This won’t come as much of a surprise …
Putting is the “bread and butter” of successful disc golf.
How you go about doing it is an individual call – there’s no tried-and-true putting doctrine. If your putts go in, keep at it – don’t change a thing. And if they don’t, back to the drawing board.
If you’re new to disc golf or find yourself frustrated with the atrocity that is your current putt, know now that ALL non-circus-style putts can (kind of) be lumped into one of two camps:
- Putt No. 1 – The push putt.
- Putt No. 2 – The spin putt.
And if you insist there’s a third, keep reading …
I’ll address it.
1. The push putt
The push putt is a momentum-driven way of putting the “biscuit in the basket.” For example, when throwing a frisbee back and forth on the beach, the wrist does much of the “spinning” of the disc. The more it spins, the faster (and farther) it goes – this ISN’T the case with a push putt.
Instead, with the push putt, the wrist largely stays locked. It’s the manual, up-and-down rocking of the arm, hand and wrist, as well as the extension of the fingers, that slowly pushes the disc towards the target. Naturally, the disc still spins, but there’s not much of it – it’s a loft …
Not a throw.
As the disc moves slower, there’s often a fair bit of height on a true push putt – more hyzer, as well. The upside of the push putt is that, should you miss your target, you’re less likely to zoom past the basket for a nightmarish comebacker. But when the wind picks up, woah, Nelly …
Things get dicey.
* Example: Watch Nathan Queen and Garrett Gurthie putt – they’re hardcore push-putters.
2. The spin putt
The spin putt is the opposite of the push putt.
As such, the wrist is a key player: It bends, extends and drives the disc forward – and usually with a good bit of pace, too. Because it’s a spin-heavy putt, it delivers a more point-A-to-point-B flight path. Whereas push putts struggle in the wind, the spin putt excels – it’s a legit advantage.
Here’s the downside, though …
When you’re off, you’re REALLY off …
Things can get ugly – and fast.
* Example: Watch Alden Harris and Simon Lizotte putt – they’re hardcore spin-putters.
Where most of us fall …
Here’s something you might not’ve expected …
MOST disc golfers are a combination of the above:
Spin Putt + Push Putt = ‘Spush’ Putt
Paul McBeth and Ricky Wysocki – ever heard of ‘em? Both guys have used the putting green as a launchpad for epic, Hall of Fame-worthy careers in disc golf. And wouldn’t you know it, neither of them is a true push- or spin-putter – they’ve each created a style that works …
You can do the same.
Remember: Don’t get bogged down with the details of putting – it’s all repetition.
Putting is a complex problem with a simple solution …
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