I joined a putting league that uses DD Marksmans. A real PITA to get putts to sink because the sweet spot in the chains is so daggum small. Despite the annoyance with the teeny tiny sweet spot it made my putting MUCH better.
-Dave
-Dave
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How do players throw spin putts so straight with that kind of speed?
- Thread starter SnackeyG
- Start date
Wouldn't letting the disc go consistently be part of the putting fundamentals?
I think the biggest cause of left or right misses, is where your arm is lined up in relation to the basket, specifically the center pole, when you make your putt. Also, opening your hand too much on the release.
I suppose that's a fine way of thinking about it. Personally, though, I consider the arm path the fundamental and the release timing more nebulous. It's something that seems to take pure repetition to get the feel for it. I think of fundamentals as something that you can develop in an evening, if you have a good breakthrough.
DiscAnarchy
Par Member
- Joined
- Dec 26, 2016
- Messages
- 162
This is the main reason I am committed to learning push putting. Tired of missing left and right. In Feldberg I trust.
BillFleming
* Ace Member *
I'm working on both. Unlike Kevin Jones, I don't have the ability to push putt from long distances. My push putt range is 20 feet and in. Outside 20 feet, I need to go to a spin putt.
I do like that my push putts end up on line with the basket but short....it makes my next putt easier.....but the farther I get away from the basket, the shorter my putt is. Spin putting from distance might leave me left or right on misses, but I have a much better chance of hitting chains.
I had a similar result initially. I could not push putt from very far out. I just decided to commit to the spin putt - work on one technique and get good at it - rather than try to learn two. Push putt couldn't help me for longer putts, but I could get better at spin putts from close. But, I have to admit, my spin putt almost turns into a spush putt from close, because my spin putt technique has to be slowed down so much.
I do the mirror image of this. I committed to push putting, then have been adding more power (and necessarily some spin, mostly from wrist) as it gets further out. I tend to miss up/down, though at range (30+ feet) that extra pop causes left/right misses as well.
I like the theoretical simplicity of push putting (it's just velocity/power and release point, and not the additional variable of wrist and elbow syncing). But I do have a tendency to treat the putt as a sort of cornhole-like toss, where I'm trying to plop it right in the basket. I'm trying to push "flatter" and through the basket (setting the target depth at maybe 3' behind the basket). Worse when I miss, but fewer that come up just short/long.
I guess both methods have their short comings. Either way, it takes lots of practice to get good at putting. Luckily, I enjoy putting in the back yard. It seems like, spin putt, as I get to 20' or further away, I am most accurate if I make sure I extend my arm until my elbow locks out. The issue is, I practice a lot of putts, often, and the combination of volume and my elbow locking out is starting to cause me some elbow pain. Not sure yet if I try to get better without locking out, or if I try to lock out my elbow but reduce volume. Ugh. Play it by ear, I guess.
I found I putt far better when I pick a link to aim at, and focus on it. But, I mostly putt hard enough to make sure I am rarely short. I figure if I am long, I can still make the putt, but short doesn't even give it a chance. Plus, I have got so 15' is over 90%, and 20' is 70% (and hopefully climbing), so the come back putts are less of a concern than when I first started. In the beginning, I really sucked at putting - 20' and I about had to lay up to avoid a 3 putt. Lol.
I was a really good nose-up spin putter with an aggressive elbow extension for a few months. My form was similar to Paige Pierce and I hit metal almost every time inside 50' and was up to around 75% within c1x.
But it destroyed my elbow. After maybe 3-4 months of putting like that I had to take a couple of weeks off, do a bunch of rehab and completely remake my putt.
Took me like a year and a half to become a decent putter again, but now, over 2.5 years later, I'm better than ever.
Just a word of warning, if you're aggressively locking out your elbow be proactive with prehab and recovery and make sure not to overdo it.
3rd putt of the day, 35', dead center. It probably looks a little different when I'm warmed up. Second clip is me trying to recreate how I used to putt, fwiw it had good speed and height but was way right and with a ton of OAT.
I still extend my elbow, just not as aggressively and my release is way lower. I call what I do an S-class spush putt (a spinny spush putt, not quite a spin putt), but I can easily adjust it to p-class spush or pure spin for certain situations.
My technique has changed dramatically over the years, but working on grip, weight shift and minimizing excessive arm movements got me where I'm at today.
For reference a few months after I injured myself my putting was so bad that I had a 15' putt for 2 on the first hole of a tournament in low wind, completely flat and very few obstacles and proceded to take a 6. I also vividly recall several sub-40% c1x putting tournament rounds during this period.
- Joined
- Apr 1, 2009
- Messages
- 3,299
About 10ish years ago, I switched to primarily straddle putting for a couple years. I'd practiced it to the point that I was about as accurate with a straddle as I was with my normal stagger stance. I figured it made sense to just straddle on every putt since that way I didn't need to adjust for obstructed lies.
It worked pretty well, but my straddle is way more towards the spin end of the spectrum and I eventually developed elbow pain like Ellestar is talking about. I was really focusing on getting full arm extension in the straddle. Probably trying to make up for not getting much out of the weight shift.
So I switched back my old stagger stance putt that was close to a pure push putt.
I'm definitely not saying every spin putter is destined for elbow problems, but clearly I'm not the only one who was doing it wrong in just the right way to cause injury.
For me, the issue definitely is/was the full extension - the locking out of the elbow at the end of the throw. It is slightly painful each time I do it, but not so much that it made me quit putting that way, but the cumulative effect of even just a few heavy putting practice sessions focused on doing that, and the elbow pain is clearly headed towards a problem. Sucks, because it very clearly added a consistency and straightness to my spin putt - a noticeable improvement - but no way I can keep doing it. My elbow would be fully out of commission very soon, and I feel certain I would be headed for a serious elbow injury sooner rather than later. DG is fun, but not worth my health.
The hard lock out was definitely the issue for my elbow. So, I changed it up. I have gone to the more traditional spin putt stance, with feet facing the basket, and very staggered, and now I start my spin putt from within my body, until I get too far away (change up somewhere in the 40-60' range depending on my energy level and other factors), and then I turn to a stance perpendicular to the basket, and start my throw from approximately my back shoulder area. With either stance and putt style, I no longer purposely lock out my elbow. I try to get more power from my legs, and from my wrist flick and finger pop. Now I putt best when really getting the wrist flick and finger pop, and creating maximum spin. Also, extra spin keeps the disc in the air better, allowing me to throw far enough to reach the basket, but not having to go way far past on misses. The changes are still a work in progress, but I feel like my putting is decent, and still improving.
My putting has felt disappointing during play lately, and especially today. Finding out, so much going on during a round of play sometimes that I just forget important pieces of technique! I was failing to focus my aim on a particular chain link at times, and also not using enough wrist flick at times, both of which noticeably help my spin putt. Ugh! Driving as well - been rushing my throw - starting my arm too soon, and also not enough wrist flick, which helps me get/keep my release flat. I had improved my drives, putts, and consistency, but the past few times I played, I took a step back in all three categories. Ugh!!! Now that I realize what I was doing, hopefully I can regain my peak form quickly!
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