Golf Discs and their numbers

In the post, I'm going to talk about the 5 primary characteristics of golf discs:
Weight, Speed, Glide, Turn, and Fade (plus a couple other traits):

disc showing speed, glide, turn, and fade

Weight of a disc:

Range: 100 grams to 200 grams
There are two weight classes:
1. 150 Class is the designation given to discs approved for play in Japan and other PDGA sanctioned events designated as 150 Class. All discs on the PDGA Approved list may be used in these competitions as long as their weight is 150 grams or lower.
2 .Standard Class is for disc 140-200 grams. This is what is used in most games and courses.

Most standard discs weigh between 150 and 180 grams, but there are some that weigh more and some less. Those outside of the 160-180 usually have specific purposes. for example, 144 gram discs for light throwing on calm days. The weight of your disc golf disc matters and can significantly affect the flight of your golf disc. Lighter discs take less effort to throw than heavy discs and as a result are often more accurate. However, light weight discs are also generally affected by wind more than heavy discs so you may find heavier discs can maintain a consistent path more effectively in windy weather. Discs weighing 180-200 grams are normally discs used for breezy or windy conditions
Disc weight summary
With PDGA standards, a disc must not weigh less than 100 grams and must not exceed 200 grams. Putters usually weigh between 170 and 175 grams. The average disc golf putter weight is 173 grams. Some people will use a 180 gram putters or even higher. Drivers will normally be 160 to 165 grams.

Speed of a disc:

Range: 1 to 14, with 1 being the slowest and 14 being the fastest
This is the speed a disc needs to be thrown for best performance. This is not the actual speed, but how hard the disc is to be thrown. Throwing below or above will alter the stated performance of the other numbers such as glide, turn, and fade.

Glide of a disc:

Range: 1 to 7, with 1 being the least glide and 7 being the best glide
In disc golf, glide is the term used to describe a disc’s determination to stay in the air. The higher the flight number, the more a disc wants to remain airborne, the longer potential fly for a longer distance. Discs with a Glide rating of 1 or 2 fall out of the air quickly and are more difficult to throw far.

Turn of a disc:

Range: -5 to +1
-5 will throw straighter and +1 with curve more. Depending on the path you need to throw will depend on what number you want to use.

Fade of a disc:

Range: The fade range for disc golf is 0 to 5
A number with 0 being the straightest finish and 5 being the hardest hook:
0: The disc will finish straightest and hook the least as it loses speed at the end of its flight.
5: The disc will hook the hardest as it loses speed at the end of its flight.


What about disc diameter size?
The golf discs used today are much smaller and heavier than traditional flying discs, typically about 21 centimeters (8.3 inches) to 22.86 centimeters (9 inches) in diameter and weighing between 150 and 180 grams. The PDGA prohibits any disc to be heavier than 200 grams. The maximum diameter for a disc golf disc approved by the Professional Disc Golf Association (PDGA) is 30 centimeters (11.8 inches). The minimum diameter for a disc golf disc is 21 centimeters (8.3 inches).

What about disc diameter height?
The height of a golf disc varies depending on the type of disc, but typically ranges from 1.65 centimeters for a distance driver to 2.11 centimeters for a putter:
Average distance driver: 1.65 centimeters
Average fairway driver: 1.77 centimeters
Average Midrange: 1.97 centimeters
Average Putter: 2.11 centimeters (0.83 inches)