Hi everybody! I'm an old timer just recently interested in getting better again. I was satisfied with my game for years and years just to play for fun casually with my friends and call it good. Made it to 951 (albeit that was a very small sample size, probably more like 930) back in 2005-06 with a good short game and accurate but small drives, the story of my life. That was the last time I played in a sanctioned event. 1999-2000 was my tournament-playing heyday. I was all RHFH then. Hurt my elbow and it took over a decade to develop something serviceable from the backhand side. I'm accurate to about 300' but not much more. Prototypical old-guy-who-only-throws-280-but-can-hang-in-there type of player making some good putts and staying safe with lots of pars.
Enter YouTube, which I believe was invented the same year or so I last played seriously in Am-1.
...and enter all the good pro coverage we have today. I only discovered it as recently as last year and am HOOKED. I can't just sit here after watching so many hours of that without wanting to be good. I crave it.
I realize now after digging into Danny Lindahl and Simon Lizotte videos that I was strong-arming all these years, all upper body. Never even heard the term "power pocket" until last year.
This October or so I finally felt the hit that comes from the power pocket and I made some good progress before the snow started falling here. I'm not driving farther than I used to by much (I'll get 330' on my best good pulls), but it's way smoother and easier than even how I was throwing last year. My fastest Disc is a well-loved PFN Star Beast but most everything is speed 9 or slower. Not a fan of wide-rimmed newfangled stuff too much.
I'm not 50 yet and still in okay shape. The only thing I can't really do anymore is throw power forehands. I used up my quota on those as a young guy! I think if I tapped out my potential I could maybe, mayyyyybe touch 400' someday with a RHBH if I clean up everything? All of this stuff like "brace" and "the hit" are new concepts to think about for me.
My question is this. Would it be better to fix existing decades-old bad habits, or just blow it all up and head to the practice field with a stack of putters and do standstills, reworking it from the ground up?
I'm going to get my kids out there who are way better at technology and have them use their gadgets to film my throw one of these days. I realize it would be more helpful to have a video to make this determination.
My goal is to play well in the MA 40+ division this upcoming spring for a few tournaments, and if I do that maybe even get bold enough to see if I can hang in Am-1 like I did 20 years ago, especially since most of the MA 40+ tournaments are on Sundays around here and I work Sundays. (We used to call it "Am Masters.")
Looking forward to 2020 big time! I feel like a kid again!
Enter YouTube, which I believe was invented the same year or so I last played seriously in Am-1.
...and enter all the good pro coverage we have today. I only discovered it as recently as last year and am HOOKED. I can't just sit here after watching so many hours of that without wanting to be good. I crave it.
I realize now after digging into Danny Lindahl and Simon Lizotte videos that I was strong-arming all these years, all upper body. Never even heard the term "power pocket" until last year.
This October or so I finally felt the hit that comes from the power pocket and I made some good progress before the snow started falling here. I'm not driving farther than I used to by much (I'll get 330' on my best good pulls), but it's way smoother and easier than even how I was throwing last year. My fastest Disc is a well-loved PFN Star Beast but most everything is speed 9 or slower. Not a fan of wide-rimmed newfangled stuff too much.
I'm not 50 yet and still in okay shape. The only thing I can't really do anymore is throw power forehands. I used up my quota on those as a young guy! I think if I tapped out my potential I could maybe, mayyyyybe touch 400' someday with a RHBH if I clean up everything? All of this stuff like "brace" and "the hit" are new concepts to think about for me.
My question is this. Would it be better to fix existing decades-old bad habits, or just blow it all up and head to the practice field with a stack of putters and do standstills, reworking it from the ground up?
I'm going to get my kids out there who are way better at technology and have them use their gadgets to film my throw one of these days. I realize it would be more helpful to have a video to make this determination.
My goal is to play well in the MA 40+ division this upcoming spring for a few tournaments, and if I do that maybe even get bold enough to see if I can hang in Am-1 like I did 20 years ago, especially since most of the MA 40+ tournaments are on Sundays around here and I work Sundays. (We used to call it "Am Masters.")
Looking forward to 2020 big time! I feel like a kid again!