Contents
  1. Overview
  2. Flight characteristics
  3. Recommended uses
  4. Plastics & variants
  5. History
  6. Notable throwers
  7. Similar discs

The Gateway Magic is a 2-speed understable putt & approach. With published flight numbers of 2 / 3 / -1 / 0, it is most often described as suited for straight putts inside the circle, turnover approach shots that need to finish flat.

Overview

The Gateway Magic is a putt and approach disc rated 2/3/-1/0.[2][5] The PDGA measured it at 21.0cm across, 2.1cm tall, with a 1.5cm rim depth, a 1.0cm rim and a 174.3g maximum.[1] Gateway founder David McCormack explained the shape on the PDGA discussion board in December 2008: the Magic carries “a blunter nose” and more mass ahead of the flight plate than the Wizard or Warlock, so “the magic is the least overstable and most gyroscopic which is why it floats/glides more.”[3] Gateway’s own copy calls it “a straight-flying putt & approach disc that is easy for beginners to control because of its great glide and small amount of low speed fade.”[2] Marshall Street labels it understable.[5]

Flight characteristics

Flight numbers: manufacturer vs. community
SourceSpeedGlide TurnFade
Gateway (mfg) 2 3 -1 0 Published spec
Discpedia community Loading ratings…

Flight numbers describe the published behavior of the disc when thrown at its design speed. Real-world flight varies with plastic, weight, age, and thrower power. The community-averaged numbers above reflect crowd-sourced observations from real throws — typically slightly more understable than the manufacturer's published values, which is the most consistent pattern across nearly every commercial mold.

The Magic putts and approaches on a flat release without hooking left, which is what the 0 fade buys.[2][5] The −1 turn makes it easy to flip up, so it also works as a short touch driver on wooded holes.[2] Gateway pitches it at both ends of the skill range, calling it “one of our most popular putters and one of the best all around discs for both new and advanced players.”[2] Beginners who find a Wizard too overstable out of the box are the clearest fit.[3]

Best for:

  • Straight putts inside the circle
  • Turnover approach shots that need to finish flat
  • Short touch drives on wooded holes
  • A high-glide putter for players who cannot yet beat in a Wizard

Plastics & variants

The Magic is available in the following plastic blends from Gateway:

SureGrip SS, SureGrip SSS, SureGrip SSSS, SureGrip Naked, Superglow SS, Organic Hemp, Eraser, Lunar, Diamond

Plastic blend significantly affects flight character. Premium plastics like Champion, Z, or C-Line generally fly more overstable when fresh and hold their stability over time. Base plastics like DX, Pro, or Active beat in faster and become more understable workhorses with use.

History

The Magic was PDGA-approved on 4 January 2008 under certification 08-01, the first disc certified in the 2008 series.[1] It is a separate mold from the Wizard rather than a plastic variant. The two carry certifications six years apart, and the PDGA measured different rim depths, 1.5cm against the Wizard’s 1.8cm, and different rim configurations.[1] McCormack listed “wizard, warlock and magic” as three distinct rim tools, and separately noted that the Wizard and Warlock “have the exact same mass (132 cubic CM),” pointedly leaving the Magic out of that pairing.[3][4] He also gave a rare sales figure for the first year: “we sold just about as many Magics in 08 as Wizards, a little over 10,000 of each,” crediting a player-pack placement for the fast start.[3] At launch he pitched the disc as pre-seasoned, saying players liked “that the Magics are acting like a 2 year old wizard right out of the box.”[3] No designer is credited by name and no professional is documented bagging one. Gateway’s product page compares the Magic to the Prodigy PA-4, Latitude 64 Keystone and MVP Spin, though it misspells the first brand as “Protegy.”[2] Bead status is not stated by Gateway or the PDGA and is left unrecorded here.

Notable throwers

Currently no information

Similar discs

References & further reading

Sources

Content on this page has been cross-checked against the following sources. Numbered citations in the prose above link to the matching entry here.

  1. Magic from Gateway Disc Sports — PDGA Approved Disc Record
  2. Magic — SureGrip SSS — Gateway Disc Sports
  3. Ask David Mac about new or existing Gateway Golf Discs here — PDGA Discussion Board Archive
  4. Ranges of flex for Gateway Putters (Wizard, Warlock and the new Magic) — PDGA Discussion Board Archive
  5. Pure White Magic — Marshall Street Disc Golf

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