Bullseye style baskets

[SonicGuy]

So I just got an MVP precision for practice in the basement. Catches fine, a little rough around the edges but for $130 whatever.

These baskets seem to love center pole for dropping in. I know from experience that "real" baskets hate it. Does anyone find that you develop a bias to hitting pole after practicing on a narrow basket for too long? Seems like after a couple dozen putts I start only hitting pole and I am worried about massive failure rate on the course.

 

[Kuel]

I'm not an exceptional player or putter by any means. I "spush" putt with classic hard putters. Take this for what what it's worth:

I've been putting sporadically on a marksman for a couple of months now. I focus on intersecting chain links just to the right or right on the pole. I do this on the marksman and on the course. If my putt is on, it goes in on course baskets. I can only think of two times in the last year (before I got the marksman at all) where I had a good putt come out after hitting the pole. Most of the time, it goes in if my putt hits where I'm aiming. A buddy of mine recently talked about switching from soft/blend type putters to hard. He said he noticed that classic hard putters seem to hit chains and fall straight down where as other types do something else. I've been putting with classic hard type putters for awhile so I don't have a basis for comparison to say what other plastic types do but MOST of the time the leading edge flips up and the back edge flips down. The two spit backs happened when the leading edge seemed to over rotate and the disc fell back with the flight plate on the top/edge of the pan. It then rotates out. Like I said, twice in the last year that I can remember. Maybe if you're a hard spin putter that number would go up.

I was pretty lucky to mid-pack MA2 most of this year if that gives you an idea of my skill level. The marksman has improved my game for sure. Would probably be even better if I didn't just putt on it sporadically.

 

[PBokor]

I really don't have enough experience to say for certain, but I use a Marksman and the funky Hive (with cross chains) for home practice and I have't noticed any real difference from the baskets at my local course, which are a combination of different vendors.

It may be that I spin putt with so little velocity that I am unaffected by chain design.

 

[SonicGuy]

It may be that I putt with so little velocity that I am unaffected by chain design.

That is probably true. And delete that embarrassed emoticon, you want your putts to hit the chains with as little velocity as possible.

I putt hard and it is not good for sticking them. It is actually better to hit Brooklyn instead of on pole if you putt hard.

 

[iacas]

How do you putt? Are you saying that you get a lot of bounce-outs off the pole?

I can't say I agree with that. I always want my disc hitting the center or very slightly right of center, with the understanding that on a longer putt that might come in from the right, the "center" is even a bit further to the right.

I like my Bullseye because it trains me to focus on the center or right edge of the pole, and not to worry about the rest of the stuff around it.

 

[SonicGuy]

How do you putt? Are you saying that you get a lot of bounce-outs off the pole?

Many many many bounce outs. The straight back at you rejected kind.

 

[iacas]

Many many many bounce outs. The straight back at you rejected kind.

I'll let others handle this, but it sounds like either you're doing something wrong or the baskets on which you play are missing half of their chains or something.

I've seen a disc cut through and spit out more often than I've seen a disc bounce straight back off the pole.

 

[SonicGuy]

I am doing something wrong, I putt too hard lol. But regardless of that "on the pole" is not the best place to land a putt, just right of the pole is the proper place to strike. It is just like bowling, if you hit the lead pin dead on you did it wrong.

 

[iacas]

I am doing something wrong, I putt too hard lol. But regardless of that "on the pole" is not the best place to land a putt, just right of the pole is the proper place to strike. It is just like bowling, if you hit the lead pin dead on you did it wrong.

I don't know. You must putt really hard. Pros don't seem to have bounces off the pole all that often.

But maybe I'm wrong and I'll learn something here. I am for the right edge of the pole. Or a bit further out if the disc is coming in from the right more. But I don't smash my putts toward the basket either.

 

[DanJon]

My Marksmen has taught me to putt, so that my disc is dropping into the bucket.

The chains just help deflect it.

 

[PBokor]

My Marksmen has taught me to putt, so that my disc is dropping into the bucket. The chains just help deflect it.

Agreed. I know I am in my 'zone' when the putts barely clear the top rim and just spin around in the bottom of the basket like a dying pinball. Chains are optional.

Most days haven't yet allowed that sublime state of putting grace, so I am grateful for chains and small favors.

 

[Broken Shoulder]

So you know you putt too hard and get pole bounce outs and you bought a basket that encourages you to hit your problem area? :\

 

[PBokor]

So you know you putt too hard and get pole bounce outs and you bought a basket that encourages you to hit your problem area? :\

Sincerely, what better way to learn? I went small and difficult to 'aim small, miss small' at home.

 

[Broken Shoulder]

Sincerely, what better way to learn? I went small and difficult to 'aim small, miss small' at home.

I was just giving Sonic a hard time.

In truth, I think people have decided that putting is harder than it is, but whatever helps you individually then fine.

 

[Kuel]

In truth, I think people have decided that putting is harder than it is, but whatever helps you individually then fine.

It's funny you say that. I convinced my wife to play in a ladies only tournament a few months ago. Prior that day, she had never played a full 18 in one day, let alone a two round tournament. I was her caddy and she was hitting every putt inside of 20. I seriously think she missed one inside of 20 all day.

After the tournament was over, I commented on how good her putting was. She said, "What? It's not that hard."

Now that she is considering competing, she cares about her putting and misses more of them.

 

[biscoe]

Sincerely, what better way to learn? I went small and difficult to 'aim small, miss small' at home.

"Aim small, miss small" is certainly true, however imo practicing on baskets that often reject what would be good putts on most targets tends to jack with your confidence a bit. You execute perfectly and it fails to go in- that is no way to train a dog. As much as anything else you are trying to train your head to believe all your putts go in- near perfect putts getting rejected undercuts that.

 

[iacas]

"Aim small, miss small" is certainly true, however imo practicing on baskets that often reject what would be good putts on most targets tends to jack with your confidence a bit. You execute perfectly and it fails to go in- that is no way to train a dog. As much as anything else you are trying to train your head to believe all your putts go in- near perfect putts getting rejected undercuts that.

Practicing on a tiny basket, and the real baskets look HUGE on the course.

So that can go both ways, IMO.

 

[SonicGuy]

So you know you putt too hard and get pole bounce outs and you bought a basket that encourages you to hit your problem area? :\

This was unanticipated, and the purpose of my thread. I didn't realize that the inner chain baskets would have the side effect of encouraging putts that are not actually good putts on a real basket. Spring will tell if center poll is an issue on the course.

Practicing on a tiny basket, and the real baskets look HUGE on the course.
.

This. Confidence is for mental midgets. I.dont need feel goodery to make my game better, I need a training aid that forces me to be better in practice than is needed on the course.

 

[biscoe]

This. Confidence is for mental midgets. I.dont need feel goodery to make my game better, I need a training aid that forces me to be better in practice than is needed on the course.

Let us know how this works out for you.

 

[Broken Shoulder]

This was unanticipated, and the purpose of my thread. I didn't realize that the inner chain baskets would have the side effect of encouraging putts that are not actually good putts on a real basket. Spring will tell if center poll is an issue on the course.

Really I was just giving you a hard time. Personally, I aim center pole on all putts - typically at the piece of tape that is usually affixed - and I could probably count on two hands the number of bounce backs off the post in the years I've been playing. Some baskets are worse. Also, I don't putt that hard and that certainly makes a difference.


This. Confidence is for mental midgets. I.dont need feel goodery to make my game better, I need a training aid that forces me to be better in practice than is needed on the course.

I agree, in part. I don't necessarily need to see my putts go in to know from my mechanics that they were good putts. I really just need a target to aim at to work on the muscle memory. In that sense, I could putt at anything for practice. I know what a good putt is or isn't when it leaves my hand.

Edit: I made a mess of the multiquote. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯