Rocs

[Drewford]

I always seem to read and hear a lot of people say the roc is awesome. What makes it so special? I have one but I like my shark and stingray much better. Maybe I just throw weird.

 

[Porthos]

The Roc is just a disc that has been around forever and was made popular due to base plastic cycling. With premium plastics, there isn't a reason to do that anymore unless you want to. If you are happy with your current mids, stick with them. In fact the Roc isn't the best mid for someone starting out anyways as it is slightly over stable.

 

[bdjohns1]

A lot of folks over at /r/discgolf on reddit push Rocs on new golfers (at least for practicing) because it's overstable, so if you can't throw a Roc well, they argue you probably shouldn't be trying to throw a distance driver.

 

[notroman]

They don't push Rocs on newer players because they're overstable, but because they don't respond well to a poor throw. This can be said about most mids on the market. I think the reason the Roc is the disc that gets chosen is because as others have mentioned, it's a proven old disc and because it cycles great. This way a new player can learn with just one disc (and replace it with a fresh one as it wears in) instead of trying to pick up different discs for different lines and trying to learn them all.

 

[Ripper]

DX Rocs when seasoned are so perfect in flight. I bought 4 flat top (for a MS Charity) DX rocs from a guy at the marketplace on here and have cycled two of them to flippy, to straight to overstable. It's a very versatile disc and feels better in my hands then a buzz.

 

[Disc Fiend]

Good reading here:

The mythical Innova ROC

 

[IHearChains]

They don't push Rocs on newer players because they're overstable, but because they don't respond well to a poor throw. This can be said about most mids on the market. I think the reason the Roc is the disc that gets chosen is because as others have mentioned, it's a proven old disc and because it cycles great. This way a new player can learn with just one disc (and replace it with a fresh one as it wears in) instead of trying to pick up different discs for different lines and trying to learn them all.

This is exactly why I advocate for the BuzzzSS, Buzzz, Wasp, Hornet series. They all feel almost the same in the hand, and you only have to learn one and you know them all. All different lines. They fly correctly when brand new. No cycling needed. Cycling is a total PITA that no one should have to put up with, especially not a newer player.

 

[Romans 5-8]

Good reading here:

The mythical Innova ROC

This^^^^^^ But honestly, don't listen to what anyone says, if you give rocs a chance they will steal your heart. They aren't for everybody, but oh man is it a beautiful disc.

 

[Tpro]

This is exactly why I advocate for the BuzzzSS, Buzzz, Wasp, Hornet series. They all feel almost the same in the hand, and you only have to learn one and you know them all. All different lines. They fly correctly when brand new. No cycling needed. Cycling is a total PITA that no one should have to put up with, especially not a newer player.

Easy to advocate discs that were made in the shadow of a ROC.

 

[Romans 5-8]

Cycling is a total PITA that no one should have to put up with, especially not a newer player.

As a beginner, you don't have to cycle and shouldn't. You just pick A dx roc up and throw the crap out of it. You can still shape the lines you want, and you will get to know the ONE disc and how it beats in. It will make you a better player, instead of sitting there trying to decide what disc to throw, you think about HOW to throw your one disc. As a newb, I think it is the best way to go.

 

[slowplastic]

The best things about them I find are that if you throw it cleanly (no OAT) you can throw it as hard as you want and it will always be consistent. The other thing, is that you can range its distance fairly effectively by how high you throw it.

There are a couple things I don't like about it, but that's mostly how it fits in my bag vs other discs...for example it isn't a super long mid for me so sometimes it's hard for me to choose to throw it vs. a putter. However, it is a very trustworthy and consistent disc.

You said you throw a Shark, I find they fly nearly identical on straight throws...the Shark may have more turn when you throw it really hard. Keep throwing them both as that will get some consistency...and the harder you throw them the less fade they will have.

 

[Romans 5-8]

There are a couple things I don't like about it, but that's mostly how it fits in my bag vs other discs...for example it isn't a super long mid for me so sometimes it's hard for me to choose to throw it vs. a putter. However, it is a very trustworthy and consistent disc.

What distance are your rocs maxing out at? Just curious, I might love my rocs so much because I can't throw a putter worth a crap over 200, so I always go with a roc.

 

[Homeslice]

R To the OC 4 life Brah!

 

[Dan Ensor]

It was designed for baseline plastic. So the Roc you would cycle is the best.

It's mildly overstable, so when you cycle them, you can use them for nearly every mid shot, without taking an entire season to beat the overstability out of them.

It's a kite-like disc, whereas a Buzzz is a bullet-like disc. Meaning that it glides a little better, and punishes unclean releases.

It has a bead, which slows the beating progress to keep it in the butter zone longer than other discs.

It's Innova's most popular mid. So replacing them should be no problem.

 

[IHearChains]

Easy to advocate discs that were made in the shadow of a ROC.

It's also easy to advocate ...

- cell phones that were made in the shadow of wall units

- Michael Phelps who developed in the shadow of Mark Spitz

- Boeing Dreamliners which were made in the shadow of the DC-10

- bikinis which were invented in the shadow of full-coverage swim dresses

I'm pretty happy with lots of things that were made in the shadows of predecessors.

 

[Rocaholic74]

I've thrown just about everything except the Truth....and the Roc always comes out on top...why..because it's so versatile and nothing handles the wind like a Roc...downwind or upwind.

 

[slowplastic]

What distance are your rocs maxing out at? Just curious, I might love my rocs so much because I can't throw a putter worth a crap over 200, so I always go with a roc.

Yeah that's exactly why I think it works different for us. I can easily throw putters 250' on golf lines but can get them 280' with luck (at this distance I would trust a Roc). So basically Rocs would get used for 250-300'...but at closer to 300' I'd rather use a Buzzz-like mid since it's easier at that distance. The other thing is Rocs need height to go significantly further than putters, so again a Buzzz-like mid is more different for me from a putter in that standpoint. Where the Roc excels for me is at 230'+ hyzer shots, that's my go-to use for it and it's super trustworthy.

I think it's a great disc but at my current power level it doesn't get used very often. I love doing field work with it though, and when I get more distance it may find more uses again since it's trustworthy and easy to range once it's out past a certain minimum distance.

 

[gradus]

I really tried to force myself into cycling ROCs, but they only work BH for me. Also a new DX ROC isn't as over stable as I wanted. I like the Comet/Buzzz/Hornet mix better since I can throw each FH or BH. I'm frequently working around trees to salvage a bad tee shot, so I need the flexibility.