There are many amazing discs in the world of disc golf, especially now that we have so many new plastic providers. Everyone has their favorites, and every single disc works differently depending on the player.
There is a certainty around many molds that are considered best for players and widely used by touring pros. Discs like the Discraft Buzz, Innova Destroyer, Dynamic Discs Felon, Gateway Wizard, and so many more come to mind when I think of statement molds in our game that have staying power in players’ bags. One of the amazing parts of the game is our ability to customize our selection, or as most would say our “bag”. We all love to hate what we do not throw, and stick up for the molds we love.
I have to start this by saying that this will not be a story to bash Nate Sexton, who he is, or even the quality of his tour series Firebird. This is to specifically point out – from many points of interpretation – why this disc, in my opinion, is the most overrated disc in the game.
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I must start by saying I absolutely have bagged this disc and keep the Firebird mold in my bag as a mainstay. This means, there is not a replacement for the disc from the many molds I have thrown in its place in my disc golf career. Nate Sexton’s Firebird is specifically a special mold as it has what I would call a slightly-seasoned feel right off the shelf. It is very much so consistently overstable and able to hold the torque we can give it as many Firebirds do. It is also very nice in the beautiful varieties of color glow blue. This disc flies off the shelf quite literally, as since the initial run was out people have flocked to it, and, impressively, more each year have sold. I am so happy that this is happening for Nate, as he is a stand-up golfer who is a family man as many of us are. The disc even epitomizes Nate’s game with his methodical forehand ability. I do not have exact numbers, but I would wager this is among the top 10 disc golf discs sold each year. So, why, might you ask, do I think that this could be overrated? I will answer as I lead into my next point, that I would never keep more than two Firebirds in my bag.
The first time I ever played disc golf was with a pair of friends I worked with. My roommate at the time had a pair of discs he had found in the woods near our small campus apartment in Greensboro, NC. The discs were an Innova DX Shark, and DX Firebird. They had cool pictures on them, and the Firebird specifically was white with a red foil stamp. It was the classic rising phoenix we all know and love that would become inspiration for Nate Sexton’s signature mold. I did not play well, but it was not the discs’ fault. I would keep these in my bag for a while along with many other molds from Innova and Discraft, as they were what I could find at my local Play it Again Sports store. Point being here is that the Firebird and I definitely have history, and a good one at that. To my other point though, we know what the Firebird is and what it does. It is definitely not a beginner disc, and it is great for a specific range of shots. Even now I consider the one metal flake flat top Firebird in my bag to be a utility disc. It is great in the wind. I can throw controlled distance hyzer shots, some short forehands, and overhand shots with it. The thing I love most about the Firebird is that it does something very consistently and when it does something different it is not the Firebird’s fault; It is definitely player error. I realize that pros that throw 500 plus feet can do much more with their Firebirds, but in all honesty they are doing the same things, but just farther and more accurately. Why is this important? I would ask you then, if you want to hoard a disc that you bag is it because you are wearing it out, bag many of them, or lose them often? I would make the argument that the Firebird would rarely meet any of these factors.
If we only bag 2 or less Firebirds, even 3 would be a lot in my opinion but possible for predominantly overhand players, why do we need more? Why hoard a disc that may not get replaced more than every three to five years? I don’t think too many lost Firebirds exist outside of odd occurrences. I think if you are throwing a Firebird you have a really good idea of what might happen when you do. That consistency makes the mold what it is. I have close to ten Firebirds in a variety of molds and plastic and I would say that I feel that I may have enough for the rest of my career at age 40. Every other disc in my bag has and needs a replacement on a much higher basis. This just instills my belief that all of these Firebirds are going to sit on shelves unused for who knows how long. That’s not to say that they are bad investments, and honestly they are great collectible discs that can be thrown, saved, or sold to owners that need them.
We all need a disc in that Firebird slot that can be consistent, reliable, and amazingly stable and fade when and where you want it. If I only had three to five discs to choose I would always have a Firebird. I don’t think I would ever spend more than $30 for one though and we all know that some of these Sexton birds have gone in the hundreds at auction. The need and response for this mold is huge every year and I am always excited to hear the drama. How many minutes was the factory store website able to not crash before they sold out? Did my friends get any? How many people bought twenty of them, or even more??? This disc is special and should be celebrated as one of the best versions of the Firebird mold. Especially as a slightly less-stable version this mold is able to be thrown by more players as well. You must decide to agree or not, but I still think the disc, as amazing as it is, is simply oversold for the use that we as a community need it for. The biggest flaw here is the fact that our community is growing, and if Innova, for whatever reason, discontinues this production, hundreds of thousands of future disc golf phenoms will be buying these up from the collectors who wisely invested in Nate Sexton Firebirds from all eras. I stand by my opinion and always enjoy a ponder, a debate, and especially an examination of something that is really a pillar of the disc golf community. I can still hear the excitement in his voice after acing hole 7 at the USDGC before it was a triple mando at the beginning of one of those classic Youtube PDGA Monthly videos.
