[Question] Weird hand feel

[Three Putt]

I ran across this comment recently in a tread about the Dynamic Bounty:

I have not thrown one but my Latitude sponsored friend says it flies like a comet without the crappy hand feel.

I found that odd because I've throw Comets for literally decades and never noticed anything odd about the hand feel. biscoe has forgotten more about golf discs than I ever knew, though. It made me wonder because I noticed recently that after being the default answer for the "like a Firebird" question for 15 years, the Predator has all but disappeared from that conversation. A lot of the comments I could find again would mention the grip:

I've always been skeptical when people try to go between Champ Firebird and Z Predator. There are too many differences in every way. Yes, they're a natural parallel in that they have been the staple meathook speed 9 of the two biggest manufacturers for a long time. But the parallels end there. The Pred has a ton more glide, which can be a plus (and maybe another reason they beat in so well) but means they don't always work for the same lines. The grip is also very different, so it's hard to switch between them and people will have definite preferences for the feel of one over the other, even if it's just forehand or just backhand. The Firebird skip game is also way stronger or at least more user friendly.

So I find myself as an old, out-of-touch player. We had few options before, so grip was just something you go over if you wanted options. I think I taught myself not to be picky. New players have so many options that they can be picky, so why wouldn't they?

So what is weird hand feel? Is it mostly personal, or are there discs that are universally hated for hand feel? I'm assuming it differs backhand to forehand, but I don't really know that for sure. The two examples I have are older discs; is there and old disc/new disc difference in how rims are generally designed now that restricts this to older models?

Just curious; I recommend discs to people all the time on the course so if I'm trying to avoid recommending discs to people that they are going to hate.

 

[Twmccoy]

Hand feel

"Weird" hand feel for me just means the disc doesn't sit comfortably, or you don't feel like you're getting a proper grip on it because of the rim.

Hand feel is a thing, and I won't use certain discs if they don't feel right in my hand.

I agree the Comet has a weird hand feel. It doesn't sit right, and has a strange rim configuration. I think some people avoid beaded mids for that reason.

A lot of drivers have lousy hand feel too. Usually its because of an overly sharp bottom edge of the rim (Avenger, Predator).

I never liked the hand feel of the Leopard or Stingray either. The Groove also feels awful when you grip it.

 

[Moose33]

For me it's one of two things, when you grab it your normal grip does not feel right or if it has some feature that don't feel right to the hand.

The prodigy M5 comes to mind with its weird groove on the bottom, or the Predator with its mini bead.

Comet has a combination of enough dome(on most of them) and a chunky enough rim it's not the easiest to grip disc.

 

[Jay Dub]

For me it just seems the Comet will not "cuddle"(?) up to my hand like other discs do. I can get a throw or two off OK then it goes to hell. To me it feels like I have to hold the comet with my fingertips.

I LOVE the flight of the Comet when I see a Comet thrower throw one. Makes me jealous.

 

[Monocacy]

. . . So what is weird hand feel? . . . I'm assuming it differs backhand to forehand, but I don't really know that for sure.

^ This, for me anyway. When I threw exclusively backhand, Roc - Comet were the only midranges I carried. But when I started throwing forehand I found that I could not get a clean release with those discs.

Forehand a Buzzz, no problem, but I could never FH a Roc without significant wobble. The bead just seems to catch on the nub of my finger. And a Comet FH, fuhgeddaboutit.

Same thing with my putter at the time - Warlock - where the sharp-edged bead would give me a wobbly forehand release. Warlock is still my all-time favorite putter to throw backhand, and my brother still throws some of my old Warlocks. But now I throw the Stud and Harp, which work well FH and BH.

In contrast, I have trouble holding on to some shallow discs like the Fuse or Tern when thrown backhand. So for backhand, taller discs are fine and shallow, rounded-grip discs can give me problems.

Dunno if that helps or not but I feel better now.

 

[armiller]

So what is weird hand feel? Is it mostly personal, or are there discs that are universally hated for hand feel? I'm assuming it differs backhand to forehand, but I don't really know that for sure. The two examples I have are older discs; is there and old disc/new disc difference in how rims are generally designed now that restricts this to older models?

Just curious; I recommend discs to people all the time on the course so if I'm trying to avoid recommending discs to people that they are going to hate.

"Weird hand feel" is no more than that. It feels weird to a player. It's obviously very subjective.

I'm a Comet bagger who admits it used to feel weird. Maybe it still does? Something about the bead and the shoulder. To be fair, throwing putters also used to feel weird. In that Firebird and Predator post, my main point is that they frequently get compared, but I think they're very different discs. Overstable staples, sure, but the flight paths are quite different. The feel is also significantly different, but I would easily bag one over the other if it flew just like I wanted. Ultimately, that's why the Firebird is in my bag over the Predator at present. I have other discs that can cover those Predator shots.

I bag several discs that have "weird hand feel." In particular, the Comet and Polecat fit the bill. But they have exactly the flight characteristics I want, so they're in the bag. Beaded putters also used to feel weird to me, but I've been way more consistent with KC Pro Aviars than I ever was with McPro, and an Ion has also snuck into my bag.

Ultimately, feel is personal preference. The Comet does seem to be a popular mold that is recognized as feeling "weird" to many, even some that bag it. But I agree with you that I throw discs because of how they fly, not because of how they feel.

 

[R-Ogre]

I think it's because more recent disc design has left the skinny, shallow rim type mids behind. If you're new to the game and you grabbed a buzzz and a destroyer wrapping your fingers around that relatively skinny, shallow comet rim feels like you've got more finger to grip with than there is rim to grab. If that makes any sense.

 

[elmexdela]

domey discs are just gross

plus molds feel like you get half the grip for fh

beads dont matter and its a psychological issue if it bugs you

 

[jmdaire27]

There are definitely discs that don't feel quite right. The comet, similar to the harp, feels deep and the perpendicular inner rim make it feel "weird" but I don't like deep discs in general. Some discs, like the gator, feel boxy in the hand, FH and BH.

Although hand feel is completely subjective, it is an important aspect to me when picking discs I throw. We are saturated with so many molds these days that you can get the flight you want out of different options, so I think it's ok to be picky.

 

[wims]

The Ion feels horrible with its rounded inner rim.

I'm not a fan of very shallow discs like the Tern or the Mamba for backhand. The shallow rim makes it feel like I'm rock climbing and im just barely holding on. A shallow rim doesn't inspire a lot of confidence for me

 

[Sydex]

Hand feel is an aesthetic judgment for discs, in that it is universally subjective.

 

[jdm0514]

I used to be a big no bead guy when first starting out. Then I played a few rounds with a judge and loved how it flew off the tee and I was draining everything putting wise. I also wrote off the comet early on because when I was at the store it felt like nothing I've ever held. Fast forward to today and now I'm putting with banger gts. Throwing wasps, cometsnand preds. I guess you can say I fall into the camp of if a disc flys like I want it to I can get over the weird hand feel.

 

[Casey 1988]

I ran across this comment recently in a tread about the Dynamic Bounty:



I found that odd because I've throw Comets for literally decades and never noticed anything odd about the hand feel. biscoe has forgotten more about golf discs than I ever knew, though. It made me wonder because I noticed recently that after being the default answer for the "like a Firebird" question for 15 years, the Predator has all but disappeared from that conversation. A lot of the comments I could find again would mention the grip:



So I find myself as an old, out-of-touch player. We had few options before, so grip was just something you go over if you wanted options. I think I taught myself not to be picky. New players have so many options that they can be picky, so why wouldn't they?

So what is weird hand feel? Is it mostly personal, or are there discs that are universally hated for hand feel? I'm assuming it differs backhand to forehand, but I don't really know that for sure. The two examples I have are older discs; is there and old disc/new disc difference in how rims are generally designed now that restricts this to older models?

Just curious; I recommend discs to people all the time on the course so if I'm trying to avoid recommending discs to people that they are going to hate.

I get this because I never liked the ROC, yet I could throw similar discs like the Wasp due to being a wider rimed ROC but hate how the glide is gone in the Z plastics until the disc wears in and that takes years if you are not playing Disc Golf all the time. The ROC is not comfortable yet I could use a Comet if I had to, due to fact the mold is not so OS so I do not need to beyond rip on the mold to get the flight out of mold. Also I can throw a Gator with the big bead fine having tested my brothers Metal Flake Gator; I use a Stalker as a mold so Beads on discs is not a problem for me obviously. This was in 2000's when less choice then now so if one wanted a Comet flight about the only disc like this was a Comet maybe a Stingray if they wanted no bead but until near the end of 2000's Stingray only came in DX maybe a limited USDGC Champion version at one point or for a few years in a row.

 

[JedV]

The Rattler is a weird feeling disc to me. Too deep.

 

[wolfhaley]

Wait, so a predator has a bead? I'll have to dig mine out again (it's been years since I've thrown one). I messed around with a Stalker this year a bit and that has a bead. And a weird hand feel imo.

I could care less about bead or no bead for putters or mids. But it does feel odd on the Stalker. I throw it pretty well though.

Count me among those who thinks a Comet feels weird. I plan on trying to like them again this winter with my Z. We'll see how it goes.

 

[TurkeyVulture]

Wait, so a predator has a bead? I'll have to dig mine out again (it's been years since I've thrown one). I messed around with a Stalker this year a bit and that has a bead. And a weird hand feel imo.

I could care less about bead or no bead for putters or mids. But it does feel odd on the Stalker. I throw it pretty well though.

Count me among those who thinks a Comet feels weird. I plan on trying to like them again this winter with my Z. We'll see how it goes.

I was wondering the same thing. I've never noticed a bead on any predator I've held. But I dont own one so can't be 100% positive.

Hand feel to me is really important. I have smaller hands so on drivers I really notice peculiar "attributes". I HATE the Stalker but love a good Prodigy F3.

Tour Series Luna is another one for example. I hated the feel of them at first. But now I'm at the point where I get dissapointed if I dont get to throw them all round.

Also, beads suck. That is all. Lol

 

[autocrosscrx]

Right or wrong, I put my index finger on the rim for touch shots. So I really like beads on my mids and approaches, as I can get a much more consistent grip. I've never thrown a Comet, but I think they feel pretty good for that shot. For a more traditional power or fan grip? They feel awful to me.

 

[PMantle]

The Ion feels horrible with its rounded inner rim.

Came here to post about the line of putters. Impossible for me to throw.


I used to putt with Magnets, but when I try to throw them, they feel so odd I just can't do it.


I also now get the thin rim thing. It's made me put my Terns away.

 

[JuanA]

For me a 'weird' hand feel usually comes down to the volume of the rim more than the shape.

For example I really like the flight I get out of throwing a Hydra, but to me it feels like I'm grabbing a tennis racket.

Comets are on the other end of the spectrum for me, but smaller is something I can get used to and the Comet is too good not to figure out a grip for.

 

[Moose33]

Came here to post about the line of putters. Impossible for me to throw.


I used to putt with Magnets, but when I try to throw them, they feel so odd I just can't do it.


I also now get the thin rim thing. It's made me put my Terns away.

I can't mess with Magnets either, when I grip it normally it slides into a heavy hyzer. So freaking weird.

Same issue with the Tern, and I believe we have both expressed some level of disdain for the Anhyzer top and the weird outer rim feel it provides.