Understanding Disc Golf Flight Numbers: What Do They Mean?

If you’re new to disc golf or simply curious about the sport, you might have noticed a series of four numbers printed on most discs. These flight numbers are not just decorative; they provide a wealth of information about how a disc is designed to fly. Understanding these numbers can help players choose the right disc for their skill level and playing conditions. Let’s break down what each of these numbers means and how they work together.

Common Throwing Types

Before we can really get into what the flight numbers represent, it’s important to understand how different throwing styles can impact the way a disc behaves. Here are the four most common throwing types:

• Right-Hand Backhand (RHBH): This is the most common throwing style for right-handed players. The disc is gripped with the right hand and thrown with a motion similar to hitting with a baseball bat. The disc starts on the left side of the thrower's body (as shown above), comes across the body, and is released to the right or in front of the thrower's body. RHBH throws typically turn to the right and then fade to the left at the end of the flight, depending on the flight numbers.

• Right-Hand Forehand (RHFH): Also known as a sidearm or flick, this throw involves holding the disc with the right hand and releasing it with a palm-up motion. RHFH throws generally finish to the right, making them a great compliment to the RHBH throw, and ideal for navigating obstacles in that direction.

• Left-Hand Backhand (LHBH): For left-handed players, the backhand throw is similar to the RHBH motion but in reverse. LHBH throws will naturally fade to the right at the end of the flight.

• Left-Hand Forehand (LHFH): This style mirrors the RHFH technique for left-handed players. With a palm-up release, LHFH throws typically fade to the left, offering a versatile option for shaping shots.

By understanding and practicing these throwing types, you can apply the disc's flight numbers based on the style of throw you use most frequently.

The Four Numbers Explained

The flight numbers on a disc golf disc are (In Order):

1. Speed

2. Glide

3. Turn

4. Fade

These values describe the disc’s aerodynamics and flight characteristics. Each number has a specific meaning:

1. Speed

Speed is the first number, ranging from 1 to 15, and indicates how fast a disc must be thrown to achieve its intended flight. The Speed of a throw is essentially a combination of how hard the disc is thrown, as well as how much the disc is spinning. Higher-speed discs require more power and technique to fly properly, making them suitable for advanced players. Lower-speed discs are easier to control, making them ideal for beginners and shorter throws.

• Example: A speed rating of 5 is typical for midrange discs, while a speed rating of 12 or higher is common for distance drivers.

A common misconception about Speed is that a higher speed disc will automatically travel farther than a lower speed disc. While its true that higher speed discs are designed to travel farther, the distance that the disc travels is far more dependent on the throw itself, rather than just the speed of the disc.

Discs are often categorized by their Speed into the following Categories:

• Speeds 1-4 - Putt & Approach
• Speeds 5-6 - Midrange
• Speeds 7-9 - Fairway Driver
• (some would call Speeds 9-10 "Control Drivers")
• Speeds 10-15 - Distance Driver

Beginner Starter Sets will usually come with 3 discs: a Fairway Driver, a Midrange, and a Putt & Approach disc. Sets that come with a 4th disc might include a Control Driver or a lower speed Distance Driver. It is not usually recommended for a Beginner to get a Distance Driver because they generally lack the technique required for it to be a useful disc. However, once a golfer can start to get their lower Speed discs to fly is the shape outlined by the flight numbers (creating somewhat of an "S" shape in the air), that's a great indication that they are ready for a higher speed disc.

2. Glide

Glide is the second number, ranging from 1 to 7, and measures the disc’s ability to maintain loft during flight. Discs with higher glide ratings stay in the air longer, which can be beneficial for players seeking maximum distance or floaty approaches.

• Example: A glide rating of 6 means the disc will stay airborne for a longer period, while a glide rating of 2 indicates a more direct and predictable descent.

Another thing to consider with regards to the Glide of a disc is the wind conditions that you'll be using it in. As a general rule of thumb, the higher the glide of a disc, the higher of a chance that it could be affected by the wind. This can work out to be either a good or a bad thing, if you know how to deal with it!

On a calm day, or for a wooded hole/course, a higher Glide disc is likely to gain you an extra little bit of distance on your throws beyond what you might get with a lower Glide disc. If you're throwing with the wind to your back, you may find yourself sailing past where you typically can throw to just because you chose a higher Glide disc! But where high Glide discs can be a problem is when you're throwing with a headwind or a strong side-wind. A lower Glide disc is typically better able to fight through a headwind than their higher Glide counterparts.

None of this is to say that one is better than the other. A lot of golfers might not notice much of a difference between discs with different Glide ratings, and with beginners especially, a difference in the distance of two throws is more likely to be chalked up to throwing inconsistently than the difference between a Glide 3 disc vs a Glide 4 disc.

3. Turn

Turn is the third number, ranging from -5 to (+)1, and describes how the disc will behave during the high-speed portion of its flight. A negative turn value indicates that the disc will curve to the right for RHBH throws (opposite for left-handed throws), making it understable. Positive or neutral turn values (0 or 1) indicate that the disc is more stable or overstable.

• Example: A turn rating of -3 is great for beginners, as the disc is more likely to stay straight or turn right. A turn rating of 0 means the disc resists turning.

4. Fade

Fade is the fourth number, ranging from 0 to 5, and indicates how sharply the disc will hook left at the end of its flight (for RHBH throws). A higher fade rating means a more pronounced finish, while a lower rating signifies a straighter landing.

• Example: A fade rating of 4 means the disc will have a strong leftward hook, while a fade rating of 1 means it will finish more gently.

When explaining the flight numbers to a newer player, one of the most helpful ways to think about it is by using the phrase "If - Then," where the Speed of the disc is the If, and the Turn & Fade are the Then. So IF you throw this disc at X Speed, THEN the disc will Turn Y and Fade Z. So if we use the MVP Trail (10/5/-1/1) for example, IF you throw it with a Speed 10 throw, THEN it will Turn -1 and Fade 1, resulting in a very straight flight.

To dive even deeper into using and manipulating the flight numbers, check out our other post: Beyond the Flight Numbers: How To Get More Out Of Your Bag

Stability

A phrase that you will often hear on a disc golf course is "stable." You may often hear discs being referred to as "over-stable" or "under-stable" as well. These three terms are commonly used as a way of describing the overall direction that a disc is going to fly. In general, when a disc golfer refers to a disc as stable, what they mean is a disc that is going to fly relatively straight, though it may perhaps drift slightly to the left (RHBH) at the end of its flight. Because a stable disc with a RHBH throw will fly straight, but may want to drift left, an Overstable disc is one that will reliably fade to the left. Similarly, an Understable disc will be one that turns to the right more than it fades to the left, and thus it will finish further to the right than where it was released from. The easiest way to remember all this is that a Stable disc wants to fly straight and to the left, so the more stable it is, the farther left it will go, while the less stable it is, the "less-far" left it will go (thus the further right it will go).

To figure out the stability of a disc, an easy guideline to begin with is just to add up the last two flight numbers of the disc; the Turn and Fade. If the numbers add up to 0 or +1, it is a stable disc. If they add up to a negative number (-1, -2), it's an understable disc, and if they add up to a number greater than 1, it's generally going to be an overstable disc.

For example, a very popular Beginner disc is Discraft's Buzzz, with the flight numbers of 5 | 4 | -1 | 1.   Since -1+1=0, we know that this disc will generally fly quite straight. Another popular disc is Innova's Firebird, which has flight numbers of 9 | 3 | 0 | 4. Again, 0+4=4, which tells us that the Firebird will be a very overstable disc!

A couple of important things to note with this formula are that it is less reliable with really high speed discs; a 13-14 Speed disc with a turn & fade of -2 | 3 will likely wind up being more understable, despite the numbers adding up to +1. Additionally, the farther away from 0 the turn/fade numbers are, the less reliable this method gets; so even though -2 | 2 add up to 0, because the flight path will have a lot of side to side movement, the disc may end up finishing straight ahead, but it will take a curvier path  to get there than a disc with a turn/fade of 0/0.

Putting It All Together

The combination of these four numbers creates a snapshot of a disc’s flight pattern. For example, a disc with a flight rating of 11 | 5 | -1 | 3 would be a fast, long-gliding driver with a slight right turn and a dependable left fade at the end. In contrast, a disc rated 5 | 3 | 0 | 1 would be a slower, stable midrange with minimal movement.

Choosing the Right Disc for You

When selecting a disc, consider your skill level, throwing style, and the conditions in which you’ll be playing:

• Beginners: Look for lower-speed discs with higher glide and more understable flight (negative turn values).

• Intermediate Players: Experiment with faster discs and a variety of stability profiles to suit different shots.

• Advanced Players: Utilize high-speed discs of all stabilities for power throws and specialized shots.

Final Thoughts

The flight numbers on a disc golf disc are an invaluable guide to understanding its performance. By learning how to interpret these numbers, you can build a versatile disc selection and improve your game. Next time you’re shopping for discs, take a closer look at those numbers – they just might hold the key to your next big throw!