[Innova] The mythical Innova ROC

[R-Ogre]

Found an uninked KC Pro on a course the other day. Don't really throw Rocs much but I'll add it to the practice pile at work

 

[EllEstar]

Yeah, I can trust a putter to about 200' give or take. 250' and I'm throwing a driver most likely. Anything is that 200'-250' range is a mid shot.

However...

Once you get to around 400'-500' I need two throws to get there anyway. It's not drive-upshot; it's drive-drive. A lot of the time it is a choice between a drive with a driver and a drive with a putter VS taking two shots with my mid. I'll take the two mid shots a lot of the time, so those holes bring the mids back into play.

Over 500' I may still drive with the mid depending on the shot. Hell, there is a shot that is almost 700' here that the early gap tends to grow closed on that I throw a putter off the tee on.

I tried that strategy for a while, but I found that most 2 shot holes I play either have a defined landing area - in which case I throw whatever gets me there most comfortably - or no specific area but more distance makes your 2nd shot easier.

For example there's a 620', slightly uphill hole on my home course which has trees and bushes at circles edge right, some OB long and left and the steepest uphill the last 70'. I can reach it with 2 good mid shots and did for a while, but I always go with a driver off the tee because it allows me to go to a putter or overstable approach disc and power down a bit on the 2nd shot to make sure I hit the gap, give it enough height and don't end up OB.

Mids for me usually come out on par 3s where I don't want to turn a putter over or play with a spike angle, and some similar approach shots.

 

[Three Putt]

I tried that strategy for a while, but I found that most 2 shot holes I play either have a defined landing area - in which case I throw whatever gets me there most comfortably - or no specific area but more distance makes your 2nd shot easier.

For example there's a 620', slightly uphill hole on my home course which has trees and bushes at circles edge right, some OB long and left and the steepest uphill the last 70'. I can reach it with 2 good mid shots and did for a while, but I always go with a driver off the tee because it allows me to go to a putter or overstable approach disc and power down a bit on the 2nd shot to make sure I hit the gap, give it enough height and don't end up OB.

Mids for me usually come out on par 3s where I don't want to turn a putter over or play with a spike angle, and some similar approach shots.

Each tee is a guessing game really; I don't walk around with a "if A, do B" mentality. If I have a 450' hole and it's giving me the driver shot, why not? Sometimes I'll throw a mid on a shot that I theoretically could birdie with a driver if I'm just not clicking with the driver that day and missing my line has the potential to raise the cry of the deep doo-doo bird. So everything is a generalization. I lost my touch with my putter about five? Five or so years ago. Mid-mid worked great for a guy who was throwing his putter all over the place. The putter has been better this year so I've been taking more driver/putter shots. It's always a ying/yang; there's not one right way to do it.

 

[autocrosscrx]

What kinds of shots and distances are you all using Rocs for?

I'm throwing mine about 150 to 250. Soft hyzers at the low end of that, straight to fade at the upper end of that. Or straight with no finish or straight with a touch of right finish for my beat up Rocs. I also like to flex them a bit in the woods if that opens up the initial gap for me.

I throw mids a LOT. Probably more than anyone else I've played with in MA3/MA4. If I can't reach the green in 1, but a mid gives me enough distance to reach the green in 2, I throw mid. If I can reach the green with a faster disc, but it opens up my risk of taking a bigger score, I throw mid off the tee and play for par.

 

[ray1970]

Lost my favorite Roc this past spring. Felt kind of sad so took the Rocs out of the bag for the summer.

Time to start working the Rocs back in but not sure which ones I want to stick in.

I know I want DX or KC but can't decide which. Also, not sure if I want flat ones or domey ones. Leaning towards flat as I feel more comfortable hitting lines and angles with flat. Also trying to decide if I need something a little beefier to complement them. I have a champ color glow Roc3 that flies pretty true to the 0/3 numbers.

I'll be mildly limited because I somehow ended up with a fair amount of glow and white plastic and winter is coming so not the best time to stick white in the bag.

Whatever I stick in the bag I'll have a couple of weeks to reacquaint myself with them before I hit up some Charlotte area courses.

 

[kevdiv48]

I vote a couple DX with mild dome and use the color glow R3 as the bookend/ always fresh Roc flight. DX beat in quicker and will get you the coveted array of fliptastic to beefcake Rocs faster than KC's.

 

[ray1970]

I vote a couple DX with mild dome and use the color glow R3 as the bookend/ always fresh Roc flight. DX beat in quicker and will get you the coveted array of fliptastic to beefcake Rocs faster than KC's.

Might be my best option with my upcoming trip. May toss a KC in for the trip as well because I hear there are trees in North Carolina so if I hit a few it might accelerate the process of knocking the new off of a fresh KC.

 

[ray1970]

I vote a couple DX with mild dome and use the color glow R3 as the bookend/ always fresh Roc flight.

You win.

I stuck a fresh pair of bottom stamped DX Rocs (mild domes) and the color glow Roc3 in the bag. I'll throw one of the DX almost exclusively for the next couple of weeks to get a little wear on it before my trip.

Thanks.

 

[the1discChallenge]

Guys I get the whole Roc cycling thing now. I've learned how to throw Rocs much better now and started with a DX recently. Picked up a KC for more longevity and have a USDGC champ Thrower Roc on the way for more overstability.

My DX is starting to break in and WOW I completely get it now. I threw DX Rocs back in my youth (about 10 years ago or so) and didn't quite have the form to throw them well, so I thought "eh, they're just not for me". Fast forward to now when my form isn't a total mess and after some time with the mold, I'm shaping shots I didn't know I had in my game.

I'll play around with the exact configuration I'd like for my mids and putters, but so far, I'm going to be working with Rocs for a while. It is also a weird badge of pride for me: with all the new molds coming out, I'm back to a very basic "tried and true" bag with: Aviar (JK and DX)–Rocs–Teebirds–Firebird–Valkyrie–Wraith.

 

[wims]

Hard to go wrong with Aviars, Rocs and Teebirds

 

[SaROCaM]

Picked up a KC for more longevity and have a USDGC champ Thrower Roc on the way for more overstability.

Depending on which run the Champ thrower came from you may get a beefier Roc or simply one that is like a fresh KC and stays that way longer. Either way, still a good disc to have. Heads up though if you are expecting a more OS Roc.

 

[ray1970]

Depending on which run the Champ thrower came from you may get a beefier Roc or simply one that is like a fresh KC and stays that way longer. Either way, still a good disc to have. Heads up though if you are expecting a more OS Roc.

Yep. I picked up a 2021(?) USDGC champ Roc thinking it might fill the beefier Roc spot. I was wrong. Still a nice thrower for sure but definitely not what I was expecting.

 

[kevdiv48]

Depending on which run the Champ thrower came from you may get a beefier Roc or simply one that is like a fresh KC and stays that way longer. Either way, still a good disc to have. Heads up though if you are expecting a more OS Roc.

In my quest for bag improvements over the years I kept expecting discs like the Wasp and Taurus & Shark3 to be a beefier Rancho. Once I realized that my searches twindled and I gained more confidence with what I had. I've kept a Z Wasp in the fresh Roc slot and when my fresh Rancho breaks in, I add another freshie in the bag. Never clicked with KC's so I moved through them a litter quicker with DX.

 

[the1discChallenge]

Depending on which run the Champ thrower came from you may get a beefier Roc or simply one that is like a fresh KC and stays that way longer. Either way, still a good disc to have. Heads up though if you are expecting a more OS Roc.

It's a 2017 with a circle of birds (I've seen it called Rocka Flocka on one site, but not sure if it has a real name). Depending on how beefy it is, I can ditch or keep the Gator.

 

[SaROCaM]

It's a 2017 with a circle of birds (I've seen it called Rocka Flocka on one site, but not sure if it has a real name). Depending on how beefy it is, I can ditch or keep the Gator.

The thing about the USDGC thrower Rocs is they are old stock left over from different years. One 2017 thrower could be from 2016, while another could be from 2015, etc.

I had a couple of those Roca Flocka stamp throwers. They were like fresh KCs, but quite domey.

It is possible you might get one that lets you take the Gator out. Here's an example of someone finding beefy ones:

My 2017 throwers are so beefy. I actually took my gator out of my bag because I don't need it anymore.

Personally I think it is fun getting a thrower or two each year. (If you use fb you can find good deals in the buy/sell/trade groups; I have gotten unthrown Champ Rocs for as low as $12.) You are guaranteed a good disc, and potentially a great disc that could have a place in your bag for a decade.

 

[the1discChallenge]

The thing about the USDGC thrower Rocs is they are old stock left over from different years. One 2017 thrower could be from 2016, while another could be from 2015, etc.

Personally I think it is fun getting a thrower or two each year. (If you use fb you can find good deals in the buy/sell/trade groups; I have gotten unthrown Champ Rocs for as low as $12.) You are guaranteed a good disc, and potentially a great disc that could have a place in your bag for a decade.

I didn't realize that's how they worked, I'm excited to get mine and throw it! I usually don't like overly domey mids, but hopefully I'll get one that's not too much of a bubble.

 

[SaROCaM]

I didn't realize that's how they worked, I'm excited to get mine and throw it! I usually don't like overly domey mids, but hopefully I'll get one that's not too much of a bubble.

Yeah hopefully you get one of the good ones, but if you get one that's too domey you can use the hot water method to knock down some of the dome.

 

[the1discChallenge]

Yeah hopefully you get one of the good ones, but if you get one that's too domey you can use the hot water method to knock down some of the dome.

I got the thrower Roc in today. Moderate dome and feels amazing in the hand. Just penned 176 in fairly thick ink and patent numbers. Plastic doesn't feel as buttery older champ, but there's not as much sheen as newer champion plastic. Great hand feel, can't wait to try it out :thumbup:

 

[kevdiv48]

I got the thrower Roc in today. Moderate dome and feels amazing in the hand. Just penned 176 in fairly thick ink and patent numbers. Plastic doesn't feel as buttery older champ, but there's not as much sheen as newer champion plastic. Great hand feel, can't wait to try it out :thumbup:

FYI- patent numbers on Rancho Rocs are not a defining feature to determine age. Tooling on the underside, with the exception of embossed vs penned R, has remain unchanged on Rancho's throughout their whole history.

 

[the1discChallenge]

FYI- patent numbers on Rancho Rocs are not a defining feature to determine age. Tooling on the underside, with the exception of embossed vs penned R, has remain unchanged on Rancho's throughout their whole history.

Good to know– like I mentioned, very new to Rocs so I appreciate the info! The only marking on the bottom besides the normal tooling is a 176 to indicate weight. Maybe it's just a normal 2017 Roc, but it's fun to go down the rabbit hole of "maybe it's from this run or that run".