Whether you’ve playing for years or have just recently picked up the sport, one of the hardest aspects of the game will be putting.
Spit outs, chain outs, hitting the top band, hitting the basket, you name it, and it has probably happened to all of us at some point.
So what’s the trick to sinking more putts, from longer distances, and with more consistency?
Well it could come down to many things, such as form or the disc you’re using, but today I’m here to talk about a simple tip that might sound obvious, but has significantly helped me in the past…
Aiming.
In this article, we're going to quickly discuss not just where to aim, but also an aiming tip to use as a mental cue to sink more putts and make putting a little less intimidating!
Let’s get started!
Where should I aim when putting in disc golf?
The simplest answer to this question would be, “the chains!”.
But you should be targeting a very precise portion of the chains if you want to maximize your chance of the disc staying in the basket and not spitting out.
And that portion of the chains if you’re a right handed putter
Is the upper 1/3rd of the chains, just to the right of center
(If you’re left handed, simply aim for the left side of center, but also in the upper 1/3rd)
And this is for a few different reasons.
Disc Spin
For starters, when putting you’re still putting some spin on the disc, especially at longer distances. More specifically the disc is spinning in a clockwise direction.
This is true regardless if you are a push putter, spush putter, or spin putter. The only thing that changes is the amount of spin on the disc.
The white circle should roughly be your aiming spot if you’re a right handed putter!
By aiming at the more right side of the chains, the spin of the disc will naturally want to pull it towards the center.
If you were aiming at or unintentionally hit the left side of the chains, you run the risk of the disc spitting out due to less chains catching it, and the rotation of the disc pulling it out.
Direction of the Disc
Depending on the disc you’re using, the angle the disc is coming in at is a right to left direction (again, if you’re a right handed player).
At closer distances, or if you’ve got the arm strength to put more speed on the disc, the disc will be coming in more of a straight line, so aiming for center can be okay.
But on longer putts, and depending on the stability of the putter you’re using, the disc may start to fade as it approaches the basket.
Some players intentionally do this, which is known as a hyzer putt, but for longer distances, you need to account for this fade.
Because the disc will be fading from right to left, hitting the chains just to the right of center gives the disc a better chance of sticking and falling into the basket.
Understable discs won't fade as much and may turn right, even during short putting distances.
Of course, the disc you’re using to putt with determine the amount of fade your disc has and how much fade to expect. So it’s up to you to put in the practice and learn how much your disc fades with different speeds and distances, and adjust as needed.
On a somewhat related note, the type of plastic you use for your putter can also help the disc "stick" in the chains. Basic, less premium plastics tend to do this better despite wearing out more quickly and are preferred by most players for this reason.
If you need help choosing a putter, check out THIS ARTICLE after you're through this one.
Bulk of the Chains
Lastly, you want to aim towards the top 1/3rd of the chains because that is where the bulk of the chains are spread out the most.
All the chains are attached at both the top and bottom, but on the top they're spread out, and attach to a ring at the bottom of the basket.
Because of this, the diameter of all the chains gets smaller as you go down, so you want to aim higher to catch more of these chains.
Finally, our putting tip to be more consistent and make more putts!
Simply put is to live by the simple advice of
"Aim small, miss small"
Seems obvious right?
But how many times do you step up to the basket and just aim at the chains as a whole? Rather than one specific chain link?
It might seem like a minor thing to do, but mentally and visually, aiming smaller can really help you focus on hitting the specific part of the chains we talked about in this article.
Think about any game where you're trying to toss an object at a specific target. Whether it's cornhole, basketball, a carnival game, or even beer pong.
In any of those games/sports, you don't just stare at a general spot, you focus your attention at a very specific target.
In corn hole, you don't look at the board, you look and aim at the hole in the center. In basketball, you stare at the rim rather than the entire basket, etc. etc.
Disc golf should be treated no differently.
Don't simply aim at the basket, or even just the chains.
Aim right at the spot we talked about, but don't stop there, pick out a specific chain link within that spot and try to hit it.
Sounds simple, easy, and even somewhat ridiculous, but you'll be amazed how this intense focus can really help your putting game improve.
While this tip will always help, things get tricky when putting at an elevated target or a downhill target. So for now, keep things simple and focus on mostly flat putts.
So get out there, get those practice reps in,
and aim small, to miss smaller.
Good luck, and happy disc golfing!
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