We’re back with another match in the Round of 16 in the Disc Golf Reviewer World Series of Putters! In this series, we are 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 test 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 have the second and final match of this round in the Alpaca today as the 2 seed Discraft Luna is going up against the 11 seed Gateway Voodoo. To get here, the Discraft Luna put up some high scores on its way to victories over the 15 seed Viking Knife in the first Round (63 to 52) and the 10 seed Prodigy P Model US in the second round (66 to 49). In its first two rounds, the Gateway Voodoo defeated the 6 seed EV-7 Penrose (55 to 44) and the 3 seed Axiom Proxy (50 to 30).
You can find the full results of every first and second round match 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’ll be sharing what I like best about each disc.
Discraft Luna
There’s a lot to like about the Discraft Luna, so it is hard for me to pick a favorite, but I think I’m going to go with the rim size and shape. The Luna has a nice rounded rim shape that comes to somewhat of a point along the edge. The beadless rim feels seamless in the hand, and it is a near perfect height that feels very comfortable in my hand.
I’m also starting to really like the textured feel of the Paul McBeth special plastic blend Luna that we are using for the World Series of Putters. It feels kind of like an orange peel all the way around but still offers a consistent and smooth release.
Gateway Voodoo
I really like the design of the Voodoo putter mold, but my favorite thing about it has to be the Gateway putter plastics that the disc comes in. Gateway is known for offering a wide variety of putter plastics, and they almost all offer a really nice chalky texture that provides a reliable grip.
For this event I’m using the Gateway Firm Voodoo, which is most firm and stiff version of their putter plastics.
Specifications and Flight Numbers
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.
Luna
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Voodoo
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| Flight Numbers: 3/3/0/3 (1.0 Discraft Stability Rating)
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Flight Numbers: 2/3/0/0
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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: 68.50
Flexibility: 12.13kg
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Max Weight: 176.0gr
Diameter: 21.2cm
Height: 2.1cm
Rim Depth: 1.6cm
Rim Thickness: 1.0cm
Inside Rim Diameter: 19.2cm
Rim Depth / Diameter Ratio: 7.5%
Rim Configuration: 62.00
Flexibility: 9.41kg
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Let’s start where I usually don’t start–flight numbers. Manufacturer assigned flight numbers should always be taken with a grain of salt as they are not at all an exact science. As I’ve said in the previous rounds, the Luna’s fade rating seems a bit high to me as I think it flies similarly to discs that usually have a 2 or 1 fade rating. On the other side, I think the Voodoo’s fade rating is a bit low. The Voodoo is designed to be a very straight flying putter, but I think it flies more like a stable to slightly overstable putter that should have a 1 or at least 0.5 fade rating.
This match is also a beaded vs beadless putter matchup. We usually see the beaded putter perform as the more overstable putter, but the Voodoo’s round rim shape and small microbead design is instead aiming for a straighter flight. That microbead also helps to make the Gateway Voodoo slightly taller than the beadless Discraft Luna, but not by much.
These discs felt very similar in my hand, and they fly pretty similar on the putting green as well. This was one of those matches where I was really able to get into a groove and maintain a similar form and approach with each disc throughout the entire match.
The Match
For more info on the format and scoring system I used to test these putters against each other, be sure to check out our main World Series of Putters post.
I conducted this match on a cool windless evening under a conveniently placed streetlight at my local disc golf course on a permanent Innova Discatcher basket. After warming up, I flipped a coin to see which putter would be thrown first for the first round of putts, and it was the Gateway Voodoo. Here is how it all played out:
(2) Luna Scorecard
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(11) Voodoo Scorecard
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| 20ft: N Y Y N Y Y Y Y Y Y (8/10 putts made)=24 points |
20ft: Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y (10/10)=30 points
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| 30ft: Y Y N N Y Y Y N N Y (6/10)=24 points |
30ft: N Y N N N N Y N N N (2/10)=8 points
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| 40ft: N Y Y N Y N N Y Y N (5/10)=25 points |
40ft: N Y N N Y Y N N N N (3/10)=15 points
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| Total: 73 points |
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The Winner
The Luna keeps on putting up high scores with its highest score yet and the second highest score of the entire tournament so far. The 2 seed Discraft Luna defeats the 11 seed Gateway Voodoo 73 to 53.
Notes from the Match
Similar to what the
Clash Popcorn was able to do in yesterday’s match, the Discraft Luna overcame ground lost from 20ft with a stellar performance from 40ft. The Luna also gained ground from 30ft as the Gateway had a surprisingly disappointing performance from that distance.
So why did the Luna do so much better than the Voodoo from these distances? This is one of those matches where it’s hard to pinpoint any particular thing. I overall really liked the feel and flight of each of these discs.
But one moment that I keep coming back to is a putt I remember from 30ft with the Voodoo. The small microbead seemed to snag on the joint of my finger and pulled the disc way to the right on my release point. I’ve always preferred beaded putters, and the Voodoo’s microbead is hardly noticeable when you first start to throw with it. But as I’ve said in other matches, I’m starting to come around on the idea of being concerned about the consistency of your release with a beaded putter. I think some beaded putter designs are more prone to this concern than others, but it is something I’m giving more merit than I ever did before starting this match.
That being said, it was just one putt in this match where I really noticed it impacting my release, and the Voodoo lost by more than one putt. So it is hard for me to blame the Voodoo’s loss entirely on the bead. The Luna is also a really solid putting putter that has been maybe the best or at least most consistent performer of the entire tournament so far. We said we wanted to find the best putter in the world in this series, and the Luna is making a strong case for itself so far.
My Recommendation
Both of these putters are really solid options from the putting green. But with how well I’ve putted with the Discraft Luna in all three rounds so far, it would have to be my recommended choice when picking between these two putters. The Luna is one of the most expensive putters on the market right now, but if it keeps performing like this, it’s worth it.
The Clash Popcorn and the Discraft Luna will face off in the Alpaca Regional Final, and the next two matches will determine who will be matched up in the P2 Regional Final. We will have the first match tomorrow between the 1 seed Discmania P2 and the 12 seed Lonestar Jackrabbit. Will the Jackrabbit’s Cinderella run be cut to an end by the top seed in its bracket? Come back tomorrow to find out!
