
In the Beginning…
Over the next several months, I’ll be conducting a deep dive into disc selection. I want to dissect how, in my opinion, to put together the perfect bag for you. One of the biggest weaknesses I see with most amateur and casual players is that their bag is in a constant state of flux.
If you head over to our in the bag section and look at some of the top pros (check out Steve Brinster, Ken Climo, and Barry Schultz for great examples), you’ll see that they have been playing with the same discs for years. Every once in a great while you might see them add a new mold. Unless they have switched sponsors, though, they tend to stick to the same tried and true discs that have served them well for years.
Before we can get into the actual selection process, there is some ground work that needs laying. There are a fair number of topics that need addressing before we can begin to talk about the act of picking discs.
To start with, there is one topic fundamental to all the others… Your throw.
Your Throw Matters…
A while ago there was an article posted on the Disc Golf Answer Man website. It claimed that the flight numbers of discs don’t matter. I whole heartedly agree and flight numbers will not be a part of this series of bag building articles.
One of the biggest reasons I think people shouldn’t use flight numbers is that everyone’s throw varies wildly. Head out to your local course and you will see as many different types of throws as you see players throwing.
[tweetthis]#discgolf flight numbers don’t matter. [/tweetthis]
While there are a lot of ways to throw a disc well, there are also a lot of ways to throw a disc poorly. They all impact how discs fly. This creates a problem for those with a less than optimal throw. They often select their discs to mask or compensate for their throwing technique. These folks rarely end up with discs that will help their games in the long term. Instead they want to offset either their lack of ability or their refusal to work towards cleaner form. There are a wide spectrum of possibilities here.
For the most part, these players have one thing in common. Regardless of where the opportunity with their throw lies, none of them can throw a stable putter off the tee. At least not with finesse and for a reasonable amount of distance.
The Putter Shall Set You Free…
I harp on this skill all the time. That’s because it’s one of my core disc golf beliefs. I believe that everything good that can happen with a disc golf throw starts with being able to throw a putter for more than just putts. This is the true test of whether your throw is on the right track or not. People often make excuses about how they don’t need or want to do this. That’s usually because they haven’t tried, can’t, or don’t want to put in the effort to learn.

And that’s fine. I can’t make anyone work on this skill. I can’t even make them agree with me. What I can say is this… Nothing I write over the next few months will help someone who doesn’t at least understand the importance of this skill. It would be even more helpful if they took a little bit of time and started working on it.
You see, building the perfect bag for you requires that you can throw discs as they are intended. They are intended to be thrown with no flutter, no off axis torque, and no wrist roll. One of the first few discs I’m going to recommend for your bag is a midrange you can throw in a straight line that finishes straight. That disc doesn’t exist for people that can’t throw a putter well off the tee.
It’s Not That Hard, I Promise…
Let’s back up a step before anyone gets discouraged. First, throwing a putter off the tee well isn’t all that hard. I’ve taught a ton of people to do it. The technique I teach is identical to the stand still technique that Will Shusterick teaches in this video.
If you were to dedicate just one week to learning this skill, you would most likely be able to approach doing it well. Just 3-5 sessions of dedicated field work should have you in great shape. You simply have to commit to making a few changes to your throw.
Second, let’s make sure you are learning this with the right putter. You need something stable. A Swan or a Magnet are not the right discs for this. You need something like a Judge, KC Pro Aviar, Shield, Challenger, Wizard, etc. Check the Inbounds flight charts for discs that fly like these. You are looking for a flight that shows as straight with a little fade, like this:
Third, you don’t need to be perfect. You don’t need to be launching your putters 500 feet like Simon Lizotte. You don’t even need to be able to get them to 300 feet (although that is a completely attainable goal if you work at it). If you can throw a putter straight with no flutter and get it to go 150-200 feet, you are in great shape. You are in even better shape if you can do that with no run up.
Like I said before, this is not that hard. Will’s video and that week of field work should get you there. Commit to working on your throw. I promise it will be one of the single best things you have ever done for your game.
Disclaimer…
If someone doesn’t want to learn this skill, they shouldn’t. A new skill can only be acquired with an open mind. Besides, it won’t hurt my game or my feelings at all. I know that there is a group of disc golfers out there that will fight this idea to the death. We will never see eye to eye. But everyone is entitled to their opinion. Of course there isn’t a single pro in the world that agrees with them, but hey, some people like to be different. I wish them the best of luck.
What’s Ahead…
I am really looking forward to the upcoming in depth articles on plastic selection and bag building. Probably more than any other articles I’ve written. It’s something we are all passionate about. It’s something we all spend a lot of money pursuing. And it’s something that when done right, will pay you great dividends over your time playing this great sport.
So until the next article, get out there with your putters and start exorcising the wounded duck out of your throw. If you start now, you’ll be ready just in time for our next post! Make sure and let us know how you are progressing in the comments below!
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I’m loving this series already!!! Can’t wait to see where this goes from here!
Glad you like it Jared, I’m really looking forward to writing it!
I’m glad you wrote this now because it answered a question I had. I just started playing in August and have been watching a ton of YouTube videos and I noticed that some of the pros, men and women would drive with putters and I thought, what the heck? Since they’re pros I figured there must be a good reason and what you’ve said makes perfect sense.
Another thing you wrote made more sense now too. The guy who taught me to play said to quit buying more discs that I want to do certain things because until I learn to throw better the discs aren’t going to do what I think they should. He said pick 1 Driver, 1 Mid and 1 Putter and stick with them and learn what they do, get used to them before you buy 20 more discs.
One thing you wrote did make me happy, I can throw a Mako 3 and a Star TL straight as an arrow so learning to drive with a putter should come easier. That Schusterick video is one of the first videos I found and I’ve watched it 100 times. Thanks and keep up the great teaching. I’m ready to learn!
Joe, it sounds like you have some really solid help in learning the game. I wish I’d had someone like that helping me when I started!
The guy that taught me to throw putters can throw them 350+ from a stand still. It’s really something to watch! That one skill translates to so many other things, it’s just amazing.
Thanks for the comment and for keeping up with the blog!
Cannot stress enough that constant turnover in the bag is a major detriment. Especially your main putting putter. My form still needs work and improvement… but I’ve watched continual improvement in my game as I change my bag less. My main putter hasn’t changed in 6 months now. Granted I still flirted and tried other putters but my DD Warden has remained. My putting confidence is at an all time high now.
Erikk, I couldn’t agree more. Disc golf companies are great at marketing and unfortunately it hurts a lot of players. There just isn’t that “magic disc” that people are constantly in search of. The magic disc is already in their bags, they just haven’t put in the years of play with that one mold to get it to that point!
That’s great news on your putting. Finding a putting putter that clicks is a really special thing. For me, it’s the Pure. Once I found that, there was no looking back and I wouldn’t even consider trying anything else at this point.
Fantastic article, can’t wait for more. Love your additions to the DGAnswerMan and ZenDisc podcasts as well as this disc reviews! Keep it up
Thanks Matt, I appreciate that!
Can’t wait for the next part!
What do you thing about these putters for the field work? And which of them is the “best”?
http://www.inboundsdiscgolf.com/content/?page_id=431&id=LR4582615169221511300030310314O
Love your blog,
greetings from germany,
JD
Thanks JD!
Of those 4, I like the Pure the best and that’s what I personally use. It goes very, very straight with minimal fade. It also resists high speed turn really well….When thrown correctly. On that list, my next choice would be the Gauntlet followed by the Judge. Those two have a bead and the Pure does not, so take that into account (in terms of what you like the feel of). I probably wouldn’t choose the Spike. I would also thrown in the KC Pro Aviar as a great choice. The Warden would be another trilogy option for you, it is basically a Judge with no bead.
Best of luck!
THANK YOU for spreading this common sense tip about throwing a few discs well. I routinely put together 4-5 disc packages for a friend who’s been teaching for years. Just a few well matched and familiar molds to help a Beginner or Novice get to Intermediate or Advanced quickly. They don’t need to buy anything and they won’t need much more in their bag for quite a while. It’s the throw bro, spinning clean and under control. Amen.
I couldn’t agree more, Robin!
It’s so hard to get folks to grasp the fact that it’s the archer, not the arrow.
It wasn’t until I started practicing with a guy who throws KC Pro Aviars 350 from a standstill, Rocs 400, and Leopards even farther that my own personal light bulb went on. I just kind of looked at my huge bag of plastic and realized how much money and time I had wasted looking for a silver bullet when the real silver bullet was really practice and dedication.
Thanks for the feedback Robin!
I have been trying to learn how to throw putters but I mostly use a fan grip, because my power grip doesn’t fit well on such narrow rimmed discs. Should I adjust my grip?
That’s a great question Carter and one a lot of people have asked. I always recommend using the same grip to drive with all discs. If you use a power grip on your drivers, that’s what you should use on your putter. The idea is to learn a clean and smooth throw with the putter (which will definitely let you know if you are not throwing clean and smooth) and then transfer that over to the other discs. Because of that, you want to treat your putters like those other discs so that you throw all of them the same way with the same technique.
Hope that helps!
when you say “one of these” with a picture of a pure – is that the actual disc you mean? i have been throwing the pure as my main putter and approach disc for about 3 years now – absolutely love it. from standstill i can throw it about 80m and if i really rip it (with a lot of hyzer) i can get it close to a hundred (as long as it doesn’t turn over!). thanks for the article, can’t wait for the next one.
Yes. The Pure is my favorite disc by far. Right now I carry a single Opto for all duties since I am only carrying 7 discs with me on rounds for now. When I bring my cart or play in tournaments, I carry a recycled for a more overstable option, a couple of opto for putting and most approaches, a GL for super straight with no fade at all, and a couple of beat in hards for turnover lines. My last 3 aces are with Pures (one in a tournament for $120!). I expect to carry them for a long time into the future!
Hi
Great article. What is the reason for stable putter? Is it for that disc can handle the speed and won’t turn?
greetings from Finland
A stable putter will be more forgiving and not as touchy. Also, it can take a lot more power and still go straight. The idea is to learn proper driving technique with the putter and then transfer that technique to a driver. If you have wrist roll, off axis torque, or aren’t releasing flat (or with hyzer), a stable putter will turn over. That’s what you want because that feedback tells you that you have an issue with your throw. If you are using an understable putter, it will always turn. That takes away a very important piece of feedback.
Great question!!!
I’m asked frequently to help improve someone’s backhand and I always tell them to learn to drive with a putter. I threw forehand exclusively for quite a few years and I realized that to compete I needed a usable backhand shot. Since my early results with drivers made it difficult to be consistent, I moved to throwing putters. I realized that if you try to throw a putter with a bad form they don’t go anywhere. I have 5 FLX Challengers that I putt with and when my backhand gets a little weird, I go back to the putters to straighten things out.
Hey Rich! I love that story. It’s so good to hear that you’ve used this idea with success. The Challenger is a great driving and teaching putter.
And you make a great follow up point… When your throw starts having issues, going back to your putters can often diagnose the problem. I’m really glad you brought that up!
Thanks for the comment!
I’ve always found (and this is advise from will schustrick as well) that throwing understable putters like the pa4 are the most beneficial towards form. Since throwing my pa4 a lot I now throw a beat up pa1. Putters are a major part of my game and a carry 8 of em. 2 just for putting. I love prodigys line up of putters and throw multipule of the pa1s and pa3s.
I throw the beat up pa1 for my putter bombs out to about 300
That’s awesome that you’ve found a putter you click with. It’s really great when that happens! I agree that once someone masters throwing stable putters, understable is the next step. That truly is a test of having excellent form. I think your suggestion of pa1s is a good one for those that are looking for a Prodigy option in a throwing putter. Thanks!
Yes! Great read. Been playing for a few years, and last season I started turning my discs over to the point of extreme turn and burn. Everyone at the local course kept saying invest in overstable plastic, which is fine and dandy, but as the article suggests would only mask the problem. So I spent a few weeks reworking mechanics using putter only rounds and I must say that in that month alone, my game progressed more than it had over the previous 4-5 years! My form was corrected, the turn and burn was gone, AND I easily added over 100 feet to my drives.
Matt that is a really great story. I’m glad you shared it as I think it will really help people. So many people insist that their form is fine and the discs are at fault. They don’t realize they are hurting themselves in the wrong run by using all that overstable plastic. What you did, take one step backward to take several steps forward, is sooooo much better a solution! Congrats on your progress. I bet the game is also a lot more fun now too!
Thanks again for the comment!
This seems like good advice– Many younger, or newer players don’t realize that when the Aviar was introduced, it was a driver. It’s still a great one, and far more forgiving than sharper discs.
That is an awesome point Shannon! They didn’t become “putters” until much later.
That video (https://m.youtube.com/watch?feature=youtu.be&v=30cUNsWOYSI) is exactly how I throw (im sure my form isnt that perfect or even close but I dont do a run up i just do that stand still throw and can usually get accurate distance at under 300 to 400 feet…75% of the time. When i throw with a run up i lose distance and accuracy… Should i keep working on the run up or just perfect what i know works for me in your opinion? Excellent article btw!
Hey Brandon!
That kind of distance from a standstill is awesome!
A couple of suggestions… First, don’t look at it as a “run” up. Think X “step”. Slow and compact. Since you use the Shusterick video for your standstill, it makes sense to watch his full form too. If you look, he never runs. It is very slow, deliberate, and controlled.
Second, I wouldn’t add the full run all at once. Start with one step. Work that until you get it down. Then add a second. And so on.
Third, don’t expect a ton more distance from your X step. Done right, it will for sure help. But it’s not a monumental difference. And you are spot on that it does come at the expense of accuracy. The more moving parts there are, the more things can go wrong.
Have fun on the journey and thanks for the comment!
when you say “Throw putters” what am I looking for? If? If or once I achieve this move on to mids? what exactly am I looking for when throwing putters?
Learn to throw putters 200-250 feet smoothly with no flutter and without turning them over. The skills you need to do that translate directly to throwing your mids and drivers. The idea is to learn to throw the disc cleanly and smoothly with no off axis torque. The putter does not fly smoothly or far if it is not thrown correctly.
What would be the prodigy equivalent to the stable putter you have mentioned? 300 PA1? Should I even look into the A1 or A3?
Currently I use a 300 PA1 for approaches inside about 180ft and a 350g PA3 for putting. I have tested out the PA4 but find I don’t like the lack of consistent shots I get. Mostly because a more overstable disc in general will tend to will lessen the effects of inconsistent shots such as pulling or pushing the disc caused by bad form.
Hey Justin. If I was to go back and learn driving with a putter with Prodigy plastic, I’d use a PA2 or PA3. The PA1 is a great upshot disc for wind, etc. It’s really reliable and a great disc to bag. It’s overstability does mask some form issues, though. I think the PA2 and PA3 would be a little less forgiving, but therefore better teachers. I’m with you on the PA4. Discs designed to be understable out of the box can be very inconsistent. Over time, they can be learned and are sometimes good touch discs, but I wouldn’t use them for this type of exercise.
Best of luck and make sure to come back and let me know how it’s going!
Great series you have going here, but this post hit a home run. The second time I ever shot par on my home course was when I had given up on my bag and shot a putter only round. It was a real eye opener. Now I always warm up with putters to dial in my throw before my rounds. It’s funny to think that ball golf has an entire industry devoted to costly and goofy swing aids and us disc golfers have one built right into our bag, our putter.
That’s an amazing point Jason! I never thought about it that way, but you are right. Everything you need to get better is already in your bag!