How necessary is an overstable mid?

[coogs]

I've got a gift certificate that I'm trying to use, so I'm taking a look at things that I normally might not get.

I've been looking at Drones and Hornets to fill what is an empty spot in my bag. But how necessary is it? I can make my Buzzz stay on most any line I put it on (considering form stays correct), so I'm not sure if this is something I should even try. It doesn't even need to be a Drone or Hornet, just curious about this specific kind of disc.

 

[discspeed]

I don't think that most people need anything more than an overstable version (or a disc similar to) their workhorse mid. This should then be supplemented with a slow and overstable fairway driver (which are faster and glide less, both positives in the wind).

 

[BrotherDave]

I'm not a fan of really overstable mids. The Pain/Vector/Sentinel/Wasp group is about as overstable as I need out of a mid. I have a Champ Banshee for actual wind and meathook shots. Basically, everything discspeed said.

 

[andrewv]

It's fairly difficult to curve a Buzzz into a C shape (because it wants to hold a line) and into heavy headwinds it is impossible. That's the reason for overstable mids. You can power down a fast disc for tight curves in no wind but that'll give you skips. The Whippet is borderline between mid and fairway and only available in DX so will beat in before you figure it out if you're playing wooded courses.

 

[discspeed]

I agree that something more overstable than a Buzzz is good, but assuming good form you should be able to get something like an overstable roc/wasp/vector/pain/etc, which all are more versatile across conditions than the most overstable mids.

Disclaimer(i started a thread like this on the other site that got quite heated): if you throw overstable mids and like them by all means continue as my approval should mean nothing to you.

 

[PMantle1]

Great timing. I just bought my first Viper and Banshee today. I already carry a couple of sentinels, but looking for other options on two very hard left turn holes though the woods.

 

[discmonkey42]

When there's real wind, I'll use an EXP1, so you should like your banshee as it's pretty much the same disc. When it's just kind of windy I've been trying a hornet, but I'll probably go back to what discspeed recommended, a mildly overstable fairway driver.

I don't so much have issues with getting fade into the wind, I have big issues with wind getting under a mid of any stability and bouncing it around. Drivers are faster and prevent this.

 

[steve a]

The zone/firebird is my overstable pair. I find they compliment each other well distance wise and fly mostly the same.

 

[discspeed]

That's another better option than a really overstable mid that I forgot to mention...some slow and overstable putter-type(zone, pig, Sinus, Jokeri, etc) disc since they have less glide and sit down better than the really overstable mids.

 

[Widdershins]

I've got a gift certificate that I'm trying to use, so I'm taking a look at things that I normally might not get.

I've been looking at Drones and Hornets to fill what is an empty spot in my bag. But how necessary is it? I can make my Buzzz stay on most any line I put it on (considering form stays correct), so I'm not sure if this is something I should even try. It doesn't even need to be a Drone or Hornet, just curious about this specific kind of disc.

You never know when you might get very strong winds. In my car I carry at least one very overstable putter, mid and driver. These discs STAY in my car until the big winds come out.

I too am a Buzzz guy, so when I need to disc up in an overstable midrange I will go to a Wasp or a Zone as both are flat like a Buzzz. Both the Drone and Hornet are more domey. For me the Wasp is a bump up in stability from a Buzzz but a Zone is even stronger. There was a run of Z Zones which I like a lot.

There is a big difference between the needs of casual players and tournament players when it comes to learning severe weather. Casual players can be fair weather golfers. If the wind or weather is obnoxious just put off playing for that day. Tournament players need to be severe weather golfers if they hope to be successful. Tournaments are based on the calendar, not the weather. So if the morning of a tournament the weather is terrible we are still going out in it.

I know there a lot of tournament players who avoid bad weather and will go so far as to not play in winter or cancel out of tournaments if the weather report looks bad. The problem is that weather reports are voodoo science and bad weather can spring up unexpectedly. Those who do not play in bad weather often do not have the right clothes or discs for bad weather so for them it is a double whammy.

The only way to learn how to play in wind is to play in wind. Whatever you learned in calm air does not prepare you for strong winds. The only way to learn how an overstable disc flies in wind is to go out when it is windy and practice with it. So when strong winds come out I take those little used overstable discs out of my car and try to learn them. Bad weather should be viewed as a rare opportunity to practice in conditions you can seldom experience.

 

[PMantle1]

I'll eventually add a Zone.

 

[JoshEpoo]

A short meat hook is nice to have. Aside from their wind fighting ability, they're good for flex shots and the hard fade wraps around obstacles at different angles than more neutral discs on hyzers. I throw quite a few short forehands, and a variety of other shots, with a Drone and consider it to be a fairly important part of my recovery and approach game. It's not the most vital disc in my bag, but there are certainly times where I'd miss it if it wasn't there.

 

[aerodriver]

I have a single Vibram Obex I use as a driving mid/overstable mid. If it's a 250ft hole veering slightly left, I know I can put it down the fairway and have it land near the basket.

 

[XCyclone]

X2 on the zone, esp is where it's at, takes a beating like a champ. I use it more as a mid than a putter, perfect for utility and wind shots.

 

[Pwingles]

Meh, to each his own. They are probably the most useless and detrimental disc in most peoples bags.
That said, i carry a zone, and i own a drone, similar to Mark, it stays in the car 99% of the time. Might get used 3x a year. I could get by with my fwy driver in most cases if i needed to. But occasionally the grip ofthe flx is where its at.

Imo more people use them as a crutch for their terrible OAT and theyre unable to succesfully utilize other midrange discs. That is why i called them detrimental above

 

[PMantle1]

I onlu have oat issues with forehand, so I guess I just don't understand.

 

[cubeofsoup]

Meh, to each his own. They are probably the most useless and detrimental disc in most peoples bags.
That said, i carry a zone, and i own a drone, similar to Mark, it stays in the car 99% of the time. Might get used 3x a year. I could get by with my fwy driver in most cases if i needed to. But occasionally the grip ofthe flx is where its at.

Imo more people use them as a crutch for their terrible OAT and theyre unable to succesfully utilize other midrange discs. That is why i called them detrimental above

150ft big left turn, 20mph headwind, what do you throw?

 

[PMantle1]

Miracle, of course.

 

[Pwingles]

Thats a very general situation. It would depend on distance to the turn, distance needed to go past the turn, my ceiling, can i throw a skip, how bad do i get punished if i am short/long, lots of variables. But the jist of what youre trying to describe to me is a situation that you would absolutely need a drone for because you are comfortable with that shot inthat spot.

I could throw several discs and shots there (unless you wanna get more specific about the lie) with a handful of different discs. Knee jerk reaction would be zone if i didnt have a ceiling to worry about (which is similar to what youd likely use a drone for), or if there was a ceiling issue, or a good possibility i can skip it i would throw a FB/OS fairway. Even with the wind a fh roller can be thrown there, as it cut the wind would help it around tho its prolly not the best choice.

The question you should be asking yourself is why are YOU limited on what to throw there?

*u mad Pmantle? You seem offended.

 

[andrewv]

Perhaps the best response to this thread is to quote Patches O'Houlihan from Dodgeball.