OK, so how do you really get better with putting?

[CTRobuck]

Ditto on confidence however how do you get confident when you're sucking?

Everybody sucks when they begin something, for the most part. I mean there are prodigies and phenoms out there. But, for the most part, we all start from scratch (sucking) and work our way to good. Practice makes sucky people better, practice can be boring but it's the only way to get better.

I will tell you this though. I truly believe the way I progressed in golf and disc golf was by putting myself in groups that are WAY better than myself. When you get your butt beat down a few times you are forced to evolve into a better player!!!

 

[Nuke]

When you are putting in a round, what are you thinking about? This question has become so key to me putting better, especially in tournament type rounds. I found that when I was standing there, around 20 feet out, I was thinking about my form keys about grip, weight transfer, hand and finger finish, etc etc. The last thing on my mind was putting the disc in the basket. Form and routine are very important, but in my opinion, if you're thinking about form while standing over a 20 foot putt on the 5th hole of a tournament or non-practice round, then you're thinking about the wrong thing.

Plan ahead, establish a form that you want to adhere to (stance, weight shift, grip, follow through, etc) from the ground up, think about it and come up with a very strict set of form guidelines.

Establish a very strict pre-putt routine. Something that is comfortable and helps you focus, but not long.

Determine these things mentally, way before you have a disc in your hand or are near a basket. Then, take these decisions to practice. Take the first few putts and concentrate on your form and routine. And then don't think about them again. Concentrate on distance, disc flight, what chainlink you are trying to hit, etc. Take many practice putts where you're just trying to make the putt, you've thought so much about your form and routine that your body will naturally do it. Take a putt every once in a while and make sure you adhering to your form and routine, and then continue to just try to make them, and practice practice practice...the right way.

In my opinion, practicing like this is what will help you the most. That and commitment. Commitment is huge. I found that if I wasn't sold on my putting style or putter, I always had a shade of doubt, and that really hurt me. If you're standing over a putt thinking "I wonder if I'd make these more often if I was a straddle putter?", then you're already in trouble. Hope that helps, it's what has helped me.

 

[GLong]

Got a recommendation on a putter? I'm not opposed to trying something different...

i like magnets but everyone has a preference.... everyone gravitates towards the putters i mentioned because that's what most pros use and of course who doesnt want to putt like that? thing is, most of those guys probably learned with aviars/magnets/more neutral putters. they putt with heavier overstable putters purely for consistency. but if your technique doesn't have the consistency, that type of disc will only be a hindrance.

if your putting feels consistent and good (in your opinion) at 20-25' then stay with the KC aviars. getting solid outside that range just takes more practice!

 

[GLong]

after reading Nuke's post, i would emphasize the 'not thinking about form' aspect. that's for practice and tweaking things. when you go out to play, casual/tourney/whatever, all you should think about is executing it. that's an abstract idea for lots of people, it certainly was for me.

anything inside your 'make' range (which for you i'd guess is 20-25' and in) should be practically automatic. i'm saying from the time you take a stance to the time you release the disc should be less than 10 seconds. if it's a 'gimme' then throw it like one! there is nothing to think about. step up, get balanced, find your target, and let it go. that's what you have to practice. getting 'lights out' on gimme putts gives you subliminal confidence and changes your routine on putts outside of that range as well. it's weird, but it happens.

i used to dwell over longer putts for 15-20-25 seconds trying to get everything 'perfect' and that doesnt do anything. unless there is a serious obstacle or a difficult lie, most putts are the same. you just need more legs and a higher release point. throw them like gimmes and they get easier.

 

[Mike C]

When you shoot a basketball do you think about your stance, what kind of grip you're using, whether you push or spin or what pro you're emulating form-wise?

When you throw a dart do you run through a 15 point mental checklist on your form? Do you think about the 8 different ways you could miss? Check the wind?

There are certainly some basic mechanics you need to get down to putt well, but once you do, just ****ing putt. That's all it is. There is a basket with chains, get your disc in it. Cut out the rest of the bull**** and just putt.

 

[zenbot]

When you shoot a basketball do you think about your stance, what kind of grip you're using, whether you push or spin or what pro you're emulating form-wise?

When you throw a dart do you run through a 15 point mental checklist on your form? Do you think about the 8 different ways you could miss? Check the wind?

There are certainly some basic mechanics you need to get down to putt well, but once you do, just ****ing putt. That's all it is. There is a basket with chains, get your disc in it. Cut out the rest of the bull**** and just putt.

I also believe in this zen approach to putting.

 

[notBOB]

its all about comfort and confidence. find a form that works and establish a routine for every putt. when approaching your disc just know your gonna sink it no matter what. put your brain on standby and let your body take over. focus on nothing but the chains, and put it in there. easy as that. sounds like you've done it before..theres no secret.

 

[GLong]

most pros do as well. watch some vids on youtube and time them from taking the stance -> putt. it is not that long.

 

[Hyzer_Soze]

Discussion above about what you're thinking about in intriguing to me. I try to transfer my experience in ball golf over to disc golf whenever applicable. In ball golf, I would have a "swing thought." Just one thing that I had in my mind during the act of swinging. They would sometimes be different when driving, hitting an iron or putting. I don't think you can underestimate the value of this.

We'll call it a "throw thought," for disc golf purposes. It should be something very simple such as "reach for the basket", "shake hands with the basket", "smooth and easy."

It's not really that important what your thought is, what is important is what that thought is preventing you from thinking. By focusing on a directed and controlled thought every single time you putt or throw, you're keeping out wayward thoughts that can destroy you, like, "don't forget OB right," and "Don't throw this putt too far past!"

This throw thought should be used in practice and while playing. It will also trigger your mind that it's time to perform and hopefully help blur the lines between practice and competition.

 

[BrotherDave]

Yeah, I've become a much better putter lately and it's mostly b/c all I think about is putting the putter on the best line possible to get in the basket. "Paralysis by analysis" really kills my putting game, thinking too much about form/style and trying to will it into the basket just doesn't work for me.

 

[IronJack]

I also believe in this zen approach to putting.

The putter wants to go in the basket. Your job is to let it do so. :lotusflowersmiley:

 

[GLong]

Discussion above about what you're thinking about in intriguing to me. I try to transfer my experience in ball golf over to disc golf whenever applicable. In ball golf, I would have a "swing thought." Just one thing that I had in my mind during the act of swinging. They would sometimes be different when driving, hitting an iron or putting. I don't think you can underestimate the value of this.

We'll call it a "throw thought," for disc golf purposes. It should be something very simple such as "reach for the basket", "shake hands with the basket", "smooth and easy."

It's not really that important what your thought is, what is important is what that thought is preventing you from thinking. By focusing on a directed and controlled thought every single time you putt or throw, you're keeping out wayward thoughts that can destroy you, like, "don't forget OB right," and "Don't throw this putt too far past!"

This throw thought should be used in practice and while playing. It will also trigger your mind that it's time to perform and hopefully help blur the lines between practice and competition.

this is great advice.

 

[zenbot]

The putter wants to go in the basket. Your job is to let it do so. :lotusflowersmiley:

"Do you now understand," the master asked me one day after a particularly good shot, "what I mean by 'it shoots,' 'it hits'?

I'm afraid I don't understand anything more at all, "I answered, "even the simplest things have got in a muddle. Is it 'I' who draw the bow, or is it the bow that draws me into the state of highest tension? "Do 'I' hit the goal, or does the goal hit me? Is 'It' spiritual when seen by the eyes of the body, and corporeal when seen by the eyes of the spirit -- or both or neither? Bow, arrow, goal and ego, all melt into one another, so that I can no longer separate. For as soon as I take the bow and shoot, everything becomes so clear and straightforward and so ridiculously simple …"

"Now at last," the Master broke in, "the bowstring has cut right through you."

-Eugen Herrigel: Zen in the Art of Archery

 

[discmeister]

Discussion above about what you're thinking about in intriguing to me. I try to transfer my experience in ball golf over to disc golf whenever applicable. In ball golf, I would have a "swing thought." Just one thing that I had in my mind during the act of swinging. They would sometimes be different when driving, hitting an iron or putting. I don't think you can underestimate the value of this.

We'll call it a "throw thought," for disc golf purposes. It should be something very simple such as "reach for the basket", "shake hands with the basket", "smooth and easy."


I do something like that. I find it clears the clutter in my mind, calms me, and improves my focus on the task at hand.

 

[SAxDrc]

something that has helped my putting recently is to pick one specific chain link to aim for and think about the path the disc has to take to hit it. don't think about anything else through the entire putt. I rarely hit the exact link i'm aiming at but it does force me to focus on something and not over-think.

 

[smyith]

i posted this in another thread but i think it may be more beneficial here.

i read an article by the stork once about stuff ike this. he suggested instead of moving in 5' distamnces try 2' intervals. also, you should always remember a 30' putt is the same as a 10' putt. so in other words, your 10' putt should be as hard as your 30' putt and your 30' putt should be as soft as your 10' putt.

also on consistency and confidence. your 'routine' is what builds both. the routine begins from when you are approaching your putt to when you pull our putt out of the basket. practicing your routine every single putt makes a huge difference. instead of practicing with multiple putters try just one. pretend for every putt you are walking up to it for the first time. your routine begins here. marking your disc setting your bag down and etc are all apart of it. the actual style of your putt matters very little. all that matters is that your comfortable and confident. the rest just comes.

also, on the chain link thing. try focus on 3 at a time not just one. dont worry about the flight or line. just focus on those links and make your putt. keep your eyes on the prize the entire putt (i practice focusing on those links all the way up till i retrieve my disc).
remember guys and gals we are only talking about 30' here. dont make such a mental big deal about the putt. as Nike would say Just Do It.

 

[JTacoma03]

I have no routine. I feel like I need a routine, to help remind me of what I need to do on the course.

Maybe I'll make a video later.

This.

This also goes hand in hand with what Orca was talking about in a "swing thought". The routine should address both physical and mental readiness. It's tedious to develop, but do it every single time you putt even just in practice and you'll see your % go up.

 

[Gonnagal]

This is what saved me on the course. I went from a Feldberg style to a Nikko straddle style and couldn't be happier. Not only am I more consistent, but if I miss it's usually an easy drop in.

Why don't you try a different putting style? I find sometimes people try too hard to like something, whether it be a discs, style, stance etc. Who knows, maybe the Nikko 'swing putt' style would be good for you, or maybe more of a Matt Orum spin putt? Try something completely different for a while. Some of my biggest form discoveries were from trying something I'd never considered doing before.


BTW: What putter/grip do you use?

 

[prototypicalDave]

Already been said different ways, but I'll give my two cents for the sake of piling on...
What I've noticed is that when I'm putting well I don't worry about form, I'm trusting my body to do it's job.
I just tell it what I want and when it understands, it takes over and makes it happen.
Telling it where to go is merely (ha!) total focus on the goal.
For me its picking a link and focusing on it to the point that it's my whole reality.
Once I'm there the putt makes itself.
I can't think of a shot that I missed once I've achieved this mind state.
Once certain basics of form are ironed out, it really is all mental.
I think that this applies to every shot in DG and probably every other sport.
It's about getting into "flow". Programmers do it, musicians do it, you do it when you get "highway hypnotized".
You just have to figure out how to get your consciousness out of the way.

 

[Mr. America]

I have come to the decision that I am done on the push putting. It's to much work to get less consistent distance than spin putting, to much guess work on distance, wears my legs out too much, to dependent on lie for me and many other things I am probably forgetting.

Just spent about 40 minutes in the back yard nailing tons of chains from 10-50 feet trying different spin putting styles. Every one of them seemed better than push putting to me.