The Roc3s I bag cover most of my midrange duties. I’ll lean on a Gator for the overstable stuff. I don’t love fairway drivers, but my Firebird sees some good action out on the course – same thing with the Leopard3. And in spite of the marketing messages most manufacturers spoon-feed disc golfers, I don’t bite – there’s no “magic” distance driver on the market that auto-adds 75 feet.
Form + Field Work = Distance
My bag might be “relatively” set, but there’s one slot that ALWAYS piques my interest:
And I don’t think I’m alone with this opinion …
The SockiBomb Slammer was the hottest disc-drop of the 2022 season. Earlier this year, the Distortion caused quite the stir, as well. And it’s not just the “new releases” or anything, either. The “cheese-on-bread” discs golfers swear by are often overstable putters: the A2, Pig, Zone, etc.
Here’s why:
1. The forehand-backhand capabilities are super useful
The more you can do with a disc, the more excited you’re going to be about it.
Throwing an Axiom Envy on a backhand line for distance is hard enough as it is without bringing in the “wobble” your crap forehand is going to produce. Again, working on form is the best medicine, but if you’re lacking time or motivation, bump up the stability, and you’re gold.
Any goober with an elbow that bends the right way can approach a green with a Lucid Felon. Take that same guy, however, and give him a Star AviarX3 – all of a sudden, he’s Jeremy Koling.
Forehand or backhand, it’s all gravy – slower, more controllable gravy.
2. You don’t need distance to get them to ‘work’
“Destroyer depression.”
This is the term I’ve coined for people who buy the Star Destroyer, thinking it’s going to do for them what it does for Calvin Heimburg, only to discover it’s little more than a longer Invictus. It can certainly work, but don’t be surprised if it doesn’t. The Destroyer’s a fast, overstable disc – it takes some serious arm speed to get it to do its “thang.” The pros are good; most of us plain suck.
With overstable putters, that’s still the case, but it’s less obvious – and less damaging to an ego. No doubt, the things Albert Tamm does with a Harp are out-of-this-world impressive, but on paper, putters aren’t supposed to go far. So yeah, what you and I do with them fits the bill.
Short drives, approaches and headwind putts …
The best of the best use ‘em for this, and amateurs do, too.
We’re equals in that regard.
3. ‘Overstable’ can mean a great deal
Try this on for size:
- The KC Pro Aviar is an overstable putter.
- The Woodland Baobab is also an overstable putter.
Can you spot the difference?
They’re both overstable, but there’s CLEARLY a difference between the two flights.
“Overstable” can mean so much – there’s a spectrum to it. My bag doesn’t need multiple fairway drivers with Fireball-levels of stability. With overstable putters, however, I can putt, approach and drive with three different beefy putters. That fact alone leads to an insatiable desire to acquire more (and more) of ‘em, whether they’re needed or not – it’s a weakness …
I’m working on it; I meet with a group on Tuesday evenings.
4. They’re mega-workable
Simply put, you can do more with overstable discs …
Kind of.
Don’t you dare underestimate the value of understable plastic. The most impossible-looking shots you’ve ever seen in your life were probably a result of seasoned, understable discs. But overstable golf frisbees are just capable of WAY more over the course of their lifetimes …
With putters being slow and easier to throw right off the bat, it’s hard to beat ‘em. Different lines for different seasons. As they age, your game grows – the relationship is strengthened as a result.
You know what?
Go ahead: Buy that SockiBomb Slammer – you’d be an idiot not to.
Have anything to add? Take to Twitter to let us know – we’ll actually (for real) get back to you.
Editor’s Suggestions:
- Disc golfers: Don’t collect discs – throw them
- Honestly, do you really want disc golf to grow?
- Innova: The Firebird will soon be more iconic than the Roc
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