beaded or beadless?

[cmjreef]

Just curious. I just switched to a beadless putter and really feel like its made a significant positive impact on my putting. What does everyone think about this topic?

 

[mashnut]

Putting is all about feel, if you feel better with a beadless putter in your hand you'll be just fine. I think it makes a lot more of a difference on drives.

 

[knettles]

Putting is all about feel, if you feel better with a beadless putter in your hand you'll be just fine. I think it makes a lot more of a difference on drives.

I agree. The bead makes some difference in the flight of the disc, but I feel the bigger effect is on my release. I always feel like a beaded putter releases smoother for me.

 

[Moonshine]

I agree. The bead makes some difference in the flight of the disc, but I feel the bigger effect is on my release. I always feel like a beaded putter releases smoother for me.

That is exactly the reason I prefer a beaded putter. I don't have a problem putting with beadless putters, but the grip feels funny to me when I drive with them. Oddly enough, I don't have the same problem with beadless mids.

 

[mashnut]

I agree. The bead makes some difference in the flight of the disc, but I feel the bigger effect is on my release. I always feel like a beaded putter releases smoother for me.

It definitely does make a difference in the flight of the disc, but the majority of putts inside the circle don't rely on the aerodynamic properties of the disc, they're just ballistic.

 

[bobmcnelly]

I prefer beadless. I throw omegas and pigs. I hear you guys about the feel of driving with a beaded putter, but I like beadless for putting. It lets me work on my hyzer flips.

 

[jongoff09]

It isn't the bead for me as much as the overall shape of the disc. For instance I couldn't throw Wizards well for anything (putting or driving), but Ions fly great for me even though they both have a bead. I can putt and drive with Ions with no trouble at all. They aren't my preferred putter, Anodes are, but that just shows that it isn't all about the bead. I also love the flights I can get out of KC Pro Aviars which have a large bead like the Wizard.

 

[mutteriwiritys]

I've been using Anodes now for 2-3 months and I recently traded for an Ion and I didn't like the bead. I feels OK in the hand and flies well, but as Anodes are beadless (and have a shallower feel) I prefer them.

 

[jongoff09]

^^that kinda proves my point about the overall shape and feel of the disc instead of just whether or not it has a bead. The Ion and Anode have the same core, but the Anode's bead is covered more by the overmold. It just feels shallower and beadless because of the shape and size of the overmold.

 

[simpletwist]

Putting is all about confidence. And that starts with where your body contacts the disc. So if a beadless or beaded putter feels better it will work better. You are confident in your grip. You know you will release the disc at the right time. Confidence.

Me, I prefer beadless, my Nova, for putting in most instances. But I do carry a beaded putter, a Wizard, as well.

 

[Aim For The Chains]

Putting is all about feel, if you feel better with a beadless putter in your hand you'll be just fine. I think it makes a lot more of a difference on drives.

It definitely does make a difference in the flight of the disc, but the majority of putts inside the circle don't rely on the aerodynamic properties of the disc, they're just ballistic.

:hfive: I throw both off the tee 300'+ and beaded discs hold initial release angles longer (sometimes added HSS and retain LSS longer) while the beadless are more forgiving to release angles as the flight is easier to manipulate to get different lines. Better at lower power also IMO more "touch" shot friendly than big bead discs.

 

[Stardoggy]

I started with beaded putters...and thought they were messing me up. Then I ran with beadless (Aviar, Spike), and though they were the bee's knees until I picked up Wizards on a whim. Now I'm beaded and bedazzled and wonderful.

 

[Romans 5-8]

I putt inside the circle with a beadless Aviar p&a, but I drive with a beaded ion. I don't like having to throw hyzer with my putter to keep it without turning, and my aviar is too understable to put any sort of power on it and expect it to be accurate. A beaded putter seems to be more on the stable side of things than a beadless putter, but that is just my experience. I don't think there is anything wrong with having different putters for different shots.

 

[ndole]

I used to putt wih kc aviars but switched tithe pa aviar but I love it!

 

[ohtobediscing]

Beadless. Feels too full under my fingers on the bottom if beaded.

 

[namar]

definitely beadless for putting, though a bead feels somehow reassuring in driving situations.

 

[Beener]

Putting is all about confidence. And that starts with where your body contacts the disc. So if a beadless or beaded putter feels better it will work better. You are confident in your grip. You know you will release the disc at the right time. Confidence.

Agreed! The beadless Warden feels better to me because more of my index finger is touching the rim. The Judge just felt "weird"...

 

[rch84]

I putt with a voodoo pretty much a micro bead and like the wizard for upshots and drives

 

[Three Putt]

For years Innova has advertised the big bead Aviar as the "Driver" and the small bead/beadless as the "Putt and Approach." I think that gets into people's heads on some level because a lot of people seem to prefer the small bead or beadless putters for putting but want the extra stability of a big bead for drives.

I'm not sure how long I played before I threw a small bead off the tee; probably 8 or 9 years. It never occurred to me to try. They bombed. I loved those off the tee.

I'm not sure how long I played before I tried putting with a big bead; probably 8 or 9 years. I had a smaller glow bag and I lost my glow putter; all I had left was the glow big bead. I found out the bead really didn't bother me at all, and I preferred the feel of the stiff plastic.

Gradually I switched them; I mostly threw the small bead off the tee and putted with the big beads.

Basically I think it is important to use a putter-type disc for putting, approaches and short drives. What type of putter-type disc you choose is whatever feels best for you.

 

[aerodriver]

All beadless. I putt, drive, and approach with Pures in different plastics. Recycled Gold Line for drive and approaches, eze for putts and zero Soft for "stick" approaches on hills or longer putts.