Its all in your head......

[treethacker]

What part of the game does your mental thoughts trump what you can actually do?
For me it is the backhand drive. I know I can throw the distance I want to throw yet each time I get to the tee to try I just totally tense up.
The first thing I think of is "don't screw this up" and of course that's what I do.
If I try to really rip the drive I have a nice long grip lock. If I try to compensate for that then I release to soon and it goes flying to the left. No two drives are ever the same!
Just seems like there is so much you have to remember to do a good backhand.
Step with your right foot first ,x step,pull the disc like a your starting a push mower,elbows towards the basket,right hip towards the basket,follow through....good Lord no wonder its such a pain in the a** to do.
My question is,have you ever had to deal with the mental aspect of this game and how did you conquer it and use it to your advantage.
As for me,I dread when a throw requires the BH.

 

[trifocal]

What part of the game does your mental thoughts trump what you can actually do?
For me it is the backhand drive. I know I can throw the distance I want to throw yet each time I get to the tee to try I just totally tense up.
The first thing I think of is "don't screw this up" and of course that's what I do.
If I try to really rip the drive I have a nice long grip lock. If I try to compensate for that then I release to soon and it goes flying to the left. No two drives are ever the same!
Just seems like there is so much you have to remember to do a good backhand.
Step with your right foot first ,x step,pull the disc like a your starting a push mower,elbows towards the basket,right hip towards the basket,follow through....good Lord no wonder its such a pain in the a** to do.
My question is,have you ever had to deal with the mental aspect of this game and how did you conquer it and use it to your advantage.
As for me,I dread when a throw requires the BH.

Confidence comes with practice. being really really good at anything doesn't happen in a twitter or an email. Gotta practice....think Lance Armstrong got wicked strong by asking for assistannce? Nah...he worked. Your practice discipline sets up your course discipline. Then, wannabies fall at the wayside.

 

[Eagle]

Take your bag and go to a football or soccer field. Practice throwing different BH shots (hyzer, straight & anhyzer), with all the drivers in your bag. This will help you to learn to throw different shots that are required on the course. You'll also develop more distance while learning these shots.

In a field you don't have the pressures of saving par, or of holding up players behind you. If you have 10 - 20 discs, you can throw more drives in 1 - 2 hours in a field, than you would playing a round of DG.

Once you learn the mechanics of how to throw BH, you shouldn't be thinking about the process. You'll develop "muscle memory". When you reach for a light switch, you don't think about how to turn it on, you've developed "muscle memory" to reach out and flip the switch on or off. Throwing is the same way. You'll need to consider what type of throw to make on a hole, but then you should be able to execute the shot from muscle memory, once you commit to that particular shot.

 

[trifocal]

Take your bag and go to a football or soccer field. Practice throwing different BH shots (hyzer, straight & anhyzer), with all the drivers in your bag. This will help you to learn to throw different shots that are required on the course. You'll also develop more distance while learning these shots.

In a field you don't have the pressures of saving par, or of holding up players behind you. If you have 10 - 20 discs, you can throw more drives in 1 - 2 hours in a field, than you would playing a round of DG.

Once you learn the mechanics of how to throw BH, you shouldn't be thinking about the process. You'll develop "muscle memory". When you reach for a light switch, you don't think about how to turn it on, you've developed "muscle memory" to reach out and flip the switch on or off. Throwing is the same way. You'll need to consider what type of throw to make on a hole, but then you should be able to execute the shot from muscle memory, once you commit to that particular shot.

Great first post, Eagle. ( Hard for new throwers to "get" , but they will or they won't)

 

[Eagle]

Hey, thanks Trifocal.

When I was a new player, I remember I would get the chance to play with a good DG'r, & I would ask all kinds of questions. I wanted to be able to play as well as them, so when they would tell me what to do to improve my putting or driving skills, I would take their advice, & practice religiously.

 

[jesus]

No matter what I am doing, I always tell myself that I am going to do it well. I suggest you do the same.

 

[BrotherDave]

My mental block is putting with a branch or limb right in my hyzer line, if I don't have a good open ceiling my putts go to crap. Oh well, practice, yada yada yada.

 

[ChronoDisc]

my block is water..... thank the lord i have a floating disc.
also ever since a tomahawk bounced back and hit me i have had problems throwing a beautiful overhand.

 

[DannyM]

My block is definately water as well. When I have to throw across lakes, I always second guess myself at the distance aspect. I don't have a lot of distance to begin with, and having to throw across water...well, just makes me tense up and tend to make mistakes. Lately I've been throwing much further <thanks in part to my Monarch>, and have been throwing more stable discs as well , with good results, so I'm hoping next weekend in Charleston my "water" block will all but disappear and I'll have some good results.

 

[solomon.trenton]

my block would have to be putting and releasing it too high is there is anything within 10' of the basket.

 

[discgolfne1]

Treethacker...your first paragraph described my exact problem.

I have been playing for almost 30 years, so it is not like I forgot how to throw. I can wake up from a comma and throw my flick perfect. My backhand is a different story. I either grip too long or throw it into the ground.

I hope to read some suggestions here, as I will try anything at this point.

 

[tamahawk]

my block would have to be putting...

Same here.

 

[swellerdiscgolf]

Clear your mind just like you do when putting. Before your drive take a breath, compose yourself look at the basket and just let it rip. Don't over think the shot. I over thought my shot the other day on a long open hole after I had been throwing good all day, and had a long 2nd shot. All I was thinking when I got on the tee pad was, "You've been throwing great all day, let this one fly, and you might have a birdie attempt." Bad thought, go away. The next long hole, no thought, bird.

 

[A.Mutt]

My biggest mental hurdle are usually holes right on the edge of my max distance. I tend to try to rip it too hard and pull a shankapotomas. It's been getting better as I force myself to focus on making sure I have a playable drive over anything else.

 

[dobsonr]

My biggest mental hurdle are usually holes right on the edge of my max distance. I tend to try to rip it too hard and pull a shankapotomas. It's been getting better as I force myself to focus on making sure I have a playable drive over anything else.

same. very annoying.

 

[Lewis]

My mental block is with tunnel shots, like this one...

http://www.dgcoursereview.com/gallery.php?id=1651&mode=gal&view=hole&hole=7&page=1#

 

[NatiBuckeye]

Mine is re-creating shots.

While playing my first toruney round or a practice round i always do the same thing. I think about the shot, what i need to do, what disc it will take, grip and rip. Boom, a magic shot thats parked or a decent chance at a 2.

THENNNN the next time i play the hole i pick the same disc and i smash a tree or launch it into the woods.

 

[treethacker]

Appreciate all of the reply's and insights to this additive game.Keep'em coming!
Went out yesterday to a local (and yes,beginner friendly course)to practice on my BH drives.
First thing I did was just calm down and enjoy the game. I have played this course several times so I had an idea of how to use the right drive to get to the right basket. When I did have to make a backhand drive the first thing I started to realize was that when I start that throw I totally forget about the basket! I am so worried about just getting a good throw that I forget to even aim that way. Well this time I made sure that I was at least releasing towards or somewhat towards the basket....guess what? Not one grip lock the entire 18 holes! Didn't really even think about it until my friend that I was playing against mentioned it to me.Now granted my distance still needs work but the drives that I did have were pretty much where I wanted them and for now that is a big improvement.
I gotta go with everyone else....just keep practicing!I try to practice at least four times a week about an hour or two and then play a round of 18 on Saturday and Sunday. My goal is hit the tournaments when I can hit 300 ft on a consistent basis,hopefully that will be soon.

 

[A.Mutt]

nah you don't need to wait until you can hit 300 consistently to play a tourney. I still can't really break 300 on a normal day but had a lot of fun in a tournament and learned a lot. I'm a better disc golfer now for having played in it. Seems like if you can stay accurate and consistent, distance isn't as important.

 

[DGtourist]

My mental block is with tunnel shots, like this one...

http://www.dgcoursereview.com/gallery.php?id=1651&mode=gal&view=hole&hole=7&page=1#

Damn, with that tunnel I'd just assume I'm gonna snag a tree and then let her fly.