Finding my Putter

[Crosseyed0811]

I've had a dilemma going on for years now that I've never really gotten settled. The first disc I ever bought was a Yellow Bottom Stamped DX Aviar. To this day I have struggled to find other putters with the same feeling plastic. I've tried all variations of Aviars from other bottom stamps thinking the stamp process is what made a difference and finally settled on Classic Aviars being as close as I can get. The plastic is VERY stiff. I have found some other discs that were very close. I have a KC Pro Aviar that feels very similar, 2 Pro-D Rattlers that have that stiffness, a Pro-D Ringer that's pretty much there, and a Pro-D Banger GT or two, and a few Pro-D Challengers.

I'm trying to find a disc that is easiest to find in the right feel for me (Preferably in baseline plastic as its cheaper). Obviously from my list I'm starting to lean towards Discraft Pro-D seeming to be the most consistent in getting the feel I like, and oddly enough I've always been an Innova heavy player from living in Rock Hill, SC. So it appears I'm looking for a Discraft Putter available in the stiff Pro-D plastics and one that is a good one-mold-do it all putter. So help me out

From the Discraft stuff I've tried:

Banger GT - Very interesting disc. I've had a few different ones. Seems like I get the best results out of this disc if I haven't been practicing my putting, and if I start practicing this one gets worse and my Aviar gets better. I've never really committed myself to using it enough to really know though or get one broken in and see how it ages. I've heard they age nicely.
Rattler - fun disc but not a mold I want to be my only putter.
Ringer - I really like the low profile of this disc too, but I've not really thrown it much. Not sure if it would really be a do-it-all putter mold or not. I figure its too overstable to really break in nicely to cover everything. I do like FH's as well which the Ringer would probably be very good at doing

[JR]

The sad fact is that it is very difficult to find a putter that feels the same in your preference too over the years. That is why people that find a Wizard stock up because they know they rarely come out the same later.

How about a Banger without the GT too for a test? It is beefier so good for winds too.

[Crosseyed0811]

They make a Banger without the GT??? Lol

I'm leaning towards the Banger GT or Challenger right now it seems (edit: forgot about the magnet if they make the non soft ones stiff enough). I think every Pro-D plastic disc that I've picked up that wasn't labeled "soft" has had the kind of stiffness I haven't found elsewhere.. I've had maybe 5 Pro-D Banger GTs and only 1 of them wasn't quite as stiff as I wanted. I've just wound up giving them all away at different times. The most recent in a trade because I'd found some Black Classic Aviars that I thought were going to do the trick but they just still aren't quite stiff enough...

[Mark Ellis]

They make a Banger without the GT??? Lol

I'm leaning towards the Banger GT or Challenger right now it seems (edit: forgot about the magnet if they make the non soft ones stiff enough). I think every Pro-D plastic disc that I've picked up that wasn't labeled "soft" has had the kind of stiffness I haven't found elsewhere.. I've had maybe 5 Pro-D Banger GTs and only 1 of them wasn't quite as stiff as I wanted. I've just wound up giving them all away at different times. The most recent in a trade because I'd found some Black Classic Aviars that I thought were going to do the trick but they just still aren't quite stiff enough...

Yes they make a Banger without the groove top. It is called a Challenger.

You will know your favorite putter when you pick it up and hold it in your hand. A great putter is like a sexual attraction. You know it immediately.

But you don't need to restrict yourself to just one universal putter. Having specialty or situational putters is useful. You use different drivers for different lines or conditions, why not different putters too?

Oh, the Ringer is now out in different plastics. It is called a DGA Breaker.

[JR]

I'm glad you told this i did not realize the Breaker was the Ringer. I'm trying one out do you know how they vary from D Ringers in driving? Great move by DGA!!!

Discraft was mentioned so i did not mention the obvious answer to hard plastic putter: medium Wizard.

[what'shisname]

You will know your favorite putter when you pick it up and hold it in your hand. A great putter is like a sexual attraction. You know it immediately.

But you don't need to restrict yourself to just one universal putter. Having specialty or situational putters is useful. You use different drivers for different lines or conditions, why not different putters too?

Polyamorous Putting w/ Mark Ellis

You should pitch it to discraft!

[discpunk26]

The pro D hard magnets are all very stiff, but if your looking for a more universal putter, I recommend the Clutch out of Legacy. It has the same feel as the Magnet, but I think the grip is better, and they are way more stable than the magnet.

[Crosseyed0811]

Thanks for all the replies guys:

@Mark: is that really the only difference between the Banger GT and Challenger? I think I might still lean towards the Banger, I know the Challengers break in to having the nice reverse dome, but I don't know how long it takes to get them there. And I do understand what you're saying about multiple putters, I just feel 1 mold is easier to maintain a good collection of, and I like the simplicity. If I can't find one that suits my "do everything" desires I have no problem with getting different molds though.

@JR: How do you like the Ringer/Breaker? I felt like as a driving putter they would wind up being really short. Have you broken one in? Do they get noticeably less stable and more glidey (i'm just guessing they don't have much glide, I haven't actually thrown one)? And I had thought about the Gateway putters, but it seems like everyone struggles there finding the ones they like. I do know that what they call super-stupid-soft is no what I expected it to be and the mediums wound up being very stiff. I don't know if I'd want to go with the Wizard though or how the Voodoo and Warlock would work.

@discpunk26: thanks, If the magnets can be stiff I may have to try one out. I'm not really sure on the Legacy stuff because they seem to be harder to come by in my area and I'm not a big online buyer when it comes to something that "feel" makes a difference on..

Back to Mark "You will know your favorite putter when you pick it up and hold it in your hand." This is part of why I'm getting more serious about this. I saw another quote here the other day in 7ontheline's sig that apparently is a quote from JHern "If your putter isn't your favorite disc, get a new putter." My problem is, while my putter may be my favorite disc, I've not been able to find another like it. And like I said, its not necessarily the mold or flight path that I like so much about it, but the way the plastic feels in my hand. So I'm looking for something that will hit the spot but be easier (not impossible) to find another. I got that Aviar back in 2008 I'm thinking and I haven't been able to find an Aviar that feels the same yet.

And also while I'm getting input from here, my current plan is to get back to my local PIAS (Pineville) which has a very nice selection of discs and just pick up every one in the store and see which one I like the best.

[PMantle]

I've tried a lot of putters. While I may like the flight of others more, nothing feels in my hand the way Magnets do. That reason alone makes me a better putter. Well, that and a Magnet thrown anhyzer from beyond my putting comfort is a thing of beauty.

[JR]

I haven't thrown a Breaker and want to get one to test vs a new Ringer that i love. Unfortunately that state is over in a couple of weeks when they become more flippy than glidy. I got mine to 300' flat land no wind in both states but the percentage was higher with a new one because i need to hit it at 100 % power to get distance. While not exactly glidey it does not drop terribly fast when given 300' of power. The break in was too fast and too far for a driving putter with the d Ringer.

So far medium Wizards have been consistently hard and i have not really fondled the other molds in medium plastic much at all. I picked up a Warlock once and it felt as slick and hard as medium Wizards so it could be useful for you. I'd try at least one Gateway putter mold with the medium plastic to make sure that it either is sufficient or not for you material and feel wise.

[PMantle]

I sure thought the Breaker was going to be Zone like. None of those are sold here, so I may never now.

[Crosseyed0811]

I haven't thrown a Breaker and want to get one to test vs a new Ringer that i love. Unfortunately that state is over in a couple of weeks when they become more flippy than glidy. I got mine to 300' flat land no wind in both states but the percentage was higher with a new one because i need to hit it at 100 % power to get distance. While not exactly glidey it does not drop terribly fast when given 300' of power. The break in was too fast and too far for a driving putter with the d Ringer.

So far medium Wizards have been consistently hard and i have not really fondled the other molds in medium plastic much at all. I picked up a Warlock once and it felt as slick and hard as medium Wizards so it could be useful for you. I'd try at least one Gateway putter mold with the medium plastic to make sure that it either is sufficient or not for you material and feel wise.

I will get my hands on some Gateway stuff if they have any in stock next time I'm in Pineville (they usually do).

Actually what you say about the Ringer interests me. I don't get to play near as often as I'd like so for something to break in a little quicker might be a good thing for me if I can also get my hands on some of the Premium Breakers to hold a more stable flight path for a longer time. How do the flippy ones putt? and what kind of flippy are we talking about... I have always been fond of a low profile type putter, but they all seem to be really understable (XD, Wedge) or what I thought to be too overstable (Ringer). The Pure was a good stability but last I checked they didn't have anything like a stiff DX or Pro-D type plastic. Not sure what the new stuff is cause last time I threw a Pure it was in Grip and Zero and neither were quite what I wanted. The Grip was nice, but I'd pick up my old Aviar and really miss the feel of that plastic.

[Crosseyed0811]

A great putter is like a sexual attraction. You know it immediately.

BTW Mark, this explains a LOT about some of your Rattler posts

[JR]

Opto Pure is in primo plastic durability and material wise but it is not as hard as some less durable materials and a little tacky when dry and in non cold weather. Opto Pure does have some flexion in the flight plate especially in hot weather. It is more flexy than the kind of discs you prefer.

The broken in Ringer flips less than new DX XDs when driven. I need about 4-5 degrees IIRC to flip the broken in Ringer to flat with a 300' line drive with fade in the end. At that power the fade is not too hard if the throw isn't tall. It needs to have some height to get that far though so apex height sensitivity is an issue. it is for most putters because they are slow. The glide of the Ringer in both new and broken in condition comes from speed. It is not too glidey at 200' and at 250' it is pretty brick like. Another even more overstable Discraft disc would be the Zone in ESP (a hard blend for that plastic) and Latitude equivalent in softer (much) feeling plastic is the Sinus.

Most anything flies the same as long as you can grip it well inside of 15' and for good form to around 20' with minor differences exhibiting themselves at the circle. So you might notice a minimal reduction in fade with the broken in Ringer in calm weather at 20' with more and still very minor differences visible at 30'. The speed at which the broken in Ringer turns is way higher than putts unless there's a lot of wind coming in from the front quarter.

[Crosseyed0811]

Made it to PIAS last night and traded in a bunch of discs that I wasn't going to use anymore. I also picked up EVERY putter they had in their stock. Sadly they only had some 160-166 Ringers so I didn't get a good feel on those, but in the end I picked up the Bangers and once again just felt that's where I should be. Picked up a pink and blue in some really stiff plastic and also picked up an Avenger SS to go in the bag as well. I think I'm gonna stick it out with the Bangers just cause they feel so great in my hand, and I've recently adjusted my thumb position on my driving grip which fits the GT much better than it used to. We'll see how this goes!

Thanks for all the input guys