So you’re an Ultimate Frisbee player and you’ve found your way to this post…well, alright! I’m really glad you’re here because in this post, we’re going to be going over a lot of stuff to help you figure out this Disc Golf thing.
Disc Golf is a lot different than Ultimate, and in your rounds on the Disc Golf course, you’re going to need more than just one disc to help you play well.
So while you’re here, we’re going to look at what you want in a Disc Golf disc if you’ve come from Ultimate Frisbee. Then before you go, we’ll look at 17 of the best disc recommendations for new players transitioning over from Ultimate. So, what are the 17 best discs for Ultimate players?
The 17 best Disc Golf discs for Ultimate Frisbee players
1. Innova Aviar
2. Dynamic Discs Judge
3. Discraft Comet
4. Innova Roc
5. Discraft Buzzz
6. MVP Tangent
7. Innova Mako3
8. Innova Nova
9. Latitude 64 Pearl
10. Latitude 64 Pure
11. Innova Atlas
12. Innova Coyote
13. Discraft Magnet
14. Innova Condor
15. Prodigy PA-4
16. Kastaplast Berg
17. Innova Wolf
What’s the difference between Ultimate Frisbee and Disc Golf?
Even though you use a frisbee/disc in a similar fashion in both sports, there’s obviously a couple of huge differences between the two. I wrote a full length post on this called, “What’s the Difference Between Ultimate Frisbee and Disc Golf?” You can check it out through the link, but we narrowed those differences into a couple of things:
How it’s played
Ultimate Frisbee is a team sport where 7 players play against 7 players. You try to score by getting your disc into the endzone. Disc Golf is an individual sport where it’s player versus player and you try to score by getting your disc in a metal basket in the least amount of shots as possible.
Where it’s played
Ultimate is played on a 100-meter long field with endzones on both sides. Disc Golf is played on open courses that could be woods, open field, or other terrain.
Discs/Frisbees
While both kinds of circular equipment are similar, they couldn’t be any more different. Ultimate discs are all the same. Large, 175 gram white discs that glide for days. Disc Golf discs are smaller and thinner, range in weight, and there are four different types of discs used depending on situation or shot.
Why should Ultimate players play disc golf?
There are a ton of great reasons why Ultimate players should play disc golf. So here are a couple of them:
1. Semi-easy transition: as an Ultimate player, you already know the general movement of forehand and backhand throws. Develop some Disc Golf technique and you’re golden.
2. Easy to learn: the rules of Disc Golf are simple – throw your disc and try to make it in the basket in as few throws as possible. See? Easy peasy. There are obviously more rules but disc golf is simple and very easy to learn.
3. It’s a fun, chill activity: imagine the same feeling you had when you got addicted to Ultimate. Yeah, Disc Golf will give you that, too! It’s super fun and is usually an easygoing and chill environment.
4. Can be mentally and physically challenging: when played competitively, Disc Golf can be both physically demanding and mentally challenging.
5. You get to play with awesome discs: in Ultimate, there’s only one option – a large 175 gram disc. In Disc Golf there four types of discs used on the course. Among those four, there are many different brands with hundreds of different models, weights, plastics, and colors to choose from.
6. You can play both: even though both sports are played differently, you can play both and don’t have to choose between the two!
What Ultimate players should be looking for in a disc: flight ratings
Flight ratings are something Ultimate players don’t really have to worry about in Ultimate Frisbee because they only use one disc. But in disc golf, flight ratings are super important and are made up of four numbers.
The four numbers on a disc golf disc are a flight ratings system that represent the true characteristics of a disc golf disc as it flies through the air, including the speed, glide, turn, and fade of the disc. From left to right, these numbers include:
Speed: how fast the disc must be thrown. The first number. Ranges from 1 to 14 with 14 meaning the disc has to be thrown very fast.
Glide: how the long the disc can stay in the air. The second number. If the disc is thrown at the correct speed, it will glide appropriately. Ranges from 1 to 7 with 7 being the most glide.
Turn: how much the disc turns to the right when first thrown (rhbh thrower). The third number. Ranges from -5 to 1 with -5 being the most turn.
Fade: how much the disc turns to the left at the end of it’s flight (rhbh thrower). The fourth number. Ranges from 0 to 5 with 5 being the most fade.
All of these numbers mean that a disc will fly a certain way if thrown correctly.
So what are the flight ratings of an Ultimate disc?
Well, it’s hard to know exactly because flight ratings aren’t assigned to Ultimate discs. But my best guess would be 2, 5, -2, 1.
All this means is that the Ultimate Frisbee disc needs to be thrown with 2 speed, which means it doesn’t need to be thrown very hard. The glide is 5, which means it will glide a lot if thrown hard enough. The turn is -2 which means it will turn to the right a fair amount in the beginning. And at the end of flight, the fade is 1, which means it won’t fade to the left a lot when it slows down.
Basically, an Ultimate disc flies far without a lot of effort and flies fairly straight. This means you need disc golf discs similar to this.
You want thick, large diameter discs that weigh in at around 175 grams. That’s easy to find. You also want to stay away from a drivers at first and stick to putters or mid-range discs with a speed of less than 5. If you follow those guidelines, your transition from Ultimate Frisbee to Disc Golf should be fairly painless.
In the next section, we’re going to talk about 17 of the best Disc Golf discs for Ultimate Frisbee players. Discs that are large in diameter, feel like an Ultimate disc, fly like an Ultimate disc, and have similar flight ratings. So let’s take a look!
The 17 best discs for Ultimate Frisbee players
Our #1 Pick for Ultimate Players – Innova Aviar (Putter – 2, 3, 0, 1)
The Innova Aviar is one of the most popular discs in the entire world. It is the most popular putter in the world (as of fall 2019). This disc is large in diameter and fairly thick, which makes it very easy to throw. It is classified as a stable-straight putter making it a great choice for Ultimate players looking to make the jump. It’s a really great all-around beginner disc, so this would be my #1 recommendation to any new players. It may technically be a “putter,” but it can be used for all shots as a new or transitioning player. Don’t go for anything fancy at first. This disc is simple and that’s what you need.
Grab a regular Innova Aviar here on Discgolfunited.com.
2. Dynamic Discs Judge – Putter (2, 4, 0, 1)
Oh man, I absolutely love the Judge. I’m a big fan of Dynamic Discs in general, but the Judge is my go-to putter. I would rank the Judge #1, but from a popularity standpoint in the #discgolfcommunity, most people prefer the Aviar. But why not get both?
My preference is the Judge because it’s a little bit stiffer of a disc and it flies just a little bit farther than the Aviar if thrown correctly. But don’t take my word for it. Grab an Aviar and the Judge to test out and see which you like better. Both discs are fantastic starter discs and will be easy transition discs for Ultimate players.
Grab a Dynamic Discs Judge here on InfiniteDiscs.com.
3. Discraft Comet – Mid-range (4, 5, -2, 1)
The Comet is a really fantastic disc for Ultimate players wanting to try out Disc Golf. It is very straight-flying and has a ton of glide, plus I feel like the Comet matches the flight ratings of an Ultimate disc (just has to be thrown a little bit harder). But this disc is not hard to throw and has been compared to an Ultrastar (because of how big it is), making this a great transition disc for Ultimate players.
Grab a Discraft Comet here on InfiniteDiscs.com.
4. Innova Roc – Mid-range (4, 4, 0, 3)
The Roc is one of the most popular discs on the market today. Although it’s on the faster end of the spectrum for beginner players, Ultimate players might like this disc as they should be able to throw it with enough speed. It has a bit of fade on the end of flight so you’ll see this disc (for rhbh throwers) tail to the left. But the fade doesn’t normally crush your throw as it is subtle and consistent. The Roc is a great all-around Disc Golf disc that an Ultimate player can easily transition with.
You can get an Innova Roc here on Discgolfunited.com.
5. Discraft Buzzz – Mid-range (5, 4, -1, 1)
If some Disc Golfers saw that I put the Buzzz at #5, they might honestly be insulted. Because the Buzzz is hands down the most popular Disc Golf disc in the world. But I believe that there are a few discs that are better for transitioning Ultimate players, so those Disc Golf players will just have to be mad.
Anyways, I did put the Buzzz on this list, though. And that means that it is a good disc to try out. There’s nothing wrong with any of the discs on this list, so any of them in your hands will help you learn about Disc Golf. So the Buzzz is definitely one to try.
Grab a Discraft Buzzz here on InfiniteDiscs.com.
6. MVP Tangent – Mid-range (4, 4, -0.5, 0.5)
The Tangent is a phenominal mid-range disc from Maple Valley Plastics (MVP). The Tangent made my list of best all-around discs to play rounds with. This means that, even though there are many discs that we can use during a round, this disc can do it all. It’s very easy to throw and it flies straight for new players.
Grab a Tangent here on InfiniteDiscs.com.
7. Innova Mako3 – Mid-range (5, 4, 0, 0)
The Mako3 is similar to the speed and glide of the Roc, but should fly much straighter for you. Ultimate Frisbee players will especially appreciate the Mako3, especially in champion plastic. It will feel more familiar both in the hand and in the air to the classic Ultimate disc. This disc is also just a great disc for new players, as it super straight-flying and is extremely forgiving.
Grab an Innova Mako3 here on Discgolfunited.com.
8. Innova Nova – Putter (2, 3, 0, 0)
The Nova is an extremely popular putter in Disc Golf. It is hailed as one of the straightest Disc Golf discs ever made and it is a really great starter disc for those new to disc golf. Ultimate players will like how tall the Nova is in height. It’s a very predictable disc and once you start learning angles and shot shaping, the Nova is really handy to have. The #1 Disc Golfer in the world, Paul McBeth, crushed it with this disc when he was sponsored by Innova.
You can get one here on InfiniteDiscs.com.
9. Latitude 64 Pearl – Mid-range (4, 6, -4, 0)
The Pearl is a great starter disc for true beginners. New players and transitioning Ultimate frisbee players stand to benefit from this heavily understable, very light mid-range.
Grab one here on InfiniteDiscs.com.
10. Latitude 64 Pure – Putter (3, 3, -1, 1)
The Pure is Latitude 64’s super popular beginner-friendly putter. It is one of their straightest flying discs and is a really great choice for Ultimate Frisbee players looking to try Disc Golf. Even though it’s a putter, this disc is a great all-around disc to play full rounds with. It stays straight and it is surprisingly glidey for only a 3 glide rating.
Grab a Pure here on InfiniteDiscs.com.
11. Innova Atlas – Mid-range (5, 5, 0, 1)
I’m a huge fan of the Atlas. This disc has taken my game from bad to very good. And while it’s on the high end of speed for a transitioning Ultimate player, I believe that this straight-flying, high-glide disc could really help you learn disc golf the right way. It’s a double mold disc, meaning two pieces of plastic molded together, and it just feels really nice in your hand.
Check out the Atlas here on InfiniteDiscs.com.
12. Innova Coyote – Mid-range (4, 5, 0, 1)
The Coyote is a great disc for new players starting to get a hang of this disc golf thing. It’s a wonderful multipurpose disc with a small amount of turn and fade during flight. It’s also very controllable, which makes it nice for short to moderate drives on the course. It also makes our list because it may not be the most popular disc, but almost everyone who uses it loves it.
You can get one here on InfiniteDiscs.com.
13. Discraft Magnet – Putter (2, 3, -1, 2)
The Magnet is a really good, large diameter putter from Discraft with a stiff bead, a short rim, and a slightly domed top. The Magnet is a very beginner-friendly putter also that flies with some turn and a tiny amount of fade. This is a great disc to start out with because it’s very easy to throw.
Check it out here on InfiniteDiscs.com.
14. Innova Condor – Mid-range (3, 4, 0, 2)
According to the #discgolfcommunity, the Condor is the king of rollers (a disc golf shot where the disc rolls along the ground for distance). This disc has a large diameter, probably the biggest out of all the discs on this list, which makes it a good transition disc for Ultimate Frisbee players. These discs normally fly stable and straight. But they’re very slow, so not recommended as anything more than a training disc.
If you’re new, you can check this one out on InfiniteDiscs.com.
15. Prodigy PA-4 – Putter (3, 3, -1, 1)
I’m a big fan of the PA-4. It looks and feels like an Aviar, but flies just a bit straighter. This is a disc designed for beginners, making it a good choice for Ultimate players when picking out discs.
You can get a PA-4 here on InfiniteDiscs.com.
16. Kastaplast Berg – Putter (1, 1, 0, 2)
The Berg is a slow flying putter that stays stable and never drifts too far away from the target. Being that it’s fairly overstable, the Berg is consistent and reliable with a predictable ending fade.
You can get one here on InfiniteDiscs.com.
17. Innova Wolf – Mid-range (4, 3, -4, 1)
The Wolf is the most understable disc that Innova offers. This is a fantastic disc for beginners trying to learn how to throw straight and it’s an good option for ultimate frisbee players looking to break into disc golf.
Grab yours here on InfiniteDiscs.com.
And once you get better…
And once you get a little better at disc golf, you can check out our post, “37 Best Disc Golf Discs for Beginners (You Need These).” This post will show you some other beginner disc options along with some fairway driver options for after you start improving. Check it out!
Overall
If you play Ultimate Frisbee, you should most definitely check out Disc Golf! Hopefully I’ve been able to show you that disc golf is pretty awesome and a really great alternative to Ultimate. But don’t just take my word…try it out for yourself. It’s a bit challenging at first, but with the help of some of the discs in this post, you’ll be crushing it on the disc golf course in no time!
Related Content
Below, check out some of our best related content!
Disc Golf 101: A Step By Step Beginner’s Guide
101 Disc Golf Tips to Take Your Game to the Next Level
27 Best Disc Golf Bags (Yes, You Need One of These)
27 Best Disc Golf Shoes: Ranked by Price!
Awesome! Hope you liked those articles. But wait…there’s more!
Don’t Forget!
Before you go, don’t forget to pick up a copy of our book, “The Disc Golf Player’s Manual.” This beginner disc golf book is absolutely packed full of the best tips, tricks, and advice in the game today. Pick up a copy and watch your game improve tenfold!