Enhance Your Disc Golf Game with these Neuroscience-backed Tips

I teach and coach all aspects of disc golf, and my favorite clients are the ones who will leave no stone unturned in their quest to reach their full disc golf potential. Although they all eagerly absorb and attempt to follow my instruction, part of leaving no stone unturned is a burning desire to know why, in addition to what.

Any type of scientific or mathematic corroboration that supports a theory I present or results I claim to see are treated like an unmistakable trail of breadcrumbs on the road to progress.

For example, when I started using TECHDISC to work with my clients.

It’s one thing to announce a breakthrough based on my observation, and quite another to show them that their RPM just jumped from 750 to 950 after a suggested tweak.

My clients trust me, but that doesn’t stop the hungry and inquisitive ones from seeking out, let’s say, confirming sources. This led Brett – perhaps the hungriest among them – to seek out more info on my teachings about the mental side of the game, the importance of eye contact, visualization, and other less talked-about aspects of competitive disc golf.

Brett put his faith in me, and he’s gotten great results. He’s very happy. But it was not quite enough for him to see that something worked; he wanted to know why, reasoning that a better understanding will result in better implementation.

I agree! That’s why I’m excited to share with you results of some research he did into disc golf and neuroscience, with the help of AI. I will also add my own corroborating thoughts, and link to past posts and videos where I introduced the same concepts, minus the neuroscience, over the past 18 years. Brett’s data was broken into four sections, so I am going to write 4 blog posts – starting with this one – covering each of the 18 nuggets he unearthed. Thanks Brett!

Part 1: Sharpening Your Aim, Focus, and Execution in Disc Golf

In disc golf, every throw counts, and the difference between success and failure on any given throw often comes down to mental preparation and execution. Drawing on neuroscience, here are four powerful techniques to enhance your aiming, focus, and overall shot execution.

Target Lock (Motor Priming)

What to do: Before putting, stare intently at a single chain link or a tiny spot on the pole itself. Then keep staring at that link until the disc is well out of your hand. Keeping your head stationary helps with this as well, like a camera on a tripod.

The same applies to all throws. If you have trouble gauging how far an upshot is and how hard to throw, try keeping your eyes locked on the whole time, if possible. Same with drives. Your eyes should be on the target except for the fraction of a second it takes to get your torso loaded for the throw, and even then they should be straining to reconnect with the target.

Why it works: This technique effectively primes your motor cortex, preparing your body for the precise movement required. It helps to subconsciously align your body towards your intended target. You can definitely notice this during a putt, where your eye contact will sometimes cause a steering or power adjustment at the very last millisecond.

I’ve been talking about this one a lot lately, so having bigger words to sound more convincing should speed things up. It seems I did involve science in this post back in 2023, but I’d since forgotten all the details!

Brain system involved: This process engages the visual-motor loop and the premotor cortex, which is crucial for planning and executing voluntary movements.

Breath Control (4–6 Breathing)

What to do: Prior to making key throws, practice a specific breathing pattern: inhale for 4 seconds, then exhale for 6 seconds. Or inhale for six, hold for 7, and exhale for 8. Try both!

When we say “key throws,” we really mean high pressure throws, and this exercise is proven to help when the moment threatens to be too big for us. We may not know we’re tightening up until it’s too late, so think of this as a worthwhile, quick, and simple preventative measure. Use your own competitive history as a guide, like the guy who takes a pill to prevent heartburn before he eats three chili dogs with extra onions. He lived and learned, and can we.

I touched on this subject, sort of, back in 2016, in this post about dealing with pressure putts. I didn’t mention the breathing technique or any other physiological solution, but my technique of removing all context and thinking of only the physical action likely produces a similar calming effect. But this breathing technique is certainly easier to implement.

Why it works: This controlled breathing technique is designed to activate your Vagus nerve, which plays a significant role in regulating internal organ functions. This activation helps to lower your heart rate and, in turn, stabilize your mechanics for a smoother throw.

In other words, it can help you get out of your own way and putt the same with the match on the line as you do in your back yard.

Brain system involved: The effectiveness of this method lies in its ability to influence the parasympathetic nervous system, which is responsible for the body’s “rest and digest” functions, promoting a calm state.

Time Dilation via Intentional Slowdown

What to do: Consciously slow down your movements both immediately before (but mind that 30-second rule) and after taking your shots.

Have you ever reflected after a disastrous hole that things seemed to move at a faster speed as they unraveled, or said to someone “I don’t know what I was thinking!”

Why it works: By deliberately slowing your pace, you create an opportunity for your brain to engage more deeply in decision-making. This prevents rushed or reactive movements.

Brain system involved: This technique leverages the prefrontal cortex’s ability to override limbic reactivity. The prefrontal cortex is responsible for executive functions like planning and decision-making, while the limbic system is associated with emotional responses.

I’m pretty sure this is what I was thinking when I posted Mind Control in Disc Golf back in 2021. I didn’t know prefrontal cortex trumps limbic reactivity back then, but from experience I knew we have the ability to anticipate and prepare for emotional spikes

Visualization + Execution (Mental Rehearsal)

What to do: Before physically throwing, vividly picture your entire throw in your mind with as much detail as possible.

This can work using your normal viewpoint (through your own eyes), and also by viewing yourself from an outside-the-body perspective. For instance, I currently first visualize the path want the disc to take, then visualize my body displaying the appropriate mix of balance, power, and timing during the throw, complete with the full follow-through.

I found one blog post from back in 2009 with visualization in the title, and it gives a short first-person (me) account of how powerful this technique can be. Here’s another personal testimony: My biggest margin of victory in a PDGA event (7 strokes, 10 strokes? I forget) was in 1998 at the San Francisco Safari. I used deep visualization on every throw, and I’ve never been so mentally spent after a round.

Why it works: Mental rehearsal is incredibly powerful because it activates the very same neural pathways in your brain that would be used during the actual physical action. This helps to pre-program your body for success.

Brain system involved: Key brain regions involved in this process are the motor cortex (responsible for planning, control, and execution of voluntary movements) and the cerebellum (which plays a role in motor control, coordination, and precision).

Give these tips some thought, and let me know if they help. Part 2 in this series will focus on Skill Learning and Efficient Practice.