[Innova] Playing a pro

[The Hammer]

Yeah, there's a huge group of guys who can dominate Adv., but have to fight hard to secure a low cashing spot in Open, let alone compete for the win with the touring guys. It's one of the biggest and most persistent problems with our current competitive structure.

The fact is all you need to do to cash in Open is shoot 1OOO rated rounds. For anybody with a little skill this is easy if they minimize their mistakes...but golf is a psychological game more than a physical one. There are more pros with average skills but a great mental game than there are pros with great skills and a poor mental game (most of those guys are ADV).

So it is very possible to play a casual round with a Pro and feel like you are on par with them, but when it counts they will be up at the top of the board. Often I see (and experience) people struggling to play to 2/3 of their potential in highly competitive situations.

Sounds like you've seen me play. Usually hanging with the pros around here in practice, then shooting like ball-sack in tournaments. My mental game sucks butt.

 

[The Hammer]

I would agree with discspeed on this. Each time I've thrown tournament rounds in the 970s I still feel like I've made plenty of mistakes, and when I shoot low 900s I feel like ive completely bombed the round. In the memorial my first round was in the 970s and I missed at least 5-6 putts inside of 20 feet. Even still I have trouble playing consistently enough to perform at the top of AM1 except in unsanctioned events.

:hfive: Right there with you, Graham. Maybe we should start a support group?

 

[gcr_russell]

:hfive: Right there with you, Graham. Maybe we should start a support group?

I'm sure there are plenty of us out there. I'm hoping it clicks for me this year and I manage to get that mental game. The round with you at the memorial was a huge step forward because my mental game started terribly and then rebounded heavily which saved me from shooting in the 800s. I think I just need to keep putting on the big fake smile. That's the secret to being competitive in Open. Happiness. And maybe putting too...

 

[discspeed]

I feel that this is generous. Feldberg or Nikko can shoot a 1000-rated round while making several mistakes. If I went out and played absolutely perfect Disc Golf in a tournament setting, I would be lucky to break 1000. I would like to think that I have at least a little skill at this sport...

I was just trying to convey that for every cashing pro there are 100 guys with the same skill, but the difference is the mental game. I would also say that out of everyone who plays tournament disc golf, over half have the physical ability to shoot 1000 rated rounds. I'm not trying to make anyone feel bad.:doh:

 

[discspeed]

I gripe about the mental game because it's my biggest hurdle and it's something no one can help me with. I'm not even talking about decision making...I'm talking about why, in a tournament, do I sometimes feel "nothing" on the pad before I throw? I make some novel mistake on a hole I've birdied a million times in a row on my home course...I go several throws without even executing my intended release angle. I have problems with lots of stuff like that when I get in pressure situations. Perhaps I'm too much of a secret pessimist in my head, always aware of my erratic tourney history. I'm not sure what it is...I never seem to play really bad in a tournament either. As soon as I'm out of the cash I have some hot streaks. Something about pressure kills me and I hate it because it makes me feel like no matter how good I get at this game it won't matter if I don't figure this out. My mental game/ability to handle pressure is stuck in the 96Os.

 

[billnchristy]

Quest DD

 

[acme]

First Frisbee was a pie tin and I think I have an Aviar that my dog chewed up. Other than that I don't have a prayer

 

[rusch_bag]

I gripe about the mental game because it's my biggest hurdle and it's something no one can help me with. I'm not even talking about decision making...I'm talking about why, in a tournament, do I sometimes feel "nothing" on the pad before I throw? I make some novel mistake on a hole I've birdied a million times in a row on my home course...I go several throws without even executing my intended release angle. I have problems with lots of stuff like that when I get in pressure situations. Perhaps I'm too much of a secret pessimist in my head, always aware of my erratic tourney history. I'm not sure what it is...I never seem to play really bad in a tournament either. As soon as I'm out of the cash I have some hot streaks. Something about pressure kills me and I hate it because it makes me feel like no matter how good I get at this game it won't matter if I don't figure this out. My mental game/ability to handle pressure is stuck in the 96Os.

I hear you bro. I will be in the 960s next update but my mental game is holding me back as well. When **** is going good I am fine, but as soon as stuff starts going bad, it gets to me. I am that guy that always has like a 980+ round at a tournament and then like a 920 or 930 to go with it because I get down on myself during that round and think I can't do anything. Last tournament though I think I finally did figure **** out a little and shot over 1000 for the day. Chris Heeren has told me to read books on mental game numerous times, but I haven't ever done it. I really should.

 

[jubuttib]

How about a beat-up old Archangel?

Meh, my beat up, old, 150 class Archangel was still more stable than any new DX Valk I've ever tried. Granted it started out as stable as a Banshee. That's the reason I don't really like the Archangel, it like a slower Groove, you never know what you're going to get. =)

 

[notBOB]

shoot... id let him choose his own. sh*t id let him choose my driver, aint no thang.

 

[notBOB]

unless its the wizard himself, mr climo, then id give him a custom roc with razor blades coming out and proceed to follow him into battle against 10,000 evil ninjas, makes for more fun than a round'a disc, id say