The King of Putters: Why the Prodigy PA-3 Took the Crown From the Innova Aviar
Welcome to the final throne room in our series on the discs that define the sport. If you're just joining us, start with The Kings of Disc Golf, then work your way through The King of Distance Drivers, The Kings of Fairway Drivers, The King of Mid-Ranges, and The King of Approach Discs.
We saved the most important slot for last. You use your putter more than any other disc in your bag, and it's the disc that decides whether a good drive turns into a birdie or a bogey.
The Innova Aviar laid the foundation for the sport of disc golf, but the Prodigy PA-3 is, in my opinion, the modern King of Putters. For forty years, the Aviar held the crown as the best-selling, most replicated putter in history. But as the sport exploded and a new generation of high-spin, fast putting styles took over the pro tour, the shape of the perfect putter shifted. Today, the PA-3 is the industry standard.
The Old Guard: The Innova Aviar
Flight Numbers: 2 | 3 | 0 | 1 (what do these numbers mean?)
Approved by the PDGA in 1984 and designed by Innova co-founder Dave Dunipace, the Aviar was the first mold built specifically for putting. Before it showed up, players were putting with Frisbee-style discs or early golf discs like the Innova Aero, which had a lot more glide than you want near the basket. The Aviar proved that a blunt, slow edge was what it took to reliably catch chains without sailing past the pole.
At first, plenty of players didn't understand why they needed a dedicated putter at all. That didn't last long.
The Aviar Dynasty
With its traditional rounded profile and smooth, beadless rim on the classic Putt & Approach, the Aviar became a true dynasty. Ken Climo won 12 World Championships with Aviars in his bag, and Innova credits the Aviar with more World Championship wins than any other disc. It is still recognized as the best-selling putter of all time.
The Aviar also spawned an entire family of pro-tailored versions, and that's a big part of why it stuck around so long:
- Baseline Aviar P&A: The original beadless feel in DX plastic and XT plastic. Cheap, grippy, and a great disc to learn to putt with.
- KC Pro Aviar: Ken Climo's version, built on the big-bead mold in a firmer Pro blend for a little more stability. Grab the stock KC Pro Aviar or the Calvin Heimburg KC Pro Aviar.
- Yeti Pro Aviar: Made for Jay "Yeti" Reading, the Yeti Pro Aviar keeps the big bead but adds a slightly concave top for a lower profile and a straighter flight.
- JK Pro Aviar-X: The JK Pro Aviar-X is the softer, grippier big-bead option for players who want their putter to have a little give.
For decades, the Aviar was the blueprint every other putter was measured against. If you want to see every version we carry, browse the full Innova Aviar collection.
The Modern Monarch: The Prodigy PA-3
Flight Numbers: 3 | 3 | 0 | 1
Approved by the PDGA on March 25, 2014, the PA-3 was the fourth putter in the Prodigy lineup, and it was built for the power of the modern game. Instead of the rounded dome of the Aviar, the PA-3 has a flat top, a boxy leading edge, and a defined bottom bead. That shape gives players the same finger placement every time, a comfortable depth in the hand, and a clean release that doesn't snag on the way out of the hand.
In the air, the PA-3 flies straight with just a touch of fade at the end. It drops flat into the chains on putts and holds up in the wind off the tee, which is why it has sat at or near the top of best-seller lists and "what's your putter" polls year after year.
Which PA-3 Plastic Should You Grab?
- 300 PA-3: The fan favorite. Grippy, comfortable, and the go-to putting plastic for a ton of players.
- 300 Soft Glow PA-3: Softer and grippier, and you can keep putting after the sun goes down.
- 300 Fractal PA-3: Same 300 feel with one-of-a-kind swirl patterns.
- 400 PA-3: Stiffer premium plastic that holds its flight longer. A great throwing putter.
- 500 PA-3 and 750 PA-3: Premium options for players who want durability on approach shots and tee shots.
- Reblend PA-3: Recycled plastic with a firm feel and a lower price.
Aviar vs. PA-3: Grading the Throne
Every King in this series has been judged on the same four pillars: longevity, amateur adoption, sales, and influence on the Pro Tour. Here's how the old king and the new king stack up side by side.
| Innova Aviar | Prodigy PA-3 | |
|---|---|---|
| PDGA Approved | 1984 | 2014 |
| Flight Numbers | 2 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 1 |
| Top Profile | Rounded dome | Flat top |
| Rim | Beadless (P&A) or big bead (KC, JK, Yeti) | Defined bottom bead |
| Longevity | 40+ years at the top | A decade-plus and still climbing |
| Pro Tour Legacy | Most World Championships of any disc | The template for today's tour putters |
On longevity and trophies, the Aviar wins and it isn't close. But the fourth pillar, the "copycat effect," is where the PA-3 takes the crown.
The "Ex-Prodigy" Clone Effect
The best proof of the PA-3's royalty is the ripple effect it has had across the entire disc golf industry. For years, Prodigy had one of the deepest young putting rosters in the world, and most of them putted with a PA-3. When those players left for new sponsors, they needed a PA-3 equivalent from their new manufacturer to keep their putting stroke locked in.
Chris Dickerson left Prodigy for Discraft heading into 2022. Gannon Buhr left after the 2023 season and signed with Discmania. Isaac and Ezra Robinson both left after 2024, with Isaac going to Latitude 64 and Ezra going to Discraft. That sparked a wave of new putters built to match the PA-3 feel:
Discmania P2x (Gannon Buhr)
Flight Numbers: 2 | 3 | 0 | 1
When Gannon got to Discmania, there wasn't a putter in the lineup that felt like his PA-3. He started with the Link but fought to keep it from drifting off line and gliding past the basket. After several rounds of prototypes and re-tools, Discmania landed on the P2x: a very flat, low-profile putter with a big bead, a wider diameter, and a flat inner rim that suits a game built on the PA-3. Gannon switched late in the 2024 season, won five of his last six events, and went on to win the 2025 World Championship with it. In his words, "The P2x is the best putter I've ever used."
Shop the Glow C-Line P2x, the D-Line P2x, or the Metal Flake Horizon C-Line P2x "Arctic Assassin".
Latitude 64 Peak (Isaac Robinson)
Flight Numbers: 3 | 3 | 0 | 1
After Isaac signed with Latitude 64, the Peak became his putter. Latitude built it as a beaded version of their popular Pure, and it matches the PA-3's ultra-flat top. In the hand, it moves to a slightly sharper nose and a smaller microbead, which gives it a little more stability without feeling bulky. It even carries the exact same flight numbers as the PA-3. As Isaac put it, "I wanted something with a bead, that is a little more over-stable."
Grab his Zero Medium Moonshine Orbit Peak Team Series, the Zero Peak in your preferred firmness, or the Royal Grand Peak.
DGA Sonar and Discraft Roost (Chris Dickerson and Ezra Robinson)
Sonar Flight Numbers: 3 | 4 | 0 | 2 | Roost Flight Numbers: 2 | 5 | 0 | 2
DGA discs are made by Discraft, so the two brands share a manufacturing home, and Discraft players can draw from both lineups. The DGA Sonar is a beaded, overstable putter with a bigger shoulder. It gives you that familiar PA-3 style grip with a little more fade at the end.
Then there's the Roost. It started as a prototype for Ricky Wysocki and became Chris Dickerson's signature putter. It's beaded and much deeper than most modern putters, and you could argue the Roost is basically a deeper, taller-nosed PA-3. Check out the First Run Putter Line Roost or the Chris Dickerson CT Swirl Roost.
Mint Pickle and Meridian Mojave
Smaller brands followed the same blueprint. Mint Discs released the Pickle (2 | 3.5 | 0 | 1.5), a flat, big-bead putter with a rounder nose that slots between their Profit and UFO. Pick one up in Apex plastic or Royal plastic.
Texas-based Meridian Discs dropped the Mojave (3 | 4 | 0 | 2), modeled closely after the PA-3 with a flat top, low shoulder, squared nose, and a clean bead, all on a slightly wider diameter. It carries straight a little longer than a PA-3 before the fade kicks in.
Looking for an Exact Profile? See Every Disc Before You Buy
If you've been putting with the same putter for years, you know that two discs of the same mold don't always feel the same. One run might sit flatter, another might have a little dome, and bead size can change from run to run. When your putting stroke depends on that exact feel, a stock photo doesn't cut it.
That's why every disc in our shop is photographed individually, including a profile shot so you can see the exact top, shoulder, and rim of the disc you're buying. Whether you're hunting for a flat PA-3, a big-bead Aviar, or the closest match to the putter you've been throwing for years, you can browse our putters collection and pick the exact disc that matches your hand.
The Verdict: The PA-3 Wears the Modern Crown
The Innova Aviar will always hold the historical legacy and the most World Titles. It invented the putter slot, and nothing will ever take that away.
But the Prodigy PA-3 is the true modern King of Putters. It defined the flat-top, boxy-nosed, beaded shape that a whole generation of professional and amateur players now want in the circle. When the best putters in the world leave Prodigy and the first thing their new sponsor builds is a PA-3 equivalent, that tells you everything about who owns the slot.
Frequently Asked Questions About the King of Putters
What is the best-selling disc golf putter of all time?
The Innova Aviar is recognized as the best-selling putter of all time. It was approved by the PDGA in 1984 and has been used to win more World Championships than any other disc.
What is the difference between the Prodigy PA-3 and the Innova Aviar?
The classic Aviar has a rounded dome and a beadless rim, while the PA-3 has a flat top, a boxy nose, and a defined bead. The PA-3 flies straight with a slight fade (3 | 3 | 0 | 1), and many modern players prefer its consistent thumb placement and clean release.
What putters are similar to the Prodigy PA-3?
The closest PA-3 style putters are the Discmania P2x, Latitude 64 Peak, Meridian Mojave, and Mint Pickle. The DGA Sonar and Discraft Roost offer a similar beaded feel with more fade and a deeper rim.
Is the Prodigy PA-3 good for beginners?
Yes. The PA-3 is straight and predictable with a gentle fade, so it works for beginners and pros alike. Beginners may want 300 plastic for extra grip.
The Complete Kings of Disc Golf Series
- The Kings of Disc Golf: Defining the Standard for Every Slot in Your Bag
- The King of Distance Drivers: Innova Destroyer
- The Kings of Fairway Drivers: Innova Firebird and Discmania FD
- The King of Mid-Ranges: Discraft Buzzz
- The King of Approach Discs: Discraft Zone
- The King of Putters: Prodigy PA-3 (you are here)
Ready to crown your own putter? Shop the full Prodigy PA-3 collection, explore the classic Innova Aviar collection, or browse every disc golf putter we carry, with profile photos of every disc, right here at Armory Disc Golf.
About the Author: Dustin Sanford (PDGA #204885) has been throwing discs for over 12 years. As the founder of Armory Disc Golf, Dustin combines his decade-plus of on-the-course experience with a passion for helping players of all skill levels understand disc flight dynamics and find the exact right plastic to lower their scores.