Dumbing down a bad shot

[ray1970]

So, I'd like to think everyone throws a bad shot occasionally. (Yeah, I know there are a select few of you that have never done it.)

I was thinking that while there are a ton of excuses a person can make for an errant shot, there really are only a few factors that come into play on a bad throw.

1- poor execution of the shot by the thrower. I would guess this is probably a major contributor to a bad shot.

2- environmental conditions. Maybe everything was pretty much right but shifts in wind direction or intensity or unusual updrafts or downdrafts just screw up an otherwise perfect throw.

3- disc selection. Maybe everything else was done well but your disc of choice did what it was going to do anyways and led to an errant shot.

4- luck. Even when the throw is executed well, with the right disc, in ideal environmental conditions there is always that x-factor. Those odd kicks off of rocks or tree roots, the skip you weren't counting on, the skip you were wanting but just didn't get, and of course those odd times when an otherwise beautiful shot decides to get on edge and just roll away taking you from parked to a putt from another zip code.

Get all four pieces of the puzzle right and enjoy your good shot. Miss one piece and best luck getting up and down for your par. Miss two or more of the pieces and enjoy searching for that disc and good luck with the bogey.

 

[BogeyNoMore]

Probably not the "be all and end all" of bad shots, but it's a pretty good start. I think most bad shots should fall into one of those categories, but you might need a few more.

I would think poor technique deserves its own, unless the OP wants to lump that in under "poor execution."

I would differentiate the two thusly:
Even if executed "properly," poor technique typically yields lackluster results. A good outcome is usually the result of dumb luck, and isn't very repeatable.

Sound technique becomes repeatable, thereby reducing the role luck plays in the result.

 

[ThrowaEnvy]

I will add "poor planning" / shot selection.

"I'm not going to lump my fairway driver/midrange up this gap and take a 3 I'm going to flip my ______ (insert trick disc here)_____ through this gap and try to flex it.. Oops stabled out too soon and now I gotta 4."

Alcohol and Pharmaceuticals... those account for some pretty bad shots.

Lack of mental focus.. "Don't talk while I'm throwing! Wait something moved in the bush, crap you a**hole you ruined my shot" or playing partners with that one person.. You know the one, you start flipping discs for partners and you're like, anyone but XXXX give me the 7 year old I will have more fun just not XXXX... F* I got XXXX....

Fatigue. Physical or mental. Might fit in with the alcohol, hangovers, lack of sustenance...

Hmmm and here I thought the thread was almost over from the start haha... ummmmmm...

Not bringing a towel..? Wet discs, is that environmental, poor planning or poor execution?

 

[Hampstead]

For a player in their prime, the four mentioned plus physical/mental fatigue works for me. For older players with a lot of mileage on their bodies, I would act faulty physical equipment. Sometimes bodies just don't want to cooperate.

 

[Rastnav]

I will add "poor planning" / shot selection.

Like with many activities, this is usually the A1 source of problems.

Even for noobies, who don't have many options of things to change in our "plan". I could throw way more 100+ foot putter shots off the tee and not end up in the woods because I tried to execute a smooth shot with my favorite fairway driver into a tight line and hit the first available tree ... AGAIN!

But then my plan is to keep throwing those shots until I can execute them. It's not the best plan, but it's a plan.

 

[ru4por]

Oh, nobody's fault but mine, yeah
Nobody's fault but mine, yeah
Trying to save my soul to light
Oh, it's nobody's fault but mine

---Led Zeppelin

 

[Dingus]

I will add "poor planning" / shot selection.

This. Disc golfers have very bad statistical analysis skills. On the hole where you park it 9/10 times with a boring Roc shot you insist on throwing a huge spike hyzer over the swamp because that one time you got an ace. Not to mention that ace disc has been beaten to shreds so it flied nowhere near how it did when you got that ace three years ago and haven't even sniffed it since.

 

[ThrowaEnvy]

This. Disc golfers have very bad statistical analysis skills. On the hole where you park it 9/10 times with a boring Roc shot you insist on throwing a huge spike hyzer over the swamp because that one time you got an ace. Not to mention that ace disc has been beaten to shreds so it flied nowhere near how it did when you got that ace three years ago and haven't even sniffed it since.

Haha, tourney rule #1 for me! I always have my bag loaded with extra discs a few days before the tournament working out the kinks. Many times I have thrown an old love in there, usually I thin it down. Anyhow rule #1:

If I haven't thrown it in the last two or three weeks out it goes no matter how much I love it.

I actually had to dump my Comet this year, took my 176 2nd run LE dye one, the one I'd been playing with a 172 flat top esp in the yard all month I couldn't find that morning.. Had to jetty the Comet so I didn't try to throw it again, I was sad. Had to put down one of my Envy's too and throw the Ohm for the same reason.

I think I started with 12 discs and by second round it was 5 discs. Envy, ohm, relay x 2, Tesla. I didn't put any time into training and first time at public course in 2 months. Haha. Took 7 strokes off my second round... just by being smarter.

 

[GoobyPls]

This. Disc golfers have very bad statistical analysis skills. On the hole where you park it 9/10 times with a boring Roc shot you insist on throwing a huge spike hyzer over the swamp because that one time you got an ace. Not to mention that ace disc has been beaten to shreds so it flied nowhere near how it did when you got that ace three years ago and haven't even sniffed it since.

This one gets me almost as much as poor execution. I run a doubles league, and especially towards the end of the year, I step up to the tee with the wrong mindset in singles. "Remember that one time I parked this one with a roller? Here goes!...Damn, that rolled deep in the woods. Now I'm taking a 5 here"

 

[Dan Cooper]

From time to time, I would grip lock a throw on my drive from the tee. It would usually happen if I haven't played in a little while. So my excuse for my mistakes that I tell myself is that I simply have not had the reps needed to play my best.

 

[Orioles_Lefty]

For many intermediate (me) and below players, I think they discount footing and don't have the right muscle reps and skills to throw shots that have less than ideal footing (sidehill, major uphill). The error begins with ignoring the footing/ground angle matter all together and then analyzing the shot in terms of distance, wind, shot shape. They then choose a disc that's wrong for the situation and then execute the throw poorly, and god only knows what happens: early release, grip lock, throwler, first tree, nose-up noob hyzer, OB, kill a cardmate with an errant throw. Anything is possible.

And, no, I'm not thinking about that wet grass, downhill run-up Culverin (9 speed OS) I tried to hyzer flip through a narrow window but actually hyzered 150 feet off my intended line. Not thinking about that at all. But, were that to actually happen to me, I'd disc down and change my plans. For sure.

 

[TAFL]

For a player in their prime, the four mentioned plus physical/mental fatigue works for me. For older players with a lot of mileage on their bodies, I would act faulty physical equipment. Sometimes bodies just don't want to cooperate.

Yes. Yes, indeed.

That feeling when you throw and immediately say "Well, that didn't work right" and you're referring to a random body part that just made crunchy/squicky sounds.