Why You Should Play Putter-Only Rounds

Throwing max distance with a putter doesn’t always elicit excitement. In reality, it’s to the contrary; everyone wants to throw farther with their wide-rim drivers. But many players take up valuable practice time by hucking their fastest discs with all the strength they can muster. But how much is this really helping?

I offer the opposite approach. Learn to throw distance shots with a putter. Playing putter-only rounds will make you a better player and the reasons are multifaceted.

• Dial In Your Mechanics
• A Different Way of Approaching the Course
• Simplify Your Thought Process
• Helps You Throw All of Your Discs Well

Dialing In Mechanics

Putter only rounds dial in your mechanics. Putters are much more touchy than high-speed discs. Many putters have flight characteristics that are similar to an ultimate disc. With most putter molds, whatever angle you release the disc on it will typically hold for a majority of its flight. Putters, therefore, require greater attention to detail to consistently throw them with precision. This is due to the rounded rim and their ability to fly on different angles. These flight characteristics make it very important to release a putter on the correct angle for the shot you desire. The saying “slow is smooth and smooth is far” is especially paramount when throwing a putter for distance. Consistency is key.

Putter-only rounds are the perfect arena for pushing the limits of what your putters can do. Be consistent with your mechanics. This is extremely important as minuscule variabilities in release angle can result in vast differences in flight. Start by learning to throw your putters straight. Once you are comfortable with this shot, then begin to play with your release angle. I cannot overstate how much this will help your game.

Different Approach to the Course

Putters allow you to throw shots straight at the basket. Simply point and shoot and put the disc where you want. If only it were that easy! But playing a putter-only round allows you to see the course from a different vantage point. Many people bypass throwing putters at distance because they simply have never practiced these shots. Putter-only rounds demand that you throw these shots. While you can throw putters on a variety of angles, putters excel at straight shots. This is where you can get the maximum benefit from throwing putters. Their landing is much softer than faster discs and allows for greater precision.

Practice your max distance with a putter and see what happens when you choose a putter over higher speed discs. This has changed my approach game and allowed for much more consistency. Any shot under 300 feet I now reach for a putter. How simple! And to this point, putters allow for a simplified ground game and limit variable skips. I am able to aim more directly at the target and not worry about a bad skip or roll away. Landing flat and soft has many advantages.

Simplify Your Thought Process

When you step up to your next shot with only putters in your bag, it’s easy to make a decision as to what to throw. This is where you can use creativity and really push the limits of the lines a putter can carve. Due to the lack of variability of the flight characteristics and ground game, throwing putters can give you great confidence. As a result, your thought process is simplified. See a line and throw it.

When it comes to competitive rounds, overthinking tends to add strokes to my game. Have you ever thrown a bad shot and said, “I knew I should have thrown that other disc!” Well, learning to throw putters has simplified shots inside of 300 feet. I know what I am going to throw and it has saved me untold strokes and mental anguish. You would be amazed how many putter holes exist at most courses! Calm the mind and throw the line that is right in front of you.

Helping With All Your Discs

As a result of dialing in your mechanics, having a different approach and simplifying your thought process, throwing putters will help your entire game. The mantra here is simple; SLOW IT DOWN. This can be counterintuitive to the mind that says move fast and the disc will go further. However, the body with loose muscles and solid mechanics will release a disc with much greater velocity and consistency than a body with tight muscles and sped-up mechanics. Throwing putter-only rounds will teach you this.

For putter-only rounds, leave all of your other discs at home and show up to the course with only your putters. Don’t bring your entire bag because you will be tempted! You can get back to them later. And when you do, you will have a greater understanding of the characteristics of flight. You will have a greater understanding of your release point. You will have a greater understanding of your mechanics. All of these aspects contribute to a greater body of knowledge for your disc golf game. One such professional player who has used putter-only rounds to his benefit is James Conrad.

James Conrad: Putter Thrower Extraordinaire

James Conrad is widely regarded as the greatest putter thrower of all time. He throws an Innova Aviar and has his own custom line of Aviar putters that he leans on heavily for distance putter shots. Conrad explains how he had to put in practice with putter-only rounds to get where he is today.

“Throwing a putter, it’s always felt like a clean release out of my hand. I would go play putter speed rounds in 45 minutes or so — I just practiced a lot with the putter.”

“Putt”ing It All Together

Playing putter-only rounds will make you a better player. This will be done through dialing in your mechanics, having a different approach to your shots, simplifying your thought process, and helping you throw all of your discs better. While putter-only rounds may not be the most glamorous rounds you play, they are extremely effective. Do yourself a favor and leave the wide rims at home next round. You’ll likely find your perfect putter and your game will thank you.