You've been out playing some rounds of disc golf and you've come to realize something...
All these discs I have fly differently!
Maybe you only have one or two, or perhaps a starter pack of three discs and you're wondering if they can do everything you'd need them to do for every situation you might run into.
The simple answer is that you can continue playing your rounds with those discs, but they may not cover all the shots you're likely to face out on the course.
The answer that may take some more experience and practice is deciding which discs can help fulfill your bag to cover more shot options.
There are infinite options out there for you, and many of those are selective based on your skill level, arm speed, and personal preference. But in the end, you should be adding discs that complete your bag and cover all shots you could encounter when out on the course.
That being said, the question you should be asking yourself is...
How Do I Build a Disc Golf Bag?
Fulfilling your bag is largely up to what size bag you're willing to carry or cart.
Smaller bags will yield fewer options and larger bags greater options, but with more weight that you have to be willing to traverse with.
A collection of putters, mid ranges, control drivers, and distance drivers are the best way to make sure all angles, shots, and scenarios are covered.
Let's work our way through how to put together a complete bag!
Putters
As you progress in your game play and technique, you should come to learn that putters can make up a large part of your throwing choices. Not only should you bag your main putting putter that's just used for the basket, but it's a great idea to also have some sort of approach and/or driving putter as well.
If you're using a small bag, perhaps find yourself a putter like the Judge, Slammer, or Jawbreaker Zone. They're putters that come in a softer plastic that is grippy and beat in quickly to become straight flyers.
The Judge and Jawbreaker Zone are likely to get a little bit more distance off the tee than the Slammer, but personal usage finds that the Slammer is my go-to for almost all approach shots, forehand and backhand, inside 200 feet just fine.
3 Putters you need to bag:
The Dynamic Discs Judge is an excellent option to bag as your go to putting putter!
Mid-ranges
Mid-ranges truly are the "work horse" of your bag.
There are many out there that can be thrown with great distance, actually helping you to be more accurate verses using a fairway or distance driver that may skip off the landing area and out of play, or hitting a tree and not ricocheting too far from the fairway.
Straight shots in the open or in the woods, shots that need the disc to hold it's line around obstacles, and semi-long drives that don't require a ton of distance are great usages for these discs.
If you have the bag room, it's a solid choice to find yourself a mid that can cover being overstable, one that's stable, and one that you can rely on being understable.
Overstable options to consider based on personal experience are the Innova Caimen, Legacy Recluse, or the Innova Roc3.
Stable choices can include the Westside Warship, Dynamic Discs Truth, Discraft Buzzz, and the Matrix by MVP.
Understable mids can include the Dynamic Discs Patrol, Westside Gatekeeper, Discraft Comet, and Latitude 64 Fuse.
In my own bag, I heavily rely on the Warship for very long straight flights as this disc has a high glide rating.
The Caiman has a nice flat top to it and allows for both forehand and overstable approach shots where you need to get around something somewhat close, allowing the disc to wrap around it before hitting the ground.
The Innova Caiman, shown here in Champion Plastic, is an excellent choice to fill the Overstable Mid-Range slot in your bag!
Control/Fairway Drivers
Whether you're a new player or an experienced player, it can be advantageous to have a couple control drivers in your bag that are slower speeds (7-10). These discs help navigate tight, wooded lines as well as placement landings in narrow, open field fairways with threatening OB's lingering nearby.
To stick with the theme of having versatility if and when carrying a small bag, some stable options that'll eventually become understable with time for you to bag could be the: Latitude 64 Diamond, Dynamic Discs Escape, Innova Valkyrie, and the MVP Wave (for slightly longer shots).
If you're looking for more stability to overstable, you can get yourself an Explorer by Latitude 64, Teebird or Firebird both by Innova, and the Dynamic Discs Felon.
My personal preference for controlled understable shots is either the Maverick or a beaten in Escape. These discs help get me a nice long right hand turn around trees or large bunkers before fading back towards the fairway if given enough height.
The Explorer is a great disc for achieving stable shots through the woods that aren't 300 foot long straight tunnel shots. This disc works great for semi-long tunnel shots and will finish to the left at the end of it's flight.
The Escape by Dynamic Discs is a great choice for situations calling for an understable control driver
Distance Drivers
As a beginner, distance drivers are actually something you can opt out of bagging for some time until you've built up more arm strength, better technique, and gained a sense of how to control your disc in the wind and with release angles.
This can also help keep your small bag focused on what necessary discs you'll need to build your skills with your various options.
Should you choose to bag some distance drivers, here are some options that I have found to bring great success to not only myself, but other players I've spent time on the courses with:
Understable: Innova Shryke, Discraft Hades, Discraft Nuke SS, and the Latitude 64 Bolt
Overstable: Latitude 64 Ballista Pro, Innova Destroyer, Discraft Zeus, Discraft Force, Innova Boss, Millennium Quasar
I personally prefer the Ballista for long fairway stable throws where I don't want the disc to fade too far to the left. The Ballista Pro is my preferred choice for distance as well as having the trust that it will hold up in the wind with it's extra stability.
The Ballista or Ballista Pro (shown above) are 2 of my favorite Distance Driver Options!
One way to help reduce the amount of discs that you carry is to have a couple options that can be used for both forehand and backhand throws. However, to save on some wear and tear from happening so quickly, limiting some of your drivers to only forehand and only backhand is the method I prefer to use.
This also helps to ensure that most nicks and dings happen to the rim facing the same direction, helping to preserve some of the flight pattern.
Building the "Perfect Bag" is ultimately up to your skill level and preference to how the discs feel in your hand. Small things, like the rim height, width, tackiness or slickness, and dome/flat top significantly differ from person to person.
The main point is to find a selection of discs that can cover the majority of shots you'll face where you can comfortably and confidently execute your throws without placing too much effort or strain on your body. Let your discs work for you, they're YOUR tools. You want to supply the effort while the disc actually does the job.
Finally, be sure to have your essential accessories to complete your bag. To optimize your performance, grab yourself a towel, chalk bag, and a mini!
If you're interested in what a complete beginner bag could look like, then be sure to check out our article
where we personally hand select the Perfect Combination of Discs to bag if you're a beginner, be sure to check it out!
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