Pitch Putting Problems

[bucky926]

I decided to learn pitch putting for shots within the circle. I'm having a great amount of success up to 15 feet. After that, everything goes to hell. Here's the problem. When I pitch putt, I always hyzer the disc harshly. Sometimes I hit the chains almost vertical and spit straight through.

Outside 15 feet, I find myself pitching the disc way too high with insane hyzer and ending up way past the basket. The farther out, the higher the putt and the more extreme the hyzer. When I try to reduce the hyzer and the loft, I end up missing way left or right. Any advice on how to change this? The idea of an anhyzer push putt seems impossible to me.

Also, I switched to S Wizards because I've heard that a stiffer putter is better for pitch putts. When I end up missing the basket, my Wizard loves rolling 30-40 feet from the basket whereas my soft challenger never rolled more than 10 feet. I think this has a lot to do with my hyzer releases.

Any recommendations or ideas? I've seen the Feldberg video and the DGM as well as the first discmania video. Just wondering if anyone has experience with these problems and can offer some advice.

I'm considering a few things. First, reducing the amount of power I'm currently using and lofting it a bit higher so it falls in the basket. This seems extremely difficult to gauge power and height. Also, I need to figure out how to get rid of the ridiculous hyzer putt. I was watching Jenkins putt and he does bend his elbow a tiny bit which seems to keep it straight so I might opt for that. Otherwise, I'm just going back to my inconsistent spin putt (literally 50/50 at any distance past 15 feet).

 

[Mr. America]

Practice! It takes good timing with wrist/hand spring, arm movement, and weight shift. Just stay in close until you can hit by throwing the putter flat and with out much loft. and start working your way back. You should be able to hit from 30' or so without getting the putter much higher than top of the basket on an average put.

Watching the Feldberg push putting clinic where he talks about this might help.

 

[Rhynos4life]

You may be gripping your putter to hard and you're definitely putting too much "oomph" into your putts. Relax your grip and your arm throughout your putts and that may improve your shots a lot. Concentrate on your follow through as well, try not to let your wrist roll; it could be what is putting that hyzer on your putts.

 

[Bonks]

Practice! It takes good timing with wrist/hand spring, arm movement, and weight shift.

^^^^^^
This

Also, let your fingers spring the disc out of your hand. You will be surprised how much you can get on a putt using your fingers to spring the disc instead of just your wrist.

 

[zenbot]

In my opinion there isn't any difference between a 15 foot putt and a 30 foot putt.

You lack confidence. That will kill your game.

 

[RoundWounds]

The awkward part about pitch putting is that the disc's spin comes from the momentum of your arm/release from your fingers, not a wrist snap. I used to hyzer my pitch putts a lot, but I realized I needed to practice releasing it flat or just slightly hyzer.

Some things that help me are lining up where I want to release before my putt and reminding myself to be mindful of the disc's angle.

 

[Shimmer]

On my pitch putts I went from releasing at about my waist, to the base of my chest and it changed my game for me. They just dropped right in, it may not be right for everyone, but it really clicked for me!

 

[Triflusal]

In my experience, pitch putting is really hard. I tried it for around 2-3 months, practicing everyday, and I still had trouble getting power and consistency. I've since switched to a more Cam Todd style pitch putt and it has been working. I never could get the straight arm Feldberg style to work. But I did plenty of reading about it so I'll try and share some good threads.

Short arm/pitch putting questions.


Pitch Putt Question

Short-arm Apex Pitch Putting

 

[JoshEpoo]

The problem with learning to pitch putt a la Feldberg is that it often diverts too much attention away from your hands and getting the disc to pop out of it at the hit of your putt. Getting your release down is by far the most important part of the putt.

The secondary mechanics only become important when you're looking to go from 80%+ to 100% inside the circle, like Feldberg and Nikko. Most internet disc dorks switch to pitch putting waaayyy to early and never get the disc popping out of the hand cleanly from palm push and finger spring, so they get really ****ty push putts with no pop.

 

[BENFTS]

The problem with learning to pitch putt a la Feldberg is that it often diverts too much attention away from your hands and getting the disc to pop out of it at the hit of your putt. Getting your release down is by far the most important part of the putt.

The secondary mechanics only become important when you're looking to go from 80%+ to 100% inside the circle, like Feldberg and Nikko. Most internet disc dorks switch to pitch putting waaayyy to early and never get the disc popping out of the hand cleanly from palm push and finger spring, so they get really ****ty push putts with no pop.

Yes!!!

I love the pitch method and went through the same issue as the OP when I first adopted it. Making sure you have the right release is as important as giving it the right amount of power.

 

[ReinZ_96]

you might be swinging your arm across your body and not realize it, your just trying to hard and pushing to fast, or your grip is mighty loose, whenever i end up putting like that it's always one of those things, i just slow down for a few putts and it usually gets better.

 

[craftsman]

I recomend:

Evaluating your balance.
Evaluating your putting grip (specifically palm crease & index finger).
Expierement with straddle & cam todd style push putts to evaluate your weight shift.

 

[JTacoma03]

When I pitch putt, I always hyzer the disc harshly. Sometimes I hit the chains almost vertical and spit straight through.

Outside 15 feet, I find myself pitching the disc way too high with insane hyzer and ending up way past the basket. The farther out, the higher the putt and the more extreme the hyzer. When I try to reduce the hyzer and the loft, I end up missing way left or right. Any advice on how to change this? The idea of an anhyzer push putt seems impossible to me.

This part of your description makes me think you're not actually pitch putting. It sounds like you're hyzer putting, i.e. Garrett Gurthie style.

Pitch putting aka Push Putting looks like Feldberg, Todd, Climo, or with a more unique take Nikko.

 

[whiz]

Firm grip on the release. Make sure your hand finishes straight toward the basket, completely open fingers as if you were shaking hands. Also, make sure the disc in not held on a hyzer in your hand during the arm swing. This will give a flat release.

 

[sloppydisc]

I'd say don't worry about whether you are push putting, spin putting, or hyzer putting. Do what is comfortable and successful for you. And you may need a hybrid or combination of those techniques to cover all situations. Be flexible and don't get hung up on styles and what others are doing.

And practice a lot.

 

[TorreyLaffoon]

I posted this video last year and got some great feedback on it. Maybe these drills will help you.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UHkHGsVpc1U&feature=youtube_gdata_player

 

[Qbert]

I try to keep my arm as strait as possible and I went through similar issues when I first started pitch putting.
What helped me was being aware of the line I was swinging my arm on. I place my body around where my arm swings freely on a strait line from my front foot to the basket and try to "paint the pole" (have my hand make a clean sweep over the pole from base to top).
I also don't really worry that much about the release. I just keep my line and literally open my hand and reach for the basket. It comes out smooth and flat with a tad noes up so it floats right in the chains.
I feel like I use the momentum of my arm swinging to give the disc energy for flight more than finger spring whatever that is ha. I try to keep it simple and on line. The rest has come down to practice and putting over and over and over.
Hope this helps and keep truckin bud.

 

[substanceboarder]

Fully commit your body weight forward. Even if you fall through the putt and foot fault just get your chest forward with your arm motion. Having your body weight fully transfer through with the putt will give you extra power so you don't have to move your arm as hard and it will keep the loft of the shot.

Come back onto your back leg and as your arm swings forward push off with your back leg. Come all the way forward till you are balancing on your front leg and your so far forward someone could come up from behind and easily shove you over.

 

[jtencer]

Did you all just miss this part in your rush to post standard putting advice?

When I pitch putt, I always hyzer the disc harshly. Sometimes I hit the chains almost vertical and spit straight through.

Outside 15 feet, I find myself pitching the disc way too high with insane hyzer and ending up way past the basket. The farther out, the higher the putt and the more extreme the hyzer. When I try to reduce the hyzer and the loft, I end up missing way left or right. Any advice on how to change this? The idea of an anhyzer push putt seems impossible to me.

That doesn't sound like a pitch putt to me. That doesn't sound like a putt at all. It kinda sounds like what my wife does when she isn't trying. The idea of the pitch putt is to throw it without much spin or speed, not to throw it like a spike hyzer. If you're getting cut throughs on pitch putts, you're throwing way to hard and obviously with way too much hyzer.

You need to reduce the hyzer to make it to where it actually flys like a disc and then practice your release so that you don't miss left/right so much. There is lots of advice about improving left/right consistency with all kinds of putts but I've never seen someone be successful with what it sounds like you're attempting.

 

[prettyboyfloyd]

I agree with Trifusal - I tried the Nico/Feldberg arm swing style for months and it just doesn't feel comfortable to me. It's really hard to gauge power for distance. I imagine it's my release. I do still use it in certain situations, like when the basket is on top of a hill (where missing a spin putt could be horrible).

What blows my mind is how fast Nikko pitches. The disc seems to explode out of his hand. His finger spring is crazy.