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Hello, I have been playing disc golf for 2 and a half years and my development is only going down. the first year I saw progress. Now, I'm just raging. I've been able to calmly play and just have fun but just the disc doesn't fly like it used to. Should I stop disc golf for a bit? Or could I do something about it? I have good technique and have had very good scores. I have a basket at home and I practice on it. All throws are almost perfect, but as soon as I go to the track, the throws are very bad. It would be great if anyone could help me with this problem.
I think it might be mental - bear with me....I'm not being rude.
When you go back to the course.....are you playing by yourself or with a group?
When you practice at home or in a field...it is you throwing at your own tempo.
When you play on a course it is usually with others and there is pressure to play quicker (30 second rule) and not make other people/groups wait on you.
When you practice and home or in a field....there aren't obstacles...you can just throw straight over and over again.
On the course, you have to hit your lines....some courses really punish bad shots.
So...is the issue that at home or in the field, you can take your time throwing over and over, and just seeing where the disc lands? But on the course, you have to be on pace, single throws, and you have to plan your shot?
Even with putting practice, it doesn't matter if you miss....pick the disc up and try again; but on the course there is the pressure of having to make the shot.
Find a way to let the pressure go on the course....and when you practice, practice closer to the way you play. Only throw one putt...miss? Play from that spot. Make it, putt from another spot/distance. Working in the field, throw different discs and different shots....imagine you are on the tee for hole 1....what disc and shot would you throw....throw it. Okay, you are at that spot on hole 1...what disc and shot would you throw? Throw it. Mix up your practice shots.
Something that I've done in your situation is try something different. Leave all of your drivers at home. Play midrange and putter only rounds. Then play putter only rounds. Or play a round where you use a forehand drive on every hole (if you are backhand dominant). Mix it up. It can be refreshing and may actually help your mechanics.
I can't help you with your form or technique as I am struggling with both.
But what I can say, if it isn't fun anymore because you are too frustrated, don't do it. But if you can find a way to not worry about the score, get with some friends and just throw disc and laugh at each other and yourself, then keep going.
The more fun you have, likely the better you will end up playing. And the less you will care when it goes bad.
When I used to play ball golf, I would often give myself shots that I shouldn't have missed... maybe I'd hit them 4/5 times or something and I'd just think that it was "bad luck" that I missed it. And it kept me as a frustrated and crappy player who thought I was better than I really was. When I started disc golf, I decided to count EVERY shot EVERY time I played a solo round. And that has kept my opinion of myself in check. Sure, missing an easy 10 foot putt really sucks and adding that to your score when you're by yourself feels bad, but on the flip side, holing out from 70 feet isn't a regular expectation either but you'll definitely count THAT if you're keeping score.
Maybe that doesn't apply to you, but I'm guessing you're kind of like a musician. Take for example a student learning to play the piano and they are learning the Maple Leaf Rag.
It's complicated, it's a lot of notes, and once you get it, it's a thing of beauty. But it takes a lot of practice, which is what you are doing at home and you are getting the parts down like your x step, your reachback, your snap, your C1 putting. On any given day, you've really nailed a section (like you said, "throws are almost perfect") and you've seen glimpses of what could be, like the piano player who gets through the entire piece for the first time and marvels at the accomplishment.
But getting through the piece for the first time hardly counts as mastering it. In fact finally getting to the point where you hit all the notes only gets to the "hey, pretty good" stage. To turn it into a performance piece, the piano player needs to know that the notes will come automatically and that he/she can focus on turning into a performance piece of art with nuanced accents and dynamics that breathe soul into the performance.
It sounds like you're at the stage where the notes (or the throws) have good form and you throw a lot of them so you know exactly how they should feel. And when they don't fly perfectly, it's like you are stumbling over a passage you've previously mastered and it's frustrating. But that's why the best performers of anything spend so much time honing their craft and practicing.
Having the disc rip out of your hands is only part of the composite picture of the "perfect" throw. Is the (an)hyzer release angle intentional? Repeatable? What about the nose angle? Is there a wind? Which way is it going? How strong is it? Is there OB in the way?
Don't be too hard on yourself (don't rage). The progress you will make from here will be more subtle and nuanced, but with reps far beyond what you think is satisfactory, it will all come together beautifully
I agree with Blobfish not to give yourself those shots you "would have" missed. when you start keeping score honestly with yourself you'll see a little improvement.
