Discraft Focus

[cfair]

I know there is a thread on it already but it doesn't tell me what I want to know about the disc. I'm really enjoying all of Discrafts .5 discs so far and am wondering what people have to say about the focus. I'm really interested in what pros use them and what players who use them think of them. In terms of mold it is a lot like the Wizard (visually) and reminds me a lot of the Vibram putters (the biggest difference in all the vibram putters is clearly the bead. I dedicated the summer to using them and am now going for the focus, it seems to sit bead-wise between the VP and Ridge but way more glide than any of the Vibrams).

I picked up 4 164g ESP '09 Ace Race Focuses for super cheap and already really like it. I would just like something heavier and preferably not so hard to aquire.

So how well do the Pro D and Elite X Soft Foci do?

 

[jubuttib]

If the thread doesn't answer your question, that doesn't really necessitate a new thread. Why didn't you just ask in the original thread?

EDIT: In my experience the Focus is a good driving putter. Kinda like a Wizard, but less HSS, definitely less HSS than any Ridge ever. After the turn it rides out smoothly. I don't really like it for putting. The ESP plastic is otherwise nice, but I don't like how soft the flightplate is, compared to the rim.

Only tried the Ace Race ESP ones though. Handled Pro D once, felt nice.

 

[cfair]

duh... Ima n00b.

 

[ManU]

the Pro D was available as an Ace Race disc
the Pro D in my opinion was actually more stable than the ESP which was rather flippy for being ESP
if you like the ESP you probably can't go wrong with the regular production D and X

although if you want to trade I have a new swirly purple Ace Race ESP 169 available

Edit: the X would likely do a good job at catching the chains

 

[Spinach D1]

Personally I like the black D ones because the clover perfectly in a hot car. Just like those old "SOFT PUTTER" Wizards. They feel like soft leather.

 

[JHBlader86]

I've been using the black Pro D Focus for several months and I think it's one of the most versatile putters I've ever had. I love that it feels just like the Wizard, but it flies straight like an Aviar, and it's surprisingly stable as a driver. It's deadly accurate, and I am extremely confident when using it.

 

[JR]

My heavy orange X soft Focus nicks like any other X plastic meaning often here on drives. It drives well but it's got some fade to it like the Wizard but even more. I have small hands and have issues with clean releases with tall discs I can rip a Buzzz strong armed flat and it won't turn over most of the times but at less than full power late accelerated I still flip Rocs a few degrees. With that in mind my X soft Focus in new condition minus a couple of nicks flips less for me than Wizards on full power drives. Flat release doesn't flip if I don't seriously strong arm it unless there's head wind. It seems to have a little better wind handling as well. I'd say halfway between Wizards and Ridges. It's a matter of preference because they all are great discs. It also depends on where you throw. If you used only one putter for driving Wizard would be the touchiest and most versatile so you wouldn't lose out in performance on many different holes. But you'd get even more coverage of natural flight tendency if you used a Wizard and something more stable like a Ridge or even more overstable discs like Rhyno/Ringer/pig. For windy driving alone areas I'd pick Focus over Wiz if durability ain't an issue. When you're good enough putter you can use anything as long as you learn to compensate for height and fade but not everyone gets there so it depends on your style of throwing hand size, acceleration ability variations to putting stroke etc. so I don't want to recommend any putter to anyone without more info on what they are looking for. Focus can certainly be a good laser line putter. And it shouldn't fly too far for pitch putters in case of a miss.

 

[ChampionMonarch]

I absolutely loooved my pro-d Focus until I lost it. it was nice and soft and felt like butter in the hand. it was a great approach disc, I would use it for almost any shot within 200ft. my only complaint is that the plastic would ding up pretty easily.

I have never thrown an elite X focus, but I could not imagine how it would be softer than the pro-d i had

 

[cfair]

And it shouldn't fly too far for pitch putters in case of a miss.

Why I loved the Vibrams. They drop, the Summit can glide, but not a ton.

 

[Spinach D1]

I've been using the black Pro D Focus for several months and I think it's one of the most versatile putters I've ever had. I love that it feels just like the Wizard, but it flies straight like an Aviar, and it's surprisingly stable as a driver. It's deadly accurate, and I am extremely confident when using it.

Has your black focus clovered or is the dome intact?

 

[masterbeato]

i like the stiff green ones

 

[cfair]

Oh? Is it in your bag dan beto? How do the stiff green ones hold up?

 

[JR]

And it shouldn't fly too far for pitch putters in case of a miss.

Why I loved the Vibrams. They drop, the Summit can glide, but not a ton.

Summits do go fairly far on blow bys because they stay quite understable far before switching to a hard fade. Ridge falls very fast and the VP just plummets like a rock.

 

[cfair]

I think I'll work with the Focus a little longer, but I may end up going back to my Vibrams and trying out a firm Ridge for driving. After that I will for sure be deciding on a putter forever and then it will be time to stock up!

 

[BuzzBomb]

I find the Focus to be a pretty solid putter. I have 7 Pro D's, 1 Ace Race purple and 6 production black. The Ace Race disc is extremely clovered and fairly soft, it's pretty similar to a 'typical' Gateway SS. The black production run Foci I have are much firmer, more akin to a 'typical' Gateway S. The Focus fits my hand comfortably but so do most of the 1.5/1.6cm deep putters, like a Warlock, Challenger, Voodoo, Magic, etc. I'll typically throw a putter on anything 250' and in and I don't have to worry about it floating by because they lack glide, which is a benefit in my opinion. A fresh black Focus has a significant amount of fade for a putter but will also turn just a bit when thrown flat with speed. If it weren't for the Focus I'd still be throwing Warlocks. But after getting worked in the wind I needed something beefier. A medium Warlock is still the longest putter I've ever thrown. The Focus works for me but I'm not 990 rated and I do have a Quest 10m Brick lying about somewhere... :lol:

 

[JR]

I think I'll work with the Focus a little longer, but I may end up going back to my Vibrams and trying out a firm Ridge for driving. After that I will for sure be deciding on a putter forever and then it will be time to stock up!

I have thrown 29 different putters in two days and the differences are significant enough to carry more than one mold for straight/understable/overstable roles. The need is highlighted on the tight and short home course of mine.

 

[jubuttib]

I have thrown 29 different putters in two days and the differences are significant enough to carry more than one mold for straight/understable/overstable roles. The need is highlighted on the tight and short home course of mine.

Nah, ION can handle straight and FRION can handle understable. =)

If I ever feel like I need an overstable putter I'll grab my VP.

 

[Risk]

I've been using the Pro D Focus for upshots and putting for the last 3 months and really liking them for a "Jack of all trades master of none" type putter. I was wonder how the Soft's compare to Pro D in stability, glide, and durability?

 

[discspeed]

I have thrown 29 different putters in two days and the differences are significant enough to carry more than one mold for straight/understable/overstable roles. The need is highlighted on the tight and short home course of mine.

Nah, ION can handle straight and FRION can handle understable. =)

If I ever feel like I need an overstable putter I'll grab my VP.

Agreed...I think JR has some commitment issues. :lol: I have Ions for everything...Mediums Protos that are a bit understable, opaque Mediums for straight shots, and clearer Mediums that are overstable. I can throw them low or high, ahyzer or hyzer, any type of straight shot, FH, and some of my softs and overstable mediums will even do some gradual flex shots. I'm not sure I'd be able to pull all these shots off if I'd been messing with 28 other putters though...

 

[JR]

I've used the Ion all the time on the courses and done smaller shootouts with the Ions. It helps when one remembers how much hyzer one needs for each disc. And it helps even more that so many discs need the same amount of hyzer It's not so much of a commitment issue but wanting to know which ones work best for which kind of shot without the player having to work the discs into doing something they're not the best at. Or fighting against the thrower really reducing the chances of success. What I'm after is the maximum window to hit ie margin of error for each shot to every distance, left right or center down, flat or up and combinations of both. And there's wind. The different throw lines have so different requirements that it's probably impossible to make a putter to fit them all without needing a lot of manipulation from the thrower leading to less repeatability. And that means higher scores and I'm not having any of that from my equipment no siree.

What is an opaque vs clear Ion difference? My blue Medium does have minimal light penetration when it's held up against the sky but I wouldn't call it clear by any means? I want to get a clear one but how does one know one so that I can describe to an online vendor? No local shop carries them so I can't select one for myself.

As for commitment I have very clear preferences as to when to use a Rhyno, Ion, and P2s. Three putters for putting and all driving duties out of the over 30 models I have ain't very pluralistic IMO because many of the shots are midrange throws actually. When one factors that in it is fairly minimalistic ain't it?