Flagstaff Disc Golf 101: What To Know To Get Started

If you’ve visited Flagstaff for any amount of time, chances are you’ve seen someone playing disc golf. Home to seven courses in and around town, and the location of the 2023 PDGA Masters Disc Golf World Championships, Flagstaff is a world-renowned location for disc golf. Yet for as fun as disc golf can be, it can also appear daunting and complicated. If you ask anyone who plays “What is disc golf?”, they will likely tell you a lot more than you expected to hear. 

The truth is, however, that disc golf is a straight-forward, user-friendly, and low-entry game that gets people outside and engaging with their community. At Peace Outfitters are proud and excited to supply players of all levels with the right equipment they need to get started playing or to make strides in improving their game. Curious about what is involved in the sport? Let us help you get started.

What Is Disc Golf?

In many ways, disc golf is a lot like traditional golf. It is a game about getting your own disc into a basket or net at the end of a hole. Players throw their discs from a tee area toward a target basket, moving from hole to hole across a course. Just like traditional golf, there are usually 18 holes in a course, but sometimes courses will only have nine. The objective? Complete each hole in as few throws as possible.

How Is It Played?

• Tee Off: Each hole begins at the tee, where you take your first throw toward the basket.
• Subsequent Throws: After teeing off, you throw from the spot where your disc landed—“spotting” it for the next throw—continuing until your disc settles in the chains of the basket.
• Scoring: Each throw counts as one stroke. Sum your throws per hole, compare to the assigned par (often 3, 4, or 5), and record your total score. Lowest total wins. Some terminology: if you finish a par-4 hole in three throws, that’s called a birdie; five throws would be a bogey.
• Courtesy and Etiquette: 
  • Obey local course rules, such as out-of-bounds areas or mandatory paths. Respect that many disc golf courses overlap or are adjacent to other user areas, like hiking trails. 
  • Play in order of lowest to highest score (“golf order”), or from farthest to nearest when off tee.
  • It is common courtesy for non-throwers to remain quiet and respectful and to try to refrain from moving around while others are throwing.
  • For safety, stand behind the thrower until their turn is complete.
  • Bonus: pick up any trash you see while walking around the course!

Disc Types

Just like golf clubs, disc golf discs have specialized designs. Discs can be broken down into three main categories depending on their weight, dome (the shape/roundness of the top of the disc), and plastic type: putters, mid-range, and drivers.

• Putters: Thick, blunt discs built for stability, short game precision, and final putts to the basket.
• Mid-Range Discs: Mid-range discs serve as a middle ground between putters and drivers, offering players a versatile, reliable option for controlled, accurate throws.
• Drivers: Drivers are all about distance. They have sharper edges than other discs, allowing them to cut through the air and travel further. Drivers are often broken down into two sub-categories:
  • Distance drivers: Long, sharp edges for maximum range.
  • Fairway drivers: Narrower flight paths, better control for shaped shots.

Flight Ratings

If you’ve ever looked at a disc, you might have noticed a series of four numbers written on it. These numbers are called flight ratings, and – in order – correspond to speed, glide, turn, and fade. A disc’s flight ratings are used to describe various aspects of a disc’s flight. NOTE: The descriptions below are based on a right-hand backhand throw (more on that later).

• Speed (1–14): Speed refers to the rate at which a disc can travel through the air. The higher the number the faster the disc, with a legal PDGA maximum of 14. Faster discs cut with less effort but are harder to control; slower discs require more power to go upwind, but can be thrown more accurately.
• Glide (1–7): Glide describes the ability of a disc to maintain loft during flight. High-glide discs stay higher longer, and are best for new players because they produce maximum distance. However, discs with less glide are more accurate in windy conditions.
• Turn (–5 to +1): Turn is the tendency of a disc to bank right (for right-hand backhand throws) during the initial part of the flight. A disc with a +1 turn is most resistant to turning over, while a -5 turn will turn the most. 
• Fade (0–5): Fade is the disc’s tendency to hook left (for a right-hand backhand throw) at the end of a flight. A disc with a fade of 0 with finish straightest, while a disc with a fade of 5 will hook hard at the end of its flight. 

For example, if a disc shows the numbers “9 / 4 / –2 / 2”, that means will take a little more power to throw farther than a higher speed disc, but it has great glide so that it floats well in a tailwind or on a downhill drive. Moreover, it only has moderate fade at the end of its flight, making it a great driving disc for a beginner player.

Disc Stability

Every disc out there is constructed with a specific flight pattern in mind, and they are meant to follow their intended flight pattern when thrown at specific speeds. A big factor in this process is a disc’s stability, which is impacted by its weight, shape, and the construction of the wing (the rim, or curved edge, of the disc). Generally speaking, discs can be stable, understable, or overstable.

• Stable: A stable disc should fly straight when thrown flat. 
• Understable: When thrown backhanded by a right-handed player, an understable disc should turn to the right. 
• Overstable: When thrown backhanded by a right-handed player, an overstable disc should turn to the left. 

As previously mentioned, the dominant hand of the player as well as the way the player throws will change how understable and overstable discs fly. This is called throw type. Until now, the examples given have been true for a right-handed player throwing backhand. Let’s break down how that might change for other throw types. 

• Left-hand forehand throws follow the same pattern as right-hand backhand throws. When they turn, they bank right, and when they fade, they bank left. 
• Left-hand backhand and right-hand forehand throws follow the same pattern as each other, which is the opposite of the above. When they turn, they bank left, and when they fade, they bank right.

Disc Weight

The weight of a disc can significantly impact your game, influencing everything from how far your disc flies to how controlled and accurately you can throw. For beginners, it is important to have a basic understanding of the nuances of disc weight so that you don’t end up with a disc that is holding you back from improving your skills and technique. Generally speaking, but not always, the weight of a disc is a critical factor in determining what type of disc it is: putter, driver, or midrange. 

• Lightweight discs (165g or less): These weights are easier to throw for players with less power and will get more lift in the wind. However, they don’t perform well in windy conditions.
• Midweight discs (166–174g): These weights are extremely versatile, offering a balance of distance and control for most players, and making them the most popular weight range. 
• Heavyweight discs (175g or more): These weights are more stable and wind-resistant, but more difficult to throw far and to get them to do what you want them to. 

Overall, it’s wise for beginners to stick to weights between 150 and 170 grams for most of your discs. For more experienced players, you can start looking at weights of 170 and beyond.

Disc Golf at Peace Outfitters

At Peace, we have the widest selection of discs and other disc golf gear in Flagstaff. We offer discs of all weights, types, and flight ratings from brands such as Innova, Thought Space, Discraft, Dynamic, Infinite, Latitude 64, MVP, and more. Discs are labeled with model name, brand name, and flight ratings to help you best select the disc that is right for you. Moreover, for beginners, we also carry starter sets that include a putter, a driver, and a midrange – all within an approachable and appropriate weight class for all players. 

We are also proud and excited to offer a Used Disc Program. Customers can trade in their used discs for store credit, allowing other customers to shop used discs at a lower price point. This is another great option for beginners to feel out a variety of disc types and weights without committing to buying new discs. It is also nice for more experienced players looking to add extra discs to their quiver, or for a beater disc to throw around the trees at Thorpe Park. 

Still feeling confused or intimidated? Stop in and chat with our staff to smooth over any concerns or let us help you find the perfect disc (or discs!) to start your throwing journey.