Why is the Turbo putter illegal?

Okay I can guess the answer to this.. But really why does the ridges make it illegal? They aren't really significant. I don’t think they would help the disc stick in the chains that much. You could look at some of the soft discs and they are probably stick in the basket better.

I think it is a great disc to putt with. I started turbo putting before I seen anyone doing it. It worked for me. When I seen this disc I thought it was the coolest disc that I have seen since the first Z plastic discs. Could the reason be that it gives people that turbo putt to much of an advantage in the putt itself as far as accuracy and distance?

[4U2NV]

It is because of the spiral on the bottom, that and because the pdga decided to not un-approve it after it was approved. There was a legal battle between Quest and PDGA so the turbo putt was re-approved until the end of 08. Not it is no longer approved. Question is why is the wheel not approved.

[DIRTY DOG]

That is messed up. I hope someone will post a reason for it.

[Ben Calhoun]

The reason-ing is to keep discs realistic and conform to the normal disc shape and flight. It's fine by me. What would this sport become with all sorts of out of control so called 'discs' coming out? Obsolete overnight, for many courses. It was a lack of forethought on the original disc qualification specs., really.

[Ryan Cole]

You can still use it unless you're playing in a PDGA sanctioned event, and not all tournaments are. It's a very stable disc when putted with regularly (non-turbo putt), and the edges do catch the chains better than if there were no serrations. The only thing is that if you get attached to it (and become proficient using it), and then you do attend one of the PDGA events, your game will suffer.

Take a look at the Turbo Putt:
http://www.Hazardiscs.com/turboputt.html

[JeremyRogers]

its teethe grab the chains, if they let this by, next you thing you know they would start making Boomerangs for DG

[Noah]

Ryan is right with the reasoning along with safety reasoning since the teeth stick out and will concentrate the energy if it hits someone. Similar to the reasoning of limiting the weight of discs.

[DIRTY DOG]

I know that in the rule book that it states that a disc must be saucer shape with no ridge etc. That’s not word for word but that’s the idea. I know that the Turbo putter has ridges. How much of an advantage is that really? I think that flexible disc have more of an advantage. How bad is the disc that it was approved, and then be made to be illegal? These aren’t casual golfers that did that. It’s the brains at PDGA that make all kinds of tests to make sure that a mold is within standards. They didn’t ask for a change of rules to make odd shaped discs. Quest created a disc that was approved.

There is no reason that having a disc like the turbo putter is going to make other shaped disc legal.. “Since there is a disc with ridges then let’s make a square discs, or a boomerang legal”. It would never lead to that. I don’t think it would ever run the game. That is like saying that someone is going to make a 176 so we can make a 177 or 178 legal. Let’s make a large diameter. Use whatever other example you would like. Quest created a disc that was approved.

Obsolete overnight, for many courses. what do you mean?

[Scott Kickbusch]

Disc technology has been hammering good courses for years. The first generation of courses were 4,000ish feet for 18 holes. Signature holes were 300'. While folks were throwing lids, it was all good. Once the modern golf disc came into production, those courses were no longer adequate. By 1990 you needed more like 6,000' with a 500' signature hole. As time went on the rims kept getting bigger on the drivers, people kept throwing them farther and farther, and now those 6,000' courses with the 500' shots don't cut it anymore, either. So now we have courses that are 10,000' with 1,000' signature holes. Where does it end? How much public land do we really think is going to be turned into disc golf courses? I like to throw long as much as the next guy, but enough is enough.

The tech standards were far too lax. Course designers need a chance to catch up with how far the discs are flying already. It was time to put an end to the endless "newest-longest-fastest-driver" race that had been going on since 1999. Hopefully capping the rims at 2.6 cm will do that. The Turbo-Putt was just a casualty of something that should provide some protection for a lot of good courses out there. Personally, I'm willing to sacrifice it to achieve that end. It was just a trick disc anyway, destined to the scrap heap of disc history along with the 10 M Brick.

People get caught up in disc technology like it's the heart and soul of the sport. They are just the implements. The courses are far more important than a new "faster-longer" driver. It was long overdue that somebody try to do something that would protect the integrity of the courses we have. The disc manufacturers might not like it, since selling drivers has been as easy as adding 0.1cm to the rim and calling it a speed faster for a decade. They will have to come up with a new trick to sell us a disc. I'd rather deal with that than risk standing on an 8,000' course in five years talking about how it's just not challenging enough anymore.

[Chuck Kennedy]

Of course, your disc and course history lesson was one of the key reasons for developing the Super Class disc category so existing courses could again provide a challenge more like golf with a good mix of true par 4s and 5s along with the ever present par 3s. This golf-like par mix is mostly missing on many courses when current hi-tech discs are used.

It was determined that the Turbo Putt did not actually meet the intent and wording of the pre-Turbo tech specifications that specified a "saucer shape" for approved discs, but was mistakenly approved due to an initially more liberal interpretation of that wording by the specialist doing the measurements. That lead to the PDGA compromise agreement with Quest to continue Turbo-Putt approval for 18 months from that point so they could potentially sell through their Turbo-Putt stock to rec players who might want to continue to use it past PDGA approval expiration Jan 1 of this year. The revised specs published about 6 months after the Turbo-Putt clarified the wording regarding acceptable disc shape and several other dimensions connected with that such as the new 2.6 cm wing maximum for drivers mentioned above.

[Tino "SilverBack" Medina]

EASY- Disc=round shape, Turbo=ridges and not a disc. How can you use a "non-disc" in a disc sport.