Putter Presumptions

[cfair]

I would really like to talk putters here and make this thread about all things putters. I myself started with a RPro Rhyno, moved to the Aviar, then a Mako (I know), and then came to Vibram putters. The VP, Ridge, and Summit have been awesome for me in learning understable, flat, and overstable throwing styles. Also in getting putters out to 250-280 and using them for driving, approach, and putting. I also learned I don't like overstable putters.

Recently I've been looking to try out some discraft and Lat 64 stuff and have picked up a D Challenger (small bead aviar as far as I'm concerned) and don't really like it. I also got a free ESP 09' Ace Race Focus and have been working with a that a bit. I like but am unsure if I'll go for it at the moment. It seems to be right between the Ridge and VP bead and I've read some stuff where people think the Focus is just a rip off of one of the gateway putters. While it may be I'm kinda liking it and I may have realized something while doing field work with it. The Vibrams may be teaching me (and others) to muscle discs rather than throw them. The rubber makes throwing them different than throwing plastic..

Anyway I wanna know what you like why, you like it, why you don't, and what you don't like. I myself like beaded putters. The Vibrams are great and so is this Focus. I also like shallow putters (Summit and XD) but they don't seem to hold up well in the wind which is why I lean toward the Focus and Ridge.

I've noticed that even though the Focus has a touch larger bead than the Ridge but the Focus is notably more understable and seems more controlable in the short time I've used it. Dare I say the Buzzz of putters?

 

[agent_peebody]

gateway putters kill the game. but i do like those pro rhynos, not the r-pros.

 

[Pink Elephant]

I throw an Ion. It's the best driving putter I have for a few reasons. I have an early run which I can work like an X Comet and a later run which has a better bead and goes nice and straight with a small fade finish. I like that they hold all sorts of lines well and I don't have to worry about it hyzering out. The glide on them is also fantastic, after getting used to them I threw a Wizard and it felt like a brick.

For inside the circle I (for now) use an Ion. I've had problems with it when I first started using it, however I've gotten into a better groove with it and now bad putts are 100% because I suck. Most people don't like that the Ion is premium plastic but I used a Q-Mega for a stretch so I'm used to premium putters actually like the Ion plastic. I have a go to Wizard on the shelf which I pull out from time to time to test the Ion, but I think I'm going to stick with the Ion for the rest of the summer.

 

[Mike C]

Sig.

I agree with you on the Vibram Discs. They're great discs but not good learning tools. Something with more glide and the ability to reveal form flaws will teach someone a lot more. Once you know what you're doing, the VP's can be great. They resist wind very well and are predictable with their lack of glide, so they have their place.

I can speak from experience, as someone who taught themselves how to drive a "putter" using Rhynos, then switched to Wizards and flipped them over every single throw until I learned what OAT was and how to get rid of it. That one change made me a tremendously better player with worlds more control than I used to have.

I like Wizards because I think they're the best all around putter. They resist wind well, can handle all the power you can throw at them, can shape anhyzers better than things like Rhynos, Pigs and Ridges, come in tons of good plastic varieties, and have pretty good glide.

Some other putters I've tried and not bagged, plus mini-reviews:

Ion - Very nice flight on an approach or drive, with good control and glide. Not as wind resistant as the Wizard, not as grippy of plastic for driving or sticking to chains, tends to bounce around in the basket rather than stay put, not as much glide on a putt as I expected. My Wizards glide better for me on a putt.

Ridge - Very good overall disc. Not as much glide as I like in a putting putter, and has a bit more trouble shaping dead straight, turnover and anhyzer lines compared to my Wizards. Very predictable and very good in the wind but drops quicker than the Wizard and requires more power for the same distance.

Magic - Extremely accurate for putts, exceptional glide, extremely controllable at all distances. Handles wind poorly. Great learning tool as it responds to user error very visibly, but on the course this can reduce consistency. Never had the faith in it I do in my Wizard for accurate drive and approach, though on a hyzer flip in calm conditions I can put them further than my Wizards.

Aviar - Like a Wizard that feels worse in my hand, isn't available in as good of plastics and likes to turn over more easily on a drive.

Zone & Ringer - No thx. Not for putting at least.

Pig - Predictable and fights wind well, but drops too quick for a putting putter and requires too much muscle for my tastes. Again, matching my Wizard for distance requires greater effort with little to gain but some extra wind resistance.

Rhyno - Loved them until I bought a Wizard and learned to throw it. Wind resistant and predictable, the Pro Plastic runs are very nice too. Very similar to the Ridge flight wise. Very comfortable in the hand. Good for "laser putting" since they won't go too far past on a miss and the wind won't knock them around much.

Voodoo - I like it a lot. Not as wind resistant as the Wizard and on a drive wants to have a touch of high speed turn, and fades later. For putting it flies very close to the Wizard. I love their flight but I hate how it feels in my hand.

 

[Lewis]

I love how the Voodoo feels in my hand. I also like how the Magic feels, but as Mike C. said, it isn't quite good for the putting consistency.

Generally I avoid large beads on my putters. Any bigger than the Voodoo's bead and the disc feels wrong in my hand.

 

[toothyfish]

I love how the Voodoo feels in my hand. I also like how the Magic feels, but as Mike C. said, it isn't quite good for the putting consistency.

Generally I avoid large beads on my putters. Any bigger than the Voodoo's bead and the disc feels wrong in my hand.

This...couldn't have said it any better. I used the Magic, switched to the Voodoo, and don't like big beaded putters.

 

[discddwn]

I'm a wizard guy as well. I love the bead because I put the first bend of my pointer finger on it and it gives me a clean release as the disc pivots at that point. I use them for putting and approach as well as driving on holes 225'-275'. I used challengers before that but the plastic changed from a matte finish (what I like) to a slick shiny finish:thmbdown: Wizards have that same matte grippy feel that I like. I tried a magic too but I had already fallen for the wizards spell

 

[BogeyNoMore]

Like my soft APX because it feels comfortable to me and I feel confident using it in various different situations.

Sometimes I like to run the chains - feels good when I do that , but pretty much any putter works well when thrown with some zip inside the circle.

But where you just can't afford to miss with any zip on the shot (e.g. basket on a slope or hill, thick brush or water behind the pin, etc), I like to loft it. The APX doesn't fade much on those shots as previous putters I've tried; Aviar, Omega SS, Wizard, Challenger.

I have an old XD that doesn't fade, but the APX feels better to me. Plus, the soft Elite X plastic is grippy and absorbs more energy on impact, which helps stay put whether it hits chains or the ground.

 

[ZBoazMobster]

I throw an Ion. It's the best driving putter I have for a few reasons.

:thmbup:

 

[cfair]

My girlfriend has an ion, seems pretty cool. But I was wondering what you all think are too similar putters.

Like Aviar = Challenger
Ridge = Focus = Wizard/Magic?
Rhyno = VP... kind of a stretch

 

[cfair]

I picked up an ESP Ace Race Focus the other day (free) and held it next to a Wizard... couldn't really tell the diff. I wanted to pick up a D Focus but the store was out, guy gave me a free '09 Ace Race to clear inventory then sold me the other 3 for 6 bucks each (BINGO!). But anyway I've only thrown it a few days but already like it more than my Vibrams. I used the Vibrams all summer and like them a lot but ran into a few issues. The Ridge was the one I liked the most and the Focus is right between the VP and Ridge, being more like the Ridge.

I kinda hate that my forever putter may be a hard to acquire disc but I'm going to try out a D and Soft X Focus before hunting down ESP '09 Ace Race discs...

Anyone here use the D or SX Focus? The Wiz is cool but I'd just rather not deal with Gateway's material lines...

 

[Beable]

At the moment, I use both a Wizard and an Ion on almost every hole that I don't park my drive. Ion is my approach disc and Wizard for in the circle. I don't want to mess with my putting until after the tournament at Deer Lakes in a month, but after that I think I'll be trying to get rid of the Wizard and just putt with the Ion. I tend to like my Soft Ion for approaches, but my Medium more for putting.

 

[SirRaph]

I think it's interesting that a lot of players try to keep only one or two putter molds in their bag, yet carry 4-5 mids and/or drivers. Any shot under 200-250 ft I typically use a putter, so I carry an array of 3-4 that cover each stability.

Vibram VP Firm The most overstable putter I've ever thrown, to my recollection. I can muscle this thing into the wind, finesse it flat for a strong fade finish, finesse it anny for a huge flex shot, etc. Also a very nice roller.

Wizard S This is the longest putter I carry. It simply carries a lot further than any other putter I've ever thrown. It doesn't finish as hard as the VP, but will still flex out if released anhyzer.

Vibram Ridge Firm Finishes with almost no fade at all, and doesn't carry as far as the Wizard. Use this for distance-sensitive drives where I need to go straight, but can't risk overshooting the basket. I'm probably going to replace this with the Summit when I get one.

Gateway Magic Putting putter. I use a swing putt that requires an understable disc, so the Magic works nicely. I'm planning to switch to the Summit when I get one, as Gateway plastic doesn't seem to hold up to my obsessive regiment of practice putting.

 

[RShott]

I started with D Challengers and then moved to Voodoos. I like the Voodoo, but it doesn't feel as comfortable in my hand as I would like. As a result, I just ordered a set of 3 175g glow wizards off of gateway's ebay store. I am looking forward to trying these out (especially after reading a number of Mike C's comments about the wizard and watching the videos of him drive them 350'). I really enjoy throwing putters and usually throw them for anything under 250'. I can only drive them out to about 250' at a maximum right now but I am working on it.

 

[MrFixIt]

No love for the Omega SS ?...?

 

[cfair]

Sir Raph
Vibram Ridge Firm Finishes with almost no fade at all, and doesn't carry as far as the Wizard. Use this for distance-sensitive drives where I need to go straight, but can't risk overshooting the basket. I'm probably going to replace this with the Summit when I get one.

Gateway Magic Putting putter. I use a swing putt that requires an understable disc, so the Magic works nicely. I'm planning to switch to the Summit when I get one, as Gateway plastic doesn't seem to hold up to my obsessive regiment of practice putting.

I liked my summit a lot but it cannot handle power at all. It will turn over with even a 50% drive. For full power it still turns over even with a straight down hyzer angle. It can kinda hyzer flip...

I liked it most for putting and approach. Just a soft guided throw will get that thing to coast.

 

[prototypicalDave]

Right now my fav for longish putts is my old 150g ching tank. I love that thing but it's very fragile and slowly getting destroyed by chains. I can drive the crap out of it too but don't due to the addictive wooded evil that is charlotte nc. It's easily the most tacoable disc I've ever had. It gets bent on 50ft putts. I can usually fix it but I know it's just a matter of time.
Any recommendations for a replacement?
I really like the shallower rim on it. I haven't seen anything modern that comes close, and am beginning to despair!
I hope I'm wrong, I don't like relying on op discs.

 

[The Roc]

Putters

I have tried quite a few putters and each have thier attributes.The putter that I have eventually settled on is The Wizard.If you have not had a chance to putt with one of these you are missing out.In my opinion this is the Roc of putters.This disc is very acurate and is just as good for long putts as short ones.Weather you putt on a hyzer or just flat out -this disc likes the chains. I am meeting more and more people on the course that putt with these and love em.Do yourself a favor and give this disc a try.

 

[The Bird Man]

No love for the Omega SS ?...?

I love the Supersoft. So much I will trade very generously for peoples nos Omega's.

 

[The Bird Man]

I like the shallower dome on the Supersoft. It has a nice feel and has a tad bit more stablilty than a San Marino Aviar.

I probably only throw putters from 200' in.