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Types of Disc Golf Discs
Four categories, defined by rim width. Here is what each one does and how many of them you actually need.
By Selena H. Published August 23, 2026 Updated October 7, 2026
Hyzer & Chain is reader-funded. We earn a commission when you buy through a link here, at no extra cost to you. Picks come from published manufacturer specs and current retailer availability, never from who pays most — here is how we pick.
There are four types of disc golf disc: putters, midranges, fairway drivers and distance drivers. They are distinguished by rim width, which drives the speed rating — putters are speed 1 to 4, midranges 4 to 6, fairway drivers 6 to 9, and distance drivers 10 and above. A new player needs three of the four.
Quick picks
| # | Product | Best for | Key spec | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Innova Aviar Putter — speed 1 to 4 | a brand-new player who needs one disc that does exactly what they aim it at, and for every level above that as a putting disc | 2 / 3 / 0 / 1 · Putter | |
| 2 |  Discraft Buzzz Midrange — speed 4 to 6 | any player from their second round onwards who wants one midrange that flies the same line every single throw | 5 / 4 / -1 / 1 · Midrange | |
| 3 |  Innova Teebird Fairway driver — speed 6 to 9 | an intermediate player who has outgrown understable drivers and wants one fairway disc that goes exactly where it is aimed | 7 / 5 / 0 / 2 · Fairway driver | |
| 4 |  Innova Destroyer Distance driver — speed 10 and up | an advanced player who throws over 350 feet and wants the sport's benchmark high-speed driver | 12 / 5 / -1 / 3 · Distance driver |
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1. Putter — speed 1 to 4
Innova Aviar
- Flight numbers
- 2 / 3 / 0 / 1
- Speed
- 2
- Glide
- 3
- Turn
- 0
- Fade
- 1
- Disc type
- Putter
- Stability
- Neutral
- Plastics
- DX, Pro, Star, Champion, GStar
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The category you will throw most. Narrow rim, lowest speed, most accurate disc in the bag, and responsible for every shot inside 100 feet plus all your putting. If you buy one disc in your life, it should be one of these.
How it flies
Speed 2 with 3 glide and a flat 0 turn means the Aviar goes where you point it at any arm speed. The single point of fade shows up only at the very end, so from inside 30 feet it drops almost straight down rather than drifting left. That predictability is the whole reason it has been the most-bagged putter in the sport for decades.
Best for a brand-new player who needs one disc that does exactly what they aim it at, and for every level above that as a putting disc.
Look elsewhere if you want a putter that fights a headwind — the Aviar's 1 fade gives you very little resistance when the wind picks up.
What works
- Flies the same line for a 150-foot arm and a 500-foot arm
- Available in DX (cheap, grippy) all the way to Star (durable) so you can buy the same flight in whatever plastic suits you
- Low speed means a bad release barely changes the line
What does not
- 1 fade is not enough to hold a line in real wind
- DX plastic wears noticeably after a season of tree hits
Specs read from Innova’s own published product page.
2. Midrange — speed 4 to 6
Discraft Buzzz
- Flight numbers
- 5 / 4 / -1 / 1
- Speed
- 5
- Glide
- 4
- Turn
- -1
- Fade
- 1
- Disc type
- Midrange
- Stability
- Neutral
- Plastics
- Z, Big Z, ESP, Titanium, Jawbreaker
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The workhorse category, covering 120 to 300 feet with far more control than a driver. For most amateur players this is the most under-thrown disc type in the bag: a well-thrown midrange beats a badly-thrown driver on the majority of holes.
How it flies
The -1 turn and 1 fade cancel each other out almost exactly, which is why the Buzzz is the reference straight midrange. Thrown flat it flies a long, flat line and finishes with the gentlest left drift. Thrown on a hyzer it holds the hyzer. Discraft's own page calls it their most popular midrange because it suits a wide range of player styles, and the numbers explain why: there is nothing in them to catch out a developing arm.
Best for any player from their second round onwards who wants one midrange that flies the same line every single throw.
Look elsewhere if you need a midrange that fights hard wind — 1 fade and -1 turn is a neutral combination that a headwind will flip.
What works
- The most repeatable flight in the sport — the same line at 250 feet and 350 feet
- Works at beginner arm speed and still earns a bag slot at tournament level
- Z plastic barely changes flight over years of use
What does not
- Neutral stability means a real headwind will turn it over
- So common that it is rarely the cheapest option
Specs read from Discraft’s own published product page.
3. Fairway driver — speed 6 to 9
Innova Teebird
- Flight numbers
- 7 / 5 / 0 / 2
- Speed
- 7
- Glide
- 5
- Turn
- 0
- Fade
- 2
- Disc type
- Fairway driver
- Stability
- Stable
- Plastics
- Champion, Star, Pro, DX
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Where most driving should happen. Fast enough to add meaningful distance, slow enough that a developing arm can reach its speed threshold, and narrow-rimmed enough to grip securely. This category is the right answer far more often than the next one.
How it flies
0 turn and 2 fade at speed 7 is the definition of a control fairway driver. Given enough power it holds a dead-flat line for most of the flight then finishes left with a predictable, modest hook. It will not flip over on a hard release and it will not need you to aim right. This is the disc that teaches most players what a repeatable drive feels like.
Best for an intermediate player who has outgrown understable drivers and wants one fairway disc that goes exactly where it is aimed.
Look elsewhere if your drives are under 250 feet — without enough power the 2 fade takes over early and you lose distance to the left.
What works
- 0 turn means no surprise flips, in any wind
- The most repeatable fairway line in the registry
- Champion plastic holds these numbers for years
What does not
- Needs genuine arm speed to show its straight line
- 2 fade costs distance at lower power
Specs read from Innova’s own published product page.
4. Distance driver — speed 10 and up
Innova Destroyer
- Flight numbers
- 12 / 5 / -1 / 3
- Speed
- 12
- Glide
- 5
- Turn
- -1
- Fade
- 3
- Disc type
- Distance driver
- Stability
- Stable
- Plastics
- Star, Champion, GStar, Halo Star
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The category most commonly bought too early. Widest rims, highest speed, and a hard power threshold around 350 feet below which these go shorter than a midrange. Genuinely excellent above it, which is why it is here — just not first.
How it flies
Speed 12 with -1 turn and 3 fade. Given enough power it holds a long flat line, drifts gently right at full speed and finishes left firmly. Underpowered, it does none of that — it simply fades out left early, which is why it is the single most commonly over-bought disc in the sport.
Best for an advanced player who throws over 350 feet and wants the sport's benchmark high-speed driver.
Look elsewhere unless you are genuinely past 350 feet — below that the Destroyer never reaches flight and you lose distance to a speed-9 disc.
What works
- Benchmark distance driver at tournament arm speeds
- Dependable finish for a speed-12 disc
- Beats in gradually into a straighter flight rather than going flippy
What does not
- Needs 350-plus feet of arm speed to do anything at all
- A wasted purchase for most beginners and many intermediates
Specs read from Innova’s own published product page.
The four categories
Putters (speed 1-4). Narrowest rims, blunt profile, lowest speed. For putting and short approaches. The most accurate discs you can throw and the ones that decide most of your score.
Midranges (speed 4-6). Slightly wider rim, still fairly blunt. Covers 120 to 300 feet with high control. The most useful category for most amateur players.
Fairway drivers (speed 6-9). Noticeably sharper rim profile. Accurate enough to thread a gap, fast enough to add real distance. Where most driving should happen.
Distance drivers (speed 10-14). Widest, sharpest rims. Longest for players who can reach the threshold, shorter than a midrange for everyone else.
How rim width drives everything
The categories are really a single continuum of rim width. A wider, sharper rim cuts through air more efficiently at high velocity, which is what produces distance — and it needs that velocity to work at all, which is what produces the speed threshold.
Rim width also sets the grip. A speed-13 rim is substantially wider than a speed-9 one, and if your hand cannot grip it securely you lose spin, which costs both distance and accuracy. That is an independent constraint from arm speed, and a real reason plenty of strong players stay at fairway speeds.
| Number | Range | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Speed | 1 to 14 | How fast the disc has to be thrown to fly as designed. Higher speeds cut wind better but need more arm. |
| Glide | 1 to 7 | How well the disc keeps itself in the air. Higher glide means more distance for the same throw. |
| Turn | +1 to -5 | How much the disc banks right early in flight. -5 turns most; +1 resists turning most. |
| Fade | 0 to 5 | How hard the disc hooks left at the end. 0 finishes straightest; 5 hooks hardest. |
Ranges as published in Innova’s flight ratings system. All four numbers describe a right-hand backhand throw.
Which you actually need
Starting out: three categories, three discs. A putter, a midrange and a fairway driver. That covers every shot in a round. The fourth category can wait, possibly for years.
Intermediate: all four, but weighted. Two or three putters, two midranges, three fairway drivers and perhaps one distance driver once a field test justifies it.
Advanced: all four, heavily duplicated. Still only 8 to 12 molds, with multiple copies of the key ones. See tournament bag counts.
Approach discs and other names
You will see other terms. An approach disc or “putt and approach” is a putter thrown rather than putted — usually a more overstable one like a Discraft Zone. A control driver is another name for a fairway driver. A utility disc is any specialist mold for a specific shot, usually very overstable or very understable.
None of these are additional categories. They are jobs within the four, and the four are the only distinction the rim width actually supports.
Common questions
How many types of disc golf discs are there?
Four: putters, midranges, fairway drivers and distance drivers. They are distinguished by rim width, which drives the speed rating from 1 up to 14.
What is the difference between a fairway driver and a distance driver?
Rim width and speed. Fairway drivers are speed 6 to 9 with moderate rims; distance drivers are speed 10 and above with much wider rims that need around 350 feet of arm speed to work.
What disc types does a beginner need?
Three of the four: a putter, a midrange and a fairway driver. That covers every shot in a round, and the distance driver can wait — possibly for years.
What is an approach disc?
A putter thrown rather than putted, usually a more overstable one such as a Discraft Zone. It is a job rather than a fifth category.
Every flight number and spec on this page was read from the manufacturer’s own published product page, linked beside each pick. We do not throw these on a course — here is how we pick.
Sources
Read next
Disc Golf Discs by Type
The four disc types, what each one is actually for, and head-to-head comparisons of the molds people most often choose between.
How to Choose Your First Disc
Four decisions in order — type, speed, stability, weight — and the three discs they lead to.
Best Disc Golf Discs for Beginners (2026)
The three-disc core every new player should start with, plus two worth adding next.
Disc Golf Flight Numbers Chart
Every disc we cover, with manufacturer-published flight numbers, grouped by disc type.