I haven’t played disc golf frequently for the past year and a half. Some you already know that I have been working on my Master’s degree, which unfortunately takes priority over disc golf. I am, however, fortunate enough to have a field behind my office to throw discs during my lunch hour. While getting back to field work after taking weeks off at a time, I have recognized a few patterns and learned a few important lessons about my game. Hopefully some of these disc golf insights can help you also.
Inconsistency Makes Improvement Difficult
Let’s start with a simple concept. Inconsistency in almost any aspect of life is rarely conducive for improvement and his includes your disc golf game. Inconsistent disc golfing has hampered my ability to improve and my overall disc golf skills have not improved significantly over the past year and a half. If I want to get better, I need to get out and disc golf more consistently. My post graduation plan includes more disc golf!
Fundamentals Can Save Your Game
I have had to prioritize which aspects of my game to work on in my limited time on the course. As a result I have lost some distance and don’t have all the shots I used to. Regardless of this, my scores have not decreased significantly. The reason is because my fundamentals are strong and I have maintained consistency. I predict that I’ll begin improving again once school is out and I can play more often.
Your Body Changes
Each time I throw after taking time off, I notice that my form has changed. Some of this is due to muscle memory loss, but a lot of it is from my body changing. Gaining or losing weight, sustaining or recovering from injury, flexibility and muscular balance all affect your form. The longer you stay off the course, the more your body changes and you may need to adjust your form when you grab your disc again.
Disc Golf Requires Muscles You Rarely Use
To be fair I have know this for a long time. Still, sore back and arm muscles remind me of this every time I hit the course after a hiatus. I run and lift weights frequently but nothing hits my disc golf muscles like playing disc golf.
I Have Bad Habits
We all have bad habits in our form. In some cases we are aware of them and other cases we are not. I have found that taking time off can help break me of some of those bad habits and allow me to work on purifying my form. Unfortunately you may also be likely to forget some of the good habits that are difficult to maintain, but let’s go glass-half-full here. The important thing is for you to identify what has changed in your form and rebuild with the proper technique.
Knowledge Is Powerful
While away from the course, I have read many disc golf articles and watched a number of videos. The extra time I have spent researching about technique and strategy has taught me many things I would not have discovered on the course myself. I also rediscovered lessons that I had learned years ago. Now I have a list of form items to work on with my newly purified form and I have new strategies to improve my game. Knowledge has the potential to propel my game beyond what it has ever been. Of course knowing these things is only the start and I will need to execute properly when I return to the course.
New Discs are Motivating
Let’s be honest, I really don’t need more discs. But sometimes when I haven’t been to the course in a while picking up a new disc can keep my excitement level high. Just having a new disc arrive at my door gets me thinking about throwing and can encourage me to get in a field testing session during lunch. Even though a field session isn’t an 18 hole round, it’s still disc golf.
Old Reliable Discs are Important
We’ve always preached and intimate knowledge of your discs. This is even more important after you’ve taken time off and are returning to the disc golf course. If you have a few reliable discs that you’ve thrown for many years then leaning more heavily on those discs can help you get back into your groove. Knowing how your old faithful discs should feel in your and how they should fly will provide indications of how your throw is working. Plus a little added consistency can go a long ways.
Disc Golf Makes Me Feel Good
Seems pretty obvious right? Well here’s what I mean. I don’t just feel good when I am on the course and it’s not just a matter of having fun to reduce stress. I know an awful lot about disc golf and I love talking about discs and strategy. When I participate in something that I know and love so much, it improves my overall confidence. I carry this confidence with me through the rest of my life and there is a noticeable difference from when I play disc golf and when I don’t. Disc golf is a staple in my life.
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