[Help] Driver for beginner/intermediate golfer

[Mouduor]

Hi everyone, I've been playing for about 4 months with my Buzzz (which I'm doing fine with) and I am looking for my first driver.

As of now I can throw the Buzzz about 200'-230'. I want something that isn't too hard to control but still has great distance.

If I'm not dissuaded I would like it to be a distance driver.

So, what are your recommendations?

 

[tbird888]

I would look at the Legacy Patriot in Icon plastic, Innova Leopard in Pro plastic, or Salient Suture in Liquid plastic. If that's the distance you're seeing with your Buzzz, a distance driver isn't going to go much further and will fade a lot harder. I'm throwing my Opto Pure a little further than you're throwing your Buzzz, and I'm not throwing anything faster than the molds I've listed. I'm able to flip a Patriot to flat and have it hold to the ground so it's suited for my arm speed. I'm also outdriving a couple friends throwing warp speed drivers.

 

[Disc_Golf]

I agree with tbrid888, stick with the fairway drivers for right now like the Patriot or Leopard, as you will find the slight understability to be helpful. These two discs will also likely have a place in your bag in the future.

 

[4th Rock]

I'd go and bag a Leapord and/or and eagle. An avenger SS probably wouldn't hurt either.

 

[TheBeav]

I can't say enough about the Lat64 River.

 

[Stardoggy]

Star Leopard is a fantastic disc, and great for newer players.

 

[Toro71]

If that's the distance you're seeing with your Buzzz, a distance driver isn't going to go much further and will fade a lot harder.

This is the hard truth that new players don't want to hear, myself included at the time.

You could probably get some viable flights out of something like a Mamba, Impulse, etc, but until you're getting at least like 275 out of the Buzz, anything over like speed 9 won't behave as rated.

Listen to this guy.

 

[46YearOldSlinger]

Easy to throw fairway and control drivers with minimal fade include: River, Hatchet, and Bandit. The River gets lots of love as it should but the other 2 are a little longer and don't require any more effort to throw in my opinion. I used to recommend Valks for this spot but I believe all of the others listed are easier to throw due to having less fade. I find the the Bandit to be almost exactly like a valk with half the fade knocked off - love it.

 

[Mouduor]

Thank you so much for all the input!

If would go for the say Leopard, how much extra distance do you think I would get? Since it's only one number faster in speed than the Buzzz I'd figure it would go about the same length?

Or, if I am not able to "buy" any extra distance I may as well wait until I'm better with the Buzzz?

 

[Aim For The Chains]

2 things to consider would be if you care about form or just want your discs to go further.

Its possible to find some understable distance drivers which might edge out your buzzzz distance wise and there is nothing wrong with throwing them if that's what you want to do/it works. Personally I believe advice which TBird gave above is really the only way to go if you want to improve your overall technique and get a better understanding of discs/flights.

I went from the buzzz to super fast discs early on and today throw 150' further than I ever did back then without a single one of those "distance" drivers in my bag. Pretty safe to say you have no need for a disc over speed 7. Teebirds can fly really, really far.

The speed numbers do not = more distance really at all unless you can actually get that disc up to the speed which its rated. I can throw the lid like polecat further than you throw the buzzz right now-- if that helps illustrate what I mean.

 

[Stardoggy]

Thank you so much for all the input!

If would go for the say Leopard, how much extra distance do you think I would get? Since it's only one number faster in speed than the Buzzz I'd figure it would go about the same length?

Or, if I am not able to "buy" any extra distance I may as well wait until I'm better with the Buzzz?

Don't get too wrapped up in the speed numbers. Your distance won't improve significantly until your form does. Until then, you seem to be doing the right thing by not jumping up to warp speed drivers.

Believe you me, you'll have plenty of "aha" moments. Use the form/technique forum on here, and you'll get those increases quickly. I learned a ton from this site, but a lot of it is just getting into a field and trying new things.

 

[Aim For The Chains]

Faster discs have different advantages to them vs slower discs other than raw distance and generally people use them for better wind resistance, bigger skip during fade, ability to fight out of a hard anhyzer, hold up to torque for forehand throws etc.. Its not that a lot of players get more distance out of the faster discs but those discs can be used to achieve a line you want more easily.

Example: low ceiling dog leg left (RHBH) is nearly impossible to throw with a putter or slow mid due to it needing more height for the same D and not much skip to move towards the pin. So even if the hole is shorter its very possible a lot of players throw something like a firebird low and let it skip to the pin vs finesse a mid on a perfect line. Same would apply if it was a wide open hole on a very windy vs calm day.

 

[JTdisc]

Here are a few suggestions: Stalker, FD Jackal, F3, TL, Patriot, F5, River (listed from stable to understable)

You probably won't get any more distance with them than you will with your Buzzz right now, maybe 5-10 feet tops.

I'd suggest keep playing rounds with your Buzzz and practice in a field with all your discs, including one of the fairway drivers listed.

Of all the discs I've listed, I'd suggest a Stalker or an FD to start with. They will fly a lot like your Buzzz once you get them up to speed. They might be too fast right now, but you can still practice with them. You'll know when you're ready to throw them in a golf round. At the beginning, they may just fade out quickly and not get very much distance, but as your game progresses and your speed goes up, they'll start flying straighter and longer. When you get nice long flights out of them, you're ready for the next step.

Good luck.

 

[BirdieMachine]

Best advice would be to wait till you get at least 250' with the Buzzz.

If you really want to try something else Pro Leopard is a great choice. Maybe Star Roadrunner also as it has very little fade. You won't gain much really, probably 10-20 feet. No disc will magically buy you big distance.

 

[tbird888]

I should've prefaced, but Aim is right. If you're just wanting to throw drivers and have fun without worrying about building a strong form foundation, then there are plenty of distance drivers on the far end of the understable side of the spectrum. Look at Marshall St's flight chart and look at the far right of the chart. Any of those drivers will more than likely give you a little extra distance from your Buzzz.

If you want to build your form for the long run, throwing those high speed drivers will hurt you in the long run. Because of their speed (despite their insane understability), they'll be a lot more tolerant of form flaws (OAT mainly) which will unknowingly reinforce bad habits. That's why so many people recommend Comets and other slower, super-picky molds.

You're right to want to add a driver to the mix though because something mids and putters generally prefer is high nose angles. Adding a driver to the bag will help you get comfortable throwing nose down, which is as important as eliminating as much OAT as you can.

 

[OB Four]

seconding (fourthing?) what Aim/TBird/Toro said. Save yourself some time in the future and either stick with the buzzz until your throwing it somewhere b/t 275-300 ft or don't go higher than a fairway driver and focus on improving form. Leo, River, S-Line FD, F7, TL, Diamond, Inspire, JLS, XS, Mantis - I think are good beginner discs ... or discs in general actually

Like many many others, I went straight into distance drivers thinking it would buy me instant distance- was probably topping out with an absolute max of ~275 ft. Had to disc down and restart from scratch basically to get better. I'm throwing over 400 ft now, but it took a complete breakdown of all these bad habits I created by making a Boss my first driver...

 

[Aim For The Chains]

Im still not sure how I ever managed to throw a flick. I must have looked ridiculous.

 

[blackcatsmith]

Im still not sure how I ever managed to throw a flick. I must have looked ridiculous.

Just saw video of myself driving for the first time... I still do(look ridiculous).

 

[PMantle]

Im still not sure how I ever managed to throw a flick. I must have looked ridiculous.

I threw one once in the first year I played. I almost fell down laughing at myself.

 

[The Last DJ]

The Stalker has been advertised as a longer version of the Buzzz and flies accordingly. It would be a part of my bag but the Teebird stayed strong and remains my go-to. In my experience, either of these would work out well for you. The Stalker simply has a similar flight to the midrange disc you're used to. Best of luck!