A Key to Success in Disc Golf and Beyond
What’s up, Disc Golf People?!
We’ve got another episode of the School of Disc Golf Crib Notes vlog series, where we share simple (sometimes easy, sometimes not) tips that can make a big difference in your disc golf game. Today’s topic is all about a radical concept that just might deliver your next Big Moment: Ignoring the score.
Have you ever felt the pressure mounting as you get closer to finishing a round with a personal best score? Maybe it’s beating your older brother for the first time after years of trying. Or the flip side, where early-round mistakes or bad breaks make you uber-aware of exactly how many birdies you need to get back to par.
These common experiences can be a major distraction, bad enough to turn some players off to competitive play for good.
Here’s the thing: when you start thinking about your overall score, you’re setting yourself up for potential failure. The mind must be fully focused on the task and nothing else. This isn’t just for disc golf. In all sports, or even in situations where precise execution is critical — like a bomb-defusing specialist, as an extreme example — focusing on the task at hand and not the potential outcome, is paramount. You can’t do that while also thinking about the ramifications of failure, or even what’s for lunch. And worst of all, you cannot do it while also thinking about the SCORE!
If you don’t want your round to blow up in your face, that is. Ha. Haha.
Moving on . . .
The core object of golf is to score the lowest you can on each individual hole. Tracking the total score over a certain number of holes is merely a construct created so we humans could scratch our competitive itch.
Therefore, except for rare exceptions, ignore the score!
This might seem counter-intuitive, but disc golf is no different than other endeavors in this regard. Think of a tightrope walker focusing on their next step, not the potential fall. Or a surgeon concentrating on the procedure, rather than the potential consequences. When it comes to performance, the mind needs to be singularly focused.
So, how do you train yourself to ignore the score? Just like you can teach your body to throw further, you can teach your mind not to dwell on your total score. It takes time and effort to change a habit.
I remember the day I became determined to accomplish this feat. At first, I noticed that I was thinking about the wrong thing only after the disc left my hand. The next step had me noticing this just before the disc left my hand, too late to stop the throw. After that, there was a stage where I realized in plenty of time that I was thinking about the wrong things but couldn’t stop myself from throwing anyway.
Finally, finally, I reached the point where I was not only better at thinking about the right things at the start of my routine; I was also better at identifying distracting thoughts and replacing them with the right ones. Sometimes a reset is required.
Just so you know, this is not like riding a bike— learn once and you’re good. Controlling these types of thoughts is like weight training. Slack off and you get weaker. I know this first-hand.
The mind needs to be fully focused on the task at hand, and nothing else.
Episode #001 of Crib Notes explains one of several methods I’ve used to help clients past the broader obstacle of thinking about anything but mechanics when it comes time to execute the shot. You can watch the short vid, but here’s the crux: When it comes to the ongoing cycle of assessment, planning, and execution during a round, divide yourself into two halves.
Player 1 does all the assessing and planning, while Player 2 focuses solely on execution, free from any second guesses or fear. But knowing the score does NEITHER OF THEM any good. Knowing the score easily leads to Player 2 tightening up; that much should be obvious by now.
The knowledge is just as dangerous to Player 1. They might make risky, pressing decisions based on the context of that moment in the round rather than characteristics of the hole, current weather conditions, and a carefully considered game plan. This reasoning even extends to not knowing the number of throws during a hole. How does knowing whether you’re lying 2 or 3 help you decide between the narrow gap straight or the wider opening 60 degrees left of the target? How can it help you execute the shot?
You can try our Player 1/Player 2 routine, or come up with one of your own. It’s just relatable packaging for the age-old challenge of being present and not tense in the moments that matter most. This will allow your mind to focus on your mechanics, which leads to better results.
There are exceptions to the policy, of course. If you’re playing an event that uses the match-play format, you need to know the score. If it’s down to the last hole or two and circumstances might dictate a different play than normal, you might want to know the score. Then again, like my buddy Assaf when he won his first PDGA event, you might stick with the “Ignorance is Bliss” mantra to the end.
However you choose to employ it, having the developed ability to “Ignore the Score” will help you to stay present, focus on each shot, and allow your training to shine through. It will prevent you from sabotaging a great round because you are too worried about getting a new personal best!
Ready to Get Better at Disc Golf, One Shiny Nugget at a Time?
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DISCERE LUDERE MELIUS!