Choosing Your First Ballista Pro: Plastic Types, Stability, and When to Throw It

 

Picking up a Latitude 64 Ballista Pro for the first time feels a bit like buying a sports car. Maybe that’s overstating it, but not by much. It’s fast, wide-rimmed, and designed to cover huge distance. It also demands some respect. If your form is slightly off, it’ll show. That’s part of what makes it such a favorite for seasoned players who want distance with a touch of control.

Still, it’s not just about raw power. The Ballista Pro stands out because you can pick from different plastics, each shifting the flight a little. That changes when you reach for it during a round. Here’s how that all breaks down, so you can figure out which version might actually work for you.

 

Why choose the Ballista Pro at all?

This disc is known for being overstable. It has flight numbers of 14, 4, 0, 3. That means it’s fast, with solid glide, very little turn, and a reliable fade at the end. It’s basically the disc you pull out when you want a predictable finish, even in wind.

Players use it for distance drives, whether that’s ripping down a fairway or shaping a long shot that needs to skip back left at the end. You’ll see it fly on hyzer flips for huge distance lines, or on forced flex shots that push right before fading back.

It’s the “big brother” to the standard Ballista—more stable, slightly more fade, meant for arms that can handle high speed.

 

Opto vs Opto-X vs Retro: what changes?

This is where things get interesting. The plastic matters. It changes how the Ballista Pro flies, how long it stays overstable, and even how it feels in your hand.

Opto

Opto is Latitude 64’s premium translucent plastic. It’s stiff, durable, and tends to hold the original flight characteristics for quite a while. New Opto Ballista Pros usually fly very true to the numbers. Expect minimal turn, strong fade. Over time, they beat in slowly, which can give you a touch more distance before the fade kicks in. For many players, Opto is the safest bet—long lifespan, consistent feel.

Opto-X

Then you have Opto-X. This is a slightly different blend. It’s often more rigid and tends to be more overstable right out of the box. That makes it perfect if you’re playing in wind or you like to throw flex lines that absolutely must fight back. Some players actually find Opto-X a little too beefy when brand new, so it can take a handful of field throws to get comfortable. But if you want reliability, especially on forehands or hard backhand anhyzers that you want to pull back, this is the choice.

Retro

Retro is on the other end. It’s a baseline plastic that beats in fast. That means it’ll start out close to the stock flight numbers, but with time you’ll see more turn and a gentler fade. Some folks keep a Retro Ballista Pro specifically to have that seasoned disc ready without spending months breaking it in. It’s also less expensive, which helps if you want a practice stack.

 

When should you actually throw it?

The Ballista Pro is meant for players who can handle high-speed drivers. That doesn’t mean you need a pro-level arm, but if you’re maxing out at fairway distances, you might not see its full flight. If you do have the arm speed, it’s perfect for:

• Long hyzer bombs: where you want it to push far before hooking left.
• Windy rounds: especially in a stiffer Opto-X, it resists turning over.
• Forehand drives: its stability helps keep flex lines predictable.
• Big forced anhyzers: where you want it to drift right before fading back.

 

A small honest note

Some people overestimate what they need. They pick up a Ballista Pro thinking it’ll automatically fly 120 meters, only to watch it crash left. That’s normal. If you’re still building power, you might be better off with the standard Ballista, or even something slower. It saves frustration. Then, once your form tightens up, you come back to the Ballista Pro and suddenly it’s flying like the highlight reels.

 

 

Thinking about trying one?

You can explore the different plastics of the Latitude 64 Ballista Pro at Dips Discs. Maybe start with Opto for all-round use, or Opto-X if you know you need a real fighter into the wind. Retro’s great if you want a cheap way to get a “beat” feel faster.

Sometimes it just comes down to feel. You stand on the tee, the wind hits your face, and your hand reaches for the disc that’s going to give you that small moment of trust. For many players, that ends up being a Ballista Pro.