I have played for a while now, and I have never practiced putting.

I am looking for advise. Should I do 200 putts a day?

Thanks

You have to find a routine that works for you.

I find that if I practice putting for more than 30 minutes, I become a little lazy with the way I putt. I start to get bored I think. I prefer to practice 2 or 3 times a day for 15-20 min at a time.

I also prefer to take 1 or 2 putters to practice with. I make sure I go through my routine every time. Rapid fire does nothing for me. I also like to think like Im on the course. I think pretending Im in certain situations helps a little.

Another thing that has helped me a lot is not practicing too many long putts. I spend 90%of my practicing on putts of 20-30 feet. I want to see my disc go in the basket every time I throw it. Not missing a putt in a 20 min. session adds a huge boost to my confidence!! :D

The number of putts is not as important is the quality of putts. It's important to reset after each putt, don't just stand there with a stack of 10 discs and throw them all in a matter of 30 seconds (unless thats how you plan on putting during competition), I sugest that after each putt you step back for a second to reset your stance or move to a different spot and reset. I would also suggest that you concentrate on putts from 15 - 35 feet, those are the putts that can make or break your round, missing 2 20 footers is a lot harder on your mental game than missnig 3 40 footers. Practice like you play, go through you entire routine during practice, don't putt with discs in your opposite hand (unless you play like that in competition). It's quality, not quantity.

It's fine to think about your form, release, etc. during practice but when you are competiting I find it helpful to only think about where I want the disc to go and visualize it's flight, don't get caught up thinking about mechanics (just rely on muscle memory).

Good luck.

also spend the extra few dollars to get a couple identicle putters for practice. whatever you like go and get 5-10 of them in the same weight.

: ) :

200 + is a workout !!!!

Don't force yourself to go out and putt 200 times a day, you'll start viewing it as a chore and I don't think 200 a day is necessary to stay competetive.

I'll go through my putting practice routine about 3 times a week and I try to keep it fun. Here's my game:

-Find a good basket to practice on. By this I mean you should be able to practice uphill, downhill, and level putting on the same basket. Cover all the bases.

-Lay out markers at 20, 25, and 30 feet in a cross shape (four directions=12 putting stations)

-I use ten putters to minimize total time and energy expensed throughout putting session. I putt 10 times from each station (20, 25, 30) and then move on to the next quadrant of the grid. I go around the bases 2.5 times, that's 300 putts. By then I'll have recorded 100 putts from 20, 25, and 30, which makes for easy calculation of your percentages.

-Keep score. WARNING: Be honest with yourself. Rapid fire putts will increase you score but will do nothing for you come tournament time. Reset after EVERY putt. It's mental, not physical. Another thing I try to do is to NOT miss twice in a row. By keepig score in an honest way, you will be able to compete against yourself and will be more motivated to putt better.

-All that takes me a little over an hour, bring some music and plenty of water. That's 900 putts a week on average, I believe that's plenty.

EDIT: For dessert I put ten times from 45' and then ten times from 60' just to keep the proper lines in my head.

Lot's of good feedback. As they say, follow a set technique and be consistant. A couple more points I'd add:
1. Use a marker and make sure you don't foot foul.
2. Another option to doing a defined number of putts per practice session is to practice for a set period of time. Say you'll do 30 minutes a day. You do it 30 minutes every day but don't worry about how many putts per session. Sometimes it makes it less boring.
3. If you can, do some practicing where you have an obstacle that restricts either your motion or the line.

I don't do 200 putts a practice session, but I do have to make 100 putts before I am finished. This is just my practice session:

Station 1: About 15' from basket, I have to nail 10 putts. I continue to putt until I do. At 15' you should quickly get to 100%. The great thing about 15' putts is this is where a lot of people sweat. If you get close to 100% on 15' you start to think of them as gimmees and that will help your game.

Station 2: About 20' from basket. SAME AS STATION 1. Once you get 100% you start to feel like all 20' putts are gimmees. A great feeling when you step up for competitive play.

Station 3: 25' from basket. You must hit 10 putts to move on.

Station 4 30' hit 10 putts move on

Station 5 35' hit 10 putts move on

So here I am at 50 made putts. I will now start working 30 to 40' putts around the yard. I have two pin placements and will start working up hill, down hill. After I have made my next 50 putts I will starting working longs, like 50' Plus. This gives you a feel for close up shots where the disc has a chance of hitting the basket and if it misses you are in the 15' gimmee range you have practiced on. Most people I play with will tell you that I am a very good putter. Now if I could just get those [email protected]#@*n drives to land nearer the basket.....

Doesn't matter what you do in your backyard, because you'll still blow it during the tournament if your mental game isn't on. Play competitive rounds with other players. Keep your head in the game. As you can see from my signature, my "mental putting" BLOWS! Physically I can make 9 of 10 from 30 feet, but the game isn't really like that.

I would have to disagree. Putting in your back yard and hitting them will make you a more confident putter. A more confident putter WILL hit more putts when it counts.

Hitting putts in your back yard makes you more confident. Confidence build a better "mental game". It's a cycle.

If your "mental game" blows.... two words...."Zen Golf". ;)

Yea muscle memory is just as important as mental game.
Once you hitting 20 footers at close to 100%, when your in a tournie those putts wont even faze you. Even if you miss a few you'll have it in your head that you'll make the rest easy.

I do have a different routine before tournaments where I putt @ 50 putts just to see what putt style is working for me that day and what I'm going to have to do drive and approach wise to get with in my 100% range for that day.
For example; if I'm only hitting about 50-70% of my 20 footers I know I'll have to step up on my drives and approaches and get the disc within the range. But if I am making the putts I know I can relax on the driving end. It helps me alot with keeping a rhythm going for the round and at worst I'll shoot par but mostly I'll shoot under. It helps me play a relaxed round when I know I can birdie or at least par every hole.

I agree that putting in your backyard will make you much better in a tournament. Repitition allows you to gain consistancy with your technique. Consistant technique will improve your overall % of made putts when playing a round. The mental game is about confidence. Confidence is gained by success. Kind of a catch 22 as they say. When you make 10 thirty plus foot putts in a round, you should be less stressed by the presure of making a shot during a round. You' know you can make it because you have a track record of making them. The simpler the technique, the better. Less can go wrong.

Something I do during practice that helps mimic the pressure of a round and keeps me from getting bored is to pretend I'm in a tournament. The game is based on who makes the most putts out of 20 from either one or multiple locations. I pretend that one set is my arch rival competitor and the second set is me. I try equally to make the putts whether it's the arch rival or me putting. That way you can compete against your self and be motivated. I've been doing this for a few months and my "arch rival" has been kicking my butt. I hate the bastard!!! But I'm practicing until the tables will been turned. It's really kind of cool when my arch rival has made 17 of 20 and I'm at 14 with four shots to go. Plus its fun.