Let’s talk about one of the most overrated things in online disc golf retail …
Pictures of individual discs.
I get that Infinite Discs popularized this back in 2012, but these days, everybody feels the need to do it. And no, this isn’t a bad thing. It’s not like I’m offended by it. I can’t help but feel sorry for the intern whose soul-sucking gig it is to take hundreds of pictures every week, though …
Talk about a thankless job.
I guess if you’re collecting discs or want to get into the nitty-gritty of what “green” really means, seeing the picture is important. Maybe you’re wanting to color-coordinate a disc’s stamp with the blouse you plan to wear come tournament time – that’s a semi-legitimate reason for it, as well.
But the pictures I want to see aren’t even the ones (usually) offered:
- An image of the disc’s profile will shed light on its dome.
- An image of the disc’s rim will indicate the height of its parting line.
- An image of the disc’s flexibility will give golfers an idea of its in-hand feel.
It’s one thing to ask a dude on Facebook Marketplace to send you the above …
It’s yet another to expect Infinite Discs, Disc Golf United, Foundation Disc Golf or any other online retailer to hold a full-blown photo shoot for each of the thousands of discs they have. Heck, not even the Innova Factory Store has the time or manpower for something like that.
No bother …
Do THIS to get what you want:
Use the “comments” section as a safeguard.
Ninety-nine percent of KC Pro Aviars are identical. The same can’t be said, however, for stock R-Pro Pigs. One-third of them have the crazy dome of the Gateway Arch in St. Louis. One-third of them are as flat as Emporia, Kan. And the final third are somewhere in the middle …
The Star Destroyer is the SAME kind of train-wreck.
And I’m not just picking on Innova, either. MVP, DGA, Prodigy, Discraft, Kastaplast, Discmania, Clash Discs and Dynamic Discs: For a number of reasons (largely) outside of a manufacturer’s control, not every run of your favorite mold will come out exactly the same.
So, instead of placing an order, crossing your fingers and praying the USPS man magically brings you what you want, tell the retailer what you’re looking for right from the get-go …
They’re not mind-readers.
Here’s me doing just that at the Innova Factory Store last month:
* Note: Not every online store allows for “comments” at checkout, but the good ones do.
To date, I’ve NEVER been let down by this method.
Now, just because you request something, doesn’t mean a retailer will have it. I once placed an order for a Star Gator with Disc Golf United. In the comments, I made it clear I was looking for a flat one. Before shipping me the disc, their warehouse manager actually emailed me an image of the flattest Star Gator they had in stock. It wasn’t what I wanted, so he quickly issued a refund.
Remember: You hate returning discs, but so do disc retailers.
Unless you choose to order golf frisbees from Amazon for some strange, inexplicable reason, it’s safe to assume the guys at your online store of choice know a thing or two about disc golf …
Help them help you.
Use the “comments” section to make it happen.
Have anything to add? Take to Twitter to let us know – we’ll actually (for real) get back to you.
Editor’s Suggestions:
- What’s ‘C1X’ mean in disc golf?
- Where disc golf culture can do better to grow the sport
- Disc golf: The importance of self-awareness while putting
Real quick, if you happen to buy something through a link in this article, there’s a chance we’ll get a small share of the sale. It’s how we keep the lights on. To learn more, click here.
