Innova Champion Discs Inc., generally known simply as Innova (stylized as INNOVA) is an American disc golf brand and manufacturing company. Founded in 1983, it is the largest disc golf disc manufacturer and was among the first companies to produce equipment specifically for
disc golf.[1]
History
The company was incorporated on 5 May 1983 in California as Champion Discs Inc.[2] In 1983,
Dave Dunipace created and patented the Eagle, now known as the Aero, the world's first disc designed specifically for the sport of disc golf.[3]
Products
In addition to discs, Innova manufactures other disc golfing equipment including bags, accessories, and their DISCatcher
targets, which were introduced in 1995.[4] Their 60+ golf discs are manufactured using various
molds and
plastics. Innova manufactures discs in 4 distinct lines of plastic with distinct flight characteristics: Star, Champion, Pro, and DX. There are also many subtypes related to the main 4: Halo Star, Echo Star, Gstar, Starlite, Champion Edition, Metal Flake, Blizzard Champion, Glow Champion, R-Pro, XT-Pro, KC-Pro, KC-Glow, McPro, JK-Pro, Yeti-Pro Proline and Glow DX.[5][6]
Current models
Distance drivers
Ape
Archon
Beast
Boss
Colossus
Corvette
Charger
Daedalus
Destroyer
Dominator
Firebird
Firestorm sand
Groove
Invictus
Katana
Krait
Mamba
Monarch
Mystere
Orc
Roadrunner
Savant
Shryke
Sidewinder
Teedevil
Tern
Thunderbird
Valkyrie
Viking
Vulcan
Wahoo
Wraith
Xcaliber
Fairway drivers
Archangel
Banshee
Cheetah
Dragon
Eagle
IT
Leopard
Leopard3
Teebird
Teebird3
TL
TL3
Viper
Midrange
Atlas
Avatar
Caiman
Cobra
Gator
Kite
Lion
Mako
Mako3
Manta
Panther
Rat
Roc
Roc3
RocX3
Shark
Skeeter
Spider
Stingray
Vroc
Wolf
Wombat
Wombat3
Putt & approach
Aviar
Aviar3
AviarX3
Birdie
Bullfrog
Classic Aviar
Colt
Dart
Firefly
Hydra
Invader
JK Aviar
KC Aviar
Mirage
Nova
Pig
Polecat
Rhyno
Stud
Wedge
Whale
Xero
Yeti Aviar
Disc ratings
Innova uses a numeric scale to rate the performance of its discs. The ratings represent:
Speed – Speed is the rating of the throw speed which is required to throw the disc on the line the other flight numbers suggest, and is largely determined by the thickness of the rim, with 2.6 cm being the thickest allowed for
PDGA approved play, but it has also been described as how easily the disc cuts through the air. Ratings range from 1 to 14, with 14 being the "fastest" drivers and 1 being the "slowest" putt and approach discs.
Glide – Rated from 1 to 7, Innova describes glide as "the discs ability to maintain loft during flight. Discs with more glide are best for new players, and for producing maximum distance. Beginners wanting more distance should choose discs with more glide. Discs with less glide are more accurate in high wind situations".[7] A disc with a glide of 1 will be relatively unaffected by winds and will tend to fly on the thrower's power more than anything, while a disc with a glide of 7 will be very sensitive to crosswinds and headwinds, but will ride a tailwind much further than it could be thrown via force alone.
Turn – The turn of a disc (also known as high speed stability) describes how hard a disc will fight against its natural inclination to fade (see below) during the flight. Turn is rated from -5 to +1. A -5 rated disc will turn from a straight line of flight very easily with relatively little power behind it, while a +1 is unlikely to turn at all and will usually begin fading earlier in the flight.
Fade – The fade of a disc (also known as low speed stability) is the degree to which a disc will fall to one side as it loses speed. The direction of the fade depends on how it is thrown. For example, for a right handed person throwing in the traditional backhand style, the disc will fade to the left, but when thrown forehand, it will fade to the right. Fade is rated from 0 to 5, with a 5 rated disc fading hard and early, and a 0 rated disc barely fading off of its original line of flight at all.
Innova Factory Store
In 2011, Innova opened the online Innova Factory Store and a
brick and mortarpro shop in
Rancho Cucamonga, California. In addition to stock production discs, gear, and apparel, it carries limited edition discs,
prototypes, out of production models, and a variety of
factory seconds stamped with an F2 label.[8][9]
Sponsored players
Innova sponsors a wide variety of athletes worldwide, from junior athletes to elite professional players. Below is a list of the 10 classes of players sponsored by Innova and affectuously called the "Innova Air Force," as of December 2020[update]: [10][11]