Argument #1

[Ruder]

In this thread I will argue why it is counterproductive, despite popular belief, to think about your next shot before arriving to it - including the walk up to it.

In the upcoming series of posts I will usually be fighting an uphill battle but hopefully some good discussion will be sparked.

To start it off, I think it is a bad habit.

[Master Dyck]

After thinking about your statement, I would have to agree with it. Until you get to your disc, how do you know what to think about? obstacles? wind direction? distance to the basket? There are too many factors that go into your decision making process that you can't possibly know until you are standing behind your disc. Clouding your mind with all these thoughts before you need to, cause undo stress and, as you put it, counter productive thoughts.

Instead, you should be thinking happy thoughts.(especially if you've just had a bad throw) You should be clearing your mind of all the negative thoughts that tend to run through ones mind during any given time on the course. Playing relaxed is key to good play. So instead of thinking about your next shot while you are walking, you should be working on your mental game. Much more productive. Easier said than done, I know. I'm just saying what I think should be done.

[doc]

In this thread I will argue why it is counterproductive, despite popular belief, to think about your next shot before arriving to it - including the walk up to it.

In the upcoming series of posts I will usually be fighting an uphill battle but hopefully some good discussion will be sparked.

To start it off, I think it is a bad habit.

Hmmmm, I'm going to agree with you.........only IFF the act of thinking about your shot causes you an increased likelihood of F'ing it up.

Otherwise... ...being in a zone where it all clicks is quite cool...when it happens, anyways...

[Ruder]

I wasn't expecting anyone to agree with me..... argh

[Ruder]

In a nutshell my philosophy is this and it works like a math equation, I guess.

Stay in the present with whatever you are doing. The present is only an instance of time and is constantly changing/moving. Future and past are both anything but the present.

If it is bad to dwell on previous holes then it must be bad to dwell on future holes. If it is bad to dwell on previous shots then it is bad to dwell on future shots. You can't change the past and you can't predict the future. You can only use the tools you have to shape what is to come.

This all has to do with focus, you can't focus on a shot if you are thinking about what is to come or what has happened. If you practice on your focus your overall game should improve. Emotions will be put in check. How can you be mad, angry, dissapointed, etc if you are focused? It only takes that instance of time to put a missed putt/shot in the past.

Someone said once that they won a tournament one hole by a time. If they won it one hole at a time they must have also won it won shot at a time, or even one step at a time.

[ronconversjr]

As long as the thoughts you are having are just a continuation of the flow of your focus and not an interuption, thinking about your next shot while waiting for the other players (INSTEAD OF THINKING ABOUT THIER PLAY)to finish thier play can be a good thing.For example if you are playing the course and thinking of the best way to attack a tricky lie this is not a bad thing .this is sort of like deciding whether to run at a putt which is outside your percentage range,with chances of trouble(bonus strokes) or to play safe .The truly instinctive player who just shoots without thinking may make it a larger percentage of the time ,but that increase( caused by no fear )is not enough to offset the times the shot is missed.The player who knows thier limitations, calculates the %gain vs. % loss,and may lay up rather than risk losing unnecessary strokeS.Ask Smitty about laying up on "easy" putts when all you need is par to win.Thinking is not necessarily a bad thing.Planning general strategy while walking to your lie can allow extra time for crucial stategy decisions.This is most evident on 4 shot or 5 shot holes where changes in conditions dictate changes in strategy mid hole.

[Ruder]

The truly instinctive player who just shoots without thinking may make it a larger percentage of the time ,but that increase( caused by no fear )is not enough to offset the times the shot is missed.The player who knows thier limitations, calculates the %gain vs. % loss,and may lay up rather than risk losing unnecessary strokeS.Ask Smitty about laying up on "easy" putts when all you need is par to win.Thinking is not necessarily a bad thing.Planning general strategy while walking to your lie can allow extra time for crucial stategy decisions.

All of that would/should be included in instincts

[ronconversjr]

depends on your attitude and aggressive tendencies sometimes reining in an urge to MAKE that 50ft puttis harder than it seems

[gippy]

I just played my 1st tourney of the year and gave it the guy i was tied with on the last hole cuz i wanted to out drive him instead of playing smart. All thought about before i was on the box. I was like ok i can get at least 90-100 ft past him easy. Well No i ended up about 60ft behind and off to the right he got a 3 and myself a 4. Lost by a stroke. All and all a good day winnings will cover my entry to next tourney but.............I HAD HIM

[Schoen-hopper]

depends on your attitude and aggressive tendencies sometimes reining in an urge to MAKE that 50ft puttis harder than it seems

This reply and one made earlier about lobbing downhill putts points to the same point Ron is making.

When you are choosing to go for it, lay up, or throw a lob putt... weight the percentages of gaining a stroke (1 putting) vs. losing a stroke (3 putting). The choice that's the most in your favor should be the one you COMMIT to.

[ronconversjr]

thanks Mike .Yes that is one of the points I was trying to make,but on the subject of thinking while playing...Stopping and weighing your options requires knowing the options currently available.This can be trained to almost an instinctive response through experience, however,IT DOES`NT START THAT WAY.Having a logic tree of responses requires knowing the proper response to begin with.As the situation changes you need to be thinking about what is going on to apply your knowledge correctly.Practicing builds the library of correct response patterns.Smart play means applying it correctly.