share some pre tournament Rituals??

[Terry C]

Everybody has different ways for prepairing for a tourney, Energy drink? Good luck charm? I was wondering if anyone had some wierd or maby supersticious rituals they like to do to get into it mentally before hand etc..., or go out and play the course the day before or morning of for a "pre-feel" or what? i'm interested.

[YonderScott]

Not sure what "works", but I can tell you one thing that doesn't. Doing tequila shots prior to a 10am tee time for a tourney that's selling beer in 4 places across the course. It'll make you shoot 17 strokes across 2 holes with a combined par of 8, and lose a driver. Incredibly this happened after the turn, and I was leading my card after the front 9. For the record I didn't have the worse score of the day.

[craigd]

It gets pretty hot and humid in the summertime here in Georgia...

I've heard tales of people powdering up the ol' coin purse with some Gold Bond powder to prevent chafing.

[Ryan P.]

If at all possible, I go play on the course for 4 or 5 hours the Two days before. The 1st day I go, I play a couple of rounds slow, really thinking about the shots I'm going to take off the tees, concentrating just like it actually is the tournament. The second day I go, I take every single shot that I can think of on every single hole. This usually refreshes my memory of what not to do on all the holes. It's amazing how relaxed I am on the course the next day and how few bad decisions I will make if I get that second round in.

[Terry C]

I like to go play the course a couple times close to the tournament, take my time, look around. I agree if you do that your much more relaxed the day of. Preperation equals consistancy. And yes for me alchohol does not help, i do have lots of fun drunk discin, but my score suffers for sure. For me if I try too hard ill be much worse than if I relax and try to not feel under pressure to do good, if I have that mind frame ill be on. As far as powdering the sack ill try that next summer when its hot and humid!!

[scarpfish]

Get rest the night before. Eat a good breakfast. Stretch. Warm up. That's about it. With my work schedule, I'm lucky to get two out of those four.

As far playing the course a couple days before the tournament, well, that works if its set up in that layout. Sometimes that isn't the case.

[runnaman]

The only pre-ritual I seam to have is sitting and waiting because I get to the tournaments early. While I'm waiting I'll practice putting or play a few holes once some other people get there. Just some little stuff to help my calm down.

Oh, and getting 2-3 hours of sleep is also usually something I do before tournaments.

[TalbotTrojan]

The most important thing that I do is read the mental game articles in this years first PDGA DiscGolfer Magazine the night before.

[SoCalDg'r]

Smoke a blunt..... just keepin it real

[DavidSauls]

My ritual is to arrive WAY too early because I'm excited, then expend too much energy throwing discs, killing time until the player's meeting.

[DannyM]

Get rest the night before. Eat a good breakfast. Stretch. Warm up. That's about it. With my work schedule, I'm lucky to get two out of those four.

As far playing the course a couple days before the tournament, well, that works if its set up in that layout. Sometimes that isn't the case.

That is what I AIM to do......but unfortunately, I end up getting 4-5 hours sleep because I'm either excited the night before, or go over the course in my head trying to decide on a better disc to drive with, hole-per-hole. On further away courses I usually stop for breakfast at a fast food place <Hardee's ,Bojangles>, so not the healthiest choice. BUT, I do usually stretch and warm up first, and have a healthy lunch between rounds. I also found that if I drink one of the 5 hour energy between rounds, I do tend to have more focus in the later stages when I usually begin to wear down.
One important reminder.....stretch before the second round. Your muscles get warm and limber after playing round 1, then cool down during the lunch break. Stretch will help prevent any pulls and cramps

[thepowerofpancakes]

Not sure what "works", but I can tell you one thing that doesn't. Doing tequila shots prior to a 10am tee time for a tourney that's selling beer in 4 places across the course. It'll make you shoot 17 strokes across 2 holes with a combined par of 8, and lose a driver. Incredibly this happened after the turn, and I was leading my card after the front 9. For the record I didn't have the worse score of the day.

I want to play this tourney!

[DavidSauls]

My other pre-tournament ritual is to find an unoccupied basket and see if I can learn to putt in 15 minutes, having failed to do so in the previous 15 years.

[AdamH]

I set two alarms the morning of the tournament; one for me and one for my putting. I can't tell you how many tournaments I've played in where my putting sleeps in and doesn't arrive until the second round :(

[thepowerofpancakes]

My other pre-tournament ritual is to find an unoccupied basket and see if I can learn to putt in 15 minutes, having failed to do so in the previous 15 years.

Ditto!

[discgolphinmafaukner]

I usually start by making putts and getting my confidence up. Then I throw some drives and play at some of the holes to get warmed up. Then I'm good to go!

[zenbot]

I punch a manatee in the face...and then I drink a pony keg of Sparks. The old Sparks. Not the crappy new version.

[Swisher Streets]

Chocolate Milk/doughnuts for breakfast. Get there an hour early walk front 13 planning out my shots. Throw last 5 to warm up, putt 15mins or so shooting pretty close to build up the confidence, players meeting, do work.

[kerplunk]

I like to eat elf balls and go make sure I know where the hole on #8 is. :)

[kerplunk]

Seriously though, blunt on the way and shot of bourbon before heading to my hole.

[humchris85]

I don't think it would be proper for me to put up what I do for my pre tourny rituals...;)

[Terry C]

Sounds good, eat some elf balls,find hole 8,smoke a blunt,do several shots one of which has to be tequilla,punch a manatee in the face, pound a sparks and learn how to disc golf in 15 minutes before the players meeting!!!why didnt i think of that?

[discpicable]

Sounds good, eat some elf balls,find hole 8,smoke a blunt,do several shots one of which has to be tequilla,punch a manatee in the face, pound a sparks and learn how to disc golf in 15 minutes before the players meeting!!!why didnt i think of that?

God bless this thread!

[humchris85]

Sounds good, eat some elf balls,find hole 8,smoke a blunt,do several shots one of which has to be tequilla,punch a manatee in the face, pound a sparks and learn how to disc golf in 15 minutes before the players meeting!!!why didnt i think of that?

I can't start a game without punching a manatee in the face.

[skottyb]

Gingko biloba and some putting practice and I'm good... helps me focus.

[billnchristy]

http://img29.imageshack.us/img29/3378/manateewaving.jpg

[Terry C]

Unfortunately theres no manatees in michigan, gonna have to punch a whitetail deer or a squirrel or something injured and slow i can catch.

[Cooler Will]

Fawk those sea cows. I cut up your food, Snooty! And what thanks did I get?

[Trashthrasher]

I punch a manatee in the face...and then I drink a pony keg of Sparks. The old Sparks. Not the crappy new version.

I didn't know there was a difference... please elaborate.

[WillACarpenter]

Stop saying funny things! I can't dye that many discs!

[zenbot]

http://img29.imageshack.us/img29/3378/manateewaving.jpg
OMG. Now I feel awful.



...but if it works it works.

You can't make an omelette without blah blah blah.

[zenbot]

I didn't know there was a difference... please elaborate.
They're not allowed to make energy/alcohol drinks anymore. =(

Wiki seyz:

Sparks was a caffeinated alcohol beverage, one of the first such beverages. Its active ingredients caffeine, taurine, ginseng and guarana were common to energy drinks; however, its additional focus on alcohol was not.

As of December 2008, at the behest of San Francisco and 13 states, distributor MillerCoors LLC is taking the caffeine out of its Sparks line of energy drinks, which list ginseng, taurine and 6 to 7 percent alcohol among its other ingredients, as well as changing its marketing campaign.[1] "We're doing it to protect the public health of our young people and to reform business practices," said S.F. City Attorney Dennis Herrera.

Stores are now selling a new variety of Sparks without the caffeine and taurine.

[NothinButChing]

I try to get at least 3 beers in me before discin

[AdamCaudle]

I only played a tournament once so far, and apparently my ritual is to miss a bunch of practice putts, so that I putt poorly the whole first round. :D

[ShaZaun]

pre-game snack......

[ShaZaun]

now I gotta find a Manatee........

[agentdozzer]

Not just in tournys but i always play better fresh outta the bedroom, after some hot sex with the wife. Alright gig giggity goo

[agentdozzer]

Thats not a joke its the truth

[Fleshgordon]

Not just in tournys but i always play better fresh outta the bedroom, after some hot sex with the wife. Alright gig giggity goo

Hmm..Interesting. would your wife mind if i gave that a try :p jkjk:D

[cc0049]

I like to start by throwing a few mids out in an open field to loosen up the arm. Then putt for about 15 minutes...preferrably on a basket that doesn't have 20 other people putting on it. Then play a few holes if possible.

[zenbot]

Playing with a soft putter is a good way to warm up without expending too much energy chasing your own disc around.

[Roc1Time]

Drink lots of beer

[Terry C]

Drink lots of beer

There might be something to that, several people have said they drink prior to tourney play, either to calm nerves i suppose or just because most of us are a bunch of lushes.:D;) The several tournaments Ive played have been sponsored by brewery's or someone brings their micro brewed beer and wine for everybody to check out.

Nobody posted on this thread for a long time and it came back from the dead, nice!!

[zenbot]

Drink lots of beer
I think that's what messes me up in tourney play. In casual rounds I'm drinking as I go and my putting actually gets much better.

[zenbot]

Not a manatee but the logic would still cross over.

http://s3.amazonaws.com/theoatmeal-img/comics/dolphin_punch/header.png

Click! (http://theoatmeal.com/comics/dolphin_punch)

http://s3.amazonaws.com/theoatmeal-img/comics/dolphin_punch/panel1.png

http://s3.amazonaws.com/theoatmeal-img/comics/dolphin_punch/panel2.png

http://s3.amazonaws.com/theoatmeal-img/comics/dolphin_punch/panel3.png

[zenbot]

http://s3.amazonaws.com/theoatmeal-img/comics/dolphin_punch/panel4.png
http://s3.amazonaws.com/theoatmeal-img/comics/dolphin_punch/panel5.png

[mashnut]

That is some awesomesauce right there.

[skottyb]

Hahaha thats priceless.. nice post..

[NothinButChing]

smoke some drink some