🥏 Welcome to the fifth post in this limited series on improving Disc Golf Putting. You can read the first post introducing the series here.
Write about what you don't know about what you know. —Eudora Welty
This series is tailored for intermediate level players so we won't cover much in the way of beginner concepts and I assume you have knowledge of the jargon.
A word about format. These are more essays than blog posts. This is intentional. There are many serving the DG market with tips and tricks that teach us how to adjust our game for the better. There are also many who provide great video and image to help us improve our form and for our entertainment. I use them often.
Here the intention is a deeper exploration into the more cerebral concepts that can only be addressed with words. If you are of a mind, I'm glad to have you along as we research and seek understanding in the depths.
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In the last post, we talked about a better way to practice. The most effective and efficient way to grow the skill of putting so that we get to a place of automatic to lighten the mental load for other skills to develop and to be more comfortable in competition.
That practice helped me build strength and endurance. And, I found the bonus benefit of early fatigue detection. Let's examine.
Detecting Fatigue
It's often been said that the hardest thing to do in disc golf is to throw the disc straight. Not for me. The most difficult thing for me is was to detect mild fatigue. When there's enough to affect my throws but not so much that I feel run down or out-of-sorts. And haven't yet lost my mind.
This new-found ability to detect minor fatigue in my putting was what sparked this series. Detect it before traveling far down that death spiral of fatigue -> mistake -> frustration -> fatigue -> mistake -> frustration... because recovery is more difficult further down, making it harder to manage the mental and emotional game in all areas.
Previously, I would begin to notice after having taken additional strokes from loss of edge control and poor decision making. That was too late.
This new-found ability to detect minor fatigue in my putting was what sparked this series. Detect it before traveling far down that death spiral of fatigue -> mistake -> frustration -> fatigue -> mistake -> frustration... because recovery is more difficult further down, making it harder to manage the mental and emotional game in all areas.
Previously, I would begin to notice after having taken additional strokes from loss of edge control and poor decision making. That was too late.
Sources of Fatigue
Does it matter when it rolls in? Can't we simply assume fatigue after a certain number of holes? Does it matter if it's physical or mental?
Yes. No. Maybe. Depends. The jury is still out. But, it's time for me to try something new. Hopefully it can help you too.
Yes. No. Maybe. Depends. The jury is still out. But, it's time for me to try something new. Hopefully it can help you too.
All advice is biographical...when people give you advice they're really just talking to themselves in the past. —Austin Kleon in Steal Like an Artist
Can we detect when things are just beginning to slide?
I think so.
When I'm fresh and relaxed and calm on the putting green my tendency is to hit the basket just a bit right of my intended target with a flat disc from a smooth-flowing form. When I make a mistake, it's typically a right-side miss that's firm but with proper angle and speed. Sometimes it will be too high or too low, but the key is that my form and the disc's flight are what I expect.
When I'm just a bit run down physically, but still making putts and executing my form, there's a hint of flutter and/or a hyzer angle (not hyzer flight) on the disc.
I read that flutter as the beginnings of loss of form in the shape of an un-clean release and, since the hyzer angle is unconscious, a signal from my body that I didn't quite send the signal all the way to the finger tips, that's how to hold flat flight, to hit the putt. Close calls & misses are still strong but can be right & low off the cage or hitting the chains left of my intended target.
When I slide further down the fatigue slope, I either release late & poorly, so it's an airball to the right, or I've put a hyzer flight on the disc so I'm missing left. Most misses are weak, often glancing off the chains or cage.
Way down the fatigue spiral and anything can happen. I not only miss, I miss ugly. Low, high, left, right, and even the made putts can be frightful. It's about not executing on form. And then my confidence evaporates and doubt creeps in. We've all been there.
When I'm fresh and relaxed and calm on the putting green my tendency is to hit the basket just a bit right of my intended target with a flat disc from a smooth-flowing form. When I make a mistake, it's typically a right-side miss that's firm but with proper angle and speed. Sometimes it will be too high or too low, but the key is that my form and the disc's flight are what I expect.
When I'm just a bit run down physically, but still making putts and executing my form, there's a hint of flutter and/or a hyzer angle (not hyzer flight) on the disc.
I read that flutter as the beginnings of loss of form in the shape of an un-clean release and, since the hyzer angle is unconscious, a signal from my body that I didn't quite send the signal all the way to the finger tips, that's how to hold flat flight, to hit the putt. Close calls & misses are still strong but can be right & low off the cage or hitting the chains left of my intended target.
When I slide further down the fatigue slope, I either release late & poorly, so it's an airball to the right, or I've put a hyzer flight on the disc so I'm missing left. Most misses are weak, often glancing off the chains or cage.
Way down the fatigue spiral and anything can happen. I not only miss, I miss ugly. Low, high, left, right, and even the made putts can be frightful. It's about not executing on form. And then my confidence evaporates and doubt creeps in. We've all been there.
So, you're a geek, how does this help My game?
I share all this in the hope that it will lead not simply to diagnosis of fatigue level, but that it will give us a path to knowing how much of in-game fatigue is physical and how much mental.
We know there is always a mental component to playing below our capability and to putting woes. Always. But, I know that even a small amount of physical fatigue, unmanaged, amplifies overall fatigue and sends me further down the spiral.
We know there is always a mental component to playing below our capability and to putting woes. Always. But, I know that even a small amount of physical fatigue, unmanaged, amplifies overall fatigue and sends me further down the spiral.
What does physical fatigue look like for you?
What does the flight and attitude of the disc look like when you are at your best? Are you hitting your intended target?
What does it look like when you are just a little fatigued? Moderately fatigued?
It takes a lot of reps to suss these things out. I'm suggesting you take the time at your home basket when you don't have distractions and practice to physical fatigue.
Use the practice method from the last post where you choose the distance just beyond your comfort zone, where you will make many and miss many. Take your time and focus on the errors and how to correct. Once you get into flow and can putt rapidly, this is the time to note flight and targeting characteristics.
Once you are a little physically fatigued, take mental notes on the differences in the flight, disc attitude, how you miss, targeting, and what goes wrong with your form.
This doesn't have to all happen in a single session. In fact, it's better if it's not a marathon session but several shorter sessions. If you get mentally fatigued, walk away and come back when you are fresh of mind since we are trying to see the effects of physical fatigue here.
Once you've done your intel gathering, you can devise your personal adjustments.
Or not.
What does it look like when you are just a little fatigued? Moderately fatigued?
It takes a lot of reps to suss these things out. I'm suggesting you take the time at your home basket when you don't have distractions and practice to physical fatigue.
Use the practice method from the last post where you choose the distance just beyond your comfort zone, where you will make many and miss many. Take your time and focus on the errors and how to correct. Once you get into flow and can putt rapidly, this is the time to note flight and targeting characteristics.
Once you are a little physically fatigued, take mental notes on the differences in the flight, disc attitude, how you miss, targeting, and what goes wrong with your form.
This doesn't have to all happen in a single session. In fact, it's better if it's not a marathon session but several shorter sessions. If you get mentally fatigued, walk away and come back when you are fresh of mind since we are trying to see the effects of physical fatigue here.
Once you've done your intel gathering, you can devise your personal adjustments.
Or not.
Trust the swing putt you brought to the course
So, I've talked about this fantasy world where there exists a state of only physical fatigue. I've suggested you spend a lot of valuable practice time determining what happens when you are there, implying there are concrete adjustments that can be made during competition to remedy.
While I don't believe fatigue is ever solely physical, I do stand by my recommendation to spend the practice time to figure out the fine and gross things that happen to your putting to help you recognize your fatigue level in the noise of a tournament.
But, I expressly don't recommend making physical adjustments during the tournament.
For our mental health, we need to have clear separation between practice and competition. Practice is for improving our foundation with a strong focus on ensuring there are errors and focusing on closing the gap on those errors. Competition is to test that foundation.
If we attempt to make adjustments to our foundation in-round, we send the unconscious message that we are either doing it wrong or that it is time to practice. That is is time to make errors and examine them and repeat in order to fix them. Either of these can jump start the death spiral. At best, we are likely to kick off that frustrating tennis match of missing low-missing high-missing low-missing high-missing low...
I speak from experience.
While I don't believe fatigue is ever solely physical, I do stand by my recommendation to spend the practice time to figure out the fine and gross things that happen to your putting to help you recognize your fatigue level in the noise of a tournament.
But, I expressly don't recommend making physical adjustments during the tournament.
For our mental health, we need to have clear separation between practice and competition. Practice is for improving our foundation with a strong focus on ensuring there are errors and focusing on closing the gap on those errors. Competition is to test that foundation.
If we attempt to make adjustments to our foundation in-round, we send the unconscious message that we are either doing it wrong or that it is time to practice. That is is time to make errors and examine them and repeat in order to fix them. Either of these can jump start the death spiral. At best, we are likely to kick off that frustrating tennis match of missing low-missing high-missing low-missing high-missing low...
I speak from experience.
So, what can I do to minimize fatigue?
All that practice time to recognize when things are beginning to slide is meant to serve as a reminder to draw us back to our best mental place, the place that brings out our best game in all ways.
What follows is a list of concepts that can help. Most are stolen from other authors, some are trite, a few are my own, and they are all linked. They apply to every area of our game but we'll tilt them towards on-the-green application here. There are more than any one person can employ but I want you to be able to pick the few that work best for you.
Some of these will get additional treatment next time when we examine the mental game. I've already mentioned the first and it is one that I recommend for everyone, a reliable mantra for all.
What follows is a list of concepts that can help. Most are stolen from other authors, some are trite, a few are my own, and they are all linked. They apply to every area of our game but we'll tilt them towards on-the-green application here. There are more than any one person can employ but I want you to be able to pick the few that work best for you.
Some of these will get additional treatment next time when we examine the mental game. I've already mentioned the first and it is one that I recommend for everyone, a reliable mantra for all.
- Trust the putt you brought to the green [1]. You've done the work and prepared for this tournament, now it's time to put that to the test. If it doesn't go well, you have intelligence for your next practice session.
- Play like you practice. EMS workers are trained, taught, and tested in environments that simulate real world conditions because research shows that in-field behavior under pressure will precisely mimic what was practiced. If you don't like the play, change the practice.
- Concentrate on doing your routine every time. When I'm on the edge of my distance or am mentally slipping, I like to use a practice swing to remind me of how to execute my form. Follow through. Follow through. Follow through.
- Play within yourself. Know your circle of competence, your risk tolerance, have a game plan, and execute on it.
- Slow. Down. This is the only shot there is.
- Aim for the chopping block [2]. The axe won't severe the wood unless we aim for the block underneath. Aim to hit the pole or the imaginary person standing behind the basket rather than the front of the chains.
- Pre-round warm up only, not practice. Putt enough to get the energy flowing and let your neurons & myelin know what's coming, but too many practice putts can cause physical fatigue that can show up in-round or can trick your mind into thinking it's time for practice where we are error-focused.
- Make quick notes during the tournament so you can put those thoughts behind you because stowaway thoughts, bad or good, can wreck concentration. This helps us close the door on mistakes & bad outcomes until we are away from the course and can review with dispassion.
- Review your notes at your next practice session to close the gaps on errors and reinforce what went well. If there was a bad outcome when you did everything right, give yourself a treat to take out the sting and move on.
What about adjusting mental target when always missing the same way? This is player and situation dependent and the only in-game adjustment I consider. Try it if you're desperate, but, if it kicks off the ping-pong effect of missing high-missing low-missing high-missing low... that's a sign to refocus all your mental energy on foundation.
That's what I have. Please share additional ideas you have. Practice intelligently and take the time to understand your fatigue signals. Prepare for tournaments in body, mind & spirit, and trust the putt you brought to the green.
Next Time: Mental Game. After that, I anticipate two more posts, for a total of 8.
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References
[1] "Trust the swing you brought to the course" —Dr. Bob Rotella in Golf is Not a Game of Perfect
[2] "Aim for the chopping block" —Annie Dillard in The Writing Life
[2] "Aim for the chopping block" —Annie Dillard in The Writing Life
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You can subscribe to this blog by email or RSS feed to be sure you don't miss any posts. There is a no-questions-asked, unsubscribe link included with every post.
For your privacy protection, I don't use spy pixels or analytics and will not share your email address or use it for promotion and neither does the platform Hey.com
I write entirely to find out what I’m thinking. —Joan Didion