Soft/Firm putters. Is one better then the other?

[Apathy]

I hear the benefits to soft are less roll aways and better chain grabbing. Firm is supposed to have a more consistent release.

Is one generally accepted as a better idea or does it really come down to personal preference. I have recently been putting with Soft Magnets and love them. Cant see any real reason to change to something more firm, but wanted your take on it.

 

[Steady 26542]

I think it's all personal taste. Mentally, I think your more confident with a putter that feel good in your hands. Me personally, I always liked the Med to Hard Wizards as the soft putters just didn't feel right. Then I started putting with the Omega SS and I fell in love with it. I definately make more putts with it. I never get any spit outs and it never goes too far once it hits the ground.

 

[discdawg1]

Personal preference.

All things being equal, I would say firm is better. Simply because a consistent release is much more of a factor in good putting then the small advantage (if any) to the chain grabbing theory. Same with roll aways. Is there really that much of a difference between a 5ft rollaway vs a 15ft? Not with good putting style. That is why I say firm is better outside of preference.

 

[GorillaTactics]

I putt w/ Pro Rhynos, and there can definitely be a point where they are too floppy. I prefer the ones kind of soft, but not fold-over-in-your-hand soft. I have to feel them in person before I can buy them because I've gotten used to ones that feel a certain way. I feel like they still release cleanly, and the softness seems to stick to the chains/dirt/whatever it hits.

I don't really throw the soft ones further out than 100' feet or so though, I don't like throwing hard with a soft disc. For approaches that need to stop and stick, I love it. Further out I use a firmer disc (DX and Star Rhyno).

 

[practically invincible]

im just now switching from stiff (z mags) to soft (sift wiz) and the one I have learned is this: When I hit far right on the chain the wizzard will grab on more and pull itself in, however the high amount of spin I put on my putts causes left hits to sometimes toss out the sides. The magnets would chain out more overall, but that sticky stuff can get you into trouble.

 

[adamschneider]

I'd think firm putters would be good for longer throws/drives....

 

[Midnightbiker]

I'd think firm putters would be good for longer throws/drives....

I have to disagree with that. I think Soft Putters make good approach discs because they seem to put on the breaks when they hit the ground ,or a tree when thrown from a long distance. I know a guy that throws his Soft Magnet over 230 ft. I have personally seen it. My reaction was ----> :shock:

 

[garublador1]

Objectively firm putters are better for just about everything. They're better for driving since they hold their form and better for everything else becasue you'll get a more consistent release. The only reason you'd want a softer putter is if you've already decided you're not going to hit your mark and want insurance that the worst won't happen. I'm far from an expert on sports psychology, but I can't imagine that's the type of philosophy that's commony taught.

Subjectively, I like a bit softer putters (soft Wizards, which are about as firm as regular DX or D) for approach shots because they seem to fade earlier, turn a bit more and float a bit better than firmer Wizards while still holding their shape. While that's not ideal for putts or drives, I like it for approaches.

For actual putting keep in mind that if you go softer then you're sacrificing repeatability for slightly better chain grabbing. IMO the better grabbing isn't enough to offset the drop in consistancy.

 

[cmlasley]

In my objective scientific research on the subject (yeah right) I've observed that there are gradients in all of these factors. For instance, a really floppy putter (like a Blowfly or Blunt Gumputt or even the softer soft Challengers) gets me an inaccurate shot and bad release because I have trouble pitch or loft putting it. I have to spin putt it to get it to the basket, and for me at least, this is inherently less accurate.

Something slightly less floppy, say a SS Wizard, is still soft enough to have some of the chain-holding tendencies of the truly floppy discs, while having enough shape to go where I want it to with the putting style I prefer . . . inside 30 ft.

Once outside 30 ft., for some reason, I get more juice and more accuracy with a firmer putter (I prefer S or M Wizards). Once I'm out at 50' to 80'+, however, I'm usually laying up, and go back to a S or SS because I'm not trying to hit metal, I'm trying to nestle it up underneath the basket.

 

[RS39]

I carry both.

A fan finesse grip is more accurate with a firm plate since I am actually steering the disc and not mushing the plate. Yes, I cleared both chain sets and the back side top of the basket earlier this month, but my average is much better with a med/firm disc.

My main course (massillon, oh) has a few spots where a 15ft overage means you may as well drop it off your garage. So a same mold/weight super soft comes in right handy. The sweet spot seems to move right, as the sticky spin claws out the left side more often than the hard disc.

Since I don't power rim grip putters, a slick surface is useless regardless of firmness.

 

[shirfan]

My main course (massillon, oh) has a few spots where a 15ft overage means you may as well drop it off your garage. .

I prefer soft putters for a similar reason. There are several baskets on my home course (Chestnut Ridge NY) where 5-10 feet of inaccuracy or roll can put your disc into an 80-foot deep ravine. Sticky, drop-dead layups are often the order of the day, and even a dx Aviar seems to be more than happy to make its way over the edge after first contact.

If it's windy and the ravine isn't in play, I might putt with a heavy midrange, but I'll usually stick with my Soft Magnet for anything less than long approach throws.

 

[Scoot_er]

I'd think firm putters would be good for longer throws/drives....

I have to disagree with that. I think Soft Putters make good approach discs because they seem to put on the breaks when they hit the ground ,or a tree when thrown from a long distance. I know a guy that throws his Soft Magnet over 230 ft. I have personally seen it. My reaction was ----> :shock:

Whoa is this guy from Houston? :lol:

 

[schla104]

I'd think firm putters would be good for longer throws/drives....

I have to disagree with that. I think Soft Putters make good approach discs because they seem to put on the breaks when they hit the ground ,or a tree when thrown from a long distance. I know a guy that throws his Soft Magnet over 230 ft. I have personally seen it. My reaction was ----> :shock:

Hmm you should talk to Blake about this. After talking with Blake about the differences, I won't be picking up a soft putter again. Putters don't "grab" the chains. Chains grab putters. Where you hit the basket is much more important when you are putting. You hit the basket in the right spot by being consistent. To be consistent you have to have good form. To practice good form, you use a stiffer putter. Soft putter may absorb a little more of the impact and seem to "stick" in chains but in the long run, your putting goal shouldn't just be to hit the chains, it should be to hit the chains in the right spot so that the putter won't spit out no matter how hard. Matt Orum at the MN Majestic was mad when he drained a long putt because he didn't hit it in the right spot. Matt Orum is a great putter. (Well from what I've witnessed)

If you are in a tight situation you lay-up and you lay-up right. If you are going to lay-up, don't try to lay it under the basket. Try to lay it 10 feet before the basket. A 10 foot putt is almost a drop in and if it skips a couple extra feet, its still an easy putt. If you try to lay-up under the pin and it skips, that extra few feet may be down a ravine. That is one thing I noticed with one of my friends. His "laying-up" is always trying to go right below the pin. If you are going to do that and think you can put it right under the pin, why lay up when you could add a little height and put it in? Lay-ups just need to be in your putting range.

 

[tomn8r1]

I've been playing this sport for over 10yrs & i prefer softer putters for better feel & control (for me anyway). If i'm trying to throw a long appraoch i find when using a stiff putter i can not grip it firm enough & dont get the distance/control i would with a softer putter. As for the chain grabbing theory, IMHO a softer putter will grab chains better "if" it hits the wright part of the basket . "I've had soft putters absorb the energy from the chains (if hit too high) & pop back out"! On the other hand IMHO harder putters will be more dead when they hit the chains..IME. Iether way i think its good to practice with both kinds to see which "fits your style". The only putters i dont care for are ones that are too soft (floppy soft/pancake soft ect) & IMO they have there place too!

 

[black udder]

All personal preference. You can do great with both.

Chris Hysell is just stoopid good with a soft magnet. He can flick his wrist (backhand) and they'll go 75-100'. He never drives with a putter, but his putting distance is waaaay outside mine.

It all depends on what you feel good about putting with... go with that.

Pick up 10 of whatever you really like and just putt the hell outta them. If after awhile, you don't like 'em anymore, sell 'em off or give 'em away and find a new putter. Then buy 10 of it and start again.

 

[Eric O]

All personal preference. You can do great with both.

I agree with that because it's possible to putt successfully with almost anything, but firm>soft anyway for reasons that have already been discussed.

 

[thatdirtykid]

I prefer firmer putters (medium wizards) I feel I get a more consistent release on them, and they seem to fly a truer line.

 

[Crimson75]

I'd think firm putters would be good for longer throws/drives....

I have to disagree with that. I think Soft Putters make good approach discs because they seem to put on the breaks when they hit the ground ,or a tree when thrown from a long distance. I know a guy that throws his Soft Magnet over 230 ft. I have personally seen it. My reaction was ----> :shock:

It's no problem to throw a JK Aviar 250-260......They work as well off the tee as they do from 10 feet! Go soft, but not too soft! Pro rhynos can be thrown off the teepad as well with good results. It's all in the release...

 

[schla104]

Soft putters can be thrown just as far as firm ones. I've seen people throw soft putters >250'. The difference is when you watch it come out of their hand. As they are going to throw, the putter flexes. That flex is what leads to inconsistency. Also, for the same reason, they do not make good putters for anyone trying to pitch putt. Why add a factor to your game that you can't control? Flexing changes a bit and is dependent on weather and targeted distance. Take away that flexing, and you take away factors that change your game. My philosophy is try to simplify your game. The more potential error you can remove from your game, the better you can be. I'm not saying it doesn't take practice and hard work, because it does. To me it makes the most logical sense to pitch putt with a firm putter. Firm putter = no flex, and your throw becomes much less putter dependent. Pitch-putt = only misses up or down. No misses left to right because your hand/arm doesn't ever move left or right.

Sorry, not to sound like I am preaching or anything but really just trying to pass on some good advice I got that seems to make a lot of sense.

If you have played with a soft putter and you prefer it go for it. In the end it really is personal preference. Based on the above, I just feel firm putters are better than soft.

 

[Zack..]

I perfer firm putters but i could see why u would hate firm putters and perfer soft, vice versa. I think it just depends on what you perfer.