addicted amateur trying to improve putting

[Rugball]

Here, Jar-El. I made this for you so you can hopefully better understand of what this "pop" is. Excuse the quality and all, I kinda made this on the fly as a response to your thread.

edit - embedding not working so here's a link.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OS57LJmTpPU&hd=1

Nice use of the champ aviar to show your finger placement. Brilliant. :thmbup:

I've been getting better overall, and soon realized the need for confidence in making those 20' putts. You can blast drives and work nice approaches all day, but if you miss a little with the approach, you better sink that putt.

 

[flinchum]

Here, Jar-El. I made this for you so you can hopefully better understand of what this "pop" is. Excuse the quality and all, I kinda made this on the fly as a response to your thread.

edit - embedding not working so here's a link.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OS57LJmTpPU&hd=1

I want to thank you so much for this video. I just tried it during some putting practice in my basement. After about 15 minutes, I went from making about 10% of putts from 30ft to about 75%. I can't wait to try it on the course! THANK YOU! :hfive:

 

[Mr. America]

I want to thank you so much for this video. I just tried it during some putting practice in my basement. After about 15 minutes, I went from making about 10% of putts from 30ft to about 75%. I can't wait to try it on the course! THANK YOU! :hfive:

The Am division of the TDGC better look out!

30ft in your basement, I need to come over! I was freezing my ass off today trying to practice outside

 

[notroman]

Glad I could help. Keep practicing. Learn to control it all. Don't forget that the direction in which your fingers move will dictate where the disc goes. It's easy to go overboard with the finger spring and send the disc flying off target. Keep all your aiming with the push of the arm, all the fingers should be doing is giving it that extra spring/pop.

 

[tomsdiscs]

Putting

Putting has always come easy for me, it may have something to do with playing ball golf for so many years, but it is never an issue and I do not even practice.

Disc golf putting is hard if your bodys momentum is not towards the basket, I used to wonder how guys could hit 50 foot putts, but after realizing that I was sort of pulling back at release, I figured out how important forward momentum is, and once you get it figured out, it only involves very subtle body movement to generate the overall forward momentum. To start down this path, on each putt, as you release the disc, keep walking towards the basket, also make sure you are not standing up straight, you arm does not want to lift up, there is a lot of resistance to that, feel your shoulder muscles as you try to lift your arm up while standing up, then lean forward and notice how your arm moves more freely as a pendulum when you lean forward as compared to standing straight up, so liberate the arm by leaning forward, and as you putt towards the basket, keep walking, do not stop, and you will get a sense of how important it is to have your overall body momentum in the direction of the putt.

Once you get that stuff going, you will be able to project the putter, so distance will not be the issue, accuracy will be, so you can try to pick a spot, but I pick a path, I see a path from where I release the disc all the way into the basket, so I putt along a path thru the air to the chains.

I really do not think throwing a million putts is the answer, I think having a few reference points on mechanics, and remembering them, should keep you from missing too many putts.

We all miss one or two a round, leave room for that, and relax, just chill and do not get too concerned about what may or may not happen, the relaxed body and mind will flow those putts into the chains. Disc golf is fun, it is a great break from work and home, you get outside, have fun, flow some putts into the chains.

 

[mashnut]

FWIW, notroman's advice on putting helped me quite a bit with my putting earlier this year (thanks again!)

 

[Jar-El]

Excellent points, Tom. Feldberg agrees:
http://vimeo.com/19847946

 

[JSurmann]

JSurmann: What do you putt with & why?

I use Ions for my main putters outside of 50'. Not sure why, they just feel good in my hand. Inside 50, I usually use a warlock, it's close to an aviar and they are cheap and easy to find. Warlocks are base plastic and have a bit more float to them than the ions.

 

[TorreyLaffoon]

Jar-el,
I don't know how cold it gets in these months where you live but here in Michigan it's frigid ad I'm stuck indoors and this is something I came up with to help myself out during these months. I try to explain pop pretty well and demonstrate how I putt. Hope it helps!


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UHkHGsVpc1U&feature=youtube_gdata_player

 

[pdiddy71]

Maybe this has been in the one of the videos, if it is, sorry I repeated it. I learned this concept years ago. When I was fairly new to the game, I putted better with drivers than actual putters do to the grip and timing the release. I am not sure how I learned it, either a video or from another player. The idea basically said center the putter between you and the center pole of the basket. Then move your arm up and down like a painting motion. No broad strokes, but short up and down strokes. Depending on the person, release on the up stroke. The idea is that when releasing on the up stroke, the putter will fly in an arc into the basket.

I have since gone to more of a quick straight line putt, but when I am off, I go back to the original way I learned to slow down and eliminate awkward putts.

 

[New013]

Another Raleigh guy... welcome. I can't help you with your putting except to say be confident.

Find the NC v SC meetup thread and join in.

 

[VictorB]

There are 2 pieces of advice I can give you that will help more in the long run than giving you technique tips - especially since everyone putts a little differently.

1. If you're truly addicted and want to get better, get a practice basket. Or even better, get a gateway bullseye basket. No advice other than practice will help as much as getting out there and putting the disc in the chains.

2. Learn more of an 'arcing' putt technique where the disc is on the way down as it passes or goes in the basket. (This is often called a pitch putt) This will maximize the actual catching space of the basket, and minimize comeback distance after a missed putt.

 

[medicinalfunk]

there is more than one way to skin a cat