Awkward Putting

[RebelZero]

So I sort of suck at putting. I'm also not great at driving or approaching, but let's focus on shots inside the circle for now.

I'm right-handed and I putt from a stagger stance, with a hybrid style. Mostly push but with a little elbow and wrist break to impart a bit of spin. I've watched lots of videos of great putters like Paul and Philo, and most of these right-handed dudes seem to bring the disc down to their left thigh before popping up and releasing. I can't seem to make this work.

When I line up, my right foot is pointed at the basket, slightly angled, and my left foot is back and staggered out. It looks a lot like how those famous guys line up. But when I bring the disc down to my left thigh, it moves it offline. My right leg is aligned with the basket, so coming down to touch my left thigh before popping up creates a diagonal. My arm isn't going straight down and straight up; it's moving slightly offline in order to touch the left thigh. So when I come up, I have to move it a touch to the right in order to come toward the basket.

These guys look so fluid when they do it, like the line is dead-ahead instead of kinda off-kilter. I'm not sure what I'm doing wrong. It feels more intuitive to come down to the right thigh, but that doesn't seem to let the disc go back far enough, especially when I need to get more distance.

Any ideas?

 

[ray1970]

You'll just have to figure out what works for you. I tried to copy the style and motion of several really good putters but it just never worked for me.

I found I putt much more consistently with a spin putt vs the push/spin thing I used to do. I pull the disc sort of straight back into my waistline and then push it out straight towards the pole and kind of snap my wrist.

I bought a practice basket several months ago and spent quite a bit of time in the backyard experimenting until I figured out what works for me. Once I found my groove in the backyard it really boosted my confidence out on the course. My biggest problem was always missing low because I wasn't really committing to my putt. Now I'm putting more confidently and making way more putts and making a much higher percentage of longer putts.

 

[aphilso1]

Is your most common miss off to the right? If so, maybe try staggering just a little more by shifting your left leg out. Then instead of pulling back to your left leg, pull back to just the gap between your legs. That should help you get the putt online a little easier.

Also, at least for me, I am putting best when my lower body is rotating slightly counter clockwise on the follow through. Eric McCabe does this really well (although the rest of my putting style looks nothing like his).

 

[SaROCaM]

So I sort of suck at putting. I'm also not great at driving or approaching, but let's focus on shots inside the circle for now.

I'm right-handed and I putt from a stagger stance, with a hybrid style. Mostly push but with a little elbow and wrist break to impart a bit of spin. I've watched lots of videos of great putters like Paul and Philo, and most of these right-handed dudes seem to bring the disc down to their left thigh before popping up and releasing. I can't seem to make this work.

When I line up, my right foot is pointed at the basket, slightly angled, and my left foot is back and staggered out. It looks a lot like how those famous guys line up. But when I bring the disc down to my left thigh, it moves it offline. My right leg is aligned with the basket, so coming down to touch my left thigh before popping up creates a diagonal. My arm isn't going straight down and straight up; it's moving slightly offline in order to touch the left thigh. So when I come up, I have to move it a touch to the right in order to come toward the basket.

These guys look so fluid when they do it, like the line is dead-ahead instead of kinda off-kilter. I'm not sure what I'm doing wrong. It feels more intuitive to come down to the right thigh, but that doesn't seem to let the disc go back far enough, especially when I need to get more distance.

Any ideas?

When you say your right foot is pointed at the basket and slightly angled, do you mean your toes are pointing to the left of the pole, from your perspective? Are your hips square to the basket?

Not sure if you have seen this; at the beginning of this video Paul describes his setup with right foot pointed off center, so that hips are not quite square to the basket:


When you bring the disc down to the left thigh, how much bend do you have in your elbow and wrist? Playing with that can also help create room.

Also, note the hip movement that results from this setup. Similar to what is described above:

I am putting best when my lower body is rotating slightly counter clockwise on the follow through.

And here:

Even in putts this happens. Before I thought the rear leg was for pushing forward then acting as a counterweight. If you look at top putters, the rear hip moves behind the front hip, driving forward. I've added 10' to my putting range, not that I'm a great putter...but it works.

I can't find it at the moment, but there is a video showing McBeth moving his hips in this manner and basically spinning while following through on a long distance putt.

So from the setup through the putt, what you are describing as a diagonal becomes more of a straight line.

 

[Rastnav]

How long have you been putting/playing? How many practice putts have you taken?

I felt the same way a few months ago. Nothing felt "right", I couldn't make it fluid, no power, etc.

The cure was to make a lot of putts, a lot of long putts especially. Those teach the most. I made up a drill that just forced me to make long putts. I call it the 6x3 drill.

If you are new, the problem is most likely just lack of repetition. That and tinkering a little to let you make those longer putts.

 

[Casey 1988]

I found recently a Marksman/bullseye type basket will work if you have enough space that you can use normal putt style, the Innova Skillshot style not so much as the discs even in good putts bounce out. Some people can't use those metal Marksman type baskets as they use a different putt style to help disc get in the basket better no matter what.

 

[RebelZero]

Thanks for all the advice, everyone. I'm gonna watch the vids, study up, and start practicing more.