There are tons of different discs and brands available on the market today. At times, it may be difficult to know which one is the right one for you. Especially when it comes to disc golf turn and fade. If it weren’t for the flight numbers on discs, like the numbers used to indicate ‘turn’ and ‘fade’, it would be rather difficult to know how discs fly. Fortunately, these numbers do provide a general idea of how a disc should fly. As a beginner, I remember having difficulty deciphering what these numbers meant, particularly when it came to disc golf turn and fade. No only did I have to learn what each number stood for and what it meant for the flight of the disc, I also had to learn what the numbers meant for my skill level.
In this article we will talk about all of the flight numbers of a disc. It will only be a brief overview of speed and glide, since we want to focus on turn and fade. We will dive deeper into these two, and how they compare to one another. If you want to learn more about all of the numbers, you should check out this article: “How to Read Disc Golf Numbers“.
For the most part, there are four flight numbers; Speed, Glide, Turn, and Fade. They are always displayed in that order. ‘Speed’ refers to how fast the disc needs to be thrown and spinning to fly “properly”. While ‘glide’ refers to how much loft the disc has, or how long it stays in the air. ‘Turn’ and ‘fade’ refer to the aspects later in the flight.
Discraft adds another number: a stability rating. Where 0 means it is stable (the middle), while the greater number means it is more overstable and the lesser the number is the more understable the disc is.
Disc Golf Turn
“Turn” is the third number in the lineup of flight numbers. An easy way to remember its placement and effects on flight is when it exhibits itself in the flight of the disc. Turn refers to how the disc behaves during the fastest part of the flight, while fade describes the flight as the disc slows down. Just like the order of the flight numbers appear, the disc will turn before it fades.
So, what is the disc golf ‘turn’, and what exactly are you looking for towards the end of the flight?
To understand what turn is, we’ll need to look at the natural flight of a disc when thrown. The natural flight of a disc is to fly straight and end falling to the opposite direction of the spin. So if the disc is spinning clockwise it will fade to the left (this is the spin for a right-hand-backhand/left-hand-forehand (RHBH/LHFH)). Or if the disc is spinning counter-clockwise it will fade to the right (this is the spin for a left-hand-backhand/right-hand-forehand (LHBH/RHFH).
The turn of a disc is visible in the latter half of the disc and ends once the disc begins to fade. In a sense, the turn is the disc’s ability to fly in the direction that is against the natural flight path. Meaning, if the disc is spinning clockwise and thrown perfectly flat, the turn is once the disc breaks from the straight line and begins to fly towards the right. The disc’s turn then ends once the fade begins, or when it starts to fall towards the left – going back to its natural flight. With a counter-clockwise spin, the turn will be the disc’s propensity to turn to the left and fade.
What the Turn Number Means
The “Turn” number indicates how much a disc will veer off its natural flight path. A lower Turn number means the disc is more likely to turn against its natural flight direction (for example, a disc spinning clockwise will naturally move left, while one spinning counterclockwise will move right). In contrast, a higher Turn number indicates the disc will turn less, resulting in a straighter flight. Essentially, the lower the Turn number, the more the disc will curve in the opposite direction of its natural flight path. A high Turn number leads to minimal turn, while a low Turn number creates more turn.
Most Turn numbers are negative, and the lower the number, the more the disc resists its natural flight path. The current range of Turn numbers spans from -5 to 2. In general, discs with lower Turn numbers are easier to throw for distance, while those with higher Turn numbers may be more challenging to throw effectively over long distances.
Disc Golf Fade
The “Fade” is the last number among the flight numbers. This number describes how much the disc curve as it slows down. Just remember that the “Fade” is at the end of the flight as well as the last number among the flight numbers.
The “Fade” of the disc refers to how the disc will finish. Looking back on the natural flight of the disc; we see that a clockwise spin on the disc generally results in the disc falling, or fading, to the left. While a counter-clockwise spin generally has the disc falling, or fading, to the right.
What the Fade Number Means
The “Fade” number indicates how much the disc will curve as it slows down. A higher Fade number means the disc will have a stronger, sharper finish, falling to the side sooner. A lower Fade number means the disc will keep flying straighter for longer before it begins to fall to the side.
Fade numbers typically range from 0 to 6, with 0 representing the weakest fade and 6 the strongest. A Fade of 0 means the disc will finish without much sideways movement—it will either continue flying straight or follow its turn without veering off to the side (e.g., a right-hand backhand throw will drift to the right and finish without fading left). Discs with higher Fade numbers are generally more challenging to throw for long distances, while discs with lower Fade numbers are easier to throw and achieve greater distance.
How Turn and Fade Interact
Turn and fade numbers work closely together to define a disc’s stability. In general, these two numbers oppose each other. A lower Turn number moves the disc toward the understable end of the spectrum, while a higher Fade number pushes it toward the overstable end. A disc with a higher Turn (less negative, or closer to zero) will be more overstable, while one with lower Fade will be more understable. The interaction between Turn and Fade gives a good indication of a disc’s overall stability.
To determine if a disc is understable or overstable by looking at the numbers, there’s a simple method: add the Turn and Fade numbers together. The higher the sum, the more overstable the disc. The lower the sum, the more understable it is. If the sum is around 0, the disc is stable, meaning it flies straight with its Turn and Fade balancing each other out.
Examples of Disc Golf Turn vs. Fade
A couple real-world examples will really help you understand the concept better. We’ll look at the Viking Discs Fenrir and the Divergent Discs Leviathan. The Fenrir is a good overstable example, while the Leviathan is a good understable example.
Overstable: Low Turn, High Fade
Let us look at the Viking Discs Fenrir: This is an overstable distance driver. It has the following flight numbers: Speed 10 | 4 | 0 | 3. It has a “Turn” of 0, and a “Fade” of 3. Picking apart the numbers and applying what was illustrated above, we learn approximately how the disc will fly. The 0 “Turn” means this disc will not go to the right (RHBH/LHFH) when thrown flat. Then looking at the “Fade” we see a 3. This 3 is a pretty moderate fade, meaning it’ll dump to the left fairly hard. So where there is no turn and a moderate fade, we can assume that this disc is an overstable mold.
Viking Discs Fenrir is available in three plastics: Armor, Storm, and Ground. This is an overstable distance driver that is quite suitable for more experienced players. It can handle strong winds and power. It will fly straight with a hard fade at the end in a large variety of weather conditions. I like the disc as it is comfortable in the hand and it is highly dependable. I’ve really enjoyed that I can get some good distance with it. That I can put this on a flex line and it will most often come out and finish to the left (RHBH). This is a go-to for me when I am facing a headwind, or I need an assured disc that will come back to the left.
Understable: High Turn, Low Fade
Now we will look at the Divergent Discs Leviathan: this is an understable midrange. It has the following flight numbers: Speed 5 | Glide 4 | Turn -4 | Fade 0. It has a “Turn” of -4 and a “Fade” of 0. the -4 “Turn” is considered to be a high turn, so this disc wants to go right (RHBH/LHFH). With a 0 “Fade” this disc doesn’t really show a fade in its flight. Looking at both of the numbers, we see that this disc exhibits high “Turn” and no “Fade, which tells us that this is an understable mold.
The Divergent Discs Leviathan is available in two plastics: MaxGrip and MaxGrip Glow. This is an understable midrange that is quite versatile for new players and more advanced players. It is incredible easy to throw, and it glides for a while. The high glide makes it capable of flying further with less power. For me this disc flies quite true to the numbers. I can even get it to turn all the way over into a roller. I’ve seen this disc fly perfectly straight, as well as a disc that keeps on going to the right (RHBH) without ever attempting to fade out of the trajectory. For me this is a utility midrange, while for others I know that this is a favorite and often-used midrange. I enjoy throwing the Leviathan, it is a fund and useful disc.
Disclaimer to Disc Golf Flight Numbers
A word of caution though, these numbers aren’t standardized. There isn’t some testing facility that throws every single disc at the same speed, angle of release, and conditions. Then takes a precise measurement of all the elements of the flight and reports back the flight numbers. I bring this up because discs will fly differently depending on who throws the disc and where they throw the disc.
The flight numbers more so pass along an idea of flight characteristics. A disc that is a Speed 7, Glide 5, Turn 0, Fade 2; will fly different for a variety of individuals. The 0 “Turn” may drift more to the right for you than for me. It may even drift so much that it cancels out the “Fade”. The point is that the flight numbers should have a personal meaning. They’re relative to you and your throw. As such, it is good to understand what the flight numbers depict, and what that translates to your throw.
Concluding Thoughts on Disc Golf Turn vs. Fade
In this article, we’ve explored the concepts of “Turn” and “Fade” in disc golf, discussed when they occur during a disc’s flight, and examined how they interact. We also covered how these factors help determine a disc’s stability.
“Turn” describes a disc’s tendency to move in the opposite direction of its natural flight path, while “Fade” refers to how strongly or weakly the disc finishes in its natural direction. By considering both, you can get a better understanding of a disc’s overall stability.
I hope this article has helped you understand the roles of “Turn” and “Fade” and how they work together. With this knowledge, you can choose the best discs for your game and achieve the flight characteristics you’re looking for. Thanks for reading!
