It’s the perfect day for gratitude.
I try to not limit my giving of thanks to friends, family members and a higher power to one day a year, but come turkey time, I usually limit it to stuff that matters: my wife, children, the roof over our heads, hot food on the table, etc. As a disc golfer, though, I can’t help but perform the same exercise, but with things that – in the grand, eternal scheme of things – means diddly-squat.
Below you’ll find a list of the five exact golf discs for which I’m most grateful. Just to reiterate, this isn’t meant to be a list of molds – I’m talking about specific frisbees in my disc golf bag.
Take a peek.
1. This Innova KC Pro Aviar
I bought this KC Pro Aviar in 2015 at my local, brick-and-mortar disc golf shop. It started out as my putting putter. After it slowly lost some of the gentle, end-of-flight integrity my putt requires, I began using it as an approach disc. Years later, I still call on this thing multiple times a round.
By this point, it’s incredibly straight-flying – like, I’m talking laser-beam straight. But don’t let that fool you: Given the right angle, she’s still got some bite. More often than not, however, I find myself using this KC Pro Aviar for lengthy, circle-two bids, as the glide’s glorious.
What’s this putter taught me?
Do NOT discard frisbees.
Cycle them.
- Year: 2015
- Bead: Present
- Weight: 175 Grams
- Numbers: 2 | 3 | 0 | 2
2. This Innova Champion Color Glow Rhyno
For Rhyno throwers, there’s nothing finer than an extra gummy Champion Rhyno. It combines the hit-and-stick ability of an R-Pro Rhyno with the durability of its premium-plastic counterpart.
The hard part, of course, is finding one at an affordable price. Back in 2017, I purchased three of these from the same eBay seller at a discount – I had to buy all three to get it, understandably. Two are pink, and the third is blue. Because it looked cooler, I started with the blue one.
We’re still going steady.
The Rhyno is one of Innova’s most underrated molds. It’s a “tweener” approach disc, which might have something to do with it. It’s not nearly as overstable as a Zone, but it’s far from any kind of understability. Paired with an overstable midrange (cough, cough – see below), for forehand or backhand hucks, there’s no better approach disc on the market, in my opinion.
As a KC Pro Aviar guy, it also helps that the Rhyno has the exact same Big-Bead bottom. So when I switch from putting to approaching or driving, the in-hand feel is fairly familiar.
THIS Rhyno is like an old friend.
And again …
Gummy.
- Year: 2017
- Bead: Present
- Weight: 175 Grams
- Numbers: 2 | 1 | 0 | 3
3. This Innova Champion Color Glow Gator
This is my all-time favorite mold.
The Gator was approved by the PDGA in 2000. And when it first hit shelves, people couldn’t believe how overstable it was, especially for a midrange. Nowadays, as I see it, discs like the Croc, Justice and even Zone OS are WAY more overstable – that’s a good thing, I guess.
But my arm doesn’t (often) need that.
I need overstability, but more importantly …
Workability.
The Gator delivers on the overstable front, but it doesn’t provide comical levels of beef. As long as yours has a board-flat top like mine does, forehand or backhand, it’ll gobble up any off-axis torque with ease. This midrange is beaded, however, so it might feel funky in some hands.
One final thing worth mentioning:
Orange is THE finest of the Color Glow colors.
I’ve said my piece.
- Year: 2018
- Bead: Present
- Weight: 175 Grams
- Numbers: 5 | 2 | 0 | 3
4. This Innova Champion Monarch
Nobody throws the Monarch.
Everybody should throw the Monarch.
Okay, so that take might be a bit strong …
But if you’re a dude who struggles with the feel of thin-rimmed drivers, consider the Monarch. It’ll dip, dive and dance in the air, just as a seasoned fairway driver would, but with the wider, more robust rim many distance-driver fanatics prefer – I’m one of these fanatics, by the way.
This specific Champion Monarch is the only disc on this list I purchased from a used bin. It smelled like poo and pond snot. And at first, the groove-like indentation (uh-oh) on the underside of the rim was off-putting. But it was so weird-looking, the fiver I paid for it seemed worth it.
Good news …
It was.
Already beaten to a bloody pulp when I found it, from the very first flight, this thing would hyzer-flip-to-turn like a gem. And maybe it’s my noodle arm, but in the seven-ish years I’ve thrown it, the stability level’s held that sweet-spot flight disc golfers crave like none other.
This is a freaky flight frisbee.
- Year: 2016
- Bead: Nope
- Weight: 167 Grams
- Numbers: 10 | 5 | -4 | 1
5. This Millennium Quantum Scorpius
The Star Destroyer is a great disc.
I bag two of them.
The Quantum Scorpius is a better disc.
If you want to throw a Star Destroyer like all the Innova greats, but know deep down your arm isn’t cut out for it, buy a Scorpius – and more specifically, a Quantum Scorpius. Innova makes Millennium’s discs, so with Quantum plastic being Millennium’s equivalent of Champion plastic, you’d think it’d make for a more overstable flight – that’s simply not the case.
And I wish I knew why …
But I don’t.
* Note: In Quantum plastic, the stock Scorpius comes with metal flakes – they’re a perk.
Fresh out of the box, the Quantum (Champion) Scorpius flies straighter than the Sirius (Star) Scorpius, which is markedly heavier on the overstable finish. If you buy a Quantum Scorpius to achieve the flight of a Star Wraith, you won’t get it – it’s beefier than that. But if you want the reliability of a Star Destroyer that doesn’t require you to have jetpacks strapped to your arms, you’ll buy a Quantum Scorpius and go back to the well over and over (and over) again.
Also, unless you’re a disc dork, you won’t notice any difference between the way a Destroyer and Scorpius feels in the hand. They’re not the same disc, while being virtually the same disc.
This highlighter-yellow one’s been with me a good, long while …
It’s the IDEAL Destroyer.
And wouldn’t you know it …
It’s not one.
- Year: 2019
- Bead: Nope
- Weight: 167 Grams
- Numbers: 12 | 5 | -1 | 3
* Honorable Mention: For a utility disc, there’s nothing a flat-top Champion Firebird can’t do.
Sun. Sleet. Snow.
I carry 15 discs.
My favorite part of going the disc-minimalist route is that I genuinely love and have a use for EVERY disc in my bag. Unless I’m testing out a new mold or two for Green Splatter, rarely do I deviate from what’s been proven to work for my game over the years. As a result, tossing aside two-thirds of ‘em for this article was an exercise in mental, self-inflicted groin kicks.
But you know what?
This is accurate.
And more importantly …
I’m grateful.
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My five discs that in most thankful for starting at the top, is going to be Z Buzzz SS, because it’s dead straight. Followed by my Classic Soft Judge, it feels like it just grabs the chains. Brodie might say it’s always a passion, but for me it’s always an Axiom Insanity (160g). Next I’ll drop in my Cosmic Neutron Envy for approaches, only disc I’ve ever aced with (even if it was less than 150ft at a pitch and putt). Finally, and this is not for the memes, Full Tilt, it’s just a fantastic flick overhand roller disc to get me out of terrible spots that I get into way to often.
Nice list, Dan!
Yeah, the Tilt’s a rough one …
But to each his own, right?
By chance, do you play lots of woods golf?
If so, it’s not hard to see the need – the fit is there.
Quantum $corpiou$
Oh, so good …
Disc golf’s best-kept secret.
Love throwing my Gator on a gentle anhyzer line from 50′ and watching the OS kick in and go dead straight and almost always ends with a gentle roll toward the basket. Never away.
“Also, unless you’re a disc dork, you won’t notice any difference between the way a Destroyer and Scorpius feels in the hand.”
Ummm, maybe I’m a disc dork but may I respectfully submit…No. Destroyer is one of the few speed 12 discs with a 2.2 centimeter rim. I love it and routinely carry 4 of them in different (ultralight) weights, plastics and wear levels. Most importantly, that 2.2cm allows my small hands to manage a consistent release.
The Quantum Scorpius has a 2.4cm rim (a width more common in speed 13-14). But it does come in ultralight so, as an old slow-arm always on the lookout for light discs I can throw, finally bought one, a 138g in Quantum Zero G.
And the 2.4cm versus 2.2cm results in a completely different hand feel, one I think most people would notice. With my small hands, it doesn’t allow a consistent release—too often it slipping out early into a quick weak fade or, trying to hold tighter, a griplocked 90-degree angle into a different fairway. With a correct release it does fly nicely…but getting that felt like hitting the jackpot on a slot machine.
You mileage may vary of course—hand-feel is very much an individual thing.
My Fantastic Five discs?
— 154g Vibram X-Link VP putter. I putt with a 170g Wizard but the overstable lightweight ‘lid’ VP is my perfect approach disc, giving me a long straight carry then a consistent sudden hard fade with minimal ground play (I’m backhand from both sides so either left or right hard fade comes in handy).
— 157g ABC Platinum (Star) Flying Squirrel midrange. 5/5/-3/2. Supremely versatile. A high forehand flick results in a squirrely flight path for low speed S-Curve-drop-down approaches. A moderate annie release get big turns around trees, with a check-up flare fade at the basket (works well on my home course’s 160 ft Par 3 with a guarded on the right side, single tall, wide fir tree half-way to the basket—I find the LH annie turning left around the right side more controllable than the RH spike hyzer everyone else uses there. Hyzerflip gets it out to field driver range. It’s my choice for single-disc rounds.
(ABC Discs went out of business in 2012 but a few years later, I managed to buy enough on closeout that they should, at 70, do me out!)
— 151g Vibram Ascent X-Link Field driver. 8/4/1/3. Vibrams have a well-earned reputation of durability, their X-Link compression-molded rubber holding as-new flight characteristics longer than any plastic. This one was originally overstable but I’ve thrown it so much it finally seasoned into the utterly predictable hold-any-line medium control driver everyone needs.
— 139g Innova Champion Thunderbird. 9/5/0/2. Can I have a new disc as an old favorite? Champ Thunderbird was always my best long field driver but I’ve down-weighted over the last decade and ultralight Thunderbirds came only in DX so I stopped throwing them (great flight when new but turned into a Valk after three weeks). But their new Champ bar-stamp releases included, for the first time ever, my desired ultralight Thunderbird (Destroyer, Tern & Valkyrie—all came in ultralight Star but not Champ). It’s great and so far seems as durable as traditional Champ. I’m Thankful!
142g Innova GStar Destroyer. 12/5/-1/3, was never that overstable but now very seasoned into the utterly predictable hold-any-line distance driver everyone needs. Relatively narrow 2.2cm rim works for my small hands (most speed 12’s are 2.3 or 2.4). Comfortable in the hand, consistent, works for long tunnels or downwind bombs. If I need length but don’t know what to do, I reach for this disc, trusting to it to kind of figure it out on its own.
6th would be Innova KC Pro BlackRoc mid, but I’ll hold to Lucas Rules. Hope you’re having a good T-Giving weekend everyone!
[Opps, correction: “…160 ft Par 3 with a guarded on the **left** side, single, tall, wide fir tree half-way to the basket.]
The disc I’m most thankful for is by far the firebird. I have a number of them in different plastics but my flat top 150 g star and a slightly domier champion firebird gets the most use in my bag. They will do everything except for maximum distance. Wonderful discs.
Star wraith is my number two. For me maximum distance with this disc. I think I could pick out the flight of The wraith without even knowing what was thrown.
Number three has got to be star tee bird. Again wonderful disc and able to get some controllable turn when thrown forehand. One of the most shapeable discs for the woods in my opinion
Number four infinite sphinx. Really really good fairway driver especially for the woods and can get some real distance. Can be thrown flat for a nice s curve or even bullet straight or hyzer flip to turn over. Probably my most common “what did you just throw there” disc.
Number five for me is the prodiscus sparta as my putter. Pretty much an Aviar rip off but grippiest plastic I’ve ever felt and a wonderful putter.
Two honorable mentions, first cosmic neutron relay. Surprisingly stable even forehand. Able to thread some really fine holes with it. And JLS from millennium. Very good woods disc.
Glad you mentioned the Sphinx …
Going to do a review on that mold in the not-so-distant future.
It’s an AWESOME disc.
BTW, my wife bombs ’em, too.
That makes them even better 🙂
1. Shryke. Cheating cuz use both my Star and Champion depending on conditions. Glide, glide, glide.
2. Justice. Thing just always finds the ground right next to the basket.
3. Similar to Justice but i can have a little more touch and control with it.
4. Dominator. My forehand cheat code.
5. Star Aviar. Nobody putts with premium plastic but as a push putter i love the stiffness and it is always consistent year over year.
Woah, we’ve got a Star Aviar guy on our hands!
Love to see people “zigging” while the rest of us are “zagging.”
Admirable!
Wait until you see my Champion Dart!
I hate DX.
Wait …
Do you REALLY have a Champion Dart?
Never seen one of those before …
Just did a quick Google search, however, and they’re all over the place!
You learn something new every day.
Yup. Champion Dart that i attempted to dye with shaving cream.
I hate the feel of DX in my hand
Got it!
I’m a fan, but it can be a bit slick …
I hear you loud and clear.
Didn’t think much of disc golfing til a good friend of mine gave me a bag of mostly innova disc. The Katana is very consistent for me and when I lost it I had to buy another. Only disc I’ve ever bought. Oh and love the prototype XT Colt putt approach that is my go to on anything 150 and under. Stays true to the line every time.
The Katana is a flip-for-days kind of disc, but it’ll GO!
Also, the Colt is great, too.
You should try it out in a premium polymer: Star, Champion, etc.
Hard agree: Quantum Scorp and Color Glow Rhyner. Man of culture 🍺
HARD disagree: KC Aviar and Gator. I can understand how people would love the Gator, it does feel good in the hand. But to heck with that farty, dumpy, slow flight. I throw Justices. I want a slower Firebird, not a faster Rhyno.
And to heck with all stiff putters. Frickin pieces of wood FOH
See, it’s the bead that usually gets people with the Gator …
But you’re right: It’s not for everybody.
Also, it’s been a good, long while since I’ve seen the word “farty” used.
Kudos to you, my friend!
Google News app just recommended this link. Again.
Which started me to think…. I bet you can revisit this topic every 6 months and the discs will change.
Well not for me. Still love love love my Star Gator but new disc crush is the Halo Xcaliber i got on f2 Friday. It’s so beefy even my dirty forehand can get it to flip.
Marc, for MANY disc golfers …
You’re probably right. Haha.
Not for me, though.
I tend to stick with the same molds year after year after year …
But because I run a blog, I do try out quite a few different ones, so there’s that.
Thanks for reading, man!
Appreciate the love – from both you, as well as Google News, of course. Haha.