Best Disc Golf Driving Putters
It’s time for another post choosing the absolute “BEST” discs in another category (according to our unfortunately flawed opinions :))! Today, we will be looking at the best driving putters on the disc golf market.
Throwing Putter vs. Putting Putter
What makes a putter a driving putter? the term “driving putter” Isn’t really a technical term when it comes to disc design and manufacturing. However, discs that are commonly referred to as driving putters are discs that fall into the traditional “Putt and Approach” classification.
They are sometimes popular discs used for putting as well, but what makes them a driving putter is they are discs that perform well off the tee on shorter holes, usually about 300 feet or shorter. They are discs that can hold up when thrown with power for longer shots. While many people usually have putters that they only putt with (like within 60 feet), these are the putters made to be thrown.
As always, we are using two key words when selecting our nominees and winners–popularity and utility. We are looking for popular driving putters that can be utilized by disc golfers of a variety of skill levels. For reference to popularity, here are the top 10 best selling putt and approach discs during the final quarter of 2018:
Top Selling Putt and Approach Discs
- Discmania P2 Psycho
- Axiom Envy
- Innova Aviar
- Westside Maiden
- Dynamic Discs Judge
- Dynamic Discs Warden
- Gateway Wizard
- Innova Nova
- Discraft Zone
- Westside Harp
Now, here are our nominees for The Infinite Discs Best Disc Golf Disc: Driving Putter Disc.
Axiom Envy
The Axiom Envy is a slightly overstable putter that functions well as a driving putter. It has a flat top and features the signature gyro technology overmold. For driving, the Envy maintains a straight flight with a reliable soft overstable finish at the end of the flight.
Westside Harp
Here we have the recent winner of our best approach disc award, and the way it is used off the tee makes it a popular choice as a driving putter as well. The Westside Harp might be our most overstable disc nominated today, and some may argue this overstablility makes the Harp not a true driving putter. But the Harp is available in a lot of plastic blends, and these different plastic blends offer a variety of stability performances. The BT Hard Harp which was made popular by Ricky Wysocki is a more straight and stable flying Harp, so it is a great choice for those looking for a more mild Harp.
Dynamic Discs Judge
The Dynamic Discs Judge has always been a top seller ever since its release in 2012. The Judge is a beaded putter that is very popular both as a putting putter and a driving putter. Beaded putters are often popular choices for driving putters because they offer a little more stability so it can handle more power and a little more wind than their beadless counterparts. The Judge is no exception to this. It is a great, straight flying putter that is very predictable and easy to learn to use.
Innova Nova
The Innova Nova was nominated in our approach discs article, but not in our putters article because approaching and driving is really where this disc excels. It is one of the most unique discs on the market featuring an overmold design that allows this disc to fly very very straight for a long time. It is a true stable flyer, meaning when thrown on a straight flat line, it holds that line very well with nearly no fade at the end. The Innova Nova is a true driving putter.
Discmania P2
The Discmania P2 has been topping the sales charts over the last couple of years. The P2 is a popular choice for putting and driving. in the best putters post, I mentioned that Discmania does a good job of differentiating the different plastic blends and the benefits of each blend. This is especially applicable for the driving aspect of the P2. The S-Line P2 is a more overstable driving putter, while the D-Line P2 is a great hyzer-flip driving putter for more understable flights.
Prodigy PA-4
All of the discs in Prodigy‘s PA series are popular choices for driving putters, but the one that we are nominating is the PA-4. The PA-4 has a unique rounded rim and is often referred to more as a driving putter than a putting putter. It offers a pretty straight to understable flight pattern and is available in pretty much all of the Prodigy plastic blends.
Dynamic Discs Warden
The Warden was nominated in our best putters article, and there I explained that is basically a beadless Judge. That is interesting when you look at those two discs as driving putters. The Warden is straight to understable off the tee with lots of glide. It is great as a straight flyer, maybe the only disc on this list that can compare to the Nova in the way it holds a line with minimal fade at the end.
Gateway Wizard
The Gateway Wizard won our best putter award, and in that article we mentioned how the Wizard is also a popular driving putter choice. Similar to the Judge, it has a bead and a deeper dish which allows for lots of glide and a smooth and soft overstable finish at the end of the flight. Also the Wizard is available in a bunch of plastic blends so whether you like a soft or stiff driving putter, you can find a Wizard that will work for you. straight flying putter that can be lethal from distance as well.
Discraft Zone
I may have spoken too soon when I said that the Harp was the most overstable disc nominated today. The Discraft Zone is another flat topped and overstable driving putter that has always been a popular choice for approach and driving off the tee. It has a comfortable rim for forehand shots off the tee as well. Again, this may not fit the “mold” as a traditional driving putter, but the Discraft Zone is a popular and reliable choice for shots off the tee, so it has earned a nomination today.
The Best Throwing Putter Is….
Okay everyone! It is now time to announce our winner of the Infinite Discs Best Disc Golf Disc: Driving Putter Disc! This is a category that has lots of great nominees, and making the final choice was difficult. But we tried to stay true to our criteria of our two key words: Popularity and Utility. And I think we made the correct choice. Before we reveal the winner, here are the nominees once again:
- Axiom Envy
- Westside Harp
- Dynamic Discs Judge
- Innova Nova
- Discmania P2
- Prodigy PA4
- Dynamic Discs Warden
- Gateway Wizard
And here is our selection for the winner:
THE INFINITE DISCS BEST DISC GOLF DISC: DRIVING PUTTER DISC
To be honest, this one came down to two options. It was either the Innova Nova or the Discmania P2. The P2 is a very popular disc that makes a great driving putter, but what tipped the scales in favor of the Innova Nova is the fact that it is a pure driving putter. It is rare to find someone who putts with the Nova.
So the fact that it continues to finish as a top 10 selling disc in the putt and approach category is very impressive. It also offers a very unique flight pattern that is so straight for so long with minimal fade. When all is said and done, the Innova Nova is a truly versatile disc that is used by disc golfers at every skill level.
What is your favorite driving putter?
What is your favorite driving putter? Tell us your favorite driving putter (nominated, or not nominated) in the comments below.
Click this link to find out the best overall putters.
Up until recently I would swear by the Lucid Judge because of its predictability, straight flight, and resistance to torque. Now it’s a tie between a lucid moonshine judge and a vip moonshine maiden! Moonshine judge for all of the above plus it’s a tad more overstable. The Maiden is money off the tee or anytime you need to throw a laser beam. It is also GREAT for long sweeping turnovers. I wish these moonshine discs glowed brighter but they do last for a long time and you can’t beat the durability! THROW SOME D’S ON IT!
Star Aviar3 is fantastic off the teebox for me. Goes right where I want it to.
Kind of shocked the Aviar 3 was not on the list. Great off the tee ND approach shots.
I like the Aviarx3 for the overstability. I can throw it hard off the tee and it will not turn over.
Great Driving Putter Disc:
Glow or K1 Reko produced by Kastaplast. Lots of glide.
I’ve tried several putters over the years but I just can’t get away from my special edition soft Rhyno. I’ve had it in my bag since my second year playing. I think that was around 2001. Sadly she is getting a little stiff in her old age. The Disccraft Zone looks like a good option.
I am a little shocked the Ion by MVP isn’t on this list, but I guess with an overly saturated disc market it is hard to pick out a few that stand outs. I bag a few of these discs, but I am surprised discs like the Judge and Warden are on here together. They are the essentially the same disc except for a bead or lack thereof. For shear originality and uniqueness my vote has to be the Zone. Being one of the original super overstable driving putters (the other being the Sinus) the Zone has a trait that few on this list can match. It starts out as a wind fighter/ side arm approach style disc, but as it ages it beats into a straight flying machine that still retains its consistent fade. So instead of needing to cycle a new one into the bag frequently when the previous disc has lost its stability and flips over too easily, the Zone allows for trust in a single disc for many years. I have no doubts the Harp carries similar traits to the Zone, but that is due to the fact it was designed to be Trilogy’s “Zone like” disc. If nothing else Paul McBeth has stated that for all of his success with Innova, he has been missing a disc like the Zone.
I have played disc for over 20 years now and have had the privilege to use many of these brands and products. Best putter for me would have to be the gateway wizard it has amazing grip and a true flight path ( straight into the basket..) and for a driving putter I would have to say the discmania P2 s-line. Whether it’s from the tee on a short 3 or a launch across an open area this disc is very predictable and holds almost any line you put it on with ease. Happy to see products continuing evolve and this sport I love to grow into what it’s become today.
I haven’t been playing for long so I don’t have a lot to compare to. My favourite as of now is the K3 Reko. I’m really looking forward to trying the P2 as well as the Infinite Discs Tomb.