Considering a 25 -35 ft putt.
As I see it you have two options:
1. Angle the nose of the disc down and putt hard.
2. Aim low and putt soft using the same style you alway use. (I use a staggered stance with little or no elbow bend learned directly from Blakes website. Not that i have it down, but thats the basic technique I try to use.)

So i use the second option. But in practicing this I think I have found that I'm actually better off putting low and aiming more to the right than usual. I might even be angling the nose of the disc up slightly to float up to the basket. Since im throwing softly Im not getting as much snap/spin therefore the disc does not hold its line and tends to fall to the left sooner.

Any ideas or critques...and how do you do it? I play in the DFW area and we have a lot of wind a lot of the time.

Good post.
I'm a bad headwind putter, so I want to hear some answers too.
In headwind I also tend to putt a little nosedown and softer.
I'm often afraid of nose up in headwind or swirly wind cuz the wind can lift up the skirts and WHEEEEE, it's 45 feet away. With less wind I am less scared of a noseup putt.

BTW, I know a DGer that PREFERS to putt in a headwind. Says the disc stays online/inline better/longer. He's more of a flick/throw putter than a push putter.

In BAD headwind I've heard of using a technique where you putt with the disc upsidedown, either with a pushputt or a throwputt, both obviously thrown with some anhyzer. I practice the throwputt version somewhat, but never get a chance to use it in any wind. Anyone in the windy states have good success with that they'd like to share?

Kurt,

I also know of a player who prefers headwind putts. We have some interesting debates when picking a lie in doubles events.

Jeff Harper and Brad Milder putt with an upside down disc in the wind. I believe that Brad throws these putts with a driver, whereas Jeff uses a putter. I have found that the wind does not affect the throw; however, the disc tends to be much more overstable.

Rhyno. /msgboard/images/graemlins/smirk.gif

I try not to mess with the angle of the disc in relation to it's nose. It tends to really change the height of the disc when windy, usually I will try to putt as flat/hard as possible in windy conditions. I putt with challangers so headwind putts seem to flatten the disc naturally, hope this helps.

When putting into a head wind I feel like there are 2 options: putt about 30% softer with the same line without headwind or putt 30% harder straight at the basket. The 30% softer method is the one I use mainly because a missed putt will usually be under the basket.

Just get out there when it's windy and practice. Everyone's throw it different so just practice in the wind and find what works for you.

Usually with putting, the same wind rules apply...
Headwind makes the disc go high and right.
Tailwind makes the disc go low and left.

Compensate accordingly.

I do putt with a pro line rhyno. I tend to putt with a lot of arc (im trying to think horseshoe as i putt) so when i miss in the wind its usually high and my 30 foot par putt turns into a 25 foot bogey putt. :mad:So when putting into the wind i really take a lot off since i would rather miss short than long (i hate to hear myself say that since i would rather miss long most of the time...at least i know i gave myself a chance ;) ) I do agree that a lot of it is just "compensation" you just have to feel the wind, the weather and your toss and adjust...but i think some guidelines are helpful. Kind of like a swing thought in ball golf "I will swing straight through" = "I will hit that link"

When putting into a head wind I feel like there are 2 options: putt about 30% softer with the same line without headwind or putt 30% harder straight at the basket. The 30% softer method is the one I use mainly because a missed putt will usually be under the basket.



Exactly.

On headwind puTTs I use a Glo BBead aviar, it is flatter than regular Aviars. I never take the line of the putt outside of the chains. I putt slightly harder and with a slight anhyzer release, so the disc does not rise.
I would rather putt ito a headwind than putt with a tailwind, because you do not have to take the line of flight out of the line of the chains.

For me there's a lot of variables that dictate my strategy such as the strength of the wind and length of the putt.
If it's a putt less than 20' I'll just putt a line drive and aim an inch over the nubs. If the wind is stronger or if the putt is closer to 30-35' I'll aim a little left and anticipate about a foot movement to the right as the disc slows down. If we are talking howling winds I throw a line drive at the base of the pole with a max heigth of 2'.

There is no need to change putters because of the wind, just change putting methods.

elaborate!!!

A firebird works will if its like a 30+mph headwind :)

Brand new heavy Challenger for longer putts into a headwind. having confidence that your putter won't be affected as much by the wind will help you putt better in the wind.

Laying up will help avoid multi- putting.

If it's a strong head wind (ie, I'm outuside of California), I putt upside down. I did this on the windy day at DMACC in Iowa. The big advantage is that the wind pushes the disc down and it should land flat on the top when you miss, so that it juts stays put by the basket. It's gets scary from outside of 30 feet, but in a heavy headwind I'm pretty much laying up from outside of 40 anyway.

heres a tip from kevin mccoy after the 2003 Ashtabula tournament with 40+ mile an hour winds. Putt with the disc upside down. Seriously!!!!! try it. It really works. Wind will not affect it at all!!!! you just have to practice it so you know how they fly. he putted upside down the whole day and whooped us all

Yeah, as stated above Midwesterners have been on that awile.

I putt with wind all of the time. I have to, I'm a Delta Windjammer. We get the wind off of the Pacific Ocean...Delta breeze.

When I putt against a strong wind, I use my turnover putter. It has less of a tendency to lift and fly away like a more overstable putter.

The headwind putt also requires increased spin to keep it on line and to keep the disc from lifting. I do not necessarily put more speed on my putter.

In heavier wind I kneel down and aim at the basket or a nub.

When I have a short putt is when I usually try to slam it home with increased speed on the putter.

These techniques have worked well for me in the past.

Now swirling wind is where I have big trouble.

Don't lay up, try to make them all!!! Happy New Year's Eve!!

We had a heavy/gusty wind today,,,I tried the kneeling method. It seemed to work really well, i especially like the way i can still use the same arm movement and extension without worrying about the big "blow by". Thanks for the tip.

Texas Panhandle = WINDY! When it gets really windy (+30 mph), the upside-down technique works very well. It seems like any contact with the chains will keep the disc in or close, whereas with the regular side up, I get a lot of bad blow-aways (I've even seen one that was in the basket get blown out and end up 60 feet away). And, the upside-down method is great for the lay-up shot, I know that I have saved myself lots of unneccessary strokes by laying-up instead of trying to hit that 40' into a 30mph headwind!

What kind of grip do you use when putting upside down?

I have layed up before by throwing overhand with my finger inside the rim, and letting the disc land upside down sliding towards the basket. But I don't think thats what your talking about.

I think Mr. Rock would tell you:
Just hold it like a regular putt, only upside down. You can either place your thumb on the lip or bury it deeper into the inner rim. I like it on the lip because I have a tendency to catch my thumb on the disc when said thumb is deep into the rim.
The best thing about this putt is that you do not catch the lip on the nubs. The disc slides right by them. :cool:

Rightey-O! Also, sometimes I'll go through my regular putting routine with the putter right-side-up and just as I bring it back to my mid-section for the last time, I'll flip it over and fire! The sidearm upside down thumber is a great way to lay up because you never have to get the disc high and you only need a flick of the wrist to slide your putter across the green (or dirt).

I've never thought of the option of putting HARDER into the wind. I will try that on one of the 1 or 2 windy days in 2005 that we will have in the NW.

a local pro coached me to use an upside down driver, thrown like you would normally throw it but hard. i thought he was pulling my chain, but it works.

Thanks for so many good posts...now let me see if i can push my luck

I have goals I want to reach when having a putting session. Right now on a calm day I try to hit 70% or so of my putts and I usually go no lower than 50%. Now on a gusty day (swirling wind) i am lucky to get 30%...I find myself getting annoyed by the low numbers.

What do you guys/gals think a realistic percentage is in the wind (given my 50% base line in calm conditions)? Of course Im trying to make all of them, but I'm a numbers guy and work a little better if I have numbers to shoot for.

Thanks for so many good posts...now let me see if i can push my luck

I have goals

What do you guys/gals think a realistic percentage is in the wind (given my 50% base line in calm conditions)? Of course Im trying to make all of them, but I'm a numbers guy and work a little better if I have numbers to shoot for.



The thing about wind is that it usually isn't steady. It fluctuates in velocity in an extremely random manner. This, in turn, causes fluctuating putting styles of varying distances, coupled by unforseen swirling gusts of brutal force would make me believe that you're going to make about 1% of them, if you're lucky. :D

lay up.

Don't put harder, but with with more spin.

It's not easy, but it works when you can pull it off. I guess I need to practice more.

I'll also try the upside down putting, I haven't done that at all.

lay up.



or use a champ rhyno

Take a look at the USDGC site. There was a lot of wind this year and you can see a lot of different putts. My impression was that most didn't use the upside down putt. Most seemed to put more snap (spin and velocity) on the disc keeping it flat.

My experience is: nose up, flyby, nose down, short. I can adjust the throw so that the nose up will work by keeping the throw low and straight and I can adjust a nose down by lofting it higher. However, it seems to me that using your standard throw with more snap would get the most consistent result?

Park it off the tee

Park it off the tee


yeah what he said!!

Park it off the tee


yeah what he said!!


Why not just hole out from the tee for the ace?

Heavy head wind
45 foot putt
low branches
+
kneeling putt
lots of spin
=
BAM BABY
"nice bird"..."thanks bro" :cool:

O.J.,
It's good to hear about your success. Now all you need is a foam rubber pad to kneel on when yer putting.