In today's professional game, proficiency with both forehand and backhand shots has become the standard. Photo: Alyssa Van Lanen
When I was at my competitive peak, my biggest advantage on the course was that I was one of the only players on tour that threw the sidearm interchangeably with the backhand. This allowed me to throw the highest-percentage shot on every single hole. In today's game, most players can throw well from both wings, so owning a proficient sidearm has become a necessity.
There are many components to developing a sound sidearm technique, but these are the top three things that I teach that lead to the most radical improvement for my students.
Negative self-talk can undermine your confidence and lead to cascading consequences. Photo: Alyssa Van Lanen
By Dane Anderson
Positive self-talk is one of the most important skills you can use as a disc golfer. When you think constructive and hopeful thoughts, you are more likely to play with confidence rather than doubt and uncertainty. This is not surprising. The first step to cultivating positive self-talk, however, is developing your ability to notice when you are unwittingly employing negative-self talk on the course.
Have you ever been encouraged by a teammate, parent, or coach to “visualize” success? The theory behind such a directive is that the more you can imagine yourself playing the way you want to, the higher the chances are that the image will come to pass in real life. It is reasonable to believe that having mental pictures of ideal performance can provide athletes with a target to aim for during competition. The question is, how do you actually create these pictures whenever or wherever you need to?
Even a momentary lapse of focus on the golf course can lead to trouble. Photo: John Whinery / PDGA Media
By Dane Anderson
On the course there are many distractions that can interfere with a disc golfer’s ability to focus on the shot at hand. Whether it’s chatter from other players, the direction and speed of the wind, or thoughts about the next hole, opportunities to lose concentration right before a shot abound. Our minds synthesize countless pieces of information through the five senses at such a rapid pace, no wonder focusing can be so difficult. Add to these distractions the pressure of an important shot that could put you in the lead, and you have a recipe for potential disaster.
Dealing with a toxic cardmate can be a big distraction if you let it. Photo: PDGA Media / Alyssa Van Lanen
The short answer is, you must accept that you are competing in a sport and you don’t get to handpick who you get to spend all of your time with. Sometimes your competition is not somebody who you would want to go to lunch with afterwards or who you would want to marry your firstborn. That’s just the way it is.
Get your mind right, and the rest of your game will follow. Photo: Alyssa Van Lanen / PDGA Media
Disc golf is, at its core, a mental game. No matter how fit you are physically or how far you can throw the disc, your mindset plays a major role in determining how well you will perform.
And when it comes time for your first tournament, your mental game is tested on a whole new level. New nerves, new stress, and, of course, new ways to screw up. This can all take a toll and can lead to a pretty poor performance in your first tournament.
Improve your first PDGA tournament exprience by avoiding these five common mistakes. Photo: PDGA Tour
Everyone makes mistakes, especially as they are learning a new craft. But for those who want shorten the learning curve when making the transition to sanctioned tournament play, it will be useful to understand some of the most common mistakes made by beginners entering their first PDGA event.
Seth Munsey (back) helps Eagle McMahon prepare before a tournament. Courtesy photo
By J. Branden Garland, DC, CCSP and Seth Munsey, CSCS
We find ourselves in an unprecedented time. For many of us, this has been the longest stretch of time without disc golf in memory. We are used to playing with friends, taking part in regular league play, tournaments, and other forms of competitive disc golf. We depend on this not only for activity, but also as a social outlet.
Without disc golf, we all feel a gap in our lives. That said, there are things we can be doing to maximize our athletic potential on the course when things open up.
Madison Walker has battled a string of injuries but has used visualization and breathing strategies to come back stronger. Photo: Alyssa Van Lanen
The COVID-19 pandemic has upended life for many, forcing millions on stay-at-home orders to stop the spread of the novel coronavirus. And while it pales in comparison to the loss of life, staggering unemployment numbers, and broken social ties, disc golfers are still feeling the impact.
Simon Lizotte gives his tips for breaking down your driving form, including when to grab the right freeze frames. Photo: Alyssa Van Lanen
The COVID-19 pandemic has upended life for many, forcing millions of people on stay-at-home orders to stop the spread of this novel coronavirus. And while it pales in comparison to the loss of life, staggering unemployment numbers, and broken social ties, disc golfers are still feeling the impact.
A.J. Risley offers his intentional putting practice as a strategy disc golfers can employ away from the course. Photo: Eino Ansio
The COVID-19 pandemic has upended life for many, forcing millions of people on stay-at-home orders to stop the spread of this novel coronavirus. And while it pales in comparison to the loss of life, staggering unemployment numbers, and broken social ties, disc golfers are still feeling the impact.
