Before You Throw Checklist

[blackcatsmith]

I think this is the most important thing that should be on the list.

In blacksmithing there's a phrase: think in the forge, hammer on the anvil.
Which means- while the bar is in the forge, reaching a forging temp, focus on what you hope to accomplish, once the bar is hot, out of the forge and under the hammer, the time for thinking is through.

 

[threevok]

Thank you all for your replies. For clarification on the title and my original post, I am not going through a checklist on every throw. These are things that I am trying to implement in field practice and practice rounds in order to learn proper form. The checklist is just some random notes I've made after good and bad rounds. As stated in my original post I want to make sure the things I am practicing and focusing on are valid. I also want to see what others are practicing and focusing on. Sorry that I wasn't very clear.

I agree that one cannot have all these thoughts rolling around when making a shot in competition and I agree that muscle memory is a huge component in executing a successful throw. What I want to avoid is building muscle memory around wrong thinking and wrong practice. This is why I posted my list. Thanks.

 

[pushing 60]

Checklist makes sense for practice

Checklist are made for practice and improving your game but counterproductive while playing. Someone gives you a good pointer and you may want to add it to your practice checklist. Sometimes I will take notes when watching a putting instructional video, then add the notes to a practice checklist to see what works for me. Everyone has an area of the game they want to improve.

However, game day checklist are at a higher level. Feldberg suggests some putting practice and then if possible play a fairway or two to warm up. You want to putt and play with confidence so throw out any "proper form" checklist and go with the best form you currently have.

Most folks have a pre-putt routine. But once more that is something they developed in practice to drive accuracy and consistency.

Guess the main pre-throw checklist, before grabbing a disc out of your bag, is to determine which type of throw is best. If I am not careful will go to sleep and do my automatic normal throw without checking out all my options and consciously deciding which type of throw would be best.

 

[mutteriwiritys]

When I drive, I want to look at the target/line I wanna shoot at. If there's a tree at the right side of the basket and I'm going for a hyzer shot, then I'll concentrate and look at that tree, not directly at the basket. Works for me at least.

 

[PerpetualNewbie]

Checklist are made for practice and improving your game but counterproductive while playing.

I agree with this statement 99%, I definitely don't go through a full list for every drive or putt. However, for us newer players during a round, if bad things start happening with distance or accuracy, going through your checklist can help us get back on track.

I have checklists for driving and putting and need to put one together for upshots.

I do often remind myself to "loosen up" before most drives, and also repeat the mantra I picked up from sidewinder22, "slow is smooth, smooth is fast".

 

[xlhammy]

That checklist looks like a massive over-think to me.

+1 on that. I read or heard somewhere that Ken Climo says he only concentrates for a total of about 5-6 minutes per round. That time represents the accumulation of time immediately before a shot where he thinks about his throw. Said it's how he deals with pressure and continues to enjoy the game (or something along those lines...)

Granted, not everyone has his skills, but that's a testament to muscle memory. Make small adjustments so your body and brain can feel and discern the differences. Through trial and error, my experience has been that when you change more one or two things at a time, it becomes hard to know what did or didn't work, and what should continue to be worked on.

If you make a bunch of changes at once, the one thing you SHOULD continue to do may easily be discounted and masked by other things you shouldn't, and then you write off the whole as not having worked. IMHO, work on one or two things at a time so you can gauge your results accurately.

 

[DGfan68]

I simply focus on the flight path, not the basket.

 

[Timko]

+1 on that. I read or heard somewhere that Ken Climo says he only concentrates for a total of about 5-6 minutes per round. That time represents the accumulation of time immediately before a shot where he thinks about his throw. Said it's how he deals with pressure and continues to enjoy the game (or something along those lines...)

This is a great (great) piece of advice. It was something explained to me by a ball golfer I play disc golf with. He said if you spend the entire round concentrating you'll wear yourself out at the end.

I play with him in something called beer league. It's a casual round of mob golf proportions. During nice spring and summer days, we can have between 25 and 30 people on a card. Playing with this group has taught me a lot about when to concentrate and when to not and enjoy the company and the beauty of the course.

 

[wake911]

Though all if not most of those should be practiced, you should NOT be reciting those in your head when playing competitively. Muscle memory, muscle memory, muscle memory.

Agreed.

On the course, for throws, I think of 2 things, and that's it.. "OK Rob, make sure you get a full reach back, and full follow through."

For Putts I think of only 2 things as well. "OK, get your hand/disc in proper position...and make sure you get that pop."

During practice i think of way more things, and a lot closer to the OP, but not on the course, just 2 simple things that help me a lot.