Dynamic Discs Judge Review

Dynamic Discs released the Judge in 2013 and it has quickly become a favorite putter for many players.  What do the Putt Heads think of the Judge?

Manufacturer’s Notes

“The Judge is your go to putter in all conditions and is an incredibly versatile disc for players of any skill level. The Judge is a great putter for use off of the tee and approach shots in addition to putting. The Judge was named the 2013 Disc of the Year in the Players Choice Awards“

http://www.dynamicdiscs.net/SearchResults.asp?Search=judge&Submit=Search

Available plastics: Prime, Classic, Classic Blend, Classic Soft, Lucid, Fluid, Fuzion

Flight Rating: 2 speed, 4 glide, 0 turn, .5 fade

Initial Reactions

As soon as I picked up a Judge, I could tell it was close to perfect.  The rim is slightly more shallow than an Aviar and the nose is wide enough to get a good grip.  There is a small bead but I don’t notice it.

By the Numbers

Putting Notes

Putting from inside the circle is very accurate, showing no signs of movement left or right.  The fade kicks in at around 30’ for me with my push putt, but is still very manageable from longer distances because of the extra glide.  Unfortunately, this extra glide will cause your misses inside the circle to float away a little further and putting on windy days can be a little difficult.  I’ve learned to adjust the nose angle to avoid the wind but an unforeseen gust can throw your putt offline.  As a small side note, the Judge works very well for me as a turbo putt disc.

I prefer the Classic plastic, which is very hard but still has some decent grip.  That said, I’ve noticed a greater chance of a rollaway because of the firm plastic.  This isn’t a knock on the putter, but you should be aware.  I’ve thrown a Classic Soft, and Classic Blend as well.  The Classic Soft is far too soft for me but Chris has had some good success using as a spin putter.  The Classic Blend feels great but isn’t perfectly suitable for push putting.  I do use the Classic Blend in the winter and love it.

Upshots

Throwing an upshot with the judge is hit or miss for me.  It holds any line I ask of it but the glide really makes me inconsistent with my leave.  I think spending some decent time learning how the disc handles would be necessary before I could trust this as my primary upshot disc.  Other disc golfers I’ve talked to really like the Judge for upshots and many reviewers online echo that perspective.  You should certainly give it a try too.

Chris has seen solid results throwing the Classic Soft Judge, mainly because it folds and drops after hitting a tree or the ground.  The easy landing makes the Classic Soft Judge a good choice for short, soft hyzers and grenade shots.  He doesn’t carry the disc anymore because it has been replaced by the Berg, but not everyone has the cannon of an arm that Chris carries.

Final Verdict

The Judge (in Classic plastic) is my current putter of choice and has been for a while.  I do have an occasional putt that clips a knuckle on the way out causing the disc to waver a little. This could be a problem with my grip but is also the reason for my putter search.  The mold feels great for all types of putting and the flight path is very consistent.  I have a high level of confidence when inside the circle because of the Judge. The Dynamic Discs’ Judge may be the all-time best disc golf putter.

Judge Video

Check out the “Is this disc right for you?” segment from Dynamic Discs:

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