[Innova] Thunderbird

[VictorB]

Thunderbird throwers - are you still bagging teebirds/leopards alongside faster fairways? Or have you switched from putters / speed 4 mid / speed 6-7 fairway / DD style setups to putter and fast driving putters / fast speed-5 mids / speed 9-10 fairways / warp speed DDs?

Definitely always carry a speed 7 driver. But my setup is leaning toward the speed 3/5/7/9 as opposed to the 2/4/6-7/etc. The patriot I use as a longer mid sometimes, same flight with a lower line, but without the skip of a wider rimmed driver. Right now I'm only carrying 1 high speed driver (a Tern) and the 5/7/9 speeds get basically all the work.

The thunderbird can handle all of the power I can give it (out to 400) and a faster disc doesn't give me enough reasons to justify carrying them. The tern is the exception - it definitely outpaces my thunderbird but having that single option means I only throw it when I can afford to do so.

 

[t i m]

I'm still testing a ThBird to see if/when it outpaces my Teebirds.

In a field, I've been surprised that the ThBird is generally right in the same space as my Teebirds... maybe 10-20' further, but not enough to make it worth the extra mold... I think I need to get some lighter ThBirds for head-to-head comparisons. My favorite Teebirds for straight shots and distance are in the low 160s... My hyzer bomb/wind Teebirds are max weight. I don't yet have a light ThBird to test in that slot.

For reference, I'm throwing both -Birds ~350-360' RHBH.

I don't see a near-term timeframe where ThBirds will replace Teebirds. As it is, I'm bagging 1-2 ThBirds and using them on any shot where I might lose a disc. If there's water, I feel like the slight extra carry and the easier replacability of the ThBird is a good peace of mind. If I lost one of my 11x Teebirds, I'd be a sad, sad golfer. So ThBird is getting bagged, but not replacing Teebirds or Leopards yet.

 

[slowplastic]

Thunderbird throwers - are you still bagging teebirds/leopards alongside faster fairways? Or have you switched from putters / speed 4 mid / speed 6-7 fairway / DD style setups to putter and fast driving putters / fast speed-5 mids / speed 9-10 fairways / warp speed DDs?

I still like speed 7 stuff to pair it with. Thunderbirds for me need a similar power and throw to speed 7ish fairways which is why I like them...when I tried out the PD it felt like I had to crush it like a high speed driver and was rewarded with less distance :\. I think if I had 450' or more on command the PD would be awesome, but instead it just soaks up power for me.

I feel like a Leo/speed 7 understable fairway gets huge distance, as does a mellower Teebird. The Thunderbird then acts as an overstable-ish Teebird but in a similar distance range to those other discs. In comparison an OS Teebird is way shorter than a straight Teebird, for me. So I pair the Thunderbird with normal speed fairways...if I went to speed 9ish fairways for straight and understable then they'd go way farther (say something like an Escape and Sidewinder), and then I'd have like a 50' or more gap from my mids instead of 20-50', and those discs also go farther than a Thunderbird for me.

Also the Teebird is good for very straight shots, holding annies, and very mild sweeping hyzers at my power. The Thunderbird will want to flex out of an anny at the end, finish flat shots with a sweeping fade, and hold a deeper/wider hyzer than the Teebird. Plus they forehand awesome. There are some cases where I could throw either Teebird or Thunderbird, but they are actually pretty distinct depending on if I want a really straight shot or want to make sure I don't go right (or must end left). McBeth bags several of both, and he tends to throw Thunderbirds on the placement or sweep hyzers, and Teebirds on extremely straight shots. But when he needs a straight shot at 400'+ then he goes to Thunderbird over Teebird. I can't make either disc go that far straight, but I can see how at that velocity he trusts the Thunderbird more.

 

[slowplastic]

I'm still testing a ThBird to see if/when it outpaces my Teebirds.

In a field, I've been surprised that the ThBird is generally right in the same space as my Teebirds... maybe 10-20' further, but not enough to make it worth the extra mold... I think I need to get some lighter ThBirds for head-to-head comparisons. My favorite Teebirds for straight shots and distance are in the low 160s... My hyzer bomb/wind Teebirds are max weight. I don't yet have a light ThBird to test in that slot.

For reference, I'm throwing both -Birds ~350-360' RHBH.

I'm in the same range. I'll typically throw the Thunderbird for 320-350' shots, and Teebird will be 325' up to 375' if I smash it perfect. I actually throw the Teebird farther, pretty consistently.

I think the Thunderbird is a longer or faster "overstable" Teebird, but mellow Teebirds are easier to get distance.

The thing with both of those discs is that they go as far as you are capable of throwing them. So I see how players with super high arm speed can either throw Thunderbirds farther than Teebirds, or simply trust Thunderbirds more when they throw near full power.

Both molds are really good, and they are really easy to throw side by side if you are used to either one. I don't feel any need to throw 100% of either, I can throw both and not think about it. The main difference I have found is that Teebirds can deal with higher shots and not fade off line, whereas a Thunderbird needs to be thrown low to fly a Teebird path, and with some height they can fly like a softer/milder slightly overstable distance driver.

 

[bhadella]

Thunderbird throwers - are you still bagging teebirds/leopards alongside faster fairways? Or have you switched from putters / speed 4 mid / speed 6-7 fairway / DD style setups to putter and fast driving putters / fast speed-5 mids / speed 9-10 fairways / warp speed DDs?

I find enough change in distance at my comfortable power range (with is 75% of max) that I'm bagging both Patriots/Teebirds and then Valks/Thunderbirds along with my Comet/Roc3 midranges. 275-285' is about as far as I try to throw my midranges, 310'-320' for Fairway Drivers and then 350' with Valks/Thunderbirds.

 

[hugheshilton]

Thunderbird throwers - are you still bagging teebirds/leopards alongside faster fairways? Or have you switched from putters / speed 4 mid / speed 6-7 fairway / DD style setups to putter and fast driving putters / fast speed-5 mids / speed 9-10 fairways / warp speed DDs?

I will still put a Star TL in my bag on some courses for stable to slightly understable fairway duties, but everything else goes to the Thunderbird or Firebird. I went from Teebirds to Thunderbirds for the majority of my fairway duties.

In terms of driving putters, I currently run with Polecat (speed 1), Pig (speed 3 I guess although it's really a slow, overstable mid), and Atom (straight and easily speed 3-4 as well). Then for mids I've got a beat DX Roc (speed 4 but so much longer since it's beat) and Vector (speed 5, nice and straight with just a touch of fade). After the Thunderbird, I jump up to Destroyers for distance. I CAN throw a Thunderbird 400 feet if I really rip on it, but I find Destroyers go that distance more dependably with less effort. Also, if I want a strong fade/skip at that distance, I'm not going to get it with a Thunderbird.

 

[SD86]

Thunderbird throwers - are you still bagging teebirds/leopards alongside faster fairways? Or have you switched from putters / speed 4 mid / speed 6-7 fairway / DD style setups to putter and fast driving putters / fast speed-5 mids / speed 9-10 fairways / warp speed DDs?

Not that I ever "switched", but on the courses I play I generally only need and carry two mids, so I carry three speed 7 and three speed 9 discs, and two distance drivers.

 

[F.Luke]

Thunderbird throwers - are you still bagging teebirds/leopards alongside faster fairways? Or have you switched from putters / speed 4 mid / speed 6-7 fairway / DD style setups to putter and fast driving putters / fast speed-5 mids / speed 9-10 fairways / warp speed DDs?

Thunderbirds replaced the bottom 2 slots of my firebird rotation. I still carry teebirds and a leopard too. My "DD" setup is 2 star wraiths. One new, one not new.

When seasoned, a champion thunderbird is the most versatile driver I've thrown.

 

[ranger]

I'm still testing a ThBird to see if/when it outpaces my Teebirds.

In a field, I've been surprised that the ThBird is generally right in the same space as my Teebirds... maybe 10-20' further, but not enough to make it worth the extra mold... I think I need to get some lighter ThBirds for head-to-head comparisons. My favorite Teebirds for straight shots and distance are in the low 160s... My hyzer bomb/wind Teebirds are max weight. I don't yet have a light ThBird to test in that slot.

For reference, I'm throwing both -Birds ~350-360' RHBH.

I don't see a near-term timeframe where ThBirds will replace Teebirds. As it is, I'm bagging 1-2 ThBirds and using them on any shot where I might lose a disc. If there's water, I feel like the slight extra carry and the easier replacability of the ThBird is a good peace of mind. If I lost one of my 11x Teebirds, I'd be a sad, sad golfer. So ThBird is getting bagged, but not replacing Teebirds or Leopards yet.

I'm in the exact same boat.

I just like teebirds better and there's not enough of a difference. Thundys are my favorite water disc, which is kinda sad...

 

[thechamp]

Thunderbird throwers - are you still bagging teebirds/leopards alongside faster fairways? Or have you switched from putters / speed 4 mid / speed 6-7 fairway / DD style setups to putter and fast driving putters / fast speed-5 mids / speed 9-10 fairways / warp speed DDs?

I go from fast mids straight to Orc, Thunderbird and Firebird.
I think as my distance decreases I have less use for speed 7 discs.
Orcs and Thunderbirds power down well.

 

[smarkquart]

I have a seasoned Champion Thunderbird that is near perfection, but at the same time, it is a Proto-Star and the only one I have, so it is not in the bag. I ran through numerous Champion Thunderbirds, and they were all decent, but I found a better combination with G and C PDs. G-PDs are dead straight at power, and exactly where my seasoned Thunderbird is at, but when I need more of a late fade hook-up, the C-PD has it. While it took two discs to ultimately do what I wanted the Thunderbird to do, I am happy with it.

 

[Keller]

I recently dropped the Thunderbird. For my arm, it gains me nothing over a Teebird and the shallow rim I find hard to be consistent with.

So I trade them all off except my 3 DX's (which I will save for water holes and winter play) and gone back to my Orc/Teebird Combo

 

[wims]

I dropped the firm Star Thunderbird from my bag as well, I'm throwing a Gold Spark instead. Feels better in the hand and it fits the rest of my bag better than the Thundie. Flies similar lines

 

[Sydex]

I'm still testing a ThBird to see if/when it outpaces my Teebirds.

In a field, I've been surprised that the ThBird is generally right in the same space as my Teebirds... maybe 10-20' further, but not enough to make it worth the extra mold... I think I need to get some lighter ThBirds for head-to-head comparisons. My favorite Teebirds for straight shots and distance are in the low 160s... My hyzer bomb/wind Teebirds are max weight. I don't yet have a light ThBird to test in that slot.

For reference, I'm throwing both -Birds ~350-360' RHBH.

I don't see a near-term timeframe where ThBirds will replace Teebirds. As it is, I'm bagging 1-2 ThBirds and using them on any shot where I might lose a disc. If there's water, I feel like the slight extra carry and the easier replacability of the ThBird is a good peace of mind. If I lost one of my 11x Teebirds, I'd be a sad, sad golfer. So ThBird is getting bagged, but not replacing Teebirds or Leopards yet.

My experience is similar, however, thunderbirds can go out to 400' with power and handle the wind a lot lot better than Teebirds.

 

[DiscinFiend]

I currently bag a new Star & a seasoned Champion Thunderbird. Brand new regular production Stars seem to be more overstable than Champs. I don't have a lot of experience with Big Jerm Stars, so I can't speak on them. The Champion is seasoned so it is great for hyzer flips. It flips up to flat, goes straight & then fades at the end of the flight. Its similar to an Eagle. I don't think I could ever take out Teebirds & just bag Thunderbirds. They don't beat in the same. Plus I think there would be a huge hole between my Rocs (speed 4) & Thunderbirds (speed 9). When powered down my seasoned Thunderbird would have more fade then a Teebird. There's no way a seasoned Teebird could be replaced by any Thunderbird. It's a great mold, it fits well between my Teebirds & Destroyers.

 

[Dr.Smooth]

the real question is how do I figure out what to throw a bird or a pd. I have quite a few maybe 20 of them.

The feel of the bird is better-more rounded wing rather than the sharpe edge of the Pd. The pd is better in the wind in terms of keeping on a line and getting great distance.

I have struggled with this for a while. Maybe they will make a disc that is better than both and achieves those goals of mine!

 

[Sydex]

Not a PD thrower, but for Thunderbirds I throw them if I need distance or if there is wind and Teebirds if I need ~350 and there isn't much wind.

 

[august dupree]

the real question is how do I figure out what to throw a bird or a pd. I have quite a few maybe 20 of them.

The feel of the bird is better-more rounded wing rather than the sharpe edge of the Pd. The pd is better in the wind in terms of keeping on a line and getting great distance.

I have struggled with this for a while. Maybe they will make a disc that is better than both and achieves those goals of mine!

Westside already did this with the Fortress.

But what I'm waiting for is the Legacy PD/Thunderbird. Some day...

 

[PMantle]

I've been messing with Thunderbirds in multiple plastics, PDs in a couple, a Fortress and a Culverin. So far, the one I grab the most is my Halloween Thunderbird. It's not as OS as the stock run Star, yet still gives me that nice fade at the end when I need it. PDs are on the shelf-I hate the top. Culverin, eh I just don't know yet. My Fortress needs some decent wind in my face to be useful, and we just haven't had a windy summer down here.

 

[slowplastic]

the real question is how do I figure out what to throw a bird or a pd. I have quite a few maybe 20 of them.

The feel of the bird is better-more rounded wing rather than the sharpe edge of the Pd. The pd is better in the wind in terms of keeping on a line and getting great distance.

I have struggled with this for a while. Maybe they will make a disc that is better than both and achieves those goals of mine!

I agree with this. So similar in a lot of ways, but Thunderbird wins in hand feel and glide, while PD wins in speed and line holding.

Thunderbird I think is easier for placement shots since it has a softer fade, and I think it's easier to power down on. PD can go farther on a low ceiling. PD holds really straight in wind, and they skip more too. I think they do flex shots better also.

I like the Thunderbird more because it flies like a fairway driver...I think if I could throw 400' line drives the extra HSS of the PD would make it the best laser out there though. I actually have a super beat XCal that has the same power requirement as a PD, but more speed and easier distance with the same flight shape. It's a better S-PD I think, for my power anyways. I really think the PD needs a big boy arm to appreciate, since whenever I've thrown them into a moderate wind they really light up and I see the potential.