Tired of the ups and downs, fed up with blowing up/sucking

[Jax11]

Read this book; "Golf is Not a Game of Perfect"

That book changed my whole approach to the game. You may think you have a strong mental game, but if you are streaky, IMHO its your mental game that needs work.

Amazon Link: http://www.amazon.com/Golf-Is-Not-Game-Perfect/dp/0743508092

 

[WhiteyBear]

Even the top pros "blow up" sometime. It's how you handle the adversity that counts.

 

[Nemmers]

Hate to bring up the old chestnut, but it sounds like you're not having fun with the game. And like The Man said, "The most fun....wins."

Everyone has off days and just about everyone isn't consistent all the time. At my home course during the club monthly last weekend I shot an atrocious 79 in the first round (worse than I normally shoot) and came back in the second refreshed with a new perspective and shot a personal-best 67. I was just determined to play smart and play for par. If I griplocked one into the woods, I wasn't going to try a miracle thumber save through the rest of the woods; I just pitched out into the fairway and tried to set up a par-saving approach. Or at least a bogey-saving approach.

This helped me have more fun with the game. Everyone makes bad shots from time to time. The point is to remember (and truly believe) that the worst day on the disc golf course is better than the best day at work. (Unless you're a photographer for Playboy, that is.)

It's a game, brother. A truly great game, but a game nonetheless. Even if you become the best player who ever picked up a disc, you're not gonna get rich from it so why sweat it? Keep playing and keep it in perspective, but most importantly, have fun. And if you find yourself not enjoying it, find something else to do with your time. You're only 23....there's plenty of stuff out there you haven't experienced yet. Who knows? You might find something you like better.

Best of luck....whichever path you choose, young grasshoppa.

 

[Basshunter]

I'm 44 years old. I'm bitter and jaded about an abnormally large number of things for my age. I need a knee replacement, no joke. I work 60+ hours a week and have a teenage girl and a toddler son. And I wouldn't trade any of it.

Any time I get to play disc golf, it is a good day. We play well, we play poorly...but we play. The older you get, the more you'll appreciate that four letter word. If you keep having fun, play will be a luxury. If you don't, play will be a burden.

Go, Throw...Grow.

 

[Ted Bratton]

Thanks you all I must have a longer slower trial ahead of me than I expect to achieve my goals but as long as I manage the best mentality possible it will be fun and successful eventually. I won't try to force it anymore...it didn't appear to be helping anyway. I need to focus on the mental aspect of disc golf and keep in mind that golf is not a game of perfect. I need to always relax and have fun while also always playing as intelligently as possible.

Have fun, focus properly on every shot, be decisive, be happy with myself and confident in my abilities, and throw every shot with conviction. I'm writing that down on the back of a disc and bagging it haha.

 

[joecoin]

Every course; step onto the first tee. Drop your arms to your sides, look towards the outer basket, look towards your inner basket. Smile. Then play.

 

[Stardoggy]

Thanks you all I must have a longer slower trial ahead of me than I expect to achieve my goals but as long as I manage the best mentality possible it will be fun and successful eventually. I won't try to force it anymore...it didn't appear to be helping anyway. I need to focus on the mental aspect of disc golf and keep in mind that golf is not a game of perfect. I need to always relax and have fun while also always playing as intelligently as possible.

Have fun, focus properly on every shot, be decisive, be happy with myself and confident in my abilities, and throw every shot with conviction. I'm writing that down on the back of a disc and bagging it haha.

Disc golf is definitely one of those games that's not that hard to get good at, but very hard to get great at. Just have fun, and the rest will follow.

 

[demoneyeone]

You said in your original post you had no athletic background so it may take you longer than you think. Most people who ive seen pick it up pretty fast have played multiple sports throughout their lives

 

[tdschrock1]

Read this book; "Golf is Not a Game of Perfect"

That book changed my whole approach to the game. You may think you have a strong mental game, but if you are streaky, IMHO its your mental game that needs work.

Amazon Link: http://www.amazon.com/Golf-Is-Not-Game-Perfect/dp/0743508092

I just ordered this based on your recommendation - anything specific I have to look forward to?

 

[Declarkus]

Over thinking mechanics gets me in trouble, especially after a bad throw. Putting practice is helpful, but again, if done poorly before a round, it can get in my head, especially on a windy day.

And while draining 50ft putts will obviously lower your score, risk/reward must always be considered. I'm notorious for forgetting that in my haste for a birdie, and my scores struggle as a result. Knowing how and where to miss is more important to your score than jump putt accuracy, at least IMO.

 

[Declarkus]

Spoiler Alert

I just ordered this based on your recommendation - anything specific I have to look forward to?

I havent read it, but I just read reviews out of curiosity. They all said its an easy read with very simple advice. The big takeaways:
1. Have a pre-shot routine
2. Focus on a very small target
3. Quiet your mind, especially mechanical thoughts
4. Keep a positive and confident outlook
5. Put bad shots behind you
6. Always be thinking about your next shot

 

[Jesterian]

Dave Feldburg said that Climo once told him that he would spend 5 minutes focusing on his game per round. So while everyone else dealt with 3 hours of focusing per round, which exhausted them, he would think about other things intentionally until it was time for him to shoot.

Golf is definitely 90% mental. If you've executed a shot, you know you can do it. Managing to recreate it is all about mentality,

 

[Shipley]

Hello I'm Ted. I'm 23 years old with no previous athletic experience, and I've been playing roughly 3.5 years now. I love disc golf and I play pretty often, usually at least a couple times a week. Sometimes alone, sometimes with a variety of players who are equal to or better than I am and my courses are challenging. When I first started I couldn't throw 300', and I was about as far away from natural talent as possible. Now almost 4 years later my decision making+shot selection, mental strength+ability to handle pressure, athleticism (also dropped 110-120 lbs in the last 5 years), accuracy+precision, and power have all drastically improved and I am proud of myself.

However, I am still not where I want to be. I want to shoot as low of scores as possible as consistently as possible. More specifically, I would love to reach a true 950+ average rating through every round I play. I recently joined the PDGA for the first time and played my first tournament on a 9000 foot course with a lot of ob+water and strong winds and shot a 62 (par) and 58 for a 935 rating per round. I was happy considering the wind and felt I stepped up and played decent, but I think that I too rarely play to what I think that my abilities allow and I too often shoot rounds that I consider far too poor. That is I'm streaky, my scores vary too widely, and I'm fed up with it.

At my home course Stuart Nelson where I now have one season under my belt the record is a 48, the course pro shoots about 51-54 pretty regularly, but my record is a measly 56 which is not ok by me. Technically I have the bare minimum requirements to tie the course record without any ambitious shots/throw ins if I could channel McBeth and play "perfectly". So I know that I can do better if I can put it all together in one round. So for this season my secondary goal is to increase my accuracy and precision enough to break my measly previous record and put together a 50-52. My primary goal is to increase my consistency/precision/baseline scores dramatically. I have grown weary of being streaky and feeling complacent when I shoot mediocre scores on a regular basis. I want to act more competitive, and compete at a higher level. Can any of you offer any insight? Or do I simply have to go out and accomplish it? So far this season, I haven't been able to...how can I eliminate having so many "off days" where I simply do not play the same way fundamentally as when I play well?

A 935 rated round for your first tournament is very respectable, but 2, 935 rated rounds on a course 9,000 feet in length...I fail to see what it is about your game you're unhappy with.

 

[Ted Bratton]

This thread helped me so much to improve my mentality and anger! I'm finishing rounds stronger, my confidence is up, and most importantly I have a lot of fun every time I play. Today I played quite bad by my standards on the front 9 of Stuart Nelson which is the easier half for me, but even though there was heavy competition I was able to overcome that deficit and cruise through the back 9 to finish with a 61 which is probably a little above average for me. Last year if I wanted to shoot 61 I was required to shoot quite well on the front 9 or I didn't stand a chance. The weather was incredible today, looking forward to another season of fun and growth.

 

[Kodachrome]

i had a very poor final 8 holes today; i had partnered up with some random strangers because that's what i do. i shanked OB over the top of the hill at lakewood hills, hole 17 (that's a pretty freaking long way the wrong way), and simply said "i know it's too late to 'stop keeping score' but i'm just gonna stop keeping score now".

dude turned to me and said "hey, it's all good. i was keeping track and it sounded like you were about plus-fun".

i liked that play on words; it stuck with me.

 

[Indy21]

Golf is not a game of perfect is a great fast read, highly reccomend.

Back when I began playing in '08, I started out just 'okay', I had played baseball throughout my life and had some natural athleticism that I'd say helped me get better faster, started out in Rec and was just playing to have a good time and enjoy this new to me game.

As I advanced to higher divisions I became much more serious mentally and not really in a good way, I had started to beat myself up over every bad shot or stupid decision, I had lost the 'fun' part of the game I loved and it started to just feel well, ..like a job. I finally gave up on the game in 2010 and just figured what a waste of my time and money.

The key to the game is 'fun', if you lose that you'll never be as good as you could potentially be.

I started playing again this year and I've found the 'fun' factor again, now if I can maintain that level and not make myself believe we have to go overboard I believe this will be a good season. You have your good days and your not so good days, that goes for everyone in golf, no one is 100% all the time or even most of the time. By the way, since my time away from the sport I feel like I'm twice as good as I used to be, because I'm having a good time again and not taking things so seriously.

When I'm on the course and it's a beautiful day and the course looks all pretty all I can think about is this is great to be here, and I'm playing GOLF!

 

[Old Dog]

Lots of good advice in this thread. As Yogi Berra once said "90% of this game is half mental." Quit beating yourself up and concentrate on enjoying the game. Heck, even Phil Michelson didn't make the cut at the last masters. If he can have a couple of bad days what makes you think you won't or shouldn't.

 

[Martin Dewgarita]

Tired of ups and downs? Maybe sports aren't for you. Without lows, there wouldn't be any highs. Or you cannot always be high, or always remaining at the same state will become boring. Let's imagine a professional football team (replace "football" with: baseball, basketball, tennis, golf, chess, poker, drag racing, etc. or replace "professional" with: amateur, high school, college, minor league, etc.) Much of what draws players and spectators to the sport are the extreme highs, say winning the super bowl. Yet how many players and fans stick with their team through so many highs and lows throughout the season only to reach the ultimate low (not reaching the playoffs, losing a playoff game, losing the super bowl), and come back again next year for the exact same torture process.

 

[Nasty Nate]

I just read through this thread after playing a terrible round today at Simsbury Park. I know that my mental game was the culprit as I had a lot of things on my mind distracting me from playing well and after many poopy throws I was just getting frustrated. This thread actually helped me a bit to put things into perspective and I very much want to read that book Zen Golf that was suggested.

I gotta tell you... I played like s#!t today and logged a few fives and many fours... lots of errant drives and flubbed putts (short ones, too). I've been trying to rework my form and I suspect that some uncertainty there was also to blame but mostly I just couldn't clear my thoughts. The mental game is just as important if not more so than the physical. The body cannot work without the mind!

 

[Nasty Nate]

Sorry for the double post but I just watched this video and thought that it was rather appropriate