Mastering Disc Golf Putting: Expert Guide & Putting Tips

Much like traditional golf, disc golf putting is the final throw or throws a player performs as they complete the hole. However, instead of putting into a hole in the ground, disc golfers are throwing their disc into a metal basket with chains. For most players, the area they find themselves putting is within 30 feet of the basket. Skilled players will pull out their putter discs anywhere from 70 feet and in. But, as you’ll find out there’s a lot more to putting in disc golf. In this blog, we’ll dive into all things putting including the various kinds of putting methods, effective putting practice, and common putting issues and tips to fix them.

Why is Putting so Important in Disc Golf?

After getting yourself close to the basket, the last thing you want to do is blow your birdie or par save with a poor putt. Like it or not, putting can determine how your round goes and your skill as a player. Even the best disc golfer in the world will not win tournaments if they can’t putt effectively. And since putting usually accounts for 30-50% of your throws, it makes sense to learn to putt effectively yourself!

Main Putting Styles

Once you are near the basket, it’s time to attempt your putt. There are several options to choose from.

Spin Putt

Most amateur disc golfers use the spin putt because it’s versatile and easy to learn. It is executed by facing the basket, holding the disc just lower than chest height, curling the wrist slightly, and spinning it straight at the chains. This type of putt typically has a good amount of speed to it and travels in a straight line both vertically and horizontally. This putting method is very straight forward and they’re beneficial when it’s windy or you have a longer putt. The downside to spin putts is that if you miss, they typically fly pretty far past the basket, leaving you a fairly long comeback. The most common miss on a spin putt is to the left or right.

Push Putt

A more advanced putting style is the push putt – a style not uncommon among professional players. Similar in motion to throwing horseshoes, the arm swings in a pendulum motion, pushing the disc forward (instead of using the wrist to spin it forward). A push putt tends to have a lot more movement in its flight path. Because of how it’s thrown, it travels in much more of an arc than a spin putt does. This leaves it in the air longer, so the aerodynamics of the disc often take over and cause it to fade at the end of its flight instead of finishing straight. A push putt is less predictable when playing in the wind, but doesn’t go very far from the basket if you miss. There isn’t a predominant miss with a push putt.

Hybrid Putt / Spush Putt

A hybrid putt mixes the best of the push and spin putt while limiting the drawbacks of both. By push putting with a bit of spin, you can putt with a lower trajectory and keep your disc under any wind while reducing how far you go past the basket on a miss. If you look closely, most professional disc golfers have spin and push putting elements in their strokes.

Lob / Loft Putt

Gregg Barsby is a great example of this type of putt. This is when a push putt is thrown very high in the air, typically with the nose down.  The apex of the throw is above the height of the basket. The disc reaches a “stalling point” and then falls down and to the left (for a right-handed player) into the chains.

This type of putt requires a huge amount of feel, practice, and luck. Very few players have the skill to use this type of putt as their main putting form, but it’s a great putting style to be familiar with to get over obstacles on a wooded course.

Alternative and Less Common Putting Styles

One of the most fun aspects of disc golf is that no two rounds are ever the same. And that means that you’ll need to get creative every once in a while!

Turbo Putt

Sometimes, you find yourself putting from behind an obstacle that is too wide to straddle putt around. Instead, go over it with a turbo putt. To throw one, place the tip of your thumb under the disc near the middle of the flight plate. Then, place your fingers on the edge of the disc. All the while, your hand is up high, your thumb and fingers pointed to the sky. Your fingers are at the back of the disc, ready to propel it forward. A turbo putt is a bit tricky to learn, but a lethal tool when you get good at it. The most famous turbo putter in disc golf is JohnE McCray. If you look at some of his older tournament wins, you’ll see him draining turbo putts from all distances, even when there isn’t anything in the way!

Forehand Putt

Very occasionally, you’ll see a disc golfer putt using a forehand stroke. This is the same as a forehand throw, but softer and using a putter. A forehand putt is often just a flick of the wrist, firing the putter into the chains with a fair amount of velocity. Forehand putts are typically used situationally when the course environment calls for it. One such instance is when you must step out to your throwing side to escape from bushes or other obstructions. In this case, a traditional spin or push putt is not possible, and all you can do is flick a forehand into the basket.

Forehand putts are also valuable when an “S” shaped flight is needed from your putter, again, to get around obstacles. As course designers strive to install more challenging and unique holes, we see many obstacles placed inside both circle 1 and circle 2 (More on these later). An “S” shaped putt is often the only way to deal with these types of obstacles. Be cautious, though. A missed forehand putt can get pretty far beyond the basket, leaving you a challenging comeback.

Scoober Putt

This is more of a short throw putting motion than a putt. The most famous use of this is by Brodie Smith. It’s a derivative of a short throw in Ultimate Frisbee that he made famous in his Ultimate Frisbee trick shot videos. While many people initially mocked him for using this throw on the disc golf course, he’s shown that it can be a deadly accurate weapon in and around the circle. A scoober putt is thrown by holding the disc like a forehand, then raising the disc to be positioned upside down and over your non-throwing shoulder. The disc is thrown upside down and at an angle with a bit of loft to it. Here’s Brodie canning a 70ft scoober putt at the Las Vegas open as a prime example:

Upside Down Putt!?

Sometimes, conditions dictate that you get creative with your putting. That’s where an upside-down putt comes in. This disc golf putting style is primarily used in two situations: high wind and with obstacles in your way. In very windy conditions, your disc can get away from you very fast. Once the wind gets under the disc, it can carry it hundreds of feet from the basket. By putting with an upside-down putter, you eliminate this possibility. To throw it, you typically use a push putt style with a similar release point and power as a right side up push putt. An upside-down spin putt comes in handy when the only way to get your disc close to the basket is to slide it there on the ground. In some densely wooded conditions, an upside-down putt may be the only way to get to the basket.

Free Throw Putt

The free throw putt (made popular by Calvin Heimburg) is basically an upside down turbo putt. It’s another situational putt that is used when obstacles are in the way. It’s not a putt thrown by many, and it takes a ton of practice, so it’s a putting style reserved for advanced and pro players. That said, it is kind of fun to try on casual rounds! Here’s an example of Heimburg attempting this type of putt:

Top Putters to Use 

Don’t know what to throw for a putter disc? You can’t go wrong with one of these all-around choices. Tip: buy a handful of the same putter for practice.

Putting Angle – Does it Matter?

Just like your throw from the tee or the fairway, you can use one of these three angles for putting: Flat, hyzer, and anhyzer. 

Flat Release: Most pros advise learning to putt flat. That gives you the most accuracy and reduces the opportunity to miss. When putting flat, all you have to do is putt at the chains and get the height right. When you introduce other angles, you also have to account for lateral movement in your putt, making it more challenging. Flat putts also tend to have more glide and are easier to get to the basket with less effort. When putting in the woods, having a dead straight putt (which is what putting flat gives you, given enough speed) is crucial as you often only have a small window to putt through. Keep in mind, though, that misses with a flat putt, can result in long come back putts. 

Hyzer & Anhyzer Release: Adding angles to your putts, while making them a bit more challenging, allows a wide variety of shot shapes. Putting with a hyzer angle can take some wind out of play, allow you to putt around obstacles, and some say it adds consistency to your putting. It’s a valuable next step once you’ve got putting flat down. Keep in mind that hyzer putts tend to “spit through” the chains much more often than a putt thrown flat. Putting with anhyzer is a fantastic way to limit blow-bys and limit the distance of any comeback putts. By putting with anhyzer and a bit of nose up, the disc will float to the basket and almost stall into the chains. Many players use this method to run at long putts or putts with danger behind the basket. An anhyzer putt will typically fall to the ground very close to the basket on a missed attempt. One drawback with anhyzer putting is that you’ll need to get very good at judging distance. It’s very easy to miss short when using with this style.

Types of Putting Grips

There are as many ways to grip your disc when putting as driving grips. One main difference between throwing and putting is the strength with which you grip your disc. Putting typically involves a slightly lighter grip while throwing involves gripping the disc very tightly. This is because putting is a touch-type throw requiring some finesse. A lighter grip facilitates this. While you don’t want to grip the disc so lightly that it falls out of your hand, you don’t want to hold it in a death lock, either!

Fan Grip: As for the type of grip, a fan grip, or a variation of one, is usually considered best for putting. Fan grips give you more control over the angle of the disc and a lot more touch. Power grips lack control and aren’t ideal for putting (although quite a few use a power grip when putting, especially spin putting). Even if you don’t throw with a fan grip, learning to use one when putting will pay huge dividends down the road!

Specialty putts require specialty grips that are unique to each putt. A turbo putt requires that you balance the disc on your thumb while placing your fingers along the edge of the disc. Some players put at least one finger inside the rim to maintain a better grip on the disc. Others put all four fingers on the outside of the rim. It’s something you need to practice to get consistent with.

Scoobers require a grip similar to a forehand shot but with some minor tweaks. As you practice this type of putt, play with your thumb position as well as how many fingers you place along the rim. You will find that some finger positions work better than others on this type of putt.

As with throwing, find a grip you are comfortable with, and don’t change it. Consistency is key when putting and changing your grip is one of the fastest ways to reduce your consistency and your accuracy!

Putting Stances

There are two main stances when putting. Each has its advantages. It’s important to learn one as your main putting style (back to that consistency thing again!), but equally important to be proficient in both. Players who don’t take the time to learn and practice both stances often regret it when one stance or the other is needed given a situation. And, as luck would have it, this always seems to happen on putts that matter a lot!

Inline or Staggered Stance Putt

This is, by far, the most common putting stance. In a staggered stance, you are facing the basket with your lead foot close to the basket and your back leg away. Your feet are typically at a 45-degree angle to your putting line with your chest pointed at the basket. In this type of putt, you shift your weight from your back leg to your front during the putting motion. This type of putt often finishes with your back foot coming off of the ground while you hold your balance on your front foot. Paul McBeth is a master putter and uses this stance primarily. You can spin putt and push putt from this stance, offering good stability, balance, and repeatability. When putting with this stance, the typical miss is left or right, especially if spin putting.

Straddle Stance Putt

In a straddle putt, your feet are side by side and placed further than shoulder-width apart. You can spin putt or push putt from a straddle stance, but push putting is much more common. Typically, on a straddle push putt, the disc is brought back lower between the legs and tossed forward from there. Every disc golfer should learn to straddle putt, even if it’s only used situationally. It is invaluable when there is an obstacle between you and the basket. It allows you to step out to the side and easily putt around an obstacle. The most common miss with straddle putts is missing high or low, especially when using a push putt type throw.

Kneeling Putt

A kneeling putt is important when it’s windy outside. It gets you down low, beneath the effects of the wind. You can putt from your knees in either a staggered stance or straddle stance, but in either case, the idea is to keep the disc low and putt upwards into the chains. A kneeling putt also comes in handy if a tree branch obstructs your normal line. Kneeling allows you to putt with your normal throw, just lower than the branch that’s in the way.

Step Putt

Most pros can putt from as far as 100 feet from the basket with a simple weight shift. But that takes a lot of practice and very good timing. If all of your moving parts are moving in the right order, putting from this far can be challenging, if not impossible, for many players. Another issue from this type of distance is that when players try to putt “harder”, they often sacrifice accuracy. This is where the step putt comes in.

When throwing from the tee, a throw will go farther when an X step is used than when thrown from a standstill. The same is true with putting, just on a smaller scale. A step putt is when the player takes a step into the putt instead of throwing from a standstill. The momentum of their body will get the disc moving quicker and easier with more accuracy. While you cannot step putt inside the circle (10 meters from the basket), you can from outside 10 meters. Many people use this putting technique on putts outside of circle 1 with great success. A step putt is easier for players whose primary putting style is with a staggered stance. It does not work at all with a straddle putt.

The Circles 

• Circle 1: Picture a disc golf basket. Now picture that basket smack dab inside an imaginary 10 meter circle (33 feet). The perimeter of the circle is the 10 meter line. From this point and in, disc golfers must show balance after releasing a putt or suffer a penalty (more on that later). During large tournaments, this area will be defined by spray paint or other methods. Like a free throw in basketball, the 10 meter circle is the must-make area for professionals, but can be more elusive for causal players
• Circle 2: This area acts similarly, except it is 20 meters (66 feet) from the basket. There are no penalties for not establishing balance for putts in this area. Regularly sinking putts from Circle 2 is where professional players separate themselves from the pack. 

Got Your Mini Disc?

If haven’t got yourself a mini disc, it’s high time you do. A mini disc, which is about a quarter of the size of a regular disc, is what you use to mark your lie in disc golf. Here’s how it works: After throwing a drive, you place your mini in front of your disc in line with the basket then pick up your throwing disc. The mini is where you throw your next shot from. While not mandatory in casual play, you need one for tournaments. Read more about mini usage here.

Jump Putt

Sometimes, a step isn’t enough to give a player the extra distance they need. As you learn to play disc golf, you quickly realize there is an awkward distance between throwing and putting. It’s too close to throw the disc, yet too far to putt and get the disc to the chains. In this in-between distance, one piece of putting advice is to learn to jump putt. Jump putting is exactly what it sounds like. As you release the disc, you are moving your body in a jump like manner toward the basket. This aggressive motion can add quite a bit of distance to your putts with just a little practice. However, keep in mind, jump putts must be done beyond the 10 meter circle.

Falling Putt

The no-no when it comes to putting is a falling putt. According to the PDGA (governing body of disc golf), disc golfers must show balance behind their lie after releasing a putt within 10 meters of the target. If you fail to do so, that is a stance violation and could amount to a one stroke penalty. Read this for tips on how to avoid foot faults. 

Developing a Pre-Putt Routine

A putting routine is a short series of actions that put you in the right frame of mind prior to a putt. It could be anything from wiping your fingers on a towel, to spinning your disc a few times, to pumping the disc prior to releasing. It doesn’t really matter what it is as long as it gives you confidence.

While there is no set way to do this, there are a few guidelines.

1. Don’t make it a huge production. If you are too focused on every little aspect of a long pre-putt routine, you’ll find yourself mentally distracted and missing putts.
2. Focus on getting your stance set, weight balanced, and disc gripped. If those things are done the same way on every putt, you are already a long way to making your putt!
3. Pick an aiming point. Whether that’s a single link on the chains, the apex of where a hyzer putt will start to turn, or a point midway between you and the basket, pick one and focus on getting your disc to that target.

One of the most effective putting tips you can use is to develop a pre-shot routine and stick to it on every single putt, no matter how short or long!

Effective Putting Practice

A wise disc golf putting instructor once said: “Stop trying to putt the disc into the chains and just play catch with the basket!” This lesson relays so many important things about putting practice. First, we’ve all played catch a zillion times. I don’t ever have to think about my stance, my grip, my aim, or anything else. I just throw the disc, and it goes where I want it to. That’s a great reason to throw a zillion putts, too! The more you’ve done something, the more automatic it gets.

Get your putting to that point. Do it so many times that it’s like putting your seatbelt on. Train your muscle memory to do it when your nervous brain wants to screw it up. When they start to be competitive on the course, most players realize that they missed winning by just a few short putts. It’s not usually the shanked drive that costs them the league round. It’s the missed 15-foot putt that they overthought.

Make a Game of Practice

Horse: One really great way to do this is by playing horse with friends. That adds some pressure and gets you a lot of reps in with different types of putts. It’s also a great way to practice those specialty putts that can save you quite a few throws when needed.

Keep score during practice: Another is by using an app or even a piece of paper to keep score. By attaching different scores to different distances, you can keep track of your personal best and regularly work on beating it.

More round putting: Another great way to practice is by throwing additional putts during casual rounds. By carrying 3 putters with you, you can triple the amount of putting you get in during rounds.

The moral is that no matter how you work it in, you gotta practice putting! If you want to be competitive, it’s a must!

Common Putting Issues & How to Fix Them

When you are practicing, it’s not just about getting in reps. If you throw a zillion putts with bad form, you’re doing way more harm than good. So as you practice, it’s important to be able to identify common putting issues and be able to correct them while you practice. Here are ten of the most common issues and some quick tips on how to address them.

• Not enough spin. This typically happens when you aren’t using your wrist enough. Dave Dunipace, one of the founders of Innova, compares the end of a spin putt stroke to the tip of a whip. Ken Climo taught it as a snake striking. There should be a bit of snap at the end of your putting motion. This usually corrects a lack of spin.
• Not using your legs. Putting with your legs can generate a lot of power. When putting with a stagger stance, starting with about 60-70% of your weight on your rear leg is important. When you don’t do this, you miss short. A lot! Concentrate on pushing off with your rear leg towards the basket to the point that your weight carries you forward. Keep your balance, though.
• Not following through. This is the nemesis of many players! If you are tired of doinking the front of the basket, finish your putting stroke by pointing at your aim point and holding your hand there until the disc comes to rest. Paul MacBeth is a good example of following through. He holds his throwing hand out toward the basket until the disc reaches the chains (especially for longer putts).
• Wobbly flight. This is usually a grip issue. First, learn to putt with a fan grip, not a power grip. Second, ensure you get a good amount of spin on the disc, as shown in our first tip, earlier.
• Not enough power. This can come from a variety of things, but weight shift and wrist/finger pop are the two most common. Simply pushing off of your back leg and making sure you pop your fingers/wrist at the end of the stroke can help with this.
• Too much power. You’d be surprised how much of your power comes from shifting your weight. Typically, when you end up throwing with too much power, it’s because you’re adding too much arm on top of that. Settle your arm and throw with less force while retaining your weight shift.
• Spit outs and spit throughs. Hyzer putting is usually the culprit here. Work on putting flat to eliminate most cut-through putts.
• Adjusting for the wind. This one is where practicing in the wind really pays off. If you are having trouble putting in the wind, there is no substitute for simply getting out and practicing on windy days. Don’t look at windy days as a reason to stay off the course. Instead, look at them as a great learning tool.
• Unaware of surroundings (like a massive drop off behind the basket). This one can be solved by integrating a quick look around into your pre-shot routine. One good tip is to do this before you step up to your marker.
• Overanalyzing every putt. This is the exact reason I suggested practicing your putts until muscle memory takes over. Putting should be automatic. Just put the disc into the basket! You’ve done it a million times before, and you’ll do it a million times more! This time is no different!

Top 10 Tips to Improve Your Putting Game

1. Aim Small, Miss Small. If you aim at a single link in a chain and miss, you will still make your putt fairly often. If you just aim at the basket and miss… Well, you know what happens then!
2. Pull from your belt buckle. Get the disc down low to start and ‘pull’ the disc from your center. This solves a lot of wobble, spin, and speed issues.
3. Follow through. Don’t stab your putter into the basket. Throw it in! Follow through on every putt and watch your make % go way up!
4. Shift your weight. Always start with your weight shifted back and then shift forward during the putt. This will generate extra power, make longer distances easier, and increase your accuracy.
5. Hold your follow-through until the putt goes in. Watch Paul McBeth do this on almost every putt. ‘Nuff said!
6. Chest up. Point your chest at the basket, not the ground. This is one of the biggest reasons people miss short is that they are unknowingly putting at the ground, not the basket!
7. Head up. Look at your aim point, and don’t take your eyes off of it. If you look down, you’re gonna miss short!
8. Learn both stances. Competitive players know how to putt with both a straddle and staggered stance.
9. Pick a putter and stick with it. It’s the archer, not the arrow! Inside 30 feet, pretty much all putters fly the same. If you keep changing your putter, you just make things more difficult.
10. Practice! I think we’ve covered that, but here’s one last reminder!

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