Disc golf: There’s no right (or wrong) way to putt

It’s not up for debate: Putting is the single-most important skill in disc golf.

To a certain degree, trying out a buttload of new molds each month will help. Eventually, you’ll find a few that’ll work. And that new, custom-made Octothorpe by Pound Disc Golf will make hauling ‘em around easier – more discs out on the course isn’t always the best thing, though.

Heck, believe it or not, to the surprise of just about every amateur disc golfer on the planet, not even the ability to huck a 400-foot bomb on pure hyzer will drastically lower your scores …

If you want to IMMEDIATELY improve, become a better putter:

• Benefit No. 1 – It will lower your average score.
• Benefit No. 2 – It will lower your average score quickly.
• Benefit No. 3 – It will lower your average score quickly – and then keep it low.

Putting is hard, but there’s good news …

Inside the circle, any putter can get the job done – and yes, should masochistic tendencies tickle your fancy, that includes BOTH the Berg and Polecat. Find a putter that feels good in your hand. Then, stick with it – change throwing putters all you want, but keep your putting putter the same.

And here’s some more good news …

There’s no right or wrong way to putt.

Literally ANY style putt can work – and I’m not just talking about “push” or “spin” putting …

Kevin Jones putts from a straddled stance, but Paul McBeth staggers his feet. Simon Lizotte brings the disc down to his waist, while Gannon Buhr putts from the hip opposite his throwing arm. And, like a lunatic, Calvin Heimburg shields his eyes with his own plastic while putting.

Some putts look crisp, clean and professional – Heather Young’s name comes to mind. Others, though equally effective, look more the result of an inhumane science experiment: Lewis Bitney and Andrew Presnell, I’m looking directly at you two – just a bunch of “wounded duck” putts.

Ron Russell putts like he lost a bet – this form won him a World Championship back in 1999:

Jake Hebenheimer has gone all in on the “cornhole” or “walking dad” putt:

You see, you could sneeze the putter into the basket – as long as it ends up in the chains, it really doesn’t matter much, does it? That’s what I love about putting: It’s not hard to know if you’re any good at it. You either make ‘em or you don’t – success is pretty black-and-white.

And now, for the bad news …

To become a dominant putter, you’ve got TONS of freedom – lots of decisions to make about form, stance, angle of release, putters, plastics, etc. Once you make ‘em, though, you’ve really not done much of anything – it’s the hours spent on the putting green that make the difference.

And when I say “hours,” I mean it …

Take Hebenheimer, for example. He’s stated on numerous occasions that his grade-A, goofy putting style was a seven-month commitment – it took THAT long to make it work for him.

For you, it’ll be more of the same. If you want to bump up a division, hit a certain rating, take down a tournament or just get better, circle-one work’s what’ll get it done – plain and simple.

Or, you can just blog about it – fake it until you make it.

Have anything to add? Take to Twitter to let us know – we’ll actually (for real) get back to you.

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