One disc for "party situations"

[gameboy9]

OK, here's the situation. One of these days, I'm going to have a whole bunch of people come over to my place, and I want to show them the game of disc golf. Unfortunately, I'm sure a lot of those people don't want to spend $10 for a disc. Sure, they can buy a $2 frisbee, but I'd rather them experience the real thing...... and I don't know if those $2 frisbees are legal to use anyway.

So, I'd appreciate any suggestions you may have for "one disc in a bag" discs; one for those who are good at throwing a frisbee, and another for those who may be throwing a frisbee for the first time. For the record, I will probably use the Innova product, but I have an open mind. :)

Thanks for any help you might have! :)

[ERicJ]

Check the "BEST DISC IN YOUR BAG!! ONLY CAN CHOOSE ONE!!" thread:
http://www.dgcoursereview.com/forums/showthread.php?t=310

Obviously there will be some difference as that thread is being answered by experienced players and you're asking about discs for newbies.

Either way I stand by my recommendation of a Coyote (http://www.innovadiscs.com/discs/coyote.html).

[gameboy9]

Yeah, I was thinking about that thread as I wrote this, but for the newbie reason, I thought that a separate thread would be better.

Meanwhile, thanks for the suggestion... I had one of those and I thought they did well. And then I lost it... grrrrrr...

[humchris85]

ROC a ROC

[mobster]

The Aero is made to be a putter but is an excellent disc for those just beginning.

[timg]

I've found that the Wolf tends to be a pretty good disc for beginners. All the people I've gotten into the sport usually pick up a disc or two at the local sporting goods store (Dick's) and end up with Wolves a lot of the time due to the limited selection. They seem to work pretty well for them.

[cdavid74]

I am a player(addict) that lives in a disc golf dead zone so I have been trying to introduce the sport to just about everybody I know, and have been buying discs that are intended to be loaners for new recruits. I am also still very much a novice player myself, so I feel I can give some good advice on this topic.

I started with a couple of wolves and these were great at first but are now beaten badly and turn over easily. I agree with Tim though, if a potential future junkie is looking to buy a new disc of his own I would not hesitate to suggest a wolf, I would not however buy them as loaners. The aero is one I own and works great as a loaner for a first timer your going to take out to a rec. course. If your taking a newbie out on a "real" course though I would suggest a straight flying mid-range. I have an elite-x buzzz that new players love to throw. The Buzzz can be used by a beginner from anywhere on the course and I think is a great disc to use when introducing a new player to the game. A Roc would also be a fine choice but (at least for me) is more overstable then the Buzzz and therefore harder for a beginner to control.

[ERicJ]

ROC a ROC
Most (RHBH) beginners are going to have everything turn and fade hard to the left. Thus I would stay away from all the overstable discs.

[Donovan]

I gree with the overstable thing too for beginnners. Innova Roc or Discraft Stratus is where my vote would be. I have Roc's and Status' to give out as my loaners, as I do that often.

[gameboy9]

Thanks for all of your help so far! :)

Hmmmm... it looks like the plurality of the votes so far is for Aeros and Rocs and Wolves... I actually might bend toward the Aero because there's no turn or fade according to Innova, so it should work for LH and RHs alike... but I should see if there any more opinions first...

[Donovan]

Thanks for all of your help so far! :)

Hmmmm... it looks like the plurality of the votes so far is for Aeros and Rocs and Wolves... I actually might bend toward the Aero because there's no turn or fade according to Innova, so it should work for LH and RHs alike... but I should see if there any more opinions first...

No matter what you choose, it is a great thing you are doing brother! :cool:

[dgdave]

Super Puppy

[progjake]

If you are willing to stray from Innova, a Discraft Comet is an excellent disc for beginners.
Otherwise I'd throw another vote out there for the Roc.

[Marv Vega]

The Innova Skeeter or Leopard would be a good choice.

[nygfaninva]

I'm just a youngster ay DG myself, but even I have taken out a few of the disc golf 'uninformed' and I always give them my Cheetah, Wolf and Magnet. This combo seems to be my 'Guest Set' and allows them to have a pretty good time.

[ZMan44]

2 suggestions
1) when I began playing I couldn't throw anything without a severe hyzer. a nice local guy saw me and handed me a worn in Polaris LS (Millenium). It literally changed my life. Great newbie disc.
2) A DX Kite is a driver/midrange hybrid, small diameter, and in DX plastic is not very expensive. Flies relatively straight as well.

[nosajeel99]

I agree with what everyone is saying - overstable discs = bad for newbies, especially for those who cannot throw even a Frisbee. I have been working hard on trying to get other people to play and the Aero is the disc that I have had the most success with. It flies kind of like a Frisbee, so it is familiar to the thrower. I would steer clear of drivers and work on slower, understable mid-range discs... or really worn stable discs.

Just a side note, my first disc was an Aero, so it is what got me started.

[Shank]

Most any putter or midrange would be good for new guys. I really would not recommend shotting with fairway drivers and normal drivers to begin with. The sharper rims just take way more control to even throw a mediocre shot, at least for a person new to the sport.

I would say something like an Aero, Roc, Aviar, Coyote, Shark, Wolf....etc..

Aero would be my first pick. It just has a lot of glide and won't punish a new player on a bad shot like some of the other disc. At least give them so confidence.

[Midnightbiker]

Great discs for beginners:

DX Coyote

DX Shark

DX Cobra

Discraft Stratus

DX Stingray

Innova XD


I met a family of 6 at my local course one day. None of them had ever played before and they all had DX Stingrays. They had a great time.

I would also really recommend the XD. Its almost a putter/midrange in one and has a flight rating of HSS-0 and LSS-0 so it flies dead straight for the most part.

[tomschillin]

i'd suggest Aviar Putt & Approach, or what about the Gator?

[radsnowsurfer]

First off don't use a roc unless it's nice and beat and preferably light weight, it's simply too overstable, second I wouldn't recommend the aero because it's a putter and I think they're actually harder to drive far for new players. Look into getting some good lightweight plastic if you can, my favorite loaner disc for a long time was a seasoned 150 champion eagle, it went far and wasn't so understable that they could get a way with super hyzer flipping the disc. I would probable cast my vote for the discraft stratus, but a 150 valk or eagle might not be a bad choice either.

[DannyM]

One other disc you may want to look into is the innova Kite. It is fairly straight, has pretty good lift, and is beginner friendly as well. We have a club at our local course that is at a recreation park, and there are a group of mentally challenged individuals that have "work days" about 2-3 times a year and they come and help us with course maint. Afterwards, we provide lunch for them, and then go and play some holes. We got with Harold Duvall <From Innova East coast div>, and asked him a good disc to provide for them, and he suggested the Kite, we even got them in a VERY light weight 130-150g.
I think we had as much fun watching them play as we did for anything else.
Another mid range suggestion may be a skeeter.

[magictenor1]

The shark is a nice beginner disc. That would be my vote.

[Luddy]

The shark is a nice beginner disc. That would be my vote.

I concur. Pretty much any of the multipurpose midrange discs are a go for n00bs.

[gameboy9]

RESULT! (As they say in Super Monkey Ball's Billiards mini-game...)

I wound up buying five Aeros of differing weights and different colors. That should be enough for a party situation here.

Also wound up buying six mini discs, all of different colors, in case we have the notion to play mini-disc golf.

[Midnightbiker]

I found the Minis are fun for the little kids to play with.

[teejw13]

i hand one of my buzzzes to the new players i bring along. (usually a flx if i want it to stay in good condition). but i've also handed out a classic roc or two. both fly straight and tend to be very beginner friendly

[Texconsinite]

When I bring new players with me, I let them use a two disc set
1) a beat-in dragon
2) One of my putters, usually an omega supersoft

The great thing about hte Dragon is that my friends can play with no fear, since it will float. Overwise, they would be too worried about losing my discs, and not have as much fun. Also, its beat in, so it flies too understable for me, but alot better for newbies.

However, I think you all are right about drivers, even fairway, requiring alot more control to get a good throw with for newbies. For that reason, I think a Hydra would be the way to go, since its smooth, rounded sides are easy to grip, and not horribly different from a frisbee, plus the floating thing.

Several of the players I taught to play have since gone out and gotten their own discs. I had them try i bunch of different midranges & drivers, and they all ended up buying dragons as their first driver.

Thats my four cents, anyways. Lets all give ourselves a pat on the back for trying to grow our sport.

[MattK]

+1 For the Hydra. It's a nice midrange / putter with the feel of a non disc-golf Frisbee that floats in water - so you can't go wrong there.

When I first started I couldn't properly throw a driver. I still can't throw anything overstable, except with the forehand. So I agree with most here that light, understable and midrange is the way to go. The Shark and the Wolf come to mind only because the big chain sporting goods stores around here tend to stock them. But if you're going to order in bulk online, just look for the cheapest deals. Some places have X-outs for 5 bucks, just find some of them that seem suitable and you're good to go.

[gcoghill]

I'd say the Discraft Comet or Meteor are good discs for inexperienced players. The Comet is a straight-shooter approach disc, and the Meteor has a slight right fade. I think the right fades help overcompensate for the way most people throw - which is to say their throws will usually fade hard left, even with a straight disc.

The Discraft Z-Glide also has a nice slight right fade, and newbie friends have had good time throwing that disc as well. The rims of all of these are also more similar to a standard freestyle disc, which probably helps as well for the grip.

I have never loaned my Stratus as I use that as on of my main drivers, but I think it too would have a nice feel for someone just starting out.

[Texconsinite]

gottagogottathrow.com is a good place to get X-outs. Went to the actual store friday, its like a huge warehouse jammed full of every disc imaginable. Got an X-out Star Wraith for $11.

[BrotherDave]

I had a Coyote that I lent to my bro when we went and he threw it very well for a newbie.

[discflinger]

One disc for a newb, I'd probably giv'em a dx stingray.