Which disc golf driver is best?

Disc golf is far more nuanced than it may seem, requiring a fleet of specialized discs at the highest level of play. Among the most critical types of discs is the driver. It comes in a few varieties that can be used for the longest shots off the tee or for gliding farther down the fairway.

The best disc golf driver is the Discraft Buzzz Elite Z Golf Disc. It’s designed for use by anyone of any skill level and is sturdy enough to last but soft enough for gentle landings.

What to know before you buy a disc golf driver

Types of disc golf drivers

There are two types of disc golf drivers: distance and fairway.

Distance drivers require the most skill to use efficiently, but they can also travel the farthest of any disc. However, they tend to curve during flight rather than stay straight.
Fairway, or control, drivers require less skill to keep them gliding straight and far. They’re perfect for beginners in all cases and let pros closely control their game.

Flight numbers

Disc golf drivers have a set of four numbers that indicate how a disc flies.

Speed tells how hard you must throw a disc to maintain its intended flight pattern. Drivers typically have speeds of 7-14.
Glide tells how long a disc can stay in the air. High glides can go the distance but are the most affected by wind.
Turn tells how likely a disc is to bend one way and then hook toward the other way, making an S-curve. The lower the number, the more likely it is that a turn will happen.
Fade tells how likely the disc is to curve toward the end of the throw. The higher the number, the more intense it can hook.

What to look for in a quality disc golf driver

Plastic

Disc manufacturers use a range of plastics to make drivers and frequently use special names, making it easier to examine the material in terms of hardness.

Hard plastic is the most durable and glides the smoothest. However, it can be challenging to maintain a good grip.
Soft plastic discs are easier to grip and maintain your control, but they fly slower and less far. They also skip less and don’t last as long.
Rubber is rarely used, but it can be useful for those who struggle to keep a close grip on their driver. It’s moderately durable, too.

Weight

Driver weight is most linked to your skill level.

Light drivers of 150 to 165 grams are better for beginners. It takes less power to control them, and they fly farther distances. However, they are easily affected by wind.
Heavy drivers of 165 to 175-plus grams are better for pros. It takes more power to control them, but they’re easier to control and more predictable.

How much you can expect to spend on a disc golf driver

Most disc golf drivers cost $10-$15. Players of any skill can use discs in this price range, and they are built to last. The best drivers start at $15 and go up in price the better the material is. Some drivers cost less than $10, but these are entirely meant for beginners.

Disc golf driver FAQ

Does it matter if I throw backhanded or forehanded?

A. That depends on your skill level. If you’re starting out and you’re trying to keep your shots straight, you should throw in whichever manner is the most comfortable for you. If you’re trying to develop advanced skills, throwing backhanded and forehanded will help the driver to curve in opposite directions.

How long does a disc golf driver last?

A. That depends on how often you use it and the quality of its design. The average driver can last for years if you treat it properly, and it can actually get easier to use the more you break it in. It will eventually become too broken in to function optimally, and only then will you need a new one.

What’s the best disc golf driver to buy?

Top disc golf driver

Discraft Buzzz Elite Z Golf Disc

What you need to know: This driver is a great choice for players of all skill levels.

What you’ll love: It’s designed for midrange throws and comes in three weights. The clean designs and simple curves help maintain this driver’s accuracy in most weather conditions. The plastic is sturdy enough to last but soft enough to prevent damage from errant throws.

What you should consider: You cannot specify what color you want, and instead, you’re just shipped one at random. A few of the more advanced consumers felt the plastic was average.

Top disc golf driver for the money

Westside Discs Origio Burst Underworld Fairway Disc Golf Driver

What you need to know: It’s affordable, effective and sports a rad skull design.

What you’ll love: It has a speed rating of 7, a glide rating of 6, a turn rating of -3 and a fade rating of 1. The flattop profile and narrow rim are designed with beginners in mind to help them maintain control of their throws.

What you should consider: The helmeted skull design isn’t for everyone. It isn’t as sturdy as more advanced drivers — hard landings on concrete can chip the rim.

Worth checking out

Axiom Discs Proton Insanity Disc Golf Driver

What you need to know: It’s a good driver that’s available in whichever weight best suits your experience.

What you’ll love: It comes in five weights, from the ultralight 150-160 gram to the heavy 170-175 gram. Axiom Discs uses a special plastic called “Proton,” which has high durability to withstand even the harshest conditions. It uses aerodynamics and a trademarked GYRO system for accuracy.

What you should consider: Any throws outside standard straight or curved shots are hard to accomplish. The center is clear, making it difficult to find in the grass.

Prices listed reflect time and date of publication and are subject to change.

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Today is Wednesday, March 26, the 85th day of 2025. There are 280 days left in the year.

Today in history:

On March 26, 2018, a toxicology report obtained by The Associated Press revealed that the late pop superstar Prince had levels of fentanyl in his body that multiple experts described as “exceedingly high.”

Also on this date:

In 1812, an earthquake devastated Caracas, Venezuela, causing as many as 30,000 deaths. (The U.S. Congress later approved $50,000 in food aid to be sent to Venezuela — the first example of American disaster assistance abroad.)

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As children, they fled the Nazis alone. Newly found papers tell their story.

In 1917, the Seattle Metropolitans became the first American ice hockey team to win the Stanley Cup, defeating the Montreal Canadiens 9-1 to win the championship series, three games to one.

In 1979, a peace treaty was signed by Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin and Egyptian President Anwar Sadat and witnessed by President Jimmy Carter at the White House.

In 1992, a judge in Indianapolis sentenced former heavyweight boxing champion Mike Tyson to six years in prison on rape charges. (Tyson would ultimately serve less than three years of the sentence.)

In 1997, the bodies of 39 members of the Heaven’s Gate religious cult who took their own lives were found inside a rented mansion in Rancho Santa Fe, California.

In 2013, Italy’s top criminal court overturned the acquittal of American Amanda Knox in the grisly murder of British roommate Meredith Kercher and ordered Knox to stand trial again. (Although convicted in absentia, Knox was exonerated by the Italian Supreme Court in 2015.)

In 2021, Dominion Voting Systems filed a $1.6 billion defamation lawsuit against Fox News, saying the cable news giant falsely claimed that the voting company rigged the 2020 election. (Fox would eventually agree to pay Dominion $787.5 million in one of the largest defamation settlements in U.S. history.)

In 2024, Baltimore’s Francis Scott Key Bridge collapsed after being struck by a container ship, killing six maintenance workers on the bridge. (Maryland officials have announced plans to replace the bridge by late 2028.)

Today’s Birthdays:

Basketball Hall of Famer Wayne Embry is 88.
Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi is 85.
Author Erica Jong is 83.
Journalist Bob Woodward is 82.
Singer Diana Ross is 81.
Rock singer Steven Tyler (Aerosmith) is 77.
Actor-comedian Vicki Lawrence is 76.
Actor-comedian Martin Short is 75.
Country singer Ronnie McDowell is 75.
Country singer Charly McClain is 69.
TV personality Leeza Gibbons is 68.
Football Hall of Famer Marcus Allen is 65.
Actor Jennifer Grey is 65.
Basketball Hall of Famer John Stockton is 63.
Actor Michael Imperioli is 59.
Country singer Kenny Chesney is 57.
Actor Leslie Mann is 53.
Google co-founder Larry Page is 52.
Rapper Juvenile is 50.
Actor Keira Knightley is 40.
Actor-comedian Ramy Youssef is 34.

Experienced gamblers will tell you that Vegas can be lots of fun. But when the slots go cold, the dice won’t cooperate and the cards don’t flip your way, sometimes all you can do is walk away.

Or skate away, in the case of the Minnesota Wild.

Lady Luck was clearly not on the home team’s side Tuesday as they began a three-game homestand, as the Vegas Golden Knights had an answer for every card trick the Wild had in mind. Vegas, the Pacific Division leaders and a possible first round playoff opponent for the Wild, made off with a 5-1 win.

The Wild, who were shut out 3-0 in Dallas on Monday, got a valiant 33-save performance from goalie Marc-Andre Fleury, who was playing his final regular-season game versus the franchise he led to the 2018 Stanley Cup Final. Trailing by a pair, they got a third-period goal from Marcus Johansson and made a late push, but came up a few cards short.

Vegas, which ran its winning streak to four games, got 22 saves from goalie Adin Hill and a Jack Eichel hat trick in sweeping their three-game season series with Minnesota.

First-period offense has been in short supply for the Wild in March, and the early game drought continued on Tuesday, as Vegas jumped on the home team early.

Minnesota managed just four shots in the opening 20 minutes and fell behind 1-0 when Eichel popped in the rebound of a shot that Mark Stone had fired, thwarting the best effort by Fleury to stretch out across the yawning goalmouth.

For Eichel, the former Boston University star, it extended his Knights’ franchise single-season points record.

Vegas was playing without leading goal scorer Tomas Hertl for the first time this season. Hertl, who has scored four times in the Golden Knights’ previous two games, was injured in the team’s 4-2 home win over Tampa Bay on Sunday and did not come along on the three-game road trip.

Minnesota got the game’s first power play early in the middle frame when Vegas was caught with too many men on the ice. But the Wild managed just one shot on the man advantage.

Instead, it was the visitors doubling their lead when Brett Howden corralled an errant shot that bounced off the end boards and landed on the edge of the crease to the left of Fleury. Howden was able to slip the puck behind the goalie for a 2-0 Vegas lead before the midway point of the game.

But the Wild got some life early in the third, re-igniting the crowd when Johansson fooled Hill with a shot through traffic to make it a one-goal game again.

They briefly appeared to tie the game later in the third when Marco Rossi deflected a Brock Faber shot past Hill. But officials immediately declared no goal, as Rossi had played the puck with a high stick. The Wild did not challenge the call.

Instead, Eichel ripped a high shot past Fleury on a power play late in the period for his third multi-goal game of the season. Tanner Pearson added a late empty-net goal, and Eichel completed the three-goal night with a shot through Fleury’s pads.

The Wild will welcome one of the NHL’s greatest players, and this season’s greatest sideshows, to St. Paul on Thursday when the Washington Capitals make their only visit of the season.

Caps star forward Alex Ovechkin scored Tuesday night in Winnipeg and needs six goals to tie Wayne Gretzky’s NHL career record. While it is highly unlikely that the record will fall in Minnesota, his pursuit of the milestone has just been one part of the fun for Washington this season, as the Caps are the only team in either conference to have a playoff spot secured.

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A 38-year-old Woodbury man pleaded guilty Tuesday in federal court to a sextortion scheme involving two teenage girls.

Timothy Lennard Gebhart pleaded guilty to coercing the girls, ages 16 and 14, to engage in sexually explicit conduct by themselves in order to make pornographic videos and images that he then distributed with his computer and cellphone. Authorities say Gebhart did this multiple times between July 2021 and March 2022 while using aliases and posing as someone younger, including as a teenager.

Timothy Lennard Gebhart (Courtesy of the Sherburne County Sheriff’s Office)

In addition, court documents say that Gebhart extorted money and other items of value from the 16-year-old by threatening to send the photos and videos to her family and friends.

The plea documents says the girls are among six victims — from Minnesota, Texas, Indiana and elsewhere — who authorities were able to identify in Gebhart’s sextortion scheme. Other victims have not been identified.

Gebhart pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in St. Paul to two counts of child pornography production and one count each of child pornography distribution and interstate communication with the intent to extort. He faces a mandatory minimum 15-year prison term at sentencing, which has not yet been scheduled.

“Sextortion — threatening to share explicit images of a victim unless they comply with a predator’s demands — is abhorrent,” Acting U.S. Attorney Lisa D. Kirkpatrick said in a statement. “All too often, our children become victims of these monstrous schemes. My office will continue to prosecute these cases to the fullest extent of the law.”

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Meet the St. Paul-based team trying to get ahead of school shootings and workplace violence