[Gateway] Let's Talk About Wizards

[Mike C]

For those who throw them, which are your favorite putting and driving Wizards?

Right now my go to putting Wizard is a 168g Garcia stamped Supersoft. It's soft and flexible, but not floppy, and seems to fade a bit later than my 175's. I'm real happy with it.

For driving I have some nice and flat 175g Organic Wizards I've been throwing. They start out really stable, more stable than the Evo Wizard I also drive with. I'm working on breaking some in. Lost a Soft Wizard I had broken in nice so I'm trying to beat in an Organic to that straight flying point.

One thing I've noticed, having bought many Wizards, is some have a taller, broader shoulder than others. They sit slightly higher than the flatter ones if you put them on a table side by side. I've found I like the flat ones better for driving and the domier ones for putting.

Also, if anyone has proflight stamped Wizard for trade, PM me

 

[gcr_russell]

Love Driving the new Organics.. and favorite for putting are good Organics that have been beaten in. I also love putting with Softs and Super Softs as well. Quite frankly any Wizard for me is a good wizard

 

[bikinjack]

My putting Wizard is a SSS that's not at all floppy, but is grippy. For driving purposes, I switch between two organics (one a bit softer than the other), a nice firm Medium Flex, and a stiff E HPP. They're all somewhere around 173-174. The SSS is getting nicely broken in. I've been using it since January, so it's got a little over 250 rounds played on it, and hopefully it will see a few thousand more.

 

[beeftrout]

I fell in love with the wizard 2 years ago when a Masters guy showed em to me at the worlds in Kalamazoo. I immediately went out and purchased a supersoft, and a grateful dead stamped ss shortly thereafter. My first one was a dog chew casualty (***K Poodles). I have been using the dead stamped one for 2 years now as my main putter (one ace with it!). Its pretty beat in, and the bead is worn down almost half compared to new ones (or did the mold change?). I recently purchased five brand spankin' new Super Stupid Soft wizards at 175g for putting practice. They aren't as soft as the name implies, but I believe some wear and warm weather and they will feel pretty similar to my dead stamped one, which is the softest wizard I've ever held. As for driving, I am just beginning to toy with them off the pad, before I used a KC pro aviar. I went out and played today though with all 5 of the SSS's and shot off the pad with them on a few holes and was very content with the way they flew. Straight out the box i could get em to hold any line, be it hyzer or anhyzer. Compared to the kc aviar, i feel they have just a tad more glide. When the aviar drops like a rock, the wizard will hold the line for just a smidge longer.

I haven't noticed some wizards being taller than others, but what I have noticed is that during the break in process (for the SS or SSS) they will develop lumps along the spot that most recently hit a tree. That makes them feel taller in your hand, but is easily remedied by a good push down on that spot.

Haven't gotten to try the organics or the other plastic types, and I would like to get some to replace my KC aviar. How do the organics hold up against bangin trees? (I play mostly wooded courses, and it will definitely take a beating) I like that the organics are stiff, but still grippy and none of the slip associated with kc pro plastic.

Wizards for life!

 

[WillACarpenter]

I have a gummy E wizard that I love to drive with and used to putt with...then I have an eraser SSS wizard that I used to use for long putts and putts that I needed to have stick.
\/\/

 

[RussMB]

I'm about to join the Wizard Club, as soon as the Mail arrives today! ...or tomorrow depending on our mail. I'm looking forward to getting my hands on a Wizard. I also ordered a Voodoo as well.

 

[sloppydisc]

172 SS for putting. Was using a 174 Organic, but for some reason those 2 grams or the softness seem to really make a difference. I haven't used them for driving a ton, but when I do it has been a 175 Glo Wizard. Their Glo plastic is great. I am leaving my Ions at home on my SoCal trip this week, so the Wizard is going to get more duties. If I can get more comfortable with it on drives and approaches, the Ion will get benched.

 

[mashnut]

I've got a handful of SSS wizards I rotate for putting. For driving I like to have two wizards in the bag, one nice and beat in and one newer, right now they're a beat up S and a new M.

 

[Royden]

The other day whilst trying to dislodge my red star stingray from a tree I managed to knock a red Wizard out as well (no ink).... Up till now I've been throwing a 173 VIbram VP. I put the wizard in my bag and forgot about it untill my kids wanted to practice putting in the back yard. Having doled out all of my putters to the boys,I was left with the wizard. No clue on the weight, totally beaten in. I hammered all of my puts from every where in the back yard. So quickly did i begin to feel confident that I began to recall the clash of the titans. The gods have bestowed upon me an awesome weapon. Who am I to fly in the face of the gods right? Since then I have ordered a super stupid soft 170... we'll see

 

[SirRaph]

Gateway's plastic is so inconsistent, I have to describe the ones that I like.
I have two tourney stamped wizards, one marked Soft, one super stupid soft, (that are the same plastic.) They're very firm, but has a non-slip kind of rubbery feel to the plastic. Money off the tee.

If I had to order one offline, without being able to touch and feel it at a shop, I'd get a glow. The glow plastic is pretty consistently firm and durable. Really nice for driving.

For putting, I have a black supersoft that's more like rubber than plastic. It feels like the inside of a tire. Super gummy and sexy, but still nice and firm.

 

[jrawk]

my favorite wizard is a 174 chalky blue prototype. It's beat up but oddly the soft plastic is more durable than i thought. The grip is superior when wet. I have it in my work-van bag, which i don't use that often. I'm afraid of losing or destroying it because i like it so much and they are HARD to find.

 

[garublador]

There's only one run of S Wizards that I've heard an almost unanimous dislike for. It was a run of Medium S Wizards from ~2005 that came out all slick. I had two of them. I also have, by far, my furthest Wizard throw with one of them and the one of them is beat up now and actually pretty awesome.

While there is a lot of variance between S Wizards, I've found that except for that one run I mentioned above, I like them all for different reasons.

Most firm (little to no flex): If they're a bit tacky and light (165-168g) I think they make really excellent putting putters. If they're heavier and kind of chalky they're my favorite driving putters. However, any of them that are firm and heavy are great for driving. The more firm ones also seem to resist warping better but take scraping and chipping damage (the kind of damage where plastic is lost) worse. This seems to make them most HSS and least LSS when beat.

Kind of soft (some flex, but still holds shape): these are my favorite approach Wizards, but drive really well, too. The ones I have seem to be a little rubbery and sometimes can be a bit chalky. They resist scraping and chipping damage alright but warp kind of easy. I find this makes them loose HSS faster but they still keep their LSS well. I like this for most approaches.

"Supersoft" (you can feel them warp a bit on putts and drives): these are nice for some putts and approaches, especially in lighter weights. They resist the chipping more and resist warping less than the softs. I find they loose too much LSS and keep too much HSS for a workhorse approach disc and don't hold their shape well enough for a putter, but there are situations where it's really nice to have one.

H (Cheif): I had one of these and while they blew for drives and approaches, they were really nice for approach shots. The one I had was super domey and the HSS was almost lid like, especially when beat, but the fade was still strong and predictable. I don't carry it anymore but it's the disc that taught me to like fade in an approach disc. They came in really vibrant and pretty colors, too.

E (softer than the Supersoft): The only one I've had or thrown was kind of floppy, so keep that in mind. This was by far the worst Wizard I've used. It was shorter and harder to control for drives, the turn was difficult to control for approaches and it faded just a bit too hard.

I find that by evaluating them this way I can find a use for pretty much any soft or medium Wizard I come across.

 

[scarwig]

the softest wizard I've ever held.

TWSS

 

[Technohic]

I have a SSS that is tacky and has just a little flex; just a little less floppy than a Soft X Banger that I like to user for putting at 170 weight.

I have a Glow Wizard that I love for driving. 175 and for some reason with the glow plastic, that thing glides really nice.

Then I have 2 black organics in the practice basket that I could use for either, but would prefer not to drive with them because of the color.

 

[beeftrout]

TWSS

forgive my noobiness, but what the hell does that mean?

 

[BucketBonanza]

my favorite wizard is a 174 chalky blue prototype. It's beat up but oddly the soft plastic is more durable than i thought. The grip is superior when wet. I have it in my work-van bag, which i don't use that often. I'm afraid of losing or destroying it because i like it so much and they are HARD to find.

i think i have one of those chalky blue ones too. it is funny that it is deemed a super soft. my buddy threw it the other day and said, "that is a pretty hard super soft." this thing just loves flying into the basket for ridiculously long birdies out of the blue. love it.

 

[MiketheGoalie]

forgive my noobiness, but what the hell does that mean?

Try this link.

 

[McGuire419]

I have one of those Medium S Wizards.... very slick, but I also have gotten by FAR my furthest throw with that wizard. I generally putt with my SS though. My gummy SSS is amazing for messed up anhyzer putts though haha.

There's only one run of S Wizards that I've heard an almost unanimous dislike for. It was a run of Medium S Wizards from ~2005 that came out all slick. I had two of them. I also have, by far, my furthest Wizard throw with one of them and the one of them is beat up now and actually pretty awesome.

While there is a lot of variance between S Wizards, I've found that except for that one run I mentioned above, I like them all for different reasons.

Most firm (little to no flex): If they're a bit tacky and light (165-168g) I think they make really excellent putting putters. If they're heavier and kind of chalky they're my favorite driving putters. However, any of them that are firm and heavy are great for driving. The more firm ones also seem to resist warping better but take scraping and chipping damage (the kind of damage where plastic is lost) worse. This seems to make them most HSS and least LSS when beat.

Kind of soft (some flex, but still holds shape): these are my favorite approach Wizards, but drive really well, too. The ones I have seem to be a little rubbery and sometimes can be a bit chalky. They resist scraping and chipping damage alright but warp kind of easy. I find this makes them loose HSS faster but they still keep their LSS well. I like this for most approaches.

"Supersoft" (you can feel them warp a bit on putts and drives): these are nice for some putts and approaches, especially in lighter weights. They resist the chipping more and resist warping less than the softs. I find they loose too much LSS and keep too much HSS for a workhorse approach disc and don't hold their shape well enough for a putter, but there are situations where it's really nice to have one.

H (Cheif): I had one of these and while they blew for drives and approaches, they were really nice for approach shots. The one I had was super domey and the HSS was almost lid like, especially when beat, but the fade was still strong and predictable. I don't carry it anymore but it's the disc that taught me to like fade in an approach disc. They came in really vibrant and pretty colors, too.

E (softer than the Supersoft): The only one I've had or thrown was kind of floppy, so keep that in mind. This was by far the worst Wizard I've used. It was shorter and harder to control for drives, the turn was difficult to control for approaches and it faded just a bit too hard.

I find that by evaluating them this way I can find a use for pretty much any soft or medium Wizard I come across.

 

[discddwn]

I have 4 soft wizards. 3 have the same color stamp and all feel the same. I got them from 3 different sources at 3 different times. The 4th is labeled soft but is softer than my others and has a different colored stamp. I dont know why Gateway gets so much crap about inconsistency. I've had way more problems with Innova's product during my 10 months of play. I have one beat for straight to turnover, one newish for more fade and I rotate the other 2 for putting so they'll wear the same. Love this disc. If you ever see me using something else it'll be because they're extinct.

 

[DiscChainBasket18]

Super-soft

I bought 5 of these identical 174g SS Wizards a few years back. It is my go-to putter. I use it for upshots more than driving. I can also pull it hard (hyzer) & it will turn over slowly & hold the anny line. They get some dips & bumps on them over time but it still putts well. They stay pretty soft even when it's cold out. The SS is not super floppy. It doesn't have a lot of glide/float. Uphill putts have to be tossed higher (for me). It has a nice grippy texture that helps it stick to the chains.