Putting release point

[Alexplz]

I've reached a point in my putting where I've settled on a style that I think will give me the most success, but that may be more prone to streakiness or inconsistency - it's basically a spush putt wherein I try to take all the good stuff about push putting (weight shift, athletic stance, timing) but change up a couple things to add a spin, bringing my elbow joint into the mix.

More specifically, where I used to swing down and begin the stroke as low as possible and off to the left side of my leading thigh, I now attempt to keep the disc on the line drawn from my center of gravity to the center of the pole. It felt like the stroke was either changing direction too early or was not aligned with my line of sight to the pole, which seems to work for some but was no longer working for me. Now, in keeping the disc on the same vertical plane until the hit, because I would not have a long enough swing to generate smooth power (or as much as I want) from a pure push/shovel putt, I have shifted the disc at its lowest point in my backswing to the front-right belt loop on my pants. Now I allow my elbow to bend, and bring extending my elbow actively into the lead up to the hit.

I mention the hit now because that's the topic of my question - how do you guys time your hit/release in a spin putt? It seems to me with the additional moving joints in the elbow and to a lesser extent wrist as compared to a true push putt, the process requires more muscle memory and less "thinking about it" to successfully pull off sending the disc spinning in the right direction. As of last practice, I started to focus my timing around when the disc started to feel "heavy" - that is, when the slow-to-fast acceleration really starts to pick up toward the end of the swing. I feel that I can more consistently time my release in relation to the moment of that feeling as compared to doing it any other way, like visually, or when my arm is in a certain position, or whatever.

It also seems to encourage me to putt with a little more force, rather than just floating them in there. Thoughts?

 

[Broken Shoulder]

Less active spin, more finger spring.
And you're over-analyzing. Putt a bunch and absorb how things feel. Don't look at your arm, your hand, your disc, etc...only your aiming point.

Also, if you set up in a staggered stance, you can maintain the straight line with a lower reachback.


Edit...sorry, youre going legit spin putt. Ignore me. I missed that initially.

 

[Casey 1988]

Less active spin, more finger spring.
And you're over-analyzing. Putt a bunch and absorb how things feel. Don't look at your arm, your hand, your disc, etc...only your aiming point.

Also, if you set up in a staggered stance, you can maintain the straight line with a lower reachback.


Edit...sorry, youre going legit spin putt. Ignore me. I missed that initially.

I Have to look at that with the first putting like motion then I look at basket after I putt. This is for putts 19-20 feet and on back as I am more confidante in the shorter putts especially at 15 feet and under.

I do a push putt that I add more spin for wind the more it goes up and or the further I am back from basket. Also at further out starting I do the Ricky W type leg thing only going higher and higher further I am out and this also depends on wind too as to when I start it usually at about 19-20 feet but wind can change it to 14-15 feet out and even really close if wind is really high, and I am using my Shark either (old)Pro or No flight number 2016 Star mold at that point with how windy it is but the Shark feels like not enough stability on a disc. As some distance points it is hard to tell what I am doing for a putting style as I have just about all the types of putts except the turbo types and straddle putting.

 

[slowplastic]

I hybrid/spush...whatever a hack copy of McBeth would be. I know you mentioned elbow, but for me if I keep my wrist too firm then I miss the hit/pop a lot. I have to keep it loose enough that when I move forward the disc loads it back a bit, and then as you said you feel the weight of the disc, and then it's time to pop it at the end of the weight shift. So yeah...my tip for myself is don't make the wrist too stiff, it needs to load back naturally so that you can add that pop to the putt.