Throwing a disc fast isn’t easy. With the many different factors of disc flight, there’s a lot that can go wrong. But if you really bring it all together, even the most average of disc golf players can throw a disc pretty hard.
In this post, we’re going to look at a few things: how fast a disc can fly, the average speed of thrown discs, some factors that can affect the speed of a disc, some tips to increase the speed of your throws, and 5 of the fastest discs on the market today. But first, on to what you’re here for…
How fast do disc golf discs fly?
The average speed of a disc golf throw is around 50-70 miles per hour or 80-112 kilometers per hour. The fastest disc golf disc thrown was by pro disc golfer Simon Lizotte and was at a speed of 89.5 miles per hour or 144 kilometers per hour.
☝️Simon Lizotte breaking the record for world’s fastest frisbee throw at 89.5 mph (144 kph). Link to video on YouTube.
Factors that affect the speed a disc travels
There are several physical factors that affect how fast a disc travels. Those factors are:
• Speed rating of a disc: the speed rating of a disc plays a huge part because the disc is designed a certain way. Higher speed-rated discs are thinner and molded to fly fast.
• The different types of disc golf discs: the type of disc golf disc plays a role in how fast a disc will fly. This kind of runs along the same lines as the first factor, but has to do with different types of discs. For example, a driver will fly much faster than a putter.
• Technique: your ability to use proper technique can play a dominant role in how fast a disc flies. If your technique sucks, you won’t be able to throw a disc very fast at all.
• Arm speed vs. Disc speed: we just talked about disc speed, but arm speed is your ability to get a lot of velocity behind your throws. Disc speed is how fast a disc is designed to fly if thrown correctly. So, arm speed and disc speed may be two different factors of how fast a disc can fly, but if you maximize both, you can use them together to really throw your disc hard.
• Weight of the disc: the weight of a disc can be a really important factor in how fast a disc can fly. I say this because when Simon Lizotte broke the record for the fastest frisbee throw, his disc weighed in at a super light 130 grams. The lighter the disc, the faster the throw.
So if you maximize all of those things, and you follow the couple of tips at the bottom of the page, you should be able to start slinging your discs decently hard.
Understand that speed is just difficult with discs
Before we continue on to some speed tips for you, I just want to point out something again that I want you to completely understand: speed is difficult to achieve with discs. Because there are so many factors of disc flight (see those different factors here in our post, “How Does a Disc Golf Disc Fly Through the Air?”), achieving a high speed of flight is very tough. Just do the best you can and make sure you recognize that you won’t throw a disc 100 miles per hour. But that doesn’t mean you can’t increase your arm speed and get some killer distance, too.
Tips to increase the speed of your throws
1. Don’t run up on the teepad for momentum
When you start playing disc golf, you’ll hit a certain point where you start having trouble getting better and throwing harder. This plateau is a couple months after you start playing. I hit that and I know a lot of other people do as well. But when I finally listened to this piece of advice, I got significantly better – don’t run up on the teepad for momentum.
I used to think that you had to try and sling the disc as hard as possible. But I was wrong. Did you ever hear the phrase, “slow is smooth and smooth is far?” Well, be smooth with your throws. Then it will be more like “slow is smooth and smooth is fast.”
When I finally listened, and slowed down my game, my throws got better, everything went straighter and I started to be able to throw harder. So don’t go too fast. Just slow down and you’ll improve your speed.
2. Start with lower speed discs and work up
You don’t want to go straight to 14 and 15 speed discs when trying to throw a disc faster. You need to start with lower speeds, maybe speed 7 to 9, and start getting better at throwing these discs. As your arm speed develops, then you can start throwing faster speed discs.
3. Field work
Sometimes you need to just get out in an open field and sling some discs. Now I want you to be careful with this, though. Because if you start throwing with poor technique, you can hurt your overall throwing ability. Speed doesn’t matter unless you can throw correctly. But as long as you use proper technique, you can hit that open field and throw to your heart’s content.
4. Exercise
I’m a die hard when it comes to exercise in disc golf. Physically, there’s just so much that exercise can help with if you’re a disc golf athlete. Below, I’ve got two posts that can really help you get more fit so that you can dominate on the course. One is for your core and one is for the rest of the muscles you use in disc golf. The stronger and fitter you get, the harder you should be able to throw a disc.
• The 12 Best Disc Golf Exercises to Keep You Fit
• The Only Disc Golf Core Workout You’ll Ever Need
5. Don’t worry so much about speed
Okay, so I know you don’t really want to hear me say this, but I will: you don’t need to worry so much about how hard you throw your discs. Obviously, the faster you throw the discs, the farther they can fly. But focus more on things more important to your disc golf game like distance, technique, accuracy, and control.
But if you still want to work on your arm speed and you’re looking for some disc that’s will really fly, check out the 5 discs listed below.
5 best discs for speed
1. Innova Blizzard Champion Wraith
I put the Blizzard Champion first because it’s got a special place in the disc golf record books. The Blizzard Wraith was used by Simon Lizotte in 2013 to set the record for the world’s fastest frisbee throw at a ridiculous 89.5 miles per hour (or 144 kilometers per hour). He also threw a disc with a weight of 130 grams, so that played a part, too. The Blizzard Wraith has flight ratings of 11, 5, -1, 3, so it may not be the fastest disc in the world, but it has the record. Grab one of these now off of InfiniteDiscs.com.
2. Latitude 64 Missilen
The Missilen from Lat 64 is arguably the fastest disc on the market today. With flight ratings of 15 (yes, 15 speed!), 3, -0.5, 4.5, the Missilen is ridiculously overstable. So you have to have a bomb of an arm to throw this thing. Grab yours here on InfiniteDiscs.com.
3. Innova Colossus
Just like Dynamic’s Freedom below, this was the first 14 speed disc for it’s company Innova. With flight ratings of 14, 5, -2, 3, this semi-understable disc has predictable high-speed turn reliable fade. Grab one here on InfiniteDiscs.com.
4. Westside Discs King
Westside has created an awesome (and extremely fast) disc when it comes to the King. It is an overstable disc, with flight ratings of 14, 5, -1.5, 3, but it’s got just enough turn to help it cut right before the fade kicks in. Great distance disc as well. Grab one here on InfiniteDiscs.com.
5. Dynamic Discs Freedom
The Freedom was the first 14 speed driver for Dynamic Discs. This ultra high-speed driver boasts flight ratings of 14, 5, -3, 3, is similar to the Westside King that we just talked about, and can easily help you crush it on the course! Grab one here on InfiniteDiscs.com.
Great job!
If you’ve gotten this far, you must really want to learn more about disc golf! If you’re interested in more of what we have to say about the sport, check out some of our best posts below.
The 12 Best Disc Golf Exercises to Keep You Fit
The Only Disc Golf Core Workout You’ll Ever Need
The 17 Best Disc Golf Stretches to Improve Your Game
The 11 Step Plan to Recover After a Disc Golf Workout
All of these posts are our absolute best resources for workouts, stretching, and recovery! Make sure to take advantage of them so that you can become the best version of yourself on the course!
Related Content
You can also check out our awesome related content.
The #1 Way to Improve Your Disc Golf Game This Year
9 Weird Tricks to Improve Your Disc Golf Game (Forever)
101 Disc Golf Tips to Take Your Game to the Next Level
Don’t forget…
Don’t forget to hit up our sidebar or the bottom of this page on your phone to pick up a copy of our awesome beginner’s guide, “The Disc Golf Players Manual.” This book is jam-packed with a ton of great tips, tricks, recommendations and more.