I put together a 4 week putting cycle to help out the Rocket Disc Golf club here at UToledo this winter. I figured why not share it here. So, see attached. Download, share, practice to your heart's content. Guaranteed results or your money back.
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Here's a wrinkle that people generally forget to do: don't throw a bunch from the same distance consecutively. As important as muscle memory and confidence are, I think a better test is to move around every few throws. I HATE doing this, because it busts my "numbers"... But I do it because I don't often get too many same-distance putts in a row during an actual round.
I will nice you with a caveat.. It's good to bust a bunch in a row at same distance. For:
Confidence! Corrections! Consistency!
After that it's figuring out how far from the basket you are in real life and varying your routine. To add to your point though, resetting your footing is important for the "break" , pick up the next disc say from a launcher haha lawn chair a few feet away. It makes you change your stance and redo your routine. Also works if your practice swing feels wrong and you get in your head.. Step out of the "box" for a second.
For me it's stance, grip, practice swing forward, back and let'er rip!
(Thanks Chris )
ThrowaEnvy has it on the nose - you need both!Here's a wrinkle that people generally forget to do: don't throw a bunch from the same distance consecutively. As important as muscle memory and confidence are, I think a better test is to move around every few throws. I HATE doing this, because it busts my "numbers"... But I do it because I don't often get too many same-distance putts in a row during an actual round.
I think that's "next level". Not superstar, just a more advanced putting practice.
Muscle memory and consistent technique is a critical step in the process. Gotta walk before you run.
... throw.
I do this a fair amount. I have what I'd describe as a "spitch" putt. A pitch with some wrist break. I putt best when I get my cocked before I bring the disc into my body. At times I leave the wrist un-cocked and when I go to put the disc on chains it comes out lacking velocity. My motion puts the disc "on" chains really well without the pop from inside 33 on level ground or downhill... but adding a lil uphill and by the time I get to 27 it starts to fade out early of chains. And I forget to really fix it because I'm still getting good results when I practice short sets, just with a lot of makes being absorbed into left side chains or dropping into left bucket.Last week lights out one disc (x 2 ohms) round in the yard... lights out!!! Tried again the next day.. Pooptastic, half way through I figured out I had gone back to a loose crappy grip I used 5 yrs ago, adjusted it tighter and was back to mediocre.
I think this comes down to two things...good discussion. I am seeing improvement in my putting and upshots in general (say out to 100'). But, this morning I couldn't get my rhythm. Missed several putts I've been making in practice and on the course.
SO--the question here is how does one reset when you are in the middle of a round and only throwing one putt at each hole but you are just off a bit?
Your off hand behind your back? I never tried that one, the closest to it was imitating Vaïno Makela style which he brings his left hand (holding a disc most of the time) to his left hip.The discs in hand and behind the back was a huge aha moment.
Your off hand behind your back? I never tried that one, the closest to it was imitating Vaïno Makela style which he brings his left hand (holding a disc most of the time) to his left hip.
I have a practice basket indoor and I'm always practicing and trying new things but I didn't have much success with Vaïno form. When my putting gets bad most of the time it's because I'm getting stiff and too mechanical so I guess the tucking doesn't help me. Today I'll try with a loose tuck off hand behind my back to see but right now my putting is almost the opposite, I keep my left hand in front of me like some kind of Sith Lord trying to force lightning the basket.Well damn thats awesome! Notice at 4 min and 6:30 how he misses?! 4 min especially bad tuck.
Now that's a dude that plays a lot of 2-3 disc golf I totally recognize that form! I don't like the chicken off arm, I do a fairly full but loose tuck. All the way around my back a little stretchy feeling but not locked and limited.
I think this comes down to two things...
1. Being able to compartmentalize between the active and passive thought processes.
2. Being able to trust yourself (which really feeds into the ability to do point 1).
What I mean by compartmentalize is: if you think you're not doing something that you do in practice, you need to be able to analyze it when you're in between shots, set yourself up for success related to it when you're stepping up to the shot, and then completely let it go and focus entirely on putting the middle of the disc on the chain link thoughtlessly once you're set into your stance.
That last part is where "trust" comes in. You need to trust that the good results you expect will follow naturally from muscle memory once you've set yourself into position to succeed. The people that say "don't think, just do" are totally right. But golf affords us the opportunity to stop and set up before we turn off the thinking.
A note from today's practice: HOLY COW is that all hard to do when it is windy. We've got 15-20 gusty today. My baskets are set such that my slight downhill grade was headwind and my uphill is tailwind. And with it gusting up and down... I was really struggling to escape the active thought processes when I went to do my reps. It resulted in some baaad numbers. About 25% from 11 and 12 meters. 82% from 6 meters. Just about 20% when varying from 11-13 on my C2 rotation (advance/retreat on misses/makes). Everything about 20% below standard.
Also will note... doesn't help that my putt-rut is just that. A total rut. And everything was melting. Mudslick under the rear foot the whole time. Bad day for a ton of C2.
I have a practice basket indoor and I'm always practicing and trying new things but I didn't have much success with Vaïno form. When my putting gets bad most of the time it's because I'm getting stiff and too mechanical so I guess the tucking doesn't help me. Today I'll try with a loose tuck off hand behind my back to see but right now my putting is almost the opposite, I keep my left hand in front of me like some kind of Sith Lord trying to force lightning the basket.
My putting always has been decent but I never stopped trying to improve it, trying new grips, new stances, sometimes just subtle changes like my where I put my index, or do I tuck my little finger tip to the rim or not, etc...
I've just tried it and I could make it works I think but I'm not sure it would be better than my current form. Having my left arm in front and following my movements helps me to stay in sync with my weight shift and keep it smooth but having it behind my back seems to achieve the same thing or at least better than just having it hanging. Anyway in the end, my off arm placement isn't the most important thing I think.It's all about getting my loos arm out of the way of course if that's the only person you seen do that then I'm probably just making my own freak pcutting Style