beaded or beadless?

[Darth Anovin]

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.

If I were to have an original response, it would have been this. But you beat me too it! :hfive:

 

[natedg1976]

I guess i am a little bit of an odd duck. I prefer to putt with a Wizard(big bead), approach with Magic or Nova(no bead) and drive with a Warlock(again no bead). For me it is easier to drive a beadless putter because I feel it releases better for me. I drive my Magic and Nova for turnover shots at times, my Warlock for stable to overstable shots. I have tried driving the wizard and it just does not feel like I am getting a good release. I will approach with the Wizard when I need a more stable approach or if there is a headwind. My Warlock is a super stiff plastic. It is not marked with plastic type on the back and I have been told it is most likely a medium.

 

[cmjreef]

Thx for the responses. It seems by the responses that its all feel. I've been putting wizards but consistently missing left. I recently picked up an MVP envy and was putting lights-out. So I decided to pick up an anode too but haven't thrown it yet. We'll see.

 

[The Last DJ]

I have both varieties in my bag. The Wizard (beaded putter) has short and downhill drives covered. I'll also reach for this disc on most any approach shot within 150'. Inside the circle, I almost always putt with a Magic (beadless putter) as the design allows for lazer-straight shots at the basket. There's no right or wrong answer here - go with what feels good and gets results...good luck!

 

[walker139]

I love beads...

 

[Moose33]

Don't really care from a feel perspective, but I like a bead because the flight characteristics seem to stay consistent longer.

 

[elmexdela]

kcp aviar for driving/approaches and really windy putts and dx aviar for 90% of putts. i use a beat dx aviar that used to be my main putter than is a straight flyer for approaches, hyzer flipper for drives, and nice anny putts if needed. its all preference though. ive tried out majority of the putters.

buy x outs, PIAS cheap used to try out some different varieties. and borrow some from friends/people on the course.

youll eventually find one you like. maybe that will change in a year or three. maybe not. youll figure out your fetishes

 

[tylerc]

i have always putted with beadless and i had to switch to beaded putters for driving when i started playing a lot, my course i played a lot had a lot of putter holes and i was throwing beadless putters and i would get cuts from the edge of the disc so i switched to beaded driving putters and that fixed the problem, but have yet to get an understable beaded putter

 

[trumbulldore]

I used to use beaded because it helped with my putting, but recently I switched up to using beadless putters and it feels more comfortable in the hand for putting. I will say I still carry a rhyno and the bead feels good for drives and using the rhyno as an approach/mid. Putting wise though, no bead.

 

[DiscJunkie]

i have always putted with beadless and i had to switch to beaded putters for driving when i started playing a lot, my course i played a lot had a lot of putter holes and i was throwing beadless putters and i would get cuts from the edge of the disc so i switched to beaded driving putters and that fixed the problem, but have yet to get an understable beaded putter

Summit is fairly understable, and it has a small bead (I believe).

 

[DiscinFiend]

I prefer beaded putters for driving & putting. I carry four putters in my bag & they're all KC Aviars. I carry to two putters for driving, one (New) KC Aviar & one (Beat) KC Aviar. I have one KC Aviar exclusively for putting & another one as my backup/pre-round practice putter. I like to cycle discs (Rocs, Destroyers & Teebirds) so it made perfect sense that I cycle my driving putters also. I prefer beaded driving putters because of how they feel in my hands (I have large hands). I like the KC Aviar for putting because of the consistent fade it has on longer putts. I find that (beaded) KC Aviars have a more consistent flight & hold the line better than (beadless) Aviars P&A's in the wind. This is because of the more over stable flight of the BB Aviars. When I started disc golfing I used a DX Aviar P&A. I tried a lot of different molds but I always came back to the Aviar P&A. I was a "spin putter" for many years until last summer when I switched to "push putting". Since becoming a "push putter" my putting has improved drastically & I've shaved quite a few strokes off my scores. I buy into Feldbergs putting philosophy & I've based my putting style off of his. I believe that harder/stiffer putters come out of the hand cleaner & more consistently than soft/flexible putters. I also believe that beaded putters come out of the hand cleaner & more consistently than beadless. The bead of the disc fits in between the first joint of my index finger which allows a consistent grip & release every putt. I found that when using beadless putters my index finger was never consistently in the same position. This may not seem like a big deal but every bit of consistency helps, especially when it comes to putting. I putt with a KC Aviar for the reasons I listed above & because they're easy to acquire. I prefer baseline plastic putters over premium plastic putters for putting. Premium plastic putters tend to be slick & spit out of the chains more than baseline plastic. When it comes to driving putters the plastic choice depends more on personal preference & bag building philosophy than anything. With driving putters it really depends on your bag building philosophies. If you like to cycle one putter mold baseline plastic will most likely be your best option. If you like to use different molds to cover your driving putter slots, premium plastic is most likely a better option so your discs keep the same flight characteristics as long as possible. I recommend getting a max weight putting putter because they're less effected by the wind. Just find a putter that feels good in your hand & stick with it. It's good to pick a putter mold & plastic that's in current production. If your putter gets to beat up or you lose it, it's nice to be able to easily get a new one to replace it. I'd also recommend putting with the same putter for all situations & wind conditions. This allows you to learn how your putter acts in various conditions & it helps keep everything consistent. If you have to switch putters because of wind & such you really don't trust yourself or the disc. Also if you like to drive with putters make sure to have a putter dedicated just for putting. There's nothing worse than losing or cracking your putting putter because you drove with it. Driving with your putting putter also beats it up faster than just using it for putting, which affects how it flies on putts, especially when putting outside of the circle. There is no magic putter, just the one you've used so much you know how it will act in every condition.

My Putter Setup
(New) KC Pro Aviar (175) - Moderately over stable driving putter, windy upshots, sidearm approaches
(Beat) KC Pro Aviar (175) - Stable driving putter, upshots, anhyzers, gentle hyzers
KC Pro Aviar (175) - Putting putter
KC Pro Aviar (175) - Backup putting putter, pre-round warm up putting


Heres a link to a Youtube video in which Feldberg talks about putting styles, his putting philosophy, beaded/beadless discs & much more
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N_7RPOmSSsU