Does drinking alcohol hurt your game?

[Suspect]

I am a person who wants to play better....especially distance. My upshots and putting have been good as of late.

I don't get drunk or pretty buzzed, just relaxed due to the fact I am anxious as hell while playing at times. I have high anxiety in general.

I'm just wondering if people thought of this and/or if people stopped and saw improvements.

Thanks

 

[PWaggoner]

Unless I get sloppy, not usually. I definitely play better 2 beers in, liquid courage they say. I also have anxiety, doubt anyone can tell, I bottle it up pretty good. Makes me much more comfortable around strangers and my body looser in general.

But on the other hand I feel I shouldn't have to do that, it's all in my head.

 

[Karl]

If I had to take something (beer) to help mask / quell symptoms (anxiety), I'd work hard at finding a cure for the root cause.

 

[da Crippler]

Yes. It will also hurt your health. Alcohol is never the answer to anything.

 

[Grippenripp]

Alcohol DOES hurt your game. The most obvious way obviously is lowering your inhibitions leading to poor/hasty decision making, and it affects you physically by reducing coordination and increasing clumsiness in general. Ever see a dude so sloppy sober he can't walk straight? Also long term health risks. I say if you want the most out of your game play sober. If you wanna play and have a drink or two, okay. I would not recommend the latter because I do not drink. Overcoming that anxiety and king good choices on the course are learned skills, masking them with alcohol may be a temporary solution to the problem, but comes with far too many negatives IMO.

 

[DavidSauls]

I doubt it will help---it's not going to help your coordination, nor your decision making---and this is a mental game.

But no one else can assess your anxiety, or its affect on your play. Give it a test---play half your rounds clear-headed, half your rounds "relaxed", and track your scores. See how it works out for you.

 

[Keller]

You want to go out and play with your buddies and have a few beers, hey, fine, knock your self out!
But...
If you think that a few beers is the answer to your anxiety issues and improving your game, that's a very slippery slope. What are you going to do (or think) when it requires 3-4 beers? And how is it going to affect your game when you need to call people to give you a ride to league because you lost your licence while dealing with your anxiety? I know two of those guys).

Yeah, you may have had a few good rounds with a few beers, but it's not going to help. Learn to deal with your anxiety in a different way. On the course, pick your shot and use some form of routine; I always liked watching Andrew Fish, stands and looks, takes the stretch, deep breath and go!

Alcohol can be fun, but it's never the answer. . . . .and then comes the day when it's not even fun anymore. I hope you never find that place.

 

[DiscoBriscoe]

i used to be serious about playing tennis, and pretty early on, when just playing for fun, I'd have ONE beer after a set. I really couldn't detect feeling any different, but my set after that were noticeably worse, invariably. The difference was really shocking to me. So you can't tell me alcohol will help, except maybe in the relaxation dept.
I don't usually drink when I disc golf, or golf, but when I do, I can't tell a difference. I am that bad at both sports I guess.

 

[lines]

Drinking gets in the way of good golf. I have been trying to turn over a new leaf and drink a beer after the round, once I'm home.
Different story for weekend casual rounds with friends.

 

[PhillyMatt]

A little, but it hurts my suppressed painful memories more so Ill keep using it.

 

[PWaggoner]

Guess it depends on the person, I know another substance that messes up my game royally. I abstain from that activity while practicing, even things like weekly doubles now. If I'm just having a casual game where the focus is unwinding from the stress of life then sure.

But a Beer or two just lubes the gears. Hard to make bad decisions when basing your throws off percentages. Which is usually just biggest gap.

 

[chosenmatrix]

I would say that it will almost certainly not help your disc golf game. It may relax you, and therefore make a casual round more enjoyable, but it will not improve your game. I don't need to provide all the anecdotal evidence, but from my own personal experience my rating has jumped about 40 points in the last year, and coincidentally I have not had alcohol before or during a rated disc golf round in that year.

In my opinion, there is nothing wrong with having some beers before or during a round, but you should accept the fact that you are looking for a fun and casual round with friends while enjoying some alcohol (which is not a bad thing), but not trying to play your best disc golf.

It just depends on what you are trying to get out of the experience.

 

[chosenmatrix]

Tangentially related: There are people who insist they play better after a couple beers or a couple hits or whatever... In most cases this is just someone trying to justify their use, which is usually an indicator of a problem on some level. (If you don't have an issue, you don't even think to mention why you are using to others) I realize it is a relatively small sample size, but I have seen very very few people who actually improve by using. In fact, I almost always am happy to see my competition in leagues break out the green or crack a beer, because it generally gives me the advantage.

 

[ru4por]

Both hurt my game. These are for recreation and entertainment, not medicinal reasons.>>>>>>>this is an axiom for golf and life!!

 

[Stardoggy]

I'm fine up until about 4 or 5...then I notice issues.

Lack of sleep is equally bad.

 

[DoWork]

Tangentially related: There are people who insist they play better after a couple beers or a couple hits or whatever... In most cases this is just someone trying to justify their use, which is usually an indicator of a problem on some level. (If you don't have an issue, you don't even think to mention why you are using to others) I realize it is a relatively small sample size, but I have seen very very few people who actually improve by using. In fact, I almost always am happy to see my competition in leagues break out the green or crack a beer, because it generally gives me the advantage.

If I'm breaking out beers during competition, it's because I am playing terribly and have basically given up on winning and am now just having a good time and enjoying myself.

 

[PWaggoner]

I'm fine up until about 4 or 5...then I notice issues.

Lack of sleep is equally bad.

Sleep is the biggest issue I have for tourney play, almost always have problems getting to bed the night before.

 

[deyo7]

Disc golf should be fun, not stressful. I get the nerves thing when playing with others but just relax and be OK with not being great. And you'll be better equipped physically when hydrated with water rather than alcohol.

Also, checkout Golf is not a Game of Perfect by Bob Rotella. His simple approach to the mental game helps foster confidence and calmness. Fantastic read.

 

[BuiltTooLong]

Practice the way you play. If you have a few beers while practicing, have a few beers while competing. ;-)

 

[Putt for D'oh]

Its very easy to say and think a couple beers or a few hits takes the edge off and improves performance. Harder to say it doesn't when that is the constant state, just like in Darts or Pool. I don't know the last time i've done either darts or pool without a few beers in me first. I also know quite a few people who have likely never played DG without being at least comfortably buzzed including tournaments, but the reality is whatever relaxation that is gained is likely not an improvement over the drawbacks.
I see nothing wrong with enjoying it, drinking or partaking during a casual round or if someone wants to convince themselves they are all good in a competitive round, but the reality is if you are worried about it hurting performance? Yes, it does.