2017-10-30 Putting Notes A quick round on the course, mainly getting some practice on my new putting form. When I play a practice round on the course, the first throw counts, then multiple drives, approaches or putts follow, for re- petition or to try different options. Some time ago I started to take notes on which drives were the most successful ones. This time, for the first time, I took notes on my putting success rate. Let's go through the holes, one by one: #1: 95m, open to the right, some artwork and bushes on the left side, one tree between the tee and the basket. It's an easy hole. The two difficult factors are the length and the headwind that shows up there often. Today it was no more than a low breeze. The best drive was with the JLS, getting to about 70 meters. The Valkyrie and Champ Teebird went too low and thus short. The Star Teebird faded too far left. I had to play the Valkyrie. My hyzer approach with the Comet around the tree went a bit far. I missed the 9m putt. The comebacker was easy. -> 4 #2: 65m, open, tree in front left of the basket, hedge behind right of the basket. My best drives were with the JLS and the Champ Teebird. I had to play the Valkyrie, which had gone a bit too much to the left (a bit hyzer and the wind got underneath). I missed the 9m putt. The comebacker was easy. -> 3 #3: 80m, several single trees in the way, but open around the basket. I took the wide hyzer route on the right. The Valk flew farthest and was best thus. Several other drives touched branches, which reduced the distance. I also tried annies low through the trees with the JLS, DX Teebird and Comet. I had the luck to hit the lines and they worked out quite well, just the risk is higher. I approached from the Star Eagle-X with the Comet, but went a bit too far left. Then missed the 7m putt. The comebacker was easy. -> 4 #4: 55m, wooded, slightly uphill, basket is behind a big tree. It's the classic forehand hole. My JLS forehand drive went too straight ... my forehands are luck dependent, as I have too much OAT on them, the amount varies and so does the turn. ;-) I ap- proached with either the Comet or a Pure (not sure anymore), then hit the 5m putt. My best drive was forehand with the Valkyrie (possibly because it handled the OAT better), it was puttable. Also tried some anny-lines with the Comet and the Pure, they were okay, but you cannot park the hole this way, whereas you can easily if your forehand has a good day. -> 3 #5: 50m, little bush in front of the basket, widespread trees on the right, bushes and a slope on the left. It's the putter hole. My experience from the last round is that it is crucial to avoid hyzer releases, as they risk the disc fading down the slope into the bushes, which easily leaves you with a Bogey. I went for the Pure, which got me into 6m from the basket. I got the putt in. The drive with the Zone (with a bit of anny) was great as well. The other Pure and the Comet were okay. -> 2 #6: 60m, slightly uphill, wooded, more open on the left. One usu- ally throws a forehand there. I had good drives with the Champ Teebird, Star Eagle-X and Zone, all forehand. The long anny drive with the Pure was successful as well. Unfortunately, my first drive with the Valk (I think) hit a tree, leaving me with a long upshot, that hit another tree, leaving me with a 16m putt, which I missed. The comebacker was easy. -> 4 #7: 50m, similar to the previous hole, just shorter and a bit more open. Best drives were with the Zone and Star Eagle-X fore- hand and the anny line with the Pure. I sucked on the approach shot and missed the resulting 7m putt, then hit the 6m comeback- er. -> 4 #8: 67m, wooded but with an open wide hyzer route. I hit the first drive with the JLS over the hyzer route to place the disc 7 meters to the pin. My other wide hyzer drives got caught in branches here and there. But a try with the Comet straight through the middle was quite successful, just too short for a putt. I missed the 7m putt (*grrr* ... this would have been my first Birdie on that hole). The comebacker was easy. -> 3 #9: 100m, open, some small bushes at 80-90m, usually with a right to left wind. The Valkyrie gives me a bit more distance on holes like this one. I threw it 88m, with a bit of turn. The DX Tee- bird flew the same line, up to 83m. My approach from the Valk, behind a bush was bad. It left me with an 8m putt, that I missed. At least I managed to get the 7m comebacker in. -> 4 In sum: 31 (4 over Par; one Birdie, five Bogeys) Concerning drives: The JLS and Valkyrie were the drivers of the day. The Zone was pretty tolerant with my OAT'ed forehands. Three times I had good drives with the Pure. My approaches were bad today. I had few good ones, but many bad ones. As I mainly practiced driving with the fairways throughout the last weeks, this is not too surprising. And my putts in numbers: 7 putts missed (3x7m, 1x8m, 2x9m, 1x16m) and only 2 putts hit (5m, 7m). But all comebackers hit! It's a bit sad that I couldn't convert more of those 7-9m putts, but OTOH I did convert most of those putts on my multiple throws. Keeping in mind that I just recently found a completely new put- ting form, I rather regard with joy that such putts are now sud- denly realistic. I can now hit 3 of 5 putts from 8m, this was unthinkable just a week ago! It'll take some time to get those first putts in. More important however, I saw that I can run all those putts, as comebackers are no longer to fear. This as well was totally different, just a week ago. And last about my bag: The mids are set. I go with the Comet and the Zone, nothing to question here. The putter question is still open. Today I had the impression that the P2s are more successful still. If I would have to decide right now, I would bag the P2s (one or both) and the Zero Hard Pure, but leave the Opto Pure out. The Zero Hard plastic is grip- pier and I can putt better and drive equally with that disc, com- pared to the Opto one, otherwise the Pures are the same. And for the drivers. The JLS is set. The Champ Teebird is set. The Valkyrie is set, although it overlaps much with the JLS. (The Valk has a brighter color.) I think I can cover the DX Teebird lines with the JLS/Valk or Comet. The Star Eagle-X wasn't the right disc today, but I want to bag it though, as it offers much allround potential. Thus the DX Teebird and the Opto Pure could go out. The light Star Teebird and the DX Eagle I left at home already. -- All of them are great discs, I just have to make decisions, as any deci- sion now on which disc to leave out is better than any decision on which disc to throw for a certain shot in the tournament. http://marmaro.de/discgolf/ markus schnalke