New guy (need advice with narrow mandos)

[oCaveman]

Here in Texas. I've been playing about 2 months (I've got the bug bad, so pretty much every day for 2 months). Already have a basket in the back yard to work my putting

I'm able to get the disc to "land" pretty much where I want to and I'm seeing progress in my game, but when there is a narrow window between trees or a small mando, it never fails that I hit a tree or throw outside the mando. I'm looking for some tips to avoid this. Initially I've started trying to aim a little left (rhbh), but even then it's hit or miss. Can someone point me in the right direction? (It could just be that I'm trying to throw it too hard?)

Anyway... love the site, and thanks for any help.

 

[rickles]

It takes some time to build consistency and accuracy. Just keep reading and watching videos/tourneys and that'll give you ideas of how it can fly. Work on throwing smooth, slow, and flat. Its also largely mental skill once you learn the throws...not letting the small window mess with you. Once you get the smooth flat throw you can make it through the window more often, then you can focus on how to get the disc to the basket location past the window. That portion may require you to turn a disc over, hyzer it, or forehand it even. Sidewinders videos, and HUB's videos/website (heavydisc.com) are very helpful too!

 

[namar]

don't be afraid to disc down. I'd much rather give up 50-100' of distance by poking a Buzzz through a small gap than to try and mash on a driver, miss the mando, and lose more distance PLUS a stroke.

 

[JedV]

don't be afraid to disc down. I'd much rather give up 50-100' of distance by poking a Buzzz through a small gap than to try and mash on a driver, miss the mando, and lose more distance PLUS a stroke.

This is excellent advice. Playing smart pays off more often than playing with force and muscle.

I'd also add that it will pay off dividends to practice selecting a specific target (in this case beyond the mando gap) that you are trying to reach. Mentally, if you tell yourself "TREES!" you're likely going to hit them

Welcome to the addiction!

 

[Toro71]

Dr. Bob Rotella ("Golf Is Not A Game of Perfect") would tell you to remember that your body doesn't know the word "don't." So in mentally setting up the shot, don't think to yourself "don't hit the tree," because all your body hears is "hit the tree." Sounds nuts, I know, but try thinking in terms of "hit the gap."

 

[oCaveman]

Ok. Thanks for the advice. I've got some things to work on. I do realize a lot of this is just practice, but I'd like to try and prevent forming bad habits if I can.

The thing about "don't hit the tree" is so true!! It goes straight at the tree every time I do that.

 

[m_Krakov]

Aim right for the tree... works for those time where you say, "I couldn't have hit that tiny branch if i tried."

I am only slightly kidding.

 

[ljerome]

don't be afraid to disc down. I'd much rather give up 50-100' of distance by poking a Buzzz through a small gap than to try and mash on a driver, miss the mando, and lose more distance PLUS a stroke.

This goes along with something Mark Ellis wrote in the other forum one time and that was that many times it is best to just get the disc through the opening without worrying too much about how far it goes or the line to the basket. More often than not, you will end up ahead of most other folks. I started doing this and it has helped a lot.

 

[Jax11]

This goes along with something Mark Ellis wrote in the other forum one time and that was that many times it is best to just get the disc through the opening without worrying too much about how far it goes or the line to the basket. More often than not, you will end up ahead of most other folks. I started doing this and it has helped a lot.

I agree with this, I read an instruction article that talked about playing the first 1/3 of the hole correctly. This mentality sets you up to get pars, when you happen to lace one perfectly you get to putt for a birdie.

I also agree, that consistency will develop over time.

 

[thirtydirtybirds]

Look past the gap, if you focus on the obstacle, then you won't be focused on where you need to end up. Throw smooth and even just like any other throw. I try not to think about the gap, and instead picture the flight of the disc beforehand and focus on making it happen. Obstacles are there to trip you up mentally more than anything in my experience, so keep your mental focus on what the disc needs to do, not what the obstacle will do to the disc.

 

[Lewis]

Dr. Bob Rotella ("Golf Is Not A Game of Perfect") would tell you to remember that your body doesn't know the word "don't." So in mentally setting up the shot, don't think to yourself "don't hit the tree," because all your body hears is "hit the tree." Sounds nuts, I know, but try thinking in terms of "hit the gap."

I was going to give the same advice. Whenever you concentrate on "not hitting" something, you end up hitting that very thing, because that's where your attention was focused. Focus on the clear space you do want to hit, and you're more likely to throw it there. Another mental trick that has helped with my putting from time to time, is to imagine that the basket is a friend you're throwing the disc to: someone welcoming who wants to catch the disc. If you imagine an adversarial or stressful relationship with the basket, your body won't quite cooperate with your goal. Human psychology is a strange beast.

 

[Lewis]

Another bit of advice, if all else fails, is work on your overhand throws. That reduces the width of the disc's profile as it passes through the narrow gap, and although you may not have a straight flight, you might find it easier to control the left-right direction of the first so-many-feet of the flight that gets you through the gap. A rule of thumb for throwing overhand is that understable discs "flip around" when thrown overhand much earlier than overstable discs, which tend to stay "on edge" in the air for longer. "Tomahawk" throws (thrown right-handed with a forehand grip), start sweeping down and to the right as the disc turns its flight plate to face the ground, and if they have enough air and speed, continue in a big loop, right, then up, then left, then straight down to the ground, maybe with a little roll after they hit the ground. Tomahawk throws usually end up landing to the left of the original release line, after starting to the right. Thumbers follow a mirror image path vs. tomahawks. You can control the action the disc takes by changing the release angles, which can be a lot of fun, but the flight I've described comes from a mostly "neutral" release, with the disc straight up and down, as though it's "on edge" over your head.

 

[tbird888]

The thing about "don't hit the tree" is so true!! It goes straight at the tree every time I do that.

Absolutely. Much like when facing a water hazard, it doesn't exist when you're on the tee pad. Focus on throwing smooth and putting your disc on the line you want, and not not putting the disc where it shouldn't go.

 

[threevok]

My most local course is wide open and I developed the habit of getting near the basket with no regard for the line.
A part of my field practice is throwing mid-ranges as straight as possible down the sideline of a football field.
When I play an unfamiliar course or a course with added tournament mandos, I pretend I'm throwing a particular hole on another course that has a double mando. My wife does something similar, so I know it works.

 

[slowplastic]

The big thing for me is not powering down and trying to just gingerly get through the gap. Line up your body like normal, then throw the shot at the power that you want to (likely choose a disc that lets you throw ~70% power). If I back off too much my release point gets wacky and also the disc may not fly right. If I have too big of a disc and mash on it, then that causes problems too. Just set up to go through the gap, then throw the shot like any other shot. The less you worry about it, the less things will go wrong.

It also helps if even on open shots and field practice you are aiming at an imaginary point to throw through, so you know if you threw right or wrong. Then adding obstacles doesn't make much difference, because you're already used to aiming for a specific window to hit.

 

[bmeyaard]

My wife does something similar, so I know it works.

#truth ::slow clap::