Mastering longer putts

[BradC]

I need help on the "best" way to practice draining longer putts, say in the 40'-60' range.

Conventional wisdom is to train your brain to get used to making putts, by putting at ranges you can make.

When doing this, missing the aiming point by a set amount at shorter distances will many times still allow the putt to go in. However, missing by the same deviation at longer distances, will equate to a sizable miss.

If you practice at shorter ranges, and focus more on less deviation from the aiming point vs. just being happy making the putt, will this translate to making more longer putts? If not, how do you work on longer putts without missing a ton and killing confidence?

[mark12b]

One kind of putting practice is to develop confidence, and yeah when you're training that part of your brain you want to make sure they mostly all go in. But with other kinds of practice it's totally ok to miss when you're figuring stuff out. E.g. if you're messing around with how grip strength affects the flight of the putt, don't worry about if they go in the basket or not -- later is when you incorporate what you learn into successful putts.

I don't know that being more accurate at short range necessarily translates to a higher % at long range. The key with longer putts is putting more energy into the disc without throwing it off-line. So, I think it can be helpful to practice putting hard from short ranges -- if you can blast chains from 25' then you should be able to lob a 40 footer without much trouble. Of course at longer ranges there is a lot more air to fly through, so there's no substitute for actually practicing putts from out there.

[cubeofsoup]

Try and find a way to incorporate more momentum into your normal putting motion. Some people like to do a walking style putt (recently this has been Feldberg's go to thing outside the circle) some others do a jump putt. Find a technique that makes getting the disc that far effortless with the same putting motion you have confidence with at shorter distances, then just practice practice practice. No one really expects to make 10/10 40'-60' putts so you shouldn't either. Set manageable goals for yourself. To start maybe just try and make contact with basket/chains on 5/10, 7/10 hits, then move up to trying for 3/10 made, then 5/10 made.

[discraft]

The way I practice long putts is to take two steps backwards after every made putt. Before you know it you are out to the 40-60 range. If I miss, I putt again from the same place again until I make it. This helps me see what distance I need to work on.
Feels great when I make them all.

[JR]

How long is long? Putters can fly over 100' with some putting forms and you'll get a lot more consistency with powering down to more repeatable form using a mid at longer runs. Whatever you use you need to memorize how much power you used how high you need to aim and how far to the side. For each distance. Technical tips for execution of the putts: At longer ranges neither lasers or pitch putts work. You gotta use the best things about both styles by raising the arm high maybe even above eye level at the release. Eye level can be used for visual aiming along the center line of the disc. Releasing high allows the disc to glide adding distance or slashing power requirement. At long ranges a straddle stance limits power generation even if you pointed the knees out and squatted down to allow the disc to go behind the heels in the "reach back". A stagger stance with the rear leg bent deep in the knee with the toe pointed in a comfy direction in the 80-110 degrees to the left of the target helps. Releasing with a slight anny keeps the disc within the catching area for a larger percentage of the flight.

Confidence sucks for long distance learning. There you need to build a calibration chart into your head so you can't keep within high make rate distance.

[Mark Ellis]

For years, as an officially certified terrible, putrid, disgustingly pitiful putter, I practiced a lot and almost always from short distances. This eventually helped me to become decent then perhaps bordering on good-at short putts. I was so damn happy to make putts within 30 feet that it didn't occur to me I might stretch out competence beyond that.

This last winter I played in an indoor putting league. We played doubles horseshoes at distances of either 25 or 30 or 35 feet in a double elimination match play tournament format. So if it was a 35 foot night, every putt was 35 feet and every putt counted for score. It was no surprise that I was much better at 25 feet than the longer distances. What did surprise me was that I was still competitive at 35 feet in a field of pretty good golfers. Since that league there has been carryover benefit in tournaments, both in short range consistency and a better chance at longer putts.

Putts are so exacting, have such a small margin of error, that I rate my putts more for how close they come to the line I am trying to hit than whether they go in or not. We all know that "perfect" putts may not stay in and weak putts can luck in. If I come close and miss it does not mess with my confidence. I wild shank airball is disconcerting though. For longer putts I am satisfied if they come close and some of them squeak in. I just aim higher and more to the right the farther away I am.

So I still practice putting. I need to do this to maintain touch and confidence. But now in practice I extend out to 45 feet.