Ok, here is a question from a disc golf noob. Here is the question:

When should you replace a disc golf disc?

I am fairly new to the sport and I have tried to find answers to this question and I can't find any.

Basically, how banged up should a disc be before you replace it? Also, is there anything else that would merit replacing a disc (other than losing one) ie. age?

This may seem like a stupid question to some, but I am not
a) versed on the dynamics of various plastics and how they wear or
b) sure on how many, or how bad a ding needs to be before it majorly affects flight characteristics.

Thanks for any help anyone can provide :)

Well if you didnt intend for your disc to become a roller then it's probably time to toss it. If it starts flying in ways you dont want it to, and cant find a use for it then go out and replace it.

Every person would probably answer this question differently. Many people swear by beat in discs b/c you can't buy them out of the box that way. You learn to throw them differently as they beat in and you can do things with them you might not have been able to before. Rocs are a great example. A beat in roc is an irreplaceable piece of equipment in the bag. Mine broke in half last year and I still have not gotten another Roc to that state.

i use alot of used plastic.
if there is a used bin to rattle thru for payout i'm almost gitty with the opportunity to find that jewel.

age isn't a reason to get rid of a disc. I use putters from 1991. and a friend of mine still uses a Pat. Pend. Aero from 1984.

notches in the rim aren't necessarily reasons to get rid of a disc however if there is a hole in the flight plate it's probably time to say bye bye.

: ) :

the flight characteristics of a beat up disc are often way different from any new disc you can find. they always have uses, but if you have more than one disc that flies the same then you may not need both of them. i'd much rather have a really beat up wraith than a sidewinder or something similar. as a disc beats up you learn the flight of that disc better than a new disc with a similar flight because you've thrown it into that condition and gotten used to it.

just make sure you don't have too many discs with similar flights in your bag. it can be confusing with so many slight differences in flight. keep one disc for each type of throw and for different distances.

ideally it's something like this:

distance drivers - overstable, "stable", and understable.
fairway drivers - overstable, "stable", and understable.
mid-range - overstable, "stable", and understable.
and you can have just one putter or several stabilities. everyone prefers something different.

i usually just have overstable discs and beat them into the understable slots rather than buying discs of different stabilities.

age isn't a reason to get rid of a disc. I use putters from 1991. and a friend of mine still uses a Pat. Pend. Aero from 1984.

notches in the rim aren't necessarily reasons to get rid of a disc however if there is a hole in the flight plate it's probably time to say bye bye.

: ) :



Yeah, I carry a putter in my bag from 1983. Well, it was a driver when I bought it, but now what used to be drivers are putters... I can do things with that disc that I can do with no other. It gets used at least 3 or 4 times a round. Let's see..if I did the math, I wonder how many times it has been thrown?

i usually like to buy used discs in general. with star/esp and champ/elite-z, the grip is a little better and not as slick. used pro discs are nice also. i would replace distance drivers more often than i would mid ranges and putters.

I often search used bins for premium plastic that has been worked in nicely. These discs will maintain their characteristics for a very long time especially once they have some wear and tear. Candy Teebirds and Wraiths are great examples. Star TL with a lot of wear will finally act like a TL, etc. Good to mention that if there are any perforations or cuts that compromise the structure of the disc then it is illegal to throw in competition. DX drivers can become permanent rollers over time too but maybe useful for throws with less power

I would like to thank everyone very much for their responses. They all helped a lot. Thank you all very much.

I agree with the fact that it depends on the disc and what you need the disc to do. Meaning one of my overstable disc meant to fight a head wind prob will be replaced if i notice it starts flipping over. i need a new one to remain stable.
but a teebird, putter, or midrange can wear for a long time and as they become flippy i can still use them. i might put new ones in the bag to be stable but the worn in ones remain good flippy disc for me.