Disc Selection

Advanced Flight Ratings

Read beyond the four numbers to predict flight.

Why it matters

The four numbers describe a brand-new disc thrown at full professional speed, which is two assumptions that are false for almost everybody. Understanding what the numbers leave out is the difference between predicting a flight and being surprised by it.

How to do it

Assume every disc flies more overstable than its numbers at below-design speed. This is the single biggest correction to make.
Account for wear. Discs become more understable as they are used, so a well-thrown disc is a different disc from the one you bought.
Account for plastic. The same mould in base and premium plastic has the same printed numbers and noticeably different flights, and the base one changes much faster.
Account for weight. A lighter disc of the same mould flies further for less power and is more understable in practice.
Look at the disc itself: how domed it is, and how high the parting line sits on the rim, both affect stability within the same mould and run.
Treat numbers as a starting point for a conversation with the disc, not as a prediction.

Common mistakes

Expecting two discs with identical numbers to fly identically.Different brands, plastics, weights, runs and amounts of wear all move the flight. The numbers are a rough bracket.

Being surprised when a favourite disc starts turning over.That is wear, and it is normal. Buy its replacement before you need it so you have a fresh one broken in behind it.

Buying a disc on numbers alone without throwing it.Fifteen throws tells you more than any specification. Borrow one first where you can.

Key points

Plastic and wear change stability over time.
Beat-in discs turn more; fresh discs are more stable.
Weight affects how a mold flies for you.

The drill

Drill · Same mould, different ages — 10 throws each with a fresh and a worn copy of the same disc. If you have a new and a well-used copy of one mould, throw ten of each at the same target. The difference is usually dramatic and it is the clearest possible demonstration that the printed numbers describe a moment in a disc’s life rather than a permanent property.

Watch: Why You Should Learn Flight Numbers! | Disc Golf Basics — Latitude 64