Putting hard vs. Putting soft

[pdorries]

If there is a thread for this already, feel free to delete. I didn't see one on the front page.

What are your opinions and rationale behind putting hard versus putting soft? Let me first say that I put with mostly spin, but also feel like I push it out to a certain extent, usually slightly nose up to nose up. When I am putting hard and miss, its usually a 20-30 ft comeback. I tend to have better scoring rounds when I'm putting hard, just because I tend to make more longer putts because they "have a chance."

When I putt softer I tend to miss a little more, be it left of the basket or low but have less chance of a 3 putt. I don't feel like I make enough long putts (outside 25 or so).

I don't think there is right or wrong honestly, just looking to see if anyone else has more success putting harder and just living with the long comebacks when missing.

 

[Blake_T1]

there is a such thing as "too hard." putts with too much speed will be prone to spit/riccochet.

there is a such thing as "too soft." putts with too little speed will get pushed around by the chain assembly when the chains rebound.

remember that the actual goal is to get the disc to come to rest in the chains or the basket.

aside from velocity, there's an equally important determinant of how far a comebacker is on a miss, and that is the line/trajectory.

a firm putt that reaches the basket on a slightly downards trajectory (either due to aim or the fact that it's dropping due to gravity as it makes it there) will have shorter comebackers and a higher chance that it will bounce off the chains down and into the basket. nose up putting makes it harder to do this.

 

[cjskier]

I too struggle with this, weakest part of my game, no question. I spin putt from a side stance. I can be very accurate sometimes 25' and in, making easily 9/10. However when I miss, I end up 30' out. Here is where my putting struggles, when I'm 30' out and only making 5/10 it kills me. I end up another 30' out after my back putt. I turn so many birdies to bogies its shameful. I'm not sure what to change. I think I putt fairly nose down.

Now that I'm getting it, I think hyzer putting would be terrible in the wind. Hard spin putts kill it in the wind.

If I could figure this out I could go from back of am2 to am1 no question. In my last tournament I figure I cost myself about 24 throws like this.

 

[archmage]

As a novice player, those 20-30' comeback putts were really killing my scores as I often missed them too, three- or even four-putting holes. Because of that I have gravitated toward soft loft putts, and even if I might miss low a lot, at least the disc always stops very close to the basket where I can always make it to the basket on the second putt. With enough practice I think I can become accurate enough loft putter while still keeping the possible comebacks short, so I think I like it better this way.

 

[Jay Dub]

My advice on putting is to practice your 25ft and closer putts 85% of the time. It's amazing what the confidence of knowing you will make that come back putt will do for you on your long putts.

It's been pointed out to me that my closer putts are harder than my long putts, my long putts I sail the disc to the target most times, depending on the situation, uphill putts I straddle and throw a hard hyzer putt but a level putt I sail my 86 Softie. As long as my concentration is on the odds of me making that long putt are relatively pretty high. If not, I'm even more confident I'll make the 20-25 ft come back putt.

 

[TheLastBoyScout]

I agree with Jay Dub...

Only slightly differently. By knowing your going to nail those 25 foot putts, you set yourself up to gain more 2's and save more 3's since you no longer feel like you have to "put the disc under the basket".

Cant tell you how many times ive been 25 or 30 feet out on a drive or an upshot, feeling like i left myself short, but then tell myself or say outloud, "Its no big deal. Ive got that putt all day long"

I would say i make atleast 85 - 90% of those putts just due to mental attitude.

Putting is about 90% Mental and 10% physical.

Back on topic, I pitch putt primarily, and those are what i would describe as medium putts.

If i have to spin putt, its due to low flight path to the basket (low tree branches), head wind, or outside the circle, and believe you me, they are hard putts. When i use to be a spin putter, it was not uncommon for me to blow by the basket 30 - 40 feet and can the putt coming back.

Pitch putts fall withing 10 feet of basket.

KC Pro Aviars for Pitch Putts JK Pro Aviar-Xs for Spin Putts.

 

[Jay Dub]

Cant tell you how many times ive been 25 or 30 feet out on a drive or an upshot, feeling like i left myself short, but then tell myself or say outloud, "Its no big deal. Ive got that putt all day long"

I would say i make atleast 85 - 90% of those putts just due to mental attitude.

Putting is about 90% Mental and 10% physical.

This is very important and it does help with your confidence. I completely agree. I also talk to myself at this point, "You're going in motha facker"...I get a bit irked at that spot on the basket I'm aiming for then try to knock it off. lol

 

[chiggins]

...I get a bit irked at that spot on the basket I'm aiming for then try to knock it off. lol

After reading Blake's contrast between shooting at a link and bouncing off the chains, I've been picturing a small red square in the area I want to hit and a basketball hoop under it. Then I try to nail the bank shot. It's been working pretty well in the backyard basket, we'll see how it translates to course results tomorrow morning...

 

[black udder]

Like Blake said - I think there's a sweet spot of hard enough to get there and move the chains, but not so hard it blasts through.

I've seen folks putt like an approach shot or drive - that flat. I've seen people have a ton of loft on their shots, but I shoot for something in between. Enough loft so the disc is descending fairly quickly, but enough height and power so that it falls in or near the basket instead of zipping past.

Spin or pitch doesn't matter as long as the disc is petering out at the basket or slightly after. That should always leave you (on flat ground) inside the 30' circle, which you should make a high percentage of, or in the 20' circle which should be 98%+

I read an article and I've recounted it before. A guy who throws axes at targets said that throwing an object at a target is in our nature - it's an innate talent. We've been doing it longer than we haven't, although now we do it for entertainment instead of hunting. We should all be able to putt from 20-30' and in with 97%+. We have all the physical capabilities, it's all in our heads, making us not do what we can by pressuring ourselves.

Find a method of putting that allows you to repeat your physical actions with the most consistency and then just put the disc in the basket. The more you make inside 30', the more you'll make outside 30'.

You want proof - go find somebody who has never played, give them 10 discs and put them in front of a basket and see how many they make from 20' or so. You'd be surprised how easy it is when there's no pressure and if you've practiced and you play, there's no reason for any pressure on a 20' putt.

 

[discraft]

I putt hard because it always has a chance to go in.That gives me confidence to make the comeback putt.
Hard putt is missleading.I think the key is to have a quick stroke to keep the disc on line.
Smooth and fast is what works for me
.

Find a method of putting that allows you to repeat your physical actions with the most consistency and then just put the disc in the basket. The more you make inside 30', the more you'll make outside 30'.

So true.Practice inside of 30'.