The Gateway Shaman is a 3-speed stable putt & approach. With published flight numbers of 3 / 3 / -1 / 1, it is most often described as suited for circle-one and circle-two putting with a thin, beadless rim, straight approaches and short upshots.
Overview
The Gateway Shaman is a 3/3/-1/1 putt and approach disc with a very thin profile and no bead.[2][3] Infinite Discs describes it as like a beadless Chief or a slimmer Magic.[3] The PDGA lists a 1.0 cm rim width on a 21.2 cm diameter, while Infinite Discs lists 21.1 cm.[1][3] Gateway lists a 25° flat nose and offers it in Diamond, NXT, NXT-G, Platinum and Sure Grip plastics.[2] Retail sources classify its stability as stable.[3][4]
Flight characteristics
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.
Recommended uses
DiscMetrics lists circle work and straight approaches as intended uses for the Shaman, and rates it for all skill levels.[4] The beadless, thin rim gives a clean release and works for putters who like a low-profile grip.[4] Infinite Discs also lists it as suitable for everyone.[3]
Best for:
- Circle-one and circle-two putting with a thin, beadless rim
- Straight approaches and short upshots
- Players who prefer a slim, low-profile putter
- Soft-plastic putting for a grippy feel
Community notes — how players actually use this disc
Plastics & variants
The Shaman is available in the following plastic blends from Gateway:[2]
Diamond, NXT, NXT-G, Platinum, Sure Grip
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 Shaman was approved by the PDGA on June 9, 2014, as a Gateway Disc Sports putter.[1] Gateway was founded in 1994 by David McCormack and made its name in putters, notably the Wizard in 2002.[5] The Shaman remains in the current catalog, and Gateway lists artist collaboration editions such as the WoznBloom Shaman by Tyler Wozniak.[2]
Notable throwers
Currently no information
How it compares
How the Shaman lines up against the discs players most often weigh it against, using each manufacturer's published flight numbers.
| Disc | Speed / Glide / Turn / Fade | Stability | Rim width |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gateway Shaman | 3 / 3 / -1 / 1 | Stable | 1 cm |
| Gateway Magic | 2 / 3 / -1 / 0 | Understable | 1 cm |
| Gateway Wizard | 2 / 4 / -1 / 2 | Stable | 1 cm |
| Gateway Warlock | 2 / 3 / 0 / 1 | Stable | 1 cm |
References & further reading
- How to read disc golf flight numbers — Discpedia primer
- PDGA Approved Disc List — search for "Shaman" to find the Gateway Shaman entry (PDGA-approved 2014)
- Gateway official site — manufacturer product page
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.
- Shaman — PDGA Equipment Certification (approved Jun 9, 2014)
- Shaman — Gateway Disc Sports (official product collection)
- Gateway Shaman — Infinite Discs (flight numbers, plastics, dimensions)
- Gateway Shaman — DiscMetrics
- About GDS — Gateway Disc Sports (company history)
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