Sick and tired of being so bad

[BrotherDave]

Thank you so much for all the help guys.

Some notes, I noticed that some of you said for a forehand throw off your drive, having the right disc is even more key. Which disc is a good one then for a forehander?

Second, I use a Roc for my putts. Is this ok? Is there something better out there that I should be using? What would be the best putter for me or for anyone that really helps their game? I don't use my ProDart or usually any putters for my putts because they curve so much and I just hate it.

Your Teebird will suffice, I've seen pros sidearm them a mile, but me personally, the more overstable the better. I prefer a Star Starfire. And yeah, you need to get a putter for putting, it's hard at first but when you get the hang of them they're your best friend. But I'm a disrespectful piece of trash, for what it's worth.

 

[80playedin10states]

choosing the right disc for the shot is most important..muscle memory takes care of the rest. putt with whatever works for you!! PRACTICE

 

[Huk Finn]

RHFH I use a Star SL or Star Max depending on the shot

 

[stevep]

Work on your backhand drive. work on your approach shots. Work on putting. Find the right putter for you. The putter makes a big difference also. Get a putter that is hard but grippy. The Ringer from discraft, or the banger gt. Don't get a putter in fancy plastic, they are bouncy and slippery. Work with the roc. Practice approach shots. Mark off a distance 200 feet, have a 10 foot circle. You want to get you roc in that 10 foot circle almost all the time. If you can do that, you will take 10 strokes off your game.

 

[discgolphinmafaukner]

Ya keep practicing your putting. You don't even need to use a basket. Just practice throwing discs at some kind of target. It sounds like you need to develop confidence...

 

[Mason65]

That might be your putting problem! Putting is mostly about feel, so throw what feels good in your hand. Aviars, Challengers, and anything by Gateway is popular and quality. Personally I putt with a Rhyno, but I know that isn't everyone's first choice.

There are tons of putting styles and ultimately you will develop a style of your own, but here's a few general pointers. When you putt, think of making a linear motion with the disc toward the basket. the power put into a putt is mostly developed through a shift in body weight and the spring off your fingers. Many will say not to put much spin on putts, but that can be preference. Keeping the nose down will keep the disc from flareing and fading so much. You can try using the spring of your fingers to lob the putt up and out while keeping the nose down. If the putter still fades too much for you with a flat release, it may need to be worn in more.

 

[Fore]

I have been playing 3yrs now, and can only throw 300ft, so I can relate to where you are with your distance. I'm not a great putter either, but have made some big strides with that this year. The main difference with me is that I am a dominant backhand thrower. I only throw forehand if there is no alternative.

Although I don't throw that far, I've been able to lower my scores by focusing on a few key points, hopefully this will be of some help to you, too.

1) Putting is a major key to lowering your scores, spend time practicing putts. I have found PerfectPutt 360 to be the most effective method for helping me with putting. You can play a full game in 20 minutes or so, and you end up throwing 100 putts. Do this a couple times a week, and you will see improvement. Maybe it doesn't work for everyone, but it really helped me a lot.

2) Better putting isn't going to come quickly or easily, it comes from a lot of practice. So in the meantime (while you're working on the putting), focus on your approach shots. If you're only throwing 300ft, then you are a lot like me in the since that you are throwing a drive, an approach, and putting for par (depending on the length/layout of the courses you're playing). If you want to score better, you have to put your approach shot within a range where you can make your par.

Instead of thinking "birdie" from 50-100ft, think par. Don't try to make the shot, try to putt the disc under the basket and leave yourself and easy putt for par. As your putting improves, you'll be able to be more aggressive on your approach.

These are the big things that have helped lower my scores. I am probably throwing 30ft farther on average this year, but contribute my improvement much more to better putting and a strong approach than the added distance.

I also want to echo this post. As far as putting goes I would start with Discrafts PCP first and then move on to Perfect Putt 360. It can be found here: http://discraft.com/vid/html/dg10.html.

 

[YawningDrone]

Try working on a backhand drive. I feel like some (not all) players learn to throw FH early because it yields much quicker results, but top out quickly in the 300 foot area. Backhand may take a bit longer to develop distance, but give it a shot. Just keep the disc on plane, don't sky it.

I agree with this. I started playing a few months ago and only threw FH initially because it was fairly easy to do it well. I wasn't very accurate at long range though and began to get frustrated. It was suggested to me that I learn how to throw BH and I gave it a try about 6-7 weeks ago. After a bunch of rounds and some time on at the field with some people who were willing to help me I'm driving over 300 RHBH pretty consistently now. I also have a decent flick shot so my game is becoming well rounded.

The other thing that has helped me was to just practice putting from 15 ft..over and over and over. That suggestion has payed huge dividends and I now putt better than some of the guys who I play with who have been playing for a few years. Don't worry about longer distance..just 15 ft. Watch your putting improve dramatically. Shake hands with the basket.

I have a long, long way to go but that is the fun of it...learning and getting better.


Play with people who are better than you as much as possible. A lot of times I know something is wrong but I won't be able to fix it on my own..a siimple suggestion from someone with more experience and a problem I have been struggling with for a few weeks will be fixed in a few minutes.

 

[culinarywiz]

2 - Use the slowest disc that will get you there. This is one of the most important bits of information that has helped my game.

Great advice!

The marketing of golf discs, and the pro's with 500 foot cannons have led people to believe it's all about speed.

Last I checked, accuracy is still paramount.

There is no shame getting to the fairway slowly, tossing a gentle lay up, grabbing your drop-in par, then helping your buddy find his Boss out of the funk on a 300 foot hole - so he can take his penalty drop and pray for a miraculous 80 foot putt for par.

 

[Lewis]

Everyone here is giving good advice.

I want to reinforce the advice to practice putting, with a suggestion: if you have a little spending money, consider buying a portable basket that you can set up at home. They generally cost around $100-$150 new, but you might find one cheaper on craigslist or ebay or something.

I also want to echo the advice to learn a backhand. The flick shot (forehand) can be a wonderful tool, but if you don't also know how to throw a backhand, you'll be at a disadvantage to those who do.

If driving is a problem for you, learn to throw your drives straight and flat. By flat I mean they never get more than about 10 feet off the ground. If you're popping your drives up in the air instead of throwing flat, you're sacrificing at least 50 feet of driving range, if not more. The most important key to throwing flat is getting the nose of the disc "down," or as I like to put it, keep the disc parallel to the ground throughout your throw, especially at the point of release. If the disc's leading edge is tilted up, you'll get a ktie effect that destroys both distance and accuracy. If you can throw it 300' with your forehand, I suspect this may not be a problem for you, but it bears repeating for all new players.

And perhaps the most useful bit of advice is to play with people who are better than you. As the dude in the Discraft videos says, they'll teach you things you never would have thought of yourself.

Whatever you do, make sure to have fun.

 

[MrFixIt]

It's all been covered here. Lots of great advice

At least you are out there! Have fun and enjoy the great outdoors!

 

[Beable]

I have been playing for years now and I continue to underperform. It drives me crazy! What is it going to take to get better? I throw a sidearm drive for my first throw and sometimes on my midrange or a backhand throw. Today, I lost my Champion Beast in the woods which drove me crazy. Now I have to use either a Champion Valkyrie or a Champion Teebird that I have. I also have an Innova Roc and a Innova ProDart.

I just don't know if it's my discs or what. I just hate it that I love the game so much and play all the time but I can't seem to get any better.

I've been feeling this lately too. I haven't played as long as you, but I really want to get to hitting 300 feet with regularity, and it just isn't happening. Oh well, I'll get to practice a bit in a few hours.

 

[skinner21]

I too am sick and tired of being so bad. I have decided that putting is by far my worst area. In order to fix this I am either buying or building a practice basket for the basment.

 

[billnchristy]

Distance doesn't piss me off.

A beautiful, accurate drive followed by a botched upshot pisses me off!!! The closer I seem to get to the pin, the worse my upshot seems to be.

 

[KMaC]

I think you would really benefit from getting a real putter.

I'd recommend an avair, challenger, magnet, or a wizard. Throw it for all of your putts and upshots. Learn how far you can throw it accurately. Once you park you putter next to the basket on all of your upshots under 100' or so, move on to the roc. Learn those two discs and don't even worry about the drivers. They won't go far at first, but your form will improve.

This is how I learned to throw backhand. I used to throw forehand and got a lot of distance but no accuracy. Now after a lot of practice, I get about the same amount of distance and ten times the accuracy.

 

[culinarywiz]

Distance doesn't piss me off.

A beautiful, accurate drive followed by a botched upshot pisses me off!!! The closer I seem to get to the pin, the worse my upshot seems to be.

I used to play with my dad before he threw out his back. That old man couldn't throw anywhere near as far as my brother and I. The longest course we played together was Hudson Mills Monster course. We played that course on three separate occasions. My dad was undefeated there, 4-0 I believe. He still gives us crap about it. Goes to show the value of a solid short game.