Focusing???

[Darr]

How do you focus your mind during a round of disc golf?? I find that the only thing standing in my way of course domination is my own HEAD! Not being able to keep my head in the game is my major fault. As soon as I have a couple terrible kicks I can't seem to re-focus myself to my "happy place".
The bottom line is I have fun when playing good, and am MISERABLE when I play bad. :rolleyes2: common knowledge to anybody who knows me.

So I am hoping for some help in this department, here are my questions.

1. Do you have a method for staying focused and keeping a positive attitude through multiple bad shots?

2. What do you tell yourself to "move on" from bad play and finish strong

Thanks in advance for the help. :jumpspin::jumpspin::jumpspin:

["Over the Hill" Bob]

Not sure I can really help here other than to say look "forward" not "back". Have a lousy hole? Start thinking of how you are going to play the next one. But like I say, I'm not the best for answering your question. I have difficulty even getting into game mode. It seems every round, even in competition is like a casual round.

I've known you now for almost two years and yeppers, I've seen the good, the bad, and the UGLY. I've got to say though that I'm very proud of the way you carried yourself at GNO. The Darr-Pro was more for attitude than low score. Good on you! :cheers:

Bob

[sands.steven]

I have been playing the head game a while. I agree that this can be your alli and enemy. I really try to take each shot on one at a time. When I am in a rut I try to make each shot as smart and as well thought out as I can. You have thirty seconds and use it .... Breathe Deep !!!!!! I focus on MY game ....sometimes I even close my eyes when others are releasing their throws to think about my game.... I dont need the stress, its not my throw...

In short,

Play YOUR game
Breathe
One shot at a time !

-Steve

[Bruce]

I once heard a quote and I tend to think of it when I have a bad shot. "Once the disc leaves your hand, sit back and enjoy the show, because it is no longer in your control" Or something along those lines anyways. All of it is emotions Darr, the good and bad. One thing I've really focused on is not getting overly excited when I pull something out of my ass or make that log put that really shouldn't have gone in. In doing so, the bad side of my mental game improved. Just staying more....even keel as it were.

[snap7times]

One shot at a time, dont look past the shot you at now, focus on the line, where you want to put it, adjust at each shot, learn your disc pattern, why it flew the way it did, adapt each shot to your technique, sometimes it's best to lay up and take the 3 than to risk a 35 foot biridie. If you scared of 20-30 footers, what are the chances of you making the 35? Be smart, take the holes you can get, and accept par's and bogey's instead of going all out... classic example. Today in the 3rd round of the Masters Cup AM weekend. I'm sitting 4 strokes behind the leader on my card. We start out very good. After 4 holes, he is -2 and I am -1. This is from guys who havent gotten any better than +13 between the two of us. He starts to get cocky cuz he slammed a couple 20-35 footers and was like I'm going for it every time. On hole 8, after another couple awesome upshots and save-par putts, he feeling high and mighty. He makes a good drive off the tee, is less than 60 feet from pin but out of bounds right behind basket, common sense says lay up and take the par, he goes for it, 20 feet past, miss the come pack par, gets a 4 instead of an easy 3. Next hole, great drive off tee, 40 feet from pin, cliff behind basket, goes for it, rolls down hill, throw back hits treee, another throw up, gets a 5 instead of an easy 3. Next hole makes a 35 foot save-par putt, back in motion, gets a tough 25 foot birdie on next hole. Then the next one throws an okok drive, 2nd shot gets reckless instead of throw it straight and try for par than to park the upshot. Ends up with a 4. Goes from -2 to 1 up in 5 holes with 4 score changes, that could have been avoided three times. Then next hole is under 200 feet, the refrigarator hole, parks the drive about 40 feet away on bottom of hill, goes for it, goes over to other side, now throw back lay up for 4 instead of a easy par 3. Next hole his drive on the famous I-5 is just a bit past the opening to the hole and about 40 feet out in the feild, a 4 would be easy at this point, upshot forced into the trees, 3rd shot forced again another 60 feet up, 4th shot too hard past the basket from 60 feet out and now 25 feet away, miss the putt and get a 6! The decision making got worse after that and at least 4-5 more opportunites to get a par on tough holes become 4's and 5's because it's go for it go for it instead of being smart and taking the par's and bogey's if they are tough holes, work on control and strategy and the scores go down... He went from -2 after 7 holes to +18 for 28 holes.... I was -1, was +6 with 3 holes left to go and made only one mental mistake costing me a 5, the other two were just good drives, bad lie behind trees, took the 4's and got a +10, a 12 stroke improvement from Friday, its knowing the course, making placement shots so that you are able to connect good shot after good shot instead of gogogogogo..... ok i better stop before I write a book...

[Jeff Hemmerling]

..... ok i better stop before I write a book...
You already did! :D

[Sam]

There is only one shot - the one you are about to make. The shots that happened before are gone and nothing short of an eraser is going to change that. The shots that haven't happened yet don't really matter because you can't get to them until you have dealt with the shot you are about to take. So... it is the ONLY shot that matters. And once it is gone, it is gone.

Do not let past misfortune create present or future misfortune.

[NWDiscer]

There is only one shot - the one you are about to make. The shots that happened before are gone and nothing short of an eraser is going to change that. The shots that haven't happened yet don't really matter because you can't get to them until you have dealt with the shot you are about to take. So... it is the ONLY shot that matters. And once it is gone, it is gone.

Do not let past misfortune create present or future misfortune.

?Legend of Bagger Vance?

[Sam]

Is it?! I just whipped that out as I say something very similar to myself on a near-daily basis. I have seen that movie, though, and enjoyed it so it is possible that I stole some of it from there.

[NWDiscer]

for some reason that scene in the trees after he has the flashback it just popped into head.

i wont say it is complete but bits and pieces im pretty sure came from that.:wink2:

[Sam]

This?

"Put your eyes on Bobby Jones... Look at his practice swing, almost like he's searchin for something... Then he finds it... Watch how he settle hisself right into th emiddle of it, feel that focus... He got a lot of shots he could choose from... Duffs and tops and skulls, there's only ONE shot that's in perfect harmony with the feild... One shot that's his, authentic shot, and that shot is gonna choose him... There's a perfect shot out there tryin' to find each and every one of us... All we got to do is get ourselves out of its way, to let it choose us... Can't see that flag as some dragon you got to slay... You got to look with soft eyes... See the place where the tides and the seasons and the turnin' of the Earth, all come together... where everything that is, becomes one... You got to seek that place with your soul Junuh... Seek it with your hands don't think about it... Feel it... Your hands is wiser than your head ever gonna be... Now I can't take you there Junuh... Just hopes I can help you find a way... Just you... that ball... that flag... and all you are..."

[Sam]

Or maybe this?

"Inside each and every one of us is our one true, authentic swing. Something we was born with. Something that's ours and ours alone. Something that can't be learning... something that's got to be remembered."

[NWDiscer]

This?

"Put your eyes on Bobby Jones... Look at his practice swing, almost like he's searchin for something... Then he finds it... Watch how he settle hisself right into th emiddle of it, feel that focus... He got a lot of shots he could choose from... Duffs and tops and skulls, there's only ONE shot that's in perfect harmony with the feild... One shot that's his, authentic shot, and that shot is gonna choose him... There's a perfect shot out there tryin' to find each and every one of us... All we got to do is get ourselves out of its way, to let it choose us... Can't see that flag as some dragon you got to slay... You got to look with soft eyes... See the place where the tides and the seasons and the turnin' of the Earth, all come together... where everything that is, becomes one... You got to seek that place with your soul Junuh... Seek it with your hands don't think about it... Feel it... Your hands is wiser than your head ever gonna be... Now I can't take you there Junuh... Just hopes I can help you find a way... Just you... that ball... that flag... and all you are..."


nope not that 1 but that is a good 1 also.
Thats on the 1st tee of the 3rd round...........:whistler:

[NWDiscer]

Or maybe this?

"Inside each and every one of us is our one true, authentic swing. Something we was born with. Something that's ours and ours alone. Something that can't be learning... something that's got to be remembered."

i wanna say this is on the 1st tee also.

in the woods he is telling him about how he has to let his PAST "all of his company was killed" go.......it is done and over, then he threads that shot thru about a 1 foot gap 50yards in front of him. it was during the last round

[Ol' Bob]

Play more. If you play enough, you'll learn to 'move on' easier. The important thing about the shot you just made is what it can tell you about your next one. I mean, if you pulled too hard and slipped your grip, or yanked it, that's good to know. You'll back off that perfect amount and get the next one done better. If your footing could have been better, you'll plant solid on net one. If you're making the same mistakes repeatedly, because you're being a dummy, you'll get smarter. Some days are better than others. Enough days will teach you that.

I'm very round-score-conscious. A bad first few holes used to sink me. Now I find myself enjoying recoveries. I still have to work on killing a good round on the 18th. :headbang:

[Bruce]

There is only one shot - the one you are about to make. The shots that happened before are gone and nothing short of an eraser is going to change that.

It's not nice bringing Brill into this conversation, Sam.

[NWDiscer]

there is only one shot - the one you are about to make. The shots that happened before are gone and nothing short of an eraser is going to change that.


it's not nice bringing brill into this conversation, sam.

OH SNAP.......
:blush:

[smobro]

OH SNAP.......
:blush:


Pat I gotta say your game is sick! We have been carded up together lots of times the last couple years and I have only seen you improve. The problem is you play with one of the top players in the state and set your expectations to the Kid's level of play. While I believe you are completely capable of being a top player some day, give yourself some credit for how good you already are. Set some tournament goals that are reasonable and you will likely exceed them. Most athletes never play in competition as well as they play in casual. I think you have excelled far past what you realize. keep hammering away at it and practice with intention. Gilmore taught me that every shot in practice is equally as important as every shot in a tournament. You don't have a head problem anymore. Once you recognize that, you will be slaying the intermediate field. You got game Dawg.

[Joshua Olmsted]

Wow, head game, I hear you, that's always been one of the biggest problems in my game. I've even seen it turn great rounds into average ones by simply letting my mind run away from me. J-Man might be able to recall a Sunday a ways back where I started off -4 at Pier through 7 holes, only to overthink the score and my own game and finish at +3, thoroughly disappointed. Many of my strongest rounds have been solo rounds at Pier with no one around where I practically jog from hole to hole, rarely stopping to think to much. My best tournament rounds simply come when I just try to think less in general, or keep my mind away from the game except for when I'm standing right over the disc. One odd strategy I picked up for tournament putting ion the shorter distances is when I'm feeling nervous I would pace out the distance to the basket and remind myself "this is just a 21 foot putt, you're great at these, and think to the many 21 foot practice putts I've made. Just trying to keep everything in perspective is my only advice, see each shot as its own entity separate from all the rest.

Now if only I could do that during all my pressure packed middle of the intermediate field rounds I play maybe I'd win one some day:laughing:

[Brody Cannon]

My advice if you want to be really focused is start by NOT drinking or smoking pot. Also, listen to a catchy song before your round and get it stuck in your head. I always sing in my head or listen to music to help get my mind off a bad shot.

[LJ Jubner]

Before I throw my first shot. I believe that I can execute any shot needed for that round. That includes all the worst shots and the recoveries shots. Now when I find something I can't execute it gives me something to work on.

I remember an old golf adage "You can recover from bad drive but never a bad second".

I also see and hear DG say... "I see the perfect shot" But they lack the skill to execute it. The idea is to find a shot you can execute not just the perfect shot. I also have noticed a difference between DG and BG. In the rough DG look to throw the shot through the window and onto the green. BG will look at the same shot, decide they can't execute it and just play out to the fairway and take their stroke "Course management".

There is something to be said about playing your own bag too.

[REDFIVE]

To be able to come back from getting down on yourself you have to be aware when you are doing it. Once you are aware that you are being negative you can again become positive. It is very easy to let one bad shot turn into 3 or 4. Take mistakes lightheartedly because they are unavoidable. Just move on, focus on the good shotS you had made prior to the mistake and you will find that focussed mind set. Up until one bad shot or one unlucky kick there were more good shots or lucky kicks to focus on. if that is what you are focussing on that is what you will percieve and that is what you will get more of. Good golf takes a cup half full mentallity. The only time to reflect is after a round when you can look at the whole.

RESEARCH QUANTUM PHYSICS.

[DexterHawk]

Another good piece of advice or two...

Don't aim at the basket... aim for the spot in space that your disc has to go through halfway (about 100 - 150 ft off of the tee) to get to the basket... That way you are thinking about execution and not results...

Know what is good enough... (preface with I'm a PRO) You don't have to be under a basket to hole out... I often aim upshots 20 or even 30 feet offline to get an easier approach and then trust myself to make the putt... Why throw the impossible line to get an extra 15 ft. closer that you don't need.

Don't throw until your sure... If you are still thinking about your score, or your attitude, or your last shot... step away and let it go and then go back and focus on executing this shot... The decipline to actually step off the tee and re-focus will teach your body to avoid this kind of thinking. This is something that you see from almost all of the greats in our sport... they will not throw a shot until they are good and ready and positive that they are choosing the best shot for the situation.

I would second the no beer and pot thing... In a casual round they can enhance the joy of a sunny day... but in a tournament they interfere with your ability to control your emotions and thoughts and will make your lows lower for sure.

Remember... the winner of the tournament is not usually the guy with the most birdies... it's often the guy with the least bogies... never give up on any hole... learn something every time you go out and remember it's supposed to be fun!

[snap7times]

Knowing when to accept the par and make a wise tee shot so that the par is still a good goal. I've seen too many players in the intermediate level make shots that are just not common sense shots and costs them par right away. I know I make a few but I recognize and improve on it for the next opportunity. At De laveaga last weekend, I was able to see alot of throws that were just not common sense at all and cost them at least 1-2 more strokes. Classic example was a guy about 75 feet from the pin, sloping left to right down hill, 2 trees in the the way but are about 2-3 feet apart around 30 feet away. I would have just taken the easy hyzer around these trees, park the upshot and take the par and walk away. The guy goes for it between the trees and hits a tree and still has a 30+ par putt to make with the slope still a factor. Then another guy is like 45 feet from a basket that gets par'ed 1 out of 5 times or so, the guy was like oh darn thought he was a little closer, I was like, take the 3 and be happy bro. He goes for the jump putt, sails past it about 25 feet under a tree, misses the comeback, now he got a 4 and his beautiful drive off the tee is wasted. Too many players can't swallow their pride and know when to go for the bird and when to take the par and move on...

[Scott]

I would second the no beer and pot thing... In a casual round they can enhance the joy of a sunny day... but in a tournament they interfere with your ability to control your emotions and thoughts and will make your lows lower for sure.


I would also encourage some stimulant-free practice rounds once in a while. I've been in tournaments with guys that complain all round long that they can't spark up and that throws off their game.

Allong those lines - make your practice rounds feel as much like your tournament rounds as possible. This tricks your brain into thinking that everything is normal come tournament time.

I use to totally tailspin out of control once I would have a few bad holes in a row. Now, I'm most proud of the point when I pull myself out of that tailspin - string together a few pars or birdies.

Finally, when things go poorly I remind myself over and over: "I'm throwing a Frisbee in a park. I'm throwing a Frisbee in a park. I'm throwing a Frisbee in a park." It helps me regain perspective.

[Jet]

Finally, when things go poorly I remind myself over and over: "I'm throwing a Frisbee in a park. I'm throwing a Frisbee in a park. I'm throwing a Frisbee in a park." It helps me regain perspective.
This one works well for me. :biggrin2:

[LJ Jubner]

A couple of quick comments

The Bagger Vance reference. Juna had skills before the WWI and was trying to rediscover them despite the Personal trauma he experienced. Granted these ideas work for any instance of rediscovery.

Dave and I were talking about practice putting recently.
How many of you believe putting practice ends when you let it go?

It's actually towards the end but not it. Seeing the disc go in, hearing the sound it makes, ACTUALLY retrieving the disc from the basket returning and picking up your marker. It's all about visualization. Same with off the tee see the entire shot pre shot, release, 1st 1/3, middle, finish. Walking out to it.

Here is an idea the next time you play your favorite course don't play for score. Play to see and execute each shot. What I mean is If you have abad throw keep throwing the shot till you actually see it, Both as practice and as positive visualization. Same when you play with your friends Watch each lie, shot etc they play and see if you would play it the same way.

[LJ Jubner]

Added thought If you think" right at that tree" 250' in front of you and you hit it Congratulate yourself for executing the throwing you visualized. It's pretty good to actually hit what you want too. Then think "just miss that tree"

[Greg_R]

dont look past the shot you at now, focus on the line, where you want to put itIMO this is the key. Do not throw the shot until you see it in your mind successfully. I try to equate the shot to some other course that I'm very familiar with (i.e. 215ft upshot = hole 1 at Orchard, etc.).

There are a lot of other keys to success but we're just talking about how to focus right now...

[NWDiscer]

I try to equate the shot to some other course that I'm very familiar with (i.e. 215ft upshot = hole 1 at Orchard, etc.).




this a very good key to be able to use :cheerleader:

[Jason Philips]

Darr, for me it is all about meditative practices. There are strategies but when the game gets to you it doesn't help. Find your center be it in your heartspace or the space between your eyes. Focus on this space. When thoughts come into your head acknowledge them but let them pass. These are only thoughts and generated by our mind. Be sure to let the thoughts pass. Don't dwell and don't ignore. Find your center an focus a moment. Take at least three deep belly breaths. Count as you breathe in for 1....2....3.... and then the same exhaling. After this take a moment and look around you. Not at the game but the sky and the trees. Look at the beauty around you and smile. It is just another day and in the morning another round awaits.

When I first started learning left-handed it was very difficult and still at times it is. I began some basic meditation techniques and now my rounds are much easier to bear even when I am sucking something fierce.

Oh and of course the other piece of the advice, don't beat yourself up. It is a game and one you are meant to enjoy. If you were forced to shovel dogshit for every bad throw it might be something to stress but after a bad throw you are fortunate to have a chance to throw another shot.

[Darr]

Awesome stuff everyone, thanks for the ideas. Most were very insightful. I plan on absorbing them all and becoming Ice Golfer. :dancing::bowing::bowing:

[Scott]

I plan on absorbing them all and becoming Ice Golfer. :dancing::bowing::bowing:

You mean you'll melt whenever the heat gets turned on? But you do that so well already.

["Over the Hill" Bob]

You mean you'll melt whenever the heat gets turned on? But you do that so well already.

I think he means "Cold as Steal". :shooting:Of course now I have this tune in my head, "Ice, Ice, Baby"

Bob