Kenny53691
Noodle Arm
I have been having trouble over thinking things during competitive rounds. How do you keep from over thinking things and what do you think about during rounds?
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competitive round
- Thread starter Kenny53691
- Start date
zjones9
Par Member
Sounds like silly advice, but really try to concentrate only on the shot at hand. Don't let that last bogey phase you, and don't try to make up for it by going for a 80 ft birdie putt. Play the course, not your cardmates.
I took a disc golf trip a few weekends ago and my wife, who doesn't play, tagged along. She walked along with me taking pictures and we bull****ted as I played. Towards the end of the day, I realized I had been playing at the top of my game, and I wondered if having my attention on my wife in between throws contributed. Having only the next throw in your head can help a ton.
It reminds me of this awesome RA Dickey (a pitcher) interview in which he said that he turned the corner as a player shortly after almost drowning. After that, he was no longer troubled by the last pitch or fearful of the outcome of the next.
All this is easy to say and hard to do, but finding a way to not dwell on how you're playing, whether it's abysmal, lights out, or in between, can really help. It's what I'm currently working on improving during competitive rounds.
It reminds me of this awesome RA Dickey (a pitcher) interview in which he said that he turned the corner as a player shortly after almost drowning. After that, he was no longer troubled by the last pitch or fearful of the outcome of the next.
All this is easy to say and hard to do, but finding a way to not dwell on how you're playing, whether it's abysmal, lights out, or in between, can really help. It's what I'm currently working on improving during competitive rounds.
Time2Shine
Banned
- Joined
- Jul 30, 2013
- Messages
- 87
Maryjane
JAKE master
Double Eagle Member
if you practice like you play in tourny rounds, it should simplify things a little. so if you are not going to go for the putt thats right up to OB in the tourny, dont do it in casual rounds leading up to the tourny.
also, try and set personal goals for yourself. no bogeys, pars for the course, no airballs...my big goal this year was to be happy with just hitting metal. other than that, i set other goals based on the course and my experience on that course. i cant expect to compete if im not playing my game. these mini goals allow me to focus on my game and not the fact that my competitor hit an ace and i got par. loosing doesnt feel so bad when you walk away with a sense that you accomplished a goal.
also, try and set personal goals for yourself. no bogeys, pars for the course, no airballs...my big goal this year was to be happy with just hitting metal. other than that, i set other goals based on the course and my experience on that course. i cant expect to compete if im not playing my game. these mini goals allow me to focus on my game and not the fact that my competitor hit an ace and i got par. loosing doesnt feel so bad when you walk away with a sense that you accomplished a goal.
hendryxdisc
Eagle Member
- Joined
- Jun 13, 2012
- Messages
- 536
^^^ this! the best single piece golf advice i have ever received. When my Dad was teaching me how to play club golf I used to try to compete against the other players. Play the course and you will end up making less mistakes and putting the pressure on the other players.
DiscinFiend
* Ace Member *
I agree 100% practice like you play. For me a round in a tourney or leagues is just another day at the park.
Kodachrome
* Ace Member *
What they said. I just started playing some silly random dubs for 5$ each week. I get super nervous and I can tell you there were 3 approach shots I would normally just go for and make....but since it was iffy, I second guessed myself and screwed up two of them. Just do what you normally do. You can't hope to play better by changing your game because you're nervous. I let mY competitive side come and it defeats my nervousness.
I'm in no way an experienced tournament player so these are just a few things that I'm finding work for me.
I've realized that I definitely feel more relaxed when I have someone to BS with during a tournament round. Most people are pretty nice and we can usually find enough to talk about while walking or waiting on another group. If I'm on a card with people who are less talkative I try to get songs stuck in my head and focus on that when I'm not throwing (and sometimes when I am throwing). Whatever it is that I get stuck in my head, I try to not think about golf in between shots.
You need to know what you're comfortable with and what you're capable of. You must commit to your shot. Whatever your plan of attack is, do not question it. If things don't go according to plan, look at the next shot as a new opportunity for a great shot.
I would also recommend checking out the book Zen Golf: Mastering the Mental Game. It's a ball golf book, but it's focus is on the mental game. It's not something I read cover to cover, but it's good for little bits of info every now and then.
I've realized that I definitely feel more relaxed when I have someone to BS with during a tournament round. Most people are pretty nice and we can usually find enough to talk about while walking or waiting on another group. If I'm on a card with people who are less talkative I try to get songs stuck in my head and focus on that when I'm not throwing (and sometimes when I am throwing). Whatever it is that I get stuck in my head, I try to not think about golf in between shots.
You need to know what you're comfortable with and what you're capable of. You must commit to your shot. Whatever your plan of attack is, do not question it. If things don't go according to plan, look at the next shot as a new opportunity for a great shot.
I would also recommend checking out the book Zen Golf: Mastering the Mental Game. It's a ball golf book, but it's focus is on the mental game. It's not something I read cover to cover, but it's good for little bits of info every now and then.
MarkDSM
Double Eagle Member
If recommending books..
If you have a decent understanding of foundational chess play, "How not to play chess" by Eugene Znosko-Borovsky is a heavy recommend of mine for organizing your head when competing. Quite universal and a hell of a tool to get my head back straight when it is wandering.
If you have a decent understanding of foundational chess play, "How not to play chess" by Eugene Znosko-Borovsky is a heavy recommend of mine for organizing your head when competing. Quite universal and a hell of a tool to get my head back straight when it is wandering.
filobedo
Double Eagle Member
- Joined
- Oct 20, 2008
- Messages
- 1,205
My goal is to play 10 points higher than my rating but not play below my rating over the course of the tournament (aggregate). Also i throw midranges or fairway drivers when in doubt because they are consistent. E.g., Recently in a tournament i threw a Roc off the tee of a 700' hole for placement each round while others on the card had a difficult time deciding what to throw. They both threw high speed drivers each rd and ended up in trouble off the tee and both took 6 and i took 4 each rd.
Not silly advice, at all. We used to deride these as "Tournament Shots"---trying to make a low-percentage recovery shot, instead of accepting the fact that you lost a stroke on the bad drive. Or trying to pull off something great, just because others are watching or maybe even made great shots themselves.
One of the most helpful pieces of advice for me came, I believe, from Carlton Howard. It was, wherever your disc lands, imagine that's where the designer put the tee, and figure out how you would best play the hole from there.
JAKE master
Double Eagle Member
i listened to a tape on the way to a doubles tourny with menacewarf about mastering the mental game. very useful. we shot the hot round in an absolute blizzard and went into a 5 hole play off. 'when you are playing well, dont take your foot off the throttle.'
this sounds like something worth picking up.
Kenny53691
Noodle Arm
The thing is that I know typically about what people will be shooting on the course, so I know that I focus on my score WAY too much during the round. Also, I think that I had too many different disc in my bag, therefore, I had to put too much thought into which disc to throw. i recently took out 3 disc in my bag, and doubled up on the other ones. So now I won't over think things as bad (hopefully). I'm going to try to keep things simple next time out and just enjoy myself. Thanks a bunch for all of the great advice, and please keep it coming!
innovamania
Newbie
- Joined
- Jul 22, 2013
- Messages
- 13
I think you've gotten a lot of good advice so I'll try and summarize everyone's points for you.
-Play the course, not your cardmates. (Throw the best you know you can on that course. If you know you can only get a 3 on a hole everyone else gets 2's on than go for the 3. You might get a strke on them later on another hole.)
-Throw shots your confortable and confident with. (ex. Don't throw a roller on a hole just because everyone else did if you don't have a good or trustworthy roller)
-Practice how you play. (If you wouldn't go for a 50 ft. jump putt in practice don't do it during a tournament.)
-Play to your strengths. (If you know you can putt better than everyone else on your card than use that to your advantage.)
-Don't overthink things too much. (You should think about your shot but don't overthink it to the point that you end up missing something routine.)
I believe these are the main points of this thread. Hope we have been helpful and good luck at your next tourney.
-Play the course, not your cardmates. (Throw the best you know you can on that course. If you know you can only get a 3 on a hole everyone else gets 2's on than go for the 3. You might get a strke on them later on another hole.)
-Throw shots your confortable and confident with. (ex. Don't throw a roller on a hole just because everyone else did if you don't have a good or trustworthy roller)
-Practice how you play. (If you wouldn't go for a 50 ft. jump putt in practice don't do it during a tournament.)
-Play to your strengths. (If you know you can putt better than everyone else on your card than use that to your advantage.)
-Don't overthink things too much. (You should think about your shot but don't overthink it to the point that you end up missing something routine.)
I believe these are the main points of this thread. Hope we have been helpful and good luck at your next tourney.
bluTDI09
Par Member
This. There is nothing different in a competitive round except the added pressure you put there. I am constantly telling myself "this is why I practiced this...." and it helps me focus and execute shots and make putts.
The biggest thing that has started to help me (i am a horrible tourney player. I normally shoot about 40 points below my rating round 1 and 20 points above in round 2) is to play the smart shot.
Here are 10 things I've been telling myself, repeatedly. I've slowly gotten a little more confident, hoping it will really work this weekend at the tourney.
1) You don't have to birdie every hole. Is that really worth the risk for the small chance of a 2?
2) What percentage of 40' putts do you hit (25%). then why would you run this putt with OB down a hill behind the basket. LAY UP.
3) Hyzers are your friend, they are consistent.
4) Just cause they threw a putter on that hole, do I really need to?
5) Check the wind. I know certain discs fly poorly into a headwind. Do you want a headwind or tailwind putt? Calculate distance based on that, it's ok to overthrow/underthrow a hole to have a comfortable wind.
6) You can't win it on hole 1, but you can lose it. Take the smooth, safest shot on hole 1. It'll REALLY build your confidence to have a solid first hole.
7) You won't hit every 25' putt. Don't get mad if you miss one. Figure out why you missed (hi/low/left/right) and correct for the next putt. It's where you are skill wise.
8) You don't have to out drive everyone on every hole. Play to your strength. What 2nd shot angle would be the best?
9) Commit 100% to every shot. No matter what that shot is. If you are laying up, lay up. If you are going for it, go for it. If you think right before throw "Maybe i should .....", step away...take a breath, and re-commit 100% to your shot.
10) No one in your group really cares how you play. There is no pressure other than what you put on yourself, so throw your shot and have fun out there. This isn't your job, it should be fun.
Here are 10 things I've been telling myself, repeatedly. I've slowly gotten a little more confident, hoping it will really work this weekend at the tourney.
1) You don't have to birdie every hole. Is that really worth the risk for the small chance of a 2?
2) What percentage of 40' putts do you hit (25%). then why would you run this putt with OB down a hill behind the basket. LAY UP.
3) Hyzers are your friend, they are consistent.
4) Just cause they threw a putter on that hole, do I really need to?
5) Check the wind. I know certain discs fly poorly into a headwind. Do you want a headwind or tailwind putt? Calculate distance based on that, it's ok to overthrow/underthrow a hole to have a comfortable wind.
6) You can't win it on hole 1, but you can lose it. Take the smooth, safest shot on hole 1. It'll REALLY build your confidence to have a solid first hole.
7) You won't hit every 25' putt. Don't get mad if you miss one. Figure out why you missed (hi/low/left/right) and correct for the next putt. It's where you are skill wise.
8) You don't have to out drive everyone on every hole. Play to your strength. What 2nd shot angle would be the best?
9) Commit 100% to every shot. No matter what that shot is. If you are laying up, lay up. If you are going for it, go for it. If you think right before throw "Maybe i should .....", step away...take a breath, and re-commit 100% to your shot.
10) No one in your group really cares how you play. There is no pressure other than what you put on yourself, so throw your shot and have fun out there. This isn't your job, it should be fun.
Kenny53691
Noodle Arm
This is a GREAT list. I may even have to print this one out and read it every time before I play, just to keep my focus on the important things. Thanks!
