Let’s be real—nobody’s bragging about their 400-foot drives if they clang every 15-footer. Disc golf isn’t just about flexing your distance arm; it’s about finishing strong. And by finishing strong, I mean not walking back to the car muttering to yourself like you just blew a ten-dollar parlay on DraftKings.
I’ve been there—standing in the circle, staring down the chains, overthinking like it’s the SATs. (Except worse, because on the SAT you didn’t have your friends watching you miss a glorified free throw.) Luckily, the pros have laid down some gospel on putting that’s actually useful. Let’s break it down.
Find Your Stance (and Stick with It)
There are two main stances: straddle and staggered. Pick one. Commit. Stop swapping every three holes like you’re trying on jeans in a clearance bin.
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Staggered stance: One foot in front of the other, feels natural, good for power.
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Straddle stance: Feet parallel, great for balance, especially on uneven ground or if a tree is rudely in your way.
The pros say it doesn’t matter which one—what matters is you practicing it until it feels as automatic as tying your shoes. I personally found straddle helps me when I’m nervous, because it limits my excuses. (Hard to blame your “form” when you’re basically standing like a tripod.)
Dial in Your Grip
Your grip should be firm but not chokehold levels. The disc is not your enemy, it’s your coworker—you want cooperation, not domination.
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Fan grip: Fingers splayed on the underside, common for control.
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Power grip: Fingers tucked, more snap, but riskier for putts.
The pro tip? Keep it simple. Consistency beats fancy. If you find yourself gripping the disc like it’s a stress ball in therapy, loosen up.
Aim Small, Miss Small
Pros don’t aim for the basket; they pick a single link on the chains and laser-focus on it like it owes them money. That kind of tunnel vision cuts down on hesitation.
I once heard a guy say, “Pretend you’re throwing through the basket, not at it.” I tried it, and suddenly my putts stopped looking like drunken Frisbees at a tailgate.
Routine Is King
You ever watch Paul McBeth putt? He looks like a monk about to bless the disc. There’s rhythm, ritual, repetition. Find your own pre-putt routine—even if it’s just one deep breath and a little practice swing.
The key is not to overthink. This isn’t chess; it’s muscle memory. Your brain should basically be on airplane mode while your body handles the delivery.
Practice (But Not Just in the Backyard)
Yes, reps matter. But here’s the catch: practice like you play. Putting in your backyard is cool until you step onto an actual course with wind, trees, and the existential dread of missing a birdie.
Mix it up:
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Circle one putts (inside 30 feet).
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Circle two putts (30–60 feet).
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Pressure drills (try 10 in a row or start over).
Pro tip: don’t just stand in one spot. Move around, recreate the chaos of a real round. Because unless your home course is a parking lot, you’ll never have a perfectly flat lie.
The Mental Game
Putting is 80% mechanics, 20% not psyching yourself out. Pros stay loose. They miss, they move on. Amateurs (me included) miss and spend the next two holes sulking like a teenager grounded from Xbox.
If you treat every putt like life or death, you’ll freeze. Instead, act like it’s just another chance to feed the chains. Less “life depends on this,” more “tossing keys into a bowl.”
The Final Word
Putting is not glamorous. Nobody makes highlight reels out of 20-footers unless it’s for a win. But if you want to actually lower your scores (and avoid being “that guy” who three-putts on a 200-foot hole), it’s where you should be putting in the hours.
So find your stance, trust your grip, aim small, make it routine, and practice like you mean it. Do all that, and suddenly you’ll start feeling like one of the cool kids—dropping putts with swagger instead of excuses.
And hey, if you still miss? At least you’ll look good doing it. (Especially if you’re rocking one of our funny disc golf shirts. Just saying.)
