During lunch today I practiced putting in the heat by playing The Range disc golf putting game with a coworker. I made it through nearly 200 putts before my putters started floating errant. The sun and 85 degree heat had finally caused putting fatigue to set in and this was a prime putting practice opportunity. I was determined to keep up my putting form and focus during practice so it would come much easier while on the course.
I know I’ll never need to toss 200 putts in a round or even in a whole day of disc golf, but fatigue can be caused by the rest of your game or even simply walking the course. This fatigue simulation caused my consistency to fade, so I ran through my typical checklist. I was able to cross off focus, aim, nose angle, arm extension, and lower body engagement so I was puzzled. Usually there’s a clear perpetrator. It took about 15 more discs floating and fluttering to identify the issue. Most of my checklist items result in an expected putter behavior, but the lack of consistency suggested an issue with the disc release. I looked to my grip for a few putts and finally realized that the putters, while still pointing up and toward the basket, were hanging slightly lower in my hand than usual. This is how putting fatigue can slyly affect your grip.
Simple fix. Ensure the putter rim rests on the proper line of my palm and grip the disc tighter. My consistency was back and I ended the game a few throws later.
I’ve related this short anecdote to you to illustrate a few key takeaways, all of which can actually be applied beyond putting to your entire disc golf game.
1. Practice past your fatigue point so you can overcome putting fatigue on the course.
2. Know the usual suspects of your form degradation and note what is working correctly.
3. Don’t overlook the minute aspects of your form.
4. Watch your disc flight as it may indicate where fatigue is affecting your form most.
Putting fatigue, and disc golf fatigue in general, is a common challenge to overcome especially on long courses and in the heat. I’m sure I’ll write more about form and fatigue in the future, but until then please share with me the fatigue you’ve experienced and how you’ve dealt with it.