Developing a more effective putting practice regiment

[Pbmercil]

Are you intensely focused while competing and mindlessly practicing? I'd love to be mindless while in competition. Fear is the mindkiller.

Fear is the-little death that brings total obliteration
Very true.

Little update on this thread since I last posted here. I modified my practice basket so the chains are only about 7 or 8 inches across. This is both extremely frustrating and also VERY helpful. One big advantage that I've noticed is that it has really honed down the concept of "painting the pole". If I'm not perfectly in line with the pole through my hole putt, I'm missing. On a full sized regulation basket its was a lot tougher to tell if I was really on line or not. I also started using the "All In" game. These two things together have helped tremendously. Also, playing all in on a basket with an 8 inch target is borderline sadistic. The "All In" game has really helped dial in my focus while practicing, so that I'm really paying attention to every single putt in a way that was hard to do previously. I'm finally starting to turn a corner with all this practice and actually see some results during regular play. I hope it translates to my next tournament, but I don't have anything on the books for quite a while

 

[Pbmercil]

Do you guys that practice with stacks of putters hold a putter in your off hand while putting during rounds?

Right now no. I only have 3 practice putters at the moment, so I hold my other 2 in my off hand during practice. I've never held a putter in my off hand while playing. I've got another stack of putters coming this week, and then I'll move to using my stool to hold the stack of putters while I putt one at a time. I understand the concept of using a putter in your off hand during the round, I just don't think it really makes any difference for me.

 

[Pbmercil]

This is my practice basket I'm working with now. Very helpful, but very much a pain in the but.

 

[asjzn6]

Diverse practice is important

Now that it is the off-season.

I put more time into lots of putts. Take time to look at the stroke and start getting the reps in. In my apt complex we have a downstairs storage unit area. I have a plac e to practice putts through the cold months. I work just short putts <20'.

As far as practice time #1 predetermined time or amount of shots. I tend practice the above for upto 20 min 3x week.

On the short duration as a player who probably won't be a super-pro, it is important to balance my life. I have a job and a wife and others probably have kids. I feel when I am complete in important parts (family, work in that order) the time I put into golf is more meaningful and fulfilling which has left me with better in round results.

When the season comes round, I like the idea of grab a stack of putters and work up shots and clean up your shots building confidence from the fairway.

Always practice putt after a round

 

[treysonagras]

Here's what I like to do.

If I have plenty of time I have a warmup routine I like to use. Before playing a full round I will play the front nine with only a putter. I will start each hole from about where my drive usually lands and will play the holes as Par 2's. After nine holes I'm warmed up and the putter feels good.

 

[zrxchris]

Sarah Hokum has a cool thing going on her FB page, "100 putts, 100 days"
She starts with trying to establish baselines and finding problem zones.
Some good things, but I think taking some of her ideas and applying to the all in game could be a better routine. Putting from the same line isn't good.

If you have any elevation changes in your yard, I like to do All In sessions where I make my triangle in different ways to have uphill & downhill shots and also get some trees in play, tight windows, low ceilings etc. I think the best thing about Sarah's regimen is that she works on both styles of putting and focusing on certain queues on different days.

I would also recommend the 1025 putting app game. It's like All In but with scoring. Good way to find trouble spots.

 

[zrxchris]

Sarah Hokum has a cool thing going on her FB page, "100 putts, 100 days"
She starts with trying to establish baselines and finding problem zones.
Some good things, but I think taking some of her ideas and applying to the all in game could be a better routine. Putting from the same line isn't good.

If you have any elevation changes in your yard, I like to do All In sessions where I make my triangle in different ways to have uphill & downhill shots and also get some trees in play, tight windows, low ceilings etc. I think the best thing about Sarah's regimen is that she works on both styles of putting and focusing on certain queues on different days.

I would also recommend the 1025 putting app game. It's like All In but with scoring. Good way to find trouble spots.

 

[Timeetyo]

So I've put a lot more time into my putting practice after moving my basket into my basement for the winter, where i have 35' of useable space. I decided to do several sets of 1025 as my practice of choice as it gives me a game, scores, etc. and I've been keeping statistics as well and trying a few different putters as well with stats to back it up. Why not...its the winter after all.

I've seen some good improvement in my scores and percentages as I've tried to get in 3 games (x36 putts each - or 108 putts + warmup) daily. I've already dropped one putter out of the contest due to miserable longer range accuracy (great <20, abysmal 30+).

What I've noticed:
- 10 & 15' I don't miss unless i'm not concentrating (still very rare).
- 20 is the fringe of my confidence area, I've been trending upwards and am around ~80% currently but rising.
- I take a big hit at 25' down to ~50%.
- 30 & 35 aren't much different ~35% & 33%.

BUT.....

...none of this is translating over to success on the course. It is just maddening. I swear if you game me 10 shots in my basement at 20' and 10 putts in a round at 20' i'd be 8/10 in practice and 2/10 in the round. Doesn't matter if its a for funsies glow warmup round while setting lights - or a league winter doubles. Just abysmal.

Yesterday was the worst. Lunchtime practice I set a new practice best record (including perfect <20 and 5/6 @ 25') and figured I'd be set for glow that night. Doink - basket. Doink bogie band. Splash - and out - left side chains. GAH.

So - how do i get out of this funk? Drives me nuts as normally the mental part of the game i do fairly well at (at least compared to my lack of physical skills).

 

[HyzerUniBomber]

http://www.heavydisc.com/2014/11/a-readers-400-plateau-and-spin-putting.html

Video at the bottom explains why I had to quit the pitch. Playing in a round is what I call cold-putting and cold-putting is much different for me than warmed up putting.

Developing a motion that you can do cold is IMO the single best thing you can do for putting.

 

[randomatt]

There is one easy way to translate practice to the course.

When you practice, practice your routine. Every time.

If you practice your routine, your brain should go into auto pilot. Which is what you want because mechanical thoughts during a putt is the easiest way to miss it.

 

[Qikly]

Playing in a round is what I call cold-putting and cold-putting is much different for me than warmed up putting.

Developing a motion that you can do cold is IMO the single best thing you can do for putting.

I was going to chime in with thoughts along these lines.

I'm far from a great player, but one thing I do see is that my modest putting practice regimen 100% translates to the course. And I think the thing that I do differently than those who don't get that kind of translation from practice to rounds is simulate putting "cold," as HUB quite nicely put it, with each rep. I always move to a different spot, usually at a different distance, before each throw. Having to reset my feet, re-gauge the distance, etc is the closest I can get to simulating what it's like putting at the end of each hole.

I actually think this is a good practice philosophy to apply to all aspects of your game. It's always important to isolate and work on specific shots, but early on in my DG life I probably locked into repetitious practice too much. Throwing anny after anny after anny helped me get a feel for how to throw an anny, but it didn't always translate when I had to throw an anny cold after 16 holes of not throwing one. Playing a round means having to consecutively execute a diversity of shots with a diversity of discs. I think it helps to replicate that in practice.

 

[tylerc]

I have been doing some practice putting but one thing I have been doing that is helpful that you guys should consider doing is, I have a innova traveler basket and I put the top down so the chains are against the pole, or you could wrap the chains to the pole. But I go to my 100% spot (for me 20 feet) and putt from there. This has been extremely helpful and is a great way to warm up as well! I warmed up for putting practice like this then made the chains normal and putted from 30 like I planned on doing.

TLDR: wrap chains to pole and putt from your furthest 100% spot

 

[DiscJunkie]

http://www.heavydisc.com/2014/11/a-readers-400-plateau-and-spin-putting.html

Video at the bottom explains why I had to quit the pitch. Playing in a round is what I call cold-putting and cold-putting is much different for me than warmed up putting.

Developing a motion that you can do cold is IMO the single best thing you can do for putting.

There is one easy way to translate practice to the course.

When you practice, practice your routine. Every time.

If you practice your routine, your brain should go into auto pilot. Which is what you want because mechanical thoughts during a putt is the easiest way to miss it.

I have been trying to teach these two points for years.
Excellent points.
Develop a "cold putt" and practice it while cold. That is, go to the putting basket (at your house, hopefully) multiple times during the day and toss one or two putts. Learn how you putt when cold and build on the best motion for the cold putt.
Next, develop a routine and stick to it. Go into autopilot when you step up to the putt, it'll take your mind off the putt itself and help you focus on the routine.

Great advice.

 

[FriedInTheDesert]

So you've changed your putting style but need to build your confidence with the new style. That's what a mindless repetition drill is for.

I like to putt from 15 feet with three putters for 10 minutes every day.

Executing your trigger and letting the subconscious take over is easier said than done under pressure.

 

[FriedInTheDesert]

What seems to be working for you? Just curious. I don't see anyone (league buddies) practicing short putts. It's usually some kind of ladder 15, 20, 25 etc.

 

[Pbmercil]

What seems to be working for you? Just curious. I don't see anyone (league buddies) practicing short putts. It's usually some kind of ladder 15, 20, 25 etc.

I mean my tournaments and leagues are usually full of people practicing only 30-50 footers for reasons I don't understand. I try and work the whole spectrum evenly until I get to about 35 feet, just outside the circle. I'm not going to waste my practice time with long putts until I'm confidant and lights out inside of that range. I think if more people took that strategy they'd have more success in leagues and tournaments. I can't tell you how many guys I've played with who will nail a 40-50 footer one hole and then miss 2 or 3 20 footers later in the round.

I've pretty much done everything suggested here in this thread, and it has all proven helpful. Its just nice to get some new ideas for how to practice to keep it fresh.

I actually don't believe in the warm putting vs cold putting thing anymore. A few weeks ago I would have been nodding my head, now I don't think its true at all. Everyone makes more putts during practice then they do during a round, its completely natural. But I noticed as I started practicing a ton that my success during rounds started going up directly proportionally to my success at the practice basket without consciously doing anything different during the round. So I'm not much of a believer in that anymore, because my own experience seems to show differently, at least so far

 

[TAFL]

Here's the thing: repetition builds muscle memory and focus. It takes thousands of putts to get to where the process becomes automatic. You can get those thousands in shorter order by throwing a stack of discs from a single spot than by moving around before throwing each disc. Yes, you can add some variety to the process via methods described in this thread to provoke the brain to adjust (and those changes can provide noticeable improvement in short order). You're still going to have to throw a whole bunch of putts to get to that point of automatic, so throwing a lot from a few spots is the most efficient way to do it.

 

[Royal Hill]

Thoughts on effectiveness of home routines:

Number one: consider Two baskets. It is amazing how more efficient and effective of a strategy this is. Doesn't matter if they are cheap or expensive baskets as long as there are two of them. I would make the unsubstantiated claim that two baskets are not doubly better, but rather something like four times better.

Two baskets approx 10m apart, or thereabouts. And use two discs max. Your best current game putter, plus the other one. And two minis. Essentially get yourself a set up similar to what they are doing with the Charlotte indoor putting leagues you see on you tube.

The efficiency of walking back and forth is significant vs retrieving. Plus, you then get to use your main two putters all the time. The retrieval and resetting process inefficiency with one basket is why the stacks of putters happen. (to overcome the hassle). Also, back n forth if outdoors freshens the background scene, changes the wind if any.

The minis: one stays at each end. You will be putting from a mini marker. Mark off a grid on each end, or at least a short medium and long (or more) on each end. Place the mini, line up with normal sequence, and putt. If made, then move mini to next position. Make each End's grid essentially a cycle through the distances to the opposite basket. With only two discs, there is no time to count on getting in a groove - each one is freshly done. The circuit may have five or six positions, but at most you will only be moving twice in any given "end". The advancement of each "ends" mini works as a progressive goal, or allows you to play advancement rates between the "out direction" or the "in direction"

Short practice bursts, but more often. There is a Declining return on effort the longer an individual session is, so the practice, do something else, then come back style is more efficient than a long grind.

 

[Timeetyo]

I think this wins: