Garrett76zt
Par Member
I competed in this years Pro Worlds in the Open division and really enjoyed trying to beat the courses even though I would consider my effort far from satisfactory, haha.
The point I want to make is simple. I cannot understand the point of competitors complaining about course design flaws or distractions mid-competition. It makes no sense to me. You have agreed to compete on this course at this time against this field. What good is complaining going to do you? You should only be thinking about overcoming said obstacles.
After one of my rounds I had the opportunity to watch the lead Masters card for a round and then again in the final 9. It honestly made me sick watching Moser mutter and complain about someone distracting him (for the tenth time) that was 90 degrees from the basket and 60ft away from him. You're in a PUBLIC park! Or when Climo spent 5 full minutes complaining about a sign that was in the ground that he felt was too close to the basket at Deer Lakes hole 16 because he missed his putt. You know what? That sign has probably been there for 20 years. It was certainly there the day he practiced the courses and if it is so important then he should have paid attention and recognized that it was an obstacle to be accounted for. How about Patrick Brown actually complaining that a spectator called "Fore!" during his run up on the tee of 17? A disc from another fairway was coming right at him and the lead card group. This spectator had his safety in mind and he felt it necessary to criticize the gesture. btw he was able to stop in time and start another run up without distraction.
Golf is a game that rewards the SKILL of distraction management. You cannot eliminate distractions, you have to manage them. Some of the time that means you can politely ask someone to move or allow yourself extra time until you are not distracted but most of the time it means you must perform at a high level despite the obstacles and distractions. I mean where do these guys play/practice that is so perfectly ideal that coming to a tournament is such a huge departure and distraction for them? You might as well practice on purpose with more distractions than normal to increase your tolerance of them!
At this time in our sport we play in public parks and university campuses and there are going to be a ton of distractions. If you are playing in the World Championships then there are going to be 300+ people following you around that can't all be perfectly still or perfectly quiet. Can't handle that? Don't play! I was disappointed how whiny and complainy some of these guys were. When you are a Champion it means you champion things, you overcome things, you beat things. Not just the other players but the course and the obstacles, the distractions, the bad breaks, all of it.
So for those of you who've read this far, do yourself and the game of Disc Golf a favor next time you choose to compete . . . commit to be positive and commit to overcome whatever comes your way.
The point I want to make is simple. I cannot understand the point of competitors complaining about course design flaws or distractions mid-competition. It makes no sense to me. You have agreed to compete on this course at this time against this field. What good is complaining going to do you? You should only be thinking about overcoming said obstacles.
After one of my rounds I had the opportunity to watch the lead Masters card for a round and then again in the final 9. It honestly made me sick watching Moser mutter and complain about someone distracting him (for the tenth time) that was 90 degrees from the basket and 60ft away from him. You're in a PUBLIC park! Or when Climo spent 5 full minutes complaining about a sign that was in the ground that he felt was too close to the basket at Deer Lakes hole 16 because he missed his putt. You know what? That sign has probably been there for 20 years. It was certainly there the day he practiced the courses and if it is so important then he should have paid attention and recognized that it was an obstacle to be accounted for. How about Patrick Brown actually complaining that a spectator called "Fore!" during his run up on the tee of 17? A disc from another fairway was coming right at him and the lead card group. This spectator had his safety in mind and he felt it necessary to criticize the gesture. btw he was able to stop in time and start another run up without distraction.
Golf is a game that rewards the SKILL of distraction management. You cannot eliminate distractions, you have to manage them. Some of the time that means you can politely ask someone to move or allow yourself extra time until you are not distracted but most of the time it means you must perform at a high level despite the obstacles and distractions. I mean where do these guys play/practice that is so perfectly ideal that coming to a tournament is such a huge departure and distraction for them? You might as well practice on purpose with more distractions than normal to increase your tolerance of them!
At this time in our sport we play in public parks and university campuses and there are going to be a ton of distractions. If you are playing in the World Championships then there are going to be 300+ people following you around that can't all be perfectly still or perfectly quiet. Can't handle that? Don't play! I was disappointed how whiny and complainy some of these guys were. When you are a Champion it means you champion things, you overcome things, you beat things. Not just the other players but the course and the obstacles, the distractions, the bad breaks, all of it.
So for those of you who've read this far, do yourself and the game of Disc Golf a favor next time you choose to compete . . . commit to be positive and commit to overcome whatever comes your way.
