Stuck at putting.....

[Mikk]

I don't get it I started disc golfin in 1992. I couldn't drive but damn I could putt. Now after 18 years I can drive 450+ and can't putt to save my a@@.
I spent 3+ hours last night puttin at my own basket and DID NOT MISS!! I got the tape measure and went almost 50 feet and was still hittin'em.
I go to play today at white river and crapola I can't hit a single putt...:bricks:
I don't know wtf but I just can't get my game to work. Either I get the "johny on the spot" drive or I get the putt from heaven. I just can't seem to get the bolth at the same time..Sorry I just had to rant.....


:explode:

[Ol' Bob]

To quote Yogi, "Ninety percent of this game is half mental."

That considered, practice, practice, practice.

[emmarose]

keep up the practice... it will pay off...

... i believe that hitting putts is often a funny sort of newbie, beginner's luck kind of thing... i have seen it quite often in folks i introduce to the game... i believe it speaks to the "less think, more do" part of the game that i myself could work on...

... one thing i noticed recently that perhaps would help you was that my "game putting" routine was actually completely different than my "practice putting" routine (you know, like the little "waggle" for lack of a better term we all have before we putt... the deep breathing, the up and down of the arm/putter, the back and forth and weight shifting of the feet, the little flutters and wiggles of the fingers on the non-disc hand, etc.)... i have since made a very concious effort to have the same "waggle" in practice as in actual play and it has been very successful... in the past couple months i've actually recieved three compliments on my solid putting from various folk (i still don't see myself as a solid putter, but heck, i'll take the compliments anyway...)

peace and good luck,
emmarose

[TreeLove]

I have had horrid tournaments (from a scoring standpoint), missing putts, 3- and 4-putting, and then have played casual rounds right afterward, and made good putts all over the place. A wise disc golfer referred to it as: "going tournamental." I too am looking for a way to snap out of a putting funk (on command), to snap back IN to that carefree "practice" or beginner's luck" mode, where the putting is easy, and the basket looks huge. Any tips?

[Mikk]

I practice and play every day but either I'm dead on or dead off. I'm just frustrated. I made shure I was putting the same way every time. I was hitting the basket just not hitting in. Pissed me off. Then I had a bad drive and threw a new star destroyer off kilter and into the river it went....
Just got that disc too. Guess it happens to all of us.
I can't stand it tho "moments of brillance followed by 10 tons of BS"
Sounds like Disc Golf to me....

[thundercatthrowsdiscs]

keep up the practice... it will pay off...

... i believe that hitting putts is often a funny sort of newbie, beginner's luck kind of thing... i have seen it quite often in folks i introduce to the game... i believe it speaks to the "less think, more do" part of the game that i myself could work on...

... one thing i noticed recently that perhaps would help you was that my "game putting" routine was actually completely different than my "practice putting" routine (you know, like the little "waggle" for lack of a better term we all have before we putt... the deep breathing, the up and down of the arm/putter, the back and forth and weight shifting of the feet, the little flutters and wiggles of the fingers on the non-disc hand, etc.)... i have since made a very concious effort to have the same "waggle" in practice as in actual play and it has been very successful... in the past couple months i've actually recieved three compliments on my solid putting from various folk (i still don't see myself as a solid putter, but heck, i'll take the compliments anyway...)

peace and good luck,
emmarose

That makes alot of since! thanx for the tip. I think that will help me as I am getting the same putting results as Mikk. I have an older basket so what I started doing is going to a local course durring a "slow" time and practice on a real basket.

[Mikk]

Na my basket is made by Mike Moss and its the best I have ever seen. Realy. Mabe its cuz I'm in (or not in) my comfort zone. Mabe I got my head up my putter.. Mabe I should just throw the putter and not let it eff with me if I miss.

[captain jack]

Some Mach 3's are just evil. :(

I can hit 30 footers all day long with my eyes half closed on say, #3 at the 'Tac, but I could be underneath the leaning #8 basket at Juel, and not even touch chains when I putt, time after time.

It's just a thing, and there is nothing you can do about it.
It's like when you make your best drive ever, with a solid look at a birdie, and you end up taking a four. :slapface:

I have come to terms with Dans "Cool Shoes" baskets, which show up at Seatac, Lakewood, and White River.
They used to mock me with thier vertical, nubbinless sides, but after some yelling and cursing, I have grown to appreciate them.
Some people may not notice these as they play, but they do react differently than a Mach 3 does.

[Boosh Dag]

It takes hundreds of good golf shots to gain confidence, but only one bad one to lose it.
- Jack Nicklaus

[Ol' Bob]

More than anything, putting practice, repeating the putt you can hit, makes confidence easier to have when you are looking at that putt in play.

For me, the hardest thing to do is to stop what I'm doing when my mind intrudes, taking me mental. I can see it happening and yet, I go ahead. The best thing at that point is to stop, reset, do my breaths, and go. For me, I find it best to putt when at the end of my exhale. I seem to be at my stillest moment then.

I need to apply this whole routine when I'm on the practice green. I tend to get into rapid fire with my seven Rattlers. This has been a good thread to get me to thinking when I should be thinking. When your are doing your putt is no time to be thinking. It's the time to be only doing.

[emmarose]

absolutely putt on the exhale... also drive on the exhale... deep breathing, very simple and it works!

peace,
em

p.s. ummm... dudes... it's not the basket... ;)

p.p.s. learning to contain your frustration and anger is key... let it happen, and then move on... the breathing helps with this, too...

[Skookum]

If you need help remembering to exhale try little Kung-Fu noises, like if Bruce Lee was putting or Monica Seles was driving.

Eeeeyah!

[PDXDuck]

As Emma already mentioned, routine.

Come up with a routine that you follow EVERY time you putt. Whether its physical movements, little mantras or a combination of things.

Putting in disc golf is not all that different mentally than shooting free throws in basketball. Many of the great NBA players had (and have) a variety of things they do EVERY time they shoot a free throw in a game or practice (practice, we're talking about practice?).

Training your muscles and brain to follow the same routine every time will help you keep more consistent form and will increase confidence which will help those putts find the chains.

My putting greatly improved using the same routine for every putt, the hard part is sticking to it at first. Sometimes we tend to putt as many times as possible when practicing and following a routine will definitely add time to your practice sessions. Quality over quantity is the difference maker on the course, though.

If only I could come up with a routine that would help the consistency of my drives...

[emmarose]

If you need help remembering to exhale try little Kung-Fu noises, like if Bruce Lee was putting or Monica Seles was driving.

Eeeeyah!

ah-hahahahaha... haha ha ha... hehehe... seriously... have you heard me play? ... i've got a noise for everything... drives, upshots, putting... i can't think about it, i'm not trying to do it... but if i don't let it out i can't play for shit... a friend of mine heard me the other day (it's been a while since she's physically been able to make it out on the golf course... but she's rockin' an all terrain segway these days... it's rad)... and she said, "oh! the singing helps! look how far you throw!" i've decided that yes, yes it is singing... not grunting... that's not ladylike... singing is sweeter...

peace,
emmarose

[sillybizz]

I know that a lot of people practice from too far out. I try to practice from 20 feet and in and this will help you become more confident as well as make those more like gimme putts. Also don't putt for hours and hours, try to putt with concentration like you would at the course; it's hard to keep up that kind of concentration for too long, I practice at most 30 minutes at a time.

[emmarose]

I know that a lot of people practice from too far out. I try to practice from 20 feet and in and this will help you become more confident as well as make those more like gimme putts. Also don't putt for hours and hours, try to putt with concentration like you would at the course; it's hard to keep up that kind of concentration for too long, I practice at most 30 minutes at a time.

... i totally agree with this... i practice much shorter than what i expect to be hitting in my games... i do of course also practice long, but i focus on hitting 100% of my putts from 15 feet or shorter before moving out... i believe that if you are hitting your 20 foot putts in practice, that will transfer to hitting your 30 foot putts in a game... it's very much about having that confidence... "confidence is half of everything"... not exactly sure who's quote that it is, but it's a good one...

...i have 5 practice putters and several different "stations" set up around my front yard... different lengths and elevations and stuff to keep it as interesting as possible...

... i use putting practice as a form of meditation and find myself getting lost in it in a very nice and easy and peaceful sort of way... i don't time myself or put a limit on it, but what seems to happen is that after about an hour i am done... and i can tell when i'm done because i'm no longer focused on the basket and begin to think about other things, like, "oh, no! i hope i'm not missing 'so you think you can dance'" or "shoot, i ran out of hammies..."

peace,
emmarose

[mrDROCK]

...i have 5 practice putters and several different "stations" set up around my front yard... different lengths and elevations and stuff to keep it as interesting as possible...

Shoot, I want to check out your front yard putting green. It sounds like a good time.

[emmarose]

Shoot, I want to check out your front yard putting green. It sounds like a good time.

my yard totally kicks ass... especially as this year i have done very little mowing of it other than the putting greens, the stations and the trails to the stations... it is super pretty... although all my friends are giving me a hard time 'cause from the road it looks like it's just a riotous mess of daisies, purple self-heal, and super tall grass... i love me my hillbilly lifestyle!

peace,
em

[Ol' Bob]

I know that a lot of people practice from too far out.

Well, you know me, Mr. Bizz. I'm too far out, even when I'm standing right over the basket.

[captain jack]

Speaking of practicing, here's a little tip that I'm sure will be hotly contested by some, but its based on sound logic.

Never putt repetitively from one spot.

The reason is, you only ever get one putt in real play, no do overs, so why practice that way ?

Pro ball golfers will never line up balls one behind another, its pointless, they will drop balls in random locations, then putt from each different location.

Disc golf is exactly the same.

So putt once, then move, putt, then move, putt , then move.

This will make you a better player than the guy that just stands there and smashes 20 discs from the same spot, regardless of how far away they are.

Each consecutive disc you throw from the same spot will always get closer to the target, it easy to correct once you've made the initial mistake, so throwing more than one shot is just fooling yourself,and you will learn much slower this way.

Practice the same way you play and you will get better, faster.

And Emma
p.s. ummm... dudes... it's not the basket

It really is, just wait till you meet an evil one :evilgrin: , then you'll be a believer.

[Cajun]

Stay 100% positive. Walk up to your putt and be thinking "I AM GOING TO MAKE THIS PUTT", believe it, sink it.

[mrDROCK]

Stay 100% positive. Walk up to your putt and be thinking "I AM GOING TO MAKE THIS PUTT", believe it, sink it.

"You little son of a b!*#h disc! Why you don't you just go HOME? That's your HOME! Are you too good for your HOME? ANSWER ME! SUCK MY WHITE A$$, DISC! "

[mazza]

"You little son of a b!*#h disc! Why you don't you just go HOME? That's your HOME! Are you too good for your HOME? ANSWER ME! SUCK MY WHITE A$$, DISC! "

god if i had a dime every time i said that...i could buy a bunch of new disc's to yell at

[Mikk]

Ok so I discovered something. My basket at home is slightly down hill, not much but its enough. This is the reason it looks like I'm dropping my putts. Yesturday while out playing I hit every basket that was at at slight downhill angle. However I missed the flat land putts. either slightly to the right or too low. So now I need to change things up a bit during practice!!
This might help as well..."You little son of a b!*#h disc! Why you don't you just go HOME? That's your HOME! Are you too good for your HOME? ANSWER ME! SUCK MY WHITE A$$, DISC! "
Hahahahahahaaa I think I actualy used that line before!!!

[Ol' Bob]

I set up our three basket putting green here in an equilateral triangle with the baskets 10 meters apart. Our usual summer afternoon breeze is west to east. The north/south legs have an elevation differential of about three or four feet, with higher rise/fall shots available by stepping outside the triangle. The east/west leg is fairly level and usually aligned with the prevailing wind direction. So, on a given sunny afternoon, there are any combination of uphill, downhill, level, downwind, upwind, and/or crosswind shots to choose from.

Good rules of thumb:

Uphill: aim high
Downhill: aim low
Upwind: aim low
Downwind: aim high

Big wind: throw a heavy driver

[Ol' Bob]

As far as moving every shot, or not: I think there is something to gain either way. Staying put, and zeroing in, is valuable in its own way toward confidence building. Moving after each putt is great for learning your procedure for getting set, seeing what that next putt entails, and executing.

All in all, I don't think practice can hurt you in the long run. I have, personally, seen where over-practicing before a round seemed to mess me up. For me, pre-round practice helps to get me to remember my 'confident zone.' Once in that zone, time to go play. When I haven't done any warm-up putting, the doubts can really get me on the first couple putts of a round.

[emmarose]

Speaking of practicing, here's a little tip that I'm sure will be hotly contested by some, but its based on sound logic.

Never putt repetitively from one spot.

The reason is, you only ever get one putt in real play, no do overs, so why practice that way ?

Pro ball golfers will never line up balls one behind another, its pointless, they will drop balls in random locations, then putt from each different location.

Disc golf is exactly the same.

So putt once, then move, putt, then move, putt , then move.

This will make you a better player than the guy that just stands there and smashes 20 discs from the same spot, regardless of how far away they are.

Each consecutive disc you throw from the same spot will always get closer to the target, it easy to correct once you've made the initial mistake, so throwing more than one shot is just fooling yourself,and you will learn much slower this way.

Practice the same way you play and you will get better, faster.

And Emma


It really is, just wait till you meet an evil one :evilgrin: , then you'll be a believer.


... i think both methods of practice have benefits... harvey pennick (ball golf caddy, "harvey pennick's little red book" and more...) recommends the chip and then hole out method of short game practice, but i also believe that there is something to building the muscle memory repetitive motion confidence boosting thang...

... and... not the basket... ;)

peace,
emmarose

[Burge]

I know that a lot of people practice from too far out. I try to practice from 20 feet and in and this will help you become more confident as well as make those more like gimme putts. Also don't putt for hours and hours, try to putt with concentration like you would at the course; it's hard to keep up that kind of concentration for too long, I practice at most 30 minutes at a time.

Right on! This is so true. I have a homemade basket (pics attached) and a 110' front yard, and I can tell you from experience--practicing from +50' out does nothing to improve your putting game. The only reason to do it is to nail that 1 out of 10 shot for a little afternoon glory:yay: plus, I will say, my upshot/approach game is tight.;) But putting from 30' and in with consistency and confidence is a whole other bucket of clams.

You have to start at point-blank and move back slowly. Limiting your session to about 30min is also important. You might be able to throw 50-80 putts in a half an hour, so your concentration, and your muscles, will wain by that time. Keep it realistic and avoid the frustration of trying to hit putts while you're fizzling out.

Having a little ritual that you stick to every time is key. Find something you can live with that's not too goofy or OCD and STICK TO IT! It becomes a way for you to come back to center and get out of your head and into your throw.

Then, think of the process like learning to walk on the edge of a high narrow wall....c'mon, it's a metaphor, bear with me:rolleyes2:...
... If you start by walking on a 2x4, it's easy because your not afraid of falling 2". So you add another 2x4 and practice walking on a 4" high wall unit its just as easy as 2". As your confidence builds, with each subsequent addition and practice, you eventually become able to walk on a 30' wall as if you were mere inches from the ground. Y'all see where I'm goin' with this? :chinscratch::yawn:

Start at three paces from the basket (~10'). Stand there with your 10 favorites (I don't believe in the one kind of putter thing-- learn to putt with your mid-rangers; the Buzzz and the Stingray are both great putters) and throw until you hit +90% before you move back one step. Build up slowly until you can hit 90% from 20' and you'll be doing better than 90% of the people on the course.

[Burge]

... i think both methods of practice have benefits... harvey pennick (ball golf caddy, "harvey pennick's little red book" and more...) recommends the chip and then hole out method of short game practice, but i also believe that there is something to building the muscle memory repetitive motion confidence boosting thang...

... and... not the basket... ;)

peace,
emmarose

emma's got a good point. Both are beneficial to your game, but you have to build a good muscle memory/confidence foundation so that you have something to work with as you apply it to different situations.

And, it's never the basket.

[bigal]

To quote Yogi, "Ninety percent of this game is half mental."

That considered, practice, practice, practice.

Actually I think Yogi said it the other way around. "Hitting (putting in our case) is 90% mental and 50% physical." Just happenned to hear it on a PBS special on the history of baseball last week.

I agree totally with this one and with, "It aint over 'till its over." I'm referring to my ability to have a hot, peronal best round going only to blow it in the last 1 or 2 holes and finish how I normally do. I did it at Whistlers this weekend. I was only 5 over in the second round with 2 holes left and end up earning a 6p and 5 on my last two holes to finish my usual 10 over. :headbang:

Keep working hard and things will fall into place. Remember to practice mentally as well as phyiscally. We can practice putting technique until the cows come home, but if we don't practice how to get our selves in the right mental frame it is really shows when it counts.



Namaste,

:bowing:Big Al:bowing:

[Mikk]

I have been working on the "same throw every time" montra. I have figured out that my putts are better with my left foot forward. However I know in the real game that I'm not gona get that stance every time i.e. the big damn tree/bush is in the way. My guess is that I was pushing too hard during my practice and think I should mix it up a bit when doing so..
I also have light putters and heavy putters of the same type. Just for when the wind picks up!!

[emmarose]

I have been working on the "same throw every time" montra. I have figured out that my putts are better with my left foot forward. However I know in the real game that I'm not gona get that stance every time i.e. the big damn tree/bush is in the way. My guess is that I was pushing too hard during my practice and think I should mix it up a bit when doing so..
I also have light putters and heavy putters of the same type. Just for when the wind picks up!!

... it definitely screws with my putting when i can't have my preferred stance... up until recently i have only focused on smoothing out and dialing in my standard putting style and stance because i have only in the last couple years started putting on baskets (for the first 10 years of my disc golfing life i played on 3/4" in pins on a private course and we actually played that the putt counted anywhere on the pin... this meant i had a backhand style of putting and aimed at the base of the pin to avoid long fly bys... not exactly a style of putting that works any good on baskets... ), however i have recently been thinking that it is time to work into my practice routine straddle putts and such things.. for two reasons... 1. so that when i run into these situations in a game, i will have the confidence that i know what to do and 2. to make it a little bit more fun...

... one of the most important things for me to remember no matter what area of my game is giving me trouble is that i love disc golf and there is never anywhere i would rather be... if it's not fun, it's not going to be good... and it should always be fun... i sometimes forget that...

peace,
emmarose

[Ol' Bob]

I really hate bad footing. Well, bad footing sure seems to hate me. When I'm poorly set and trying some strange stroke, I get as settled in and comfortable as I can. I will get to believing I can make the shot and phhhhhhhtttt, horrible result. I just keep trying. It's hard to set up a bad lie to practice, as there is no standard. I will say though, where taking a knee for a putt used to freak me out the same way. Now I actually like it. I get really solid and steady that way now. I wear sweat pants though, not argyle socks.

[DexterHawk]

Another thing to take into acount is that most people have a very exagerated idea about how many putts you have to make to win tournaments. I try to think of tournament putting like a free throw percentage... I want to make all of my putts 15' and in but after that I've come to accept a little faliure. The key for me is in the fairway before I get there if I can convince myself after the drive or upshot that I have a good chance to hole out I have a much better chance of making my putt. Everybody misses putts the key is to not punish yourself so much that you change your form and miss the putt on the next hole too.

[Mikk]

Ok so I did alot better yesturday hitting 17 outa 18 putts. All were less than 20 feet. I stayed with my FORM for every shot reguardless of my lye and it worked!! I had 1 down hill super straddle putt that made me strech the splitts like Jean Claude Vandamm. Thats just not that easy!!! I also didn't throw but 2 practice putts either before playing.

[Ol' Bob]

I also didn't throw but 2 practice putts either before playing.

Sometimes that's all it takes. That way your first practice putt isn't one that will count in your score. You just need to know you can do it, and seeing really is believing. Practice is as much about confidence as mechanics.

Seventeen of eighteen? I could live with that.

[Tim]

I had 1 down hill super straddle putt that made me strech the splitts like Jean Claude Vandamm. Thats just not that easy!!!

A fashionable leotard may help with that.

http://i165.photobucket.com/albums/u67/timcoye/random/l_5626cc15a6f00b7c0c53b79e0577153d.gif

[Ol' Bob]

I hope the boss isn't looking over your shoulder.

[emmarose]

Another thing to take into acount is that most people have a very exagerated idea about how many putts you have to make to win tournaments. I try to think of tournament putting like a free throw percentage... I want to make all of my putts 15' and in but after that I've come to accept a little faliure. The key for me is in the fairway before I get there if I can convince myself after the drive or upshot that I have a good chance to hole out I have a much better chance of making my putt. Everybody misses putts the key is to not punish yourself so much that you change your form and miss the putt on the next hole too.

... yeah... i prefer to have super kick ass upshots and f* the putts...

peace,
em

[Mikk]

I hope the boss isn't looking over your shoulder.

Geezzz bob my boss was looking over my shoulder.. Damn how'd ya know??:shocked:

[Ol' Bob]

Turn off your monitor cam.


Oops, I was thinking of Tim posting that van damned gif.

[Brody Cannon]

I don't get it I started disc golfin in 1992. I couldn't drive but damn I could putt. Now after 18 years I can drive 450+ and can't putt to save my a@@.
I spent 3+ hours last night puttin at my own basket and DID NOT MISS!! I got the tape measure and went almost 50 feet and was still hittin'em.
I go to play today at white river and crapola I can't hit a single putt...:bricks:
I don't know wtf but I just can't get my game to work. Either I get the "johny on the spot" drive or I get the putt from heaven. I just can't seem to get the bolth at the same time..Sorry I just had to rant.....


:explode:

The inconsistency that I found in my putting was from spin putting. I would have days where I'd make everything then later the day or the next day I would be terrible. I find push putting to be more consistant. Are you a spin putter?

[Tim]

Turn off your monitor cam.


Oops, I was thinking of Tim posting that van damned gif.


Are you suggesting that pic was NSFW?

What sad times are these when we can't post pictures of a Belgian in a leotard, gettin' down with his bad self.

Does this need to get moved to CT? ;)

[Ol' Bob]

Actually, it was some of his best acting, and probably the best movie of his I've seen.

[Mikk]

The inconsistency that I found in my putting was from spin putting. I would have days where I'd make everything then later the day or the next day I would be terrible. I find push putting to be more consistant. Are you a spin putter?

I'm a push putter mostly unless I have a bad angle or from outa the bushes..
Even my friends noticed that I'm staying on my putting style everytime.