Stupid Tree Question...

[KDinIN]

So I went out and played a pretty wooded course today and, well, I hit a lot of trees. So how do you avoid trees?

I know, that sounds like a stupid question, but here is what I mean specifically. I know shaping lines and all that stuff for avoiding trees further down the fairway, but my issue that I am finding is, I have a really hard time avoiding trees near the tee box. They don't have to be directly in front of the tee box either. There was one hole for instance, where from the tee pad, I have a twenty foot hallway, that is really narrow, like 6-7 feet narrow. And on either side, at about 20 feet... two big trees. Doesn't matter, forehand or backhand, I keep hitting those stupid trees.

My understanding is that it is all about release point and angle, but for some reason I still can't make my arm/wrist/hand release the disc where I want it to. Stupid question, but annoying issue, so any help/advice?

 

[joecoin]

Aim straight for the trees, you'll never hit them.

 

[Jukeshoe]

Don't ever think: "Don't hit that tree."

Do think: "Right down the middle."

Positive thoughts.

 

[ru4por]

i think clean form helps. Sometime too much emphasis is place on shot shaping, leading us to attempt shots not really available given the trees. Often a solid straight shot to a well thought out spot in the fairway is better than a big anhyzer necessary to get you 40ft further down the fairway. Many here advocate practice with a neutral mid to clean us form to improve the straight toss. My favorite is a Comet or Core. Really see the spot down the fairway and reach out for that spot, the trees are not even there.

 

[sisyphus]

Juke & ru4 are right... you've got to approach it like a field goal kicker: you aim for a point deeper down the middle than the trouble trees. I once heard they studied car accidents & found that telephone poles are actually hit MORE often than can be accounted for by statistical chance. The theory is that the drivers, having some meager control, are fully focused on what they DON'T want to hit, so...guess what?

...might be urban legend, but it has a common sense ring to it.

So I try to focus down the line and aim at a more distant tree.

 

[Steve West]

I know someone who was always colliding the other skiers. He was focusing intently on the skiers to try to avoid them. I told him to "aim for the white" and he never ran into another skier.

 

[KDinIN]

I am sure that part of the issues I have with trees come from past experience and expectations of "crap, not again..."

Aim past the trees... you know that sounds easier than it really is right?

 

[Nemmers]

Don't ever think: "Don't hit that tree."

Do think: "Right down the middle."

Positive thoughts.

Good advice.

"You're in pretty good shape for the shape that you're in." ~ Dr. Seuss

 

[kerplunk]

I am going to slightly disagree with others here. While I don't think you should focus on the trees, I do think you should focus on the gap between the trees that you want to hit and not farther down the fairway. The course I play most often has a lot of narrow gaps not far from the tee, and I have been playing it much better lately by focusing on hitting the gaps with the correct speed and angle rather than focusing on the landing zone.

 

[Dan Ensor]

I envision the complete flight path, then find the "critical gap" and see what my disc should be doing at that point, and I throw to get my disc to be doing that at that point. I don't think about the trees. You aim at what you're thinking about, and you hit what you're aiming at more often than you think.

 

[ohtobediscing]

I'm going to second Dan's version. I think about the flight as a whole, and may choose a route that gives me maximum clearance on its hoped-for path.

 

[Grungedude42]

For the trees right off the tee, take a few back and forth motions with the disc, slowly, before you ever release it. Slow your run up, focus on the path your arm needs to take in order to avoid the trees.

Nothing but practice and consistency can help you shape lines. Practice, throw a disc enough to be able to visualize the entire flight.

Are you near Indy? I'm not a great player, but I can make a line or two on occasion. Maybe we can meet up.

 

[rynehester]

Focus on hitting your lines and don't focus on the trees. Most of the time technical courses get in your head because of the tight lines. Throw disc and shots your comfortable throwing. Most of the time there is a lot more air there than there are trees. Hit your lines and do it with confidence. When I second guess myself is when I get into trouble.

 

[ru4por]

I also heard that for every piece of litter you pick up on a course, you miss a tree. I bring along a trash bag and never hit one.

 

[rynehester]

I played with a guy who said the same thing. But it def didn't work for him lol.

 

[BIGHAFNER]

Positive thoughts, and also, try throwing a faster disc that is more understable. Throwing faster understable stuff softer will get the same flight as a neutral mid thrown hard. Throwing softer increases accuracy.

 

[BogeyNoMore]

I am going to slightly disagree with others here. While I don't think you should focus on the trees, I do think you should focus on the gap between the trees that you want to hit and not farther down the fairway. The course I play most often has a lot of narrow gaps not far from the tee, and I have been playing it much better lately by focusing on hitting the gaps with the correct speed and angle rather than focusing on the landing zone.

I don't think that disagrees with the first few posts at all: pick your line, find your gap, and focus on the window you want to hit, rather than the trees you don't wanna hit.

And I agree on not focusing too far down a complex fairway. Until one reaches a skill level where you can throw for decent distance with great precision, just find your line and make sure you get through the initial few trees to you give yourself a good look at a decent score, and you're not working for because you were worried about trees well down the fairway only blast one off the tee, and are working for bogey right out of the gate.

 

[HeavyCritters]

If you do hit a tree, this is what you yell instead of dropping F bombs:

 

[jongoff09]

Play at night, you won't hit the trees because you can't see them! Trust me, it works

 

[Dave242]

Play at night, you won't hit the trees because you can't see them! Trust me, it works

Amazingly true. I have commented on that often when playing in the pitch dark that no one seems to be hitting the normal amount of trees.

Envision the airspace you have to hit, not the obstacles you have to miss.