Can someone point me in the direction of putting advice while playing in tournaments?

When I practice putting I do pretty well. I can make 98% of < 15 footers, 85% from 20 feet, about 7/10 from 30 feet.
When I play in a tournament (any event really, even weekly dubs) I can't make a putt to save my life. Most of my missed putts fall short.

Is this common? It's driving me absolutely insane!! I've been practicing a lot but it seems to only be paying off in practice. I avoid rapid-fire practicing so I don't think thats it . . . it kinda seems like I become really timid when playing "for-real" and I can't get over it and it's in my head all the time which doesn't help the problem.

Breathe and count.

I had similar problems at the start of last year and was putting horribly during tournaments. What ended up working for me was to take a deep breath as I stepped up to my mini while focusing on the link I was aiming at. I would start going through my putting motion with my arm (disc in hand) while counting1 to 4 over and over until I felt calm and could see the path of the disc in the air. Then I would let go. Putts started going in more often and I played better overall.

It's a mental thing and I know many players who deal with it. If you don't feel comfortable, step back, take a breath and start again.

Of course, I also have the superstition of having the top of the disc facing the basket so it can see the target and where it's going. It started as part of doing things the same way every time but it's become more than that and I don't feel comfortable if I hold it any other way.

I suggest finding your own routine and superstitions but feel free to borrow mine until you do.

Max

Any chance you can change the nickname, or is that in essence WHAT you are asking....? Because it sounds like you are acting AS a big goombah. :o:D

Breathe and count.

It's a mental thing and I know many players who deal with it. If you don't feel comfortable, step back, take a breath and start again.




that's a big help. I was like that as well; prac okay, but putts in tourney/mini play were awful. So I take a deep breath, and bounce just a bit to keep my knees loose and keep my timing good. And if the setup is funky, I'll walk away and start over.

John, I was that way for years. It came down to four main things: fear, focus/feal, relaxation and distractions. The fear and the distractions can be dealt with by relaxation and focus. This next is predicated on you actually having a good "practice" putt as I did: You are not carrying the focus/feel of what makes your practice putt successful to competitive situations. You have been letting distractions/ fears pull your focus away from the feel of your successful putts. If you do not have a strong focus/feel, that allows you to confidently shoot the shot, distractions/fears can overcome you and shoot the shot for you. In other words, if you are afraid you will miss, you will. Often you will miss in the exact way you feared/expected. To take away the power of fears/distractions/negative expectations, you need to relax all of your muscles not necessary for a successful shot. Then you need to replace that muscular energy and expectations with the focus/"feeling"that you want. This is very important. You operate on feelings, not thoughts. Thoughts do invoke feelings, but they do nothing in an of themselves. Fears/distractions have no power without feeling. If you have a vacuum of successful feeling/focus, they can easily take over. If your focus/feeling is on your successful putt, they can't. You can use mantras to fill your thoughts and crowd out negative thoughts to avoid negative feelings. Mantras can be anything from jibberish to a meaningless song stuck in your head. Relaxation, mantra, and putt might work for you, but, although it did help me, the thing that got rid of the negative feeling for me was focusing on the feeling of the disc shooting out of my hand oriented and powered exactly as I wanted. The stronger my focus on this feeling, the more successful I am, but even a weak focus on the disc shooting out of my hand is way better than before. Good luck. I empathize with your frustration, and hope you can turn it around.

Put in so much practice that when you get to your lie and feel any nervousness coming, you close your eyes, breathe and think, "just in the front yard, just in the front yard," open your eyes, and BLAM!
Maybe during tournament play you're thinking too much. It sounds like you're worried about having to make long comebacks. I've found that whatever my last thought is before throwing/putting (2-3 seconds before the action, whatever my mind is resting on) that's what is going to happen. Think about the tree and hit it, think about running long and leave it short.
There will come a putt when you get so mad at yourself for leaving it short, it'll never happen again. When I shot a -14 round during the 2003 DGLO, I missed 2 putts on early holes and just about socked myself in the face. I ground my teeth, had a little talk with myself about being a pansy and after that, they all went in! :D It'll happen, just keep practicing.

Thank you guys for the great advice. All of your comments seem to be right-on with what's going on. It seems I picture myself missing the putt rather than making it, and fear the long-comeback. I definately need to relax and not get so nervous about it.
I'll certainly use the advice next time I play, thanks!

Here's another thought process away from the rest. Don't think about it. Get to your lie and without taking a bunch of time to calm yourself down and count and what not, just drain it.

I was in the same boat as you. Great at practice but a choker during tournament play. I adjusted many times doing the breathing, counting method, changing my stance or my routine. When I actually had someone videotape me during a round I noticed something. After all of this routine stuff when it came time to actually make the putt it was fast.

Someone said if you quit with the routine stuff and just got there and putted it would all work out. So I did. Brian Mcree has now compared my putt with that of Cam Todd or Walt Haney, 2 of the best putters out there. Stepping up and putting without a lot of thought process doesn't give your mind the time to start fearing the miss or comeback. If I do miss I know I'll drain the comeback. When I miss it usually at least hts the basket and there is now big comeback.

You may actually do this when you practice. Ask yourself this. When you practice do you go through the routine every putt? Or do you have a couple of dics in your hands and once one goes in the next one is right behind it beacuase you've found that perfect path? If it's the latter then this method will work for you.

Exact oppisite of what you're not susposed to do the rest of the time. You never think about the shot before or that bad shot X holes ago. It's all about the shot right now. Don't think about past shots and don't think about future shots. Just the shot right now.

Just laugh it off and relax. One time in a tournament, I had to take a bogey on a 180' hole because of a putting mistake. Since that was the easiest hole and the first hole, I pretty much gave up after that. It wasn't until a couple holes, and bogeys later that I realized that I wasn't going to get better. That's when I decided to just shrug it off and have some fun out there. Well I came from 5 over to 5 under in 18 holes. Now that's what I do when I putt, and it's been a great confidence builder. I'm actually better at putting when I'm playing for something.

It's funny but true, find your "happy place". I usually think of something funny. Take your mind off of the putt by thinking of something unrelated to disc golf. I usually think of a "Family Guy" episode or a funny quote right before I putt. Make the putt with a smile.

Next time you are going to putt think about this fact:

"There's only two things that can survive a nuclear holocaust, cockroaches and twinkies."

Twinkies (http://www.thehoya.com/guide/101504/guide7.cfm)

If you're hitting low, try aiming for the number plate until you start hitting high. This was a tip from Steve Valencia during random doubles before the Worlds in Dayton.(does he even play any more?)

Another tip - only think of reasons why you CAN make the putt, not why you CAN'T. This was a tip from John Daley. In regards to this, try watching the golf channel for tips on the mental part of the game. I never watched any golf until I started play DG tourys and now I find it helpful.

Get with a buddy and play DISC (like HORSE for basketball). Maybe even put a buck on it to simulate a little competition.

Good Luck!

I hit the biggest putt of my life this past weekend. 3 way tie for first coming into the last hole. I hit a 45-50 footer to win. Walk up and mark your lie. Clear your mind. Take a deep breath. Think no pressure, pick a link and hit it. If you have ANY distractions or you dont feel comfortable in the slightest bit, step back and start over. Thats what I do. Hope it helps.

EOG

I hit the biggest putt of my life this past weekend. 3 way tie for first coming into the last hole. I hit a 45-50 footer to win. Walk up and mark your lie. Clear your mind. Take a deep breath. Think no pressure, pick a link and hit it. If you have ANY distractions or you dont feel comfortable in the slightest bit, step back and start over. Thats what I do. Hope it helps.

EOG



EOG your the man

I hit the biggest putt of my life this past weekend. 3 way tie for first coming into the last hole. I hit a 45-50 footer to win. Walk up and mark your lie. Clear your mind. Take a deep breath. Think no pressure, pick a link and hit it. If you have ANY distractions or you dont feel comfortable in the slightest bit, step back and start over. Thats what I do. Hope it helps.

EOG



^^^Take this guys advice.

Eddie, I had the priviledge of playing the first round of Mooky's with you. You are a class act, bro. I learned a ton from you that round. I'm glad there was a snafu, or we never would have gotten to see you play.

Two wins in a row! Nice. :cool:

Peace

All great advice. One thing that has helped me imitate tournament putts is to duplicate the physical differences from the relaxed make it every time back yard putts. Try elevating your heart rate and breathing during yard practice by running or a light workout before putting practice. I've been in the situation during tourneys where my mind was ok but my body was "nervous". That stinks and you couldn't convice me that I had an arm let alone had to putt with it! :D

as for the problem stated here, i would say this is a VERY common problem amongst players.

the two most common technique breakdowns i see are caused by one of these two things:

1) last second fear of missing long causing a less aggressive stroke.
2) an intense focus on the path the putting motion will take without a focus on the power/speed with which that motion must take place.
3) both 1 and 2
the first case is usually a confidence issue. the second case is most commonly found with people who's motions mimick their putting form over and over again in slow motion.

there's two methods i have worked with players to combat this problem (and i have had this problem before as well).

if it is a problem (1) listed above:
spend less time focusing on the actual putt. spend your time before the putt making sure your body is lined up and your footing is solid and comfortable but do not concentrate on the putt itself. when you are ready, get yourself set and putt quickly. some extreme versions of this can be seen with players like cam todd and ron russell. both spend very little time actually eyeing up the putt after they are set in their stances. this method works especially well if you evaluate the putt risk/reward before you step up to throw, and even better if you are player who aims with their body and has trust in their stroke.

the downside of this method (as was very apparent in my game this past year) is that this requires a very large amount of confidence in your putting stroke. that is, if you know what a good putt feels like, you simply focus on executing the "good putt feel" and know that if you do it right, the putt will go in. without enough consistent practice, this feel can be lost and this method will break down over time. i do believe this to be a very effective method of freeing your mind from the putt and its impending consequences.

based upon your practice make percentages i would say this is probably what is happening, you are simply psyching yourself out. during my own putts, i look at the ground until i feel ready. i look up, make eye contact with my aim point, set, and fire. this takes less than 3 seconds.

if it is number 2... there is a different solution (that can be combined with what i have written so far).

chances are here is that you are simply putting too slow. you are most likely following the correct stroke path, just without enough "oomph." one method of correcting this is to just focus on putting enough juice on your putts.

another cause of this problem i have found is that people often make many slow motion "practice swings" before they actually putt. for some players, this sets their muscle memory in motion and their stroke emulates their slow motion practice swings, and not the full speed stroke that needs to happen.

my own personal method in regards to this is that my practice swings are done full speed and without the disc in my hand. i know the feel of my "good putt" by how my hand springs open at the release point. the last feel i want my body to have is the feeling of the good putt, and thus my practice strokes are my putting motion at the speed with which i know the putt must be executed with and a focus on the "good feel."

i hope this could help. i will emphasize that maintaining regular practice regimens end up being the most important part of putting. having confidence that you know what your good putt feels like and confidence that if you execute your good putt feel that the disc is going in 70% of the time or more, is key.

i hope this could help some.

Thanks for the advice, I get the putting mans blues everytime I play with Barry S. and can't seem to figure out why... I'll try some of the tips mentioned here.. Maybe it is because he is a pretty good golfer. :D

i'll bet that genius Bixby has some good advice on this topic. :D

i'll bet that genius Bixby has some good advice on this topic. :D


Yeah, special latex putting gloves. /msgboard/images/graemlins/smirk.gif

It seems I picture myself missing the putt rather than making it, and fear the long-comeback. I definately need to relax and not get so nervous about it.
I'll certainly use the advice next time I play, thanks!

Go to a bookstore or Amazon.com and get the book Zen Golf. I just finished the book and it has really changed the way I approach the mental part of the game.

Good idea chainiac, I'll look into that book.

Also, I've incorporated some of the advice posted here into my practice sessions (i.e. the mental aspect) and will have to see of it pays off this weekend at tourney time. Thanks again.

Good advice above.

The only real cure is playing tournaments every week until you're so sick of playing that you don't get scared during putting. You've transcended fear and are now up to fatigue and boredom!

A couple more tips that may or may not work for "fear putts" that end up low and on the weak side.

One mental thing of last resort is to get ANGRY! Just think "I can believe I'm choking again and again and again this just F'ing $ucks! I'm gonna jam this putt so far up its !$$ that it won't sit down for a week!" You may not putt any better, but at least it's a change over low/weak low/weak low/weak etc.

Another option that might trick you into putting higher is "too much, then back off". This means that when you are lining up your putt, you figure out what it takes to hit the basket too hard and too high, and then lay off 10% or whatever it takes to get the shot low and soft enough to go in. Taking 10-15% off a too-hard putt for me sometimes has the effect of smoothing out my putt and having better tempo and disc position, and helps the counter common tournament malady of overcontrolling a putt with your hands, instead of using more of the whole body in the putt.

I just pretend that I missed my first putt and that I'm throwing the second putt. Everyone knows the second one always goes in. :)

Having a good solid routine will help a lot with choking.
Do your routine in practice, do it while playing casual rounds, do it in tournaments. It takes the pressure out and helps make every putt the same.

Also, do something to take your mind off things that have nothing to do with your current shot. I like to count. Counting places your mind on the present.

Aim small - miss small.

Do your pre-shot routine.... focus on the lowest center of basket chain link and count links upward ... one thru seven... then hit link #7 with your putter.

If you miss link #7 by a little then you will still make the putt 90% of the time. If you are just trying to make the putt and you miss by a little you miss the putt 99% of the time.

good luck!

I have the same problem. Todd's advice is very good.

The part of your brain that accesses muscle memory does not operate well when the part of your brain that processes language is functioning. Don't putt if people are talking, even if those people are only in your own head!

Todd's counting thing works like a mantra. Without seriously engaging the parts of your brain that process language, it uses language without content to shut those parts down. You might not acheive cosmic consciousness, God awareness or pure bliss with, "One, two, three, four, five, six, breathe, putt," but you will hit more putts.

I'm going to offer up an exercise that may help in your approach to more than just putting. It's what I like to call "removing yourself from the end result". The principle can be applied to putting, driving, upshots, business practices - whatever!! In a nutshell - it means to take control of that which is closest to you knowing that it will achieve your desired end result.
Where this differs from Todd's advice (which isn't bad advice- just different) and others - is that it takes the target away from the basket or chains - and brings it closer to your point of release. Which point - or how close - is largely up to the player.

The exercise is one of visualization. We've all putted a million times. But most folks are focused on the basket - which in all cases - is the thing furthest from you. Under this principle - that which is furthest from you is the thing you can control the least (or with the least amount of consistency). This exercise requires that you take a mental snapshot of what the disc looks like at some point during it's flight. That point could be 3' out of your hand, or 3' in front of the basket - doesn't matter. But if you know how high, and at what angle the disc should be in order to make it into the basket - and you can match that spot in space - the disc will go in every time.
To make this exercise work - it's easiest to start with short putts - let's say 15 footers. This is a comfortable distance - and visualizing the disc 3 feet out of your hand is pretty easy. Once you get the hang of not looking at the target (the end result - and the thing furthest from you) directly - it becomes easier to picture a spot in the air when you back up to 30 feet and more.

Relaxing and clearing your mind is of course an essential element in the entire game - and especially in putting. I like to tell people thet if they can tell me what they are thinking while putting........they are thinking too much!! I like to try and set myself and relax with essentially two or three deep breaths. The first is to set your feet and be comfortable in your stance. The second (and/or third) becomes a timing exercise - where the putt coincides with the final push of your exhalation. The putt is at the bottom of your breath - it's the last thing to come out of your body. And hopefully it's coming out and hitting a spot you can't miss - a couple feet in front of you.

I'll elaborate on examples of how this principle can be used to help drives, etc. if anybody shows interest. Hope this helps.

A little piece of Craig's DG World :)

Well I had my first chance to incorporate all this puttng advice into my tournament play today but unfortunately it didn't go so well. Through the first 14 holes I had 5 putts between 15 and 35 feet and I missed them all, short. I was so depressed that I used a Firebird to putt the last 4 holes, and I actually made putts from 20 and 35 feet. (the other 2 holes were tap-ins so I just used my aviar instead)

I used the Firebird for the second round (for putts under 35 ft) and made one 35 footer out of about 3 total putts between 15 and 35 feet. (this was a doubles event so my partner had made some putts from this range before I had a chance, which is why my total attempts may be a bit low.)

I can't pinpoint the problem but I know for sure that I was still thinking too much. I was trying to remember all of the advice but I couldn't seem to mimic my practice stroke. I think I had success with the firebird b/c when I used it, it felt like I had nothing to lose.

Either way, I am still very confused & depressed.

I will try again during weekly dubs tomorrow, but will stick to my Aviar.

Just pick out one little part of all the advice that you like and incorporate that into your style. Once you get that down then move on to another that make sense to you. Don't try to do them all at once.

the best advice i have received on putting is: develop a consistant routine and follow it every time , do not deviate.Also treat every putt with equal importance!!

Todd's is good advice!!

When all else fails - just laugh at it and pitch it in :) Much like your cavalier approach to putting w/a firebird. By all means - stop thinking!!

If you need to do something to shed bad patterns - play a little speed golf. Carry one or two discs and jog through a round or set of 9 holes. This will force you to just "do" instead of giving yourself the opportunity to "try and do".

Lots of good advice but get the book (Zen Golf). I paid under $15 on Amazon. It's not a long book or difficult reading.

believe me as a choker i know, that what you want to do when you step up to that last crucial shot or putt is think about everything that can possibly go wrong, while at the same time think about all the times you've choked in the past. if you're playing open, it also doesn't hurt to think about how much ca$h is riding on your next putt/shot. also, concentrate on every minute detail of your mechanics as you prepare to throw/putt, causing your disc to unavoidably come out floppy and limp upon release. once you airball your clutch putt, make sure to putt your comeback with a firebird (or comparably overstable driver from different manufacturer)... hard. this way when it cuts through, you lose by 2 instead of 1, and it appears that you were outplayed, not that you choked.

however, if you would rather be successful ignore or do the opposite of all of the above. also, putting with the bag on helps sometimes...

also, putting with the bag on helps sometimes...


Especially with straddle putting!

Lots of good advice but get the book (Zen Golf). I paid under $15 on Amazon. It's not a long book or difficult reading.



I went to Barnes & Noble yesterday but couldn't remember the name of this book so I bought another one about the mental game of golf. It looks pretty interesting so far, but maybe I'll order Zen Golf anyway, as an extra reference.
---
I played weekly dubs yesterday and choked up a storm on the putting green (including a playoff-losing 20 footer off the front of the basket). Then I played a casual round and my putting was on-fire! I hit about 9 out of 10 from inside 40 feet. So that is why I ran to the bookstore afterwords, hahaha.

Todd - I like that approach. I'll jkust take one piece of advice at a time . . .

[quoteI went to Barnes & Noble yesterday

[/QUOTE] B & N in my area didn't have it either or if they did they were sold out.

Last Monday after finishing the book I gave it to an uncle to read. I checked with him today and he said he finished it but is in the process of rereading it. :eek:

I'll do the same (if he ever gives it back).

Be patient in developing a routine.
A routine can take months to fully develop.
Ball golf books have good tips on developing a routine.