is no x-step OK?

[KRooster]

I started playing about a month ago... very quickly (within a week or two) I was throwing my midranges very accurately up to around 250' max. I didn't know how to do the x-step, but having played years of ultimate it was easy to transition to throwing midranges with ok distance and great accuracy. I really sucked at driving though.

Then, I learned the x-step. My drives went up to around 300' pretty quickly, with less than a week of practice in a field and on a course with much longer holes. I was pumped. Then, I went back to a shorter course. I was driving up to around 250' with my putter and 280' with my midrange.... but the accuracy was totally gone on holes shorter than 260'. Lots of just bad throws, some off-axis torque occassionally. Especially the shorter holes.

My scores from right before I learned the x-step, on shorter courses, were WAY lower than my scores on the same courses after a couple weeks of practicing the x-step.
Is there anything wrong with switching back to this setup:

For anything <180' use a runup with putter (no x-step).
For anything 180'-250' use a runup with midrange (no x-step).
For anything >250' use a midrange (x-step).

I hear people say I should use my putter on a 250' hole if I can drive it that far, but I miss being able to take my midrange and nail a birdie a lot of the time without using the x-step. Will I suffer greatly in the long run by not learning to use a putter on those 180'-250' holes? In what way?

I want to be playing disc golf a long time, so I'm willing to take a step backwards to take two steps forward. BTW, thanks for the amazing site Blake!!!!

-Kevin

[rehder]

Hello Kevin

I cant bring any expert commentary, but just my own newbie experience. I come from a nonfrisbee/disc playing background, so that might have influenced things.

I began fairly fast throwing with the x-step, but the throws where going all over the place, though mainly short, high and then stalling out.
I then started throwing all my throws stationary, since it was much easier to keep my shots straight and LOW.

I have recently begun working on my X-step again, and have gotten some wonderful advice, since I still had/have a tendency to not get enough weight forward and hence pull a lot of drives high and short. Especially my last step was very long- The tip I was given was to shorten my x-step down to THREE feet. This has helped tremendously in helping me kepping my weight over my front foot. Im plan on continuing on practicing with a very short X-step and eventually make it a little bit longer.

[Blake_T]

you don't need an x-step on short drives you can reach stationary.

many people still use an x-step for rhythm and body placement (weight forward).

[disc_golfing_fool]

Learning to "stand and deliver" is a most valuable technique. It is especially good for tight control shots, or when the teeboxes are wet or slick. Its a good technique for the winter time with snow on the ground.

[Weebl]

Trying to do an x-step in ice-plant is the reason I've learned how to throw stationary. 60% of your shots will end up on iceplant at one of my home courses.

[KRooster]

Oops... I just re-read the "grip it to rip it" article", and apparently my grip is wrong (didn't read the article carefully enough the first time). I had gotten rid of some of the off-axis torque by making sure I kept my wrist down (before I wasn't keeping my wrist down). But now I've been pressing my index finger up and pinching the disc's rim between my index finger and thumb, instead of pressing my index finger against the inside of the rim. Works fine for discs with rims that aren't deep, but not the Wizard.... the rim is so deep which makes my grip extremely awkward.

Every time I think I've got everything figured out I find something wrong with what I'm doing... especially my grip... oh well someday I'll have it down

[jgarcia9102]

Every time I think I've got everything figured out I find something wrong with what I'm doing... especially my grip... oh well someday I'll have it down

well get used to it! nobody is perfect (not even blake ) so dont expect to get everything right. even pros and very good players make mistakes, no matter how much they know. the good thing is, you dont need to be perfect to have a good time. take it one step at a time, build that muscle memory, and eventually it will become second nature.

[presidio hills]

Trying to do an x-step in ice-plant is the reason I've learned how to throw stationary. 60% of your shots will end up on iceplant at one of my home courses.

i hate that stuff. it's like walking on the moon.

[Weebl]

Trying to do an x-step in ice-plant is the reason I've learned how to throw stationary. 60% of your shots will end up on iceplant at one of my home courses.

i hate that stuff. it's like walking on the moon.

Yeah... It's 1 of 2 plants you can tear up/dig up here at Ft. Ord without penalties

[KRooster]

Well I went out to practice my shorter drives with some putters and I feel dumb about mentioning a run-up with no x-step. An x-step is definitely more comfortable than a "run-up" with no x-step, I just don't do a full x-step.

I think the fact that I had screwed up my grip before was causing me to have to do a full-power drive to get the wizard to rip out of my hand properly, which made shorter drives awkward. Now that I've fixed my grip, a 50% power x-step is perfectly controllable.

I also bought a JK and KC aviar to compare to the wizard, man do I love the wizard even more now. The JK is too soft and flippy, the KC is hard as a rock, but the wizard is just right

[TexasOutlaw]

I do not use an x step in a situation where I may over throw the disc. Also, if I'm having a day where I'm all over the place, I will remove it until my accuracy stabilizes.

Most of the holes here are 200 feet or so making an x step very much optional.

[Weebl]

I videotaped myself the other day and I realised my x-step is FUBAR. My first 2 steps were in line then my plant foot was about 1.5' offline to the left not allowing my hips to lead my shoulders and pulling hyzers to the right. So, if you are planning to work on the x-step, try it out on a football field or something where there is a marked straight line you can work with to make sure you have your fundamentals.