What are the distinct categories of discs in your bag?

[MrHighlandPark]

I'm still very new to the sport, and I have a very small bag. I'm interested in buying new discs, but mostly just to try them out and have more discs to practice in the field with. I honestly don't know why I'd need more on the course - but that's what you guys are for!

Most of the players I play with have dozens of discs, but when I ask what the purpose of each one is, I'm not convinced that there really is a purpose.

"This one has slightly more fade than that one."
"How much more fade?"
"About 5%"
"But you don't have accuracy to within 5%, so what's it matter? Why don't you just aim the first disc 5% more to the left?"
(Blank stares)

So fill me in. Convince me that there's more than three or four categories so that I can buy more discs!

 

[Adaven]

I have quite a few discs, however, I don't carry all of them in my bag only the ones I throw for a purpose (in fact I think I am going to take a couple out today that I have replaced). I have discs for overhand throws, forehand throws, backhand throws (several with different characteristics). Midrange and Putter. For someone still new to the game if you are going to get more discs for practice I would say get multiple of you primary driver, so that you can get a feel for that disc.

 

[waynewf]

I can't convince you that there's more than three or four categories I can, however say that it's always fun to try out new discs and have extras for practice...or in case you lose one! When I find something I like, I generally try to stock up and get 3 or 4 of them.
The general setup of my bag is like this: I get 2 drivers I like and carry 2 or 3 of them in different weights. I carry 2 putters, 1 floppy and 1 a little stiffer, 1 understable and 1 stable midrange, maybe a floater, and then one wildcard...something that is extra overstable or something like that....

 

[waynewf]

I also carry my overhand disc.....so while my bag usually has 18-20 discs...I really only throw about 5 of them...

 

[CwAlbino]

My bag
Drivers

• Overstable Discs

1. Destroyer (beat in, long straight with fade at the end, can be used for hyzers)
2. Wraith (used for distance hyzers, quite a bit of fade, but beating it in recently I will need to go purchase a new one for hyzers. Will likely get an Xcaliber)
3. Teerex (I use this for tomahawks)

• Understable discs

1. Beast (beautiful S curves, throw it with wind at the back for massive distance)
2. Sidewinder (Hyzer Flips and Rollers)
3. Roadrunner (Long anhyzers)

• Other

1. Epic (Thumber)
2. Assasin (stable long range driver)

Midranges

• Overstable

1. Cro (short hyzers)
2. Wasp (Long hyzers)

• Understable

1. Buzzz (recently has gone understable slightly on me, used to be my long straight mid)
2. Gateway Element (Long amazing anhyzers)

Putters

1. Magic SS (long putts)
2. Magic SSS (short putts)

I have more discs and uses, but there's a quick overview.

 

[zenbot]

There are also two categories of Overstable. Some fade the entire flight and other fade at the end of the flight.

 

[bayouace]

I pick discs based on the course I am going to play that day.

 

[_DA_]

Here is a good resource for you. Resisting the urge to buy everything you can get your hands on when you start is tough, but it is important that you buy discs that fit your ability. Adaven's advice of buying multiples of the same disc will also benefit you in your practice much more than a bunch of different discs would.

https://www.dgcoursereview.com/dgr/resources/articles/choosingadisc.shtml

Also check out Joe's Flight chart. Very helpful in selecting new discs that fit your power range.
http://gottagogottathrow.com/discgolf/pdf/JoesFlightChart1.pdf

 

[garublador]

I go by this article:

https://www.dgcoursereview.com/dgr/resources/articles/discoverlap.shtml

So I have seven categories of discs with the possibility of one mold covering multiple categories. For example, I throw a Gazelle for my control driver and I use a beat/understable Gazelle for my understable driver. I could also use a Z Avenger for a moderatly overstable driver and an X Avenger for a distance driver.

I do actually carry two molds for the control driver spot, though. I use a Gazelle for when I need to shape lines and a Teebird when I want straight and far. It is overlap, but because the Teebird does straight and far so well and because that's a common shot, IMO it's worth the overlap.

 

[rockbuddist101]

to cover all the shots on a givin round u need about 10 discs. once u get to a more comeptive level u will probably end up carrying 2 discs for each shot for backup, different feels, different weights for wind, ect.
here are the 10 shots i go by:
-long hyzer
-long strait
-long anhyzer
-mid hyzer
-mid strait
-mid anhyzer
-putter
-roller
-touch
-skip

it is easy to see that if u have different weights for different shots when factoring in the wind and other things(not to mention backup discs) it can get very easy to get used to playing with 20 discs, even tho u might only throw a roller once a week. in casual play carrying 20 discs isent really nessary, but u never know when u may have to throw a roller(for example) in a tourny. and if u never carried a roller disc in casual rounds, ur gonna have no idea how to throw one when the time comes. its also y u dont see too many non-serious and inexperienced players carrying 20 discs and vice-versa.

 

[solomon.trenton]

i like to have multiples of all of my discs in different platics because they wear a little bit differently and they have different uses depending upon the plastic as well.

 

[MrHighlandPark]

Thanks for the great replies.

I have Joe's chart as well as the charts from Innova and Discraft. My opinion thus far (and I'm well aware that I could still be very ignorant as I'm new), is that these companies have a need to keep inventing new discs to stimulate sales, even if they're barely different from the ones that they already sell. I'm oversimplifying to make a point, but let's say they have a disc that goes 350 feet at full power and another one that goes 360 feet at full power - do they really need to invent one that's halfway in between, as if there are throwers who are so finely calibrated that they'd benefit from having all three discs?

It's to the point where their marketing departments can't even create verbiage that describes discs distinctly from one another. "A great disc for all purposes." "Also a great disc for all purposes." "Great for beginners and pros."

Or maybe there really are important differences between each disc, but they have a bad marketing department that doesn't know how to describe them in words?

The advice to buy multiples of the same disc makes sense to me, and I actually ordered a second Buzzz last night because I like my first one so much (both as a backup, and just to have an extra disc for throwing in the field).

To give an idea of my armspeed, I finally measured my throws last night by looking at a satelite photo of my field. I have a weak arm still, and I'm throwing my Leopard 180-220 (220 being a real good rip for me; 200 being pretty consistent), my Buzzz around 175, and my Aviar P&A maybe as far as 160ish.

So obviously for me, there are a couple categories of drivers that don't make any sense yet, so there are fewer categories of discs for me than for most of you. But I also don't want to buy a bunch of other drivers that do exactly what a Leopard does just because they are within my power range.

I ordered a Vision last night because I read on here that it's easy for beginners to throw, and Joe's chart rates it with more distance than a Leopard, but still with a low power requirement. So it's possible that that could add a new category to my bag, but then again, if I'm able to consistently throw it farther than my Leopard, I don't see why it wouldn't just replace the Leopard.

 

[jdggna]

to cover all the shots on a givin round u need about 10 discs. once u get to a more comeptive level u will probably end up carrying 2 discs for each shot for backup, different feels, different weights for wind, ect.
here are the 10 shots i go by:
-long hyzer
-long strait
-long anhyzer
-mid hyzer
-mid strait
-mid anhyzer
-putter
-roller
-touch
-skip

it is easy to see that if u have different weights for different shots when factoring in the wind and other things(not to mention backup discs) it can get very easy to get used to playing with 20 discs, even tho u might only throw a roller once a week. in casual play carrying 20 discs isent really nessary, but u never know when u may have to throw a roller(for example) in a tourny. and if u never carried a roller disc in casual rounds, ur gonna have no idea how to throw one when the time comes. its also y u dont see too many non-serious and inexperienced players carrying 20 discs and vice-versa.

This, and add the fact I carry a couple of the same disc (usually even the same weights) so that I can practice a shot more than once.

Also, once you are throwing farther you'll notice a bigger difference between the D drivers. Especially for things like hyzers and anhyzers

 

[krallbd]

Just to add some more to this.

I have two specific discs that I throw for escaping from the woods (a common problem for me), one for a tomahawk, one for a backhand. I also have an accidentally warped boss that is perfect for an anhyzer, but wouldnt want to use it other places.

 

[mashnut]

I have a handful of putters, a few mids, a few fairway drivers, and a few high speed drivers. I definitely use different speeds of discs for different lengths and types of shots, though I do play 2-3 disc rounds on a pretty regular basis.

 

[billnchristy]

I have maybe 3-4 redundant discs but a lot have a special one hole use.

Gazelle 150 class: East Roswell Park Hole 7 side arm, the fade lands it in line with the basket, Hole 8 backhand, the fade lands it on the second fairway after the dogleg, Lenora Hole 13 backhand, nice fade around the trees.

That gazelle is subbed for a 172g Pro Gazelle if there is wind.

Vision: Long driver...needs room to breathe though. Avenger SS serves this purpose too.

Striker: I use for thumbers mostly...just can't get the hang of this one but it has gotten me out of mad trouble.

Core: Daily driver, just about every fairway sees this disc if not off the tee than on the second throw...consider it the same as a Buzzz or Roc.

Spike: Putter, short approach.

BTW Sometimes that 5% aim will drive you right into a tree but 5% extra fade will drive you around it.

 

[zbyrd]

I have tried to play with a large amount of discs, but I always come back to the same ones. Thus, I have developed the "learn to make a couple discs do a lot of stuff" philosophy.

I carry three discs when I play.
-Champ Teebird (Straight, stable backhand or forehand driver)
-Champ Firebird (Overstable backhand driver, Stable forehand driver, Anhyzers)
-Pro D Challenger (P&A)

 

[Roc1Time]

I have 6 molds, Roc, Boss, Xcal, Wraith, Max, TL

 

[MrHighlandPark]

I have 6 molds, Roc, Boss, Xcal, Wraith, Max, TL

Does that mean you putt with the Roc?

 

[mike shoys]

i'm fairly new to the game and still have a pretty small bag. The Roc is still my farthest backhand disc:

Avenger SS 172- backhand drives
Star Wraith 175- forehand drives
Star Wraith 175- backup
Star Beast 172- overhand

DX Roc 150- wind on the back or hard right turns (thrown backhand)
DX Roc 168- most approaches/some putts
DX Roc 168- backup
DX Roc 180- most putts

DX Rhyno 175- windy approaches/putts