Best Disc Golf Discs for Beginners

Disc golf should be a fun sport that you go to the park and have fun with friends playing, with the wrong type of discs, however, it can turn into a very frustrating sport. Getting the right disc in your hand is crucial to enjoying the sport and being able to get a disc to fly the way you expect it to on every hole! By the end of this article you should be able to confidently search a disc golf store and find the best disc golf discs for your game!

Understanding Disc Speed

When trying to figure out what the best disc is for a new player. The first thing to look at is the disc speed. This is a part of a bigger sequence of 4 numbers called flight numbers. The first number in this set of 4 defines the speed and in general is a vague description of the amount of speed required on a throw to get a disc to act as it is intended to. When first starting out, it is a good idea to stick with lower numbers. I wouldn't recommend anything above a 7 speed. These discs will be much more controllable and give you something to grow into as your game improves.

If you are trying to just go out and have fun, then ignore this next part and get yourself a putter, mid, and driver from the list below and head out to the course to have fun with your buddies! If however you are really trying to get better at disc golf, it is important that you start with a strong foundation. The best way to do this is by picking out a neutral flying putter and get good at throwing it straight first before you move up. The benefit of doing this when first starting is that it will show you your mistakes as you make them and allow you to correct them. It is hard to hide mistakes in your form with a neutral putter but that isn't always true with a flippy or overstable mid range or driver. A neutral putter will also be the easiest disc to get to fly straight when you are first starting out. Once you have that flight down, then it is time to move on to faster and faster discs. 

What to Look for in a Disc

When you are browsing the web and searching for the next great disc to add to your bag, I would look for a few keywords in how discs are described and gravitate towards those if you choose to look outside of the list below. The first words that are crucial for beginners is 'understable' or 'flippy'. If a disc is being described like that online, it typically means that it is going to be easier to throw straight when first starting out. As you get more arm speed, the understable disc will begin to fight against the traditional flight path and start being a little bit more unpredictable and require more touch to throw correctly. The more understable a disc is, the easier it will be to throw straight at slow speeds which is exactly what you are looking for. 

Another keyword for beginners is 'glide'. If a disc is described to have a lot of glide, it typically denotes that the disc shows characteristics of wanting to stay in the air during flight. This is an uncommon trait of overstable discs which makes it a great trait for beginner discs. The combination of glide and understability is exactly what you are looking for to make disc golf as stress free as possible when you are first learning your form.

The main keyword to avoid is anything relating to the disc being 'overstable' or liking to 'fight headwinds'. What this means is that the disc will essentially want to dive out of the flight in its natural direction (left for a right handed player throwing backhand) and be frustrating to try and get distance and control with when first starting. As you improve, overstability will be your best friend, but you have to be ready to use it before you get to that point. 

My Recommendations

The discs below are all going to be great choices when you are first starting out and will help make your experience with disc golf a lot more enjoyable! Each of  these will be great options to get you out on the course and throwing as straight as you can in a controlled fashion. I highly recommend that you start watching some form tutorials on YouTube and learning how to throw the correct way from the beginning so that you don't have to go back and relearn how to play and rebuild your form in the future. As someone who didn't do that, it can be a very frustrating process!

Hopefully using the knowledge from this post and picking from the list below, you will be able to break your personal record at your local course and start beating your friends with ease! Focus on getting really comfortable with your new discs before you start looking for newer and faster discs to add to your bag. Remember, disc golf is supposed to be fun and with the right discs in your hands, it will be!

Dynamic Discs Deputy 

The Deputy is a great choice for beginners. This disc has plenty of glide and a very neutral to slightly understable flight which is exactly what you want  out of a putter when you are first starting out! The Deputy has a low profile and comfortable hand feel that most players will find comfortable.

Discraft Roach

The Roach from Discraft is another great putter option. It has a very neutral flight with a slight fade at the end. The main factor that I think sets the Roach apart is its glide. It offers a very controllable flight and can grow with you. Players of all skill levels rely on the roach to cover every putter shot they are faced with on the course and for a good reason. The disc just goes where you throw it. 

Innova Aviar

The Innova Aviar is considered by many to be the gold standard of putters. This is probably the most common beginner putter on the market. It has been around for a very long time and is what a lot of the most popular putters on the market are inspired by. The Aviar is easy to throw and a great choice for the neutral putter slot in your game. 

Discraft Sol

In my opinion, this is by far the best beginner mid range on the market. The only disc that really rivals it is the next one on the list, the Paradox. The Sol has a lot of glide and a very understable flight which makes it very easy for beginners to throw and control on the course! 

Axiom Paradox

The Paradox is somewhat newer to the market and is quickly becoming one of the more popular beginner mid-ranges out there. Beginners will have no trouble throwing this one straight and it's flight is very forgiving with the common mistakes that beginners make when throwing. The feel and flight of this disc are almost between a mid and a putter which plays into it being a great choice for beginners!

Latitude 64 Diamond

The Latitude 64 Diamond should be the goto driver for beginners. This disc is designed for new players to be able to get some extra distance and a full flight out of a driver. This combined with the lightweight of the disc makes it a perfect fit for players looking to take that next step in their game.

Innova Leopard

The Leopard from Innova is one of the original beginner drivers on the market. It has plenty of glide and a nice understable flight that will make it easy to throw. It still requires some speed to get it to do what you want, but if you are looking for that driver that is as easy to control as it gets, the Leopard is for you!

Discraft Heat

If you are looking for your first disc golf driver, look no more! The Heat is the perfect disc to step up to when you are looking to add some distance to your game. This disc is very easy to throw and has incredible glide.