Yes, I know it may be a question that will get me odd looks and answers of "none of them," but those Raleigh area folks familiar with my odd disc selection shouldn't be too surprised. I am looking for serious recommendations as to what Lightning prostyle mold is probably likely to be able to yield the greatest distance for me.

Details:
I throw for distance predominantly with a RHFH throw with fairly high arm speed and considerable spin. I usually get maximum distance with a slight anhyzer release intended to maintain a curve to the left for most of the flight, getting the most out of a left-to-right breeze if possible, and then fade back. I use a DGA Tsunami for a hard ending fade and a DGA Riptide for turnover flex shots, and currently use an Orc and a Crush for the shots in between. High speed release, decent glide and slow fade are key factors.

Now let's see if I get any productive answers amid the guffaws. I putt with an Aerobie Arrow and carry a Jaguar for 360 chickenwing rollers...taking some cracks for wondering if there's a good Lightning distance driver I might like is the least of my worries.

Try the Lightning Pro Style F-2 Flyer for very controllable distance. The F-1 Flyer goes almost as far but doesn't glide as far. They both have great feel/grip. I am at a loss as to why people think Lightning is no good.They are both bullet proof with far less fade than most of the super discs.

I wont even go there.

Ill just say i dont even know if there are any people out there that can tell you from expierience what Lightning disc goes the farthest.

I didnt even know Lightning was still making discs

Good luck on your quest though.

Id love to see that 360 Chicken Wing Roller though :eek: :D

Ive never heard of the f-1 and f-2 are they the # 1 flyer and #2 flyer?
What discs do they resemble.

crap and bigger crap ;)


Bob is one of my disc golfing buddies and I just shake my head at him sometimes.

He is trying to get rid of all of his "Innova" and "DiscCraft" plastic and throw all DGA, Millenium, Gateway, and now Lightning.

Hazard, you do realize that DGA is Discraft and Milennium is an offshoot of Innova right?

Another question. Why? You're from Raleigh. I'm sure you get to see Walt, Larry, Schweb, Carlton, Mad Dawg, and all the other great guys there play. Do they throw Lightning? If not then do they have other reasons for not throwing it other than sponsorship? Probably. I might be wrong but I usually try to do stuff pretty similar to what the top guys are doing. It works for them, it might work for me too. Just my $.02, not trying to bash.

I used some Lightning back in the 80's. What ever the Spitfire is now was a long driver, beat up nice for turn over shots. Problem was one tree and any Lightning disc back then turned into a roller disc.
There's one guy here in Vegas that throws nothing but Lightning and he's very good.

Good rule of thumb

If alot of pros do it. Its prolly a good thing and you should learn how to do it.
If none of the pros do it. Its north worth trying or learning.

I dont know ANY pros who throw Lightning so i would just give up on that plastic

Back when I first started, about a year and a half ago I found a lightening #2 Slice "Bearcat". At the time this was my longest, and straightest flying disc. Great for anhyzers as well.

Not sure how this disc would hold up for me today (I lost it last winter), but I'd love to get my hands on another.

Shultz, Climo, Todd and all the best pros could be competetive with any discs as long as they learned them well. Give any of those guys a few weeks and they could win with Gateway, Lightning, Innova whatever. The point is that they are good golfers. Its the archer...not the arrow.

Hazard, you do realize that DGA is Discraft and Milennium is an offshoot of Innova right?

Another question. Why? You're from Raleigh. I'm sure you get to see Walt, Larry, Schweb, Carlton, Mad Dawg, and all the other great guys there play. Do they throw Lightning? If not then do they have other reasons for not throwing it other than sponsorship? Probably. I might be wrong but I usually try to do stuff pretty similar to what the top guys are doing. It works for them, it might work for me too. Just my $.02, not trying to bash.



Yeah he knows this. He just doesn't want any that are specifically branded as innova or discraft.

I have told him that he is crazy a few times, but he is stubborn in his ways at times. He took a 2 on hole 16 at Richlands this weekend...the only person to do so(well that I heard). He hit the 100 ft fairway shot with the Arrow.

*shrug* whatever

I agree they could all throw just about anything and still be good BUT They DONT.

They choose what works BEST. Doesnt matter if they could be competitive with Lightning or Gateway or not. NONE of they throw Lightning or Gateway. Dont you think they would if it was better then what they throw now???

And Bob...you might try to wait until the DiscWing line of discs come out. Then you won't have to worry about throwing or figuring out a lightning disc to throw.

I know that the D-4 driver is still available. I seem to remeber that, when new, it flew alot like a DX Eagle. Of course it has been a few years since I threw one, but I remember being pretty surprised at how much distance I was able to get with it. Good luck on your search.

The Spitfire is called Flyer 3 nowadays.

I agree they could all throw just about anything and still be good BUT They DONT.

They choose what works BEST. Doesnt matter if they could be competitive with Lightning or Gateway or not. NONE of they throw Lightning or Gateway. Dont you think they would if it was better then what they throw now???



Innova was the only thing WORTH throwing when they started, and they've been loyal to their sponsor.

Innova was the only thing WORTH throwing when they started, and they've been loyal to their sponsor.



They could get sponsored by ANYONE. Dont you think if it was better for their game they would switch???

It's not even Innova guys I was listing, just sponsored players from Raleigh. It just happens that they are all Innova (as are most sponsored NC pros, it may have something to do with having Innova East so close:D). With them that close, we get their stuuf almost as soon as it comes out so of course thats what most of us are going to throw.

Ask 100 sponsored pros that (Any company) and you'll get a 100 different answers.

Try a P-38 fo distance :D

At one point I believe it was a fairly common disc for people to have.

Try a P-38 fo distance :D

At one point I believe it was a fairly common disc for people to have.


The original P38 was as hard as the CE plastic. The P38, Aero, and XD were the discs that I began with.

I agree they could all throw just about anything and still be good BUT They DONT.

They choose what works BEST. Doesnt matter if they could be competitive with Lightning or Gateway or not. NONE of they throw Lightning or Gateway. Dont you think they would if it was better then what they throw now???


Disc pimp,
Wow, are you comparing Gateway with lightning?
You cant be serious.
I'm pretty sure we past by them years ago :confused:

Are you saying our sponsored pros arent "Top Players"?
Shawn Sinclair, Johnny McCray, George Smith, Justin Bunnell, Doug Chillicote all above a 1000 player Rating and they ALL throw ONLY Gateway.
WE had 2 guys tie for 12th in the open at this years pro worlds and another 3 players in the top 40.
One of our Jr players( Dario Re, Spokane Washington) came in 2nd in the 19 and under and threw A spirit 495 in the distance qualifier and finals.
Man, give us a little more credit than comparing us to Lightning
Not to knock lightning as their discs are good enough for rec players, But our discs are being used to compete at the highest levels, by some of the best players in the Game. Players all over the country are using Gateway discs to WIN events in all divisions.
I havent seen anyone use a lighting disc in a tournament since Randy Amen and I were throwing rollers with them at Lamirada back in 1987 :D
Well maybe Slate Paul was throwing an f-15 eagle still in 1988, but not too many since!

Shultz, Climo, Todd and all the best pros could be competetive with any discs as long as they learned them well. Give any of those guys a few weeks and they could win with Gateway, Lightning, Innova whatever. The point is that they are good golfers. Its the archer...not the arrow.


Very true, but sometimes a craftsmen is only as good as his tools.

Please don't missunderstand my post.The man asked what Lightning discs fly the farthest,and I merely stated the F-2 Flyer was the best I could find for long, straight with no fade. Because this game is so hard for me,I can't be loyal to any one brand.My bag has my fathest "D" disc, a 150 SE X-OUT Valkyrie,a 150 Valkyrie,a 150 Gateway Sabre,a 150 Gateway Apachie,a 150 Illusion,two Lightning F-2 Prostyle Flyers,a 150 Cobra,a 150 Cyclone and My fav putter,a 160 Wizard.Incidently,the Lightning F-2 Flyer is Prostyle and the #1-Flyer is Lightning's DX.

Disc pimp,
Wow, are you comparing Gateway with lightning?
You cant be serious.
I'm pretty sure we past by them years ago

Are you saying our sponsored pros arent "Top Players"?
Shawn Sinclair, Johnny McCray, George Smith, Justin Bunnell, Doug Chillicote all above a 1000 player Rating and they ALL throw ONLY Gateway.
WE had 2 guys tie for 12th in the open at this years pro worlds and another 3 players in the top 40.
One of our Jr players( Dario Re, Spokane Washington) came in 2nd in the 19 and under and threw A spirit 495 in the distance qualifier and finals.
Man, give us a little more credit than comparing us to Lightning
Not to knock lightning as their discs are good enough for rec players, But our discs are being used to compete at the highest levels, by some of the best players in the Game. Players all over the country are using Gateway discs to WIN events in all divisions.
I havent seen anyone use a lighting disc in a tournament since Randy Amen and I were throwing rollers with them at Lamirada back in 1987
Well maybe Slate Paul was throwing an f-15 eagle still in 1988, but not too many since!




I was in NO WAY comparing Gateway to Lightning. I know you guys have better discs then Lightning does and i know you guys are sponsoring TOP PROs but this guy was asking about Schultz Kenny and Cam. None of those guys throw Gateway so thats why i said they could throw Lightning or Gateway but they dont. Someone just brought up Gateway so i threw it in the mix. Dont think i have anything against you or i am knocking your product. I really dont know alot about your discs. All i know is the Spirit and Speed Demon i have thrown are WICKEDLY overstable :eek:

I have met some of your sponsored players. Ben Gurthie, Chris Schmit and a couple others.

I didn't mean to start such a ruckus. I was just saying how top players ARE throwing Gateway, and others could if they weren't already throwing other brands.

Shultz, Climo, Todd and all the best pros could be competetive with any discs as long as they learned them well. Give any of those guys a few weeks and they could win with Gateway, Lightning, Innova whatever. The point is that they are good golfers. Its the archer...not the arrow.


Very true, but sometimes a craftsmen is only as good as his tools.


Exactly, I doubt Michelangelo would have gotten a masterpiece from the Mona Lisa had he used Wal Mart water colors.

I'm an Innova Disc Lover, but man the demon rocs.... I know this; if I had to choose between Discraft and Gateway I would choose Gateway. It is very predictable plastic. Lately I have been impressed with there new line of molds coming out.

You guys are missing the point.

The longest lightning disc I have found is the #1 Flyer. This disc is actually pretty decent, but the plastic is really bad, in my opinion. Why are you looking for the longest lightning disc if you already have the cream of Innova and Discrafts crop? It sounds like you need to work on your own technique.


As far as the pro's go, why would they switch? Why would Kenny, who has thrown ROC's for 20+ years, switch to Demons? His game wouldn't be any better. Now if Kenny had been throwing Demons for 20+ years, he wouldn't even consider throwing ROC's. All discs these days are so advanced and versatile that it really all comes down to individual skill.

and you obviously didn't read my reply from earlier....cause that is why I explained why he doesn't want to be all discraft/innova

I'm an Innova Disc Lover, but man the demon rocs.... I know this; if I had to choose between Discraft and Gateway I would choose Gateway. It is very predictable plastic. Lately I have been impressed with there new line of molds coming out.



Hell yeah. I throw Demons so often, its fast becoming my favorite disc. Its just so predicatble in ANY situation.

As Will explained, this is mostly for kicks. I'm pretty darn good with my Orcs if I do say so myself. I'm not busting them 400' yet, but I've got a forehand that has raised a few pro eyebrows when my game is on. At this point I'm no longer trying to eliminate the two Big Names, and I never did intend to drop my Tsunami, Riptide, or Sentinel. But I am still on the lookout for alternatives, because I like being different...yes, probably more than I like being good, if it comes to that. At least a little. Currently my favorite Lightning disc is a #2 driver in a glow plastic that almost feels more durable than Prostyle. Theoretically it floats, too. It's not really a distance driver, but it's fun anyhow.

At this point I guess I'm actually throwing about 80-85% Gateway. My Orcs are still hanging on...my corkscrew Crush still hasn't been beat out as my main overhand disc...I'm still carrying my Q-Sentinel and a handful of Lightning. If I can get an Illusion broken in to hold a shallow anhyzer 300 feet, though, I'd be able to shift entirely to Gateway with the biggest impact on my game being that I could no longer use a tomahawk as my shot of choice on a tight left-curving fairway. So far all my Gateway discs tomahawk fairly straight...as do most others. I have no idea what my grape Crush is smoking.

Exactly, I doubt Michelangelo would have gotten a masterpiece from the Mona Lisa had he used Wal Mart water colors.



Michelangelo would have had a very hard time claiming the Mona Lisa as his masterpiece - especially since it was painted by da Vinci! :o

You could trash all the gateway, throw a buzz and probably be better off.

Been there, done that, got the T-shirt, retired my Buzzz because the stuff I'm using now performs better. Although the Buzzz was indisputably a great disc for me for a while.

You could trash all the gateway, throw a buzz and probably be better off.


Maybe you could just catch a buzz and pretend your playing well :D

I was thinking about writing a letter to Lightning to see if I could get a sponsorship, my goal is to be the first Sponsored Lightning Disc Pro!

I've had that thought before too. I'd like to throw a lot of lightning plastic because I like the way they do business and the owner sounds like a wild dude to party with, but I'm broke and can't really afford to get more discs. Sponsorship would be perfect, but in more of a street team kind of sense. A ragtag band of players who aren't necessarily pro level for whatever reason, but who go out and always have a great time. If you go out and have fun every time you play, you're going to inspire more people to ask "Hey, what's that?" In my area, Lightning is by far the easiest brand of disc to find, so I think that would be a great way to get new prospects to drive to GI Joe's (think Big 5 Sports + Autozone) and pick up a #1 Driver and a Rubber Putter.

One thing to take note of is that they've switched to new plastic for some of their discs. It looks kind of like crayon material because it's kind of shiny but it's a lot more durable.

Also, their glow plastic works great, possibly better than Innova (though it's hard to beat Discraft Photon).

To keep this technically on topic, I've heard tell that the #1 Roller will actually drive very far without giving it a roll.

Somoene asked a question and everyone Bashed on him and Bashed the discs he wanted to throw... Real classy.

-Scott Lewis

to answer the question, the #1, #4 drivers, #1 flyers, #1 helix are the models I'd suggest to try.

I believe that Bob V. was carrying lightning plastic when he became masters world champ.

I agree with greatsky.Altho,I would also add the #2 flyer,the F-2 flyer, the #3 driver and the #1Hookshot.(great for long,low straight shots.)

to answer the question, the #1, #4 drivers, #1 flyers, #1 helix are the models I'd suggest to try.

I believe that Bob V. was carrying lightning plastic when he became masters world champ.



I once threw a Proline #2 Roller a good 400' into a lake...it had a really good flight...at the time I was bummed b/c it was my longest throw, so I wanted it back! Oh how things change over time.

You could trash all the gateway, throw a buzz and probably be better off.



How many times in the history of the PDGA boards has someone shot down others and told them what to throw? Too many times...get over yourself and quit telling others what they should or should not be throwing. Its one thing if they ask, its another to tell them that w/o being asked. I imagine there was a time when it was that way with Discraft, with all the Innova lovers saying stuff like that to people who liked the MRV. Its the archer, not the arrow...

I used to throw the crap out of the Buzz a while back but it only lasted about a month. After that I cou;dn't get it to do crap. I think that a "s" element-x is about the same as a Buzz but it has lasted for more than a month. By the way DDH it is "it's not the indian its the arrow". :D:D

I used to throw the crap out of the Buzz a while back but it only lasted about a month. After that I cou;dn't get it to do crap. I think that a "s" element-x is about the same as a Buzz but it has lasted for more than a month. By the way DDH it is "it's not the indian its the arrow". :D:D



Yeah, I agree on the ElementX, but I like the "E" a bunch too!
And I like the sound of Archer...I'm a big fan of alliteration. :D

I like the indian. :DAnyways I haven't gotten the feel of the "E" although I haven't messed with it that much.

I like the indian. :DAnyways I haven't gotten the feel of the "E" although I haven't messed with it that much.



The newer flatter runs are nice...its not that they have a killer hyzer, they just seem to resist turn a bit more...although I love the feel of the "S"...they both get useage!