Lids vs Bricks vs Putters for approach

[twistedraven]

Alright played a morning round today at our city's tournament course, and I've kept track of all the approaches for its 19 holes. The putters I used for approaches were: cosmic neutron pilot (putter). tour z zone (brick), cosmic proton envy (putter), cryztal fierce (putter), top line habit (lid), and a mega soft harp (brick). Below is a breakdown of each disc used per hole:

1: pilot 2: harp 3: pilot 4:zone 5:habit 6: zone 7:fierce 8:zone 9:zone 10:habit 11:habit 12:habit 13:envy 14:envy 15: pilot 16:harp 17:zone 18:harp 19:fierce

So that makes for: 7 putters, 8 bricks, 4 lids.

More evenly distributed than I thought!

 

[tbird888]

Except the Habit isn't a lid. It's just like the Condor, a large diameter, beveled-edged disc.

 

[twistedraven]

If it's larger diameter than a midrange, flies slow, glidey, and flippy like a frisbee, and my friends call it a frisbee, then it's a lid-- in my book. Luckily you weren't there to write my book.

If it makes you able to sleep at night however, you can read it as 'other.'


Just as to what was alluded earlier on in the topic as well, there's no clear definition of bricks vs putters, because the amount of time the disc stays in the air depends on the arm throwing it.

 

[lines]

E. All 3

 

[elmexdela]

If it's larger diameter than a midrange, flies slow, glidey, and flippy like a frisbee, and my friends call it a frisbee, then it's a lid-- in my book. Luckily you weren't there to write my book.

If it makes you able to sleep at night however, you can read it as 'other.'


Just as to what was alluded earlier on in the topic as well, there's no clear definition of bricks vs putters, because the amount of time the disc stays in the air depends on the arm throwing it.

well the time spent in air would be relative

 

[twistedraven]

Yeah it's all relative. Hell some people might consider the Envy a brick of a disc, and some people might consider the traditional lid-style disc that has no beveled edge to be just an ordinary putter. Half of the disc golf community views the Zone as a putter, and the other half views it as a midrange.

I guess the appropriate answer would be: "I approach with the disc that got me to the basket."

 

[tbird888]

By that logic, I might consider a Firebird a putter. Guess that makes it a putter. :\

 

[wolfhaley]

By that logic, I might consider a Firebird a putter. Guess that makes it a putter. :\

I putted with a Firebird twice today. I mean, it was on the same hole each time and 5 feet from the basket, but I think you're on to something

 

[DiscJunkie]

Watching coverage of some Pro Tourney (don't remember if it was MPO or FPO or mixed), I began to notice that they were often throwing overstable flex shots for approaches.
So I went out and tried it.
Completely changed my game.
I went from approaches with US Magics (putter) to OS Zones and Z Ringers (bricks).
Immediate improvement in confidence and scores.

Obviously, YMMV.
But for me, the benefits were immediate.

 

[ThrowaEnvy]

I used to throw an os flex shot all the time, but then I got better. It's very easy to predict where it will land, thing is it doesn't help your form, it's a pure muscle shot with a reliable result.

I have no problem with that, it's how I learned to play, just a driver no putters. It works, it's not as fun as the super glidey shots but lowering scores is good too. I feel the same way about thumbers/oh/tomahawks/hammers whatever you call em.

When I picked up my ohm (stable putter) after throwing Envy's (more stable putter) exclusively for a couple years, it didn't go far enough. Played the yard course lots with just an ohm or two. Two months later back on track, ohms go wicked long and straight, I'm getting my drivers up to speed better....and further. I guess I've been adding a touch of anhyzer and trying to force a stable disc (envy) straight and losing distance through disc angles instead of flat and clean.

 

[armiller]

Depends on the situation, including stance, ceiling, consequences of going long or rollaways, etc. Currently, I go between my DX Polecat, Soft Proton Ion, and Ti Zone on most approaches. For forehand it's almost always Zone or Polecat, and for backhand it's almost always Ion or Polecat. Sometimes I throw a Buzzz for either if it helps get the line I want.

 

[sonny]

I'm gonna vote Other.

For me, an approach shot is like 75 to 200 feet out and I'm usually throwing a Roc at that.

 

[DiscJunkie]

Don't think anyone has mentioned it, but QuestAT actually sold a putter called "10M Brick".

I bought it out of curiosity 10+ years ago and it is PDGA Approved, AFAIK.
Still have it.
VERY UNDERSTABLE!!! Most US putter EVER!!
Very thin/soft/floppy rim and most of the weight is in the very middle of the disc.
It is designed to flop and fall and not roll on missed putts.
So US, it is useless outside of ~10'

You can still find them occasionally for sale.

 

[Spectacledbear]

Having seperate approach disc for BH and FH just sounds weird to me. I can use a neutral putter for both, oh it flipped over? Well that's feedback and that's on you.

 

[ray1970]

Having seperate approach disc for BH and FH just sounds weird to me. I can use a neutral putter for both, oh it flipped over? Well that's feedback and that's on you.

Well then I was weird for a while. I am really backhand dominant and the Harp was my go-to approach disc for quite a while. When I finally realized I needed to start incorporating a short forehand approach into my game I really struggled with the Harp and ended up with a Zone for the forehand shot but still preferred the Harp for backhand duties.

Anyhow, these days it's pretty much a Zone or a Pig and I will use either for FH or BH.

But for a little while I was weird.

 

[Casey 1988]

I am not even using a putter, I use the Shark in Star due to how a midrange is more OS when thrown with less speed and can do the slot of a non brick OS putter very well. If I had to use only a putter for the slight OS putter slot, a Hydra is what I would use in R-Pro with my US approach/Long putter still being the #2 Upshot in Prostyle from Lighting or one of Innova's newer molds that is neutral and has a shape like the #2 Upshot.

My choice was other as it is OS but not a brick.

Anyone using a Mortar, Cayman, or Gator is using a brick despite being a midrange and in some plastics more then others especially if DX or R-Pro is not the disc plastic used unless the person cycles the disc.

 

[Casey 1988]

Having seperate approach disc for BH and FH just sounds weird to me. I can use a neutral putter for both, oh it flipped over? Well that's feedback and that's on you.

I agree 100% since I can do Approach forehand shots okay, not much else is forehand other then a flick putt and forehand putt. The bent elbow wrist flick putt takes the place of the Turbo as I can't putt at all with a standard Turbo, my hands are too small to do a single hand turbo putt.

 

[Casey 1988]

Blowfly is the best approach disc I've ever used. It's hard for me to overstate how much it has helped my approach game. I can count the rollaways on one hand after months of using it. I only really like it inside 100 feet though. Rarely blows past the basket and when it hits, it just folds up on itself and stops. For something outside that distance, it's an Envy or a Zone.

This is why on hill putts I always putt using a #2 Upshot From Lighting at 166 grams. I have since late 2005 when I found the mold in a store.

 

[Casey 1988]

Wouldn't a Condor be "Other"?

I agree since the mold is based off the ROC just made in a bigger Diameter.

 

[Casey 1988]

Haha yeah, it seems like there might not be a clear definition of each. Not sure how to define it in a poll. In my mind a lid is a floaty, glidey disc similar to an ultimate disc. Maybe the putter version of a comet. Brick is something glideless so it's easy to range and tolerates wind. Putter is somewhere on either end that spectrum. Maybe we can talk about pros and their preferences. I'd say most pros just throw a putter except

Lids - Gurthie with his Sonic
Bricks - Calvin and his champ Rhyno - Ricky with the harp/pig

Who else?

Paul and Paul Zone.

A few females use a premium plastic Gator for the approach discs.

Nate sexton uses the Zone copy more in feel then flight from Innova, the Rat for approach.

Jonny McCray Beetle a Latitude 64 disc that is just a standard catch disc made by Latitude 64.

A few hard to pronounce Norwegian names on team Latititude 64 or Westside Discs use the Bite.

David Feldberg uses a Brick Sinus, that is more brick like then any other discs I have seen thrown in person. All the disc wants to do is fly to the left.