Disc Stability: Everything you need to know to play today

Stability 101

Whether you’re a professional with years of experience in the disc game or you are just starting out, knowing how you can improve the stability of your disc will drastically improve your disc golf game.

Brodie Smith, a professional disc golfer, gives the secret to disc stability 101: mold, type of plastic, weight of disc, nose angle and form, arm speed, disc condition, and wind. Once you understand how your disc flies, you’re ready for the major leagues.

MOLD

The three types of disc molds are overstable, neutral, and understable. But which one is ultimately best? Well, that really depends on what you’re looking for.

Overstable Discs: For right-hand, back-hand (RHBH) throwers, an overstable disc will turn more to the left when first thrown, opposite to the disc’s spin. Professionals usually choose overstable discs because they are the most consistent, but newbies may find them a little more difficult.

An overstable disc is the Yikun

Fairway Driver, View, that can be found in our store

here.

Neutral Discs: Neutral discs are typically the go-tos for drivers since, though they may curve slightly, they will ultimately land in a straight line. If you’re new to disc golf or simply enjoy a nice, predictable disc, add this one to your repertoire.

A neutral disc can be found in our RPM Premium 3 Disc Starter Disc Golf Set as the Huia. You can find the disc golf set here.

Understable Discs: Typically the beginner’s choice, understable discs don’t require a lot of speed to get a great throw.

Understable discs are easier to control for newbies, which is why you’ll also often see them in other sports.

Understable discs drift the furthest to the right for RHBH throwers.

Also in the Yikun Discs Disc Golf Set (here) you can find the Putter, Gui, an understable disc.

TYPE OF PLASTIC

Growing up, you’ve probably had a disc made from the worse plastic imaginable. When you threw it, it may have flipped over in the wind, flown completely off course, or simply made a good outdoor plate. When it comes to disc golf, the goal is to research the types of plastic, as each one will fly differently

WEIGHT OF DISC

Heavier discs may provide more stability, while lighter plastic will allow your disc to fly further. Some plastics, though lightweight, greater durability than heavier versions, so always do your research before settling on one disc.

Lighter discs tend to be more understable, making it more likely that they will flip over. The heavier the disc and the faster you throw it, the more stable it will be.

NOSE ANGLE AND FORM

Nose up, nose down, or somewhere in between, each way that you hold your disc has a significant impact on how your disc will fly. There are three types of hyzer and nose angles: hyzer, flat, and anhyzer, and nose up, flat, and nose down.

A hyzer angle describes the downward angle at which you release the disc. The edge of the disc opposite to your grip points downward. The flat angle is just what you would expect: your disc is parallel to the ground. The anhyzer angle is opposite to the hyzer angle. The edge of the disc opposite to your grip in this case points upward.

The nose angles are relative to the front of the disc. For example, a nose-up angle is the raised edge of the disc facing your target, while a nose-down angle is the opposite. Same as always, the flat angle is parallel to the ground.

ARM SPEED

You may have noticed that the pros, even with an unstable disc, tend to have a lot of stability, which has almost everything to do with speed. The faster you can rip your arm through a decent throw, the more stable it will be.

In fact, you may notice that, if you can crank out exceptional speed, your disc will start to fly the way it is supposed to. All it takes is practice and consistency.

DISC CONDITION

You may think that the best type of disc is a new one, but there are pros with years-old discs that would disagree with you. The way your disc is dinged from years of use will ultimately help it fly better. So, enjoy the dings. You may find that your favourite disc becomes the one with the most damage.

WIND

It should be no surprise that wind plays a monumental role in how well your disc will fly. Even with the most stable disc, you will see a significant change in the way it flies with a good, stiff wind.

THE KEY TO STABILITY

To play the best game, practice what you’ve learned with a variety of discs. Find out how your unique way of tossing a disc changes with every element you change on the course. Soon enough, you’ll be the best player on the course.

Now with all these factors in mind, go ahead and hit the courses! If you need more information, there's a very interesting piece by Discraft that you can find here.

Tags: anhyzer, beginners, disc golf, hyzer, neutral, overstable, stability, stable, understable, wind

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