Driving Putters

[timothyasteele]

10x Aviar...enough said.

Tim S.

 

[yawpstang64]

My three HPP Wizards all have noticeably more dome than my S+SS's, and seem to glide a bit better - only notice it putting though. Don't have Evo Pro Wizards but I have a couple Voodoos that are just slightly flatter than their HPP counterparts.
If you end up liking the Wizard you should really try a Soft or Medium.. they're great, last a surprisingly long time, and beat in perfectly straight without being flippy. Soft Discraft is strange stuff... never liked it, so don't discount "base" Gateway plastic before you try em.
I personally went to a Jokeri for a driving/wind putter purely for added durability and a bit more stability but I'd still be very happy with a Wizard if those didn't show up.

I had a ProD Challenger a few years ago.. but then I found Wizards, and gave it to a friend. After reading a few recent things on the CryZ Challenger, I expect they are fairly similar - the CryZ Challenger may have a bit more fade, may fly like bricks, and there were a couple remarks about it quickly losing its HSS after some wear.
Theres a reason people like Gateway putters, and since you already like the Magic you should try a variety of them when you can.

 

[heartman]

If I use the setup I have now, I might need two new putters every couple of years.

I take it you won't be posting in "Putter Porn" anytime soon?

 

[BrotherDave]

How you gonna say no to these?

 

[Huk Finn]

How you gonna say no to these?

that picture makes me wanna throw one.

 

[JamesXC]

I'm surprised only one person has mentioned the Aviar, and they even got the wrong one. I would advise going with a Star Aviar. I like using the regular Aviar because the bead interferes with my release, but the Aviar Driver is a solid disc. Starts off quite stable, but wears into the sweet spot pretty fast, and the Star plastic stays there for a LONG time. I lost my pink one 18 months ago, and I still miss it.

 

[pchitti]

No not really the guy that hoards. I will get a few backups when I really have decided on molds, but nothing like some of these guys.

I have played with all but the voodoo. Not as fan of the plastic due to WILD ideas of soft...
I love the soft plastic but not blowfly limp.

More than likely I will end up using a flx challenger instead of the cryztal.

 

[LoPan12]

Heh...I've tried...

because I putt with Wizards...but the rim is a bit too narrow.
So I've got this

but as you've noticed, it kinda drops like a brick...
So I grabbed this

because it felt good in the hand, but I haven't had a chance to use it much yet. I'll let ya know.
Ohh, and I had a soft one of these

but it just didn't click for some reason...

 

[jubuttib]

If you're adamant about premium plastic, I'd suggest these in order of increasing overstability from dead nuts straight to really overstable: ION, S-P2, Premium JOKERi, ESP Zone

Out of those the ION and JOKERi are my favorites, followed by the P2.

 

[BarkBuster]

I use my trusty XD. They are perfect for me as a driving putter. Only available in DX these days but there are some Pro versions out there.

 

[JoshEpoo]

I dont like base plastic because of the fast wear. I would go through at least 6 putters a year easy if I drove, putted, and layed up with different putters in base plastics.

You know your game better than anyone else but this seems like an overstatement. I've been driving and approaching with the same two stiff KC Pro Aviars on heavily wooded MN courses for 2 and half years now. One is finally getting flippy and the other is still overstable on a 275' shot. To each his own but I wouldn't make such a harsh judgement of base plastic putters based on one Soft Challenger. A huge majority of pros and world champs use base plastic putters for a lot of shots.

If you don't like the feel of base or midgrade plastics then the FLX Challenger can work. It's still got less glide than a D Challenger but they fly better than Cryztal and break in a little faster.

 

[Tpro]

I throw Ole First run Pro Aviars. The plastic feels great in the hand.

 

[bodomdethllica]

wizards arent bad, id say soft focus or any aviar are the best. You could try pro D challengers

 

[CwAlbino]

Ok so Im not very pleased with my Cryztal Challenger. It seems to have major issues with glide. So I just picked up a Evo Pro line Wizard. Am wanting to hear opinions from other people who drive with their putters often.

Im not looking to go to base plastics. Also I use a HPP magic for annie holes.

Then you are missing out on the best plastic. Just because it's more expensive doesn't mean it's better.

Im picky about the plastic I use. I dont like base plastic because of the fast wear. I would go through at least 6 putters a year easy if I drove, putted, and layed up with different putters in base plastics. If I use the setup I have now, I might need two new putters every couple of years.

I've been using the same wizard for two years. So I'm just going to have to flat out say you are wrong.


ALSO. I know a guy that is using the same 86 softie he got back in the 80's. Hardly 6 a year.

 

[eegor]

I know that a lot of guys give Vibram putters grief, but I like them. I drive with X-link Summits, Ridges and VPs, depending on what line I want. They seem to glide better as they get older, but I can't see any signs of wear at all. They handle the wind better than any other putter that I've tried... a big deal in Texas. I putt with a soft Summit, but almost all of my approaches are with one of the regular X-link putters.

I'm not asking my putters to glide forever... just to go exactly where I want to throw them. If I need more distance, I throw a mid.

 

[Raptor]

I know that a lot of guys give Vibram putters grief, but I like them. I drive with X-link Summits, Ridges and VPs, depending on what line I want. They seem to glide better as they get older, but I can't see any signs of wear at all. They handle the wind better than any other putter that I've tried... a big deal in Texas. I putt with a soft Summit, but almost all of my approaches are with one of the regular X-link putters.

I'm not asking my putters to glide forever... just to go exactly where I want to throw them. If I need more distance, I throw a mid.

I'm going to agree with the Vibram idea.

An X-Link Ridge is the only putter in my bag right now, used for everything. It started out without a lot of glide, probably because of the shallow rim and SUPER flat top, but it's showing signs now of some glide. It holds any line really well, and the small amount of fade it started with is gone.

Plus the durability is a big thing. I see no wear whatsoever on mine after several tree hits on full rips. Just some dirt.

 

[ilmcgee]

I'd say medium Wizard. I know it's a base plastic, but in my experience the medium plastic is very tough. Also, most will agree that the Wizard is an excellent driving putter.

 

[mashnut]

Then you are missing out on the best plastic. Just because it's more expensive doesn't mean it's better.



I've been using the same wizard for two years. So I'm just going to have to flat out say you are wrong.


ALSO. I know a guy that is using the same 86 softie he got back in the 80's. Hardly 6 a year.

Good points, I have a wizard that looks like hell. I've thrown it a lot in the last year and a half, it's scarred and beat up and it's been tacoed several times so it's no longer round. It still flies like a wizard, it's lost some stability so it's a nice turn over disc, but it's not even close to unusable.

 

[CwAlbino]

Good points, I have a wizard that looks like hell. I've thrown it a lot in the last year and a half, it's scarred and beat up and it's been tacoed several times so it's no longer round. It still flies like a wizard, it's lost some stability so it's a nice turn over disc, but it's not even close to unusable.

:hfive:

those beat up wizards are beautiful for slow anhyzers or low power straight as hell shots.

 

[cefrolfer]

I drive with a photon glo magnet. It does everything for me.