Does drinking alcohol hurt your game?

[jdw80550]

The biggest issues I have seen is people who consistently drink or smoke in casual or semi-formal league rounds, then go to play in a sanctioned event.

You are used to having something in your system, so most times they "power up" before the round. Start out sloppy trying to find the even spot, then begin to crash as things wear off and you can't re-up in the tournament.

I enjoy myself in casual doubles rounds, but if I play singles, it's always sober. I just can't play the roller coaster game anymore.

Plus, if you do drink or smoke and you are playing in something sanctioned, don't ask the card if they care if you do. If it was already stipulated at the beginning of the round, you are putting yourself and your cardmates at risk of getting DQ'd. Most of the time people don't want to be a jerk, and you put them in a place where if they say no, you are instantly setting an unfun dynamic on your card.

 

[BuiltTooLong]

I would not recommend the latter because I do not drink.

Ole Frankie Sinatra would like to have a word with you

 

[mostlynorwegian]

I am a person who wants to play better....especially distance. My upshots and putting have been good as of late.

I don't get drunk or pretty buzzed, just relaxed due to the fact I am anxious as hell while playing at times. I have high anxiety in general.

I'm just wondering if people thought of this and/or if people stopped and saw improvements.

Thanks

I'd be more worried about the courage you acquire with drink and how that will impact you physically later on because drinking for the courage factor alone is a good place to do permanent damage to yourself by overextending your body.
Also. Distance is not about utilizing raw strength. It's about utilizing motion.
With herb.
I certainly don't mind a toke when I'm throwing. It cancels out the distractions for me. But. Less is definitely more.

 

[F. Howl]

During pdga sanctioned tourneys, mid round, in front of the TD, even just one beer will definitely hurt your game.

I play so few tourneys, that when I do get the chance, I get some pre-round jitters. I like them though. Just try and channel it into some kind of warmup routine to burn off that excess adrenaline.

(I admit, I do play better second round, after a 3 or 4 lunch beers.)

 

[thcdisc]

Only after 3 beers. During the first three beers I may as well be Paul mcbeth.

 

[xyman621]

I've found it to be helpful when putting. If you've put the time in practicing the only thing you might be missing is pressure when putting. Stepping up to a 25 footer in a tournament feels a lot different than the one in the backyard when no ones around. Alcohol in small amounts helps relax and slow heart rates. It'll help calm the nerves. It's the reason it's banned from rifle/shooting competitions.

But like many others have mentioned and in my opinion, the disadvantages outweigh the advantages.

A little too much and sure you don't have the nerves on your shot anymore but your balance, steadiness, and concentration become impaired enough to throw the practice you put in out the window. There are other ways to control the nerves/anxiety.

 

[pearlybakerbest]

Jumping in the hot tub for a few minutes the morning before a round to relax my muscles and mind helps my game more than any herbal or alcoholic remedy.

 

[puck'n'disc5]

If you want to get serious about your game, just don't do it. It is bad for your game; it will mess with focus, coordination, memory, shot selection, not to mention, it's another distraction just messing with it. It also pretty much contradicts any health benefits gained from playing.

This is coming from someone who played college hockey and still drank nearly everyday for 8 years straight. Quitting drinking was by far the best life decision I have ever made. Not to mention, my rating went up 40 points after the first year of playing sober.

 

[VictorB]

No matter what anyone says, drinking alcohol for things that require coordination or timing will be bad for your performance.

Plus, if you're drinking alcohol you aren't hydrating, which is definitely not optimal when performing any athletic movement.

 

[lyleoross]

Does alcohol hurt your game, well yeah, especially if you're holding the bottle when you throw.

I played darts for years, and the fact is that a beer made me throw better. That said, if you're relying on a drug to get you where you need to be, that's probably bad. What you gain from alcohol is a) a mindset, b) relaxation. Both of those things are better achieved through the right mental approach. I guarantee that more players have had success on that path than from using drugs. I also guarantee that more athletes have destroyed their careers/ games using drugs than not.

I have nerves, really really bad. It kills my putting, period. The solution is practice to the point of being able to relax under pressure. It's building mental confidence. It's knowing your game, and being able to diagnose what you've done wrong and being able to fix it on the fly. Alcohol kills all of that.

 

[chevis]

it's a bell curve

 

[chosenmatrix]

it's a bell curve

I always joked that mine was a bell cliff

 

[JuanA]

I find meditation works best for me when dealing with stressful situations. It's one of the hardest things for me to do, but I find it helps calm my mind.

I brew and grow, but I've found both messes up my game, so I abstain even during practice now.

 

[Chaz58]

I noticed that my game goes south whenever I partake on the course if I am trying to be competitive. I tend to get winded earlier and start to lose a little distance off my drives, especially on those courses where there is some elevation that needs to be climbed or ravines to climb out of in case of bad throws. I will now wait until most of the round is over before I will partake. I have never tried to play while drinking any type of booze. Don't need to be trying to find a john and certainly don't need or want a booze headache either. I play on occasion with guys who do like their beer on the course. Seems that after they have had a few they become less effective, becoming less accurate on their drives and putts. I get a little nervous when we have a larger group that goes out to play a few times a year for our annual outings. I settle down after the first couple of holes and when I also realize that I will never be as good as some of them or even throw as far as they can. Those guys have grown up with this game and most are a good 30+ years younger than I am. I never played the game until I was 57 years old and the game wasn't around these parts when I was younger so I know my limitations out there.

 

[zontar]

in a word, yes....

 

[sidewinder22]

Does alcohol hurt your game, well yeah, especially if you're holding the bottle when you throw.

It's good for your form:

 

[Dr.Smooth]

Trust me, keep it in moderation. And away from the game. A beer or two and ya are putting around the green is fine.

Really, I think pot is better for ya than alcohol. both will work your liver.

True zen disc golf is achieved with out dependence on anything-pot, beer or pussy.

 

[ILUVSMGS18]

True zen disc golf is achieved with out dependence on anything-pot, beer or pussy.

If this is true why am I rated sub 900? On another note, food and water are key for a good round (I know this as I've played 3 rounds recently, where I only had food after the second round, and I was shooting 7-9 above my average, after eating I was about my average). I've played a tourney on 30 mins of sleep and I totally dominated it, but I was delusional on the last 9 if my second round, but that might have been a lack of water and caffeine.

I've noticed that I somehow play worse when someone else on the card breaks out the greens, even though I don't partake. Either that or they somehow get better.

 

[Central Scrutinizer]

Drinking hurts everybody's game at courses where it's prohibited.

 

[esc1]

Epic first post..

Cheers :hfive: