[Drivers] Your GoTo Speed 9/10 Driver

[storyboy]

Fury

 

[hugheshilton]

On the OP; I don't even bother with this slot anymore. I hadn't used anything in that range since the wraith came out until last fall. I hopped on the thunderbird bandwagon for a while, and RARELY threw them. MAYBE once a round, max. That gap is just so small for me that it serves very little purpose. I took the thunderbirds back out of the bag a little while back and have yet to missed them. On the rare occasion I need that shot between a destroyer and a teebird I can just throw a very overstable highspeed driver on hyzer, or throw a destroyer on a very low line to shorten its range. I'm actually finding that my consistency has gone up on those shots now that I'm throwing a big OS hyzer with a speed 12ish disc instead of a flat thunderbird shot

:hfive: This is exactly my situation! When your max D on the course is around 400 feet like me (and often a little less) then there's just not that big a gap to fill. I abandoned all my speed 9/10 drivers about a year ago. Like you, the last one I used was the Thunderbird, but it rarely got thrown so I took it out of the bag. I'll throw in the occasional utility disc for a particular round like a Firebird or a roller disc. Overall, I've been much happier with my bag setup since I took out the tweener "control drivers." I understand pros and big arms need that slot because they throw so far that the gap is much bigger, but not me.

Now if you're just discing down and throwing 9/10 speed drivers as your max distance drivers, it's a different story. In that case, there's lots of good options that I'm sure have mostly been mentioned by now (PD, Thunderbird, Orc, Krait, Tesla, etc.). However, if you've already got speed 11/12/13 in the bag and you aren't throwing 425+ regularly then I'd say for a lot of people those speed 9/10 discs just aren't all that necessary.

 

[mike.sepulveda.73]

Control lines I throw moonshine escape, slight fade is my champ beast and strong fade is a star Valkyrie.

 

[THUGNIFICENT763]

My all-time favorite for this speed class is the 1.1 Orion LF, but I also like the Starfire, Avenger, Crush, and PD. Thunderbird has been growing on me too.

 

[ODRB]

My all-time favorite for this speed class is the 1.1 Orion LF, but I also like the Starfire, Avenger, Crush, and PD. Thunderbird has been growing on me too.

By far my favorite as well, but not "straight-to-fade". 1.1s turn and come back. Or like to be flipped from hyzer for that straight to fade line.

 

[hugheshilton]

Still in the vein of this thread, why choose 11/12s over 9/10s, or vise-versa?

I don't think throwing a "control driver" gives you control. Throwing the disc with control is what gives you control. I find speed 12 drivers quite controllable if I'm not trying to go all-out for distance. I have fairly large hands and speed 12 or even speed 13 discs feel pretty comfortable in my hands. Why would I give up 20-30 feet of distance if I can get it without losing control? There *are* holes where an extra 30 feet will give you a putt you wouldn't have had otherwise (or a much easier upshot). That would be my rational personally. If you have smaller hands and find the bigger rims less controllable, then I would totally understand why you would rather throw speed 9-10 drivers.

For this reason I tried using Star Bosses as my distance drivers for a while since they do go farther for me than just about anything else when I throw them right. However, I think they are just understable enough at speed to not be as dependable or controllable as something like a Destroyer. I have found the Scorpius to be the best compromise between a Boss and a Destroyer for me. They don't require nearly as much seasoning as a "good" Destroyer to get distance, but they are much more reliable than a Boss.

 

[DeLa-Loc654]

MVP Shock
DGA Tsunami

Perhaps

 

[fasteddie]

SPD is the most dependable speed 10 disc I've ever thrown.

 

[ODRB]

There *are* holes where an extra 30 feet will give you a putt you wouldn't have had otherwise (or a much easier upshot). That would be my rational personally.

Agreed. Which is why I still have a couple *DS or Wraiths in the bag, depending on the course. But you'd have to admit that a narrower rim produces a more controllable disc, as does the simple effect of magnification of small mistakes when carried and stretched over great distances.

My question is really about guys who throw 380 vs 400 on a 480 foot hole. How is that 20 feet worth the risk? And there is risk.

 

[PWaggoner]

I throw a star thunderbird for straight with fade and a older glow champion that super straight. Just the tiniest turn you can barely see and reduced fade make it pretty straight.

Thunderbirds are the beezneez

 

[UncleSweat]

I have a Neutron Volt I like to throw BH/FH/OH.

 

[SD86]

I always chuckle when I hear/see all the supposed Orc throwers here and on FB. I NEVER see another one on the course, and when somebody asks what I threw and I tell them, I usually get a funny look.

I think it's the speed 10 thing....speed 10 ain't sexy.

I dunno... I see a ton of Beast throwers on the course. Saw a guy today put a Beast 3 feet from the basket from 250 ft out (field throw,not off the tee).

BTW, I also see some Orc throwers around here, so they do exist....

 

[SD86]

Star SL for me.

*sigh* I'm ever on the lookout for these. Found one, looking for more...

 

[jdw80550]

Right now my speed 9 discs are predators and undertows. Cover everything left to right to straight.

Did play with orcs for a while and they are amazing too, but just weren't as versital as this combo

 

[DGHippie]

Another vote for the S-Pd. I do keep a C line PD in the bag for similar lines when there is a bit of headwind.

Honorable mention - C line CD2. My buddy hooked me up with one of the Aussie open CD2s and it's just like a longer FD. Haven't seen it turnover too much on hyzer flips or drop out the sky suddenly when it starts to fade. Just a glidey, drama-free straight to hyzer disc.

 

[HeavyCritters]

VIKING

 

[SD86]

My numero uno disc in this category is my Star Valkyrie. If you want straight with predictable fade, a Champ Valkyrie might be the better choice... it will take forever and a day to beat in and show understability, so you'd have its flight for a long time.

I also added a 3x McBeth Champion Thunderbird to my bag, as well.

 

[pecosROB]

C-Line PD (10) and either Felon or FD3 for 9.

 

[DanJon]

VIKING

Here here

 

[DiscDraft]

I bag both a C-line PD and a Champion Thunderbird. The Thunderbird is for shots like my Teebird but 30-50 ft. longer. The PD is for similar shots, but there's a headwind or I want it to fade left.