Soft vs. Hard plastic - Putter

[MasterP97]

I'm in a quandary about this as I've been using SS Voodoos before a switch to SS and S Magics. It seems that a lot of pros like hard putters because they're more consistent in putting and hitting your line. Does this have anything to do with heat when they play in really hot places? I don't have to worry about that aspect much in AK as we usually don't get past the 70s during our summers. I read that if your putter is too soft then its line won't be true and you'll get inconsistent releases affecting precision.

Also, I've been putting with weights around 168 and found that I get my ass kicked in the wind. I was thinking of trying hard Medium Magics or the same for Wizards at the 168 range. Anybody else had this type of bout with putters?

 

[keltik1]

This comes up every now and again. There is a great graphic made by Blake about the optimal chain zone for Hard vs. Soft putters floating around here somewhere. I'm too tired to find it.

 

[Frank Delicious]

Also while that graphic rules I really think this is mostly your choice. Use whatever putter feels best in your hand and gives you the most confidence.

 

[MasterP97]

That is what I always felt like myself, choose what feels good in your hand. Maybe it is just mental, but I feel like I'm losing witih my putters and need to try something more stable and harder.

 

[lowracks]

Do you spin putt or push putt?

 

[MasterP97]

I'm a push putter in the circle. Lately, I've been wondering if I should switch. I'm at such a loss near the basket right now. I need to just pick what I want to do and just practice. Maybe it is the doubt that is killing me, but putters have been the most stable part of my bag over the time I've been playing.

 

[RS39]

Oh, I've had bouts... And I'm just a hacker...

IMHO push putt/fan grip means using firmer putters so you steer the disc instead of mushing the flight plate. But confidence and repeatability are most important. Let the shape of the disc do the work/stability, and let the weight be a minor tuning tool (for any disc in your bag). If the wind Fs you, throw harder and do not be afraid of a 25ft come-back putt.

If you like really straight discs, and live in AK, consider a Zero Pure. More grip than the softest Gateway (short of chalky proto) yet still stiff.

Vibram Ridge is like a Wiz with neat texture molded into the rubber which is very consistent over a very wide range of temps.

While I hate green discs, the Daredevil Beaver is a super stupid soft Wiz flight in plastic that is very grippy/great at sticking landings, and their plastic wears forever like Vibram.

Go ahead and try other putters. They may be better or just refocus your skill. But if you used to putt better, it's your fault.

 

[JoshEpoo]

Hard plastic often gets recommended for push putters because it doesn't deform when you push on the flight plate or rim. In my experience, that is useful advice. I switched to hard KC Pro Aviars for all my putting a few years ago and have never looked back.

When you say you are at a loss inside the circle, does that mean you are often missing left and right?

 

[kern97871]

Why choose between the two plastics? Get an ion.

 

[Widdershins]

The primary duty of a putter is to go in the basket from short range (for the sake of discussion let's call that within the putting circle).

Inside the circle all putters fly pretty similarly and whatever differences there are can be easily adapted to. So instead of over-analyzing what kind of plastic SHOULD work best for you, just use whatever DOES work best for you (whatever you are most accurate with).

BTW, the putter which works best is the mold which feels best in your hands in the plastic you like best. Putting is an "above the shoulders" skill, dependent more on your own confidence than your form or the disc.

I have seen players with great putting skills use very different kinds of putters and very different putting styles. So there is no right or wrong. Nor do you need to make a single decision. Hold a tryout and reward the 2 or 3 best performing putters with a spot in your bag. You will probably prefer different putters in different circumstances.

While I have never been accused of being a great putter, I have found what works best for me is to walk up to every putt with two different putters in my hand (Magnet and Rattler) and decide which to use when I reach my mark.

In my early years I liked hard plastic putters, now I prefer medium stiffness for putting and softer plastic for upshots (Soft Magnets). In strong winds I use a Soft GT Banger (pretty overstable) for upshots and sometimes for putts.

 

[HeartlessCynic]

I normally prefer my putters to be rather firm but recently have been using soft putters because it is all I can find my Tanks in. I don't feel like the change in plastics has affected my game much if any.

 

[Flick4D1]

You probably have a good idea of what you like your putter to feel like for putts. Temperatures definitely will play a role. When it was sub-freezing here in New England, the only disc that felt right to me as far as softness and grip were my soft x challengers. As the temps got above freezing, I went right back to my 5x JK Aviars that I used last summer/fall. I just picked up a couple yeti pro aviars that feel incredible as far as being a little stiffer, but with great grip, that I plan to try on hotter days when the jk's feel a bit too soft for putting. When the disc feels great in your hand, you can stop thinking about that and start focusing on lining up the putt and your mechanics. I guess if you practice enough, and get the muscle memory down, you won't need to think about anything. :lol: Maybe just the wind and terrain...

 

[jsun3thousand]

Also while that graphic rules I really think this is mostly your choice. Use whatever putter feels best in your hand and gives you the most confidence.

i also believe in that graphic blake destroys the myth about softer putters "grabbing" the chains better.

 

[jsun3thousand]

found it!

http://www.discgolfreview.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=17218

 

[jdggna]

It admittedly doesn't compare hard vs soft that well (the graphic that is)...its an average vs an extreme.

medium stiffness medium grip putter on the left vs. a really soft high grip putter

Its probably somewhat accurate, but there are far too many variables in putting style among other things to make a blanket conclusion like that.

To the OP I would echo what everybody else has said...pick what feels good in your hand.

 

[MasterP97]

found it!

http://www.discgolfreview.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=17218

Sweet! thanks for looking that up as it is an interesting read.

It admittedly doesn't compare hard vs soft that well (the graphic that is)...its an average vs an extreme.

medium stiffness medium grip putter on the left vs. a really soft high grip putter

Its probably somewhat accurate, but there are far too many variables in putting style among other things to make a blanket conclusion like that.

To the OP I would echo what everybody else has said...pick what feels good in your hand.

I hear you, I think I'm going to try something more stable but still in the 168 range.