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For Advanced & Pro Players (how do you practice?)
- Thread starter DiscFifty
- Start date
stun
Par Member
- Joined
- Jan 22, 2013
- Messages
- 150
Typically, I try to putt twice per week for about 30 minutes at a time. Then, when I go play, I either make it feel like a tournament round (my buddies and I will gamble) or I'm throwing 3 tee shots per hole trying different lines. I even try some ridiculous lines that I know I would never use on that hole, but you never know when a similar shot will come up somewhere else. Hope this helps!
lyleoross
* Ace Member *
I almost never play rounds. I practice different discs each day. Mids, fairway, distance, short. I have a tree filled park I go to and will set up different shot selections. I don't just throw, I set each throw up like it was in competition so I build good habits ground up. Ive learned my throw well enough that if my throws look wrong, I can analyse my motion to see what I'm doing wrong.
Putt 20 minutes every day.
Putt 20 minutes every day.
- Joined
- Nov 2, 2008
- Messages
- 21,995
The touring pros don't really practice during the season, they practice the courses they are getting ready to compete on. So really your practice schedule may depend on your goals or whether you are in tournament season.
I would advise to diversify your practice schedule, i.e. don't practice drives on back to back days - let your body recover and build muscle memory, I like to rest at least two days between drive practice. Putting practice can be done most every day or every other day, although if you get stale, take a break. Alternate days of drives and maybe a practice round and a general body workout/resistance/weights/running/swimming. Never do driving practice the day before a tournament.
If you are specifically trying to improve in tournaments, you need to play in as many as possible and just consider them practice. It's really hard to replicate a tournament setting, so really it comes down to experience playing them.
Example:
M - Drive practice
T - Body Workout
W- Approach / Trouble shot practice
TR - Drive practice
F - Body Workout
SS - Play/ Practice Round
I would advise to diversify your practice schedule, i.e. don't practice drives on back to back days - let your body recover and build muscle memory, I like to rest at least two days between drive practice. Putting practice can be done most every day or every other day, although if you get stale, take a break. Alternate days of drives and maybe a practice round and a general body workout/resistance/weights/running/swimming. Never do driving practice the day before a tournament.
If you are specifically trying to improve in tournaments, you need to play in as many as possible and just consider them practice. It's really hard to replicate a tournament setting, so really it comes down to experience playing them.
Example:
M - Drive practice
T - Body Workout
W- Approach / Trouble shot practice
TR - Drive practice
F - Body Workout
SS - Play/ Practice Round
I rarely actually "practice", but I play a **** ton of golf. I play at least 4 rounds of golf Mon-Fri and then a tournament on the weekend.
When playing during the week, it is almost always for money. Whether that be gambling with friends, or weekly singles and doubles action. But its always playing for real and with the intent to win. So all of my play, to me, is situational practice for my tournaments.
If needed, I will throw a couple hundred putts at home on a night or two as well. But that's usually only a couple days a month of actual putting practice.
However, if I have a tourney coming up at a course I don't play regularly, I will throw 1-2 rounds on the course without keeping score, and taking multiple throws off the tee. But that is more about getting reacquainted with the course than it is about actual practice.
When playing during the week, it is almost always for money. Whether that be gambling with friends, or weekly singles and doubles action. But its always playing for real and with the intent to win. So all of my play, to me, is situational practice for my tournaments.
If needed, I will throw a couple hundred putts at home on a night or two as well. But that's usually only a couple days a month of actual putting practice.
However, if I have a tourney coming up at a course I don't play regularly, I will throw 1-2 rounds on the course without keeping score, and taking multiple throws off the tee. But that is more about getting reacquainted with the course than it is about actual practice.
I think Sidewinder is pretty spot on.
And yeah, putt every day.
And yeah, putt every day.
mfcastillo17
Eagle Member
Depends on the week and what tournament I'm preparing for. I like to tailor my practice to the type of course I'll be playing. Like someone said above, I rarely play rounds during the week. My home course is a small park with baskets everywhere so I'll find a shot to throw, unload 5-10 discs at the basket using different lines, and putt out every single disc with three putters. That way after 1 "hole" played, I will have thrown 5-10 drives and putted 15-30 times. It is the most efficient way for me to practice with limited time after work.
Touring players have the luxury of being able to get to a tournament course several days before the event to dial in the course. For those of us who can't, try to get at least one practice round in at the tournament course either the day before the event or in the weeks leading up to it.
In offseason or a long stretch between events, I'll do more fieldwork and experiment with different discs and maybe play a few more league rounds.
And of course, lots of putting reps.
Touring players have the luxury of being able to get to a tournament course several days before the event to dial in the course. For those of us who can't, try to get at least one practice round in at the tournament course either the day before the event or in the weeks leading up to it.
In offseason or a long stretch between events, I'll do more fieldwork and experiment with different discs and maybe play a few more league rounds.
And of course, lots of putting reps.
Major Tomahawk
Eagle Member
IMO, field practice is way more important than just going out and flinging rounds. When I practice at Sunflower Ridge Disc Golf Training Facility (my back field)[est. 1997]{called Sunset Ridge when the flowers die off}, my overall game improves.
Putting: I practice a variety of putts. Spin, push, straddle, one foot forward, kneeling, pancake, jumpers, through tree limbs, forehand, rollers, short and long. Variety. You never know when you'll need any one of those putts.
I also only handle one disc at a time since that is how I do it in tournament play. In other words, I don't hold a bunch of putters in my left hand while I practice because I'm practicing sport specifically.
Putting: I practice a variety of putts. Spin, push, straddle, one foot forward, kneeling, pancake, jumpers, through tree limbs, forehand, rollers, short and long. Variety. You never know when you'll need any one of those putts.
I also only handle one disc at a time since that is how I do it in tournament play. In other words, I don't hold a bunch of putters in my left hand while I practice because I'm practicing sport specifically.
bnbanbury
Eagle Member
On an ideal week of practice i do:
2 days of field work, typically 5 times through a bag of 30 discs. I have a field with a telephone pole at one end on which i have staked distances from said pole.
2 days of shots from 200' and in. Stand-still approaches, step out anny flicks, short get out of trouble rollers, ect.
Putt every day
2 rounds. I play a sunrise round on Saturday and on Sunday with another person. We typically have something wagered on the outcome as i like to simulate at least the pressure of a tournament setting as much as possible.
2 days of field work, typically 5 times through a bag of 30 discs. I have a field with a telephone pole at one end on which i have staked distances from said pole.
2 days of shots from 200' and in. Stand-still approaches, step out anny flicks, short get out of trouble rollers, ect.
Putt every day
2 rounds. I play a sunrise round on Saturday and on Sunday with another person. We typically have something wagered on the outcome as i like to simulate at least the pressure of a tournament setting as much as possible.
VictorB
* Ace Member *
Try to practice putting every day. Even if it's for 15 minutes, and only inside the circle. I still say this is the best way to get better overall.
I like to practice on the course - not necessarily playing rounds, but practicing different shots on different holes. Also, a 'two putts' game is good to put pressure on yourself in a casual round, if your card mates are ok with it. (two putts game is having to make 2 putts from your lie to have it count, just a way to get a little extra putting practice in)
Typical non-tournament week for me in season this year:
M-Practice putt, singles league
Tu-Practice putt, approach/midrange field work
W-Practice putt, drivers field work or multiple tee shot practice round
Th-Practice putt, doubles league
F-Practice putt, day off
Sa-Practice putt, round at the big course, Harmony Bends (strawn park)
Su-Practice putt, choice of harmony bends or day off
I'm sure there's much better ways to practice, since there's a lot of better players out there. I will say that if you commit to a putter and putting style, and practice your arse off, it's going to pay off in the long run for sure.
- Joined
- Feb 2, 2014
- Messages
- 8,168
I do my disc golf practice a lot like I do my gym workouts, with days dedicated to different skills.
Putting/upshot day- this is the one I do the most, because I can do it at home. I do the Jay Redding putting game. Take 3 putters and start at 5 meters, if you make all three you move back a meter, if you miss one you stay, if you only make one you move in one meter, if you miss all, you start over.
The goal is to make it past 10 meters, but I often stall at 9.
Then I take my upshot discs and go to all angles around the yard making us safari type shots, many practical, some goofy and try to park the basket.
Mid/Fairway day- this will focus on shots from 200-375 and seeing what discs I like for different lines. I can do this on the property of my office, or a local football field. If I have the field to myself I will start trying to park the goalpost at the opposite 30 yard line and work back to the back of the end zone. My mids top out around 350 ish but I can get the fairways to 400 much of the time, so that is good practice.
Distance day- ideally I just do this one day per week. Go to the football field and try to make as many field goals from behind the opposing end zone as possible. then try to throw it over the fence in different ways. I mix in distance rollers this day sometimes also.
These days I probably practice 5-10 days between rounds, and am rarely rusty. Mistakes are usually related to shots that are hard to replicate like extreme wind and very tight tunnels. I would like to play more rounds than I do though. 3-5 rounds per month isn't enough for maximum sharpness. really need more like 7-10.
Putting/upshot day- this is the one I do the most, because I can do it at home. I do the Jay Redding putting game. Take 3 putters and start at 5 meters, if you make all three you move back a meter, if you miss one you stay, if you only make one you move in one meter, if you miss all, you start over.
The goal is to make it past 10 meters, but I often stall at 9.
Then I take my upshot discs and go to all angles around the yard making us safari type shots, many practical, some goofy and try to park the basket.
Mid/Fairway day- this will focus on shots from 200-375 and seeing what discs I like for different lines. I can do this on the property of my office, or a local football field. If I have the field to myself I will start trying to park the goalpost at the opposite 30 yard line and work back to the back of the end zone. My mids top out around 350 ish but I can get the fairways to 400 much of the time, so that is good practice.
Distance day- ideally I just do this one day per week. Go to the football field and try to make as many field goals from behind the opposing end zone as possible. then try to throw it over the fence in different ways. I mix in distance rollers this day sometimes also.
These days I probably practice 5-10 days between rounds, and am rarely rusty. Mistakes are usually related to shots that are hard to replicate like extreme wind and very tight tunnels. I would like to play more rounds than I do though. 3-5 rounds per month isn't enough for maximum sharpness. really need more like 7-10.
UCF_Knight
Birdie Member
I've been playing for 4 years now, 950 rated, play a mix of MPO and MA1 depending on the event, definitely a weekend warrior without a ton of extra time to play. For the first 3 years I played, I practiced as often as possible, field work, situational stuff on the course, putting, anything I had time for. In the past year I have realized at times I could actually over practice and in turn overthink shots and putts.
I now only practice the skills I'm having trouble with or feeling uncomfortable with and do not continue to rep that skill once I feel good about it. So instead of deciding before hand to just practice putting or do field work, I'll go to the course and just start throwing on holes. If I throw a good shot, I will try different lines or a shot I wouldn't normally throw on that hole (forehand, overhand, roller, etc), if those work I move on and play out those shots. If any of those shots didn't feel good I'll try them again. The nice thing about just going out with your bag is you only have so many discs that will work for that specific shot so it forces you to move on and keep your practice well rounded. I think practicing like this naturally shows you what your having trouble with and encourages you to work on it, no one likes to just move on after a bad shot so chances are you'll keep throwing it til you get it. If I realize I'm really struggling with putting or release point or something specific I will practice that specific skill the next day.
This might not work or be the best advice for everyone and it requires you to have a solid foundation of skills, but its an alternative to think about. I'm playing some of the confident and consistent golf of my "career" recently and I think part of it is playing a more natural game without focusing on the tiny details of form and motion during competition like I used to. I've also continued to slowly add distance without specifically trying to.
I now only practice the skills I'm having trouble with or feeling uncomfortable with and do not continue to rep that skill once I feel good about it. So instead of deciding before hand to just practice putting or do field work, I'll go to the course and just start throwing on holes. If I throw a good shot, I will try different lines or a shot I wouldn't normally throw on that hole (forehand, overhand, roller, etc), if those work I move on and play out those shots. If any of those shots didn't feel good I'll try them again. The nice thing about just going out with your bag is you only have so many discs that will work for that specific shot so it forces you to move on and keep your practice well rounded. I think practicing like this naturally shows you what your having trouble with and encourages you to work on it, no one likes to just move on after a bad shot so chances are you'll keep throwing it til you get it. If I realize I'm really struggling with putting or release point or something specific I will practice that specific skill the next day.
This might not work or be the best advice for everyone and it requires you to have a solid foundation of skills, but its an alternative to think about. I'm playing some of the confident and consistent golf of my "career" recently and I think part of it is playing a more natural game without focusing on the tiny details of form and motion during competition like I used to. I've also continued to slowly add distance without specifically trying to.
esdubya
Double Eagle Member
They say golf is a game played on a course between your ears.. So the mental game is huge. I've found a meditative yoga practice to be really beneficial to my game, more on the mental side although the physical strength and flexibility gains through yoga haven't hurt either.
Learning to be present helps you on the course to forget about your last shot and only focus on your current shot. I'm not saying this is easy! Still something I struggle with however I feel like I'm making very small gains over time.
Learning to be present helps you on the course to forget about your last shot and only focus on your current shot. I'm not saying this is easy! Still something I struggle with however I feel like I'm making very small gains over time.
Last edited:
benji weaver
Newbie
- Joined
- Nov 7, 2021
- Messages
- 4
I just play as if I am playing a round throwing 4 shots per tee, although I set up practice baskets to practice shots I am not used to.
VictorB
* Ace Member *
Good lord, I'm not sure what I was doing back then! Though I don't have any tournaments to prepare for now. But, I'm playing with much more consistent results now, compared to back then.
I try to throw 4 days per week now. Not as much time to dedicate to golfing since I'm playing hockey (and coaching in the winter too) Diversifying my activities has really helped my mental game. During the week I don't usually score rounds, I practice putt and practice different lines and different discs either in the field (but probably the course - ours aren't open year round) I try to play 27-36 per weekend.
