I found out about this book from Sarah Hokom after reading an interview scott papa did wth her in the spring 2013 disc golfer magazine. I picked up a copy from my local library. You must learn to discipline your mind or your game will never get to its fullest potential. But it only works along with consistent time put in on the course.
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Disc golf is not a game of perfect!
- Thread starter mixotic
- Start date
Forgt to mention:
Scott asked her "what was the best piece of advice you ever received to help you in you game?'
And her reply was "some of the best advice I have gotten was from the book, Golf Is Not a Game of Perfect(Dr. Bob Rotella; Simon & Schuster, 1995). I like to review some of the key points before big tournents to get my mind focused."
Scott asked her "what was the best piece of advice you ever received to help you in you game?'
And her reply was "some of the best advice I have gotten was from the book, Golf Is Not a Game of Perfect(Dr. Bob Rotella; Simon & Schuster, 1995). I like to review some of the key points before big tournents to get my mind focused."
bfowler
Double Eagle Member
I do #7 for every shot (visualize the path and see it going it) but I also rewind it and see it backwards and when it gets back to my hand I throw. I hit a 250 shot to save par doing this last weekend.
Another golf book I read asked a pro about missing putts. The pro said he gives himself 7 misses a round. He allows himself to miss that many but no more. I do that and it's weird how when you don't have the pressure or expectation to hit every putt you hit a lot more putts. I've never even gotten close to missing 7 putts I should hit since I started doing this.
Another golf book I read asked a pro about missing putts. The pro said he gives himself 7 misses a round. He allows himself to miss that many but no more. I do that and it's weird how when you don't have the pressure or expectation to hit every putt you hit a lot more putts. I've never even gotten close to missing 7 putts I should hit since I started doing this.
Usher
Birdie Member
Just bought a used copy on Amazon for $0.01. I'll be reading it in 4-10 business days...
- Joined
- Jan 10, 2007
- Messages
- 2,776
Ideas adapted from Golf is not a Game of Perfect (page numbers in parentheses) and Golf is a Game of Confidence by Dr. Bob Rotella
Amateur's Creed
"Amateurism, after all, must be the backbone of all sport, golf or otherwise. In my mind an amateur is one who competes in a sport for the joy of playing, for the companionship it affords, for health-giving exercise, and for relaxation from more serious matters. As a part of this lighthearted approach to the game, he accepts cheerfully all adverse breaks, is considerate of his opponent, plays the game fairly and squarely in accordance with its rules, maintains self-control, and strives to do his best, not in order to win, but rather as a test of his own skill and ability. These are his only interests, and, in them, material considerations have no part. The returns which amateur sport will bring to those who play it in this spirit are greater than those any money can possibly buy." Richard S. Tufts, past president of Pinehurst and of the United States Golf Association
Attitude
· Be kind, encouraging, gracious to myself. Treat myself the way I would treat a friend I'm playing with.
· Optimism- dwell on the positive
· Does it do you any good to get angry? NO! You only get tighter and more negative (p. 117). No matter what happens with any shot, accept it. Acceptance is the last step in a sound routine. It's not what happens to you, but how you choose to respond to what happens to you, that makes you good.
· Conservative strategy and a cocky swing.
· The power of the will is the engine of every great athlete.
· Attitude makes a great putter (p. 220)
· Disc golf is a game played by humans, so mistakes will be made. Know how to respond to mistakes. Enjoy the challenge. Bad alternatives – fear and anger – only hurt you.
· On the first tee expect only to have fun and focus your mind on every shot.
Bad shots
· Accept bad shots, shrug them off, and concentrate completely on the new shot. Golf is not a game of perfect (p. 114). Everyone has bad shots; they're part of the game. Know how to respond to bad shots (p. 221). You must learn to love the challenge when you throw a disc into the trees or a tough position (p. 221).
· Demanding perfection is deadly; you'll do worse. (p. 117). Get over the idea of wanting to throw only perfect shots (p. 115). Athletes who become self-critical perfectionists are flirting with trouble.
· Choose, as an act of your will, to forget bad shots and remember the good ones. Have selective memory. Enjoy your good shots; savor and celebrate the good shots (p. 131). Remembering the bad shots is bad thinking and too harsh.
· Dispel doubt and anger (p. 73). Anger and negative thoughts sabotage the next shot.
Confidence
˜ Remember the best shot that I've ever had from that position.
· Trust what you've trained. Train the swing in practice and trust the swing in play.
· Confidence is crucial to good disc golf. Confidence is the sum of the thoughts about yourself.
· Confidence can be consciously acquired (p. 125). You can learn it; you control it.
· Confidence is thinking that your disc is going to the target.
· It's more important to be decisive than correct when playing any disc golf shots, especially putts.
· Be selective about thoughts and memories. Monitor your thoughts and ask, "Will this thought help or hurt my confidence?"
· Courage is fear turned inside out (p. 138). Courage is a necessary quality in all champions, but an athlete cannot be courageous without first being afraid (p.222).
· The decisive choice is the right choice. After choosing a disc and the type of shot be confident that it is the right one.
· Throw the shot you know you can make, not what a pro would do, nor even what you think you ought to be able to do (p. 148)
· "After a couple of bad shots, it seems as if the game has become our enemy. All we think about is how we are going to miss the next shot. All we seem to be able to do is berate ourselves with negative comments about our lack of ability. Our focus is on the hazards and trouble rather than at the desired fairway...One of the toughest mental skills to acquire is remaining confident when your game takes the train south for the day. However, no matter how poorly you are playing, you can always choose to remain confident... Confidence is a choice ...You have the choice of having a good or bad attitude and the freedom to change your attitude. If you make the correct choice, then the chances are much greater that you will become a better player and the player you want to be." ~ Gregg M. Steinberg, Ph.D., Mental Rules for Golf
Curiosity
· "The key to learning about anything in life is to be curious about everything. Golf offers us the chance to satisfy our curiosity in a variety of ways. The most obvious is by traveling to play courses we haven't seen before. Any golfer can eventually play well if he plays the same course over and over. We can only prove to ourselves that we have truly improved our game, however, by taking our game on the road." ~ Gary Player, The Golfer's Guide to the Meaning of Life
· "This notion of curiosity is taken a step further by entering competitions. No matter what level of golf you play, there is always a competition available to you at the club, local, and state levels. To avoid playing in them is to push curiosity into the corner and to never learn the things about yourself that competition reveals to us. Embracing the revelations that are brought to us by curiosity serves to enrich our lives." ~ Gary Player, The Golfer's Guide to the Meaning of Life
Focus
· The brain and nervous system respond best when the eyes focus on the smallest possible target. The smaller the target, the sharper the focus, the better the concentration, and the better the results (p. 61). A target aids concentration, prevents distraction (p. 62). Lock your mind on the target.
· When facing a tough shot it is doubly important to focus on a target (p. 67).
Hot Streak:
· A hot streak results from trust and unconscious smoothness. It is a serene feeling of confidence. Allow no doubts in your mind. Try to replicate the hot streak state of mind (p. 50).
· There is no such thing as playing over your head. A hot streak is just a glimpse of your true potential.
Improvement
· Confidence, concentration, composure. Desire, determination, discipline. Patience, persistence, and practice (p. 29). Optimism.
· Practice must work on both your swing and your mind.
· Takes patience to wait for practice and good thinking to bear fruit (p. 221). There will be failure, frustration, and disappointment along the way. (p. 29) A player has to enjoy the process of trying to improve. That process, not the end result, enriches life. (p. 29).
· Everyone goes through periods when he does the right things- practicing efficiently, thinking well - and gets no immediate tangible results. This is the point at which successful people bring to bear the power of faith, patience, persistence, and will.
· Dreams are the stuff of passion and tenacity (p. 20)
· Champions- are strong willed, have dreams, and make a long term commitment to pursuing those dreams. (p. 25)
· You need a healthy balanced commitment to improvement. There needs to be a commitment of intelligent effort every day, in spite of weather or measurable progress.
Opponents
· Opponents are 1. The game itself, 2. My mental attitude, 3. Other people
Amateur's Creed
"Amateurism, after all, must be the backbone of all sport, golf or otherwise. In my mind an amateur is one who competes in a sport for the joy of playing, for the companionship it affords, for health-giving exercise, and for relaxation from more serious matters. As a part of this lighthearted approach to the game, he accepts cheerfully all adverse breaks, is considerate of his opponent, plays the game fairly and squarely in accordance with its rules, maintains self-control, and strives to do his best, not in order to win, but rather as a test of his own skill and ability. These are his only interests, and, in them, material considerations have no part. The returns which amateur sport will bring to those who play it in this spirit are greater than those any money can possibly buy." Richard S. Tufts, past president of Pinehurst and of the United States Golf Association
Attitude
· Be kind, encouraging, gracious to myself. Treat myself the way I would treat a friend I'm playing with.
· Optimism- dwell on the positive
· Does it do you any good to get angry? NO! You only get tighter and more negative (p. 117). No matter what happens with any shot, accept it. Acceptance is the last step in a sound routine. It's not what happens to you, but how you choose to respond to what happens to you, that makes you good.
· Conservative strategy and a cocky swing.
· The power of the will is the engine of every great athlete.
· Attitude makes a great putter (p. 220)
· Disc golf is a game played by humans, so mistakes will be made. Know how to respond to mistakes. Enjoy the challenge. Bad alternatives – fear and anger – only hurt you.
· On the first tee expect only to have fun and focus your mind on every shot.
Bad shots
· Accept bad shots, shrug them off, and concentrate completely on the new shot. Golf is not a game of perfect (p. 114). Everyone has bad shots; they're part of the game. Know how to respond to bad shots (p. 221). You must learn to love the challenge when you throw a disc into the trees or a tough position (p. 221).
· Demanding perfection is deadly; you'll do worse. (p. 117). Get over the idea of wanting to throw only perfect shots (p. 115). Athletes who become self-critical perfectionists are flirting with trouble.
· Choose, as an act of your will, to forget bad shots and remember the good ones. Have selective memory. Enjoy your good shots; savor and celebrate the good shots (p. 131). Remembering the bad shots is bad thinking and too harsh.
· Dispel doubt and anger (p. 73). Anger and negative thoughts sabotage the next shot.
Confidence
˜ Remember the best shot that I've ever had from that position.
· Trust what you've trained. Train the swing in practice and trust the swing in play.
· Confidence is crucial to good disc golf. Confidence is the sum of the thoughts about yourself.
· Confidence can be consciously acquired (p. 125). You can learn it; you control it.
· Confidence is thinking that your disc is going to the target.
· It's more important to be decisive than correct when playing any disc golf shots, especially putts.
· Be selective about thoughts and memories. Monitor your thoughts and ask, "Will this thought help or hurt my confidence?"
· Courage is fear turned inside out (p. 138). Courage is a necessary quality in all champions, but an athlete cannot be courageous without first being afraid (p.222).
· The decisive choice is the right choice. After choosing a disc and the type of shot be confident that it is the right one.
· Throw the shot you know you can make, not what a pro would do, nor even what you think you ought to be able to do (p. 148)
· "After a couple of bad shots, it seems as if the game has become our enemy. All we think about is how we are going to miss the next shot. All we seem to be able to do is berate ourselves with negative comments about our lack of ability. Our focus is on the hazards and trouble rather than at the desired fairway...One of the toughest mental skills to acquire is remaining confident when your game takes the train south for the day. However, no matter how poorly you are playing, you can always choose to remain confident... Confidence is a choice ...You have the choice of having a good or bad attitude and the freedom to change your attitude. If you make the correct choice, then the chances are much greater that you will become a better player and the player you want to be." ~ Gregg M. Steinberg, Ph.D., Mental Rules for Golf
Curiosity
· "The key to learning about anything in life is to be curious about everything. Golf offers us the chance to satisfy our curiosity in a variety of ways. The most obvious is by traveling to play courses we haven't seen before. Any golfer can eventually play well if he plays the same course over and over. We can only prove to ourselves that we have truly improved our game, however, by taking our game on the road." ~ Gary Player, The Golfer's Guide to the Meaning of Life
· "This notion of curiosity is taken a step further by entering competitions. No matter what level of golf you play, there is always a competition available to you at the club, local, and state levels. To avoid playing in them is to push curiosity into the corner and to never learn the things about yourself that competition reveals to us. Embracing the revelations that are brought to us by curiosity serves to enrich our lives." ~ Gary Player, The Golfer's Guide to the Meaning of Life
Focus
· The brain and nervous system respond best when the eyes focus on the smallest possible target. The smaller the target, the sharper the focus, the better the concentration, and the better the results (p. 61). A target aids concentration, prevents distraction (p. 62). Lock your mind on the target.
· When facing a tough shot it is doubly important to focus on a target (p. 67).
Hot Streak:
· A hot streak results from trust and unconscious smoothness. It is a serene feeling of confidence. Allow no doubts in your mind. Try to replicate the hot streak state of mind (p. 50).
· There is no such thing as playing over your head. A hot streak is just a glimpse of your true potential.
Improvement
· Confidence, concentration, composure. Desire, determination, discipline. Patience, persistence, and practice (p. 29). Optimism.
· Practice must work on both your swing and your mind.
· Takes patience to wait for practice and good thinking to bear fruit (p. 221). There will be failure, frustration, and disappointment along the way. (p. 29) A player has to enjoy the process of trying to improve. That process, not the end result, enriches life. (p. 29).
· Everyone goes through periods when he does the right things- practicing efficiently, thinking well - and gets no immediate tangible results. This is the point at which successful people bring to bear the power of faith, patience, persistence, and will.
· Dreams are the stuff of passion and tenacity (p. 20)
· Champions- are strong willed, have dreams, and make a long term commitment to pursuing those dreams. (p. 25)
· You need a healthy balanced commitment to improvement. There needs to be a commitment of intelligent effort every day, in spite of weather or measurable progress.
Opponents
· Opponents are 1. The game itself, 2. My mental attitude, 3. Other people
- Joined
- Jan 10, 2007
- Messages
- 2,776
Plan
· Walk, or review, a course backward from pin to tee (p. 153).
· Balance reward and risk. Have a game plan with flexibility for adversity, weather changes.
· You must play every significant round with a game plan (p. 152).
Pressure
· You choke when you let anger, doubt, fear, or some other extraneous factor distract you before a shot (p. 171).
· Choking is not synonymous with being nervous. Being nervous actually helps you play better (p. 171).
· Focus the mind, block distractions, stick to your routine and strategy as if no one else is around (p. 173).
· To overcome pressure: 1) Stay in the present and keep your mind sharply focused on the shot immediately in front of you, 2) Avoid thinking about mechanics. Instead try to be looser, freer, and more confident, 3) Stick to your routine and your game plan (pp. 180-181). Decide that bottlenecks in the course will not bother you.
· The only one that can put pressure on you is YOU. Pressure is something that you create, not something that results from someone else's action(s). So.....relax. (Craig Gangloff)
Putting
˜ Choose a small target like a link of chain or a spot on the pole.
· Putting is the key to scoring. "Drive for show; putt for dough."
· Look at the target, visualize the line, and throw (p. 76).
· Decisive action is important in putting (p. 104). Spending too much time lets doubts and negative thoughts creep in (p. 109).
· Putting is about confidence that it's going in. "Hitting a putt in doubt is fatal in most cases." (Bobby Locke).
· Attitude makes a good putter. To be a good putter you must make a commitment to good thinking (p. 99).
· A good putting attitude is free of fear (p.101).
· Ask "Is my attitude giving my puts a chance to go in?" vs. "Am I making putts?"
Routine
· Have a sound pre-shot routine that you do every time. The goal is to instill an unwavering belief that your shot is going where you want it (p. 72). This takes consistent work.
· Look at the target and throw (p. 76).
· My pre-shot routine:
Short Game is Key
· Preeminence of the short game- the approaches and putts (p. 82). Improving the short game adds confidence to the whole game (p. 85). Practice 70% of the time on putts and approaches (p.88).
· From inside your threshold distance think about holing the shot (p. 91).
· Disc golf potential depends on the short game, attitude, and how well a player thinks.
· As distance improves keep loving the short game and seeing it as important.
Thinking:
· Focus on the present. The past is gone; the future has not happened. All I have is the present. Quiet you mind and focus tightly on the shot to be played.
· Take control of thoughts and influence events, don't let events control your thoughts. (p. 31)
· By and large people become what they think about themselves.
· You have to choose to think well. (p. 31) A player can, and must, decide how he will think. (p. 36). A golfer has free will, so he can choose how he thinks (p. 48). The optimal state of mind is something a player must work on patiently every day.
· Don't think about mechanics. You can't throw consistently well if you think about mechanics as you play (p. 40). Never work on mechanics on the course (p. 41).
· Throw away expectations and just play (p. 118). Have these goals 1) Have fun, 2) Think well, 3) Enjoy the process.
· Negative thinking is almost 100% effective. Consciously put bad thoughts out of your mind and turn to thoughts that build confidence.
· Focus on what you want to happen.
· To score consistently a player must think consistently. Thinking consistently is a habit that requires disciplined effort (p. 128). A sound, consistent pre-shot routine makes it easier (p. 220).
· Players need selective memories to retain the memories of great shots and forget the negative ones. This will help one grow in confidence. (p. 221)
· Free will- you can decide what to think about while contemplating a shot (p. 136). Free will gives strength and power. Choosing how to think is a crucial decision (p. 219).
· If you can win the battle with your mind and emotions and play your best game, then you've won.
· You cannot let the first few holes or putts, good or bad, determine your thinking for the rest of the round.
· Strive to be looser, freer, more confident on every hole you play. Combat getting tighter, more careful, and more doubtful.
Tournaments
· The night before do your best to relax. Lie down, close your eyes, and visualize the outcome that you want to see. (p. 210)
· If you compete, then believe you can win.
Training
· Have a training mentality and a trusting mentality (p. 196). Train in physical technique then trust what you've trained.
· A Trusting mentality is essential in getting ready to play competitively. Spend 60% of practice time in the trusting mentality.
· Practice so that making the shot is unconscious, automatic.
· The quality of practice is more important than the quantity (p. 222)
· Spend majority of practice time on the short game, especially putting.
[FONT="]Simulate reaching a goal by imagining it so vividly that you think that it has already happened. See it, feel it, hear it (p. 208). Simulate all of the sensory experiences. Prepare your mind for shooting scores and it's easier to stay focused[/FONT]
· Walk, or review, a course backward from pin to tee (p. 153).
· Balance reward and risk. Have a game plan with flexibility for adversity, weather changes.
· You must play every significant round with a game plan (p. 152).
Pressure
· You choke when you let anger, doubt, fear, or some other extraneous factor distract you before a shot (p. 171).
· Choking is not synonymous with being nervous. Being nervous actually helps you play better (p. 171).
· Focus the mind, block distractions, stick to your routine and strategy as if no one else is around (p. 173).
· To overcome pressure: 1) Stay in the present and keep your mind sharply focused on the shot immediately in front of you, 2) Avoid thinking about mechanics. Instead try to be looser, freer, and more confident, 3) Stick to your routine and your game plan (pp. 180-181). Decide that bottlenecks in the course will not bother you.
· The only one that can put pressure on you is YOU. Pressure is something that you create, not something that results from someone else's action(s). So.....relax. (Craig Gangloff)
Putting
˜ Choose a small target like a link of chain or a spot on the pole.
· Putting is the key to scoring. "Drive for show; putt for dough."
· Look at the target, visualize the line, and throw (p. 76).
· Decisive action is important in putting (p. 104). Spending too much time lets doubts and negative thoughts creep in (p. 109).
· Putting is about confidence that it's going in. "Hitting a putt in doubt is fatal in most cases." (Bobby Locke).
· Attitude makes a good putter. To be a good putter you must make a commitment to good thinking (p. 99).
· A good putting attitude is free of fear (p.101).
· Ask "Is my attitude giving my puts a chance to go in?" vs. "Am I making putts?"
Routine
· Have a sound pre-shot routine that you do every time. The goal is to instill an unwavering belief that your shot is going where you want it (p. 72). This takes consistent work.
· Look at the target and throw (p. 76).
· My pre-shot routine:
- Decide on the flight path.
- choose a disc
- choose a small target and focus on it.
- visualize the flight path
- Release level
Short Game is Key
· Preeminence of the short game- the approaches and putts (p. 82). Improving the short game adds confidence to the whole game (p. 85). Practice 70% of the time on putts and approaches (p.88).
· From inside your threshold distance think about holing the shot (p. 91).
· Disc golf potential depends on the short game, attitude, and how well a player thinks.
· As distance improves keep loving the short game and seeing it as important.
Thinking:
· Focus on the present. The past is gone; the future has not happened. All I have is the present. Quiet you mind and focus tightly on the shot to be played.
· Take control of thoughts and influence events, don't let events control your thoughts. (p. 31)
· By and large people become what they think about themselves.
· You have to choose to think well. (p. 31) A player can, and must, decide how he will think. (p. 36). A golfer has free will, so he can choose how he thinks (p. 48). The optimal state of mind is something a player must work on patiently every day.
· Don't think about mechanics. You can't throw consistently well if you think about mechanics as you play (p. 40). Never work on mechanics on the course (p. 41).
· Throw away expectations and just play (p. 118). Have these goals 1) Have fun, 2) Think well, 3) Enjoy the process.
· Negative thinking is almost 100% effective. Consciously put bad thoughts out of your mind and turn to thoughts that build confidence.
· Focus on what you want to happen.
· To score consistently a player must think consistently. Thinking consistently is a habit that requires disciplined effort (p. 128). A sound, consistent pre-shot routine makes it easier (p. 220).
· Players need selective memories to retain the memories of great shots and forget the negative ones. This will help one grow in confidence. (p. 221)
· Free will- you can decide what to think about while contemplating a shot (p. 136). Free will gives strength and power. Choosing how to think is a crucial decision (p. 219).
· If you can win the battle with your mind and emotions and play your best game, then you've won.
· You cannot let the first few holes or putts, good or bad, determine your thinking for the rest of the round.
· Strive to be looser, freer, more confident on every hole you play. Combat getting tighter, more careful, and more doubtful.
Tournaments
· The night before do your best to relax. Lie down, close your eyes, and visualize the outcome that you want to see. (p. 210)
· If you compete, then believe you can win.
Training
· Have a training mentality and a trusting mentality (p. 196). Train in physical technique then trust what you've trained.
· A Trusting mentality is essential in getting ready to play competitively. Spend 60% of practice time in the trusting mentality.
· Practice so that making the shot is unconscious, automatic.
· The quality of practice is more important than the quantity (p. 222)
· Spend majority of practice time on the short game, especially putting.
[FONT="]Simulate reaching a goal by imagining it so vividly that you think that it has already happened. See it, feel it, hear it (p. 208). Simulate all of the sensory experiences. Prepare your mind for shooting scores and it's easier to stay focused[/FONT]
Halcón
Free At Last
- Joined
- Jul 29, 2012
- Messages
- 12,038
I'm done trying to park every 400' hole, then hitting those stupid first trees. I'm going to throw standstill off the tee from now on. I can throw a driver about 260-270 consistently from a standstill. I'd rather be accurate than spray discs everywhere trying to gain distance.
Disc Fiend
* Ace Member *
Olorin-
Thank you for your posts!
Thank you for your posts!
Magicweed
Eagle Member
Just read "Golf is not a game of perfect" while flying across country a week ago. I hadn't played a round in almost two weeks but entered a Trilogy Challenge today. Went out and tried to implement some of the book's suggestions. Ended up shooting the hot round and winning the whole thing. I feel like a just hit a turning point in my golf game.
Almost_Gets
Newbie
A great book, sticky worthy, and congrats @magicweed.
Everyone has bad shots, its what you do next that makes the difference.
Everyone has bad shots, its what you do next that makes the difference.
