years ago. It's the reason I picked my screen name here, because I'm a smartass. I'm only an occasional smoker and never do it (or drink) while playing. I don't really get how people do it and still play well, but whatever. I'm out there for the exercise, the love of playing, and to get better. People want to get blasted and goof around with their friends, nothing I can do to stop them. Just let me play through and don't hit me with a disc.

I'm also not really worried about the image of the sport and I think the drug stigma is overblown. I see all kinds of people playing, including moms & dads with their kids and 70 year old dudes. And all the (top) pros are pretty straight edge if not complete dorks. If someone wants to judge us as a bunch of stoners, that's ignorance and totally on them. The game means whatever you want it to mean. I've never enjoyed a sport more and wish I discovered it 20 years ago. I don't care what anyone thinks about it.

 

[wims]

Just because it's being legalized currently does not mean it is harmless. But, I won't get into that argument. I have been approached by several non disc golfers trying to buy weed off of me because I had a bag of discs with me. And while it's not everyone who has said it, I've been told more than once that I must also smoke since I play. For the less bold, more socially polite people, how many of those do you think are thinking it?

I see a lot more people drinking beer on the course than smoking weed. It might of course be because the weed smokers try to be low key while the beer drinkers are obnoxious dbags

 

[Mike C]

It's not something I've ever cared about.

I dislike when companies name a mold that is very similar name-wise to a mold that already exists by another company. For example : Wrath vs Wraith, Aviator vs Aviar, and especially P2 vs PA2. Quit being lazy, you guys. You're making it harder for lazy people, like me, to differentiate between molds. Retoolings that keep the same name are on my dislike list to.

I kind of feel like the Wrath and Fireball were axiom poking fun at Innova releasing a straight-ish flying overmolded mid called the Atlas after MVP had released the Axis. Just a theory of mine

 

[Halcón]

Do you even disc golf?

Yea, it's hard to believe. There's skunks everywhere.

 

[ThomasOrion]

I disagree. There are many instances where the flight numbers overlap some, or a ton, within a companies line up. You need look no farther than Innovas disc charts for example. Its just not that clean cut. By the number scale, they should have a x100 something.

Also, you're assuming that they produce discs in order of stability. What if a company has three drivers to start, names them d1 d2 and d3 for example. In order of stability even. Then lets say they get crazy and mold a wildly understable disc. They cant call it d1, but what if its way more understable than d1. Oh lets call it U1. Well, is a U1 more or less stable then D1?

Its nice in theory, but doesn't actually work out.

Yeah I can see how it can be limiting. But if you're making discs that maybe have more HSS or say low HSS, it can just denote a different Category. I guess in the way I am thinking, I've created (mentally haha of course) my own line of discs and the system works and would be consistent. (and the best of course) I would combo Prodigy naming with Discmania likely, haha I just prefer it, but I see what you're saying with flight changes ie TURN/FADE phases, that 1 number doesn't quite do it. I have my system where I would denote a + or - next to it to indicate the high speed stability in relation to the overall fade. its whatever, discs work it really doesn't matter, I have SUCH a mixed bag, but I have tried all one company to keep it in a good order/progression with my discs and it never really seems to work. Anyways. disc on

 

[pauldst]

My feelings are conflicted. The analytical part of me should like logical number and letter systems like Discmania and Prodigy. However, I feel the least drawn to Prodigy plastic in part because of the numbering system. I can never remember which direction the numbers go. I can ballpark the speed based on D, F, M, PA, but the numbers just throw me off entirely. Having plastic types that are ALSO numbered only exacerbates this issue.

Using names rather than numbers makes it easier to remember, especially when there is a good association that works as a mnemonic device. I won't forget that a Roadrunner makes a good roller disc, because a "roadrunner" running on the ground makes sense, as does a "Sidewinder" and a "Mamba." "Pig," "Hawg," and "Rhyno" all sound like overstable putters. "Destroyer" sounds like a driver that goes really far. A "Tern" turns. With all of these, you could give a player just the name of the disc, and they could probably guess how the disc is intended to fly. Great disc names correlate flight properties with an appropriate title. Not so great disc names, such as the when Discmania had names in addition to the letter number system, tend to make no sense. I would never guess that a "Psycho" or a "Maniac" is a putter. I wouldn't be able to guess that a "Craze" is a Control driver.

Silly as it is, I am subconsciously more likely to buy a disc if the name makes sense. I don't go out my way to avoid Prodigy plastic, but I confess that I haven't bought a single one of their discs in large part because I can never remember what the heck each individual disc does and the small trouble of looking it up forms enough of a barrier to deter me. And that's speaking as someone who currently plays disc golf 4-5 days a week and has been playing off an on for the better part of a decade. Now imagine how complicated that letter and number system is for a n00b who has never thrown a disc before? Of course the new player is more likely to spring for the "Beast," "Boss," "Nuke," or "Destroyer. I'm sure with about 2 minutes of effort I could learn Prodigy's system and memorize it, but I don't want to have to do that. Just give me a dang four numbered system and a name that correlates with the disc's flight pattern and I'm set.

Names are a huge part of marketing. As others have mentioned, they can draw or repel certain customers. I love throwing Teebirds in part because the stock car my dad used to race was an old Ford Teebird. Is that a silly reason to like a disc? Absolutely, but it was enough of a reason for me to buy the teebird as one of my first discs when I hardly knew the difference between a driver and a putter. Add that positive association on top of it being an incredible mold, and it's my favorite disc that I bag and own the most of. By profession I'm United Methodist Pastor, so I'll never throw a Vibram four20 or a Discraft Roach because a pastor throwing a drug named disc is just kind of weird and is a bad look for me. But for others, who probably make up a larger share of the disc golf consumers than people like me, a disc name that makes them go "haha, weed!" is actually a really good selling point.

For the most part, the underlined above, although I will rephrase one: Having plastic types that are ALSO numbered pushes this issue way over the edge for me.

29 states have legalized weed for either medicinal or recreational use with 10 or so more on the verge this year. The stuff is harmless. And we think that there is this large stigma of disc golf being just a pastime of pot smoking hippies...but that's just a complex only disc golfers have about our tiny little niche. Everyone I've told about disc golf, has had no preconceived notions about it.

Again, the real problem with the Crank and the Roach is the cartoon ape and the disgusting pest. Both are fantastic discs, though.

Harmless? Get real! Cars have been legal most, if not all, of their existence, and they aren't harmless. And don't get me started on the argument that x number of voters voted in favor of _______ makes it okay. (So, you think that both Obama and Trump were/are harmless and okay because ___ number of states "legalized" him?)

Just because it's being legalized currently does not mean it is harmless. But, I won't get into that argument. I have been approached by several non disc golfers trying to buy weed off of me because I had a bag of discs with me. And while it's not everyone who has said it, I've been told more than once that I must also smoke since I play. For the less bold, more socially polite people, how many of those do you think are thinking it?

No one's ever approached me to buy drugs (and had better not). I can also say I've never smelled marijuana being smoked while I've been playing on the course. Maybe the newer, cleaner looking pros are helping get filthy drugs away from the game.

Very 1st time on a California course I was hit up for some weed. I have smelled it frequently, and have seen it being smoked. Can it be vaped? I'm guessing so from what I've seen while playing.... I envy SD86 his safe dgc. I miss Eastern Iowa and Kansas City!

 

[F. Howl]

Harmless? Get real! Cars have been legal most, if not all, of their existence, and they aren't harmless. And don't get me started on the argument that x number of voters voted in favor of _______ makes it okay..... I envy SD86 his safe dgc. I miss Eastern Iowa and Kansas City!

I brought up legalization to address a specific complaint from one poster: "illegal drug use".
Completely separate from that....I say it's harmless. For reals.

Maybe your area has a different class of stoner, crazy eyed reefers who go around stabbing and mugging people, but 100% of the people I've known who smoke are extremely good-natured.

 

[SD86]

I envy SD86 his safe dgc. I miss Eastern Iowa and Kansas City!

I freely admit I'm fortunate to have good DG courses in my area that are in relatively good neighborhoods, and I've had few problems at all. One course in the area is wooded, and young couples like to go into those woods to do what young couples do, but that's been the extent of any issues...

There's also Perkerson Park, which is a decent park in a bad neighborhood in south Atlanta. And Redan Park east of Atlanta has been known to have sketchy characters in the parking lot at times. But in the by-and-large, it's pretty good.

 

[Noill]

Thread derail has gone on long enough. There is a thread in the politics forum for this...

Back on topic please.

 

[Adale4130]

Westside discs.. best theme and stamps IMO.
I love how they keep the same stamp across all plastics for every mold.

I bag them them primarily.. and a big turn on for me was there stamps. Turns out their discs fly really well too.

 

[chevis]

I know every company/manufacturer has their own naming system for discs. Some are animal names, some are science terms, some are just verbs and adjectives, some are on a numbering system.

What do you think? What do you like? What do you dislike? Do you reallllly care? :| opcorn:

The name has little to do w/my selection of discs; it's how they feel and fly that sells me. Names are just marketing. I'd like to see a disc named turd: "parked it w/my turd"

 

[smarkquart]

If I do not like the name or the stamp, I have acetone to take it off.

 

[swhite]

Some thoughts (and I recognize that much of this is not necessarily based on a rational thinking process):
When I see the name roach I think of an insect that I would seek to exterminate from my house. If asked if I want to get roaches, my response would be, "No. Of course not". So, when I saw that Discraft named a disc the Roach, my response was, "okay, but yuck".

Discraft's Undertaker has always created the most blah associations for me. I apologize to anyone associated with funeral homes and that necessary line of business. I do not mean to give offense. It is just that when I think of an undertaker, I visualize an older person in a dark conservative suit who behaves in a calm, quiet, unhurried manner appropriate to the somber occasion where a family is grieving and saying goodbye to a loved one. I play disc golf to have fun. Undertakers and fun do not jive with me.
There are probably other disc names that I likewise have negative connotations with, but I'll limit myself to just the two mentioned above.

I agree with Adale4130. The stamps on Westside's discs impress me. Good artwork. I would like to see all their competitors emulate this.

I like when companies use the four-number system to label their discs with the speed, glide, turn and fade. I throw a fair amount of trilogy plastic, but find that I am generally more disposed to purchasing new Westside and Dynamic Discs drivers than I am to new Latitude 64 drivers. For some reason, Latitude's practice of not putting the numbers on their discs seems to dissuade me from trying their new drivers as often as I try new Westside and DD drivers. This is primarily true for their high speed drivers, and less so with slower discs for some reason. There is just something about looking at a disc and saying, for example, "This is a Dynamic Discs Defender. It has speed 13, glide 5, turn 0 and fade 3. I know because the numbers are right there on the disc!" But then, "This is a Latitude 64 Ballista. Its numbers are ____? I guess I'll have to look them up." When the specs are missing it becomes just another disc, and lacks any outstanding feature that will hook the new buyer. If I know that I have liked certain speed 12 and 13 discs, and a company releases a new speed 12/13 disc, I have a frame of reference to associate this new disc with. And, even though Westside is notorious for mis-labeling the specs on their drivers, at least a buyer can see what their discs supposedly will behave like. To me, some specs are better than nothing. Later, when I throw it, I can then determine for myself if I agree with the specs.
An analogy: When a car dealership displays a new model car, they paste a sheet of paper to the vehicle's window with all the specs that they know new buyers may want to know while browsing the car lot; gas mileage, horse power, stuff like that. They put it right in plain view for the new buyer to see while they are staring at the car. If these specs were not provided like this, I expect the sales would be somewhat affected. Perhaps someone with more knowledge of this would be willing to confirm or deny this.

 

[etdefender19]

The name has little to do w/my selection of discs; it's how they feel and fly that sells me. Names are just marketing. I'd like to see a disc named turd: "parked it w/my turd"

I like it. Or a whole line of discs that set up hilarious double entendres or Abbott and Costello routines, e.g. a disc called the "What" Q: What was that disc? A: Yes

 

[ThomasOrion]

The name has little to do w/my selection of discs; it's how they feel and fly that sells me. Names are just marketing. I'd like to see a disc named turd: "parked it w/my turd"

Haha it would be funny to have a series of discs with abysmal names

The Turd : a Chunky putter....that floats!
the Blue Ball: A midrange that always gets close to the pin, but never close enough
Mudd Monkey: Like the turd, but doesn't float
the Booger: Floppy gooey putter that sticks where it lands