Alexplz
Double Eagle Member
- Joined
- Mar 6, 2013
- Messages
- 1,923
Hey there folks, 2017 season is near at a close, and soon it will be entirely impractical for me to get out and play a round, at least with Alexplz Jr. in tow. I figured I'd start up a bag thread to end all bag threads, and just post up a new comment when I make changes.
Without further adieu, here are some stats:
So here's the bag as it sits:
Putting putters:
Zero Hard Dagger 173g - circle putting - picked up a putter at Mando's in Auburn and tossed it at the practice basket, and I was hooked on this mold. Previously putted with Judges, and after some work on the putting form this year I decided I wanted to go back to deep dish. I find these less LSS than wizards on longer putts.
Zero Hard Dagger 173g - bought this one used, nice and beat, use it for long putts and throwing approaches. The idea is that I never "throw" the other Dagger so it stays unwarped, opting instead to throw this one if needed. That way I have the "touch" of throwing a putter the same mold as my putting putter without having to worry about blasting my main putter into a tree.
Workhorse throwers:
Neutron Envy 174g - Picked this up on my quest for a slightly more stable Judge. Previously I threw a fuzion or lucid judge here. Those who throw judges know that their biggest selling point - being a beaded, neutral putter - can also be their downfall when you need something to hook up as it slows down. The envy looks and feels plenty different, but throws really similarly and has a perfect straight to fade flight for drives and approaches outside 100ft. Note that although it's not that shallow, the Envy is very flickable on straight to late fade lines.
ESP Zone 174g - You know it, you love it, overstable bookend to the Envy. This wins out over a rhyno due to it's perfect flickability. I'm comforable throwing this as a BH mid too, as it complements my verdict nicely in this way as a glideless, more OS mid like a less dynamic gator.
Blend Judge 174g - took this out recently and played a one-disc round in the woods to knock some fade off of it. Thrown like a mini comet on any shorter approach line. I need a slow approach disc that does not fade in my game, and a beat Judge has that in spades, while also being really comfortable and low profile for drives. I would really not mind replacing this or simply adding a proxy so I could get the added bonus of throwing something very much like an Envy. However I fear the proxy might be too fast or far.
Seasoned KC Roc 174g - picked this one up used; it has a big gouge out of the rim but it sits flat on a table without rocking. HSS has been beat out of it, but it will fly straight and long unless I overpower or put OAT on it. I don't think it's a "flat top" per se but the dome is very small. I have tried a DX Roc3 here to try and capture this flight, but the glide is missing.
DX Roc 177g - picked up this and its brother new in order to start beating in a roc cycle. And boy it takes a while. If/when this one surpasses the above KC in flippiness, I will probably take the KC out of the bag for a while and throw in this guy's brother, same for the X comet until I have a full cycle of rocs and backups which will eventually shift into KC plastic. Not going to overthink it because even if I lost all my seasoned rocs I could start over with a brand new DX rancho, my Z comet and an X comet, no biggie.
X Comet 176g - understable roc slot, what can I say. I'll be happy when I have a roc which is beat up enough to replace this one as I anticipate a nice S-flight as opposed to this pure straight or turnover.
Lucid Verdict 175g - This is in the bag almost purely for midrange FH shots, at which it excels. I do not flick rancho rocs. Straight to fade with more glide than a buzzz OS... what more can I say? I would throw this BH if I felt like my current most stable Roc in the bag could not handle the wind. Or if I needed some weird midrange low skippy shot.
Star TeeBird 168g - this I've bagged for years - it's nicely seasoned but still flies like a teeb. Straight to fade. I have considered eagles here because in general I actually prefer a flip to fade type of flight. There are advantages to straight to fade though, especially in the fairway driver slots.
Metal Flake TeeBird 173g - Super beefy, appropriate for my arm speed. OS bookend to the star teeb.
Star TL 171g - flies just like a beat up DX teeb.
Underworld 168-170g - waffling between a TP and VIP underworld, will test them when I can and choose the one I prefer. This mold is unique as a driver which flies true understable for me when thrown smooth. Very little if any fade.
GStar Leopard 171g - I can't help but bag this. Goes straighter with less effort than the TL.. really bridges the significant gap between the TL and underworld.
Continued opcorn:
Without further adieu, here are some stats:
Vitals:
Years playing/experience: DG 4 yearsish
Right/left-handed/ambidextrous: right-handed
Throwing Style: Primarily RHBH, RHFH
Golf Distance (avg/max*) for putter/mid/driver: putters go 250ft, stable mids go about 275ft on a hyzer, speed 7 fairways go 300ft, terns on max D go 350ft at most, closer to an easy 300. Nose up issues.
* Max distance is the greatest distance you can throw your top 2-3 drivers with any regularity
Optional:
Age: 29 at the moment
Sex: M
Injuries/handicaps?: none
Other sport proficiencies?: none
Additional Information: I don't get out as much as I would like, so I have a hard time learning from my mistakes and getting improvements to form to stick.
What do you like/dislike about your current bag?: I have a hard time deciding on a cohesive lineup for my mids and fairways. I would like to cycle less molds but have a hard time playing enough to actually beat stuff in. This in combination with feeling like I need a dedicated mold/disc at each speed to easily turn over, as I play mostly in the woods and need good shot shaping options at 65-80%
Specific areas of desired feedback: I would like to continue to pare down on molds while not struggling on important utility shots like hyzer flips, skip shots, thumbers, etc
My bag is built around workhorse molds. These include the envy, the comet/seasoned rancho roc, the teebird, and the tern. These I throw most of my shots with because outside of constraints, they fly predictably and reliably when compared to other discs in their distance class, and they require little or no thought in finding the right replacement in case I lose a workhorse.
These are the foundation upon which the rest of my discs are selected - the rest of my discs complement the flight of these molds and are used when constraints are present from being able to just throw a basic low, slight hyzer to the best landing zone. I try to fill in these next slots with different copies of the workhorse discs when appropriate - ie when a MF teebird gives me enough additional stability to justify bagging another teebird and not just bagging a felon or firebird to cover the OS fairway slot. If I feel like an additional teebird or comet in a different plastic, wear pattern or weight does not adequately fill the slot I am looking for, I have no qualms with bagging another mold. The other mold should naturally not overlap too much with the workhorse in the bag, unless there's some good reason. In this situation, however, I do value selecting a different mold which shares similarity to the feel of my workhorse molds in the hand and in the air when possible. For example, when bagging buzzzes and I decide I want a bookend, I will choose a buzzz OS and SS if possible first, but if I'm not getting the flight pattern I desire I will happily pick up a verdict and fuse instead (unbeaded or microbeaded and fast for a mid), while still preferring these two over bagging a rancho roc and an X comet alongside a buzzz, as these are beaded and slower. This intention is primarily a concession to the idea that in a perfect world, I could have access to an infinite cycle of aviars, rocs, teebirds, firebirds etc in a rainbow of wear patterns that could cover all the stabilities I needed while maintaining perfect mold/plastic familiarity. This is not the case, so I prefer to stick with my plan and lean in the direction of SIMILAR molds and plastics when appropriate.
Up until now, I have only filled in the stable and understable sides of the workhorse discs, with no regard to other constraints. From here, I will look at a lineup and decide whether or not I am comfortable throwing the stable plastic in each speed category on forehand shots. If not, I have either added a forehand specific disc or two in each speed category, or as a concession to reduction of total discs bagged, removed the stable discs I had originally selected based on similarity to the workhorse in favor of the forehand specific disc(s). Like many, my forehand grip comfort is finicky and have found that it's worth it to be able to flick something in each speed category, especially in the NW woods. I am comfortable throwing anything backhand however, and if I've replaced a rancho roc with a verdict as my stable BH/FH mid, it doesn't bother me too much that the next step down in stability is a big bead, speed-4 Z comet.
At this point, I have a bag full of workhorse discs and bookends, and am comfortable flicking something at each speed category. Here is basically where experience on the course has lead me to seek something out to cover a situation or shot that I was not comfortable with - think a tricky hyzer flip in the woods, or an OS utility shot like a FH roller or thumber, or a sidewind that carried away an anny, or an approach shot that faded early and left me with a 40 footer. I would really call these utility discs or one-offs, as their primary purpose is for me to try to avoid needing to throw them. Finally and as an afterthought I may have a disc or two that comes in or out of my bag depending on the course, like a DX teebird for water shots and a DX roc that I'm beating in as a backup, or whatever.
Years playing/experience: DG 4 yearsish
Right/left-handed/ambidextrous: right-handed
Throwing Style: Primarily RHBH, RHFH
Golf Distance (avg/max*) for putter/mid/driver: putters go 250ft, stable mids go about 275ft on a hyzer, speed 7 fairways go 300ft, terns on max D go 350ft at most, closer to an easy 300. Nose up issues.
* Max distance is the greatest distance you can throw your top 2-3 drivers with any regularity
Optional:
Age: 29 at the moment
Sex: M
Injuries/handicaps?: none
Other sport proficiencies?: none
Additional Information: I don't get out as much as I would like, so I have a hard time learning from my mistakes and getting improvements to form to stick.
What do you like/dislike about your current bag?: I have a hard time deciding on a cohesive lineup for my mids and fairways. I would like to cycle less molds but have a hard time playing enough to actually beat stuff in. This in combination with feeling like I need a dedicated mold/disc at each speed to easily turn over, as I play mostly in the woods and need good shot shaping options at 65-80%
Specific areas of desired feedback: I would like to continue to pare down on molds while not struggling on important utility shots like hyzer flips, skip shots, thumbers, etc
My bag is built around workhorse molds. These include the envy, the comet/seasoned rancho roc, the teebird, and the tern. These I throw most of my shots with because outside of constraints, they fly predictably and reliably when compared to other discs in their distance class, and they require little or no thought in finding the right replacement in case I lose a workhorse.
These are the foundation upon which the rest of my discs are selected - the rest of my discs complement the flight of these molds and are used when constraints are present from being able to just throw a basic low, slight hyzer to the best landing zone. I try to fill in these next slots with different copies of the workhorse discs when appropriate - ie when a MF teebird gives me enough additional stability to justify bagging another teebird and not just bagging a felon or firebird to cover the OS fairway slot. If I feel like an additional teebird or comet in a different plastic, wear pattern or weight does not adequately fill the slot I am looking for, I have no qualms with bagging another mold. The other mold should naturally not overlap too much with the workhorse in the bag, unless there's some good reason. In this situation, however, I do value selecting a different mold which shares similarity to the feel of my workhorse molds in the hand and in the air when possible. For example, when bagging buzzzes and I decide I want a bookend, I will choose a buzzz OS and SS if possible first, but if I'm not getting the flight pattern I desire I will happily pick up a verdict and fuse instead (unbeaded or microbeaded and fast for a mid), while still preferring these two over bagging a rancho roc and an X comet alongside a buzzz, as these are beaded and slower. This intention is primarily a concession to the idea that in a perfect world, I could have access to an infinite cycle of aviars, rocs, teebirds, firebirds etc in a rainbow of wear patterns that could cover all the stabilities I needed while maintaining perfect mold/plastic familiarity. This is not the case, so I prefer to stick with my plan and lean in the direction of SIMILAR molds and plastics when appropriate.
Up until now, I have only filled in the stable and understable sides of the workhorse discs, with no regard to other constraints. From here, I will look at a lineup and decide whether or not I am comfortable throwing the stable plastic in each speed category on forehand shots. If not, I have either added a forehand specific disc or two in each speed category, or as a concession to reduction of total discs bagged, removed the stable discs I had originally selected based on similarity to the workhorse in favor of the forehand specific disc(s). Like many, my forehand grip comfort is finicky and have found that it's worth it to be able to flick something in each speed category, especially in the NW woods. I am comfortable throwing anything backhand however, and if I've replaced a rancho roc with a verdict as my stable BH/FH mid, it doesn't bother me too much that the next step down in stability is a big bead, speed-4 Z comet.
At this point, I have a bag full of workhorse discs and bookends, and am comfortable flicking something at each speed category. Here is basically where experience on the course has lead me to seek something out to cover a situation or shot that I was not comfortable with - think a tricky hyzer flip in the woods, or an OS utility shot like a FH roller or thumber, or a sidewind that carried away an anny, or an approach shot that faded early and left me with a 40 footer. I would really call these utility discs or one-offs, as their primary purpose is for me to try to avoid needing to throw them. Finally and as an afterthought I may have a disc or two that comes in or out of my bag depending on the course, like a DX teebird for water shots and a DX roc that I'm beating in as a backup, or whatever.
So here's the bag as it sits:
Putting putters:
Zero Hard Dagger 173g - circle putting - picked up a putter at Mando's in Auburn and tossed it at the practice basket, and I was hooked on this mold. Previously putted with Judges, and after some work on the putting form this year I decided I wanted to go back to deep dish. I find these less LSS than wizards on longer putts.
Zero Hard Dagger 173g - bought this one used, nice and beat, use it for long putts and throwing approaches. The idea is that I never "throw" the other Dagger so it stays unwarped, opting instead to throw this one if needed. That way I have the "touch" of throwing a putter the same mold as my putting putter without having to worry about blasting my main putter into a tree.
Workhorse throwers:
Neutron Envy 174g - Picked this up on my quest for a slightly more stable Judge. Previously I threw a fuzion or lucid judge here. Those who throw judges know that their biggest selling point - being a beaded, neutral putter - can also be their downfall when you need something to hook up as it slows down. The envy looks and feels plenty different, but throws really similarly and has a perfect straight to fade flight for drives and approaches outside 100ft. Note that although it's not that shallow, the Envy is very flickable on straight to late fade lines.
ESP Zone 174g - You know it, you love it, overstable bookend to the Envy. This wins out over a rhyno due to it's perfect flickability. I'm comforable throwing this as a BH mid too, as it complements my verdict nicely in this way as a glideless, more OS mid like a less dynamic gator.
Blend Judge 174g - took this out recently and played a one-disc round in the woods to knock some fade off of it. Thrown like a mini comet on any shorter approach line. I need a slow approach disc that does not fade in my game, and a beat Judge has that in spades, while also being really comfortable and low profile for drives. I would really not mind replacing this or simply adding a proxy so I could get the added bonus of throwing something very much like an Envy. However I fear the proxy might be too fast or far.
Seasoned KC Roc 174g - picked this one up used; it has a big gouge out of the rim but it sits flat on a table without rocking. HSS has been beat out of it, but it will fly straight and long unless I overpower or put OAT on it. I don't think it's a "flat top" per se but the dome is very small. I have tried a DX Roc3 here to try and capture this flight, but the glide is missing.
DX Roc 177g - picked up this and its brother new in order to start beating in a roc cycle. And boy it takes a while. If/when this one surpasses the above KC in flippiness, I will probably take the KC out of the bag for a while and throw in this guy's brother, same for the X comet until I have a full cycle of rocs and backups which will eventually shift into KC plastic. Not going to overthink it because even if I lost all my seasoned rocs I could start over with a brand new DX rancho, my Z comet and an X comet, no biggie.
X Comet 176g - understable roc slot, what can I say. I'll be happy when I have a roc which is beat up enough to replace this one as I anticipate a nice S-flight as opposed to this pure straight or turnover.
Lucid Verdict 175g - This is in the bag almost purely for midrange FH shots, at which it excels. I do not flick rancho rocs. Straight to fade with more glide than a buzzz OS... what more can I say? I would throw this BH if I felt like my current most stable Roc in the bag could not handle the wind. Or if I needed some weird midrange low skippy shot.
Star TeeBird 168g - this I've bagged for years - it's nicely seasoned but still flies like a teeb. Straight to fade. I have considered eagles here because in general I actually prefer a flip to fade type of flight. There are advantages to straight to fade though, especially in the fairway driver slots.
Metal Flake TeeBird 173g - Super beefy, appropriate for my arm speed. OS bookend to the star teeb.
Star TL 171g - flies just like a beat up DX teeb.
Underworld 168-170g - waffling between a TP and VIP underworld, will test them when I can and choose the one I prefer. This mold is unique as a driver which flies true understable for me when thrown smooth. Very little if any fade.
GStar Leopard 171g - I can't help but bag this. Goes straighter with less effort than the TL.. really bridges the significant gap between the TL and underworld.
Continued opcorn: