Axiom Envy vs. Birdie Marvel — World Series of Putters Final

It all comes down to this! We’ve finally reached the final round of the Disc Golf Reviewer World Series of Putters! We began this series searching for the best putter in the world and hoping to provide the disc golf community with a plethora of information along the way to help everyone decide what putter is right for them. This is an NCAA basketball style tournament and project where every day I’ve tested two putter molds against each other on the putting green in a head-to-head competition before posting here about my experience and the results.

We started with 64 different putter molds across a wide range of manufacturers and designs seeded into 4 bracket regions, and now there are just two putters left: the 1 seed Axiom Envy and the 10 seed Birdie Marvel. Let’s review how each disc got here.

The Axiom Envy first defeated the 16 seed Millennium Omega in the first round (43-40), the 9 seed Latitude 64 Dagger in the second round (64 to 61), the 12 seed Discmania Sensei in the round of 16 (63 to 56), and the 11 seed Yikun Hammer in the regional championship round (61 to 54). In the semifinal the Envy swept the 12 seed Lone Star Jackrabbit in a best of 3 (64 to 41 and 69 to 43).

The Birdie Marvel took down the 7 seed Discraft Banger GT in the first round (58 to 42), the 15 seed Latitude 64 Faith in the second round (53 to 49), the 3 seed Prodigy PA-3 in the round of 16 (68 to 58), and the 9 seed Discmania Link in the regional championship round (74 to 62). After dropping the first match, the Marvel came back to win two in a row to eliminate the 2 seed Discraft Luna (52 to 60, 62 to 59, and 74 to 54).

You can find the full results of every match in this series over at our main World Series of Putters post.

In the first round I gave an overview of each disc. In the second round I shared what surprised me about each disc. In the round of 16, I shared what I like best about each disc. In the quarterfinal, I shared something I got wrong about each putter. For the semifinal, I shared one word to describe each disc. For this final round post, let’s just take a second to appreciate each disc.

Axiom Envy

The theme all series long for this disc has been that this event is a chance for the Envy to prove that it is more than just an approach or driving putter. No matter what happens today, making it to the final round to me has proven once and for all that this putter is a true all-purpose putter that has every right to be your choice for your putting putter.

This lower profile beadless putter that features the MVP/Axiom signature GYRO technology overmold is one of the best selling putters in the world for good reason. It is a beautiful disc that’s available in pretty much every plastic blend that Axiom makes. For our event, we’ve used the base Electron plastic blend, and it has performed wonderfully.

Biride Marvel

The Birdie Marvel is a brand new disc from a disc golf brand that is brand new to releasing discs under their own name in Birdie Disc Golf Supply. While this event has been favorable for what we might call “traditional” putter shaped discs, it has also specifically been favorable for newer releases that have “traditional” shapes and designs like the Birdie Marvel.

The Marvel features a blunt edge and a pretty unique beveled bottom that cuts inward at a pretty sharp angle toward the center of the disc. The rim is also beadless and feels very nice in the hand. The Base Blend Marvel also feels really nice as it has a somewhat chalky, stiffer feel that performs well in both hot and cold weather.

You might not have heard of the Birdie Marvel yet, but don’t be surprised when you start to see it in every shop and on every disc golf course soon.

Specifications and Flight Numbers

Like we’ve done in every match, let’s take a look at some of the specs courtesy of the PDGA and break down the major differences between these two putter molds.

Envy	Marvel
Flight Numbers: 3/3/-1/2	Flight Numbers: 2/3/0/1
Max Weight: 174.3gr Diameter: 21.0cm Height: 1.8cm Rim Depth: 1.4cm Rim Thickness: 1.1cm Inside Rim Diameter: 18.8cm Rim Depth / Diameter Ratio: 6.7% Rim Configuration: 52.00 Flexibility: 8.73kg	Max Weight: 175.1gr Diameter: 21.1cm Height: 2.0cm Rim Depth: 1.4cm Rim Thickness: 1.1cm Inside Rim Diameter: 18.9cm Rim Depth / Diameter Ratio: 6.6% Rim Configuration: 65.75 Flexibility: 11.02kg

The Matches

Match 1

Match 1 Winner

Notes from Match 1

Match 2

After another brief warm up, I flipped a coin to see which putter would be thrown first for the first round of putts, and this time it was the Birdie Marvel again. Here is how it all played out:

(1) Envy Scorecard	(10) Marvel Scorecard
20ft: Y Y N Y Y Y Y Y Y Y (9/10 putts made)=27 points	20ft: Y N Y Y Y Y Y Y N N (7/10)=21 points
30ft: Y N N Y N N N Y Y Y (5/10)=20 points	30ft: N Y Y Y N Y Y Y N N (6/10)=24 points
40ft: N N N N Y N Y N N Y (3/10)=15 points	40ft: N N N N Y N N N N N (1/10)=5 points
Total: 62 points	Total: 50 points

Match 2 Winner

The 1 seed Axiom Envy made 6 of its last 8 putts while the 10 seed Birdie Marvel went 0 for 8 over the same span to even up the series at 1-1. Final score: 62 to 50.

Notes from Match 2

If you do the math, that’s a 24 point swing in those last 8 putts, meaning the Marvel had a 12 point lead at that point in the match. I was still feeling the nerves in this match, though I try not to keep score while conducting the matches so that I don’t subconsciously influence the results. So while I was overall nervous, I don’t think it would be entirely fair to say I or the Marvel “choked” down the stretch, since I really didn’t feel any added pressure for that disc in particular. I just had an unfortunately timed cold spell with the Marvel that may prove to be very costly.

At this point as well, I really felt like it could be anybody’s championship for the taking. I really like the feel of both discs in my hand, and I felt like I had a chance to make every putt with either disc at this point in the competition. It was just a matter of trying to lock in for each putt to do my best to get the best result out of the third and final match.

Match 3

It’s all we could have asked for, like a game 7 in the World Series, the Disc Golf Reviewer World Series of Putters Final moves to a third and final decisive match. After another brief warm up, I flipped a coin to see which putter would be thrown first for the first round of putts, and this time it was the Axiom Envy. Here is how it all played out:

(1) Envy Scorecard	(10) Marvel Scorecard
20ft: Y Y Y Y Y Y N Y Y Y (9/10 putts made)=27 points	20ft: N Y Y Y N Y Y Y N Y (7/10)=21 points
30ft: N Y Y N N Y Y Y Y N (6/10)=20 points	30ft: Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y N N (8/10)=32 points
40ft: N N N N N N N N Y N (1/10)=5 points	40ft: N N N N N Y N Y N N (2/10)=10 points
Total: 52 points	Total: 63 points

Match 3 Winner

Becoming the first to begin a match with an 8 for 8 performance from 30ft is how you win the whole dang thing in style. The 10 seed Marvel wins match 3 over the 1 seed Axiom Envy with a final score of 63 to 52 to become the World Series of Putters Champion. I repeat: The Birdie Marvel is the Disc Golf Reviewer World Series of Putters Champion!

Notes from Match 3

I said I didn’t choke at the end of the previous match…but knowing a 10 for 10 from 30ft for the Marvel was on the line may have gotten the best of me and my nerves. But thankfully for the Marvel, it didn’t end up impacting the final result.

I feel like it was a poor performance from 40ft in all 3 matches, but especially this one. But the fact that the 40ft range didn’t end up being the only difference maker in any of the 3 matches makes me trust the final overall results a bit more.

I really grew to love both of these discs throughout this project, so trying to pick out what made the Marvel the winner tonight feels difficult. However, I think the law of averages on height finally caught up with the Axiom Envy. At least for my putting style and experience, the 2.ocm height statistically was the best height throughout this tournament, and while I think the Envy’s shape and flight are near perfect, a taller disc is going to offer more glide which translates to less effort in the putting motion which then translates to less opportunities to unwanted variables impacting the putting form and causing something to go awry with the putt.

But also, the Birdie Marvel was just a really great putter especially in the last few matches. I’d have to go back to double check, but I think it was the only putter to reach 8 out of 10 from 30ft, and it did it twice.

My Recommendation