Bardu's Bag 2019

[Bardu]

I got in another 54 in the Brookings area yesterday. The discs that didn't get thrown were the Thunderbird, Valkyrie, 2015 Sexton Firebird and Wraith. Putting stayed hot. Fun to revisit courses I hadn't played in a while. My game has come leaps and bounds since then.

 

[Bardu]

I played my second (and last) tournament of the year yesterday, a two day. Finished last cash. I didn't play particularly well but I had my moments and had a blast. My forehand was the main aspect of my game that 'on.' I threw the Sexton Firebird, a Thunderbird and the Harp really well. I used every disc in my bag except the Starlite Wraith. My putting was tentative, especially early in the rounds before I got into a rhythm. I carried:

167 4x Star Destroyer
154 Starlite Wraith

175 2018 Sexton Firebird
167 12x Champ Firebird
172 4x Champ Thunderbird
167 GStar Sidewinder
170 AJ Star TeeBird

180 2x Champ Roc3
176 12x KC Pro Roc

175 BT Hard Harp
175 Soft Wizard
172 Soft Wizard
175 Organic Wizards (2)

In addition, strictly for water carries and dangerous throws I also carried:

171 4x Champ Thunderbird (forehands)
167 GStar Sidewinder
175 PWP Wizard

Sadly, in preparation I lost my Star Sidewinder in the days leading up to the tournament. It had been with me since 2016, was lost in a swamp in the fall of 2017 and recovered six months later in 2018. It will be missed. I can't say that felt I was missing it for any throws I needed on the course though. The GStar Sidewinder first replaced it in 2017 and then completely took over bag. It will have to do the same again now.

I did order a Holly Finley Star Roadrunner as well. Being as the Sidewinder is my main driver, it has been nice to have a couple throws at things this year. I haven't found any production Star Sidewinders that I click with quite the way I did with my PFN or my GStars so I thought I'd try a Roadrunner which ought to be a similar style disc. I did throw one briefly back in 2015 or so.

I may also take the Starlite Wraith out of the bag at least for a time. I like keeping things under 9 speed (minus the Destroyer) since 320-330 is the extent of my realistic distance on flat ground. I feel I'm much closer to harnessing the full power of slower discs.

The Thunderbird that I carried as a backup was actually tremendous for forehand and I'll continue to expand its role in the bag. I was originally kind of skeptical that the Thunderbird, Champ Firebird, and Destroyer all needed to be in the bag, but they've all carved out individual roles in the backhand OS utility role which was already a small slice of the pie to begin with.

I feel pretty good about the state of my bag right now. Even with the loss of the Roc3 and the Sidewinder, it has everything I need covered. It has evolved a touch since last summer. I thought I'd be adding the Firm Wizards and the FAF Champ Firebird this year, but they've stayed on the sidelines. The Thunderbird has earned a permanent spot in the bag as well as the AJ TeeBird. The TeeBird needs more beats, but its role should continue to grow. Looking forward to seeing how the Roadrunner fits into things.

 

[SD86]

Sadly, in preparation I lost my Star Sidewinder in the days leading up to the tournament. It had been with me since 2016, was lost in a swamp in the fall of 2017 and recovered six months later in 2018. It will be missed. I can't say that felt I was missing it for any throws I needed on the course though. The GStar Sidewinder first replaced it in 2017 and then completely took over bag. It will have to do the same again now.

I did order a Holly Finley Star Roadrunner as well. Being as the Sidewinder is my main driver, it has been nice to have a couple throws at things this year. I haven't found any production Star Sidewinders that I click with quite the way I did with my PFN or my GStars so I thought I'd try a Roadrunner which ought to be a similar style disc. I did throw one briefly back in 2015 or so.

I got a Holly Finley Roadrunner, and it's a very nice disc. But please don't expect it to be a Sidewinder; my HF Roadrunner has not been Sidewinder-'ish', at least not like my favorite Champion Sidewinders. Having said that, do give the HF Roadrunner a shot to be what it is, and you may like it very much.

 

[Bardu]

I got a Holly Finley Roadrunner, and it's a very nice disc. But please don't expect it to be a Sidewinder; my HF Roadrunner has not been Sidewinder-'ish', at least not like my favorite Champion Sidewinders. Having said that, do give the HF Roadrunner a shot to be what it is, and you may like it very much.

I haven't found a Champ Sidewinder that I really click with either. How do they compare? Is it different from a normal Roadrunner?

 

[SD86]

I haven't found a Champ Sidewinder that I really click with either. How do they compare? Is it different from a normal Roadrunner?

I have the Holly Finley RR. I also have a Star RR that was surprisingly stable when I got it several years ago. The Champ Sidewinder has more lateral movement for me than the Roadrunners: it turns a bit more, but then fades more than the HF RR.

As a side note, the Infinite Discs Sphinx is allegedly a Valkyrie top and Roadrunner bottom, and I really like (and bag) that mold. The Champ Sidewinder and the Lat64 Falchion are very close to each other in performance; the Falchion has a bit more glide, but it and my Sidewinder end up literally within a few feet of each other when I throw them on the range.

 

[Bardu]

I played league tonight with this setup:

167 4x Star Destroyer

175 2018 Sexton Firebird
167 12x Champ Firebird
172 4x Champ Thunderbird
168 Holly Finley Star Roadrunner
167 GStar Sidewinder
170 AJ Star TeeBird

180 2x Champ Roc3
176 12x KC Pro Roc

175 BT Hard Harp
175 Soft Wizard
172 Soft Wizard
175 Organic Wizards (2)

The Roadrunner was an immediate favorite. It kinda picked up where my beat PFN Star Sidewinder left off and also covered ground that the Starlite Wraith has covered. It seems more understable than one of my GStars Sidewinders at least when they're new. But, it didn't turn any for me, at least not on a hyzer flip. I love the dome on it and it has some incredible glide which I find modern Sidewinders to be lacking. I think it will take over as my distance disc. The Sidewinder on the other hand is more precise, seems better for hitting gaps and windows with. I think they can coexist, they cover a similar spectrum of shots, but they also throw similarly. I really wish they made Star Sidewinders with nice domes like that.

 

[Bardu]

I played in Madison, WI over the weekend with the bag setup listed above. I really enjoyed the courses. I threw every disc in the bag and didn't feel like I was missing anything. The Roadrunner continues to impress. I was putting well too.

 

[wadpe]

I played in Madison, WI over the weekend with the bag setup listed above. I really enjoyed the courses. I threw every disc in the bag and didn't feel like I was missing anything. The Roadrunner continues to impress. I was putting well too.

Hmm I remember you having the G* Sidewinder as the main driver before. What kind of shotshapes and distance are you using it for? How does it compare to a RoadRunner? My Sidewinder goes 300f way right or 330-350f with more straighter shot. If I throw it flat high it will just carry the annie and does not really come back (It's a beat-up Star). My buddy has a Champ Roadrunner and it can be used for nice subtle flipup-shots. I'm wondering if I should invest in a Roadrunner.

Also about the Sexton Firebird, I wonder if it differs from 12x Champ. I have a newer run 12x Champ and it's very OS, I can't really get it 280f unless I flex it. I would like to hear if they differ much and what kind of shots are you using it for.

 

[Bardu]

Hmm I remember you having the G* Sidewinder as the main driver before. What kind of shotshapes and distance are you using it for? How does it compare to a RoadRunner? My Sidewinder goes 300f way right or 330-350f with more straighter shot. If I throw it flat high it will just carry the annie and does not really come back (It's a beat-up Star). My buddy has a Champ Roadrunner and it can be used for nice subtle flipup-shots. I'm wondering if I should invest in a Roadrunner.

Also about the Sexton Firebird, I wonder if it differs from 12x Champ. I have a newer run 12x Champ and it's very OS, I can't really get it 280f unless I flex it. I would like to hear if they differ much and what kind of shots are you using it for.

I'm just getting used the differences between the Roadrunner and the Sidewinder myself. They are very similar. I feel like I'm getting more glide out of the Roadrunner, part of this I'd guess is that the HFs that I have seem to have substantially more dome than any modern Sidewinder I've found. The feel in the hand is obviously a bit different as well, but once you get past that, the flights are very similar. I have any easier time keeping the Sidewinder down and also, as I said before, it feels more precise to me. But I've changed my mind and I think that at this point, the Roadrunner, at least in Star plastic, is more stable than the Sidwinder in GStar. The two that I am throwing right now are both fresh. I'd definitely recommend trying one. I throw them both nose down on gentle hyzer angles and when I get it right, they flip up and glide for quite a while before fading out. I wouldn't say I'm putting either one out to 350 on flat ground though. I threw 320 with the Roadrunner last night and that felt pretty good. They are approximately equal in distance and it seems whichever one I get the better pull on is the one going farther. That said, I feel like as I build rapport with the Roadrunner, it will be the distance disc and the Sidewinder will be for shot shaping and wooded lines. Keep in mind, I'm throwing GStars Sidewinders. My beat up Star was actually less stable than the GStars. What weight is yours? I'm also throwing the Holly Finley Roadrunners and I felt some Barsbys in the store over the weekend and they felt a bit flatter.

Sexton Firebirds are more grippy and more mellow in flight than their Champ counterparts in the same weight, but don't get me wrong, they're still Firebirds. The plastic ages quicker as well. I use mine exclusively for forehand. I use my Champ for backhand OS utility.

 

[wadpe]

I'm just getting used the differences between the Roadrunner and the Sidewinder myself. They are very similar. I feel like I'm getting more glide out of the Roadrunner, part of this I'd guess is that the HFs that I have seem to have substantially more dome than any modern Sidewinder I've found. The feel in the hand is obviously a bit different as well, but once you get past that, the flights are very similar. I have any easier time keeping the Sidewinder down and also, as I said before, it feels more precise to me. But I've changed my mind and I think that at this point, the Roadrunner, at least in Star plastic, is more stable than the Sidwinder in GStar. The two that I am throwing right now are both fresh. I'd definitely recommend trying one. I throw them both nose down on gentle hyzer angles and when I get it right, they flip up and glide for quite a while before fading out. I wouldn't say I'm putting either one out to 350 on flat ground though. I threw 320 with the Roadrunner last night and that felt pretty good. They are approximately equal in distance and it seems whichever one I get the better pull on is the one going farther. That said, I feel like as I build rapport with the Roadrunner, it will be the distance disc and the Sidewinder will be for shot shaping and wooded lines. Keep in mind, I'm throwing GStars Sidewinders. My beat up Star was actually less stable than the GStars. What weight is yours? I'm also throwing the Holly Finley Roadrunners and I felt some Barsbys in the store over the weekend and they felt a bit flatter.

Sexton Firebirds are more grippy and more mellow in flight than their Champ counterparts in the same weight, but don't get me wrong, they're still Firebirds. The plastic ages quicker as well. I use mine exclusively for forehand. I use my Champ for backhand OS utility.

My star is 175, but it makes sense if the gstar ones are more stable. I would say I don't get 350f with it on flat ground, but that's about the best I've got it slightly downhill. More than often it goes 330f or 300f with steeper anhyzer and dives more right. It used to have more fade when it was new but I also had less armspeed back then. For straighter shots I prefer something that flexes more than a Sidewinder. Looking for a Roadrunner tho, I have to test my friends one couple times.

I have PFN 12x Firebird aswell that is really soft champion and it's less stable, but still has that reliable fade. It's great for OS utility but I don't like forehanding it because it bends like a gstar-plastic. Looking forward getting a Sexton one.

 

[Bardu]

I haven't had as much time to play with school back in session, but I did sneak in a round. I'm still playing with the same bag listed above and I don't see that changing anytime soon. I did, however, try a new pair of putters, Nikko Wizards. They will be my next attempt to find successors for my pair of Organics. I was impressed, especially with the glide and grip.

 

[Bardu]

I continue to play sparingly with a busy course load this semester. Here's how my bag is looking at the moment:

167 4x Star Destroyer

175 2018 Sexton Firebird
167 12x Champ Firebird
172 4x Champ Thunderbird
168 Holly Finley Star Roadrunner
167 GStar Sidewinder
170 AJ Star TeeBird

177 Glo Z Buzzz
176 12x KC Pro Roc

175 BT Hard Harp
175 Soft Wizard
172 Soft Wizard
175 Nikko Wizards (2)

I put the Buzzz I used last season back in the bag. I originally took it out because it overlapped with the Roc3 I'd had in the bag for several years. In its absence, it seems to make a lot of sense. It complements the beat KC Pro Roc well. So I return to the Buzzz/Roc tandem as I have many times.

 

[SD86]

How's that Holly Finley Roadrunner continuing to work out for you?

 

[Bardu]

Great! In Star Plastic the Roadrunner is more stable than my GStar Sidewinder. Really nice compliment to it. Basically exactly what you'd want in a step up from GStar to Star. I intend to use both molds going forward.

 

[Streets]

Great! In Star Plastic the Roadrunner is more stable than my GStar Sidewinder. Really nice compliment to it. Basically exactly what you'd want in a step up from GStar to Star. I intend to use both molds going forward.

Is it a poptop *RR? Those things are pretty stable...but they glide very well.

 

[Bardu]

Is it a poptop *RR? Those things are pretty stable...but they glide very well.

It definitely has some pop to it. The dome is one of the selling points. I've picked up a couple more of the HFs. Most of the other Roadrunners and Sidewinders I see in premium plastic are flat. Thats why I decided jump on this run.

 

[SD86]

Great! In Star Plastic the Roadrunner is more stable than my GStar Sidewinder. Really nice compliment to it. Basically exactly what you'd want in a step up from GStar to Star. I intend to use both molds going forward.

I really like my sample-of-one Holly Finley Roadrunner. I always liked the Champion Sidewinder and the Falchion, but the Sphinx replaced them. The HF RR is similar to the Sphinx (which is allegedly a Valkyrie top and RR bottom).

If I used a full bag in a tournament, the Pro Valk and HF RR would pair really well. In my limited core bag, I just bag yhe Sphinx.

 

[Streets]

It definitely has some pop to it. The dome is one of the selling points. I've picked up a couple more of the HFs. Most of the other Roadrunners and Sidewinders I see in premium plastic are flat. Thats why I decided jump on this run.

My Barsby is similar I think...I like flat RR's for FH but the Barsby will just glide for days.

 

[Bardu]

Hit an ace today with the Buzzz I just put back in the bag!

 

[SD86]

Hit an ace today with the Buzzz I just put back in the bag!

Congrats on the ace! :thmbup: