Under construction
Email Tim for lessons in the Las Vegas area, or for an online lesson/video analysis.
howtoplaydiscgolf@gmail.com
howtoplaydiscgolf@gmail.com
Control your thoughts, control your shots
Let's think about thinking.
Heard this before?
“I make all my putts while I’m warming up, but now I can’t hit a thing!”
How about this one?
“I’m focused and calm during my practice sessions but get nervous and tense during my rounds.”
Most of us have experienced this on some level. We hit our lines and rip discs during practice but find that same shot more stressful during a league or tournament. But why does it happen? Why does an easy, basic throw in practice seem like a daunting one when something is on the line?
And why does putting feel “different” when it’s for birdie than when it’s for par?
Something has changed.
Do you use different arms and legs during your practice sessions? Probably not, unless you’re a robot with removable limbs. Most of us are not, so we're physically the same in practice as we are during a round. So, what’s going on then? Our bodies are the same, but what about our minds? What about the way we think?
Let’s explore this by looking at some common thoughts we might focus on during our putting-practice sessions or warm-ups:
“Bend your knees.”
“Nice and smooth.”
“Focus on your target.
“Follow through.”
Excellent. Those are quality thoughts we’re having. You might have your own list, and these are only basic examples, but the thoughts going through our heads while practicing are productive and useful. They're helping us learn and improve.
“Nice and smooth.”
“Focus on your target.
“Follow through.”
Excellent. Those are quality thoughts we’re having. You might have your own list, and these are only basic examples, but the thoughts going through our heads while practicing are productive and useful. They're helping us learn and improve.
Quality thoughts allow your body to repeat certain mechanics over and over again, also known as creating “muscle memory”.
And here are some common thoughts we might have while putting during a league or tournament:
“Let’s make this for birdie.”
“Gotta save the par.”
“Don’t miss low again.”
"This if for the tournament lead!"
“I don’t want to let my partner down and blow this putt.”
“Let’s make this for birdie.”
“Gotta save the par.”
“Don’t miss low again.”
"This if for the tournament lead!"
“I don’t want to let my partner down and blow this putt.”
Again, these are just examples and there are millions to choose from. These are not quality thoughts and serve no purpose other than to distract us from those beautiful mechanics we’ve worked so hard on.
These thoughts do not create muscle memory, nor do they help recall the muscle memory we were working on during practice. They are distractions and not useful whatsoever.
Even a seemingly harmless thought such as “let’s make this birdie” appears to offer encouragement but can actually do more damage than good.
There is no such thing as a “birdie”. There is only a putt. Once we realize this, we will then be focused on our putting mechanics as we try to "make a putt", rather than adding unnecessary tension by trying to "make a birdie".
We need to use our muscle memory to our advantage so that we can make that putt. We need to focus on the things we focus on during our practice sessions so that we can simply execute.
These thoughts do not create muscle memory, nor do they help recall the muscle memory we were working on during practice. They are distractions and not useful whatsoever.
Even a seemingly harmless thought such as “let’s make this birdie” appears to offer encouragement but can actually do more damage than good.
There is no such thing as a “birdie”. There is only a putt. Once we realize this, we will then be focused on our putting mechanics as we try to "make a putt", rather than adding unnecessary tension by trying to "make a birdie".
We need to use our muscle memory to our advantage so that we can make that putt. We need to focus on the things we focus on during our practice sessions so that we can simply execute.
By now, it should be easy to see why there is a disparity between our practice and our play. It’s easy to see why some players perform well in leagues and tournaments while others of equal skill level do not. It’s those floaty, fluttery and often bizarre words and phrases that are dancing through our minds throughout the day, otherwise known as thoughts. They are incredibly helpful at times and have made us the players we are today. But they can also get in the way of our execution, making us inconsistent, a problem that plagues nearly every amateur disc golfer, and even many pros.
The good news is that it’s easy to get our thoughts working for us, rather than against us. And our scores will become lower the moment we make the change.
Simple Tips to Improve Your Thoughts and Lower Your Score
1. Remove time
You may have heard this from other mental coaches, but it’s worth repeating as it pertains to disc golf. The past and the future exist only in your mind. There is only now.
Why is this relevant in disc golf? Well, does missing the putt on hole 1 affect our putting mechanics on hole 2? Of course it doesn’t. The only way the missed putt on hole 1 can affect us is if we're thinking about it (the past), creating unnecessary physical tension which may indeed compromise our mechanics (in the present).
Let’s say we missed low on hole 1. Instead of thinking about the bad feeling it gave us as the putt clanked off the basket and rolled away 50 feet while our buddies giggled, think about aiming the putt in front of you a bit higher. Use the information from your previous putt to make this putt a better one. Use the missed putt as information we can use to adjust our current putt.
Good players make adjustments. Bad players make excuses.
Keep your thoughts in the present moment and focus on what you must do NOW, not what you did in the past, or what might happen in the future.
Why is this relevant in disc golf? Well, does missing the putt on hole 1 affect our putting mechanics on hole 2? Of course it doesn’t. The only way the missed putt on hole 1 can affect us is if we're thinking about it (the past), creating unnecessary physical tension which may indeed compromise our mechanics (in the present).
Let’s say we missed low on hole 1. Instead of thinking about the bad feeling it gave us as the putt clanked off the basket and rolled away 50 feet while our buddies giggled, think about aiming the putt in front of you a bit higher. Use the information from your previous putt to make this putt a better one. Use the missed putt as information we can use to adjust our current putt.
Good players make adjustments. Bad players make excuses.
Keep your thoughts in the present moment and focus on what you must do NOW, not what you did in the past, or what might happen in the future.
2. Develop a routine
Most of the top disc golfers in the world have a pre-shot or pre-putt routine. Have you every thought about why they do that? What benefit does a routine offer?
A routine offers a repetitive set of physical movements and/or key words that recreate our practice sessions and remove unproductive and unnecessary thoughts.
Okay, okay, that was a bit of a mouthful, so let's simplify:
"A routine helps you throw your best shots more often."
"A routine helps you throw your best shots more often."
A routine allows you to focus on the important things such as which disc to throw given the conditions and shot shape required, which angle to throw the disc on, and some key phrases that remind you to execute your throw properly, just like in practice.
Here is a basic example of a putting routine:
Line up the putt and pick your target based on the wind read.
Bend your knees slightly.
Take a couple of practice swings.
Think: “follow through.”
Take one deep breath.
Putt.
That is a very basic routine, but nearly every routine is helpful because routines breed consistency. As a bonus, a routine is like a mental purifier that clears out the muddy thoughts getting in the way of our optimal skill level.
While you’re following your routine, your thoughts will be centered on the key parts of the present shot or putt that will lead up to its proper execution. Unnecessary and unproductive thoughts will be filtered out.
Here is a basic example of a putting routine:
Line up the putt and pick your target based on the wind read.
Bend your knees slightly.
Take a couple of practice swings.
Think: “follow through.”
Take one deep breath.
Putt.
That is a very basic routine, but nearly every routine is helpful because routines breed consistency. As a bonus, a routine is like a mental purifier that clears out the muddy thoughts getting in the way of our optimal skill level.
While you’re following your routine, your thoughts will be centered on the key parts of the present shot or putt that will lead up to its proper execution. Unnecessary and unproductive thoughts will be filtered out.
When it’s time to play a round, keep using your routine. This will create the same mental atmosphere you had during your practice sessions and allow you to simply execute in the present moment. If you find that your thoughts are getting away from you and your nerves are taking over, just focus on your routine. Go through each step and execute.
Copy that practice routine and paste it into your rounds.
Develop your own routine based on your unique style. Be sure to add the words or phrases you use while shredding it in practice to recreate those shots during the round. Phrases like “focus” or “quiet” work well for over-thinkers like me who play better while their mind is still. Phrases like “don’t miss” or “I’m going to big-putt my opponent” are not at all useful and are distractions to your good putting mechanics, which will make you ultimately more inconsistent.
Copy that practice routine and paste it into your rounds.
Develop your own routine based on your unique style. Be sure to add the words or phrases you use while shredding it in practice to recreate those shots during the round. Phrases like “focus” or “quiet” work well for over-thinkers like me who play better while their mind is still. Phrases like “don’t miss” or “I’m going to big-putt my opponent” are not at all useful and are distractions to your good putting mechanics, which will make you ultimately more inconsistent.
3. Remove context to improve consistency
This may sound deep, but your score is an illusion that can make you play worse or make you play better. A score doesn’t exist in nature. It’s not a “thing”. Disc golfers created it so we can keep track of how many strokes it takes us to play a given course versus how many strokes it should have taken for the average player (par).
Your score is an imaginary number.
Think about this: Does being 5 over affect your swing mechanics? Is “5 over” a physical ailment?
“Bro, I’m 5 over and now my elbow won’t bend. That’s the penalty for being 5 over, I guess.” *shrug*
Your score is an imaginary number.
Think about this: Does being 5 over affect your swing mechanics? Is “5 over” a physical ailment?
“Bro, I’m 5 over and now my elbow won’t bend. That’s the penalty for being 5 over, I guess.” *shrug*
That’s a ridiculous but hopefully memorable example and being 5 over can most certainly affect our throwing mechanics if our negative/unproductive thoughts take over. That is, if we let them take over. If we want to become a more consistent player, we need to learn to control our thoughts by removing context from each throw.
Let me explain:
We’re 5 over and our rival is 2 under. We hate losing to this guy and we need to make a big throw here if we want to mount a comeback. It's a simple hyzer with our favorite disc and we've thrown this shot a million times. This time, our tee shot hits the first available tree and shoots out of bounds.
What happened? How did we blow such an easy shot? Context, that’s why. We attached context to our throw which didn’t help our mechanics whatsoever and may have even compromised them since we were focused on our rival rather than executing.
We allowed the “situation”, which only exists in our minds, to affect our focus.
Instead of focusing on executing disc-golf shots, we instead attached meaning to the shot which created a certain level of tension/anxiety that resonated through our mechanics and into our throw. Phew, that’s some deep stuff.
So what can we do with our thoughts to make our execution more consistent?
The obvious solution is to remove context by keeping our thoughts focused on the shot we’re about to attempt, and not on what that shot means. Don’t think about what this shot means contextually (winning the tournament, snagging a bonus birdie, beating our opponents), simply focus on executing the given shot. We need to go through our pre-shot routine using the proper mental phrases to keep us grounded. After we throw, keep our thoughts focused on our next throw and how we can maximize our chances. We need to remove context and stay in the present moment.
Let me explain:
We’re 5 over and our rival is 2 under. We hate losing to this guy and we need to make a big throw here if we want to mount a comeback. It's a simple hyzer with our favorite disc and we've thrown this shot a million times. This time, our tee shot hits the first available tree and shoots out of bounds.
What happened? How did we blow such an easy shot? Context, that’s why. We attached context to our throw which didn’t help our mechanics whatsoever and may have even compromised them since we were focused on our rival rather than executing.
We allowed the “situation”, which only exists in our minds, to affect our focus.
Instead of focusing on executing disc-golf shots, we instead attached meaning to the shot which created a certain level of tension/anxiety that resonated through our mechanics and into our throw. Phew, that’s some deep stuff.
So what can we do with our thoughts to make our execution more consistent?
The obvious solution is to remove context by keeping our thoughts focused on the shot we’re about to attempt, and not on what that shot means. Don’t think about what this shot means contextually (winning the tournament, snagging a bonus birdie, beating our opponents), simply focus on executing the given shot. We need to go through our pre-shot routine using the proper mental phrases to keep us grounded. After we throw, keep our thoughts focused on our next throw and how we can maximize our chances. We need to remove context and stay in the present moment.
4. Use positive language at all times
Once we've learned to control our thoughts by creating a routine, and removed time and context from each throw, it’s time to focus on the language we’re using while on the course.
If we’re playing with other players, conversation is inevitable and honestly one of the best parts about playing disc golf. We’re a community when we’re out there and we all love to play. We love seeing discs fly, we love nature and trees, and we’re generally out there to enjoy ourselves.
But have you ever considered that our conversation with other players (as well as the thoughts filtering through our minds) can dramatically affect our overall score?
Consider what we normally talk about with other players. Previous rounds? Politics? Sports? The news? Does the conversation become negative in nature? Is the conversation distracting you from this round, or making you feel relaxed, energized, angry or depressed?
If our goal is to improve by lowering our scores, we may benefit from keeping our conversations and thoughts as positive as we can. Don’t complain about bad luck, don’t comment on how “it’s not your day”, and don’t ever make a negative comment about your throw. This one is crucial. Your mind will devour whatever you feed it. If you say, “that was a terrible throw”, you’re feeding your mind negativity causing it to become even more negative. It feeds on those negative thoughts, they fester and multiply, and by hole 18 you’re ready to quit disc golf and kick a kitten. Please don’t do either.
The fix should be obvious by now, but here are two quick examples to get you started:
Don’t say: “That was a terrible throw!”
Instead, say: “I’m going to focus a little harder on my next throw.”
Don’t say: “Damn, I’m out in circle 2 again.”
Instead, say: “I’ll have a putt from there, so no worries.”
These may sound cheesy or unnecessary but changing your verbiage can quite literally change your reality from an enjoyable and productive round to a why-the-heck-do-I-even-play round. Positive thinking has been proven to work at the highest levels of competition. The good news is that we can start it TODAY.
With a consistent, controlled routine, and a better way of thinking on the course, you will be ready to take your game to the next level. Just remember to stay consistent and don’t let your thoughts work against you. Train your thoughts to work for you so that when you have a bad hole or even a bad round, you’ll bounce right back and perform at your highest level consistently. Always stay present and allow the best version of you to come out.
And always keep learning.
If we’re playing with other players, conversation is inevitable and honestly one of the best parts about playing disc golf. We’re a community when we’re out there and we all love to play. We love seeing discs fly, we love nature and trees, and we’re generally out there to enjoy ourselves.
But have you ever considered that our conversation with other players (as well as the thoughts filtering through our minds) can dramatically affect our overall score?
Consider what we normally talk about with other players. Previous rounds? Politics? Sports? The news? Does the conversation become negative in nature? Is the conversation distracting you from this round, or making you feel relaxed, energized, angry or depressed?
If our goal is to improve by lowering our scores, we may benefit from keeping our conversations and thoughts as positive as we can. Don’t complain about bad luck, don’t comment on how “it’s not your day”, and don’t ever make a negative comment about your throw. This one is crucial. Your mind will devour whatever you feed it. If you say, “that was a terrible throw”, you’re feeding your mind negativity causing it to become even more negative. It feeds on those negative thoughts, they fester and multiply, and by hole 18 you’re ready to quit disc golf and kick a kitten. Please don’t do either.
The fix should be obvious by now, but here are two quick examples to get you started:
Don’t say: “That was a terrible throw!”
Instead, say: “I’m going to focus a little harder on my next throw.”
Don’t say: “Damn, I’m out in circle 2 again.”
Instead, say: “I’ll have a putt from there, so no worries.”
These may sound cheesy or unnecessary but changing your verbiage can quite literally change your reality from an enjoyable and productive round to a why-the-heck-do-I-even-play round. Positive thinking has been proven to work at the highest levels of competition. The good news is that we can start it TODAY.
With a consistent, controlled routine, and a better way of thinking on the course, you will be ready to take your game to the next level. Just remember to stay consistent and don’t let your thoughts work against you. Train your thoughts to work for you so that when you have a bad hole or even a bad round, you’ll bounce right back and perform at your highest level consistently. Always stay present and allow the best version of you to come out.
And always keep learning.