How to Build the Ultimate Disc Golf Bag

Once you’ve read through this post, check out our second post, “How to Build the Ultimate Disc Golf Bag Pt. 2: Discs.”

So it’s finally time for you to get out on the disc golf course. I know you’re pumped. I usually am, too, when I can get out to play a few rounds. But are ready for your rounds? Is your bag fully prepped with everything you might need for the course? How do you build a disc golf bag?

Today, we’re going to be digging into the ultimate, completely course-ready disc golf bag in order to help you build one for yourself. Because the game of disc golf isn’t just about you, your discs and a bag. It’s about everything you put in your bag to help you completely dominate your rounds and go home a winner.

So what do you need to build the ultimate disc golf bag?

I’ve got a list of 28 things to check off for your round. That list is as follows:

Bag
Discs
Water
Towel for sweat
Sunscreen
Snacks
Mini marker disc
Sharpie
Cell phone
Small first aid kit
Scorecards
Hat
Sunglasses
Umbrella
Retriever
Bug spray
Tick repellent
Cold pack towel
Hot hands pack
Camelback
Electrolyte pills
Stool
Chapstick
Penetrex cream
Baseball or hockey puck
Pocket knife/multi-tool
Small Flashlight
Extra pair of clothes

Over the rest of this post, we will go over all of this list in detail. So, without further ado, let’s get into this!

The two necessities

1. Disc golf bag

This one’s a little bit obvious. Of course, to build a disc golf bag, you will need a disc golf bag. You can build your ultimate bag out of a bookbag, but I highly recommend you actually buy a bag specifically made for disc golf. Once you do this, your life will get a little bit easier and your rounds will be much more awesome. I used an NFL backsack for a year before dropping the cash on a legit disc golf bag. And it was so worth it. The bag I got was the Infinite Discs Slinger Bag Deluxe. I paid about $30.00 dollars for it with shipping. I’d say that for this bag, and the value it provides, that’s a steal.

The Slinger Bag is awesome. The quality for the money is great. It holds about 10 discs, a water bottle, and some snacks. It has a cool putter pocket on the front is very comfortable to wear. So definitely grab on of those.

There are also a few other bags you can look into. All of which can be found on Amazon for decent prices:
• The Nutsac disc golf bag
• Discraft Weekender bag
• Innova Champion discs standard bag
• Fade Crunch bag

2. Here are the (6) discs that you must have in your bag

Innova Leopard – fairway driver

The Leopard is a fantastic beginner disc and an all-around balanced fairway driver. Every beginner should have this in their bag. Grab one here on Discgolfunited.com.

Discraft Elite X Buzzz – midrange

The Buzzz is Discraft’s most popular disc and a really good disc to practice and learn with. This will do wonders for your game if it’s in your bag. Check current InfiniteDiscs.com prices here or grab a Discraft starter set on Amazon.

Dynamic Discs Judge – putter

I love the Judge. It’s a really well-made disc by Dynamic Discs and seems to fit perfectly with my playing style. Check out this disc on InfiniteDiscs.com if you don’t have it in your bag already.

Latitude 64 River – fairway driver

The River is Latitude 64’s version of the Innova DX Leopard. But the plastic feels so much better. If you want a disc with superior glide, grab a River and watch it fly! I got this disc for about $16 bucks, but check the current price here (link to InfiniteDiscs.com).

Innova Atlas – midrange

The Atlas is freakin’ sweet. It’s a two-piece disc made by Innova that throws like a dream. The plastic is really well made and is super durable. Grab an Atlas here on InfiniteDiscs.com.

Westside Discs Harp – midrange putter

The Harp is one of the most well-balanced mid-range putters. It’s very sturdy and is perfect for short approach shots. Please grab one of these discs for your bag. It is phenominal.

Essential Items

You’re going to obviously need a bag and some discs to fill it. That’s why I put those two at the top. They’re both necessities of the game. But you’re going to need more than just those two things. We have a slew of items you’re going to need to fill up your bag with that will help you excel in your rounds. First, let’s start with the essential items that you should throw in your bag. These items are very important.

3. Water

Besides your bag and some really good discs, water may be the most important thing that you carry in your bag. Making sure that you keep enough high quality H2O is going to be essential to your rounds. Besides just simply keeping you hydrated, water helps to keep your joints healthy by lubricating them, keeps you from getting too hungry (out on the course), helps to keep your mind sharp so you can think better, and can give you some much needed energy in as little as 10 minutes.

Make sure to carry at least a half gallon of water with you as your body will lose a ton of water through sweat. It’s important to replenish your water levels as often as possible. To read the study on water helping increase energy levels, check it out here.

4. Towel for sweat

This is a given. Inevitably, you will be hot and you will sweat. Get yourself a small sweat towel so that you can wipe the sweat and everything else out of your eyes. I often wear sunblock and the sweat makes it run down into my eyes. Having a towel helps with this.

You have a couple of options when it comes to towels in your bag. You can go with a standard disc golf towel. That’s best for wiping off sweat and sunscreen. The next best option is a chamois towel for wiping off wet discs. Something like the ShamWOW! can work. Amazon.com has probably the best selection of disc golf towels here. When it comes to towels, you need to have at least two with you during each round. The Innova Dewfly works well, too.

5. Sunscreen

You need to pack sunscreen to avoid severe sunburns on the course. I’m very white and have to use a lot of sunscreen or else I get burnt badly. I usually have some Banana Boat sport in my bag (link to Amazon).

Sunscreen is always in my bag because, no matter what time of year you go out, the sun can still do a lot of damage to your skin. Even if you’re skin is tan or dark, you should still do the most you can to take care of it. That means using sunscreen on every round, trying to stay in the shade, and treating your skin appropriately if you do get burnt. For a good article on how to protect yourself against the sun, check out this one on sunsaferx.com called, “17 Myths About Sun Exposure.”

6. Snacks (for some sugar)

You should always pack snacks. After being in the heat for a while and losing some sweat, your body starts to run low on sugar. According to this article on joslin.org, your body uses its sugar for fuel. So, once you start becoming low on blood sugar, you may start to get tired. Having some moderately healthy snacks can solve this problem. I regularly take about three snack bars with me and maybe some crackers. All of this has some sugar to help your body keep performing at max capacity. These snacks also provide the body a little bit of sodium, which is much needed during your disc golf round. Sodium helps to regulate your body’s concentration of bodily fluids and it helps us absorb vital nutrients. This article on dwfitnessfirst.com explains the need for sodium a little bit more in depth.

A few of the best snacks for quick energy include any kind of protein bar, peanut bars, energy bars, pop-tarts, and packs of crackers. I grab all of these on every shopping run because I know that I’ll eat them through the day and during my disc golf rounds. My favorite bars are the Nature Valley sweet and salty nut bars. You can find them really cheap on Amazon.

7. Mini marker disc

Picking up and using a mini marker disc, to me, feels like you’re really trying to become more professional at the sport of disc golf. Most players don’t use markers, which is a shame because of how cool some of them really are. If you check out InfiniteDiscs.com, Amazon, or eBay, you’ll see some really interesting and exotic mini marker discs for sale. Most are fairly cheap, too, with a few running about the same price as a regular disc. But still not way over anyone’s budget.

Grab one of these for your bag or just use another disc to mark where your disc is at. But there is a mini for everyone. Check out a good selection of them here on Amazon.com.

8. Sharpie

“Dude, please tell me you packed a Sharpie?!” Oh, man. This is not something you want to hear after a ton of excitement from crushing an ace (especially if it’s your first). Whenever you’re out on the course, you should always have something permanent like a sharpie available to you. It’s crucial that you do, especially for those inevitable aces that are soon to come.

But aside from that, what happens if you end up finding a treasured disc, like a DISC FROM THE GODS!, out on the disc golf course? You need something to mark it with so that you know that it’s now yours. But really, any found disc with no name needs a sharpie’s touch to make it your own. I’ve found a bunch of discs now out on the disc golf course and have been able to mark some of those with my name and number. Make sure a Sharpie is packed and ready to go. Grab a quick 4 pack here (link to Amazon).

9. Cell phone

Even though this can be a bit of a distraction and I don’t recommend it for tournament play, cell phones on the course can be used for a couple of great reasons.

• You can record the fun: with your phone, why not take some awesome pics and record a few videos with your buddies? That’s what I always do. I go further with this and use most of the pictures I take in blog posts like this one and videos for YouTube.

• It can be a scorecard: with cool apps like UDisc, you can forget the classic scorecard and go the cool, modern tech way of handling all of your scores. Most smartphone apps like UDisc are actually pretty cool. They don’t just keep your score. They can also help with hole distances and layouts for thousands of courses.

• Emergencies: no matter who you are or what you do, at some point in your life there will inevitably be an emergency. Make sure you have you phone with you if it happens out on the disc golf course so that you can take appropriate action.

10. Small first aid kit

If you get hurt on the course, make sure to call 911 if it’s serious. For the rest of those minor cuts and scrapes, be sure to have a small first-aid kit in your bag to help out whoever needs it. Here are a couple of commonly used first-aid items to put into it. Any of the small first aid kits on Amazon will work.

• Bandaids
• Antiseptic wipes
• Strong relief wipes
• Antibiotic ointment
• Small bandages

You can put a homemade first aid kit together pretty easily, as you may have most of this stuff already, or you can grab a cheap one off of Amazon for like seven bucks.

Nonessential items

11. Scorecards

The old-fashioned way of keeping score is to take a scorecard and a pen/pencil with you during your rounds. If you really want to do this, it’s a good way to physically document your rounds and can avoid confusion on previous holes or with overall scores. This isn’t really my favorite way of playing, as I usually use the UDisc smartphone app, but a lot of people prefer this. So, keep a few extra scorecards in your bag for your upcoming rounds.

12. Hat

The majority of rounds you play will most likely be sunny. And the sun can really beat down on you throughout the day if you’re not careful. You can easily solve this problem by picking up a cheap hat to wear while you play. If you already have a baseball cap or something that can cover you from the sun, grab it and pack it for your next round in the sun. If you haven’t already done this, try it out and I bet it will make a difference in your rounds.

I use just a regular baseball cap most of the time. You can also wear a sun hat, bora bora hat, safari hat, or even a sombrero if you really want to.

13. Sunglasses

Unless I’m playing at night, I always have my trusty Oakley sunglasses with me. With wooded courses, you don’t really need sunglasses a lot. But I play on some courses where there is no shade and the sun just completely drains all your energy. If you can wear a hat like we just suggested, and grab your sweet pair of shades, this can help you get through your rounds a little easier (and maybe a little less burnt).

You don’t have to pick up an expensive pair of sunglasses for your rounds. A cheap $20 dollar pair on Amazon will do. But I’ve owned Oakleys for years and love how they wear.

14. Umbrella

we already talked about having an umbrella, as this can help you conquer the shade and stay a little bit cooler. I always carry an umbrella in my bag because for some reason it likes to rain quite a bit whenever I go play. I just keep a small umbrella in my side pocket all the time and whip that baby out in times of rainy need.

15. Dynamic Discs Disc golf retriever

Where I live in NC, there aren’t really a lot of water courses near me so I haven’t really had the need for this. However, in places that have courses like the beautiful Maple Hill disc golf course in Leicester, Massachusetts, with its hole one monster lake, you definitely need to have one in your bag. I’ve heard really great things about the retriever, though, as it has helped many to get their favorite discs back. Pick one of these up on Amazon for cheap.

16. bug spray

The one thing I absolutely hate to start doing out in the course is itching my whole body. I played a quick round a little while back on my lunch break at a course in Asheboro, NC. I got at least 20 mosquito bites, all of which drove me crazy for the entirety of my round.

Grab some spray to keep away mosquitos, ticks, and other bad bugs. Courses, in general, have a ridiculous amount of bugs and the need for bug spray is crucial. Make sure you take this so you don’t start itching and screw up your round like I did.

17. Tick repellent

If you can swing the cash for a tick repellent, go ahead and pick this up along with the bug spray. Ticks are pesky little creatures that don’t always stay away from regular bug spray (even if it says ticks on it). These little motherf*ckers can spread deadly disease as well, so I go out of my way to protect myself at those heavily wooded courses.

18. Cold pack towel

Cold pack towels are awesome for the heat. There are many different designs but most stay cold for an hour or two and aren’t really that expensive. I just found one at my local grocery store that works fine. It was like three dollars and I’m a curious guy. So I bought it for my next round. You can get these at the local grocery store, Walmart. local sports store, online on Amazon, or on like 8,000 online sporting goods’ websites. It’s a cheap way to keep yourself cool out there.

19. Hot hands pack

If it’s a bit colder outside, skip the cooling towels and go right for the packs of hot hands. These precious gems of heat can help you stay warm for hours. My finest moment with hot hands was at a 10° degree NFL football game where it sleeted and rained for hours. Hot hands saved me that day and have helped me out numerous times on the disc golf course. Grab a few packs on Amazon or search for other hot hands-like products.

20. Camelback or water pouch

A Camelbak or a water hydration bladder is a great option for when you go out on the disc golf course. Just think about the weight of the hydration bladder, as these are designed to be worn for the day and will be annoying to take off every single hole. But they can provide some extra water for your hydration needs. There are some really cheap products on Amazon that will easily work as good as a Camelbak.

I used to own a Camelbak and it was phenomenal for anything and everything outdoors. I’ve never used anything like this for disc golf, but it could be a really good idea! I just recently bought this 3 liter water bladder that actually works pretty well.

21. Electrolyte pills (great for sports in the heat)

Electrolyte pills are awesome for when you’re trying to bust out a good round at the disc golf course. We’ve all heard the infamous, “you need your electrolytes,” phrase somewhere or another, but up until I started writing this post, I never really knew exactly what electrolytes were or what their function was. I knew they were important, as most of us are told repeatedly throughout life.

Electrolytes are salts that help to regulate water in the cells of our body and spark nerve impulses that keep the organs of our body functioning properly (like your heart and your lungs). When you workout. Your body loses electrolytes in the form of sweat. And if you don’t replace the electrolytes, your body can become dehydrated and can shut down on you. You can read more about this on health.com.

Now, If you can afford to buy some electrolyte pills, this may be a good route to go so that you can replace all of your electrolytes on the fly as you’re playing your round. You can find a good selection of electrolyte pills, like Rapid Rehydr8 tablets, on Amazon or you can always go the sports drink route and get some Gatorade.

22. Stool (if you are able to)

If you have the room in your bag or if you can carry one, a stool is great for sitting down in between holes. Remember when we said in our post, “How to Play Disc Golf in the Heat,” that you should slow down some between holes? Sitting down and drinking some water can help you not be as tired for the next hole. To date, I’ve never actually used a stool on the course. But after researching them more for this post, I’ve decided to pull the trigger and pick one up.

If you’d like to see a good selection of disc golf stools, check this page out here on Amazon.

23. Chapstick or Blistex

Take note that you really don’t have to take Chapstick or Blistex with you out on the course. Just a suggestion because a long time out on the course can cause your lips to dry out. That’s always what happens to me and a little bit of this stuff can go a long way. They’re also super cheap, like a buck each, so go grab one or two.

24. Penetrex cream

First off, I just want to say that this stuff is amazing. But it’s definitely not a necessity in any bag because of how expensive it is per can (about $18 bucks). Penetrex is a very potent inflammation cream that starts to heal your body as soon as it comes into contact with your skin. It has a great combination of vitamins and minerals that all work together to fight inflammation in your body. This inflammation, if left untreated, can cause injury. Also, it’s important to heal and recover after strenuous rounds so that you can get back out on the course fresh in just a day or two. If you can swing the $18 bucks, grab some of this stuff here and use it after your rounds or any workouts you do.

25. Baseball/hockey puck

Ok, so quick question – do you carry a baseball or hockey puck in your bag? Well, you should. In one of our recent articles, “The Beginner’s Guide to Finding Lost Disc Golf Discs,” our pro tip includes using either of these two items if your disc golf disc gets stuck up in a tree.

Do not use another disc because it will get stuck. A hockey puck is probably best, but a baseball will do as well. You can find either on Amazon for about five to seven bucks per item. Grab a standard hockey puck for your bag here (link to Amazon).

26. Pocket knife/multi-tool

A pocket knife or some kind of multi-tool is probably a good idea out on the course. In all seriousness, with either tool, you can defend yourself if necessary out on the course. You really never know. But having either of these tools can always come in handy in really odd or unique situation.

The weirdest situation I’ve come across on the course was having to cut some very tiny tree branches that were strung out from one tree and wrapped around another. There was no other way to even get to my disc but from the front. And those branches seemed to be glued to the other tree. It took me a few minutes, but I was able to cut the branches and grab my disc.

You can get some Awesome stuff off of Amazon. I’ve got three really good knives from them: A $30 dollar SOG knife that is my everyday carry, a $30 dollar Smith and Wesson knife, and a $10 dollar Tac-Force knife. My everyday carry for multi-tools is the Amazon Basics multitool.

27. Small but powerful flashlight

If you can get one for a relatively cheap price, definitely grab a small flashlight for your bag. Having something better than a cell phone light is recommended because you never really know when it would come in handy. Always great to have for night disc golf, that light may help during late rounds if you misplace your disc. The general idea is, “better to have it and not need it!”

If you do end up buying a small light, don’t opt for the $3 dollar Walmart light. Those lights never work when you need them to. Grab a Taclight or find something like this awesome mini flashlight here on Amazon. that you know will hold a solid charge.

28. An extra pair of clothes for after you play

After you finish the round, you will be hot and sweaty. You can choose to stay in the same clothes and cool off, or you can take a pair of clothes with you to change into after the round. Depending on when I’m playing, I might take a pair of clothes for after. If I play on my work lunch break, I can change from my work attire into my gym attire and then back to work attire after. This is more of a psychological thing, as some people don’t want to just sit in the sweat. This one’s up to you, but you can definitely cool down a little faster after your round with some new clothes.

I would definitely just keep these in the car, though, as an entire change of clothes will make your bag way too full. So, just have a pair ready to go in your trunk or in another separate gym bag and you should be fine.

If you really want to dominate on the course…

then make sure you have everything you need. If your bag is prepped completely, you can rest easy knowing that, along with some skill in your game, no one will be able to keep up with you. Remember: the game of disc golf isn’t just about your bag, discs, and how you throw. It’s more than that. It’s about making sure you’re prepared completely for play, both physically and mentally. Today, we got the physical part of your game down. For the mental part of your game, check out our post, “The 7 Best Mental Disc Golf Tips.” Good job today, disc golfers. Now, get out there and go throw!

The 15 All-Time Best Disc Golf Discs

Disc Golf 101: A Step by Step Beginner’s Guide

The 17 Best Disc Golf Stretches to Improve Your Game

101 Disc Golf Tips to Take Your Game to the Next Level

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. Im telling you, this book is epic. If you want to seriously improve in disc golf, you need this book. So don’t miss out!