[Innova] Polecat

[93EXCivic]

I like GStar but the lack of lighter weights is a bit of a killer for me. I personally didn't care for XT. I mean they flew nicely but I am not a fan of the feel of the plastic. 150g DX Polecats are the best IMO. Currently I have a PFN DX 150g in my bag and it is my favorite Polecat i have owned.

When I first got a Champ Polecat I liked it but I fell out of love with it pretty quickly.

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[dysmike]

Possibly in a disc as slow-flying as a Polecat XT would be fine. My experience with Colts and Rocs is that XT flight plates tends to warp on tree hits which makes XT discs get understable much faster than DX even when they don't show a lot of cuts or scrapes. Polecats fly so slowly though that this might never be an issue.

It's also a big flat surface for impacts to spread across.

 

[smarkquart]

I like GStar but the lack of lighter weights is a bit of a killer for me. I personally didn't care for XT. I mean they flew nicely but I am not a fan of the feel of the plastic. 150g DX Polecats are the best IMO. Currently I have a PFN DX 150g in my bag and it is my favorite Polecat i have owned.

When I first got a Champ Polecat I liked it but I fell out of love with it pretty quickly.

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I so wanted to give the GStar a try, but I could not find one when I was actively trying to get one in the bag. I had a tournament earlier this year where I found myself consistently outside of 50 feet. I do not know what happened, as I normally do not find myself in the 50-100 range, usually I am inside or well outside, depending on the circumstances, but my Gold Line Pure was consistently fading out - which it should not have been doing.

So, I wanted to go back to the Polecat. I gave an R-Pro one a try a few years ago and was impressed with its straight flight. For whatever reason I could not keep it in the bag, but I was impressed nonetheless.

Since I could not find a GStar, I went with the next step up and purchased a Champion. Yes, I know there are plenty of people that swear by DX, but I personally do not like base plastic. It does not feel right in my hands, and I hate how quickly it beats up. I have already heard those who say that the Polecat is different in base, and I do not begrudge what works for you, but it is not for me.

My experience with Champion is this: it is very touchy, but if I keep it clean, it is the ideal approach disc from 120 to 40 feet. It is not good at running the basket within 40, but it is dead straight up and down all up to 120. However, there seems to be a magical wall that once I hit 140, I have zero control over it. That does not matter because at about 120 through 200, I can put Pures under the basket all day long. Basically, it is incredibly accurate on approaches, but not long putts or drives; or more accurately, it prefers snap but no arm.

 

[armiller]

XT is actually my current favorite Polecat... it just nudged out DX IMO.

I think the flippier the Polecat, the better. So XT is probably fine, but DX wins in my book because of cost.

Since I could not find a GStar, I went with the next step up and purchased a Champion. Yes, I know there are plenty of people that swear by DX, but I personally do not like base plastic. It does not feel right in my hands, and I hate how quickly it beats up. I have already heard those who say that the Polecat is different in base, and I do not begrudge what works for you, but it is not for me.

My experience with Champion is this: it is very touchy, but if I keep it clean, it is the ideal approach disc from 120 to 40 feet. It is not good at running the basket within 40, but it is dead straight up and down all up to 120. However, there seems to be a magical wall that once I hit 140, I have zero control over it. That does not matter because at about 120 through 200, I can put Pures under the basket all day long. Basically, it is incredibly accurate on approaches, but not long putts or drives; or more accurately, it prefers snap but no arm.

I bought a champ recently (for the same reasons you mentioned) and haven't fallen in love with it. I think I agree with you that Polecats are awesome for those short distance approaches. But the champion is still too overstable to act like a Polecat just yet. I still hope it beats in and will then stay perfect forever, but it hasn't happened yet.

So, for now, DX it remains. My 175g DX is well over a year old and still works just great. It's the only one I own, though I may be replacing it with another since the champion hasn't worked out yet. By the way, it's the only base plastic in my bag (unless you count an X Comet that sometimes replaces my Z). I typically HATE base plastic, but Polecats (and possibly putters) are a different story.

 

[93EXCivic]

I didn't find that the fresh Champ was much more OS then a fresh DX of the same weight, maybe just a tiny bit. It just seemed to give up some of the glide of the Polecat. I mean it wasn't a Birdie but it wasn't the full glide of a Polecat IMO.

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[BrotherDave]

I still like DX the best. The XT is pretty good but it's a tad bit more understable so it messes with my head b/c it looks basically new but flies more like a beat in Polecat. Feels great though. The G* is my next favorite, I think it's the best premium plastic Kitty I've gotten yet. It doesn't lose too much glide or seem too OS to feel like a Kitty but I definitely wish they were ran in lower weights to help that aspect. The Champs are okay but they pretty much fly like max weight DX Polecats with a smidge less glide. I would definitely like to have seen some Champs around the 150g weight, those could've been fun.

 

[SD86]

Darn it, now you people got me wanting to try a Polecat. It's a good thing DG is so much fun, but my wallet is uttering unprintable curses at me right now...

My wallet is still angry, but the 150g DX Polecat I ordered finally came in the mail (Disc Golf Center really needs to light up FedEx for poor delivery service, but I digress). I took advantage of a break in the rain to enjoy a 3-disc, all-putter (throwing Warden, putting Warden, Polecat) round at the home course.

The Polecat was really fun to throw. I only had one errant shot, on hole 2 when I wasn't used to it yet. Oderwise, I'd throw at what seemed to be a bare minimum of power but with good snap, and I had some great approaches with it. The infamous (to me) dogleg right downhill throw... birdied with a nice Polecat turnover to within 3 ft.

The scariest part of the round was that my score was as good with three putters as with a full bag... :doh:

So thanks to all the "Polecatters" on this thread for the good ideas and good Polecat info... :thmbup:

 

[Meillo]

The scariest part of the round was that my score was as good with three putters as with a full bag... :doh:

What is more fun, the three putters or the full bag?

 

[SD86]

What is more fun, the three putters or the full bag?

They're both fun; after all, it's disc golf either way.

I sometimes play a short, heavily-treed course where only a couple of holes can handle using a mid, so it's almost all putters and approach discs. My home course is a mix of open and wooded holes, which is what I played today.

It does cause me to think about discing-down again, nothing higher than a sped 9 or 10 disc...

 

[Moose33]

I often play with a much lower powered friend who is a lid guy. I've been thinking about a Polecat only round with him soon. Could be fun.

 

[SD86]

To get my order above the free shipping limit, I added a 146g DX Polecat to it, figuring it will be a backup for the first one, or I can practice with it, etc. When I opened the box, I was shocked, and very disappointed, how domey it was... HUGE dome. It did not feel good at all in my hands. My first Polecat has a very (very) mild dome, not flat but not as frickin' round as the second one.

On the course, the domey Polecat performed poorly. It was very flippy, going right (RHBH) on even no-power throws. No problem hyzer-flipping it, fer sure.

I'm giving it the hot water treatment now, and I hope that'll help.

TL;DR: are Polecats supposed to be that domey?!?!

 

[IronJack]

I came across a flat top pole cat and wasn't sure if it was supposed to be good or not. I've only been throwing pole cats for about 5 months now - I have a recent run 175 DX that has a rounded shoulder. Every PC I've seen has that same rounded shoulder, expect for this one I found that is flat across the entire top, it was 175 DX with flight numbers. I didn't pick it up, but I'm wondering how rare and sought after PCs are like that, and if they fly differently. thanks for any input...

 

[Kodachrome]

I came across a flat top pole cat and wasn't sure if it was supposed to be good or not. I've only been throwing pole cats for about 5 months now - I have a recent run 175 DX that has a rounded shoulder. Every PC I've seen has that same rounded shoulder, expect for this one I found that is flat across the entire top, it was 175 DX with flight numbers. I didn't pick it up, but I'm wondering how rare and sought after PCs are like that, and if they fly differently. thanks for any input...

Basically nobody likes polecats except us: it's rare to see in someone's bag, that's about it.

Most polecats I've thrown either have a slight dome with a rounded shoulder or are flat with a rounded corner where the side meets the top.

So no, not supposed to be domed up either.

 

[joecoin]

I came across a flat top pole cat and wasn't sure if it was supposed to be good or not. I've only been throwing pole cats for about 5 months now - I have a recent run 175 DX that has a rounded shoulder. Every PC I've seen has that same rounded shoulder, expect for this one I found that is flat across the entire top, it was 175 DX with flight numbers. I didn't pick it up, but I'm wondering how rare and sought after PCs are like that, and if they fly differently. thanks for any input...

I've had my R-Pro Polecat for about a year now, it's the only PC I have. It is very flat and flies like a dream.

I've been looking (not intensely) for another one in case I lose this one. I only putt with it so that reduces the probability of losing it.

 

[SD86]

Basically nobody likes polecats except us: it's rare to see in someone's bag, that's about it.

Most polecats I've thrown either have a slight dome with a rounded shoulder or are flat with a rounded corner where the side meets the top.

So no, not supposed to be domed up either.

My first Polecat has a slightly rounded shoulder and a little bit of dome. Feels fine in my hand.

I worked over the second Polecat last night. Bent it backward (pushing down on the middle while pulling up on the rim, which helped. Put very hot water I. If and put some weights (books) on it. Then I put it on the counter top-up and put a full bottle of Grey Goose vodka in the middle, and left that overnight. Didn't get a chance to throw it today, but it's not as domey as it was yesterday. We'll see how it throws...

 

[august dupree]

... Feels fine in my hand.

I worked over the second Polecat last night....

Couldn't resist.

 

[smarkquart]

Polecat ace from last Saturday. Quick elevation drop, really short hole, and moderate dogleg right. Polecat skimmed the trees on the inside dogleg and found sound chains. Bryant Lake (MN) Hole 13.

First picture is obviously showing off the disc and basket. I was proud of this ace because this hole has been an absolute mystery to me. I can birdie the previous two to three holes, and usually am in putting position to birdie the next hole, but this really short hole often confounds me and can destroy any momentum I have built. It was nice to finally tame it. This is at the bottom and you can see how open it is behind the basket, so if you cruise past, plan on getting par.

Second picture is looking back up the hill. The tee is on the same line as that skinny, crooked tree just to the right of the basket. Not an easy dogleg to the right off the tree. I do not have a touch forehand shot, so I often blast beyond this basket. This time I just floated a backhand with my Champion Polecat, and it did exactly what I wanted.

 

[SD86]

Couldn't resist.

May your discs live in interesting times.

 

[Broken Shoulder]

Polecat ace from last Saturday. Quick elevation drop, really short hole, and moderate dogleg right. Polecat skimmed the trees on the inside dogleg and found sound chains. Bryant Lake (MN) Hole 13.

First picture is obviously showing off the disc and basket. I was proud of this ace because this hole has been an absolute mystery to me. I can birdie the previous two to three holes, and usually am in putting position to birdie the next hole, but this really short hole often confounds me and can destroy any momentum I have built. It was nice to finally tame it. This is at the bottom and you can see how open it is behind the basket, so if you cruise past, plan on getting par.

Second picture is looking back up the hill. The tee is on the same line as that skinny, crooked tree just to the right of the basket. Not an easy dogleg to the right off the tree. I do not have a touch forehand shot, so I often blast beyond this basket. This time I just floated a backhand with my Champion Polecat, and it did exactly what I wanted.

Nice. I have a lot of kitty throw ins, but no ace.

Did they put new baskets in at Bryant? Haven't been in a couple years.

 

[armiller]

Looks like a champ. Have you beat it up much? I have a red one but it's pretty "beefy" as far as polecat's go. Great for full power polecat drives, but not so much for turnovers...