In disc golf, similar to ball golf, putting on or near the green can shave countless strokes off of a player’s score throughout their career. It can also add just as many if one doesn’t take the time and effort to perfect the craft of putting.
Why do I need to practice putting?
Learning the flight pattern, becoming comfortable with the feel of the disc, and gaining muscle memory are a few reasons to practice your putting so that you can better your scores and get off the hole faster than your opponents.
Confidence is also, and quite possibly the most important reason to practice, practice, practice. The mindset of a player can change in the fraction of a second the moment he or she doesn’t feel confident in their game play.
You step up to a 15 footer on flat ground and that’s a tap-in, but step up with a descending death putt behind the basket and your mind begins to think of “what happens if I miss?”
Confidence from practice can be the difference of laying up or missing, or drilling those chains to ensure the disc sticks.
Disc Golf Putting Grips
Before learning about putting, here are the grips you'll want to use!
Either of the 2 grips shown can be used for spin or push putting, its all about personal preference, comfort, and confidence!!
Putting Grip 1
Putting Grip 2
For both grip styles, the wrist should be in a cocked position with your thumb pointed towards the left for right handed players and to the right for left handed players.
You don't want your wrist to be straight as this will make releasing the disc cleanly a little more difficult.
Regardless of the grip you choose, you may find that slight variations in grip will be a little more comfortable to you and as long as you get consistency in your putts, there is nothing wrong with it!
Choose what feels good TO YOU!
Disc Golf Putting Styles
There are 3 primary putting styles in disc golf:
Push Putt, Spin Putt, and Turbo Putt
How to Push Putt
Push putting is when the disc comes out of your hand with relatively slow spin on the disc, kind of like a knuckle-ball in baseball.
This style of putt is more preferable and more frequently used for close range putts, as it is easier to achieve a more consistent release.
The advantage of this putting style is that should you miss the basket, the disc is likely landing somewhat close without any rolling for an easy tap-in.
To perform, first grip the disc as shown above with your thumb pointed toward the 9:00 position and line up your shot.
Your lead foot and shoulder will generally be pointed at the basket or angled just a little bit in, regardless if you are straddling or staggering your stance.
Then, lower your throwing arm slowly before lunging your putting arm towards the basket and simply just open your hand to release the disc, keeping your wrist in the cocked position.
This release could be described as going in for a handshake.
Additionally, some players “pop” their shoulder or elbow to give the disc some height.
Upon the release, simply watch your disc float to and rattle the chains.
Push putting is generally easier because your shoulder is the primary mover and not the shoulder, elbow, and wrist as seen in the spin putt below. Consistency comes easier with less moving parts.
How to Spin Putt
The spin putt is going to have a bit more zip on the flight of the disc due to more of a snap of the wrist as you extend and follow through at the release point of the throw.
This technique helps to make sure the disc approaches the basket with some authority and can be more beneficial during windy days.
Down side to this style?
The disc could finish quite a distant away from the basket from an errant throw. Hence practicing!
To execute the spin putt, you will start in the same position as a push putt, with one of the grips shown above and your thumb pointed in the 9:00 position (right handed players).
Again, your foot and shoulder are pointed directly at the target and basket.
You will still lower your arm some, but generally not as much as you would if you were push putting. Most spin putters will instead draw the disc back towards their body to help achieve more momentum in their throw.
Upon release, rather than keeping your wrist cocked, you will instead snap your wrist forward so that your thumb is then in the 12:00 position.
This snap of the wrist is what puts spin and some pace on the disc.
As stated, this style is more resistant to windy situations and better suited for longer range putts on the perimeter or outside the circle.
Spin putting is more difficult to master because it has more movement involved and is therefore more difficult to achieve a consistent release point putt after putt after putt.
How to Turbo Putt
This putt style is often more situational rather than someone’s go-to putt. The turbo putt is used to get out of bushes, over small trees, or sometimes when the basket is on a different elevation level than where you might be standing.
This technique, as seen below, begins with the disc held just over the throwing shoulder with the arm looking like a server holding a tray of food.
The wrist is bend back, thumb is under the center of the disc, the fingers are supporting the rim, and the throwing motion is more of a ball throw but slightly spinning the disc as it is released.
This style takes a lot of practice to get used to as it’s unconventional to the other two styles.
Turbo Putt Grip
Having 1-2 of your middle fingers under the rim will help you control the disc and have less risk of dropping it!
How do I know what style is right for me?
There are multiple styles of putting techniques and until you try them all, you’ll keep wondering about this question. The best advice we can give: try one that feels the most comfortable right off the bat and then stick with it.
Make small adjustments or tweaks to perfect your craft, but do what is comfortable for you! Comfort increases confidence!
If you haven’t caught on by this point, confidence is a huge part of putting well.
Is that all there is to putting styles?
Each person is going to have their own style, but often from a version of push or spin putting. If you have the opportunity to watch videos of professional players putting, they all have different movements and cadences to how they putt.
It’s all about finding what you like and honing that skill to be the most effective for you.
Jump and Step Putting
When inside the 10 meter/33 foot circle, or green, a player must always demonstrate balance during the entire putting process. This means that a player may not step forward during the throwing phase or release phase until the disc comes to rest.
Not a well known rule, but a player may not fall backwards or sideways during a “Circle 1” putt. Balance must always be part of the throw or else a foot foul can be called and the player takes a penalty stroke.
Outside of Circle 1, more opportunities become available during the throwing phase. A player is allowed to start with their normal and preferred stance, but move forward, approaching the basket with their body as they release the disc.
The disc is to be released from the hand by the time the last part of your foot (the toes) leaves the ground at the previous lay mark. A foot foul may be called if you are in mid-air past your marker and releasing the disc. This throwing technique, either with a step forward or a “jump” forward allows for greater power to be placed into the disc to cause the disc to cover more ground verses standing still.
More stances?
Finally, when it comes to your putting stance, there are primarily the staggered and straddle stances.
Staggered stance has your dominant foot forward and placed at your marker, while the straddle putt has one foot at the marker and the other foot off set to the left or right, depending on your preference or situation.
Both of these techniques are well worth investing practice time into because unlike ball golf, the greens in this sport aren’t always clear of trees, bushes, limbs, etc.
Straddle putting can very well save you strokes when playing around obstacles if you get comfortable with it.
Some people enjoy this stance as their go-to which applies the beauty of this sport: doing what feels comfortable to you and brings you the most confidence.
Fun ways to practice
Perfect Putt 360 is an app for both iPhone and Android users to play a putting game that scores you and applies pressure to many of your shots at different distances.
uDisc also now has a putting practice mode to help in a pinch if you’re not sure what to do for some structured putting. Playing H-O-R-S-E or P-I-G can be a fun way to incorporate more people.
Last minute advice
Find a putter that you really enjoy putting with. You like the feel, the flight pattern, the fit to your hand, and get yourself more than one.
Having a few of the same putter can allow you to get more reps in when you’re practicing and make your reps more consistent with weights and styles of the discs.
My current main putter is the Deputy by Dynamic Discs in just their classic blend, shown in the picture above.
For approach shots, I prefer the Dynamic Discs Judge for most approach shots and the Dynamic Discs Slammer for forehand approach shots.
Click on the banner below to browse the Top-Rated Putters by all players at Infinite Discs!
What is your favorite putters and putting styles?! Let us know in the comments!
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