Thoughts on Champ/Elite-Z Plastic for Putters?

[stpitner]

Right now for my putters I have a super soft wizard (175) and two Pro-D Banger-GT's (169,174).  I noticed on discraft's order form that they have the ESP Banger-GT listed as "coming soon".  I find that interesting that they would do the Banger-GT in ESP next, and I was wondering what others thoughts were on that.  I definitely could use a putter that didn't get banged up so much (The Banger-GT lives up to its name in the Pro-D plastic, I have marks all over my disc from where it hit chain... ok ok, more often shanked off the outside of the basket lol).  I'm just not sure about the grip.  I've seen a quote from Juliana Korver that she likes champ putters because it makes her want to have the disc come out of her hand quickly instead of a grippy disc making you want to hang onto it longer.

Just curious what others thoughts were on the type of plastic for your putter.  I used a Champ Rhyno for a while, but I was still learning how to just get the basics down instead of trying to improve my game.

[Mike S]

I dont mind using Champ/Z putters off the tee, but I dont like putting with them.  Too slick.  DX/D/S plastic for me.  I really like the feel of the old SE Soft Rhynos too.  Really grippy.

[Jon Brakel]

I think Champ/Z plastic slides thru the chains easier than the grippier plastics. I have no scientific proof, it is just my experience.

[Jon Brakel]

Sliding thru the chains is BAD in case you weren't sure!

[Younk]

I have a z-challenger that I don't like and never use.  I am strictly a Medium Wizard guy now (in their DX plastic)

[Dan Michler]

adrian jr. was putting with a star aviar at des moines, and i didn't see him miss a single putt the 2nd round.  i don't think anybody on this board needs to worry so much about what plastic has a 1% chance more of sliding thru as they do figuring out what disc allows them to hit the center of the chains the most often.

[Bruce Brakel]

I think Z and Champion slide through more also, and I agree with Dan that nothing slides through the center post.  Juliana's putting style misses high/lo more than left/right and she aims for the post. 

Putting is all about comfort and repetition and learning an effective routine.  Scientific studies done on college basketball players and college archers show that if your eyes are not moving and your brain is not processing language, you'll hit the target a lot more often, and practicing that while you are putting will do more for you than you could imagine.  On Scientific American a neuro-psychologist used biofeedback to train Alan Alda to fix his gaze and quit thinking words, and he quickly went from shooting like a 60 year old actor/science geek, to shooting like a pro. 

Also if you practice with your off hand, you learn the behavior on the side of the brain that does not have much verbal language and therefore is not distracted much by verbal language.  When you putt with your dominant hand you will putt better, because once the other side of your brain learns to putt, putting will become a bi-hemispheric activity.  Diana's putting did a 180 when she spent most of a year putting with her off hand and then went back to her dominant hand.  Kira has been practicing everything left handed and her game has improved a lot too. 

[Dan Michler]

well the 1st tip is certainly true, but i've never heard of trying to do things with ur offhand to improve how well u do it with ur strong hand.  are u sure that just sucking lefthanded won't just destroy my confidence and make me worse?

[damonshort]

I think Z and Champion slide through more also, and I agree with Dan that nothing slides through the center post.

Unless you're putting in Lombard.

[Bruce Brakel]

well the 1st tip is certainly true, but i've never heard of trying to do things with ur offhand to improve how well u do it with ur strong hand.  are u sure that just sucking lefthanded won't just destroy my confidence and make me worse?

Quite sure.  I did a google search on bi-hemispheric activity and motor coordination but mostly the hits were about stroke recovery, so i can't point to anything really quickly.  I was a psych major.  I was really interested in bio-psych stuff, how the brain works healthy and injured.  After my brain injury I read a lot more.  Guaranteed to save you one stroke per tournament, especially if you are on a high fat diet. 

[D]

...bruce freud everyone