You feel the need, the need for speed! As beginners, the number one thing on our minds is getting more distance. Hopefully, wisdom prevailed through an experienced friend or some online research and you held back from buying a distance driver!
Before we get right into the best beginner disc golf drivers there's a quick disclaimer. Distance drivers are never recommended to complete beginners! You need to start with putters and midranges, work up to fairways, and then only do you earn the right to the speed demons we call distance drivers!
If you are a complete beginner I suggest reading this article to gain an understanding of the concept. If you understand that using slower-speed discs allows you to perfect your form, and gain control, ultimately improving your game in the long run, then by all means please read on!
What Is a Beginner Friendly Distance Driver?
Understable, Understable, Understable. The first thing we're looking for in any good beginner disc golf driver is understability. If this doesn't make sense to you I recommend you read the article we just recommended. It will help you to understand overstable and understable!
Another aspect that we prioritized is high glide. This is another factor that will help you achieve more distance with less effort!
Using distance drivers on the slower end of the scale is also something we recommend. Don't get an 11-speed before you've spent some time using a 9. Keep that in mind when you make a selection from this list!
Use Lighter Weights
One final hack to extra distance for beginners is to use lighter discs. These are easier to get up to speed, so you'll get more turn out of them, equalling more distance! They also just travel further! Just watch out for the wind!
Aim for drivers in the 160 - 165 gram range if you want to make use of lighter distance drivers. The Latitude 64 Sapphire is made in lighter weights specifically for beginners!
Why You Should Start With Putters and Mids
Slow is smooth, and smooth is far.
Throwing far isn't all about speed. You need to have solid form before taking on these wide-rimmed beasts! Slowing everything down with putters and mids allows you to stay smooth, identify mistakes, and then fix them.
Play with experienced friends, binge YouTube videos, and read articles like this one to learn how to improve your form. Watch a few rounds of professional disc golf on the Jomez Pro channel to get the ideal in your head. There are even pages on forums like Reddit where you can submit videos on your form and advanced players will offer advice and feedback!
Our List of the Best Distance Drivers For Beginners
If you're taking a step up from fairways we recommend you keep your eye on the 9-speed drivers in this list
Pro Tip: While these discs are all really beginner-friendly friendly they won't become obsolete as you improve! You can still use them for turnovers and rollers.
Best Driver Disc for Beginners - Innova Mamba
Flight Numbers - 11 | 6 | -5 | 1
[product=innova-star-mamba]
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The Innova Mamba has everything we were looking for! On the slower end of the speed scale with a rating of 11, it's a little easier to handle than 12s and 13s. Its turn rating of -5 makes it really understable, giving new players a full flight! It also has tons of glide with a rating of 6, and its shallow profile makes it extremely comfortable in the hand.
Bonus: This disc is also great for learning forehand drives. As you progress the Mamba will become an exceptional roller disc!
Innova Sidewinder
Flight Numbers - 9 | 5 | -3 | 1
[product=innova-gstar-sidewinder]
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Slowing things down a little we have the Sidewinder! This disc is perfect for anyone moving up from a fairway driver. We suggest you pick up something speed 9 before moving into double digits!
The Sidewinder has it all, perfect speed, great glide, and understability! As a bonus, this disc is amazing for both sidearm and backhands!
Tip: Avoid Champion as it will be considerably more overstable.
Latitude 64 Jade
Flight Numbers - 9 | 6 | -2 | 1
[product=latitude-64-gold-orbit-jade-white-elephant]
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One of the best disc drivers for beginners has to be the Jade! It's part of a line of discs specifically made in light weights and designed for new players! It's meant to be the step up from the Latitude 64 Diamond, which is in the same line.
The Jade may not be as understable as the previously mentioned discs, but the lightweight compensates!
DGA Sail
Flight Numbers - 11 | 5 | -5 | 1
[product=dga-catrina-allen-sail-tour-series-2024]
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The DGA Sail is one of the best beginner distance drivers in disc golf. It's very comparable to the Mamba in flight, possessing many of the same great characteristics! Expect plenty of understability, a manageable speed, and effortless glide!
MVP Orbital
Flight Numbers - 11 | 5 | -4.5 | 1
[product=mvp-neutron-orbital]
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The Orbital is another very similar disc, it just has a tad less understability, which could be just what you're looking for. As a Gyronaut this will be one of your top choices. Once again we have a nice high glide rating and a comfortable feel in the hand!
Discmania Astronaut
Flight Numbers - 12 | 6 | -4 | 1
[product=discmania-active-premium-astronaut]
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Discmania designed the Astronaut with their beginner fans in mind! A big thank you to them for bringing out such a great disc! The Astronaut is a speed up compared to Mamba's making it a tad more advanced.
It has a hefty glide rating of six, so expect this one to float down the fairway! The high turn rating is what makes this disc so suitable for beginners!
Innova Beast
Flight Numbers - 10 | 5 | -2 | 2
[product=innova-pro-beast]
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The beast is a slightly more neutral disc with less understability than what we've looked at so far. In Champion plastic, this disc is quite overstable and I don't recommend it to beginners. In Gstar it's awesome and a great pick as a controllable beginner driver!
Latitude 64 Sapphire
Flight Numbers - 10 | 6 | -2 | 1.5
[product=latitude-64-gold-orbit-sapphire-rebecca-cox-2024]
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The Sapphire is much like the Beast just that in its lighter weight it'll be easier to use! Get it up to speed and watch the long and full flight!
Innova Roadrunner
Flight Numbers - 9 | 5 | -4 | 1
[product=innova-star-roadrunner]
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The Roadrunner is much like the Sidewinder, only a little more beginner-friendly! It is a tad more understable and maintains amazing glide! If you're having trouble getting the proper distance flight with a Sidewinder this may be the answer!
Lone Star Tumbleweed
Flight Numbers - 10 | 6 | -4 | 1
[product=lone-star-discs-alpha-tumbleweed]
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The Tumbleweed is much like the Innova Mamba, just a speed slower making it a little easier to control! you'll get this understable monster turning with ease, and the glide won't disappoint!
Discmania DD
Flight Numbers - 11 | 6 | -3 | 2
[product=discmania-s-line-dd]
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The DD is a great choice if you're looking for something with a little more stability. It's still understable, but just not as much! It has a nice controllable speed and sweet glide! It's very comparable to the Innova Mystere.
Discraft Thrasher
Flight Numbers - 12 | 5 | -3 | 2
[product=discraft-big-z-thrasher]
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The Thrasher is slightly more understable than the numbers suggest. We recommend it as a great choice if you're looking to get into the 12-speed range! If you gain some power? Easily transition to a Discraft Hades!
Discraft Heat
Flight Numbers - 9 | 6 | -3 | 1
[product=discraft-big-z-heat]
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This one is very similar to Sidewinder, it just has even more glide! A great choice if you're eyeing out the 9 speeds and you're looking to maximize distance! The only downside is that the Heat isn't as useful for sidearms due to the domy flight plate.
Choosing The Best Beginner Driver in Disc Golf
Wow, that's quite a few options, and there are plenty of discs we left off this list to make it simpler for you! Here are some quick tips to help you choose the right disc the first time!
- If you're moving up from a fairway driver go to a speed 9 before going on to double digits. This will help keep your shiny new form intact! If you get something too fast you may end up forcing yourself to overthrow!
- If you have a friend who has a large collection of discs ask if they have any you can try. You may just stumble across the perfect disc!
- When in doubt go for something more understable. If it's slightly too understable you can just throw with a little bit of hyzer. If it's too overstable you'll end up overthrowing to compensate.
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