No, not the “dad bod” this time around …
Though disc golf and dad bods DO go hand-in-hand.
Because beer.
Today, it’s the “dad putt” I’m on about. To the best of my knowledge, the dad putt is a relatively new concept first made popular by Simon Lizotte – who is a father of two, by the way. Or rather, the putting style isn’t new, but the “dad bod” branding that’s now attached to it certainly is.
To introduce the short-range trend, it’s important to first recall Lizotte’s regular putt. If you watch an unhealthy amount of professional disc golf, you know he’s one of the greatest spin putters the game’s ever seen. With a seemingly effortless flick of the wrist, there’s a frozen-rope, point-A-to-point-B putt coming out of the guy’s hand that smashes chains more often than not.
Need a quick refresher?
Click here to see what he’s capable of.
The dad putt is the opposite of this.
Think less laser-beam and more lower-back pain. Whether from a staggered or straddled stance, the dad putt is a soft, floaty bid at the basket. It goes noticeably up. And then it comes down. What it lacks in speed and determination, it makes up for in slow, steady and easy-does-it.
It’s not that the dad putt isn’t keen on success …
But to make it happen, it prioritizes three things:
- Playing mega-safe disc golf on the green.
- Putting forth as little effort as possible.
- Rocking all-white New Balances.
Or in other words …
No three-putts.
Intrigued?
Compare Lizotte’s typical putt with the version fatherhood has brought about …
The JomezPro guys can’t get enough of it:
@jomezpro Simon Lizotte busting out the Dad Putt on DGLO Round 1 🥏👏 #discgolf #foryou #putt #jomezpro ♬ original sound – JomezPro
If you frequent Lizotte’s YouTube channel, you know he features his dad putt regularly. And no need to watch for it – he broadcasts what he’s about to do. Spin-putting is a young man’s game. Extreme push-putting is for old-timers. The dad putt is NOT exclusive to Simon, though …
Garret Gurthie’s built a reputation as a mediocre putter (it’s true) on the back of his perma-dad putt for years. Ultimately, you should base your putting style on three things: 1) What feels most comfortable, 2) what inspires confidence and 3) what actually goes in the mother-flipping basket.
If that’s the dad putt, great.
And if it’s not, also great.
I would, however, at least mess around with it a bit on your second or third putts during casual rounds, as the dad putt is great for preventing rollaways and knee-knocking comebackers.
With children to raise, who has time for that crap, anyway?
Love the dad putt. Embrace the dad putt.
Avoid the dad bod, though.
Let’s not get carried away.
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I think I’ve Dad Putted when you got one of those death putts where if you miss your disc is gone. Down the hill, off a cliff, into water. Whatever.
Lob it up there nice and high, flat and let it fall down abruptly…. Either into the basket or in the shadow of the basket….
In my case …
It’s usually “in the shadow of the basket.”
Good enough. Haha.
For me its nose up putts that just kind of parachutes to the ground with no overshoot. It’s a great tool. Probably because I can’t push-putt. Does the nose up putt qualify for Dad putting? To me Barsby is kind of the king of the dad putt. He throws them so high and can hit them from so far away it’s just amazing
Yeah, but that’s more Barsby going for a “safe” throw-in, wouldn’t you say?
He doesn’t do much of that from circle’s edge …
Well, maybe a bit.
Gurthie is my go-to example of this, but I do hear you loud and clear with Barsby.
You’re a 100% spin-putter?
When you’re on, you’re on …
But when you’re not, OUCH.
Is that accurate?
Yep spin putt all the way. I guess your statement could be a little accurate but when you’re not hitting them it’s just about recognizing what you’re doing. The only way I miss is to the right and if I start doing that I just throw with more hyzer to correct it. Usually I’m breaking my wrist but the hyzer putt helps fix that. There’s a recent putting video from Barsby where he starts in side the circle and moves out to about a hundred feet and he is nailing them with his sky high puts. When he gets out past circle 2 he starts throwing Anhyzer puts. And he’s still hitting them. Good stuff
I think I’ve seen that video!
The one I’m thinking of is from two or three years ago, though …
Need to see if I’ve missed it – thanks for the tip!
(BTW, Barsby is my favorite touring pro)
Maybe it was older than I thought but I thought I saw it pop up last week. Heimburg is my guy but Barsby is my next favorite. My brothers and I debate all the time if you could put a card together with yourself and three pros who would it be. I’ve got Barsby Heimburg and Ulibarri
That is a VERY good card …
Uli’s a riot on the card.
Conrad’s allegedly great, too.
And Simon, of course.