DG Superstitions

[Doktor John]

Tom,
I do the same thing...I had never thought of it in the context of the disc knowing it's done with the hole...but I need to hear the ching...

 

[discwombat]

I fall in the same group. Gotta finish the hole. When I started playing there were no basket cources around so we made up our own. Still I could not walk away without slapping the target no matter how much of a gimme.
Scott

 

[marcusriewer]

Some people I play with will give you a dollar if you hit metal on a tee shot and 5 dollars if you get an ace.

We play if you ace a hole... You owe the group that is discing burgers from a local restaurant. If a shot looks like it could potentially go in... "Burgers" is being yelled by everyone including the person that threw.

Also we play were nothing is said while the person is in their backswing, but as soon as it is released, the disc is fair game to the jinxing of the shouts. It adds a little flavor to the game.. the competitiveness is brought out by some players more than others.

 

[bjreagh]

We don't really enforce this, but it is funny to tell someone new to the game when they miss a mando they have to give everyone else in the group a disc from their bag.

 

[bjreagh]

I am also glad to know that I am not the only one who has to have their putter contact the chains somehow on each and every hole.

 

[Kentuckian]

I don't need superstition. I have Voodoo.

 

[Kentuckian]

175 g. black. by Gateway. Ha! and now I'm a par member, too! see? Voodoo.

 

[atl scott]

Something I always do is never wait for the wind to die down. It never seems to help my throw so I try to concentrate on throwing correctly for the current wind. If it changes during my shot, oh well. Also, it is usually a lot more fun to just throw in gale force winds when available.

Another one is not calling for an ace when it looks so good. I've had too many spit outs so I try to not get excited so there's no letdown at the end For this reason my last ace took at least 5 extra seconds to sink into my brain.

 

[kpc2004]

before every drive i spin the disc on my finger while i imagine the line i want my disc to fly and wherever i grab it to stop it is where i will grip the disc when i drive. weird, i know, but it just doesnt feel right if i dont do it. if i have a tough shot to make i find myself spinning the disc while i decide how i want to throw.

 

[ejvogie]

Not really a superstition, but a rule we added. If your disc lands on another person's disc, you owe them a beer.

I've heard around here if your disc is on top (hint hint) you owe the other person a mini. I'm not sure if it's actually enforced though.

 

[kpc2004]

BTW discwombat i love your signature

 

[Huckster]

This is kinda on-topic...

Yesterday while playing a round, someone mentioned the "Rule of Continuity"--his phrase to describe how one player's action will continue with the next players in the group. In other words, a long made putt inspires other nice putts from the group on that hole. Or a nice drive inspires more nice drives. Or a well divoted tree will ... uninspire? ... more THWACKS from the rest of the group.

But I really don't think this is superstition--It's real! There is plenty of scientific evidence that shows how humans will glom on to the actions of others, and follow what those around them are doing. Crowd mentality, so to speak. Heck, women who live together end up on the same menstrual cycle, so I'm sure you can inspire me to make (or miss) my shots.

Have others noticed this tendency, too?

 

[Donovan]

This is kinda on-topic...

Yesterday while playing a round, someone mentioned the "Rule of Continuity"--his phrase to describe how one player's action will continue with the next players in the group. In other words, a long made putt inspires other nice putts from the group on that hole. Or a nice drive inspires more nice drives. Or a well divoted tree will ... uninspire? ... more THWACKS from the rest of the group.

But I really don't think this is superstition--It's real! There is plenty of scientific evidence that shows how humans will glom on to the actions of others, and follow what those around them are doing. Crowd mentality, so to speak. Heck, women who live together end up on the same menstrual cycle, so I'm sure you can inspire me to make (or miss) my shots.

Have others noticed this tendency, too?

Man I hate to be a killer of these, but if you mark on your score card the number of times this happens vs the number of times a great shot was not followed by 4 others...you will realize it is not that common. You are only remembering those amazing times it did happen. AND even some of those you remember it happening really did not. You saw a mediocre drive in the 4, but you will have convinced yourself it was a great drive just to think this is happening.

I know I am a jerk for pointing this out, but we all want to believe in things. There is nothing wrong with that. When these thing really do happen, they feel so great...because they don't happen that often.

Maybe I should not have posted this...sorry.

 

[Geoffro]

I agree, Don. We remember the memorable rather than the mundane. The psychology if this is quite interesting. We've all had the experience of thinking about someone, then the phone rings, and it turns out to be the person we were thinking of. Wow! We even go so far as to say to person when we answer the phone, "that's so weird - I was just thinking of you and then you called!" While this conjures mystic ideas, it's really just a roll of the dice. When you consider how many times you think about someone and no one calls (over 99% of the time), or you think of someone and someone else calls (more rare) it's not that remarkable that once in a great while you happen to be thinking of someone and they do call. Shucks.

I don't know what "scientific evidence" Huckster is referencing, but the evidence in psychology (as in most science) shows regression toward the norm. In other words, a great shot is (for most of us) atypical. Statistically, the next shot series of shots (by anyone) would be normal or below normal. Psychological research would even predict that the pressure of a great shot by the thrower before you would negatively impact your shot, unless you are incredibly disciplined to ignore the shot previous to yours (rare).

This isn't to say that if someone aces right before you throw that you can't have a good shot - or even an ace. But to think that disc golf players develop a similarity of scores through a round similar to that of women developing similar times of menstruation is not backed up by the science I know.

At least now you have another jerk for company, Don

 

[valkyriefb11]

I don't know what "scientific evidence" Huckster is referencing, but the evidence in psychology (as in most science) shows regression toward the norm. In other words, a great shot is (for most of us) atypical. Statistically, the next shot series of shots (by anyone) would be normal or below normal. Psychological research would even predict that the pressure of a great shot by the thrower before you would negatively impact your shot, unless you are incredibly disciplined to ignore the shot previous to yours (rare).
At least now you have another jerk for company, Don

Guess Ill join the jerk club!

I only wish that that was all true, but reality seems to confirm Donovan adn Geoffro ... I always tend to mess up my shots worse after a good shot (mine or someone elses) and great shots are definitely atypical for me ... which is what makes them a great shot anyway.

 

[borndasaur]

Is this a private party or can anyone be a jerk on this thread?
Human beings tend to look for patterns and are amazingly successful at finding them even when they aren't there. If you get a chance, watch the Nova program about the brain. The explanations as to why and how this happens are clearly presented.

 

[Huckster]

Hey, disagreeing with me (or pointing out when I'm wrong!) certainly doesn't make any of you 'jerks' in my world. ;-) I think there's something to the 'seeing patterns' thing, for sure. Anyway, I'll try to pay more precise attention next time I'm out. Well, probably I won't--I'll just focus on my game, instead. It needs the attention. (Perhaps I should play with folks who are way better than me, and be 'inspired' to make better shots, despite lacking the actual skill to be able to do so?)

Anyway, all posted in fun. No foul, no harm!

 

[Omega SuperSloth]

i think the reason people sometimes put better when others make their putts first is just competition you wanna show that guy up take some of the wind out of the sails because as soon as you make it then the focus is on you, the cool thing is when everyone in the group sinks their putts that ego thing kinda fades away and the positive group vibes come out

 

[nygfaninva]

Haven't read this entire thread, but has anyone mentioned the 'don't take my putter from the basket'? I fall prey to this one, I swear if anyone else hands me my putter from the basket I KNOW I will screw up the next hole if not the rest of my game.

P.S. In the words of Eli Manning....."I'm not Superstitious, but I am a Littlestitious"

 

[kpc2004]

Haven't read this entire thread, but has anyone mentioned the 'don't take my putter from the basket'? I fall prey to this one, I swear if anyone else hands me my putter from the basket I KNOW I will screw up the next hole if not the rest of my game.

P.S. In the words of Eli Manning....."I'm not Superstitious, but I am a Littlestitious"

that is an interesting superstition...ive never come accross that one while playing yet, but i can see how it would bother someone...i will have to be more careful next time i play in a group