Putting help

[SonicGuy]

We have such a wealth of great driving form here but not a lot of putting form. I feel like there has to be a couple putting gurus around that can help on actual putting form not anecdotal putting truisms. Here is my issue:

I always miss right. No matter what. If I put any appreciable power on the putt I always hit the end of my reach before the end of my stroke and my hand flies too far open delivering at 2 or 3 o'clock.

I have tried to initiate the hit half way out (snake strike and otherwise) but that just makes me inconsistent and I miss low and left a lot. I have tried to extend my stroke by lining up open to the target, bringing my disc back further, but then my pull line is left to right and I release clean but right of target.

The problem gets exaggerated the further I am from the target because the more power I put on it, the more my hand flies open at the end.

Please suggest something to help!

 

[HyzerUniBomber]

Video? I'm by no stretch a putting guru - but I'm of the opinion that just like with any good motion - you have to generate power from the ground up. Drive weight from the back foot to the front instead of adding more power in the hand. In my own putting, if I push forward and extend up onto my front toes with the back leg up for counter balance, then I have plenty of power to putt from 40' and at least get to the basket chain high.

 

[AmsterdamHeavy]

No guru here. I had kind of the same problem for a while. I just compensated by aiming low and left, since it was always a consistent miss that way. Ive since worked that out and have other problems :wall:

Putting is something everyone does a little different i think. If that wide right thing is consistent, just make it work for you unless its unpredictable. Repeatable success is the key to putting more than any trick or gimmick, IMO.

 

[SonicGuy]

The problem is that the more power I generate for the putt the more my hand swings open on release and the further right I go. I have tried to aim left to compensate but as my miss right is variable I am just as inaccurate.

 

[lucasgg]

Take UniHyzerBomb's advice. Keep your wrist from pivitong too much and push your weight and upper/lower body into the basket from your rear foot. your finish should be standing on your forward foot with your rear foot in the hair straight out. Research push putting forms, especially from Dave Feldberg.

 

[eric40817]

Feldberg has said to pretend you're painting the center pole. Movement of your hand/arm left or right will result in missing left or right. I suggest going to Youtube and watching the Feldburg putting clinics.

 

[runningDoc]

Generate the power, forward hit towards dead center pole, from your legs.

That little (or bigger from over 45ft away) push off puts the disc in the direction, speed, and pace towards wherever you oriented the push off to. The putting arm just guides the disc mostly.

You can see Ricky, feldberg, cam Todd, and Paul do it when they do their normal staggered stance. It's like the back leg push off when throwing drives only the back ball of the foot is in line with the front ball off foot which are both aligned with the center pole. Even up to 40-45ft if you do the proper back foot push off you need minimal arm. The arm just kind of guides the disc, so as long as the follow through with the hand/wrist is at the pole the disc will end up at the pole too.

What I noticed is that Ricky and Paul are variable when it comes to keeping their elbows locked or bent, or even bending when releasing the putt, but since their leg push off is towards the pole the disc ends ups true flying towards the pole.

 

[SonicGuy]

So here is where I am at. I generate the power from my legs, direct my momentum at the pole. My arm and hand extend towards the pole. My arm extends as far as it can and my wrist opens up. The problem is that my momentum isn't done yet, so my wrist continues to open up and away from target.

Related to driving it is classic grip lock. My arm is way ahead of my body and as a result the hit happens after I want it to and I release right of target. How in the hell do I fix this?

 

[Pymm]

Out past 25 feet or so, I intentionally hyzer a little, with the amount of hyzer increasing as distance increases. Inside of this, I can throw straight from my chest with a good weight shift and aim at the pole. The reason I intentionally hyzer outside of this is to give the disc more power without a miss overshooting the target by 15 feet and because my putter (Judge) is slightly overstable. Are you saying you don't intentionally hyzer but that your wrist opens late and does this anyway? Or do you have a late wrist snap even on putts inside 25 feet? Forgive me if I am confused. I am pretty new to disc golf but putting is, I feel, the strongest part of my game, probably because I practice it a ton.

 

[SonicGuy]

Or do you have a late wrist snap even on putts inside 25 feet?

Yes, on every putt my wrist opens too far at the hit. I can airmail a 15' putt right if I am not super duper careful.

 

[runningDoc]

So here is where I am at. I generate the power from my legs, direct my momentum at the pole. My arm and hand extend towards the pole. My arm extends as far as it can and my wrist opens up. The problem is that my momentum isn't done yet, so my wrist continues to open up and away from target.

Related to driving it is classic grip lock. My arm is way ahead of my body and as a result the hit happens after I want it to and I release right of target. How in the hell do I fix this?

Ah ok. Slow ass back swing (keeping disc in line), engage legs, and swing putting arm deliberately towards target.

I personally use feldbergs advice and use the first joint of the index finger under the rim as my guide during the hit and into the follow through towards the pole.

I found that doing that but not taking the eyes off target (specific link or part of pole) keeps things in line.

 

[Pymm]

Yes, on every putt my wrist opens too far at the hit. I can airmail a 15' putt right if I am not super duper careful.

Ah, got it. I don't do this putting but certainly do it off the tee (usually when trying to throw too hard) and I think it's timing. People call it grip lock but I feel like it's usually timing. Perhaps you have tinkered with your putting mechanics so much recently that your timing is off. I would advocate starting over from 10 feet, throwing from the chest (I am a spin, not push putter) and really focus on pointing your finger at the basket, or link of chain, you set as your target, in your follow-through. This pointing technique, along with holding my follow-through, helped me a ton when I first started putting and I still do it, albeit to a less-exaggerated degree.

Hope you work it out!

 

[DGHippie]

I always miss right. No matter what. If I put any appreciable power on the putt I always hit the end of my reach before the end of my stroke and my hand flies too far open delivering at 2 or 3 o'clock.

I usually miss right because my leading foot is pointed directly at the pole of the basket. When I point my foot slightly left of the basket my putts come out straighter. I point my foot almost 45 degrees further left of the basket on longer falling/step putts. Give that a shot and see if it helps.

 

[SonicGuy]

I usually miss right because my leading foot is pointed directly at the pole of the basket. When I point my foot slightly left of the basket my putts come out straighter. I point my foot almost 45 degrees further left of the basket on longer falling/step putts. Give that a shot and see if it helps.

I have the opposite result pointing my toe left. It makes my stroke go across my body, left to right.

 

[DGHippie]

Your mileage may vary but at least give it a shot.

 

[Broken Shoulder]

Couple of ideas without seeing the form...

1) Raise your disc higher at address to slow your arm down. Give your legs time to catch up.
2) I've found that the ideal release point on my putt is a little before full extension of my arm and elbow.
3) I actively stop my hand opening to line up with the pole. It was conscious at first, now it just happens.

I dunno...tougher to diagnose without seeing it. Could be all kinds of mechanical and body position things.

 

[DiscinFiend]

I agree with those who recommend generating power from the ground up. I don't know what kind of putting style you utilize, but I push putt. Ive actually experienced the same issue your having. It seemed peculiar to me because with push putting you usually miss high/low not left/right. I fixed it by turning my front foot more off center than I previously was. What I mean is the ball of my right foot is still lined up with the pole but my toes are pointed left of the basket (I putt right handed). It was a quick fix for me, my front foot was just pointing to straight. Feldberg even recommends having your front foot turned slightly. He explains it better than I can in this video. I definitely recommend watching some of Feldbergs putting clinic videos. His videos have helped me out a lot over the years.

 

[djcadence]

What grip are you using?? I used to have the same sort of issue until I modified my grip to more of the birdie grip and adding pressure under the disc with my index finger. That was the magic fix for me, it added more feel to the disc during the weight transfer portion of the throw. https://www.dgcoursereview.com/dgr/resources/articles/gripittoripit.shtml#middle
Also, straddle putting a bit might help too, as I feel like I can square up to the basket and keep my arm going straight at the pole better...but it all comes down to practice, practice, and getting a feel for your stroke.

 

[Dan Ensor]

I'm guessing you're not shifting your weight properly. Look how Paul's rear leg is moving into his front side. The rear leg doesn't go "forward"; it goes into the front side.

 

[Consult20]

Try adjusting the position of your rear foot -- if your putts going right try moving your rear foot slightly right and see what happens.