First round of tourneys - mental game issues

[birdman101]

I generally play for par the first round just trying to have a decent round and keep myself in contention. I know I will have a bad shot or 2 possibly miss a putt and take a 4 or 5 on a hole but I also know I will birdie a couple holes as well.

also if you find yourself in trouble its better to just pitch out of trouble then take that risky shot that could result in several extra throws. I know personally I get really frustrated if I throw several bad shots in a row and it affects the rest of the round, or the whole day.

 

[1978]

Experience. Following up a bogey with a birdie over and over in tournaments has reduced my emotional swings. I played an all advanced tournament a few years ago and was around 68th after the first round +7 at Reniassance. Started the second round on hole 14 (5 somes) after that second round I was 14th, third, 6th, then finished in 6th. Taught me that anything is possible.

 

[GLong]

I really do think this is a big part of it, at least with the physical aspect. It would help to explain why I tend to do better in the second round. Admittedly, I do need to do more to warm up in the morning. I try to throw a few holes and then spend some time putting, but I could be doing more.

everyone is different. figure out what works for you. and remember, there is such a thing as 'too warmed up'. don't wear out your body and mind before the tourney starts. definitely throw some approach shots (bh/fh/oh/etc) and work on putts within your confidence circle. play a few holes, throw a few drives on each, and check each throw (bh/fh/hyzer/turnover/etc) to see what they are doing that day. take note, and make adjustments as needed. some days you just won't be at 100% for a variety of reasons. all you can do is make the most of what you have on that given day.

I go into every round I play with the expectation that I'm going to have a few rough spots. I used to imagine how well I could shoot on a perfect round, and every mistake seemed to crush my confidence.

Now, when I have a bad shot, or a bad hole, I simply take a deep breath and say, "okay, that was the bad one, no big deal." This helps to put it behind me and focus on the next hole. Now instead of trying to scramble and make up for the bad hole, I just forget it and move on.

this ^^^^^^

the key to good golf is playing one shot at a time and learning how to turn your focus on and off. everything i learned about golf came from this book. it has helped me more than anything else, for sure.

 

[DiscChainBasket18]

The more I play the more it boils down to the mental aspect of this game!

 

[sonny]

I like Rotella too. This is a good read:
http://www.golfdigest.com/magazine/2009-06/bobrotella_10rules?currentPage=1

An old ball golfer, Raymond Floyd, broke the mental game down to two rules that I like:

Play comfortable
Avoid the big mistake

 

[Captain Bad]

I like Rotella too. This is a good read:
http://www.golfdigest.com/magazine/2009-06/bobrotella_10rules?currentPage=1

That was a good read. Thanks!

 

[Widdershins]

There are lots of sports psychology books just like there are lots of different psychological flaws in athletes. So read a bunch of them and see which of them help you. Just like you practice putting before a big tournament your mental preparation deserves effort.

It basically comes down to building and maintaining confidence. As you learn your own psyche you learn what problems you have and what works best to overcome them.

First round jitters tend to affect inexperienced players the most. The typically effective solution is more experience in tournaments and/or more experience in pressure situations (so it is a problem most players grow out of). But as soon as you overcome this problem, rest assured there are lots of other challenges out there, every bit as frustrating.

Everybody has weaknesses. I do. You do. We all do. Critically examine your weaknesses and be willing to acknowledge them and work to overcome them. You need to handle your weaknesses better than the players you are competing against at the time.

 

[Auto]

asprin

I suggest taking an aspring before your round. A baby asprin thins your blood just a tad so your not as nervous in your first round. That shakey feeling when things are going well. I started to take them for my tournaments and I am a lot more consistant between rounds. Good luck. I always play better when I am the underdog versus the leader.

 

[nrs41695]

methamphetamine helps me get rid of the first round jitters

 

[discgolf4lif3]

reading that book as we speak:hfive:

its pretty awesome i would buy it if you want to take your game to the next level

I just started playing tournys last year. This will be my 2nd year playing for all that sick plastic and gear. As i moved from novice to rec to intermediate. I realized the more competitive it is the better I play. That could be your main problem. Did you try playing up a division yet?:thmbup:

I would get to the course early. Stretch, find a basket, and drain putts from 10-15ft. Boost your confidence! Drain a couple then hit some holes. Play some holes aggressive and play some conservative. Get a feel for how your playing. Are you hitting the gaps out of the gate? Is your timing sluggish? Is this disc working for you? Try to figure some of your gameplan out. You most likely know the course and you prolly know what holes you will go for the birdie and what holes to pump the breaks on. If you find yourself playing in a funk club down. Hit the fairways hard and putt harder. Don't throw the nuke or destroyer :thmbdown: slow it down gain some control throw the Teebird. Control the disc and take a deep breath. If your on your on. If you not playing Pro theres no reason to play balls to wall. Don't force a birdie. Don't force any shot. Play par its a 900ish rating:hfive:. Play smart and play your advantages. Don't hit gaps you normally don't shoot. Cut your loses take the 900 and shoot better NEXT round.

 

[Stankyjahnke]

maybe you need to take more time before the round to get warmed up?

this is what i was thinking if i don't stretch and warm up my first round is usually worse than my others. A good nights rest and a proper meal helps you focus too. playing catch with a heavy ultimate disc is a good way to get the blood flowing in your arms and legs.

 

[Discwrangler]

Sounds like nerves. It's not easy getting settled into the tournament. I had a season where I was a ball of nerves until I bogied. Usually after that I loosened up and recovered.

I heard some advice the other day that made a lot of sense: if you make peace with the worse possible outcome, you can then play with no fear.