Was just curious what everyone thought was the next step in DG technology. The modern trend seems to be the wide rimmed, super fast, overstable discs. Aerobie wants us to believe that their gimmic is the next generation, but a true disc golfer would be laughed off the course if he used an Epic. Didn't know if any of the big guys from Gateway, Discraft, or Innova would have any input on their long term dreams. Just curious what discs will be like in 10 or more years.

I think we may see discs with ratings of 12 or 15 for speed in the near future and high speed turns of 3.0 & 3.7.

I can also see that with all the new technology you will start seeing old disc retooled under new names. The Teebird may be retooled with a rating of 12, 9, 0, 2.5. Wouldn't that be sweet? The all new TB2.

My .02

PT Woods
#20431

I would have to say you wont EVER need a disc more stable then a Z EXTREME or a max Weight Z Flick. Or anything faster then that. I would have to say that the disc may get a little faster or a little more overstable but pretty much stay the same.

Whether we "need" them or not I am sure that something super fast and/or stable compared to today's standard will be made, and its your choice if you want it or you want to stick with the old trusty. Technology has brought us this far... why lay anchor now?

Yes and No. I believe that Innova pursued the wide rimmed discs, and Discraft followed. Now we have the ORC and Flash/Flick. These discs push the limits of wide-rimmed disc technology.

Now this is my opinion, but hear me out. I think Gateway is the current leader in disc design technology. While the Innova/Discraft drivers are more popular right now, Gateway has layed the groundwork for the next generation of drivers. the Speed Demon, Spirit, and Illusion have allowed Gateway to experiment with new technology. Everyone who has thrown them will agree that they are not your average wide-rimmed drivers. Gateway has also done alot of experimentation with weight placement within discs. I think that while Innova/Discraft is trying to maxemize current technology, Gateway is developing the drivers of tomorrow.

I completely agree Graham, Discraft and Innova have released high speed drivers, but only gateway has released multiple ones out there with different characteristics to work it all out. Plus I know that the Wizards flight plate has varying thickness and while this may seem unimportant I think it was a very out of the box type innovation. (Forgive me if I gave Gateway this credit unfairly out of ignorance.) Plus how many companys have the guy who owns the company, making the discs and then running out to a field to see if science meets reality? While I am sure that there are TONS of science theories on how to make great discs, I know Dave throws every new mold he makes to ensure that it works. He refuses to release a disc until he is happy with it. That's what I call determination to move forward.

The one biggest thing that I wish could be done is to be able to produce quality baskets cheaply.

Yes I know the skill shot is cheap, but it is cheap because it is made out of cloth and cheaper metal.

When I talk about weight placement, I'm talking about where plastic is accumulated on the discs. It's present on every one of their discs, but it's easiest to see in S discs. Take an S disc, such as a sabre, and hold it up to the light. You will see rings of darker and lighter plastic, even though the color appears the same. This indicates where there is extra weight. In the Sabre's case, this weight placement accounts for it's nearly neutral flight, fast flight speed, excelent glide, and good balance. Every Gateway disc, including Blazes, Demons, Wizards have this.

One of the main reasons the Wizard became so popular was because of it's relatively thin flight plate. Because of the thinner plate, feel between the thumb and fingers was greatly increased, when compared with Aviars and Magnets, resulting in a LOT of converts. The flight plate has since been thickened up a bit, because of complaints of "bubbling up", but it's still thin when compared to the Aviar. The early Wizards had Extremely thin flight plates!


If you hold up a Innova or Discraft disc, you'll notice that there are no such weight rings. Just another example of how Gateway is experimenting and using the technology of the future.

I know FOR A FACT that Discraft does the same thing. When the flash was in the prototype stages and Jim was doing all the tweaking and everything to the disc i was throwing them 2 to 3 times a week to see how they were flying when retooled. I also know for a fact they were testing all the flicks with multiple people to see how they were working for EVERYONE not just one person. Jim had the 150 proto flicks out at worlds and was having pretty much anyone who wanted to try them throw them. So i know that Discraft does the same thing and I know that Jim wont put out a disc untill it does EXACTLY what he wants it to do. I would have to say that Discraft is leading the market in Disc advancement and technology. Since the patent on disc ran out Discraft has released the BUZZZ in Z X and D plastic. The Z Flash. The 150 Z Flick Storm and Talon. The 174 Z Flick and DGA which is made my Discraft has come out with the Tsunami. Eveyone that i know who has thrown a Tsunami has added one to their bag. The only discs i know of that Gateway has come out with are the Illusion and the Element which is just another Roc Wasp whatever you want to call it. So right now i would have to say Discraft is the top golf disc manufacturer in the sport. Thats just my opinion i could be wrong :D

Yes and No. I believe that Innova pursued the wide rimmed discs, and Discraft followed. Now we have the ORC and Flash/Flick. These discs push the limits of wide-rimmed disc technology.

Now this is my opinion, but hear me out. I think Gateway is the current leader in disc design technology. While the Innova/Discraft drivers are more popular right now, Gateway has layed the groundwork for the next generation of drivers. the Speed Demon, Spirit, and Illusion have allowed Gateway to experiment with new technology. Everyone who has thrown them will agree that they are not your average wide-rimmed drivers. Gateway has also done alot of experimentation with weight placement within discs. I think that while Innova/Discraft is trying to maxemize current technology, Gateway is developing the drivers of tomorrow.



As far as I can tell, Innova, Discraft and Gateway have been experimenting with wide rimmed drivers using similar technology. It's just that Gateway designs their discs to be thrown by pros while Innova and Discraft design their discs to be thrown by a larger group of people. I'm not saying that either approach is better or worse than the others or that any comany produces "better" discs than the others either (I have discs that I love from all three companies). In fact, given the relative size of the companies I can see why they all do what they do. While there may be design features that Gateway implements that people prefer, I haven't seen anything that makes me believe that they are on a different technological plateu as far as disc design is concerned.

When I talk about weight placement, I'm talking about where plastic is accumulated on the discs. It's present on every one of their discs, but it's easiest to see in S discs. Take an S disc, such as a sabre, and hold it up to the light. You will see rings of darker and lighter plastic, even though the color appears the same. This indicates where there is extra weight. In the Sabre's case, this weight placement accounts for it's nearly neutral flight, fast flight speed, excelent glide, and good balance. Every Gateway disc, including Blazes, Demons, Wizards have this.



Are you POSITIVE that the rings are weight placement or is this just your opinion??? Have you talked to the guys at Gateway and they TOLD you this is what hey are doing or are you just guessing because it seems to me that inside a mold if you are melting plastic in a mold and letting it cool there would be NO POSSIBLE way to add weight to any specific spot of the disc without changing the mold or makin the flight plate wavy and uneven to add weight in certain spots. Im not trying to be an ACEHOLE i just want to know where you got your info from.

And if Gateway is making all their disc for pros to throw why do they sponsor so many Ams???

CB: I sent you a PM.

I'm saying that Gateway has layed the groundwork for the next generation of golf discs. Anyone who has thrown a new Gateway driver with Hyperlift technology knows what I'm talking about. They own the rights.

That being said, I aggree that Discraft has been making some of the best discs lately. The Buzz, Breeze, Flash are great discs, but they are still old technology. There is nothing new with these discs. Just basically a few retoolings of existing discs. Don't get me wrong, they are still awesome discs, but not the future, by any means.

I'm not sure that I buy this theory on the "weight rings" in gateway discs. I think it's probably just the way that the plastic cools. I think the reason that the Sabre flies neutrally is the shape of the mold, not the varicolored rings in the plastic. Just my two cents.

Ok but look at the disc against a light and you will see. They ARE there. Ask Dave...he would be happy to explain.

Oh, here's another example. I don't know if you guys have ever thrown Sabre's, but if you have, then you've probably heard of the Sabre SX. The SX is basically a super overstable version of the Sabre. You can't tell the difference by looking at the discs. Even thr profile is the same. The only way you can tell is to look at the disc under the light. If you see the "weight rings", it is a regular sabre. If the center is very dark(thick), it is a Sabre SX. These discs have the exact same profile and wing shape, and yet they fly differently? Something other than wing shape and profile must be effecting the way these discs fly...Weight position in the flight plate.

Changing the weight distribution on the flight deck would change the moment of interia of the disc. Hence, changing flight pattern. However I am also a lit bit skeptical to believe that they are able to make rings uniform enough to not introduce any uneveness. If the rings were at all lopsided it could potentially impart some instabilities causing unexpected flight pattern or wobbles possibly. That is of course assuming that the weighting difference is significant to change the flight pattern. Hmm....I am going to have to go think about this for a bit. Finally putting my BS in Physics to work.

I must admit though, I have never even seen a Gateway disc that I can picture in my mind. We Idahoans only see discs by Discraft, Innova and DGA. I just went through all my discs and none of them showed a noticeably ring pattern besides the Z plastic Discraft discs. Those ring are not weighting differences though, but are probably artifacts from the type of mold (spun metal?) that is used in the process. Well, gotta go, making a disc golf trip tomorrow though Montana into northern Idaho disguised as a graduate school trip.

DISCWING has broken out of the mold.This disc will change players game forever.FASTER and FURTHER no gimics.Epic was a gimic and still is.Should have never been approved. :confused:This disc design is pattened in 2 countries.The disc flies 10 to 15% further for all players.I cant wait to see this disc in 150 class it will be scarey.The disc is stealth it has no sound and no air drag.When the disc hits the ground it flies forward 20 to 60 ft it wants to keep on flying.As a roller in a park, I have seen it go 700 ft it parts the grass like a 70s hair style. Disc golf of the future will continue to be driven on golf courses by me F18.This is the venue that will give our sport credialibity I hope i spelled that right :confused: All sports have a SHOWCASE we have a park.Dont get me wrong I love the park I play 2wice a week.I have new baskets for my courses soon some slight changes.These are made for golf courses.F18 building discs golfs premier courses for the world to play on .Have a cart have a beer, have a burger, ,have a bathroom ,have a scorecard ,have a great day.vision purpose ;)

In reference to everyone's arguing over the weight distribution in Gateway discs... check out Daves (gateway_disc_sports) post on page 5 of the the Most Popular Putter thread... he describes in good detail how he designed different thicknesses into the flight plate of the wizard and why.

In ten years we will see little rockets on the edge we can turn on to get that exrta 1000'.
Or maybe a flexable flight plate that changes to changes in height, wind speed and direction, temperature and humidity to give us that exrta 20'.
Here's one we have all thought of: add a beeper in the disc so when we can't find it we push a toggle on our key chain and BEEP, BEEP, BEEP, we go in the direction of the noise.

Or how about this: you have a great drive and the disc says "great drive - you have gone 450', 35' high and broke your old record by 15'!! Now make the putt stupid!!"

Okay, so I wouldn't want my disc to talk to me, especally if it calls me names.

I don't think things will change a whole lot. The big arms now can throw over a 400' controlled drive which is too far for all but a handfull of courses/holes. I can see changes in materials and aerodynamics adding maybe another 100' to a drive, unless the PDGA changes the standards of disc design. Which they probably won't. Look at ball golf. The new materials and designs of club heads and balls (along with pros that actually work out) have forced several world class courses to make the layout longer and more difficult, resulting in more limits of club/ball design. You think you could talk your city into annexing more land so the course plays longer? Maybe if we talked all the ball courses into adding a basket off to the side of the green we'd have somewhere for the pros to play.

I do like the idea of a loacating beeper on the disc though.

DG is still a young sport, not even a teenager yet.

Ball golf is at least middle aged, and there's always complaints about too much change.

So change is coming

How about helium-filled discs that might never come back down? :)

DISCWING has broken out of the mold.This disc will change players game forever.FASTER and FURTHER no gimics.Epic was a gimic and still is.Should have never been approved. :confused:This disc design is pattened in 2 countries.The disc flies 10 to 15% further for all players.I cant wait to see this disc in 150 class it will be scarey.The disc is stealth it has no sound and no air drag.When the disc hits the ground it flies forward 20 to 60 ft it wants to keep on flying.As a roller in a park, I have seen it go 700 ft it parts the grass like a 70s hair style. Disc golf of the future will continue to be driven on golf courses by me F18.This is the venue that will give our sport credialibity I hope i spelled that right :confused: All sports have a SHOWCASE we have a park.Dont get me wrong I love the park I play 2wice a week.I have new baskets for my courses soon some slight changes.These are made for golf courses.F18 building discs golfs premier courses for the world to play on .Have a cart have a beer, have a burger, ,have a bathroom ,have a scorecard ,have a great day.vision purpose ;)



The Quarter K is a great concept, and lots of thought has gone into the design, but this disc has been "coming soon" for almost 2 years now. The disc might look good in the Lab, or on paper, but how about in the hands of real world disc golfers? You just don't know. Until this disc is put on the market, it doesn't exist. When(if) it comes out, it may be a hit, and it may be a flop. I'm sure the Epic looked great in the lab and on paper, but look at it now. Acording to Aerobie, it should be the longest, fastest, most controlable disc ever made, numerically. In the real world, I don't know one disc golfer who uses it.

Put the disc out and let the people be the judge.

Put the disc out and let the people be the judge.



Amen, Graham... there is no replacement for throwing a disc on a course to see if it behaves like the physics equations say it should.

DISCWING has broken out of the mold.This disc will change players game forever.FASTER and FURTHER no gimics.Epic was a gimic and still is.Should have never been approved. :confused:This disc design is pattened in 2 countries.The disc flies 10 to 15% further for all players.I cant wait to see this disc in 150 class it will be scarey.The disc is stealth it has no sound and no air drag.When the disc hits the ground it flies forward 20 to 60 ft it wants to keep on flying.As a roller in a park, I have seen it go 700 ft it parts the grass like a 70s hair style. Disc golf of the future will continue to be driven on golf courses by me F18.This is the venue that will give our sport credialibity I hope i spelled that right :confused: All sports have a SHOWCASE we have a park.Dont get me wrong I love the park I play 2wice a week.I have new baskets for my courses soon some slight changes.These are made for golf courses.F18 building discs golfs premier courses for the world to play on .Have a cart have a beer, have a burger, ,have a bathroom ,have a scorecard ,have a great day.vision purpose ;)


Reece,
You might want to wait until there is an actual prodcution mold. The prototypes you guys had in Iowa are a far cry from a production run of 1500!
Also the prototype disc is not that far off in shape from an illusion. The only difference is we are MAKING Illusions NOW! :D

I know of one golfer in our area that uses the Epic. He does quite well with it. Of course he used to play baseball and has an arm that is quite suited for the disc. I have seen him throw that thing roughly 600 feet. Pretty impressive. So much so I went out and got one. Couldnt throw it worth a ****.

Just goes to show that some peoples garbage may be others treasure! :p

I also know two golfers that use the Epic regularly with some considerable success, though I've yet to see a pro use one in an event.
As to the future, in the short run, courses will get longer. That's something that's already happening. There will be more par 4's and 5's.
Sooner or later, the sport will break out and become fashionable for a time and people will start trying to figure
out how to exploit it financially.
After that, the crystal becomes foggy.
Hopefully, the new courses will not just be made longer
but will be designed imaginatively with the flight possiblities of discs (not balls) in mind.

Dave this is no illuision.Did any player throw any of your discs over 600 ft. at worlds?I dont think so.... This disc is technology ,it was built in a wind tunnel to go faster, and further than any discs on the market.It does that and more.All designers will say why did i not think of that. small changes make a big difference.This is the biggest step in disc technology that is no gimmic.Dave I throw the wizzard for my driver putter it works fine.We all need more options ,the Quarter K is for now, just one disc. ;)

the Quarter K is for now, just one disc. ;)



Just one disc that isn't available, I might add.

Dave this is no illuision.Did any player throw any of your discs over 600 ft. at worlds?I dont think so



Did anyone throw the Quarter K in competition at Worlds? I don't think so. Even a 400' drive with an Illusion is 400' farther than anyone threw a Quarter K during a round.

What's the holdup with this disc? It doesn't exist until it gets PDGA approval and is available to the masses. I can throw one of those Aerobie rings about 1000' but since it isn't legal, who cares.

For your amusement ... a series of news bulletins ... from the future...

NEWSFLASH: 3Plate Technolgies to create new "turned" disc. Says a company spokesman "We have all seen aluminum turned into wheels and cheap plastic turned into PWD (Pinewood Derby) wheels. We have developed the first process to turn high grade plastics into high performance golf discs." "It is our desire to create a line of disc to revolutionize disc golf...to where the average tournament play can easily throw six hundred feet."

NEWSFLASH: 3Plate Technologies creates hybrid disc. Based on their "Turned" technology, 3Plate Tech continues to turn the disc golf world upside down. A company spokesman "Our new hybrid discs are actually rings of metal alloys and plastic polymers bonded together that are then carved to make the finest discs on the market today." These new high end discs come with a high end price, as they are expected to fetch between $100 and $150 when they become available in ????

NEWSFLASH: Local golf courses go "bi-golf". The advent of "turned" discs are allowing many more disc golfers to throw distances comparable to "ball" golfers. So much so that many local courses are adding "poles" near their greens to allow either type of golf. Says a local golf pro "Round times at our course is nearing 5 hours (for 18 holes). At that speed, I can let eight DGs (disc golfers) play as a group, charge them half the normal rate, and not lose any time or money."

NEWSFLASH: New technolgies send disc golfers deep into the woods. As the average disc golfer can now throw 700' to 900', many new disc golf courses are being developed deeper in the woods. From a local parks official "We can't provide the space to accomodate today's drivers, but we can allow more of our wooded areas to be used for disc golf. The local club takes out very few trees. They are out there, you just can't see them."

NEWSFLASH: Local disc golf club creates a "park" course. In a rare move, the local disc golfers are opening a "park" course. This brand new course has short holes with lots of open ground. Says the head of the local club "Our sport has collapsed inward. We let the parks deparments close all the old courses while we moved in to the country clubs and out to the deep woods. We have nowhere for the beginners....nowhere for a guy to take his girlfriend. We needed to put something back where a dad could teach his son the joy of disc golf." All indications are that this "retro" course will be a big hit.

And so it goes....

NEWSFLASH: Local disc golf club creates a "park" course. In a rare move, the local disc golfers are opening a "park" course. This brand new course has short holes with lots of open ground. Says the head of the local club "Our sport has collapsed inward. We let the parks deparments close all the old courses while we moved in to the country clubs and out to the deep woods. We have nowhere for the beginners....nowhere for a guy to take his girlfriend. We needed to put something back where a dad could teach his son the joy of disc golf." All indications are that this "retro" course will be a big hit.




Where do you live? We have several courses in Oregon that are exactly what you are describing there. The oldest one has been around since 1980 and is a very short course in a small, open park with few trees.

Dave this is no illuision.Did any player throw any of your discs over 600 ft. at worlds?I dont think so



Did anyone throw the Quarter K in competition at Worlds? I don't think so. Even a 400' drive with an Illusion is 400' farther than anyone threw a Quarter K during a round.

What's the holdup with this disc? It doesn't exist until it gets PDGA approval and is available to the masses. I can throw one of those Aerobie rings about 1000' but since it isn't legal, who cares.



I've seen Justin Bunnell and George Smith put the Illusion out past 500' and I'm sure between the Gateway pros, someones put it over 600'!!

Well why didnt they do it then?

For your amusement ... a series of news bulletins ... from the future...

NEWSFLASH: 3Plate Technolgies to create new "turned" disc. Says a company spokesman "We have all seen aluminum turned into wheels and cheap plastic turned into PWD (Pinewood Derby) wheels. We have developed the first process to turn high grade plastics into high performance golf discs." "It is our desire to create a line of disc to revolutionize disc golf...to where the average tournament play can easily throw six hundred feet."

NEWSFLASH: 3Plate Technologies creates hybrid disc. Based on their "Turned" technology, 3Plate Tech continues to turn the disc golf world upside down. A company spokesman "Our new hybrid discs are actually rings of metal alloys and plastic polymers bonded together that are then carved to make the finest discs on the market today." These new high end discs come with a high end price, as they are expected to fetch between $100 and $150 when they become available in ????

NEWSFLASH: Local golf courses go "bi-golf". The advent of "turned" discs are allowing many more disc golfers to throw distances comparable to "ball" golfers. So much so that many local courses are adding "poles" near their greens to allow either type of golf. Says a local golf pro "Round times at our course is nearing 5 hours (for 18 holes). At that speed, I can let eight DGs (disc golfers) play as a group, charge them half the normal rate, and not lose any time or money."

NEWSFLASH: New technolgies send disc golfers deep into the woods. As the average disc golfer can now throw 700' to 900', many new disc golf courses are being developed deeper in the woods. From a local parks official "We can't provide the space to accomodate today's drivers, but we can allow more of our wooded areas to be used for disc golf. The local club takes out very few trees. They are out there, you just can't see them."

NEWSFLASH: Local disc golf club creates a "park" course. In a rare move, the local disc golfers are opening a "park" course. This brand new course has short holes with lots of open ground. Says the head of the local club "Our sport has collapsed inward. We let the parks deparments close all the old courses while we moved in to the country clubs and out to the deep woods. We have nowhere for the beginners....nowhere for a guy to take his girlfriend. We needed to put something back where a dad could teach his son the joy of disc golf." All indications are that this "retro" course will be a big hit.

And so it goes....




Ahhh, I love satire :D

Hysterical dude! :D

I can throw one of those Aerobie rings about 1000' but since it isn't legal, who cares.



Could you imagine if there was a golf disc that flew like that though? Courses would have to be bigger than ball golf courses.

Post deleted by DiscinDeadHead

Well why didnt they do it then?


Are you refering to the distance comp? B/C Shawn Sinclair can regularly put Sabres to 600', he just doesn't do too many comps. anymore. Also, Justin wasn't in the comp. either. I'm not saying they are record setters, if you reread my post, you will see I was defending David, in responce to whoever it was that said Illusions aren't going 600' like the Quarter K was.

The Quater K was not pdga approved at the field events.We did throw it that day next to the distance comp.I did think you were dave I should have looked.Dave and I share the vision of our sport coexisting on golf courses regardless how far any disc flies.NEWSFLASH there are fake rocks that they sell at hardware stores to hide a key , I suggest you crawl inside one and wait for spring. :D:D:D

World's record for a thrown object is one of those rings. It was thrown over a quarter of a mile.
In my opinion, this has nothing to do with disc golf. Ring golf?
A new sport? That'd be fine with me and might even happen in the future, but again, that'd be a different sport than disc golf.
Disc golf is about shot making with a disc!
Tunnel shots, tomahawks, rollers, looong anhyzers, perfect helixes around and through several tree trunks, skip shots, sky rollers, bank shots, etc.
The future of disc golf MUST reflect the amazing capabilities of a flying disc.
Discs FLY! Balls don't.

ADiscand3Plates:

Great sarcasm.
You are a kindred spirit.
:D

I dont think Dave needs you to fight his battles.

Great sarcasm.
You are a kindred spirit.
:D



Too much time on a Friday afternoon in October with way too much sunshine and not enough time to throw. It helps when the last you thing you watch is an Edgar Allen Poe video. :)

The current trend of new discs is unquestionably the wide rimmed, super fast drivers. While I have a couple of them and do use them, I was realizing how contrasting they were to the rest of my bag. What type of discs would you guys like to see being produced in the near future and how much more do you think we can push the speed and glide aspects to go faster and longer?

My dream is do find a disc that is:
Very overstable at high speeds, and very understable at low speeds.

Think about that, it would be simply amazing!

I've found one. Only problem is you have to throw it sidearm!