Playing disc golf on a windy day can sound more like torture than fun to some disc golfers.
I’ll be honest there have been a few times I’ve considered quitting a round early when the wind started to pick up.
No one likes having their driver pushed out of bounds but a big gust of wind or having their putter float off to the left and completely miss the basket when they misread the wind.
A great way to make sure you have a better round on those windy days is to choose the right discs. That’s what we’re here to talk about today the best disc golf discs for wind.
I’ll give you my top picks for the best disc golf discs to throw in headwinds and tailwinds. So hopefully, after reading this article you’ll have a better understanding of what discs to throw in the wind and have a better time playing disc golf.
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Best Disc golf discs for Headwinds
- Latitude 64 Stiletto
- Innova Firebird
- Discraft Buzzz OS
- Discmania P3x
Best Disc golf discs for tailwinds
- Innova Daedalus
- Discraft Heat
- Latitude 64 Pearl
- Dynamic Discs Gavel
Let’s take a look at the best discs for headwinds in greater detail:
Latitude 64 Stiletto – Speed: 13 Glide: 3 Turn: 0.5 Fade: 5
The Stiletto is truly a beefy distance driver. You’ll be hard pressed to find a faster more overstable disc on the market. This isn’t for beginners.
The Stiletto will stand up to any amount of heat you can put on it. If you are looking at a strong headwind, grab this disc.
This disc may be too overstable for beginners, but it can find a home in anyone’s bag as a great utility disc. Pick up this disc today!
Check it out on Infinite Discs.
Innova Firebird – Speed: 9 Glide: 3 Turn: 0 Fade: 4
Innova has made a great overstable fairway driver with the Firebird. It’s a highly accurate and predictable disc that any player could add to their bag.
You can face any headwind with ease if you are using this disc. It will always hyzer for you and you can trust it to not turn over.
Seriously, pick up this great disc made by Innova. No headwind will stand a chance against the firebird.
Check it out on Infinite Discs.
Discraft Buzzz OS – Speed: 5 Glide: 4 Turn: 0 Fade: 3
We all know the popular midrange disc made by Discraft. The Buzzz OS is the more overstable version of the Buzzz.
If you enjoy the Buzzz but are looking for something more overstable, you’ll really like this disc. You can trust it in the wind. You can be confident it will always hyzer out of you.
It’s a great option for throwing sidearm too. I can’t say enough good things about the Buzzz OS. Grab one now!
Check it out on Infinite Discs.
Discmania P3x – Speed: 3 Glide: 2 Turn: 0 Fade: 3
Discmania made a great putter for windy days. This beefy putter has very high stability and is a great choice when throwing into a headwind.
It feels great in your hand and you can use it in a bunch of different situations. You can use it for more than windy approaches and drives, this disc works great for forehand throws and flick putts.
You can always trust this putter to hyzer for you. If you like overstable putters or want to pick up a great approach disc or driving putting, you need to grab the P3x.
Check it out on Infinite Discs.
What’s makes a great disc for headwinds?
When facing a headwind you’ll want to reach for an overstable disc with extra fade.
A headwind will cause the disc to act less stable. Using an overstable disc with more fade will help counteract the disc’s tendency to turn over.
Another tip for throwing in a headwind would be to throw a faster disc. You’ll want a faster disc because when compared to the wind, the disc is moving faster than normal without increasing your release speed.
This will ensure the disc flies as intended.
What does overstable mean?
If you are reading this article and aren’t sure what overstable means, I’ve got you covered. When we use the term overstable we’re referring to turn rating of the disc or the tendency of the disc to move left or right when it leaves your hand.
For an overstable disc, if you are a right-handed player throwing backhand, the disc has a tendency to fly to the left after it leaves your hand. For lefties, it’s the opposite. The disc will tend to move to the right when being thrown backhanded.
What else can I use these discs for?
While overstable discs work great in a headwind, they can be used for other situations as well. First off, overstable discs work great in the hands of power players. So if you are an advanced player that can throw really far. Try an overstable disc.
Shots that lend well to throwing an overstable midrange disc, are forearm throws, hyzer throws, flex shots and spike hyzer. If you are looking for a disc to use for any of these throws, an overstable disc is a great option.
Let’s take a look at the best discs for tailwinds in greater detail:
Innova Daedalus – Speed: 13 Glide: 6 Turn: -4 Fade: 2
The Daedalus is a great option for an understable distance driver. When you need to throw far in a tailwind, you are going to want to reach for this disc.
This Innova disc has a lot of turn and glide making it the ideal disc for a beginner.
If you are a more advanced disc golfer or you just have a fast arm, the Daedalus makes a great option for your turnover shots and hyzer flips.
You won’t be sorry if you get the Daedalus for your bag.
Check it out on Infinite Discs.
Discraft Heat – Speed: 9 Glide: 6 Turn: -3 Fade: 1
Discraft made a great fairway driver for tailwinds when they created the Heat. This disc has tons of glide and quite a bit of turn which is great for new disc golfers.
For lower arm speed players, this disc is easy to throw. For higher arm speed players, this disc works well for hyzer flips and turnovers.
Need a new roller disc? Consider the Discraft Heat. You won’t be disappointed in this great fairway driver made by Discraft.
Check it out on Infinite Discs.
Latitude 64 Pearl – Speed: 4 Glide: 6 Turn: -4 Fade: 1
If you are looking for a midrange disc to throw in a tailwind, the Pearl is the best option.
For new players, the Pearl is a great option as well. This midrange disc made by Latitude 64 was designed with new players in mind.
It has a lot of glide and low stability making it easy to throw. If you are a disc golfer with an underdeveloped game, this disc should fly straight for you.
For more seasoned players, the Pearl will work well for anhyzer shots and hyzer flips. This understandable midrange is a great choice for anyone. Put it in your bag and you won’t regret it.
Check it out on Infinite Discs.
Dynamic Discs Gavel – Speed: 3 Glide: 5 Turn: -2 Fade: 0.5
If you are looking for a putter to throw in a tailwind, choose this disc by Dynamic Discs.
The Gavel is a great putter in its own right and a good choice for any new disc golfer. This Dynamic Discs putter has an understable flight which will make it super easy to throw.
The disc has a lot of glide for such a slow disc which will carry it all the way to the chains. This disc has a similar shape and feels like the popular Dynamic Discs, Judge.
If you are looking for a great putter, you simply can’t go wrong with the Gavel.
Check it out on Infinite Discs.
What makes a great disc for tailwinds
When throwing a disc with a tailwind, the disc will tend to act more overstable. To counter this, throwing an unstable disc is recommended.
In a tailwind, you’ll want to throw a slower disc than normal. The disc is moving in the same direction as the wind, so relative to the wind the disc is moving slower than normal. Picking a slower disc will ensure the disc files like you want it to.
What does understale mean?
So, what does the term understable mean anyway? When we say unstable we’re referring to the turn rating of the disc or the tendency of the disc to move left or right when it leaves a disc golfer’s hand.
For an understable disc, if you are a right-handed player throwing backhand, the disc will tend to fly to the right after it leaves your hand. For lefties, it’s the opposite. The disc will tend to move to the left.
You may have heard people refer to understable discs as flippy. This just means that the disc has a higher tendency to flip over.
What else can I use these discs for?
Understable discs are very versatile and can be used in many situations. First off, they are ideal for newer players or players with slower arm speeds.
In the hands of one of these players, an understable disc will fly relatively straight. By comparison, if one of these players tried to throw an overstable disc, the disc would likely hyzer out too earlier and not fly very far.
In the hands of a power player, an unstable disc will turn over with ease. This makes these discs ideal for turnover shots and hyzer flips.
Final Thoughts
Don’t let a windy day stop you from playing the game you love. Playing in the wind is something all disc golfers have to learn to deal with if they want to improve their game and get better.
As long as you are using the right disc in a headwind or tailwind, you should be fine. I hope this article will help you pick the right discs for your bag.
If you pick one of the discs I’ve outlined here, you should do well the next time the wind picks up at your local disc golf course.
Flickr Image Creative Commons Credit – Les Stockton