Disc golf: What does ‘glide’ even mean?

Ever been asked to describe the taste of salt?

It’s a near impossible task …

Mid-attempt, without thinking, the word “salty” will spill out of your mouth. Though not quite as brutal, the exercise makes me think of explaining the concept of glide to a newbie disc golfer. Given that it’s one of the four standard flight numbers manufacturers use, it’s important.

Speed | Glide | Turn | Fade

In disc golf, glide is the term used to describe a disc’s determination to stay in the air. The higher the corresponding (the second one) flight number, the more a disc wants to remain airborne.

An approach putter, the Kastaplast Berg has a glide of one – it’s a freaking brick. Conversely, a popular turnover or roller disc for mediocre arms, the DGA Sail has a glide of six, making it a virtual kite out on the course – a well-placed sneeze is enough to launch the thing 325 feet.

Less glide means more control. For this reason, popular approach putters don’t come with much of it. It’s also for this reason the kinds of fairway and distance drivers professionals bag don’t get extreme with it. Too little glide means not enough distance, but too much, and discs get squirrely.

Not many pros rock a Latitude 64 Diamond …

That’s why.

But if you’re just getting started with the sport, glide will be your best friend. Slower, developing arm speeds aren’t capable of injecting 350-feet of power into a Swirly S-Blend Slab. But place a Star IT in a beginner’s hands, and in no time at all, it’ll fly how a golf disc is meant to fly …

This is when things get good.

Also, let it be known that – be it a putter, midrange or driver of some sort – glide-heavy plastic is flat-out more fun to throw. If you’ve rocketed an Aerobie ring around the park before, you’ve experienced what I’m getting at. There’s a reason the MVP Glitch was an INSTANT success …

And that’s it.

Speed and fade will continue to command the vast majority of disc golfers’ attention when new molds hit the market. There’s more “sex appeal” in both camps – I get it. But if you’re as much of an amateur as I am, keep your head on a swivel for the more high-glide frisbees …

They’ll make you look better than you actually are – that’s a good thing.

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Editor’s Suggestions:

• In defense of the Discmania Tilt …
• Review: The Innova Yeti Pro Aviar
• Disc golf: Flight numbers aren’t evil (slow your roll)

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