PuttIng Around Obstacles with Confidence
- Sep 23, 2025
- 2 min read
Every round of disc golf comes with challenges. Sometimes it’s trees in the fairway, swirling winds around the basket, or a steep hillside. Don't be afraid of things blocking the way to the basket. The “obstacle” can be taught to simply be the angle of your putt. A sharp right to left putt can feel just as intimidating as a wall of branches, and knowing how to adjust is what separates confident players from frustrated ones.
Putting champion Matt Bell has developed a clear method for these situations. Instead of forcing a shot with brute strength or grabbing the most overstable disc in your bag, he emphasizes control, height, and finesse in his Advanced Putting Course nr. 2.
Use Height to Your Advantage
When you need to aim farther outside than you are comfortable with, give the putt more air. Bell’s guideline is simple: five feet wider means five feet higher. This extra height allows the disc to glide and curve back toward the target instead of fading out early.
Refine Your Nose Angle
Nose angle is a powerful tool for shaping putts around obstacles. Keeping the disc nose up helps it carry left and stay in the air. One quick adjustment is moving your thumb closer to the center of the disc, which naturally tilts the nose up without forcing your wrist.
Rethink Disc Choice
It is tempting to rely on the most overstable putter when facing a steep hyzer angle. Bell suggests the opposite. A neutral or moderately stable putter, when thrown with the right height and angle, will glide longer and give you more room to hit the chains.
Building Confidence in Difficult Situations
Disc golf is full of obstacles, whether physical or mental. By practicing specific adjustments—like adding height, refining nose angle, and choosing the right disc—you’ll not only handle right to left putts more effectively but also develop the confidence to face any challenge on the course.