[Putters] How come so few top pros carry a Zone/Harp/Gator type disc?

[ODRB]

I mean, more do today than did in the past. But why do so many Ams (and I use that term generously) carry a massively OS driving putter, and so few top pros (FH dominant players excepted) do?

Why do you or don't you carry one?

 

[georgesummers]

I too have also found this fascinating. The craziest to me is how Nate Sexton, who throws a lot of forehands, does not use a low speed overstable disc for shorter forehands. For example on hole 17 at Winthrop, a 215' downhill shot he throws a firebird. In my experience that shot is so much easier with a zone or pig, especially if you want it to hit and stick.

 

[dysmike]

I'm going to venture that it's simply because they CAN throw. Most of the time I hear someone say they need something overstable, it's because they torque the hell out of it.. Conversely, the guys I know that have clean form and big arms.. not as much.

 

[ODRB]

I too have also found this fascinating. The craziest to me is how Nate Sexton, who throws a lot of forehands, does not use a low speed overstable disc for shorter forehands. For example on hole 17 at Winthrop, a 215' downhill shot he throws a firebird. In my experience that shot is so much easier with a zone or pig, especially if you want it to hit and stick.

Nate throws a Mortar too though. Some. (Lots of FH dominant pros seem to have something similar.)

 

[Alexplz]

I definitely carry one - I feel like it would be bonkers not to carry a disc that can effectively handle sticking forehand approaches 100' and in - I feel like the rest of the discs in a typical bag actually cover far fewer shots, maybe 250'-300' for a mid for example. Whereas your approach discs cover a vastly larger range - short approach distance (150'??) all the way down to a tricky shot around some bushes from 50'.

And yet as mentioned by ODRB, most of these pros are carrying a couple putting putters, a stable driving putter, and that's it. They skip right to mids, MAYBE a gator or something. I wonder if maybe it's due to a greater level of familiarity in the short game, and that the OS brick approach disc would typically only come out once a round. But then on the other hand you have Ricky and his laser-guided ups and throw-ins with that blue harp of his... it's like, here's your sign.

 

[discerdoo]

Why do you or don't you carry one?

Cuz I'm mostly FH dominant and my BH turnover shot sucks.

 

[Dire Wolfy]

I carry a slammer for forehand drives and utility shots.

 

[PMantle]

Why do you or don't you carry one?

Did for a while. Discovered I don't need one. I rarely have approaches with enough room on the right to fully use them. I find that the driving holes I play are better played with something like a Bard, Vedict or slower FD because I throw low, and those putters need some height. Also, my forehand has gotten tighter over time, and I no longer need the stability to make up for either oat or anny.

 

[SD86]

Some pros just have a Firebird or similar disc dialed in, so that's what they do. Others do carry OS low-speed discs: Ricky carries and uses the Harp, Paul is likely carrying the AviarX3.

I was carrying a Harp, but I'm now working with the AviarX3. Out of necessity, I forehanded the AvX3 on an approach shot around some Georgia pines, and was happy to find the disc parked for a (literal) drop-in putt to save par. I thought the AvX3 had a bit more glide than the Harp, but I threw the AvX3 a lot today, and while it did well, it didn't glide at all... looked exactly like the Harp in flight.

Harp and AvX3 are good discs, the only difference being that the Harp is beaded and the AvX3 is not. Try them both out...

 

[ODRB]

Did for a while. Discovered I don't need one. I rarely have approaches with enough room on the right to fully use them. I find that the driving holes I play are better played with something like a Bard, Vedict or slower FD because I throw low, and those putters need some height. Also, my forehand has gotten tighter over time, and I no longer need the stability to make up for either oat or anny.

I've recently discovered I don't need one too. (Although I keep a couple in my trunk for certain open courses that can get VERY windy and have punishing OB and high risk of losing a Champ Roc if it gets flipped over--looking at you Blue Lake Regional Park.)

But I am a RHBH dominant player with a (I like to think) quite decent touch turnover game.

 

[PMantle]

I've recently discovered I don't need one too. (Although I keep a couple in my trunk for certain open courses that can get VERY windy and have punishing OB and high risk of losing a Champ Roc if it gets flipped over--looking at you Blue Lake Regional Park.)

But I am a RHBH dominant player with a (I like to think) quite decent touch turnover game.

Our main two courses are in a bowl somewhat. Even on high wind days, we are somewhat sheltered. Then again, we don't get the wind that a lot of folks do.

But I am a RHBH dominant player with a (I like to think) quite decent touch turnover game.

Same

 

[thirtydirtybirds]

I don't really need it. The most overstable disc other than a firebird I carry is a champ rancho roc, and I don't even think it's that overstable. I seem to have more success throwing a forehand turnover with an aviar or beat in roc than an overstable backhand, it lands flat and skids forward if anything. Overstable shots have a higher tendency to skip, and while sometimes that is needed, I don't find I use that shot too often. If I do, I just throw a firebird softer.

 

[Nenja]

I got the Harp in there because it's great, most rounds I don't throw it.

 

[booter]

lots of wind down here in tx occasionally so having the os mid or os putter comes in handy,no matter how good you throw. lots of pros use os mids or fast approach putters,its just not a disc thats thrown as much as the others but theyre out there. i see a lot of gators,zones,harps etc ,even stuff like tridents,vipers,moabs that are used as os midranges. just depends where you play. with that said, it pays to learn how to throw all discs in all conditions anyway.

i received some of the best advice from an old pro master ,over a decade ago. it was on a hole that people normally throw an overstable disc because its such a tight fairway and naturally goes left. if you get down with a OS disc,the skip can put you in a bad position on the left side. He me to throw an understable mid /fairway on the same hyzer line but with less power and watch how it carries. needless to say, the disc popped up flat and road straighter down the fairway without the skip that an OS disc would have produced. its a shot that not a lot of people use and just want to mash something hard.

 

[jmdaire27]

Good topic.

For myself (~900 rating, max D is around 400, controlled D around 375) I have been very back and forth with a Zone or Harp in and out of the bag. Ill add Ilove the Envy, probably my favorite Disc, but it's no meat hook.

I plan on going into the year without this slot, just Envy (Ps and Es) and Truth/Verdict (or the like, maybe a quake..). I think this kind of shot can really be done with anything OS. A mid if you want a blunt edge, or driver for a sharp edge skip. I don't like using the word "crutch" but maybe leaning on this slot acts like one(?).

But what can a Zone do a powered down OS mid can't? Maybe that's supposed to be rhetorical, but.... opcorn:

 

[slowplastic]

I think it's a combination of reasons, and of course every player has their own preferences...but here are some possibilities. First is these are a bit of a newer craze, so a lot of them can throw stable putters very hard and have zero worries from experience. Lots of players will have a stable-overstable putter like a premium P2 and that's enough for their hard backhands as it can hold a hyzer. As for the forehand approaches, they have clean form so at shorter ranges they can flick a normal putter/mid if the line is forced, but a lot of them do have something like a Mortar for Koling/Sexton and Harp for Wysocki. At longer ranges for FH's a lot of players who aren't FH dominant seem to have their favourite FH discs that they trust all the time...like McBeth with Destroyer/FD3 and lots of players with a Firebird, so they just know how it will react at various power levels and they'd rather have old faithful than change up the selection when the shot is slightly shorter.

I think the number one reason is though, that they run everything. These types of discs are not good for running the chains at 60-125'ish because they are fast and need to be snapped hard to not dump out. The top players can jump or spin putt so much farther than ams, so when ams are doing a safe approach with a Zone/Harp the pro is running the chains with a putt.

 

[Moose33]

I adore the Harp and have carried at least one since the month they dropped.

They are really good for approaches FH or BH and I can drop one on a very tight target. People say they are very overstable, but you really can shape the flight very well with them. The awkward s curve in the woods or around the tree spike hyzer is perfect for them.

Or if you have OB behind a Target and need it to run out of gas before a mid would.

In a normal round I throw them as much or more than a mid.

 

[tbird888]

Because I can't spend my days throwing frisbees to get to know them like the pros.

mex has it right below

 

[elmexdela]

its a crutch disc that isnt needed by those who know how to throw well

 

[discerdoo]

its a crutch disc that isnt needed by those who know how to throw well

Thank you preacher, elmex! I'm healed!

I'm throwing away my crutches and chunkin discs like a real man now. I just needed those inspirational words from the chains hittingest, wasp thowingest prophet to ever activate their gyro.

Wysocki and his harp are doomed to burn in the pits of hell with all the other lousy form sinners!