Practice how you play

[Casey 1988]

The best improvements in my putting came from trying out loads of different styles and working out what worked in each and then trying to put these all together. Before that I could practice putt all day long and see no real benefit on the course. Now I know what my body should be doing to produce a good consistent putt and can practice putt far more efficiently. It also means I feel comfortable going from anything from a straddle to a turbo putt which all come in useful in tournament play.

It is more translatable to the course as all I need to do now is work out how to get my body in balance before the putt. I do that and it should go in. My misses are high and low now hardly ever left and right. I still have a mental barrier to overcome in the 20 - 35' range where i hit the bucket far far too often, but inside and outside that my putting percentages are way up, my circle 2 makes are well over 1000 rated even when not practising, to the point I sometimes consider trying to land further from the target as I'm more likely to make the longer one. Mine is a commitment issue in the 20 - 35' range, outside that I go for it inside that I go for it. in that range I suddenly find myself full of self doubt and putt low.

You know those putts you just know are going in before you take them? I'll bet it's because your body is properly balanced and ready to go and you just haven't realised all the times you aren't. I'm finding that feeling more and more in the long putts now when I feel my body is set right pre putt.

In terms of practising putting, never take lots of putts from the same stance, putt, move a step to your left, putt again step back to the middle, putt again step right, then forward etc. This means each time you have to get into balance again, you're not already there. It teaches your body the most important bit which is the set up.

I'd highly recommend that your practice putting tries out all styles of putts not just the one you are comfortable with and use on the course. This is practice to better understand how your body works rather than repeating actions.

I know exactly what you mean, I had used a bunch of different putting styles and can go from my slightly different most but my normal putt, to a from the chest spin putt for wind up to 27 mph, and a forehand putt for low ceiling shots. The only putt I can not do is a straddle putt unless I have a high glide putter like a Areo or Rubber Putter type, a lid of some kind, Sonic/fastback mold or a lighter weight putter under 169 grams I have trouble generating the power for a straddle putt.

 

[Casey 1988]

I hate on bullseye style baskets every chance I get. My weekly seems to like them and it's now our practice basket in the parking lot before the round. All they seem to achieve is changing people's putts to softer or loftier dropping putt...that or your picking up scuffed up putters off the asphault rather than out of the cage.

On most cages, spit outs aren't an issue. A softer, loftier, dropping putt isn't saving me any strokes and hurts my long putt game.

First big mistake is using a putting basket on blacktop or other hard surface other then the grass, otherwise then even a regular basket will not work for anybody unless they use a premium plastic putter as they are trying make the basket with a safe putt that is not the regular putt for them. If the Marksman were on grass then I would do my regular putt and just work on aiming anywhere into to the chains knowing a miss on that would be a make on a regular basket.

 

[Broken Shoulder]

I know exactly what you mean, I had used a bunch of different putting styles and can go from my slightly different most but my normal putt, to a from the chest spin putt for wind up to 27 mph, and a forehand putt for low ceiling shots. The only putt I can not do is a straddle putt unless I have a high glide putter like a Areo or Rubber Putter type, a lid of some kind, Sonic/fastback mold or a lighter weight putter under 169 grams I have trouble generating the power for a straddle putt.

What do you do when the wind is 28 mph?

 

[scarpfish]

If there's a gripe I have with flinging a stack of putters from a solitary point, it's the fact that such an exercise is not a game situation. I prefer to actually practice approaches with 3-4 putters, from 100'-150' or so then putt them out wherever they land. That way I get a different look that I don't choose for each putt, and get to exercise another element of my short game in the process.

Not always doable before tourney rounds, but that's one reason why I try to brown bag it for lunch.

 

[ThrowaEnvy]

Well our course has 9 tonals on the "original" 9 and baskets on the other 18. There's different strategies to tackle it during a tournament. Some people want to do em first, some want to do them last, very few want to do it in the middle. Different shaped target and in some cases a different style of putt or putter. There's no doubt that focusing on a smaller target is beneficial right down to one link of chain.

When I'm practising on my basket if it wouldn't have hit the 2" pipe in the Center than I don't consider it a good putt even if it sticks. But different chain weights are a pain in the ass!

 

[Casey 1988]

What do you do when the wind is 28 mph?

Anything that is constant at 28 mph or more or gusts to 33-35 mph I use a Shark as my putter often the Star no flight numbers one from 2016 but in slightly protected or closer putts I will use the last run of the old Pro from the 2010's. If I ever loose the old Pro Shark I will get a G Star Shark to test but if I do not like it I could use a DX just get it a few grams heavier then I want like 3 grams to account for the wear in of DX. So that would be 178 grams for a DX as I like 174-176 grams for all ROC diameter midrange more close to 175 grams like a max weight putter the better.

 

[Broken Shoulder]

Anything that is constant at 28 mph or more or gusts to 33-35 mph I use a Shark as my putter often the Star no flight numbers one from 2016 but in slightly protected or closer putts I will use the last run of the old Pro from the 2010's. If I ever loose the old Pro Shark I will get a G Star Shark to test but if I do not like it I could use a DX just get it a few grams heavier then I want like 3 grams to account for the wear in of DX. So that would be 178 grams for a DX as I like 174-176 grams for all ROC diameter midrange more close to 175 grams like a max weight putter the better.

These are really specific wind speeds.

 

[BrotherDave]

Great video! I think one of the things that gets lost in the mix, is that making the clean up putt is a great way to mentally unburden yourself. So many rec/am players are putting to avoid a bad come-back and those putts are not made with confidence or conviction. .

Yeah, part of the reason I've started spin putting is to overcome my comebacker anxiety. It's definitely helping. My biggest putting weakness is getting the yips and Sally Short putting it.

The free throw to putting analogy is not a great one to be honest. The first thing you do to become a good free thrower is learn to line up on at the line the same way every time. You find the nail that's usually the center of the line and put your right foot behind it (left if you're lefty). Then you keep your foot/leg/shoulder/elbow/arm aligned and kept centered. Duplicate the same form from the same spot. You can't do that with putting b/c you don't have much control over where your putt is going to be from. You can't duplicate the same form much either unless you straddle everything like Sexton but even then the varying range is going to require more or less oomph in the putt.

The analogous part is that like in most sports, developing a routine is extremely helpful, if only on a psychological level. I was a mediocre free thrower until I started doing practice dribbles the same way every time, same number of them and sorta bounced up and down rhythmically into the shot (kind of like Karl Malone's routine minus the talking to the ball and taking forever). You don't see this as much in disc golf I think b/c for a lot of players less (thinking) is more. McBeth has a very methodical routine, as does Wysocki. Dickerson is probably the most methodical in the way a basketball player would be.

 

[Casey 1988]

These are really specific wind speeds.

It is a guess on the course, if I am missing with my wind spin putt from the chest with the disc going in the direction of the wind then I use the Shark. Often I look at weather when I get home and the weather is right on with wind speed at 30 mph at most with constant wind when I switched to the Shark molds from the Magnet in Jawbreaker or the Proline Titanic 2 in the bag now. At least it is quick gusts up to 25 mph and a bunch of them as to why I switched from Magnet in Jawberker and Proliine Titanic molds to my Shark molds.

 

[runningDoc]

If I can speak to the practice on the narrow baskets specifically - I hypothesize that the benefit to be gained from dialing in your putt to a more narrow, catchy portion of full size baskets is 100% fake, and that practice on the same model basket you actually play on would result in lower scores. opcorn:

and to a degree the practice routines where you putt a big stack at the basket for an hour... I think you're practicing putting practice. That is to say, some value in your practice is being lost by not preparing for what actually matters; sinking putts out on the course in comp play.

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[ThrowaEnvy]

Well thanks to you guys I have a weird putting routine where I circle around before placing my foot and putting, part of the practice routine now but I will have to see if it happens on the course.

If I don't, I don't hit as many.

 

[F. Howl]

First big mistake is using a putting basket on blacktop or other hard surface other then the grass...

Tables, awning, supply closet (i.e. beer coolers), and shop where we pay the course fees are on asphalt, so that's where we hangout and practice.

 

[Casey 1988]

Tables, awning, supply closet (i.e. beer coolers), and shop where we pay the course fees are on asphalt, so that's where we hangout and practice.

Makes a bit more sense then. A pay course that is disc golf only in South Dakota might not work, only way is to have it tacked onto a golf course or part of a Ski places summer activities.