What's your putter and why?

[DexterHawk]

I've been putting with JK Aviars for two years on Buck Smith's recomendation... my putter of choice right now is green with a dye of a treed horizon...

I am however thinking about trying for a straighter flyer for next season... maybe one of the new gummier KCs...

So, what are you guys using and why is it the best choice for a discerningdisc golfer?

[zippyboy]

For me, it has been a DX XD, 175g. I had started with and Aviar, but didn't like the feel of it after awhile. Jerry suggested the XD, and I haven't stopped using it since. I have tried a few others for a round or two here and there (Challenger, Soft Magnet, etc.), but the XD seems to fit me the best. Choice for putters, or any disc for that matter, is more about how it feels personally, rather than a specific disc for a majority of players. At least that's how it seems to me...

[Eric Olson]

Wizard. Great putter in calm or windy conditions and an excellent stable approach disc. If there was no such thing as Wizards I would choose between KC Aviars, Challengers or Bangers.

[Sean Phillips]

Ya, go XD.

I also put the XD. Jerry started me with the XD, I've tried almost everything. For me the XD fits well and putts very straight after a short break-in period. The thing that pisses me off about the XD is innova doesn't put any effort into making good XD's anymore. The old doomy hard ones of yester year are much better/straighter. Wish they made a KC XD

[Bullseye]

I agree that putters are mainly just a comfort thing. Go with what feels right to you. As for me, I use JK Aviars. I mainly prefer them due the texture. I like a putter that isn't slick to the touch. With that said, I would take my suggestions with a grain of salt considering I have severe puttourette syndrome... I putt, then I cuss a lot.

[Eric Olson]

Originally Posted by zippyboy

Choice for putters, or any disc for that matter, is more about how it feels personally, rather than a specific disc for a majority of players. At least that's how it seems to me...

This may be true to a certain extent, but I believe that some discs are objectively better than others due to aerodynamic properties. Take putters, for example: In calm conditions one might be able to sink just as many putts with a straight flying putter on the understable side as with a beaded stable putter. Add a bit of headwind and crosswind to the equation and the stable putter will fly noticeably closer to the intended flight line and yield more made putts.

[Chuck Plastique]

My personal favorites to keep in the bag are a glow beadless aviar and a wizard.
The glow aviar is nice and soft, kind of like a JK, but its more understable because it is beadless. The nice thing about it is that it holds a straight line longer than a big bead does. That means more range! On a hot day though, it can be a little too soft. The Wizard is a great overstable putter. Its kind of like a cross between a big bead aviar and an XD. Its shallower than an aviar which allows it to come out of the hand easier, but it still has the bead which keeps it overstable. Its good for hyzer putts, and can be used a lot like a roc from further out. I think its a good substitute for a roc if the roc doesn't feel right in the hand for you like it doesn't for many. It also makes a great forehand roller for those times when you need to get around a bush or some trees and you can't go straight through. From my experience though, you get good with whatever you practice with so find something that feels good in the hand and learn to work with its flight pattern.

[Tim]

Yup, Wizard all the way. I used to be all about the Aviar--JKs, KCs, and their cousin the Omega SS. And I also liked Rhynos for wind. Then I read about the Wizard on DGR and how people were raving about that, bought a couple to give 'em a try, and haven't looked back. I've tried to get some of my friends to try them out, but they're part of the Innova fan boy club, and just dismiss it as an Aviar rip-off. It's true, they are similar, but side by side you can see/feel differences (if you're really interested, you can see David Mac's write up on the two here.) Also, even though Gateway is notorious for having wide variations in the blends of their plastic, all Wizards are the same mold--you don't have to deal with the P&A, big bead, KC, JK, Driver, etc. Right now, I use an organic wiz for about 50' and in, and a Superglo for drives, approaches, and windy conditions.

Oh yeah, and I think there is such a thing as a putter being better than another. The Z Putt'r for instance, is worthless to me, except as an impromptu dog bowl or, uh, for rolling.

[Ol' Bob]

I'm a 'spin putter.' I'm carrying four putters these days. My go-to is a Rattler. I like the lower stability and even annie my mid-range putts a little. I moved into the Rattler from the Ju Ju, which flies somewhat the same in the mid-range. I didn't like having to dick around, finding the right dimple for my grip, and Lowell recommended the Rattler. I liked it right away.

For longer putts, where a harder toss brings on flipping in the less stable Rattler or Ju Ju, I love my four-times Aviar-X, even using it for approaches (careful, don't overshoot). I also carry a Pro Line Rhyno and use it in similar situations. When I'm in that mid-range area and blocked out for anything but a big left turn, I use a Aviar-X or Rhyno high shot because of the big fade. When similarly blocked but needing a right turn, the Ju Ju is simply magic. I just give it a good spin and dial in the right amount of annie and it makes a smooth continuous arc and does not fade back left. I've made a lot of circus putts into the basket with that thing.

One putter to rule them all? Screw that.

[Sam]

JKs. I was literally moments away from moving from JKs to KCs as the JK I had been using had gotten super soft on me when Bruce Murphy handed me a new 5-time BLUE JK. KA-CHING! Re-sold on the JK and haven't thought about switching since.

I am like Hagerty (Bullseye) in that it is about texture for me. The JK feels chalky and I get a good grip on it without having to rub my hand in the dirt like i do with my drivers. That and I get the self-deprecating value out of being able to say I putt with a girl's disc.

[KenGilmore]

Andy, I think the short answer is that you will have to do some work putting with different discs to find out which feels best to you. Putting, more than anything else, is about feel. There is at least one incredibly good putter that uses a Roc!

Having said that, I used to like softer putters (think old school pro line rhynos or JK Aviars) for their chain grabbing ability, but noticed during extensive practice that they were not consistent out of my hand. A lot of putts weren't in the center of the chains because they would come out of my hand just a little bit early or late every time.

I moved to the KC Pro Aviars and now have an incredibly consistent release. Of course, I hate the 12x KC Pro Aviars and prefer 10x and 11x. The little bit of chain grabbing ability I lost with these I more than made up in consistent releases and centered putts. They also favor my putting style which is a little more up and down and maybe with a touch of hyzer.

I don't have the same range with my KC Pro Aviars that I did with my beadless aviars or XDs (which I used for a while) but I haven't found an XD I've liked in years.

I personally don't like overstable putters (more overstable than the KC Pros, I guess) as I think they sometimes cause people to spin putt, even in the circle. I think spin putting is a sin, except for longer putts where you are trying to get the disc to hold the line for a long time. Inside the circle, you should push/pitch putt with something that won't fade on you. I don't like spin putting for several reasons, one being that the spin will often take your putter out of the chains (even on centered putts) and also that spinning requires better timing, and having your timing off just a little can cause missed putts.

Lastly, I recommend making any putter changes during the winter (and not during tournament season like I did one year). That was a painful lesson!

[REDFIVE]

I putted for about three years with a soft magnet and was sold on the jk because of the similar feel. The jk to me was more versitile it could hold any line and it was a bit faster. I recently converted to the kc because it is a very straight putter. The feel was a little odd but it helped to improve my push style and accuracy. I feel I have more pop with the kc and it is a bit slower yet still stable enough to hold it's line. I was convinced that a soft putter was better for grabbing chains. As my push or low spin put improved I realized a more accurate low spin putt could hit anywhere and drop in the basket. I have hit more weak side high putts and had them stay then I could have imagined with my soft putter. The daily GOOD practice didn't hurt either.

KC PRO AVIAR

[Adam Schneider]

I'm weird: I use a Prostyle Lightning #2 Upshot (marked "U-2"). It's shaped like and flies like a Classic Roc: pretty much dead straight at normal putting distances, understable when thrown hard. The Prostyle plastic is rubbery, sort of like a Soft Magnet.

[Sam]

Yeah, you're weird. Use a real disc, man!

Just kidding. My advice to new players is always, "if it feels right, it probably is". Well... in regards to discs, anyway.

[proto something or other]

I dig the Wizard inside the circle, and am a recent convert to the Warlock (which is a beadless Wizard) from farther away. The Warlock holds a line with minimal fade, which makes Daddy happy.

[Ol' Bob]

I'm not so concerned about putts spinning out as not being in in the first place. That said, I may experiment again with pushes.

[REDFIVE]

Originally Posted by Ol' Bob

I'm not so concerned about putts spinning out as not being in in the first place. That said, I may experiment again with pushes.

In the 1000rated interview with feldberg he says that both styles have their place. He started using the spin putt and changed when he noticed all of the best putters used the push style. He now uses the best putt for each situation. There is a thread to the interview on this forum, awesome interview.

http://www.1000rated.com/2008/08/spotlight-2008-dave-feldberg/

[MOB47]

I use the KC pro aviar exclusively. I started out trying all kinds of putters and when i tryed the KC pro the searching stopped. For me it is the best putter ever made and now putting is definently the strongest part of my game. It also does real well on short drives and midrange shots, once you learn how to throw it smoothly.

[snap7times]

Did the Omega, then a dx avair, then the xd which felt good for a while but then became too understable and it just feels too flat, then did the jk avair, stuck with it since, did 168g, then 175g, then 172g which i use now. I do have a KC pro which i practice with once in a while just to compare. My son loves his new 129g #2 upshot, super nice disc for a kid to improve throwing with.

[Sausage Fingers]

beat "two-chain" stamp DX Aviar is the main putter with the Omega AP as the backup.

Just love the feel of the disc I've been throwing for over a decade. I always putt best when I can 'turn off' my brain, and the familiar feel of ol faithful makes it easier. YAR!