Practice Rounds: Aggressive or Tourney Style?

[DavidSauls]

This discussion has cast a pretty wide net.

I don't buy that you play like you practice, and vice versa, in regards to risk taking. I can take all kinds of chances and experiment with all kinds of shot in a practice round, with no chance that I'll do the same foolishness when the horn sounds.

The other side of that coin is that in many sports, practice rarely emulates live play. You may drill on rarely-used skills or run plays against a ghost defense or try the same shot over and over to perfect it. I used to coach baseball and basketball and we had all kinds of practices that weren't the same as the games themselves.

Besides, if I'm playing a "practice" round, I don't need to practice a layup from 35' or a pitchout of the woods----I can do these. I also pick up 4' putts, and it doesn't cause me to miss 4' putts in tournaments.

[KenTyburski]

I honestly don't change anything about my game from practice to tourney rounds, unless I am throwing casual with a new or inexperienced player. Then I am usually in "teacher mode" trying to help and only worrying marginally about my own shot. But when I throw a solo casual round, I warm up the same way, with putting and practicing throws on a couple of holes. I practice the shots that are going to get me the best score when I am playing casual rounds, mostly because I am evaluating my execution for disc choice, judging distance, stance, and release. Occasionally I may try something crazy, but I will do that in a tourney as well, especially if my confidence is running high enough that I feel really good about executing the shot. The only major difference is that the tourney experience moves much more slowly than most practice rounds, for me. However, during a tourney, that just gives me time to consider the options more carefully (based on how my casual rounds have been going), and hopefully execute the best possible shot for the situation.

[Shipley]

Originally Posted by KYdischippy

Thanks for the replies guys. I guess it needs to be a judgement call. The whole risk reward thing? I know I don't ALWAYS want to take that little lay-up with no forward movement, when there's say an 80% chance of hitting a gap in the trees. So maybe that is what I need to figure out....at what percentage of a successful shot is it worth the risk in a tournament, and then at what percent is it worth my time developing in a practice round...? hmmm. That may be the best way for me to think about it. In a tourney it will NEED to be a high percentage shot, probably around 80% Practice I can afford to develop lower percentages into higher, but what's the cut off...60% In this scenario what percentages would you guys use?

Conservative golf is what you should play most of the time in a tourney. The exception would be that you're not on the lead card during the last round of a tourney. If you want to catch the lead card, then you play aggressively here. You can continue to play conservatively and hope a few people make mistakes, but the last round is where people who are trailing, usually turn it up.

One of the biggest differences between pros and ams, is that pros rarely take bogeys.

[bholy08]

Originally Posted by KYdischippy

Thanks for the replies guys. I guess it needs to be a judgement call. The whole risk reward thing? I know I don't ALWAYS want to take that little lay-up with no forward movement, when there's say an 80% chance of hitting a gap in the trees. So maybe that is what I need to figure out....at what percentage of a successful shot is it worth the risk in a tournament, and then at what percent is it worth my time developing in a practice round...? hmmm. That may be the best way for me to think about it. In a tourney it will NEED to be a high percentage shot, probably around 80% Practice I can afford to develop lower percentages into higher, but what's the cut off...60% In this scenario what percentages would you guys use?

How will you know what percentage you hit of various shots unless you throw them???

I always play for the best score that I can in every round that I play. Never changes.

[burdphil]

Do both.

1) Play the safe shot on your first throw.
2) Take the risky shot with a second throw.
3) Continue the hole from the lie of the first shot regardless of the outcome of the second.

My goal is to eventually have those "second" shots start to feel like "first" shots...

[discskavenger]

I find this intresting. I like how much thought this topic has given me. My gears are spinning. I think that you should practice as you would play. But yet it seems like you have to go for it some times to be competitive. Where do you draw the line?

[DavidSauls]

I guess it's time to ask, What's a practice round?

Is it any non-tournament round?

Is it a pre-tournament round on the course the tournament will be contested on?

Are there specific rounds people designate for practice, as opposed to casual rounds on the same course?

[DavidSauls]

Originally Posted by discskavenger

I find this intresting. I like how much thought this topic has given me. My gears are spinning. I think that you should practice as you would play. But yet it seems like you have to go for it some times to be competitive. Where do you draw the line?

In competition, whether a tournament or a competitive round with your buddies or solo and going after your personal record on a course, I think the rule is to play smart. Play the percentages. If you look a long putt and figure you've got a 30% chance of hitting the putt when you go for it, but a 50% chance of turning the birdie to a bogey if you try, then lay up. If you figure you've got a 50% chance of making it but 30% chance of blowing by and losing an extra stroke, go for it and live with the consequences if you miss.

Those estimates may vary based on how you're shooting that day (and your confidence), but go with the best odds. This only changes late in the final round, depending on where you stand in the field.

As I said before, personally I don't believe you should practice as you play. It's always seemed a dubious cliche to me.

[eegor]

For me, practice rounds are solo rounds. I play two or three a week. Every shot is important.

[eegor]

Originally Posted by DavidSauls

...personally I don't believe you should practice as you play.

One out of four "practice/solo" rounds is as I would play in competition. The "competition strategy" needs to be practiced too.

It's usually feel, but I'll play:

A driverless round.
A putter or mid round.
A forehand round.
A competition style round.

In every two week cycle for practice.

It seem the less I throw my drivers during the week, the better I am with them on weekends.