[MVP] Holy crap, Ion. Ion, holy crap.

[Speedly]

I bought one of the opaque run 174 Ions a few weeks back. I never really liked it much, I can't really putt very well with it. It's more stable than I like at low speeds, and that kind of dominated my thought process about it.

After watching Mike C's video with his Wizards, and more recently his Ions, I decided it was time for me to have a little time on the course with just me and my Ion.

Much to my surprise, I actually did pretty well with it. My average at Elk Grove DGC (9 holes) is right around 27.0, and my rounds with the Ion were 30, and then 27.

I shot a round equal to my average with nothing but a putter. I'm willing to bet that if I brought my Aviar as well for putting duties, I could have done a little bit better, but think about it: one putter did the work of a bag with ten discs in it.

That is AMAZING. I have two more on the way, thanks to Justin. (By the way, if you need any Ions, he has a thread going in the marketplace. That guy is awesome, I highly recommend him.)

THANK YOU, MVP! :thmbup:

Edit: Sigh. I meant to post this in the Equipment section. Sorry for the misplaced thread.

 

[zepphead33]

LOL, I knew that write up in the equipment section was going to start an Ion frenzy.

 

[New013]

everyone should throw in some putter rounds every once in a while, it lets you look at the course in a different way.

 

[Mike C]

Glad you had a good time with your putter rounds. I agree with New013 that you should try them every so often, even at a course you don't think it would work that well on.

In that Portage Lakes video I did, that was my first time ever playing the whole course with just a putter. I had done the front 9 with one when it was real new, but not the full 18. I think I ended up shooting my best round too. I thought with all the long holes I'd miss my drivers, but I think it actually helped keep me on the fairway.

Surprising what some putters can do

 

[Speedly]

LOL, I knew that write up in the equipment section was going to start an Ion frenzy.

Well, I mean, in all fairness, I did get my Ion shortly before Mike C's write up. BUT! It was his Ion video that inspired me to do the Ion-only round today. :thmbup:

One thing I noticed, and I know it's a form flaw showing itself: I was only throwing maybe 30 feet less on full throws than my Teebird/River/Valkyrie.

Blah. I know nose up when I see it ('cause I see it a LOT).

 

[dheathx]

I did this a couple months ago with my wizard even though i thought it would be terrible and stupid yet i realized the same thing. My putter only score was only a couple strokes higher than when I used my fairway drivers. I disc'd down to literally just a buzzz and my wizard and have bsen using only those 2 discs for 2 months or so. My best score has dropped from a +1 to a -5. I'm also consistently scoring -2 to -4 now. I think most people don't understand the benefit to using a slower, more controllable disc to play smarter and ultimately a lot better. Now I can push my mid close to 300 which is plenty for achieving 5 under par.

Everyone reading this should play putter only rounds just to discover the greatness these rounds will bring to your game.

 

[discspeed]

Mike C. has even inspired me to play a couple Ion only rounds. The low ceilings around here make this tough, but it's good practice for course management knowing that on some holes I have to choose a drive to put me in position for the next shot rather than always going for birdies.

 

[Bardu]

I played a putter round last weekend with a friend of mine. It was a relatively short course, and my friend and I are just beginners, but it was alot of fun, and a great way to get to know our putters. We both use Wizards, and at this point I can throw a putter almost as far as I can throw a midrange. The shots off the teebox really helped, especially when the hole was longer. Those are not shots I would normally throw with a putter.

We actually played with putters only because my friend forgot his discs. I didn't want to play with a mid to his putter, so we each just took a putter of mine and threw 18. Funny thing though, we found his discs later, and they had been in the car the whole time. It was a fun and helpful exercise!

 

[mitsurugi]

Well, I mean, in all fairness, I did get my Ion shortly before Mike C's write up. BUT! It was his Ion video that inspired me to do the Ion-only round today. :thmbup:

Can someone link me to Mike C's ion video? I've been searching and searching but can't seem to find it. Looking to try out ions myself perhaps.

 

[discslinger02]

my first ace was with using a putter in a round.

 

[BrotherDave]

Is this your card?

Can someone link me to Mike C's ion video? I've been searching and searching but can't seem to find it. Looking to try out ions myself perhaps.

 

[mitsurugi]

Awesome - thanks!

 

[Speedly]

There's also this one, which is the video that made me go out and play with just my Ion:

 

[Skankin77]

I've switched to Ions too and love them. Got a soft textured run, medium textured run, and one of the new ones with a sick dye on it They are pretty much the best putters I've used next to Rhynos. Love 'em!

 

[Smigles]

I did this a couple months ago with my wizard even though i thought it would be terrible and stupid yet i realized the same thing. My putter only score was only a couple strokes higher than when I used my fairway drivers. I disc'd down to literally just a buzzz and my wizard and have bsen using only those 2 discs for 2 months or so. My best score has dropped from a +1 to a -5. I'm also consistently scoring -2 to -4 now.

Just imagine what you would be able to do if you could properly throw drivers...

Sure, sure, putter control is great and mids are great and control is always good to practice. But you still wont compete at a proper level if you can not handle drivers.

 

[sloppydisc]

You mean I can't beat Climo, Nikko or Fedlberg with just my putter?? Damn. Now what am I going to do?? I was so counting on that disc golf tour income to feed my family.

 

[BrotherDave]

Just imagine what you would be able to do if you could properly throw drivers...

Sure, sure, putter control is great and mids are great and control is always good to practice. But you still wont compete at a proper level if you can not handle drivers.

What exactly is a proper level? Seems like that kind of depends on the course. If you're playing a tight woods course, the guy that can put his putter and mid anywhere he wants is probably going to be on the lead card.

 

[Sadjo]

I haven't played a sanctioned tourney in a while...but if I did I would carry a Star Mako and my Avair Putter only. Every round I've played the past month have been Mako only rounds...been scoring great...just would've scored better with a putter in my hand...

 

[dheathx]

What exactly is a proper level? Seems like that kind of depends on the course. If you're playing a tight woods course, the guy that can put his putter and mid anywhere he wants is probably going to be on the lead card.

Exactly! Well not exactly as my courses aren't wooded but instead are just shorter. I had a brief convo with a guy at a bagtag last wed night. If the course holes are all 300 feet or less, why even reach for a driver when I can park my mid? Granted a 780 foot par 4 I'm not reaching for a buzzz, but there aren't that many long holes around.

 

[sloppydisc]

But...

I haven't played a sanctioned tourney in a while...but if I did I would carry a Star Mako and my Avair Putter only. Every round I've played the past month have been Mako only rounds...been scoring great...just would've scored better with a putter in my hand...

So you would just give up a stroke, or maybe two on the long holes? A 1000' hole would suck 200' at a time.