- Joined
- Apr 26, 2020
- Messages
- 486
Good afternoon. I'm going to start a series where I wax poetic and tell more detailed personal stories about aspects of disc golf, whether it be core tenets of my game or "I like XYZ because...", and you can decide whether you like what I said or not and we can discuss, because you all care to talk about this unlike my wife when I start telling her that the best hole in the world can be found in Montello, WI (more on that in the future).
Volume I: "Don't Think, Just Putt"
Hole 9 at Blue Ribbon Pines is a very short hole. 155ft by Udisc's map from the day (June 5, 2020), and yet I had kicked about 40ft to the right off a tree, but still pin high (about where James Conrad would be putting from the next day). As I'm lining up a putt with my DX Dart (pictured), a Minnesotan friend of mine shouts "don't think, just putt!" So with no further thought I launched "Whitey" at the Prodigy T1 with little thought and drained it.
Later I asked him where the statement came from. He said he was told anything outside of your personal "drop in range" (you could make it with your eyes shut 9 out of 10 times) up to about 50ft you shouldn't overthink your putt. Just pick an aim point, make your natural motion, and putt. I used this advice for the rest of the round and hit some decent putts for my "just got back into disc golf last fall" self.
I took this philosophy home to Kansas City and found myself thinking less and developing my own natural motion which shaved several strokes a round. Even today I'll often catch myself overthinking a putt, and "don't think, just putt" echoes through the mind... when and if it does go in I wave to the north to thank Elisha for the tip yet again.
Obviously some thought has to go into your footing and grip on the disc, plus any obstacles. But once you're there, use your regular putting motion and don't overthink.
Your thoughts?
Volume I: "Don't Think, Just Putt"
Hole 9 at Blue Ribbon Pines is a very short hole. 155ft by Udisc's map from the day (June 5, 2020), and yet I had kicked about 40ft to the right off a tree, but still pin high (about where James Conrad would be putting from the next day). As I'm lining up a putt with my DX Dart (pictured), a Minnesotan friend of mine shouts "don't think, just putt!" So with no further thought I launched "Whitey" at the Prodigy T1 with little thought and drained it.
Later I asked him where the statement came from. He said he was told anything outside of your personal "drop in range" (you could make it with your eyes shut 9 out of 10 times) up to about 50ft you shouldn't overthink your putt. Just pick an aim point, make your natural motion, and putt. I used this advice for the rest of the round and hit some decent putts for my "just got back into disc golf last fall" self.
I took this philosophy home to Kansas City and found myself thinking less and developing my own natural motion which shaved several strokes a round. Even today I'll often catch myself overthinking a putt, and "don't think, just putt" echoes through the mind... when and if it does go in I wave to the north to thank Elisha for the tip yet again.
Obviously some thought has to go into your footing and grip on the disc, plus any obstacles. But once you're there, use your regular putting motion and don't overthink.
Your thoughts?