Welcome back to the second round of the Disc Golf Reviewer World Series of Putters! 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 them 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.
Today’s match is the final second round match in the Alpaca Region of our bracket. Today we have the 2 seed Discraft Luna taking on the 10 seed Prodigy P Model US. In the first round, the Discraft Luna defeated the Viking Knife 63 to 52, and the Prodigy P Model US took down the Doomsday Landmine with a score of 53 to 38.
In the first round matchups I gave an overview of each disc (you can find links to every first round match at our main World Series of Putters post). For the second round, I’m sharing what surprised me the most about each disc the first time I threw it.
Discraft Luna
I think the texture of the plastic blend was the most surprising thing for me with the Luna. For the World Series of Putters I’m using the Luna in Discraft’s special Paul McBeth plastic blend, which is the standard plastic for the Luna. It has a significant texture to it that feels almost like an orange peel. I don’t dislike the feel of it, but it is different and a surprise when you hold the disc for the first time.
Prodigy P Model US
The P Model US is one of the Putters from the more affordable Ace Line of Prodigy Discs that Prodigy has partnered with Yikun Discs in China to manufacture. So one of the surprises for me when I first got this disc was how nice and stiff the plastic feels. I expected it to feel more like Yikun’s Tiger Line plastic, which is a good putter plastic, but it is much softer than the Base Grip plastic blend P Model US that we are using for the World Series of Putters.
Another surprise is how stable this disc is. It is named “US” for “understable,” but as the flight numbers indicate, it flies straight–a true “stable” flight. Perhaps this is why Prodigy is also coming out with a P Model US+ in their Ace Line.
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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P Model US
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| Flight Numbers: 3/3/0/3 (1.0 Discraft Stability Rating)
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Flight Numbers: 3/5/-1/1
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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: 176.8gr
Diameter: 21.3cm
Height: 2.0cm
Rim Depth: 1.5cm
Rim Thickness: 1.1cm
Inside Rim Diameter: 19.1cm
Rim Depth / Diameter Ratio: 7.0%
Rim Configuration: 63.75
Flexibility: 6.93kg
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Despite their difference in stability, these two discs have very, very similar specs. But also, despite their similar specs, they actually feel pretty different from each other when you hold them in your hand.
The most obvious difference is their plastic blends. I mentioned the unique texture of the Luna already. The Base Grip P Model US is a significantly stiffer plastic blend, but it also has a kind of slick and smooth feel to it. I never doubted my grip on the Base Grip plastic, but I do wonder if it might have a hard time in colder or wetter weather.
Another way these two discs feel different despite their similar spec measurements is their rim shapes. The P Model US has a very flat top that stretches out toward the edge of the disc more while the Luna has a slightly more gradual rounding from the top of the disc that doesn’t make the top feel so flat. You can also see in the profile picture how this difference makes the P Model US’s edge to be a bit blunter than the Luna’s.
I mentioned this in the first round, but I think the Luna’s flight numbers are more overstable than the disc actually is. Discs that fly similar to the Luna usually have a 2 for their fade rating rather than a 3. That being said, I did notice the Luna performed a bit more overstable than the P Model US on the putting green, which was something I made sure to account for while I was throwing the putts for the scored match
The Match
I conducted this match on a quiet evening at my local disc golf course on a permanent Innova Discatcher basket that sits right under a streetlight. 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 Discraft Luna. Here is how it all played out:
(2) Luna Scorecard
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(10) P Model US Scorecard
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| 20ft: Y Y N Y Y Y Y Y Y Y (9/10 putts made)=27 points |
20ft: N Y Y Y N N N Y Y Y (6/10)=18 points
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| 30ft: Y Y Y N N Y N Y Y N (6/10)=24 points |
30ft: N N Y Y Y N N N Y N (4/10)=16 points
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| 40ft: N Y Y N Y N N N N N (3/10)=15 points |
40ft: N Y Y N N N N Y N N (3/10)=15 points
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| Total: 66 points |
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The Winner
The 2 seed Discraft Luna picked up where it left off in the first round by putting up another high scoring performance on the putting green, defeating the 10 seed Prodigy P Model US 66 to 49.
Notes from the Match
After some slightly lower scores so far in the second round, it felt nice to have a decent performance using both of these putters. The Luna had the highest score in the Alpaca Region during the first round, and it is now the high scorer of the region in the second round as well.
If I’m trying to pinpoint the difference makers in this match, I think I’d have to go with a couple differences I’ve already mentioned–plastic blend and disc shape.
It is well documented by now that I generally like a stiffer plastic blend. The Base Grip on the P Model US is very stiff, but the Paul McBeth blend Luna is decently firm as well. I don’t think I’d call the Base Grip too stiff, but the stiffness combined with the smoother and slicker feel was just less preferable for me than the firm and textured feel of the Paul McBeth Luna.
The disc shape difference between these two putters I don’t think was a huge factor, but I just think the flatter top of the P Model US was slightly less comfortable in my hand than the Luna.
Keep in mind that the P Model US still put up a solid score. It is a quality putter option, but the Luna has now shown some consistency by putting up scores in the 60s in both of its rounds. This consistency should make it a favorite moving forward into the rest of the tournament.
My Recommendation
These two putters are a solid option on the putting green, and while the Base Grip P Model US would be the less expensive choice, the Discraft Paul McBeth Luna is proving to be worth its higher price. If you are looking for a consistent option on the putting green (aren’t we all?) I would choose the Luna.
Tomorrow, we move across the bracket to the P2 region where the 1 seed Discmania P2 is taking on the 8 seed Discraft Fierce. See you there!
