Before “hitting the links,” most courses come equipped with everything from a putting green to a spare “practice” hole, which is a great opportunity to loosen up, gauge wind resistance, and practice longer putts.
A word on etiquette: when a player, (or group of players), encounter a slower player on the course, it is expected the slower player will suggest the faster group “play through,” which will get them on their way more quickly, and greatly increases the number of players who will be able to play that course that day. Thank you for your consideration!
As mentioned, there are only three kinds of throws, and, fortunately, each of them have a fairly limited number of things that can go wrong, so we will begin by correcting your putt, and then work our way out to drives, and then teeing.
The Perfect Putt
The core of “the perfect putt” rests on your forward foot, which is the same foot as the hand you use to throw. Once you place that foot, it does not move until after the throw is completed. It is your pivot.
Putting has several things going for it that make it by far the easiest of the three throws. First, the disc itself is generally heavier, and is frequently floppier and much less rigid than a driver. In addition to increasing its wind stability, a floppy putter also has less recoil off the chains, and less of a tendency to rebound out of the basket.
So; you just completed a massive drive that puts you within smackin’ distance of the chains. You nonchalantly pick up your driver, and mark your spot with your forward foot. Your putter should be resting loosely on the web of your thumb, with the disc being held parallel to the ground between your thumb and second finger. Your offside foot is about a shoulders’ width behind your forward foot.
Now, lean back on your rear foot, and breathe. Breathing is the one critical element of the putt that everyone has to learn to appreciate. It provides the timing mechanism for a smooth flow of events. Don’t even do anything else for a few moments; just breathe.
The perfect putt is an exhalation of a gentle breath, much like a fencer’s thrust. In fact, if you’re starting out with your putter right about where the hilt of a sword would be, the perfect motion to make is exactly the same motion of a master swordsman drawing and thrusting. As you breathe out, fluidly lean out over your forward foot. Thrust, and release.
There are only three things that affect where the disc will go. The first, and most significant, is the position of your hand. You want the disc to stay perfectly smooth and level after you release it. So if your putt goes off to the right, adjust your hand position accordingly.
The second critical element is the amount of energy imparted by shifting your weight from the rear foot to the forward one. Obviously, the further out your putting from, the stronger you want to make that weight shift. Remember: a little dab’ll do ya, and an overthrow is exactly as bad as an under throw.
And finally, the height your hand is at when you release. Hand height determines whether or not the disc will rise, as well as how far away from you the putter will begin to drop.
If you combine awareness of these three “body elements” with using your breathing as timing and the “single fluid draw and thrust” mental imagery, eventually you’ll be comfortable enough with it that you could do it blindfolded.