If you’ve got one near your home, you hold this truth to be self-evident. And if you don’t, you’ve either 1) considered installing one or two microscopic, putt-putt-style disc golf holes in your backyard, or 2) scoured the prices of homes in your area with lots of land on Zillow.
As for me, the park (literally) across the street from my home contains an epic, nine-hole pitch-and-putt, and still – I check both of the aforementioned boxes like the nut-job I am. Whether or not you can relate, the fact of the matter remains unwaveringly the same …
The pitch-and-putt is a game-changer.
In disc golf, a “pitch-and-putt” is a short course. Depending on the disc golfer you consult, true pitch-and-putt hole distances will vary. As for me, anything south of 275 feet is comfortably of the pitch-and-putt variety. Anything north of 300 feet means you’ve crept into standard stuff.
When my wife and I bought our home in 2018, the close-by course was a perk, but nothing I considered overwhelmingly positive. Sure, I’d do some practice-putting while at the park with my kids, but beyond that, nothing all that serious. I mean, a 250-foot hyzer is child’s play, right?
It is.
Or it should be, at least.
Therein lies the genius of the pitch-and-putt …
Repetition.
The whole “drive for show, putt for dough” motto rings true, but the fact of the matter is that there are a butt-load of shots that take place between the two extremes, if you think about it:
- Baby walk-ups.
- Driving with putters.
- Jump-putt approaches.
- Even intentional ace-runs.
They’re all part of the game.
For amateurs, the typical championship-level course will require these kinds of shots, but they’re far from the norm. On a pitch-and-putt layout, however, they’re an every-hole kind of thing. If you’re not comfortable with them, you’ll be exposed for it. And then subsequently forced to work on them until you fine-tune the game’s less-sexy, yet equally important skills …
Over and over (and over) again.
THIS is how you get better.
Back in 2018, I subconsciously thought my britches were too big for pitch-and-putt tracks. These days, I can’t throw as far, but on average, my play is tighter, stronger and more consistent – and smarter, I might add. My scores reflect this. And on non-pitch-and-putt courses, to boot.
Oh, and those friends and family members you’re trying to get into the sport?
Trust me: They’ll have more fun on pitch-and-putts.
They have fun. Your game improves.
And not to mention 18 holes in 45 minutes.
Nothing wrong with that.
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Editor’s Suggestions:
- Perk No. 11: Disc golf is a spur-of-the-moment activity
- Disc golf: Don’t wait until you’re ‘good enough’ to compete
- Gripe No. 70: Hard, disc-chewing bases at the bottom of baskets
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