In A Funk Or Doing The Funky Chicken

[craigg]

Can't disagree w/EricJ - but most people have never even tried putting w/ their off hand. It's really rather funny to see how difficult even 10 footers are the first time you try.

 

[innova]

The very first tourney I moved to Pro Masters, I nearly ripped the tip of my thumb of my throwing hand clean off. I tomahawked right into a stub on a cedar tree at PBJ in Hattiesburg and the cedar tree won.

It was basically a dislocation of the thumb knuckle, and it bent over so much it tore the skin pretty darn badly. Compound dislocation? I popped it back in and headed to the ranger station to stop the bleeding. Nice way to turn pro!

Anyway, I threw lefty for quite a while because that is how I roll. It was like starting over.

I learned from it. It got worse before it got better. In the beginning of the lefty phase I spent much of my time getting up off the ground due to side splitting laughter.

:^/

 

[Neophyte]

I am extremely left hand challenged. I can't imagine throwing an entire round with my off hand. I don't think I would ever finish.

 

[TalbotTrojan]

There is a hostel for Funky Chickens, in case it isn't your throwing and you decide to travel to take a break.

http://www.funkychickenhostel.com/


:^p

How does one find such things? I think you have way too much time on your hands.

 

[TalbotTrojan]

Play the most difficult technical course in your area a few times. It will humble and re-focus you at the same time. If that's all you play already then play the most open big arm course in your area a few times and it will do the same thing.

I am basically going to do that, but to add more pressure I have decided to wait for the upcoming tournament there to do that.

I am going out in just a bit to play so when I get five Aces I will call all you all who said I needed a break crazy.

 

[TalbotTrojan]

Well, no five aces, but a couple of good runs at aces. And I did shoot my first ever round under par. Did it on the front 18 at La Mirada which is kinda cool to be able to say, especially where some of the pins are right now. My back 18 still looked like I was in my funk but even that couldn't bring me down from shooting underpar on the front.

 

[Disc Chainy]

I've been through this too. Last time I went through a "funk" I had to ask myself: self, why were my overall round scores better when I had less experience than they are now, 2 years later? I realized that when I was learning how to play I would shoot a safe, consistent drive onto the fairway, shoot a conservative approach, and make my easy putt. Now that I know I'm capable of a birdie on the same hole, I find myself trying to crush my drive more often, farther but less accurate, usually resulting in a bad upshot, followed by a tough putt.
For me, just scaling back a little bit helped me get through my rough patch.

 

[TalbotTrojan]

Yeah, and this is generally what I try and do most of the time when I am not throwing well. What I found out today however is that it is one particular course, the back 18 at La Mirada, that has me in this funk.

I am taking tomorrow off and then the plan is to play El Dorado on Monday. Then maybe I'll go back to La Mirada.

 

[A.Mutt]

I learned from it. It got worse before it got better.

I definitely get that. This year is the first time I've devoted myself to learning how to throw something other than overhand shots. I haven't been able to do anything on low ceiling drives so I really needed to learn backhand and forehand is next. I definitely got worse and am now starting to see signs of getting better.

 

[Midnightbiker]

One thing that I do if I have a really bad round, is I go to the practice field, and do a lot of thinking and analyzing. I put my headphones on, and just relax, and take my time ,and think about what I did wrong, and how I could have done better.

I then take out my discs,and throw , and watch each one carefully. I memorize what each one of my discs do, so when I need that type of shot , I know what disc to choose.

I also agree with taking a break from disc golf. A while back, I would eat, sleep and eat disc golf. I took a couple of weeks off and did something else, and it was nice to take a break. You can get sick of anything if you get too much into it. I love my motorcycle , but I don't ride it everyday. Samething applys to the wife.

That's one of the reasons I am glad I don't have a disc golf course across the street. It would be nice, but after a while, you would get tired of it. You have to do things in moderation. That is why I only place once a week, and I practice once a week.

 

[djext1]

IMHO the best thing one can do when you get in a slump like that, is to play a few rounds with just a hard putter. Don't worry about your score or anything like that, just throw/jog-walk/throw/putt/rinse-repeat.

After you finish the round you see how well you did using just putter and kind of get that "WTF is my problem" feeling. At least I do, then I laugh about it, and the next time I go out to play I usually have my form back. Throwing a putter round or two helps 'reset' your form and get your mind right so to speak.

Works for me every time.

 

[TalbotTrojan]

How many rounds a year does a guy like Ken Climo play? How many rounds a day was he playing to become as good as he was? I think it is reasonable to play through the slumps. The idea of practice and thinking through practice is a good thing. So what else besides aking a break can we do? Today is my break day but I plan on playing a couple of rounds tomorrow. I am already bummed I am not out there today.

 

[innova]

How many rounds a year does a guy like Ken Climo play?

I have no idea.

All I can say is I watched the dude warm up before Worlds a few mornings and he sure can putt.

Wow.