Golf discs: Why a lack of consistency between runs isn’t awful

By: Taylor Larsen

Is it ideal?

No, but it’s hardly the end of the world, either.

To begin with, there’s not much that can be done about it …

Injection molding is the process by which golf discs are made. Plastic pellets are melted down, mixed together and poured into a metal mold. One plate accounts for the top half of the disc, while the other, the bottom half. Once the plastic cools, it’s removed from the mold …

You’ve got a disc.

Injection molding isn’t an exact science, though …

DGPT: Tristan Tanner

In fact, there are a number of factors that are outside of a manufacturer’s control. And wouldn’t you know it, it’s these small, seemingly insignificant “factors” that determine consistency:

  • Factor No. 1 – The color of the discs.
  • Factor No. 2 – The time of year they’re produced.
  • Factor No. 3 – The amount of time allotted for them to cool.
  • Factor No. 4 – The temperature both inside and outside the factory.

And those “plastic pellets” I mentioned earlier on?

Most of the time, they’re purchased by disc manufacturers from third-party polymer providers. So arguably, the single-most important factor in determining mold consistency isn’t even the manufacturer’s responsibility. Attention to detail does make for a better product, though …

If you’re noticing a trend, there might be something to it. Still, big or small, every disc brand is guilty of some kind of inconsistency – there’s no getting around it. So whether you’re an avid proponent of it or not, to account for it, you’ll need a touch of disc-cycling savvy on your end …

DGPT: Calvin Heimburg

Deal with it.

Furthermore, while I certainly prefer knowing how a disc will behave the moment the USPS guy drops it off at my house, should you land one that flies differently, it’s not always a bad thing.

Remember: Once upon a time, this was how Gannon Buhr publicly defended Prodigy plastic. Silly as it might sound, his knee-jerk reaction might’ve been more genius than PR strategy …

Here’s why:

  • One mold.
  • The same in-hand feel.
  • A number of much-needed flight paths.

Believe it or not …

THIS is consistency.

DGPT: Simon Lizotte

It’s the reason most touring professionals bag multiple Envys, Rocs, Forces, Destroyers, etc. Yes, I get they’re sponsored, so there’s more incentive to go this route. But don’t think for a second the open-bag guys on Team Infinite aren’t doing the EXACT same thing …

They are.

  • Truth No. 1 – New molds satisfy general flight paths.
  • Truth No. 2 – Seasoned molds fill the subtle spaces in-between.

If you find something you like, immediately order multiples in the SAME color from the SAME retailer. There’s a dang-good chance they came from the SAME batch of plastic. And if you’re not quite so lucky, don’t lose sleep over it. Simply make do with what comes your way …

It’ll work in some capacity.

Have anything to add? Take to Twitter to let us know – we’ll actually (for real) get back to you.

Editor’s Suggestions:

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.

Photo of author

Taylor Larsen

Taylor Larsen is a staff writer for Green Splatter. He uses disc golf to self-reflect, pondering questions like, "Where the heck did I throw that?" and "What happens if the disc lands on top of the basket?" He resides in Utah with his dog, Banks, who loves to chase frisbees of all sorts.

2 thoughts on “Golf discs: Why a lack of consistency between runs isn’t awful”

  1. If you just buy your discs, say you are Calvin Heimburg and you like your multi-colored Destroyers bone stiff and Mt. Kosciusko domey; you just go to a brick and mortar retailer and hand pick ‘em. If you order them, though… But you wrote an article on how to get online retailers to get the right ones to your front porch.

    Reply

    • Benji, exactly …

      It’s really just an issue of using the “order notes” section to let a retailer know what you’re wanting.

      To date, doing that, I’ve never had anybody mess up what I’m looking for: flat, domey, puddle-topped, etc.

      Of course, if you can FEEL and SEE the disc for yourself, even better …

      Some of these guys will take a trip out to the factory store once a year.

      Or, when they’re in the area for a tournament, they’ll head that way.

      And while they’re, they’ll simply stock-up on what they need so that they can see and feel for themselves.

      So that happens, too 🙂

      Reply

Leave a Comment