Luke Stankavage is a Charlotte, North Carolina resident who has excelled in academics while maintaining a varsity career in basketball at Ardrey Kell High School. Beyond competing on the court, Luke Stankavage enjoys playing both golf and disc golf.
A major element of success in the latter sport involves putting, or throwing the disc at short range into the basket. The basic spin putt involves placing the same type of spin on the disc as when driving off the tee. A repeatable motion whatever the distance, it ensures that the disc travels in a relatively straight line to the basket, minimizing the impact of any wind. One drawback of the spin putt is the possibility of a spit out, caused by the high speed at which the disc is rotating as hits the chains. In addition, if the basket is missed, the disc will tend to travel farther beyond the target than a throw with less spin.
The push putt is essentially a toss into the basket with a lobbing arc, rather than a traditional throw. This approach is similar to a free throw in basketball and can be highly accurate when the distance to the target is less than 30 feet. When the wind is a factor this may not be the best choice, as the disc is vulnerable to being blown off its flight path.
A less conventional option, the turbo putt appears like an overhand baseball throw and involves balancing the disc on the thumb and employing the other fingers to impart a spin upon release. This elevated release makes it an option when there is an obstacle such as a bush in the way that needs to be thrown over to land the disc in the basket. Challenging to learn, the turbo putt may also be less accurate than other throws at greater distances.
Luke Stankavage 