How long did it take you to find your putting stroke?

[riltim]

It took me several years to figure out my putting, basically until I got a backyard basket and started to put the time in to try to figure it out. Turns out, for me at least, it wasn't really about the arm motion at all but instead the way I could control the putter with finger pop.

 

[autocrosscrx]

The mental / confidence aspect is simply visualizing the putt going in, it's trajectory, speed and path into the pole (chains). if you visualize this properly and you have put in sufficient practice, then your brain makes the body movements automatically.

Unless you can't visualize things.

 

[Casey 1988]

It took me about 3 years to figure it out.

Confidence is the #1 component of putting. You can't be a great putter without it.

No more half assed releases. Put some spin on the disc. Aim for the chains, not the basket. Practice making a 12 after 95% of the time. Then move back three feet. Keep doing this until your confident within the circle.



And finally, find a putter you like and stick with it. Stop trying to find the magic putter

this red Is why I gave even in first few years of play a few putters good tests before finding the Magnet and now the deeper Magnet, a Titanic in a no longer made for mold Proline as my other putter for my putter discs. Jawbreaker for my Magnet for me gets too much grip in temps at or Above 90 F.

 

[joegraham]

Still looking. Lost it around 1998. If anyone finds it please contact me. Beer for reward. Thank you.

 

[Superbford]

I've been playing consistently for six months now...... and I finally just had to make a decision... quit moving back and forth between straddle or staggered stance.... spin or push....

Last two weeks I've gone straddle putt all the way.. even for jump putts..... and I'm way more consistent. Fewer moving parts for me... I'm not saying I'm a good putter yet, but I have made way more 25 to 30 footers the last two weeks than before.

 

[aphilso1]

I think I've found that for longer putts—25' plus, if I use a slight anhyzer release I'm more accurate. I know trying to throw neutral/flat is really tough for me.

I wasted a lot of practice reps trying to get a perfectly flat putter release. On days when everything was clicking I felt like the best putter in the world. But it was so inconsistent, because throwing flat means you're straddling a fine line between nose up and nose down, as well as between hyzer and anny.

If the wind condition and shot shape allow, I now putt with a slight hyzer and nose up. That is my most consistent putting motion and also what gives me the most power. But I do also have a nose down anny putt that I go to when the putt dictates it.

I think you are on to something by moving away from a flat putt. Most players seem to favor a slight hyzer/nose up release but there are exceptions. Ricky putts nose down and is a great putter. Coda Hatfield putts anny and is pretty good.

 

[txmxer]

I wasted a lot of practice reps trying to get a perfectly flat putter release. On days when everything was clicking I felt like the best putter in the world. But it was so inconsistent, because throwing flat means you're straddling a fine line between nose up and nose down, as well as between hyzer and anny.

If the wind condition and shot shape allow, I now putt with a slight hyzer and nose up. That is my most consistent putting motion and also what gives me the most power. But I do also have a nose down anny putt that I go to when the putt dictates it.

I think you are on to something by moving away from a flat putt. Most players seem to favor a slight hyzer/nose up release but there are exceptions. Ricky putts nose down and is a great putter. Coda Hatfield putts anny and is pretty good.

Of course conditions dictate actual putts, wind, trees, etc.

I also practice a little Feldberg floater type.

When I throw hyzer nose up, on a generally flat line, I seem to miss long or short more often. But that's just my issue.

 

[ballgolfconvert]

Unless you can't visualize things.

In which case you know what to practice.

 

[Horsman]

In which case you know what to practice.

Some people legitimately do not have the ability to visualize things, its a real thing. No amount of practice will help them.

 

[Central Scrutinizer]

Several years. Getting a basket, getting 10 of the same putter, and just having fun putting thousands of times while focusing on athletic basics (when I'm not nearly as athletic as I'd like to be) are what helped me become good at this. Wish I could throw a drive!

PP360 has helped me take it to another level over the last year or so. It's a fun game that makes me strive for a better score rather than just repetition.

 

[Innova63]

One year...

how about one (or two) decades ago...

I remember having one great weekend of putting in one tournament about 22 years ago...

I would settle for good putting once in a while...

Prefer the good putting when strangers are watching...

Great putting on the rare occasion when playing with friends..

 

[ballgolfconvert]

Some people legitimately do not have the ability to visualize things, its a real thing. No amount of practice will help them.

I simply don't believe that. If you close your eyes you can't visualize a disc flying through the air? But whatever, I guess if you think you can't do something you won't be able to do it.

 

[Horsman]

I simply don't believe that. If you close your eyes you can't visualize a disc flying through the air? But whatever, I guess if you think you can't do something you won't be able to do it.

Its called Aphantasia, look it up.

 

[Nick Pacific]

It took me several years to figure out my putting, basically until I got a backyard basket and started to put the time in to try to figure it out. Turns out, for me at least, it wasn't really about the arm motion at all but instead the way I could control the putter with finger pop.

My exact same experience

 

[autocrosscrx]

Its called Aphantasia, look it up.

Yeah. I have this. I can't picture my mom. So I definitely can't picture putts going in the basket.

I didn't even realize that other people could visualize things and that wasn't just a movie/television technique until I was in my late 30's.

 

[Mr. Butlertron]

I played casually for nearly a decade and never really had anything truly reliable. Things started to improve when I moved to regions where disc golf was playable year round. With increased play came confidence and eventually results. Even then, it took at least a few years.

 

[txmxer]

Yeah. I have this. I can't picture my mom. So I definitely can't picture putts going in the basket.

I didn't even realize that other people could visualize things and that wasn't just a movie/television technique until I was in my late 30's.

That's rough. Visualization has been key for me in all sports endeavors.

 

[Ryan P.]

Competence precedes confidence. When you're actually good at putting and have put in the reps confidence will be like breathing, it will be undeniable. If you haven't put the time in and aren't actually good, your "confidence" will come and go and seem fleeting, and you'll be left wondering that you somehow "lost" your confidence, one day its there the next day its gone. That can be frustrating. If you're finding yourself lacking confidence it's because you're probably just not that good at putting, and the only way to fix that is to actually get better by practicing more.

When you're actually "good" at putting it's as undeniable as 1+1=2, you can dial it up on command. You don't need to be confident either. You're competent and that is everything. You can have feelings of self doubt but that doesn't even matter when you're good you'll just keep smashing putts and that doubt will melt away every single time.

For newer players or anyone trying to get good at putting, don't even worry about confidence. Concentrate on actually getting good at putting and practicing every day. You'll keep getting better the more reps you put in and somehow this whole "confidence" thing will come out of nowhere and it will click without even thinking about it.

Yeah, the thing that has made me a good putter is, over the years, I've identified what's wrong with my form when I miss. So when I miss a putt, it's usually due to 2-3 things (2 are more common, one is less common). So when I miss, I analyze why I missed, and it's one of those 2 things about 85% of the time, and the third about 10% of the time. So I rarely get in a streak where I'm focused and missing putt after putt.

 

[VictorB]

I've been playing for a long time, and I still don't feel like I throw putts the same from day to day. My general form/technique has looked pretty similar for a long time, but the putter just doesn't come out the same even with a ton of practice. At this point it's not a physical or technique issue, it's just my own brain being in the way.

 

[azplaya25]

I've been playing for a long time, and I still don't feel like I throw putts the same from day to day. My general form/technique has looked pretty similar for a long time, but the putter just doesn't come out the same even with a ton of practice. At this point it's not a physical or technique issue, it's just my own brain being in the way.

Yeah this is something I deal with as well. I was just watching the final round of the world 2018, and it's interesting that the pros putt seems to resemble their hit for their drives. For example, you watch barsby getting ready to drive, he's doing the same thumb push as he does when he gets ready to putt. Conrad's pre drive practice swing looks just like his swing on his put. I'm guessing that's how they get consistency, just focusing on that same hit for every shot