If this topic has been covered in a previous thread, I apologize. I searched and I couldn't find anything so...

I've come to realize that (in my opinion at least) putting is the most important part of disc golf. As the saying goes...drive for show, putt for dough.

Everyone prefers a different mold because we all have different styles. I'm pretty set on the molds that I like but one thing that I'm torn on is whether a soft putter works better than a stiff putter, or vice versa.

For the sake of the thread I'll list the putters I use and what I prefer. I'm going to put them in order from softest to stiffest.

-Champion Aero (this thing is like silly putty, way softer than FLX plastic).
-Soft Magnet
-Wizard (no idea if it's S, SS, or $$$. I got it for free with a poorboy order. I'm guessing S)
-Star Aviar
-DX (Aviar) XD
-DX Aviar
-DX Aero

After practicing my putting for the last four to five months I realize that I absolutely love the Magnet and the Wizard. Both are considered soft but I don't find them to be anywhere near as soft as the Champion Aero. I love the grippiness of soft plastic but I find when it's as soft as the CE Aero that I don't have any consistency.

I'm going to try a JK Aviar soon because I absolutely love the bead on the Wizard and I've read the JK plastic is on the softer side.

I've stopped throwing my Aviars because I don't feel like I have any grip, and therefore, any control over them. Maybe it's a mental block, maybe not.

I have to say the Wizard is my favorite putter because it never feels slippery but it always has so much response. I'm considering getting it in the E plastic, but I don't know if I'll like it as much.

So I'm very curious as to what other people prefer. I'm sure there are a lot of people with strong opinions in the soft VS. stiff debate and I want to know why people feel the way they do.

the starting time of the poll is pushed back into the future...

in case my id doesn't make it obvious i prefer very soft putters. JK Aviars can vary quite a bit in terms of softness though.

if anyone wants stiff/grippy but has soft and buttery let me know and we can possibly trade ;)

i prefer stiff putters, but in low grade plastic. didn't see an option for that. i use stiff wizards.

for me, any flexability at all takes away from accuracy. ultimately, you have to hit chains to make the putt. even though stiff putters don't have the same grip on chains, they still find the chains more often... and they definitely find the <u>middle</u> of the chains more often.

Well I use two completely different flexibilites so I dont think I can answer the poll question.

I use a Medium Wizard for driving and for headwind putts, but a SuperSoft Organic Voodoo as my main putter and tailwind putts.

I like soft JK Aviars, but there has to be something to the fact that some of the best putters in the game use hard putters. Most innova guys use KC aviars which are generally more stiff. Nikko's putter is a brick.

1. You need to narrow down the bag man! Wow, thats a lot of putters to use. Or do you mean you USED TO use some of them? Anyway...

2. Grippy and rigid is the perfect way to describe the best plastic on the market for putting: Discraft ProD, without a doubt. It has a better feel than Innova's DX plastic, works 100% better in the rain than it too. Gateway's stuff is great for a period of time, and then it gets worn in and it feels like you're tossing a chunk of hard plastic (Cam Todd Challengers are the same way, bleh).


-Chris.

Other Challenger users will identify with this: I like the Soft Challengers, but the stiffer the better. Seems like the ones you get tourney stamped are better for putting, while the stock stamped ones are better for driving. Stiffsoft. Yeah thats it. KP

Gateway's stuff is great for a period of time, and then it gets worn in and it feels like you're tossing a chunk of hard plastic (Cam Todd Challengers are the same way, bleh).

-Chris.


Not sure what Gateway putters you have that get stiffer as they go, but just about all of them ( besides medium) get softer fairly quickly with use.
the Cam challengers and Gateway Putters use a thermo plastic vulcanized cross-linked rubber or TPV.
This engineered polymer is made for out door use and typically doesn't get stiffer from the elements.
The material we use is specifically made for use in weather stripping for doors and windows in commercial buildings.
I'm quite surprised to hear the product is failing by getting stiffer after it was produced.


Do you have a sample of one of these discs you could send us for me to check out?
I would be willing to trade out for something of your choice. ( I even have some kc aviars if you like)
If you have more than 1 I'll take them all and trade you for new discs!

Gateway's stuff is great for a period of time, and then it gets worn in and it feels like you're tossing a chunk of hard plastic (Cam Todd Challengers are the same way, bleh).

-Chris.


Not sure what Gateway putters you have that get stiffer as they go, but just about all of them ( besides medium) get softer fairly quickly with use.
the Cam challengers and Gateway Putters use a thermo plastic vulcanized cross-linked rubber or TPV.
This engineered polymer is made for out door use and typically doesn't get stiffer from the elements.
The material we use is specifically made for use in weather stripping for doors and windows in commercial buildings.
I'm quite surprised to hear the product is failing by getting stiffer after it was produced.


Do you have a sample of one of these discs you could send us for me to check out?
I would be willing to trade out for something of your choice. ( I even have some kc aviars if you like)
If you have more than 1 I'll take them all and trade you for new discs!


I'll see if my brother still has any of his Wizards, he might have sold them off already as he switched away from Wizards this summer after using them for a few years. Not sure. They definitely didn't get softer, but I wouldn't say that they got harder really either. I think that they stayed about the same, but I feel like new they have a really fantastic chalky feel. Over time that wears off and they wind up the same stiffness, but they just feel like a piece of hard plastic. My preference for Challengers over Wizards is primarily that they seem to retain that chalky feel really really well.

Congrats, by the way, on the newest pickup to team Gateway. Had a blast golfin' with Geoff today. He made sure to thank you guys after he won so I'm assuming its official.

1. You need to narrow down the bag man! Wow, thats a lot of putters to use. Or do you mean you USED TO use some of them? Anyway...



I have all of those putters and have done a lot of practice with all of them.

When I play a round I carry the Magnet and Wizard for putting and the XD for certain approach shots.

I just got one of those super soft XD's in the mail the other day...gonna play a round with it today and see how it does. It's real soft plastic, softer than a JK and real floppy. I put with JK's and like the grippiness of the plastic, but the putter it still fairly rigid. I'll post again after a few rounds and give some feedback on it.

i prefer stiff putters, but in low grade plastic. didn't see an option for that. i use stiff wizards.

for me, any flexability at all takes away from accuracy. ultimately, you have to hit chains to make the putt. even though stiff putters don't have the same grip on chains, they still find the chains more often... and they definitely find the <u>middle</u> of the chains more often.



I agree with you 100% about using a stiff putters. But I disagree with you about stiff putters not having the same grip on the chains. I believe that the grip on the chains has more to do with the type of plastic then the stiffness of the disc.

I tend to have more bounce outs and roll aways with softer flexible plastic.

That being said, I believe that putting and the type of disc that you use boils down to personal preference.

Richard

I used soft Aviars for a long time, then went to soft Omegas when they were soft. the new JK Aviars are not soft enough!! So I went back to Omega Super Soft. They are floppy and I feel they stick in the chains better than a stiff mold. they are unstable for up shots but real straight for putts. I have used a lot of putters in the Aviar/Challenger/Omega style mold and find the stiff ones pop out or go off the left side way more often than the soft ones. Practice, practice, practice.

With putters, it really does come down to personal preference. I prefer S&amp;M wizards which seem to be in the middle of the stiffness spectrum. I can't stand a floppy putter b/c they tend to stick in my hand while most ultra firm putters seem to be slicker and lead to increased cuTTs.

If you like a bead, the best choices are the wizard, BB aviar or challenger. Since you already have (and seem to like) the wizard, I�d suggest sticking with it and trying the broad range of firmness that they come in.

it is all about feel. some people have dryer hands than others, etc. and grippy for one can be slick to another...

my soft JK's do bounce out more but as Al Shack once told me after witnessing a good-looking putt of mine bounce out in a tournament: soft putters have more bounce outs and hard putters have more cut-throughs.

JK and KC Aviars are the same mold -- only difference is the plastic...
anyone want to do a thousand putts with each from the same distance and report back on their findings? :D

doesn't Deano use JK's for putting ... ?

With putters, it really does come down to personal preference. I prefer S&amp;M wizards which seem to be in the middle of the stiffness spectrum. I can't stand a floppy putter b/c they tend to stick in my hand while most ultra firm putters seem to be slicker and lead to increased cuTTs.

If you like a bead, the best choices are the wizard, BB aviar or challenger. Since you already have (and seem to like) the wizard, I�d suggest sticking with it and trying the broad range of firmness that they come in.




Personal preference but if you are using something as soft as a Blowfly you are hurting yourself.

Stiff putters come out of the hand cleaner and are WAY more suitable for a p[itch putt.

Soft putters are more suitable for sonmeone who "throw/spin" putts .

Stiff putters stick better on the left side but not a good on the right.

Soft putters catch well on the right side but ofter push/spin out on the left side.


Stiff putters cut through more btu I truely think soft putters bounce off the pole more due the them acting like a trampolines and sprining back out.

Woth that said I ised real soft putters from the time I started until I decided to turn Pro. After that and a lot of scolding by Blake_T I went to Stiff putters and haven't looked back.

Scoot_er are you a lefty? If so, then I understand the scenarios you are describing.

I putt with Z Plastic and have no plans on changing. Stiff and grippy!

Richard

Scoot_er are you a lefty? If so, then I understand the scenarios you are describing.

I putt with Z Plastic and have no plans on changing. Stiff and grippy!

Richard



Nope!

Hard stick better on the left because they do not grip the chains as much as the softer ones (this grip often leads to the disc spinning out)

Soft catches better on the right because the discs garbs the chains and the spin pulls in in whereas a stiff putter would glance off.

Yes the S Wizard is the best, grippy chalk texture, but stiff like the pros.....perfect, stick with it ....you improve your putting game...

Scooter would still be using them if he had'nt gone corporate with the Big Company.....lol

Of course he would. And I'm sure the Blaze and Sabre would still be in his bag too :).

I like firm and grippy putters.....discraft d plastic.....although when it gets really cold (below 25 F) I will sometimes break out the soft bangers since they seem to "firmup" nicely at lower temps, they are too soft for my preference at warmer temps.