Getting into the zone -- Visualization

A big part of rising to the next level is proper visualization of your throw before you make the throw. I'm sure there are various techniques out there. Mine is to visualize a long 'air duct' that starts about 3 feet in front of my throw and goes all the way to the target, or landing spot. The 'duct' should stay away from obstacles as much as possible.

Once that is visualized, then I pick a disc and throwing pattern that will go down that 'duct' (or zone) without touching the walls and line up with the duct.

Then I align my feet so a line from toe to toe goes directly towards the target. I close my eyes looking straight forward, put my hands at my sides. Then lift both arms up to shoulder level and sight down your arm at the zone/target. When properly aligned, I'm pointing right at the target without making any adjustment. If I'm off, I realign my feet and repeat the operation.

When it's all right and your in the zone, then throw. Rush it and you're disc is a taco, at least at our home course, which is full of BIG trees.

Always, Fred C

One may discover that too much meditation on the tee leads to errant abundance! There comes a time in our rounds when we must let all of our practice take over, visualise and execute. The body remembers more than our brain does! Have faith in your game, the body will do the rest! I have spent too many rounds wondering why all my focus and concentration is launching my plastic into the nearest tree. It is almost as if our brains override our bodies!
I trust my body more than my brain!

Perfect example : Have you ever played with somebody whom plays better under the influence? Their substance of choice turns the brain off and let's the body do the work!

One may discover that too much meditation on the tee leads to errant abundance! There comes a time in our rounds when we must let all of our practice take over, visualise and execute. The body remembers more than our brain does! Have faith in your game, the body will do the rest! I have spent too many rounds wondering why all my focus and concentration is launching my plastic into the nearest tree. It is almost as if our brains override our bodies!
I trust my body more than my brain!

Perfect example : Have you ever played with somebody whom plays better under the influence? Their substance of choice turns the brain off and let's the body do the work!



I was with you all the way to the "perfect example". Then my brain said ... forget the rest of the advice. If your theory was true, there wouldn't be millions of innocent people killed by drunk/drugged drivers every year. Your body requires the brain to be working in order to function at 100%. Best to keep it clear so you can LEARN how to use it correctly ... see first paragraph of your post. Use your brain to tell yourself to TRUST your body ... don't remove it from the process.

One may discover that too much meditation on the tee leads to errant abundance! There comes a time in our rounds when we must let all of our practice take over, visualise and execute. The body remembers more than our brain does! Have faith in your game, the body will do the rest! I have spent too many rounds wondering why all my focus and concentration is launching my plastic into the nearest tree. It is almost as if our brains override our bodies!
I trust my body more than my brain!

Perfect example : Have you ever played with somebody whom plays better under the influence? Their substance of choice turns the brain off and let's the body do the work!



I was with you all the way to the "perfect example". Then my brain said ... forget the rest of the advice. If your theory was true, there wouldn't be millions of innocent people killed by drunk/drugged drivers every year. Your body requires the brain to be working in order to function at 100%. Best to keep it clear so you can LEARN how to use it correctly ... see first paragraph of your post. Use your brain to tell yourself to TRUST your body ... don't remove it from the process.

You're using a completely and totally off-kilter example to make your point. It may be true that being 'high' isn't good for you, as you say... but to compare it to drunk driving is completely flawed and a terrible attempt at making a point. When a person is killed by a drunk driver/drugged driver it is because of reaction times.

The sport we play is disc golf, it isn't Ultimate Frisbee, it isn't Footie, it isn't Basketball, nor Hockey. This is DISC GOLF. Personally, unless somebody on another tee made a terribly errant throw, I haven't had to worry that much about reaction times in disc golf.

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Now on to how I visualize my throws in disc golf... The way I explain it to new players is to visualize a line coming off of your release point and on downward to the landing point. Now, you need to be careful because a lot of people will make the mistake of visualizing the line to the basket, but they fail to visualize where the line begins. Their line merely exists without a beginning.

The one thing you need to do to avoid hitting the earliest (and sometimes least noticed) obstacles is to visualize where in space your actual release point will be. Once you have the line, and you know where you'll be releasing from... you just get up and throw.


-Chris.

I like to walk the course's the day before , if possible .........................then when I sleep..............dream the best possible routes to fly the disc around the course.............kinda like a birds eye view of the disc..............crashing the chains though , usually wakes me up !!!!! :eek: BrrrrrinnnnggggggggClanggggggggggggChingggggggggg !!!!! :D

When he says they play better when they are loaded than when they are straight, he is not saying they play the best they possibly can. He was saying that they are mental and spaz out when it counts, so being loaded results in better play than spazzing. Those loaded players would play much better straight than loaded if they could learn to not be mental during competition.

At least that's how I read it. :)

On stand and deliver throws I normally by instinct line up my feet at 20 or 30 degrees away from a right angle but I have practiced a little with the strict 90 degree angle and it sure does seem to work quite well. My questions:

1.) I know Dr Fred lines up his shots at a 90 degree angle how about others?
2.) On a throw with a runup what angle is your lead foot at?


Thanks!

Now on to how I visualize my throws in disc golf... The way I explain it to new players is to visualize a line coming off of your release point and on downward to the landing point. Now, you need to be careful because a lot of people will make the mistake of visualizing the line to the basket, but they fail to visualize where the line begins. Their line merely exists without a beginning.

-Chris.



I've tried all types of techniques to harness my power (I'm blessed with a big arm...not much control. I'm like a disc golf barbarian. :) ) I did this technique for a while, but it wasn't working for me, so I reversed it.
Playing the course, I pick the landing zone that best suits the next shot...whether it's a putt or the upshot...then I visualize the line that will get me to the target. I then choose the disc that best suits the situation and execute.
Before I would look at the shot, pick the disc, visualize the line with the disc that I already picked out, then try to execute. This put me a situation that I had to dig deep to make a shot happen that might be alittle off-hilt because I already locked my mind into the scenario.

Work backwards and this will give you more predictable shots and results. Chris, your way was how I worked for years, but recently as I decided to play the course, not the other players, my game has started to shape-up between my ears. Having the confidence and a plan installed is the number one defense against bogeys.

Visualization and technique are only a small part in throwing a good golf shot. Confidence is the other. As stated earlier, let your body do the work! Turning your many many golf shots into muscle memory and using that confidence in your shot making ablility during rounds is a phenominal feeling. Having that confidence allows me to visualize the shot much better than just picking a line.

My preshot routine includes;
1) Take a look at the fairway, not the basket. (One of the big problems I used to have was trying to find the best way to the basket, not finding the line through the fairway)
2) Choose the best disc for the shot.
3) Make sure my lie is clear of debris.
4) Take a smooth practice swing and follow through to "feel the shot". This is probably the most important part for me because it helps to, well, feel the shot.
5)Execute with a clear head.

IMO, confidence is the attribute that will elevate your game to the next level. Along with confidence you need humility. When you do not make a good golf shot, do not let it linger. You are human and you make mistakes, all golfers do. Don't let that errant drive or missed put from hole 2 bother you on hole 3 or any other hole. Forget about it, have confidence that you can throw any shot, and execute with a clear head.