mid-range help

[wilburg]

So lately I've been spending a lot of time with my putting (and have been improving on a plateau-like scale). My drives, for the most part, are accurate and deep, and I feel very confident that I will put the disc where I want it, or at least real close, with 50+ ft more distance than my opponent. This is where it gets fun... I have been having tons of trouble with my 1 - 200ft midrange shots, lacking confidence in straight narrow corridors AND open field shots. I have never been a huge fan of tomohawks or thumbers, although both are starting to sound much more appealing to me. For those of you that feel that you have a strong midrange game, what is some good advice on improving from this point. Thanks!!
I throw rocs and aviars for nearly all my mid shots.

[TexasOutlaw]

I don't believe in specialty shots myself. 250 and under is a buzz hole for me. What is happening when you throw your roc? Are you leaving it short, overthrowing, or having directional issues?

[Frank Delicious]

For me when I need to make an accurate midrange shot or upshot I do the X-step but I don't use any of it for power. I feel that helps me choreograph where I want my shot to go. The X-step I do on those shots is usually slow and really just helps me aim where I want to go with my body and shoulder better. I would like to point out that I am the only one in my group of friends that do this though.

Other than that I don't really do anything super special. I just make sure I picture my line and when I throw it, I throw it confidently. Confidence is a big part of those shots I think. When you throw the shot follow through and put the snap on it. Don't noodle arm it.

Lastly, get to know your mids better. Play a few rounds with just your Rocs and Avairs. That will give you a feel for the discs and the confidence knowing you can make all types of shots with those discs. I usually do this every few weeks, it has really helped me.

[wilburg]

as far as my rocs go, I tend to want to drop a short hyzer in on the right side of the basket so I dont' blow past the pole(obviously I need more confidence with mr. roc). If I have a 1-150 ft shot down a straight corridor, I use my aviar, but have trouble getting it to fly on a line.

[wilburg]

thanks frank, I AM going to go out and play a few with just my rocs and aviars...

[discmonkey42]

I would go one step further and play some rounds with just you aviar. Putter only rounds did the following for me:

1 Putter range went from 100' to 250' with accuracy.
2 Putter accuracy 250' and in is now far superior to any other disc.
3 I can anny, straigh, or hyzer that distance all with the same putter.
4 I extended my "run range" to 100' from 50'.

Watch the pros, 300 and in is a putter usually.

Things that helped me do this:

1 Learn what nose angle does to putter thrown for distance. Up, flat, and down all have their uses.
2 Keeping my swing on the same plane as the disc and its intended flight path.
3 Good snap and follow through.

Hope that helps.

[wilburg]

ok, so what ranges do the pros use their rocs? (if within 300 is an aviar)? Or better yet, when are rocs used most often?

[discmonkey42]

Watching the few usdgc dvd's I have, it seems that they're throwing rocs from a standstill 250+ upshots, when there's elevation changes, and 300ish low ceiling. I can't always tell what they throw, but putters (a lot of aviars) are thrown predominantly in their approach game. Looks like they like rocs off the tee a lot too when its 300-325. I'm sure Blake can shed some light on this better than I, I'm just sitting here watching vids and trying to pick up anything I can.

[didihitatree]

If we're talking about pure approaches where you are only looking to set yourself up for the next shot, then don't aim at the hole. Figure out the path you want to take to get to where you need the disc to stop, and aim at a critical point along the path.

Sometimes, you want the disc to stop right underneath the basket. Other times, the best you can do is find a point away from the basket that gives you the easiest follow-up putt. Either way, find your ultimate finishing point, trace it back to the landing point, and back all the way to your hand.

If you've ever bowled, good bowlers don't look at the head pin. They aim at the arrows on the lane that are much nearer to them. For example, I know if I stand with my right foot in a constant place and aim at the second arrow nearest to the right gutter, it'll be a strike. I don't even look down the lane. I just throw straight at that mark and I know the natural action of the ball will curve it into the headpin.

.

[Thatdirtykid]

I too do a no power x step just to keep my flow.
However I may not in shorter approaches, and very narrow fairways.

I would suggest trying a more stable putter (wizard,banger,avair x) for these straight approaches. That way you can snap them more than your avair and hold a cleaner line.

throwing a hyzer approach in the open has more appeal for accuracy and consistancy. However I feel I have better accuracy with depth throwing a straight line.

In an open field I do perfer a hyzerline.

[TexasOutlaw]

It sounds like you dont know your mids and putters yet. I agree with the previous poster to step up to a more (over)stable putter; my choice is still a wizard though I also like the banger (which my gf is currently using).

If you're putter is going off to the right, you may have some off axis torque.

Another suggestion I have is to throw your putter straight, that is, parallel to the ground until you get to know it. Then, play around with hyzer approaches. This will also help with off axis torque issues.

Finally, keep an eye on your nose angle. My rocs didn't seem too nose-angle sensitive, but my buzzes are.

I've gone to throwing my buzzes on most holes because I was overthrowing and having to make a come back putt. There is only one hole where I turn it over, and I think it's a head wind issue. On this hole, I throw my slipstream way right and let the wind turn it over towards the basket.

[discmonkey42]

Another suggestion I have is to throw your putter straight, that is, parallel to the ground until you get to know it. Then, play around with hyzer approaches. This will also help with off axis torque issues.

This is awesome advice. When I was learning to throw a putter for stuff other than putting, I would go out every day to this office park across the street from my house. They have a "corridor" of trees that is about 200' long with about 20' between them. The only way to get the putter to the other end was to throw it flat. End result, I can play in the woods a lot better with that shot in my bag. I still go over there once in a while when my putter/approach accuracy is failing me. Outlaw is right, once you get this down, you will see vast improvements in all other aspects of throwing a putter (especially distance and eliminating flutter and turn over). And Wizards do rule!!!

[TexasOutlaw]

Well, after stagnating for several years, I have greatly improved within the last year or so (and most improvement coming together about last December). And, I think what did it was that I didn't have time to play.

When I say I don't have time to play, I mean just that: no time to play a disc course. I still go throw every day and putt for an hour here and there even if putting consists of picking out a knot on the fence and throwing my putter at it.

I sometimes throw my putter down the alley behind my house. For this, I have to throw flat and low, otherwise I end up in someone's backyard. Not throwing the disc parallel with the ground will cause it to rise.

[wilburg]

thanks for all the great info! I got a tourney in grants pass, Or in two weeks and so far I am feeling a ton better about my midrangers. Keep it comin'!!