Cut-Through

Definition: A cut-through occurs when a disc strikes the chains of the basket, passes through or between them, and exits the other side without being caught in the tray. It most often happens on a putt with enough speed, angle, or momentum to separate the chains rather than allowing them to slow and redirect the disc downward. A cut-through can occur even when the disc appears to hit the center of the chains and the putt initially looks successful.

Why It Matters: A cut-through turns an apparent made putt into a missed putt and may leave the player with a difficult comeback. Because the disc can continue well beyond the basket after passing through the chains, the result may be more costly than an ordinary chain-out or basket miss. Players may try to reduce cut-through risk by controlling putt speed, height, angle, and target point, but a well-executed putt can still cut through when the chains fail to absorb enough of the disc's momentum.

Term Observations:

Basket manufacturers, through improved design, have greatly reduced the proclivity of discs to cut through. The MVP Black Hole Portal and DGA Mach X have exceptionally low cut-through tendencies; the Innova DISCatcher Pro 28 is very low; and the Discraft ChainStar Pro is low. The Prodigy T2 is also low on true cut-throughs, although it is sometimes criticized for “spit-throughs” or other chain rejections that some players group with cut-throughs.
Older and lower-chain-count baskets have greater proclivities to cut-throughs, as do inexpensive, light-chain versions. The problem is principally chain density and the size of the gaps a high-velocity disc can penetrate.
A cut-through is different from a putt that completely misses the chains, but players may view discs that slide by after striking the chains, without passing through them, as being in the same general category.
A disc may cut through the center of the chains even when the original putt was accurate.
Faster putts may retain enough momentum to separate the chains and continue through the basket.
Off-center or angled chain contact can also create a path through the chain assembly.
A cut-through may travel farther beyond the basket than a typical spit-out or splash-out.
Players often react strongly to cut-throughs because the putt may appear made until the disc emerges from the opposite side.

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