Putting Instruction

Putting in disc golf is what makes a average player great or a great player average. An average player that is consistently hitting puts from 20-30 feet out or less will almost always beat out the player who cannot make these putts or makes them without regularity. Good news you can hit the puts that make average players great and be on your way to being the great player you know you can be. How? Glad you asked.

Routine

Every good player in just about any sport has a routine. Some routines are pre-game such as dressing in the same fashion and order each game, eating the same foods, or listening to the same music. These players also approach the big shots the same way they practice - With a routine. How many times has Tiger Woods hit a 50ft birdie putt to win it all? Quite a few. How many basketball games are won on the freethrow line when all is " on the line"...... pun intended :) How do they do it? Routine, routine, routine.

Every player has their own personal style of putting which is fine. You don't need to change your style, just find your routine and stay with it. Putt the same way in practice as you do in the game. Use the same stance, arm motion, etc. If you stick to your routine when the big putt comes in the middle of game and the pressures on you can fall back on your routine to ready your mind.

Concentration

Now that you have your routine down this has already created the foundation for the next topic. Concentration. Sounds obvious right?
You might be saying come on I know I have to concentrate. Well do you? I mean think about it. Are you truely focused when putting or do you just step up in your stance and let it rip? By following your routine during each and every putt this will create the level of concentration you'll need to hit putts consistently. Repeat your routine exactly as in practice, and this should bring your focus to making the putt rather than thinking.. oh man I got to hit this.


Sometimes when I start to worry about hitting the putt I will step out of my stance, then start my routine over again. This will usually get my mind focused again. Don't over think it either. When your lined up on a putt you've hit hundreds of times before don't think too long or hard, go to your routine, gather your focus, and nail it. We've all missed putts that were " slam dunks " that rimmed out, brushed the chains or did not have enough juice(more on this later). I can't say it enough don't over think easy putts be being nervous. Step up, do your routine, and nail it.r

Another part of concentration for me is visualizing the shot. I picture in my head the path the disc will take from my hand to the chains. Visualizing does two things.
It allows me to picture the flight path and correct for things in the way, but most importantly it gives me the extra little bit of confidence I need to say " I can hit this". Visualizing the putt hitting the chains is the single most important thing I do outside of my routine.

Confidence

Sometimes the difference between making a putt and missing is just confidence. You may have practiced for months, hit the shot a thousand times before, but if you step up with doubt in your mind your probably gonna miss it. You need to train yourself to say "I can hit this putt". Your never gonna hit every putt, and some will most certainly flop out, but without confidence your lacking the most important ingredient.

Fortunatly gaining confidence is super easy. All you need to do is practice putting with your same routine each putt. Start by putting from the distance you have been missing putts. 5ft, 10ft, 25ft, etc, but make sure no matter where you start that your hitting putts. If you have to move closer, then move in. Just stick to your routine and start sinking putts.

Sinking putts even from close range will give you the confidence you need. You will be training yourself to say " I can hit this", from oooh man I hope I hit this. Stay focused and slowly move back as you improve. Repeat this for for a few short sessions every time you practice. Keep your sessions limited to your concentration. When you notice yourself rushing putts or thinking you want to move on, then move on. You should only putt when your concentration is high, so take it 10-15 min at a time and do something else in between.

Putt to win

One thing I see often from golfers is they don't ever really give themselves a chance to hit the putt. Most often people will leave the putt short, or not give it enough juice. Well I have one question. If your always leaving it short how can it go in? It can't. If the disc is not at chain height when approaching the basket you simply cannot score.

Most people(including me) start putting this way because of our prior failures. You know what I mean. You went for it several times only to see your putt miss, but not only miss.. leave you a putt just as long or longer than before. Don't fall into this trap of thinking your better off giving your putt just enough to get there and then die off. I understand what your thinking, but you'll never be consistent that way. What I see from weak putts is they look good but when they reach the chains the rotation is done and the disc hzyers off left or right and your left with an almost.

Please, putt to win. If your putt is high enough, and has enough power to hit the chains it has a chance to go in. If not you might as well roll it up there. If you miss so what. As long as you don't over throw badly, your misses should only be 10-15ft away from the basket at most, and after all you should be hitting those anyway if you've followed my instructions.

Here are a couple of good videos to watch: VIDEO

Good luck and please email me your success stories as I would like to post them as testimonials.