Rip golf discs are a newcomer to the industry. The Oregon-based company released its first two discs this year, with the Relic and Graboide hitting the market.
Both discs are putters, although the Relic is marked as a putt and approach disc.
Rip discs are different from most putters I have tried. They have a chunky, deep rim, which I must say feels great in my bigger hands. You can really get a grip, which is enhanced by the rim being made of a 'grippy' slightly tacky-feel plastic.
The Graboide disc has a bit of contouring along the bottom edge and is slightly slimmer than the Relic, although the basic design of the two is similar.
The company website offers that "the Graboide is a large bead putter. It comes off over stable, great for putter and sweet for short drives! You can rip this disc hard and fast and it won't turn over on you, making it fly 250 - 300 feet and very easy to control. The Graboide has the Grip plastic, giving it a Grippy lip and a firm flight plate. The Grippy rubber like lip grabs the chains very well, it also keeps it from skipping on those up-shoots and short drives. The firm flight plate keeps this disc from wobbling all over the place, making your throw easier to do over and over with the same results."
"The Relic is a non beaded straight flying somewhat under stable disc. The lip on the Relic is where it gets the name Grip Plastic, the grippy rubber like rim grabs the chains so well that it should take your score down as you well not glance off the chains! The center plate is a firm plastic which make it nice for those up-shoots or short drives! With the firm flight plate the disc will not wobble while in mid flight, so your throw and the flight should be the same with every throw! The grip lip also stops the disc when it hits the ground, so no more skipping 50 feet from where you landed your disc."
Now what did the discs do this fall at Patrick Park Disc Golf Course in Yorkton?
Well in Saskatchewan in the fall, well most of the disc golf season, you have to deal with wind. Some days that means a steady stiff wind which is at least predictable. Some days it gusts, and then factoring in the heavy tree cover of the course, and you get pockets of breeze.
The Relic and Graboide with the deeper ridge did not like the gusts very much. A gust of wind seemed to just get caught under the discs at times and you could actually see the disc bouncing in the air. Now that might be overcome with a hard throw, but close into the basket a hard throw that misses means a long second putt, and soon a hole can go real bad. I prefer a bit more of a finesse shot close in, and in wind the Graboide and Relic would not be my first choice.
That said both discs sure feel good and I'll continue to work with them to find where they are useful in my game. I hold out hope calm day results will be better.
And the firm grip could be a real asset in the heat of mid summer when sweat can be an issue. For mid range throws, the Relic and Graboide could be interesting options to explore.
Full credit to Rip for bringing a different approach from most to the putter field. The Relic and Graboide certainly have me excited to see what their fledgling company might bring to the driver market in 2012.
Check the out these discs in more detail at www.ripdiscgolf.com
NEXT WEEK: A look at drivers from Ching Discs.
