Innova Teebird – The Gold Standard Fairway Driver

7 Speed- Glide 5- Turn 0 Fade 2.0 – PGDA Approved (05/03/1999)

Summary – plenty of speed high glide and accuracy good for hyzers and windy conditions

Available Plastics/Editions: AJ Star (Avery Jenkins), Glow, GStar Plus, GStar, Echo Star, Champion, DX, Ken Climo Champion, Splatter Star, Swirled Star

Previous Plastics: Pro, I-Dye Champion, I-Dye Blizzard, Metal Flake Champion, Luster Champion (CFR), Tour Series Champion Glow, Tour Series Splatter Star, Tour Series Shimmer Star

Weight: 146-176gm

Diameter: 21.10cm Height: 1.5cm Rim Depth: 1.1cm Rim Thickness: 1.7cm

The Scoop

Known as the Gold Standard for fairway drivers. Is it as accurate as Innova’s flight chart- straight for 300 yards then a short 50% veer left for the last 50? It is if you have the required arm speed.

Beginners will find it easier to start in G Star plastic for that extra glide and straightness, until the form is down. Champion plastic is a bit more overstable too if you’re new at this.

With good arm speed the Teebird is true to the numbers for me. Once you get a bigger arm the Teebird marries the perfect combination of glide and fade with a huge dollop of stability.

As with all discs the stability will change from brand new until it’s beat in going from a touch on the overstable side, to settling into a straight accurate flyer. So, the light fade gets lighter as the disc ages.

I have several of these in my bag at any time with all various levels of fade depending on what I need to pull out. I have a Tee in Luster plastic that I can really bang and it’ll flip to straight and sometimes I pull it out just to shock my buddies.

They’re like wow where’d ya dig that missile from? When I’m in a competitive mood that’s hole over right there. Maybe the game if they’re psyched out.

It’s a good disc for beginners to get distance without needing a whole lot of power and speed. Most other brands ripped off the Teebird and for good reasons. It performs consistently well on all major shot types, straights, hyzers, anhyzers, forehands, backhands… it’s so stable it produces consistent flight patterns.

It has a ton of torque which is useful for holding high powered forearm shots, you will have to work out where it gets a little understable, but you either perfect your release, reign in the power or use it to your advantage. All comes with getting intimate with your disc on the fairway.

I think a mixed bag is the way to go these days. I’m not sponsored by Discraft so why stick to one company? I will mix and match my drivers but one thing I’ve found with the Teebird is it grows as you grow.

The more you play and gain experience, the straighter the disc flies. Sure that happens as it gets beat in, but how much really can a disc wear in? There is a point when it’s nominal or psychological, so in reality you are fine tuning your form and brain to compensate and work with the discs characteristics.

Of all control drivers I feel more in tune with this. I can sense to about 5 ft where it will land before I work into my shot. That’s the kinda disc you need in your bag. One that can make or break your day on the course. Your bread and butter driver.

I also find myself reaching for it on shorter shots when I could easily use a Roc or a Buzzz, when I want something that’s gonna land on a dime, I’ll pull this out, even for something 150-200 ft, when I want a dead straight shot, or a flat to gentle hyzer with a few percent fade.

Ken Climo Fan of Innova Teebird

This was a preferred driver 12 time World Champion Hall of Famer Kim Climo reached for in many tournaments and he should know a thing or 2 about discs as he’s been playing for over 30 years. 32 years in consecutive tournaments before retiring. And he knows a good disc when he sees one, or more to the point smashes up a course with, in a good way of course.

Weather Conditions

Swirled Star plastic is a good stiff plastic which makes it a bit more overstable and consistent for windy days. Splatter Star plastic is more gummy and tactile and grippy than the other plastics, which can be good in wet or cold conditions.

Splatter is somewhere in the middle between G & Star plastic. Glow T-birds are nice and grippy as well, I’d say there more stiff than Star and G Star, Swirled is also quite stiff.

Champion plastic will have the most durability with the trade-off of being less stiff. It will hold true to it’s flight path for the lifespan of the disc though, so that could be a good enough reason to bag it.

I like the bag DX and the champion keyboard if you’ve never used one before most likely find them straight consistent flyers but if you keep them in your bag over time they will certainly get more understable so when you throw it flat it’ll move to the right and have a nice easy finish so if you’re trying to make some easy s-curve throws this disc fit the bill.

But thrown on annnie with max powa this is going to hold onto the turn and veer to the right without getting too messy. Champion is definitely more stable without a doubt.

Teebird 3 Has More Speed

Essentially a refined Teebird with more speed, the T3 got the PDGA official seal of approval in 2017.

Faster Discs: Wraith, Thunderbird, Diablo, Teebird 3, Convict, Longbowman, Stal, Raptor, Zion, Viking, Cullverin, Marksman, Savant, Escape, Tesla, Apache, Saint, Lots, Orion LF, FX2, Assassin, Musket, Vulture, Vengenance, Boatman, Fortres, Invictus, Starfire, McBeth Prototype, Anax, Tsunami, ACE Line F Model, Sampo, Northman, Ninja, H4, Orc, H3, Undertow

 

If you are a fan of the Teebird check out my review of the Aviar, right over here, also by Innova. It’s been in operation since 1984. It’s neutral like the Teebird, and it’s a good discs for beginners, and in the hands of an experienced player it’s some weapon.

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