Disc golf: 5 understable (and overlooked) discs for beginners

Disc golf is fun.

You know what, though?

It’s even more fun when a disc flies the way you want it to. Still, no matter how hard many might try, that arm speed’s just not (yet) where it needs to be. As a result, regardless of speed, weight or plastic, everything flies like an Invictus. If this sounds familiar, you might often ask yourself …

“What am I supposed to throw?”

Unsolicited Advice: Pull a page from the FPO playbook – go understable.

Fiddle through enough FPO bags, and you’ll undoubtedly find plenty of Forces, Enforcers and Destroyers – they’re great discs. However, on the flip-side (pun intended) of the disc-stability spectrum, you’ll also find a buttload of Shrykes, Thrashers and Trespasses in said bags.

The Dealio: Unless you consistently throw 400-plus feet, you should do the same.

The following are five rock-solid, understable discs from five different brands that’ll work well in anybody’s bag, regardless of distance capability. Also, and I don’t know why this is the case, these molds tend to be overlooked by WAY too many serious, bag-building disc golfers …

Keep an eye out for ‘em:

1. Putter: The Latitude 64 Keystone

Driving with putters is the ultimate in disc golf “one-uppetry.”

To put a hurt on the egos of your more talented cardmates, should you find yourself in need of a quality throwing putter, look no further than the Keystone – the more pedestrian your arm speed, the better. It’s a putter. It flies straight. Here’s the real kicker, though: It glides for an eternity.

Seriously, don’t be surprised if this thing flies farther than your midranges.

If yours is a faster arm, this’ll make for a great turnover or get-out-of-jail disc.

* The Keystone: 2 (speed), 5 (glide), -1 (turn) and 1 (fade).

2. Midrange: The Axiom Paradox

This midrange isn’t only understable: It’s AGGRESSIVELY understable.

If you’re taking a buddy out to play for the first time, hook him up with this thing. For him, even with craptastic form, it’ll travel a good bit before fading off. And for you, if you’re tired of your Roc3s eventually hooking up when thrown on turnover lines, give the Paradox a whirl …

It’ll drift to the right – and then KEEP drifting right.

Furthermore, for what it’s worth, I learned to hyzer-flip midranges with a fan grip using this frisbee. If yours is a similar goal, I can’t recommend the Paradox enough for helping out.

* The Paradox: 5 (speed), 4 (glide), -4 (turn) and 0 (fade).

3. Midrange: The Discraft Meteor

Okay, so this one is a little more obvious …

It’s maybe not quite as “overlooked” as the others in this post – I’ll give you that.

But before a certain someone came along, next to nobody flirted with a Meteor, let alone bagged one: I’m talking about Brodie Smith, of course. Since turning pro three years back, Mr. Smith has made the Meteor his own – throngs of devoted fans have followed suit. If the low-profile, easy-to-grip midrange is good enough for The Darkhorse, it’ll probably work for you, too.

And it’s NOT a meathook – far from it, in fact.

Brand new, a Meteor will fly like a beat-in Buzzz. If you see Paul McBeth hyzer-flip an ESP Buzzz and want to do the same, what your amateur arm really needs is a month-old Meteor.

* The Meteor: 5 (speed), 5 (glide), -3 (turn) and 1 (fade).

4. Fairway: The Innova Archangel

This one’s random enough to make up for the Meteor being in vogue right now.

With it, there’s bad news AND good (-ish) news, though …

• The Bad News: This disc will be a bit overstable brand new. 
• The Good News: This disc only comes in DX (baseline) plastic.

The Archangel will start off with some beef, but give this fairway driver a few solid whacks into nearby trees, and she’ll get flippy (and glidey) REAL quick. Kevin Jones is known for his severe hyzer-angle releases. If you’ve seen him work an F5 from hyzer, to flat to fade, even in baseline plastic, this disc can help you achieve something similar in the air – just not quite as far, obvi.

Don’t knock it until you try it, peeps.

* The Archangel: 8 (speed), 6 (glide), -4 (turn) and 1 (fade).

5. Fairway: The Dynamic Discs Escape

This disc will ALWAYS have a place in my bag.

Unlike the other golf frisbees on this list, if yours is a slower arm speed, this disc is going to have some bite to it – that’s not necessarily a bad thing. If you’ve ever thrown a Thunderbird and felt it flew like a Firebird, the Escape will FINALLY get that Thunderbird-esque flight in your bag.

The biggest perk, though?

I keep going back to it, because it’s awesome for newbies: It glides for days.

I’ve been in the sport for a few years, so my arm’s not elite, but it’s not trash, either. But even for me, it’s not uncommon for my Escapes to fly just as far, if not farther than my Star Destroyers. 

No, the Escape’s not technically an “understable” disc to begin with, but it’s one of the best grow-with-your-game discs on the market. As your arm speed increases and your Escape earns some battle scars, it’ll become a stable-to-understable thrower for you out on the D.G. course.

* The Escape: 9 (speed), 5 (glide), -1 (turn) and 2 (fade).

Where are the distance drivers, right?

If you’re TRULY a beginner, don’t worry about ‘em – that time will come.

Now, if I could shout it from the rooftops, I would: The above five discs are what I think are great understable options for new disc golfers – not what YOU think, Mr. Keyboard Warrior.

Literally, there are thousands of discs on the market, many of which very well could’ve satisfied the demands of my headline beautifully – better than the ones I went with, I’m sure. But again, this is what I know. This is what I’ve experienced. I love disc golf – I want you to love it, too.

Rest assured, these five discs will help in that quest.

Have anything to add? Take to Twitter to let us know – we’ll actually (for real) get back to you.

Editor’s Suggestions:

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