The Buzzz mid-range disc is very well recognized disc name among players. It has been a long-standing best-selling disc for players looking for extremely accurate, straight-shooting performance. The disc is so popular that it has also been presented in more understable and overstable variations with the Buzzz SS and the Buzzz OS. There is another variation that is lesser known, simply because it was discontinued by Discraft shortly after it was PDGA approved in 2008. That unique disc was the Buzzz GT.
The Buzzz GT was a very interesting mold, taking the traditional Buzzz and adding a “groove track” on the top of the disc. The grove track feature added some new characteristics to the disc, with the key focus being on the grip. For whatever reason, the disc vanished for years, becoming a collectible. In the summer of 2016, Infinite Discs worked with Discraft and the 2016 Ledgestone Open tournament to release a limited edition run of Buzzz GT discs in Cryztal plastic. Only 500 units were made of the Cryztal Buzzz GT with a custom stamp that presents a tougher variation on the traditional Buzzz bee breaking chains. The bright yellow, pink, blue, and green colors look great with the durable, translucent plastic and the attractive stamp.
But aside from being available for a limited time and being a fun collectible for disc enthusiasts, how does the Buzzz GT actually fly? When originally released, the disc was advertised as having the flight characteristics of a traditional Buzzz, but with the addition of the comfortable groove track. After taking the Cryztal Buzzz GT out for an 18-hole game, using only the Buzzz GT for all shots, I feel like I can safely say that the disc does not fly like a traditional Buzzz. However, it flies quite a bit like the more overstable Buzzz OS. If you need a mid-range throw with a solid end fade, it’s a perfect option. While playing, it took me a few holes to figure out how the disc wanted to fly, but once I figured it out, I was able to park the disc easily on shorter holes and even had a couple of near ace “chain-outs” on short 200-ft holes. I was simply unable to get the disc to hold a straight line for very long.
I’ve been a fan of the Banger GT putter by Discraft for several years and found the groove track to be a great feature for my putter grip on those short-range putts. But I must admit that the Buzzz GT didn’t have the same effect for me. It took a little bit of time to get used to the groove track grip when using a disc that I was trying to throw further than a putter. When trying to grip the rim a bit tighter, the bottom of the groove seemed to interfere a bit with my fingers. Or, I could choose to stretch my fingers out more and use the bottom groove as a sort of second, wider rim. Basically, I wasn’t sure how I was going to hold the disc on each release. Once I became accustomed to the feel, it didn’t bother me as much.
After 18 holes, I was happy with the disc and added one to my bag, partially for that collector value, but it wasn’t the instant love affair that I’d expected. It certainly wasn’t added as a back-up to a traditional Buzzz. It’s a unique disc, with very unique characteristics. I can only guess at why Discraft discontinued the disc years ago, but it could have been because of that initial learning curve when players would pick it up.
