Rattler, Putt'r, Polecat, Birdie..... a.k.a "the lid thread"

[JeremySW]

Woah, how did I miss this thread until now?

The Rattler is the most exciting thing to happen to my bag since the Roc. I've only had it in my bag for about 15 rounds and its really helped my game from about 150 and in.

I've canned two or three huge upshot/putts(60-70 footers). Now I know from 60' out - most pros are running a putter at the basket from like a jump putt stance. But for me, I'm just trying to park the disc under the basket - or maybe have a run at it without trying to fly too far past it and leave myself a long come-back.

But with a Rattler, I can run at the basket and know its going to just sit down within 10 or 15 feet even if I miss it. Upon rereading this, I'm basically just rehashing everything that Mark Ellis said in his "long putts" clinic. :lol:

But its all so true, If you don't have the game to make 100' jump putts without leaving yourself long come-backs most of the time. You should really give the Rattler a try, because once you learn how to snap it properly - you will be two-putting every time, and every couple rounds you're going to bang a big one and it just feels Oh so sweet 8)

I saw the "long putt clinic" by Mr Rattler, M.Ellis, a while ago. I would like to try a Rattler but think the sharp under-side of the rim will cause bad or uncomfortable releases. That's why I went with Putt'r instead. It has a much wider under-side. Unfortunately it gets squirrelly quite soon. I haven't found "my" lid yet and it bothers me.

I'm not sure what you mean by sharp? There are no sharp edges on a Rattler at all. It *IS* different feeling then any other disc in the bag(being so lid-like :wink: ) so it does represent a unique grip challenge. I was worried about this but if you do a little field work you should have no problem transitioning on the fly during a round between conventional discs and the Rattler.

So basically = The Rattler may feel a bit awkward at first but I don't think you would find it uncomfortable or painful to throw. Give it try.

 

[Coldpunk1]

The rattler is an amazingly useful get out of trouble disc. It requires very little snap to get it going and can be a lifesaver when your in a situation where you really need to run at a basket but your lie doesn't give you enough room
for your usual throwing motion. I've found the best grip for throwing the lids I've tried(whitler, rattler, and pirahna) to be a modified fan grip.

 

[uNicedmeMan1]

I was wowing some folks @ the beach over the weekend throwing MTA shots with my whittler. There was a slight headwind coming off the ocean, I was blasting flat nose up shots way out that would come screaming back every time. I threw some for them to try and catch but they were afraid to step in front.

BTW my 186g te moko was owning the wind during our catch sessions and is sneaky long. If I were going to carry a superclass / lid type disc in my golf bag it would likely be the te moko, try one out, they are badass.

 

[Spike1]

Ok I have a question for you Rattler-lovers...

Which of the Pro D versions is better do you think, and why? At the stores there seem to be an overlap at the moment, where both the old and new Pro D plastics are available (I'm not interested in any other than the regularly produced runs, no odd runs for me)

I WANT to love Rattler too :wink:

 

[Luke1]

Personally, I find that they fly pretty similar.

 

[JeremySW]

Ok I have a question for you Rattler-lovers...

Which of the Pro D versions is better do you think, and why? At the stores there seem to be an overlap at the moment, where both the old and new Pro D plastics are available (I'm not interested in any other than the regularly produced runs, no odd runs for me)

I WANT to love Rattler too :wink:

Well, I've heard that they all fly the same. So then it would boil down to preference. Mark Ellis(Mr. Rattler himself 8) ) suggested I try the current run of blues - they are tacky to the touch, and the flight plate has a decent amount of give to it.

Sort of a "soft by not too soft" vibe - if you're into that. I generally much prefer stiff plastic(especially for putters) but its a Rattler, you gotta throw out all conventional thought 8)

Also - aim for one in the 170g range. You ain't throwin' this thing in the wind(ever) anyway - and going a bit lighter really gives it some gnarly glide.

 

[Luke1]

Oh, I aim for stiff.

 

[Frank Delicious]

Oh, I aim for stiff.

nice.

 

[discspeed]

Putt'r...Unfortunately it gets squirrelly quite soon.

They make Z Putt'rs.
Slow speed + thick rim + super blunt nose + designed for finesse shots + Z plastic= indestructable

I think they have been taken out of production, but I've seen them at stores, so I might grab some before they're gone.

Yeah, I know they're OOP. I usually avoid OOPs like the plague but the Putt'r is a different animal. It won't go too far so you should rarely lose sight of it and in Z plastic it should last forever. This is one OOP I'd actually consider carrying.

Have you guys actually thrown one of these? I think the XXX has more glide...These things drop out of the sky like bricks. They fly nothing like Xputtrs (which glide nicely).

 

[Marmoset]

Yes, I have 2 173g Z Putt'rs and they glide okay. Not spectacularly, but not bad either.

 

[discspeed]

Yes, I have 2 173g Z Putt'rs and they glide okay. Not spectacularly, but not bad either.

I had one of the early ones, and just like the Z Magnets of the time, they drop fast.

 

[Working Stiff]

Yes, I have 2 173g Z Putt'rs and they glide okay. Not spectacularly, but not bad either.

I had one of the early ones, and just like the Z Magnets of the time, they drop fast.

I play rounds with a guy whose first putter was a Z Magnet. He gets pissed off when his putter goes farther than 100 feet. He learned to play with that glideless hunk of shit and now he thinks all putters are supposed to fly like a brick.

Anyway, I kinda like the lid discs for kids. I have this 1990's disc snob prejudice against them, but I think they would be a good learning disc for my kids. I tested out a Birdie, Polecat, Rattler and Upshot; I really liked the Rattler out of the four of them. The problem is weight. My kids need something light, and the light lid-type disc you can find is the Polecat. I'm probably going to have to get a couple of those by default.

 

[Marmoset]

...the light lid-type disc you can find is the Polecat. I'm probably going to have to get a couple of those by default.

Yup; that's why I carry Polecats.
I can only get them out to about 200' before they start turning substantially. And that's just fine with me because I also have Wizards in the bag to pick up where the PCats leave off.

 

[Widdershins]

I remember when Rattlers came out. I was a lowly beginner at a tournament at Riverbends Park (Michigan) and everyone got a first run Rattler as a players pack. One of the big arm emerging Pros looked at it and announced to the group, "Let's see how this flies" and ripped a shot as though he was trying to put it into orbit. It flipped immediately and rolled ineffectually. He called it a piece of junk and walked away. I asked him if he was just going to leave it. He told me it was mine if I wanted to pick it up. I did. At the time I had no idea the Rattler would become my favorite disc. And it did not become my favorite disc for the first decade I played. I didn't understand what it did, or have the skill to utilize it. I just thought it was a flippy, unreliable putter.

The first runs came out in blue, purple and green. Flat, grippy and adorned with the Discraft prototype stamp. They are superb. The new runs in rubber are superb. Except for the runs from a few years back which were domey and slippery they are all superb.

Rattlers have a history of being misunderstood. It is not a multipurpose disc. It is not a driver or a midrange disc. It is not even a normal putter. It does not fly far. It does not fight wind. It does not glide. You shouldn't even try to throw it more than 150 feet. Except for harsh winds I use it almost every shot from 40 to 100 feet away from the basket, forehand and backhand.

A Rattler is a specialty disc. It is made for short runs and putts. It will float, hover and drop straight down. It will fly dead nuts flat and soft when thrown with a light touch, without hyzering out as it slows down. It allows you to aggressively run an upshot without blowing far past. It does that job better than any disc on the market. It bends and dances through tight lines in the trees. It does that job better than any disc on the market. IMHO, of course.

I play catch with Rattlers as a warm up before rounds. I have had hordes of catch partners ask me what that disc is. Its flight is amazing. In skilled hands it floats softly and precisely.

I have seen many players add it to their bag only to pull it out later when they got burned throwing it too hard or into too much wind. Until you have mastered the disc never throw it hard or into a wind. You carry an overstable putter for those shots. You would not use a toothpick to do the job of a pick axe. This is no insult to the toothpick because if the pick axe were asked to perform dental hygiene it would do poorly.

The Rattler is a good teaching tool for players who want to learn a soft touch. Play catch with the goal to throw it perfectly flat and soft. Your buddy does not want you throwing rockets at him anyway. You can learn to save his fingers and shave off strokes. Touch is a wonderful thing.

 

[Widdershins]

I remember when Rattlers came out. I was a lowly beginner at a tournament at Riverbends Park (Michigan) and everyone got a first run Rattler as a players pack. One of the big arm emerging Pros looked at it and announced to the group, "Let's see how this flies" and ripped a shot as though he was trying to put it into orbit. It flipped immediately and rolled ineffectually. He called it a piece of junk and walked away. I asked him if he was just going to leave it. He told me it was mine if I wanted to pick it up. I did. At the time I had no idea the Rattler would become my favorite disc. And it did not become my favorite disc for the first decade I played. I didn't understand what it did, or have the skill to utilize it. I just thought it was a flippy, unreliable putter.

The first runs came out in blue, purple and green. Flat, grippy and adorned with the Discraft prototype stamp. They are superb. The new runs in rubber are superb. Except for the runs from a few years back which were domey and slippery they are all superb.

Rattlers have a history of being misunderstood. It is not a multipurpose disc. It is not a driver or a midrange disc. It is not even a normal putter. It does not fly far. It does not fight wind. It does not glide. You shouldn't even try to throw it more than 150 feet. Except for harsh winds I use it almost every shot from 40 to 100 feet away from the basket, forehand and backhand.

A Rattler is a specialty disc. It is made for short runs and putts. It will float, hover and drop straight down. It will fly dead nuts flat and soft when thrown with a light touch, without hyzering out as it slows down. It allows you to aggressively run an upshot without blowing far past. It does that job better than any disc on the market. It bends and dances through tight lines in the trees. It does that job better than any disc on the market. IMHO, of course.

I play catch with Rattlers as a warm up before rounds. I have had hordes of catch partners ask me what that disc is. Its flight is amazing. In skilled hands it floats softly and precisely.

I have seen many players add it to their bag only to pull it out later when they got burned throwing it too hard or into too much wind. Until you have mastered the disc never throw it hard or into a wind. You carry an overstable putter for those shots. You would not use a toothpick to do the job of a pick axe. This is no insult to the toothpick because if the pick axe were asked to perform dental hygiene it would do poorly.

The Rattler is a good teaching tool for players who want to learn a soft touch. Play catch with the goal to throw it perfectly flat and soft. Your buddy does not want you throwing rockets at him anyway. You can learn to save his fingers and shave off strokes. Touch is a wonderful thing.

6 years ago I wrote a review of this disc for this website, long before I joined the forum and the only disc I have authored a review of. Probably most readers never got through what I wrote in this thread but I'm happy to report there is much more stuff to ignore in the disc review section.

 

[Marmoset]

Mark, your post parallels my experience with the Comet in a lot of ways.
Maybe we should start a thread about misunderstod discs.

I agree, touch is vastly overlooked in today's younger generation of golfers. IMO the Buzzz (and discs like it) cater to the power biased crowd and are pulling golfers further and further away from the old-school finesse golf. You know, back when lids had to be gently persuaded into a long flight instead of muscled. I personally like old-schoolers and their bag o' tricks... you'll see a full shot repertoire during 1 round if you follow one of these guys around. I love watching understable plastic being finessed into a slow, glidey, accurate flight. Or watching a long, lazy roller land right where it is supposed to.

This is why I like lids, whether they are Polecats, Rattlers, or Ultrastars. And this is why I like Comets, too.

 

[jubuttib]

Mark, your post parallels my experience with the Comet in a lot of ways.
Maybe we should start a thread about misunderstod discs.

I agree, touch is vastly overlooked in today's younger generation of golfers. IMO the Buzzz (and discs like it) cater to the power biased crowd and are pulling golfers further and further away from the old-school finesse golf. You know, back when lids had to be gently persuaded into a long flight instead of muscled. I personally like old-schoolers and their bag o' tricks... you'll see a full shot repertoire during 1 round if you follow one of these guys around. I love watching understable plastic being finessed into a slow, glidey, accurate flight. Or watching a long, lazy roller land right where it is supposed to.

This is why I like lids, whether they are Polecats, Rattlers, or Ultrastars. And this is why I like Comets, too.

Couldn't agree more. While I like throwing new plastic around, I think I'd enjoy super class more than normal disc golf. I need to get a lid that can fit into the basket (the Ultra-Star is pretty prone to spitting out), what'd you guys recommend as my first DG lid? Rattler? Polecat? Even a Comet (which isn't a lid but apparently sort of flies like one)?

 

[discspeed]

I agree, touch is vastly overlooked in today's younger generation of golfers. IMO the Buzzz (and discs like it) cater to the power biased crowd and are pulling golfers further and further away from the old-school finesse golf.

To be fair, the Roc actually started this, and with each retool it has been designed to be more of a power and less of a finesse disc. The Buzzz is just a logical extension of this.

 

[rehder]

It is not a driver or a midrange disc. It is not even a normal putter. It does not fly far. It does not fight wind. It does not glide. You shouldn't even try to throw it more than 150 feet. Except for harsh winds I use it almost every shot from 40 to 100 feet away from the basket, forehand and backhand.

actually the Rattler I had when new would flip to flat and fly straight very nicely and can easily fly more than 250'. When it beats in, this is much harder to accomplish since it loses a lot HSS, when it beats in.

 

[Working Stiff]

To be fair, the Roc actually started this, and with each retool it has been designed to be more of a power and less of a finesse disc. The Buzzz is just a logical extension of this.

Basically I agree with you, but you will have a hard time convincing me that going from the San Marino to the Ontario Roc was a move toward "more of a power disc."