[Putters] What are the best throwing putters of all time?

[Three Putt]

I'm sort of convinced that Discraft's lack of good baseline plastic knocked the Challenger out of the discussion. Also, while Gateway and Innova have demonstrated commitment to the Wizard and Aviar through the years, Discraft seems to always be trying to find another new putter, even more in recent years. Maybe it's because they know the Zone is awesome and continues to be imitated by everyone, but that the Challenger has never quite matched Wizards and Aviars as a cycle-able workhorse thrower and/or putter?

I'm sure you can correct a whole lot of ignorance in there... be my guest!

The bad plastic I'm sure is a huge part of the Challenger story and how it has slipped in popularity. If I had a nickel for every time I have tried to shame Discraft on this very message board over the embarrassingly substandard quality of Pro D plastic, I'd have at least a buck fifty. :\

 

[elmexdela]

chally has too much float to be that versatile for a best throwing putter wind knocks it around like a fallen leaf

 

[jcf5083]

I remember hearing really good things about the ESP-FLX Chally too, but it just seems like most golfers want a throwing AND putting putter in baseline AND "premium" baseline plastic. E.g. I still have a classic X Challenger (not soft) that I loved for throwing and putting, but it just wasn't KC Pro or DX or Soft or RFF or ...

Man I miss my bubblegum pink ESP FLX Challenger. One of the best feeling throwers I've ever had.

 

[MaxFlight]

This.

 

[Moose33]

This.

Several guys I know putt with the Reko but don't throw it a lot.

 

[MaxFlight]

Several guys I know putt with the Reko but don't throw it a lot.

It's the best throwing putter I've thrown. Putt with K3, and Throw K1. Super accurate and great handfeel. Reliable fade but doesn't dump. More stable than a Luna or Aviar, but slightly less than an Envy (and feels way better).

 

[Three Putt]

chally has too much float to be that versatile for a best throwing putter wind knocks it around like a fallen leaf

Honestly what I'm remembering was that Blake on DGR used to compare all putters to the Aviar/Wizard/Challenger. They were the Disc Golf Review Gold-standard putters in like 2007-2008. As new putters came out, they all were compared to those three. Something that Blake and I had in common was the belief that you can putt with anything so figure out your driving putter and just putt with it; all the DGR putter conversations with Blake were about how they were as driving putters.

I myself have bagged Aviars and Wizards, but never Challengers. I have very little experience with them.

 

[VictorB]

chally has too much float to be that versatile for a best throwing putter wind knocks it around like a fallen leaf

they are definitely much more like an aviar pna. BB Aviars and wizards and such definitely handle the wind better.

 

[Froth]

Surprised a bit the Roach hasn't really been mentioned, while they did serve a bit of time in my bag they got kicked out by Prime Judges, Judge is an amazing thrower and Prime plastic doesn't get enough love for how flat it is but somehow retains every bit of glide, surprisingly durable too for a base plastic.

 

[rocthecourse]

Where is the Ion on the poll. Not only is it an amazing thrower but they hold their stability forever. Once you beat the new off the disc it can do almost everything. Straight, hyzer, anhyzer, and it has near midrange distance potential.

 

[Three Putt]

Where is the Ion on the poll. Not only is it an amazing thrower but they hold their stability forever. Once you beat the new off the disc it can do almost everything. Straight, hyzer, anhyzer, and it has near midrange distance potential.

MVP/Axiom has a lot of putters and not a clear #1. You almost need to have an MVP/Axiom driving putter poll first to figure out which one should be in this poll.

That seems like a lot of work, though. :|

 

[Moose33]

MVP/Axiom has a lot of putters and not a clear #1. You almost need to have an MVP/Axiom driving putter poll first to figure out which one should be in this poll.

That seems like a lot of work, though. :|

If I had an unlimited budget I would do all of these as video ideas, lots of great takes on the thread.

 

[gammaxgoblin]

Champ Aviar3

 

[ThrowaEnvy]

Envy is a solid choice for the gyro brand.. According to infinite it is one of the best selling discs. Even if an ion had been around longer.

 

[Marmoset]

MVP/Axiom has a lot of putters and not a clear #1. You almost need to have an MVP/Axiom driving putter poll first to figure out which one should be in this poll.

That seems like a lot of work, though. :|

I would argue that the Envy is the clear #1.
It's true that they don't make a bad putter. But the Envy's following has to be at least double of their second most popular putter which is going to be Pilot, Proxy, or Ohm depending on what demographics you poll.

Wizards are in a unique position. You can find a plastic blend to suit any person's quirkiest tastes… But you will never be able to find that same plastic blend after you wear out your original putter. Does the plastic variety make it rank higher? Or does the plastic inconsistency make it rank lower?
The mold itself is clearly phenomenal.

 

[biscoe]

P Model S is the most consistent throwing putter I have messed with in 25 years.

 

[Muddyboots]

I threw Challengers for years. Soft X, Cryztal, LE Z FLX. All were fantastic driving putters, and still are. I've moved on to a different line up, but I could go back and be plenty competitive. Again, I think the large paradigm shift was the advent of "driving" putters being a thing, and having them molded in more durable plastics. GYRO would also be a smaller but not insignificant development in the timeline. Geography has an unbelievable influence on popularity as well. I personally don't play with anyone who throws Wizards, that i can recall. Yet they are lauded on here.

 

[Three Putt]

I threw Challengers for years. Soft X, Cryztal, LE Z FLX. All were fantastic driving putters, and still are. I've moved on to a different line up, but I could go back and be plenty competitive. Again, I think the large paradigm shift was the advent of "driving" putters being a thing, and having them molded in more durable plastics. GYRO would also be a smaller but not insignificant development in the timeline. Geography has an unbelievable influence on popularity as well. I personally don't play with anyone who throws Wizards, that i can recall. Yet they are lauded on here.

Geography is still a big thing in disc golf. Legacy is non-existent here and Prodigy is rarely seen, but Wizards are still very common. They are not as common as they were 10 years ago, but there isn't just one disc cutting into its use. I see Judges, Wardens, Deputys, P2s, Pures, Crowns, Pilots, and the hipsters are throwing Lunas. Since the move away from the Wizard is so spread out amongst other putters, the Wizard is still the most common putter to see.

I guess I can see having a "driving" putter as I keep a pretty fresh version of my putter for drives while my putting putter is a beat-up old driving putter. So I kinda do the same thing, but I don't switch molds or get a premium plastic version for that. Throwing a different mold or having a premium plastic version would mean I wasn't beating anything into a future putting putter.

 

[Three Putt]

I would argue that the Envy is the clear #1.
It's true that they don't make a bad putter. But the Envy's following has to be at least double of their second most popular putter which is going to be Pilot, Proxy, or Ohm depending on what demographics you poll.

Wizards are in a unique position. You can find a plastic blend to suit any person's quirkiest tastes… But you will never be able to find that same plastic blend after you wear out your original putter. Does the plastic variety make it rank higher? Or does the plastic inconsistency make it rank lower?
The mold itself is clearly phenomenal.

Probably a regional thing, but I've never seen an Envy anywhere. The only MVP throwers I know throw Ions.

Which is kinda why I was thinking "Old standards ve new hotness" as a video I'd watch. I don't know a thing about an Envy so if it's really this super awesome thing, I'd like to see it on video VS discs I already have 20+ of in my basement. Old men are not easily swayed when it's going to involve dead presidents leaving our wallets. :|

 

[Muddyboots]

Geography is still a big thing in disc golf. Legacy is non-existent here and Prodigy is rarely seen, but Wizards are still very common. They are not as common as they were 10 years ago, but there isn't just one disc cutting into its use. I see Judges, Wardens, Deputys, P2s, Pures, Crowns, Pilots, and the hipsters are throwing Lunas. Since the move away from the Wizard is so spread out amongst other putters, the Wizard is still the most common putter to see.

I guess I can see having a "driving" putter as I keep a pretty fresh version of my putter for drives while my putting putter is a beat-up old driving putter. So I kinda do the same thing, but I don't switch molds or get a premium plastic version for that. Throwing a different mold or having a premium plastic version would mean I wasn't beating anything into a future putting putter.

I think there is a generational aspect here too. I have 4 specific driving only putters in my bag, and none of them will ever be putting putters. May be a chicken/egg discussion, but again, putters becoming available in premium plastics changed the game. Plenty of golfers 5-10 years older than I am don't carry putters besides putting only. Typically less midranges too. They don't throw putters, I don't throw fairways at 50% power on 250' holes. Neither is "correct", just differing approaches to the same problem. Not entirely sure that larger bags (I see you, Feldy) don't share some blame/responsibility.