Powered Down Putter/Approach Shots

[RowingBoats]

Take 5 different flying discs to a field, throw one however far, then play bocci ball with discs and try to get closest to that first disc with different lines on the remaining 4. Repeat!

This has helped me a lot and also is pretty dang fun too.

 

[bsammons]

Take 5 different flying discs to a field, throw one however far, then play bocci ball with discs and try to get closest to that first disc with different lines on the remaining 4. Repeat!

This has helped me a lot and also is pretty dang fun too.

Never even thought of that. Could also be a good time with a buddy or two, bet a Gatorade or a cold one on whoever gets the closest.

 

[drk_evns]

Throw it into the ground.

 

[HyooMac]

Although technique is more important than disc selection, having the right disc DOES help a lot. My go-to disc for 180ish tunnels is the Maiden, because it throws laser-straight and low for me, with virtually no fade at the finish.

It's funny, because this disc kept 'fighting it's way into my bag." I would take it out to the field along with whatever disc I was bagging for straight approaches at the time (MD, Judge, Gote, XD...), and the Maiden kept showing up the others. But for whatever reason (mostly length), I wouldn't bite. I finally spent more field time focused solely on throwing the Maiden for more distance...and no matter the length, a flat release goes straight. No fuss, no muss.

So, field work + the "right" disc = success

 

[aphilso1]

I bag a Berg for this very reason. It's incredibly slow (the listed 1 speed is accurate), and also low glide particularly in K3 plastic. Flight path is a controllable straight-to-fade like a baby Teebird. I have tried using the Berg for shots other than just the 150'-200' tweener, but that strategy just hasn't fit my game. For me it is a one trick poney. I throw it the same as my Envy and it goes 50' shorter.

 

[azplaya25]

https://youtu.be/E8l6g9LlRdM

 

[itsRudy]

Love to hear how everyone else has improved this aspect.

I found a disc I liked and it just came with time and practice doing those shots. Being worried/anxious will throw off your timing.

For that range and type of shot, I'd find something with little fad (0), a bit of negative turn and low speed, to keep it dead straight for me.

 

[madbrad]

I do too many tee shots while trying to tweak my form, hoping for a big distance break through.

5-8 per hole. Some times I'll find I'm sneaking 5 or 10 ft farther down the fairway than I used to, but more so, it is causing a sore body, lost discs, and lost time looking for them. I know my drives aren't tapped out, I've barely scratched the surface of what's possible, but I believe less time practicing them is more for me, after 20 years playing.

I think I'll improve my game better by walking to the typical landing area of my drives and practicing upshots and throw ins. Less strain, more reps, smaller chance of lost discs.

It seems that on longish courses, the second shot has the most potential to affect score. Bad approach = long putt and maybe a roll away.

Also, lack of confidence in short game often causes me to try too much for distance off the tee even when a shank will result in a tough scramble.

Time to save energy and put it toward an area where there is low hanging fruit. Less drives, more approaches.

 

[ru4por]

I do too many tee shots while trying to tweak my form, hoping for a big distance break through.

5-8 per hole. Some times I'll find I'm sneaking 5 or 10 ft farther down the fairway than I used to, but more so, it is causing a sore body, lost discs, and lost time looking for them. I know my drives aren't tapped out, I've barely scratched the surface of what's possible, but I believe less time practicing them is more for me, after 20 years playing.

I think I'll improve my game better by walking to the typical landing area of my drives and practicing upshots and throw ins. Less strain, more reps, smaller chance of lost discs.

It seems that on longish courses, the second shot has the most potential to affect score. Bad approach = long putt and maybe a roll away.

Also, lack of confidence in short game often causes me to try too much for distance off the tee even when a shank will result in a tough scramble.

Time to save energy and put it toward an area where there is low hanging fruit. Less drives, more approaches.

Drive for show.....putt for dough.

 

[Hampejo]

Drive for show.....putt for dough.

The statistics say otherwise.

https://discgolf.ultiworld.com/2018/04/05/drive-dough-putt-show-part-ii/

 

[ru4por]

The statistics say otherwise.

https://discgolf.ultiworld.com/2018/04/05/drive-dough-putt-show-part-ii/

I am not a professional disc golfer, nor are very many here. I stand by my assertion.

 

[madbrad]

Right. Joes, not pros!

Although big distance is the biggest advantage IF you can get it, I don't know if I can. I still try, but I would be wise to limit my frequency and reps so I don't hurt myself. I love the game and I'd rather throw a little shorter than be forced to give up playing.

Practicing mostly ONLY distance hasn't improved my touch on upshots. I am ok at upshots, but when I review MY rounds, upshots are usually where I added extra strokes.

Based on my game, often parking the approach on a 400 ft hole is something I'll be way more likely to achieve than getting a tee shot all the way there often, if even once.

 

[ghostofdabayou]

glad to hear someone else like to flick the Rhyno! one of the most underrated discs IMO

 

[Brychanus]

You can also use height to control distance. Throw low and firm, let the disc hitting the ground control your distance.

Alternately, throw a soft, nose-up anny to keep the disc straight-ish and control distance that way.

The more you throw these tweener shots, the more proficient will become. Grab some putters and throw at a tree from various distances.

Last (and probably best) suggestion: play catch! Good luck!

Stop reaching back so far and then trying to slow it down. It's easier to gauge distance with a short reach back..

You just need reps. That's really what it's going to take

Sent from my SM-G981B using Tapatalk

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8SQnSUtQbcE&ab_channel=HeavenlynnHealthyHeavenlynnHealthy

These and everything else are all good advice. I'd been working on this recently since I had the "first world problem" of starting to blow by baskets while developing distance form and lost any sense of touch for a bit.

In that 140' - sub 200' range you're describing I tried all kinds of things, then settled on developing the move that most of the 1000+ rated players use when they throw upshots. Differences in details and stances but it's all the same fundamental move:

One of the advantages of the "touch" standstill form compressing back into the rear leg like that is that you can keep your eyes on the target as long as possible and minimize moving parts.

I learned to do this first - I tend to use the bigger pendulum style like SW22 uses when I want to crush a standstill:


But there again it's fundamentally the same move as the others:

Here's Simon doing a few on a pitch n putt course.

There's no reason you can't do it with an x-step if you want to. I personally just find that it takes so little effort to throw sub-200' with a little standstill that it's usually not worth the risk of an overshoot with a bigger swing or x-step.

 

[blayed]

As someone who struggle(d) with theses shots I feel like its less mechanical than a full drive and more about just getting lots of practice in to figure out power and aim points. The main concept that philo said though is important, you dont want to do a full reachback and then power down, you want to have a shorter reachback and still throw with some "snap" My favorite way to practice is this:

Take 6 putters, throw them forehand from the basket Anny/Flat/Hyzer to up to 200ft, and then throw backhand back to the basket (and switch) on different shot shapes anny/flat/hyzer. Putt your throws. Repeat as much as possible, around obstacles etc. If you dont have a basket you can do this with a landmark (ie tree, bag etc.)

Another good way to practice is to hit the first available tree during your rounds and be forced to scramble. Do this often and you will get good at upshots in no time

 

[ray1970]

Not sure if my technique would work for anyone else but I'm pretty good inside of 200' with a putter.

Generally, I go standstill out to about 150' and beyond that I'll do kind of an abbreviated, slow walk up. I do about a half reachback, and the next part is what I've found really helped with ranging distances and controlling my angles- I intentionally drop my elbow and pull through with my wrist higher than my elbow. Not sure if that part makes sense but by dropping my elbow low on the pull through it really helps me "power down" on the shot without actually slowing the throwing motion down much.

 

[Hampejo]

Not sure if my technique would work for anyone else but I'm pretty good inside of 200' with a putter.

Generally, I go standstill out to about 150' and beyond that I'll do kind of an abbreviated, slow walk up. I do about a half reachback, and the next part is what I've found really helped with ranging distances and controlling my angles- I intentionally drop my elbow and pull through with my wrist higher than my elbow. Not sure if that part makes sense but by dropping my elbow low on the pull through it really helps me "power down" on the shot without actually slowing the throwing motion down much.

Makes sense. It's a nose up throw.