So you’ve got a weak arm. Hey, that’s called being new to disc golf. Anybody and everybody that’s really started playing this awesome sport has probably experienced having a weak arm and a weak throw.
I know I did. When I was brand new to this sport, I had no clue how to throw a disc. And even with some help, my throws just plain sucked. My throws were weak, my rounds were tough, and my scores were, well, pretty bad. This was blowing my mind because I’m not a weak guy. I weightlift 4-5 days a week and I’m a decently fit person. But my throws still felt weak.
So I kept playing and I kept improving. My throws got better and my arm got stronger. Now I’m up to playing with high-speed drivers and I can normally throw my disc over 300+ feet.
So before we get into this post any further, let’s look at my recommendations for disc golf discs that work best for players with weak arms.
The 7 best disc golf discs for weak arms
My #1 pick – Dynamic Discs Judge
2. Latitude 64 Ruby
3. Loft Discs Hydrogen
4. Discraft Comet
5. Axiom Paradox
6. Discraft Buzzz
7. Innova Leopard
Do you have a weak arm?
Now if you feel like your arm is weak, that’s okay. Even if you’re not a new disc golfer, this post will definitely help you.
Recently, my wife started playing and she’s been having the same issue. She’s pretty small and doesn’t have much physical strength. So I made it my mission to help her get better. She’s had to rely on proper technique, practice, increasing her physical strength, and the right discs in order to improve her game.
This post is going to go through everything that I used to get better when I first started and everything I told her about improving her arm strength. In this post, you’ll find:
- 5 key things to look for in a disc (if your arm is weak).
- The 7 best disc golf discs for weak arms.
And before you stop reading, check out my tips on how to improve your arm strength! I put this after all of the disc recommendations because those disc recommendations are what you actually came for ⬇️.
- 3 ways to improve your arm strength and become an awesome disc golfer.
What you’re looking for in a disc (if your arm is weak)
If your arm is weak, there are 5 key things that want to look for when selecting a disc. These are hugely important and can really make or break your ability to improve. When I first started, I used high-speed drivers and I DID NOT improve at all. Once I went back to using discs that matched these 5 key characteristics, I started to get better. Take these 5 key things seriously.
Low speed – the first thing you want to look for in a disc is low speed. The speed of a disc, or the first number of a disc’s flight ratings (the four numbers on the front of a disc), is how hard a disc has to be thrown in order to fly correctly.
Speed ranges from +1 to +15. For weaker arms, you want very low speed of no more than 6 at the most. It’s better to have discs around 2, 3, or 4 speed. Those are really easy to throw and will fly how you want them to.
High glide – the next thing to look for is high glide. Glide, or the second number in a disc’s flight ratings, is how long a disc will stay in the air (if you throw it hard enough).
Glide ranges from +1 to +7. If your arm is weaker, you want to pick a disc with a high glide rating of at least 4. Discs with more glide (between 4-7) are perfect for new players because they will stay in the air for much longer. That’s what you want!
High turn – the third thing to look for is high turn. Turn, or the third number in a disc’s flight ratings, is basically how much a disc turns to the right when first thrown (for right-handed throwers).
Turn ranges from -5 to +1. Weak arms want more high speed turn, meaning you want more toward the -5 (+1 is the least turn and -5 is the most turn). So you’ll want at least a 0 or more. -1 to -3 turn are the best ratings to look for.
Low fade – the fourth thing to look for is low fade. Fade, or the fourth number in a disc’s flight ratings, is simply how much a disc turn to the left at the end of its flight (for right-handed throwers).
Fade ranges from 0 to +5. Weaker arms want no fade if possible because fade makes a disc very hard to throw for weaker arms or those who have just started playing disc golf. Try to find discs with 0 fade. Even +1 fade is tough, but those discs are usually not a huge issue.
Low disc weight – the fifth and final characteristic to look for in a disc is low disc weight. The weight of a disc is measured in grams. Most discs come in all sorts of weights ranging from the low 130s (130 grams) all the way up to 180 grams. I wouldn’t recommend a 130 gram disc because those are way too light, sometimes hard to find, and don’t play well in the wind. 170-180 is too heavy for weaker arms.
Instead, I would look for disc anywhere from 140-165 grams. The lower the better but it’s really up to you and what weight you can handle.
Caution: don’t throw drivers (at first)
Before I show you my recommendations, I want to caution you against throwing any and all drivers. Why? Well, because they’re normally very hard to throw intermediate to advanced discs. Players with weaker arms will have a lot of trouble throwing these discs.
Now I did put one driver on this list. It’s the Innova Leopard control driver. Normally I would never recommend a driver to newer players or those with weaker arms. But I put it on here for two reasons. 1) it’s a very easy disc to throw with only a 6 speed and 2) this is more of a transition disc because it comes in light weight and you can pretty easily move up into it after a few weeks or months on the course.
But skip all the other drivers. They’re hard to throw. Once you improve your skill and arm strength, you can move up into hard to throw discs.
The 7 best disc golf discs for weak arms
My #1 pick – Dynamic Discs EMac Judge – putt and approach (2, 4, 0, 1)
I threw the Dynamic Discs EMac Judge first on this list because it’s an absolutely fantastic new disc. My personal favorite disc is the original Dynamic Disc Judge and Dynamic just came out with this new version, which is even straighter than the original. This is a phenomenal disc to start with and players with weaker arms will love how light it is a how easy it is to throw.
The disc itself comes with flight ratings of 2, 4, 0, 1, but it flies like it has zero fade on the end. It’s an insanely straight putt and approach disc and perfect for those with weaker arms. Low speed, decent glide, a bit of turn, and almost no fade. Overall, it’s a great disc.
If you’d like to try the EMac Judge, grab one here on InfiniteDiscs.com.
2. Latitude 64 Ruby – putt and approach (3, 5, -3, 1)
The Ruby is such a fun beginner disc. This easy putt and approach is perfect for players with weaker arms looking to improve their game. I like it the most because it has a lot of turn so it’s a day 1 beginner disc.
As for the flight ratings, it comes in at 3, 5, -3, 1. It has a little bit more speed than the last disc, but it’s still easy to throw. Good glide with the 5 glide rating. A lot of turn. And just a little bit of fade. It will fly nice and straight for those that can’t get much power behind the disc so this is another great choice.
Grab yours here on InfiniteDiscs.com.
3. Loft Discs Hydrogen – putt and approach (1, 2, 0, 0)
The Hydrogen looks like it’s going to be a really interesting disc. It’s made by Loft Discs, a brand new company in Denmark. And they claim that this disc is “the straightest putter in disc golf,” which is a pretty hefty claim. But if it’s true, that would make this a really great disc for those with weaker arms. Hopefully they will make this in a little bit lighter of a weight soon, because the lightest disc I’ve found was about 164 grams.
But if it flies according to the flight ratings, this will be a really good disc to try out. With only a 1 speed, it won’t be hard to throw at all. Now it only has a 2 glide, so that may be a little low. Then it has 0 turn and 0 fade so it will most likely keep a very straight flight down the fairway.
If you’d like to grab a Hydrogen, grab it here on InfiniteDiscs.com.
4. Discraft Comet – mid-range (4, 5, -2, 1)
The Discraft Comet is an epic disc. Not only has this mid-range been around for like 10 years, but it’s a great disc for like everyone that plays disc golf in some way. It’s also a super easy disc to throw. This disc is probably the closest disc golf disc to an actual frisbee.
As for this disc, it is an incredibly straight flier and is easy for brand new players or weaker arms to really get a handle on. It is a 4 speed, so it will need a little bit more power on the throw to fly correctly. The 5 glide is great if you can get enough power behind it and the -2/+1 turn and fade make this disc fly mostly straight. Great disc for arms with less strength.
Grab a Comet here on InfiniteDiscs.com.
5. Axiom Paradox – mid-range (5, 4, -4, 0)
The Paradox is a brand new disc from Axiom. This sweet mid-range hasn’t been out long, but it’s been making waves so far. This disc is heavily understable, due to a lot of turn on the disc, which makes it perfect for newer players and players with weak arms.
As for the disc’s flight ratings, this disc has a 5 speed, so it does require a little bit of power on the throw. The 4 glide is fine. The turn is -4 so this thing just wants to turn when you first throw it. Great disc, though, overall.
Grab the Paradox here on InfiniteDiscs.com.
6. Discraft Buzzz – mid-range (5, 4, -1, 1)
The Buzzz is on this list because it’s just a fantastic disc. It’s super easy to throw and always flies straight. This disc is THE disc that I always give whenever I play with newer players or those who need an easy disc. I’m a huge fan of this disc. Discraft came out with the new ESP plastic and it is awesome.
As for the flight ratings, they almost don’t matter for this disc. It has a 5 speed but isn’t hard to throw. The 4 glide is fine and it has a -1/+1 turn and fade rating. Basically, this disc just flies straight. Easy peasy for weaker arms.
Grab a Buzzz here on InfiniteDiscs.com.
7. Innova Leopard – control driver (6, 5, -2, 1)
Alright, so I put the Leopard on this list but I do not expect you to try it right off the bat. I put this driver on here because I really like it as an easy transition disc. This is pretty much the first driver you should try after developing your skills for a few weeks or months on the course.
It’s also just an easy driver to throw. It’s only a 6 speed disc, so it barely requires any more speed than the other discs on this list. It has good glide, a lot of turn, and only a little bit of fade. So all in all, not hard to throw. Don’t try it first, but after a few rounds, you can pick it up and give it a go.
Grab one here on Discgolfunited.com.
So for those with weak arms
It’s not all a lost cause. There are a lot of different ways in which you can improve your arm strength and take your skills to a much higher level. In this last section, we’re going to go over three ways that you can improve your weak arm.
3 ways to improve a weak arm
1 – Practice and patience
Look, the sport of disc golf is hard. It’s going to take you some time to develop strength and skill. It took me months of struggling before I finally got the hang of throwing a disc. You have to practice and you have to be patient. It won’t happen overnight so you’ve just gotta get over it.
Keep learning the game, working on improving, doing field work, throwing into a net at home, playing more rounds, and whatever else you can do to get better. I promise you that you will get to where you want to be.
2 – improve technique
Technique is very tough. If you want to learn how to properly throw a disc, check out the following 3 posts below ⬇️:
7 Steps to the Best Disc Golf Technique and a Perfect Throw
The 17 Best Disc Golf Backhand Tips: Grips, Techniques, and More!
17 Best Disc Golf Forehand Tips: Complete 5000+ Word Guide!
3 – lift weights
Another way to build up strength is to get into the gym and workout. This helps to build up your muscles and you can also do cardio to get yourself more in shape as well. Check out my post below on the best disc golf exercises ⬇️:
The 12 Best Disc Golf Exercises to Keep You Fit
Related content
37 Best Disc Golf Discs for Beginners (You Need These)
Disc Golf 101: A Step By Step Beginner’s Guide
Don’t forget to check out the book!
Before you go, don’t forget to check out the best beginner disc golf book on the planet, “The Disc Golf Player’s Manual.” This ebook is packed with over 200+ pages of the best tips, tricks, and advice for new players. This book is Epic. So don’t miss out!