This weekend, in a decent sized, highly competitive (best Adv players in the area) tournament. I shot 3 really good rounds to put me within 1 stroke of the lead. Third was 1 behind me, two people at 4th were 2 strokes behind me and 6th was 3 strokes behind me. So going into the 4th and final round the competition was really tight, but I had been with them the entire weekend.

On the short course we were on Sunday, 6-7 down was an average score. I shot the best 3rd round at -9, so going into the 4th I was fairly confident. It was my homecourse so I knew all the holes and how the wind behaved.

Well I was leaving myself with lots of 25-30ft birdie putts. Where I was making them the first 3 rounds, I missed them the final round. I even bogied a 190ft down hill wide open hole. I ended up taken 6th. 8 behind the leader, 3 out of second(tie), 2 out of 4th and 1 from 5th.

I have only been playing 1 year, and it was my first time on the leader card, I have had plenty of play on the second card in prior tournaments. Is the fairly common? How do you get over this? Or do I just need more tournament experience? I have only played in 4 tournaments as MA2, and 13 as MA1 (including Bowling Green and World Doubles) since I started throwing a disc last Feburary. Please help, I need to get over this before I ever consider moving up.

It seems like you were paying too much attention to the other guys and how they were shooting. Especially if it is your home course you should just play your game and try to minimize your mistakes(bogies on short holes). Once you get out of the match play mentaltity and focus on the sot at hand you will see your scores and tournament finishes get better. /msgboard/images/graemlins/smirk.gif /msgboard/images/graemlins/smirk.gif

Matt's advice is the key, Kris. Focus on you and your game and let the chips fall where they may.

Experience also is a great asset in those situations. I know earlier in my disc golf career, I actually dreaded being on the lead card because I never seemed to play well...I preferred to be a couple strokes out and on the second card where I couldn't see what the leaders were doing (out of sight, out of mind).

Now I have more experience with it under my belt, it's not that big of a deal anymore, but it can still get to me once in a while. You just have to keep in mind that the only thing you can control is how well you play. If someone else is making birdies or lighting up the course, so what...sometimes it's better to focus on your game rather than try to match him shot for shot, you'll be better for it in the final standings.

--Josh

I also used to HATE being on the lead card at a tournament. I used to love coming from behind and making a big jump into the top 4 or 5 spots. Matts right though. I was always too worried about what everyone else on the card was doing and I could never focus enough on my game to get the lead or keep a lead.

After being on the lead card for the 2nd and 3rd round in AZ and holding onto a lead and winning I actually now PREFER to be on the lead card because it makes me FOCUS on my game alot more for some reason. I just focuz alot better now when im at the top or near the top. Its definatley an experience thing as well. The more times you play on the lead card the easier it becomes to produce good rouns under those conditions.

After a couple more rounds on the lead card youll prolly start to like it as I have.

Good luck

How did I know, you would somehow work into the post that you won at the Memorial. :(

Do you think you could make a comment without talking about how you won at the memorial and placed well at Bowling Green, which by the way, I'm very surprised you didn't mention that one also.

It seems like you were paying too much attention to the other guys and how they were shooting.

I agree.
Are you also watching your score too much? Do you find yourself asking to see the scorecard during a round? If a friend sees you during a round and asks you how you are doing how do you answer them? 1 over, 4 under, even??? You maybe putting added pressure on yourself by looking at or knowing your score. Try playing a round (league or casual) where you mark your score down after a hole and then forget it and move on to the next hole. Then after the round add up your score. This has really helped my game. I used to keep track of my score in my head like most golfers do in a casual round but I found myself pressing more when I had a bad hole or two. "Come on! You're +1. You need to make up for that missed putt or bad drive." Or "I'm only 3 under when I'm normally 5 under after 9 holes." Give it a try. It's not that much extra work to jot down your score. What have you got to lose except a couple of strokes. ;)

Its a FACT!!! Why not state it. If no one on here is going to give me credit for it Ill give credit to myself.

Whenever I play well you message board sissys ALWAYS find someway to try and discredit it!!!

How bout you guy stop whining and crying and worrying about me and go out and practice so you can keep up with me :eek:

By the way did i mention I won a SuperTour and Placed 7th at the biggest Am Tournament other then worlds :D

Its a FACT!!! Why not state it. If no one on here is going to give me credit for it Ill give credit to myself.
Class acts never blow their own horn.

Whenever I play well you message board sissys ALWAYS find someway to try and discredit it!!!
I wasn't discrediting it, I simply made a point that its all you talk about and you try to work it into every thread.

How bout you guy stop whining and crying and worrying about me and go out and practice so you can keep up with me You are the last person I would ever worry about, punk kids are like flys, they're annoying.

By the way did i mention I won a SuperTour and Placed 7th at the biggest Am Tournament other then words?
Yes, your mentioning of it and your post count parallel each other.

Something along he same lines as those above. Did you feel pressure to force a few shots if you dropped a stroke early. I have played against a few players like that. If they had the lead, they were hard to beat, but if you got a stroke or two on them early in the round, they started to force shots and took themselves out of it.

Play your game, breaks usually work both ways and the only score that matters is the one at the end of the round. A stroke or two swing up or down during the round is nothing to get excited about. If you are playing well, you'll get them back, and most players have a bad hole or two somewhere in the round.

I was doing the same thing sunday (tracking my score vs others). It was pretty cool to see the guy just 1 stroke in front of me trip (6) on the last hole and I beat him with bogie. It does help to know where your standing twards the very end, so you know if you have to run it or just lay up for a win. In general, tho, just play your game, no matter whats going on around you. On a side note, whats wrong with backing up your good advice with some solid proof that it works?

Was playing on the lead card of Pro for the last round at a small C tier this weekend. I was sitting in 4th, 1 behind a tie for 2nd, 5 behind 1st. Take good pars on the 1st 2 holes, then go 5, 4,4 on holes I went 2,3,2 on the 1st round(there was trouble, and my drives were really bad on all 3). Then I started playing really good. 3'd a couple par 4's and got a few birdies. At one point all 4 of us were within 2 stokes. Then I went 4,4,4,4 with only one hole where I should have taken a 4(roller hit a tree). I finished with a duece, but now I realize I was thinking too much about position, how to catch the lead, and what everyone else was doing. And not focusing on my game. My 1st time on the lead card in Pro, so I'll chalk it up as a learning experience and move on. Someone on the second card shot a super hot round and passed us all anyways.

<<<<<<<<<<<< Still thinks jumping from the 2nd card to win is more fun. :D:DI always hated the 1st round of a tournament.

The problem with proving the results is that you would be trying to provea negative. You can't prove that ignoring the play of those around you will prevent you from bolwing up.

On the other hand, I can find many instances where thinking about how the other players are doing influenced my shot selection in a negative way, and have seen the scores of other players increase dramatically when they go from being in the lead to a couple of strokes behind in the last round. I have also observed that those players that suddenly start having a bad round are running past on putts they normally would have laid up on, and sometimes throwing lines that they don't usually try.

I am not a super experienced player and have done my share of choking. But one thing that has helped me in pressure rounds the few times I have been successful was to get my head games and internal dialog away from scorecard issues.

The dialog I try to have is along the lines that double bogies are MUCH easier to get than eagles. And, usually bogeys are easier to get than birdies. So I try to keep my mind on plotting how I am going play smart and lower my risks.

Birdies seem to come by themselves by virtue of muscle memory and throwing relaxed. Bogeys tend to happen when I am forcing it.

I was in the lead for the last round this past weekend in TN.(by 3) The round started out by the 2nd place person (ED OG) hitting 8 of 9 holes. All I could do is watch and congratulate him for great shots. I ended up winning by 2.
The key is to stay "relaxed" and do what you did the first 3 rounds. Enjoy your round, don't constantly think "I'm only 2 ahead now after 2nd place birdies and you don't...or so on" You know what you need to get done. Ever notice how it gets a little more quiet on the last round? Why change what has worked for the previous 3? I understand this is competion, but isn't also supposed to be fun? If you're good enough to get to the leadcard(in any div), I'd bet you were having fun on your way to it, joking around, laughing, etc. All of a sudden, you get quiet, get tensed up and start shanking shots. Enjoy the GAME!

Ever notice how it gets a little more quiet on the last round? Why change what has worked for the previous 3? I understand this is competion, but isn't also supposed to be fun? If you're good enough to get to the leadcard(in any div), I'd bet you were having fun on your way to it, joking around, laughing, etc. All of a sudden, you get quiet, get tensed up and start shanking shots. Enjoy the GAME!



You know what I do notice that. This weekend was the exception. I was on the lead card and we had a 5 some and I think it was one of the loudest best and most enjoyable rounds I have ever played. We were all working eachother after bad shot and congradulating eachother after great shots and laughing at bad kicks and shooting the proverbial [inappropriate word] and just have a great time like we would during any other round. None of us played very well but we had a blast while we were out there. I mean sure ALL of us wanted to win and we were all CONCETRATING on our game and our shots when we needed to but we were still out there having a good time.

It was nice to be on a lead card where everyone wasnt all quiet and anal!!!

I can only hope to be on more lead cards like I had this weekend.

Thanks to my group for a great lead card expierience :D

I had great cards last weekend. I try to make all my cards fun (joking, etc...) Our card did shoot well though.

I have only played in 4 tournaments as MA2, and 13 as MA1 (including Bowling Green and World Doubles) since I started throwing a disc last Feburary. Please help, I need to get over this before I ever consider moving up.



It happens. I still get nervous on the lead card after almost 2 years of playing advanced. Give it time and you'll do what you are capable of doing in a tournament. You have to relax and stay focused. Don't worry about anyone else.

Move up and you want have to worry about being on the LEAD CARD.

That was the worst post on the thread so far but not like it matters because you wont ever have to be held accountable for what you say because your a sissy who hides behind a fake name and a computer screen :eek:

Maybe if you could make it onto a lead card then you could give someone advice about it :eek:

we all know who Brit is....

and that person is one helluva golfer

we all know who Brit is....

and that person is one helluva golfer



...And they was advanced for longer than I have been and has been playing longer than me. Sad.

we all know who Brit is....

and that person is one helluva golfer



Well I dont know who it is.

That was the worst post on the thread so far
<font color="red"> now that is the worst post ever </font>
but not like it matters because you wont ever have to be held accountable for what you say because your a sissy who hides behind a fake name and a computer screen :eek:
<font color="red"> ok THIS (http://www.pdga.com/tournament/playerstats.php?PDGANum=20353&year=2005) might help </font>

Maybe if you could make it onto a lead card then you could give someone advice about it :eek:
<font color="red">Don't be SO :eek: </font>

parkin2putt, beware of who you listen to when it comes to advice.

ask yourself this simple question: "is it better to be in the lead by X strokes, or behind by X strokes". the answer is obvious - the leader is in the lead, and you cannot win without being in the lead. it is far superior to be leading than to be making up strokes!!! maybe that means you need to learn how to build on and protect a lead. so be it - go learn that. anyone who says they're happier being on the second card is simply rationalizing second card performance.

if you are not in first place you have two things to think about. first, how to play well. second, you are hoping the players ahead of you play worse. one you can control. the other you cant. in the lead, there is only you and your own play. you are in control, and that is a far far far superior position.

also, about the score. yes, worrying about everyone's scores CAN be a distraction. BUT (and this is a HUGE but) golf can be extremely situational at the end of a tourney! you MUST know where people are sitting! you think Vijay and Tiger dont look up to the scoreboard as they are coming down the last six holes in a tight field?!? they most certainly do. again, you must learn how to handle that information - not how to do without it. it can effect the risk/reward equations and shot selection on those final all-important holes. how else can you know if you a play-it-safe par will lock in the win, or if you need a balls-to-the-wall birdie to force a playoff?

how you handle information is just as critical as the information itself. train yourself with this in mind. track your card's scores during casual rounds so you get in the routine and it is not distracting. play casual rounds as if you're on the lead card during the last round in world's.

and laugh at those who would rather be on the second card. send them your best wishes that their dream is fulfilled. because when you learn how to close the deal you will deny them the chance to make their move... and leave them wondering about the wisdom of their standards.

I have only played in 4 tournaments as MA2, and 13 as MA1 (including Bowling Green and World Doubles) since I started throwing a disc last Feburary. Please help, I need to get over this before I ever consider moving up.



It happens. I still get nervous on the lead card after almost 2 years of playing advanced. Give it time and you'll do what you are capable of doing in a tournament. You have to relax and stay focused. Don't worry about anyone else.



My 2 years was long than your 2 years?

Why did you change your post eddie?

don't be scared to say what you want....

I've been playing for 16 years, and I'm still not a Pro.

But then again, I have no ambition to be a Pro.

I taught someone else how to play, 3 months later they were beating me, In less than a year they went pro.

It made my game much better because I was trying to keep up with him as he got better. For a dozen years I attended 2 tournaments. The last 4 years I've averaged around 20 sanctioned events and a dozen unsanctioned events every year.

Before I started playing tournaments I had been playing over 10 years and could throw about 275-300'. After 3 years of playing in tournaments I was throwing over 400'. It doesn't matter how long you have been playting what matters is how long you have been playing serious golf.

My 2 years was long than your 2 years?



My first adv tourney was Sept. of '03. Last I checked its not Sept. '05. I also didn't bag a whole year of int. when I started, unlike you. I "moved up".

Ed putts like a pro.

bag a whole year?
I started playing in March 02. My 1st tourney was in JUne.
6 mths 8 events 2 wins.. now thats some baggin

So when did YOU really start playing disc golf not PDGA?

Ed putts like a pro.



and has EgO of one too..

He didn't have an ego this past weekend. Played with him 3 rounds and he didn't seem that way at all.

I guess he has something to prove on here..

and has EgO of one too..



Explain this JLand? I've got nothing to prove. I don't claim to be the best at anything. Where are you getting this from?

So when did YOU really start playing disc golf not PDGA?



Started playing disc golf about 2 months before my first PDGA, roughly Sept. of 2002. I had played 2 or 3 times in high school but never owned any discs. How about YOU? I'm sure it was way before me.

we all know who Brit is....

and that person is one helluva golfer



...And they was advanced for longer than I have been and has been playing longer than me. Sad.



Do you not remember this?

And were you not trying to call me out?

why do people insist on using the "i've only been playing for ---- years" cop-out? different people reach different skill levels at different times. schweb played how long before he went pro? 6 months? natron's been playing for probably 8 years or more, when he whups my *****, do i say "well, you've been playing longer than me". does schweb say that when he loses to climo? prolly not.

this isn't just directed at you, its anyone who uses this, especially the memorial jv champ.

This thread is not about you EDDIE.
You and General MILLS turned it into that.

I was posting after the last person and you just happen to be that person.

It was a joke
CHILL OUT..

Thanks for all the great advice. It seems that I (according to Sandalman) "let the information get to my head". I was fine being in 5th the third round, no pressure or stress on the second card, even when we saw the entire lead card put their discs within 10ft of a 353ft anhyzer hole.

I started playing disc golf in Feb '04. First tournament was two weeks later. First PDGA was 2 weeks after that. I was a PDGA member right before I played the PDGA event. I moved up to advanced in June of '04, but did not cash until December. Since the beginning of this spring I have only not cashed in 2 events, one which was World Doubles. And that included being 34th out of 221 in Bowling Green. (I was ahead of Mills for the first two rounds, before he turned it on).

I thankfully have a stack of scorecards and will keep track of my score for every round I play, serious or casual. Hopefully my mental game can improve on the same learning curve my physical game has.

good luck. Have fun.

why do people insist on using the "i've only been playing for ---- years" cop-out?



No cop-out. Don't tell ME to move up if you didn't. Thats my point.



schweb played how long before he went pro? 6 months?



It was different back then. Plus Schweb is a freak. Like Coda or JJ. You can't compare anyone to them.



natron's been playing for probably 8 years or more, when he whups my *****, do i say "well, you've been playing longer than me".


I dont know.



This thread is not about you EDDIE.



Scroll up. All I did was give advice. YOU called me out.


It was a joke
CHILL OUT..


Funny. Didn't I tell you not to joke with me anymore?


Twoputt.. hang in there. Cam you handled yourself this weekend like a professional too. Sorry everyone for the thread drift.

Whoa Gary has been playing as long as I have been living. :D:D

I have almost been playing longer than your your father has been living.... fat lot of good it has done me.... ;)


Whoa Gary has been playing as long as I have been living. :D:D

why do people insist on using the "i've only been playing for ---- years" cop-out? different people reach different skill levels at different times. schweb played how long before he went pro? 6 months? natron's been playing for probably 8 years or more, when he whups my *****, do i say "well, you've been playing longer than me". does schweb say that when he loses to climo? prolly not.



AMEN

hence, my signature.....

hmmmm, is it really necessary to dissect my post when its around 6 sentences?

No cop-out. Don't tell ME to move up if you didn't. Thats my point.

im guessing this isn't directed at me (eventhough you responded to and quoted me) because i've never told you what to do, i could care less if you play am till '07. and anytime length of experience of a competitor is used as an excuse, its a cop-out. thats why i posted this disclaimer:
this isn't just directed at you, its anyone who uses this, especially the memorial jv champ.





natron's been playing for probably 8 years or more, when he whups my *****, do i say "well, you've been playing longer than me".

I dont know.

you see, that was 2 consecutive questions with the same answer, therefore the answer was posted at the end of the 2nd question... follow?
prolly not.

hmmmm, is it really necessary to dissect my post when its around 6 sentences?


Nope. Is it necessary for you to post? "prolly not"



No cop-out. Don't tell ME to move up if you didn't. Thats my point.

im guessing this isn't directed at me


Good guess. Scroll up and you'll see who it was.


and anytime length of experience of a competitor is used as an excuse, its a cop-out.


Cop-out on what? Wether you know it or not, the amount of time you have been playing is directly related to how good you are. You play/practice you get better. If you've been in certain situations in tournaments before, you have experience and you will handle them better. You will be more comfortable. It takes time. Granted it tapers off to where you reach maximum potential and some have more natural ability obviously. Are you not better than you were a year ago? Two years? It's a fact, not a cop-out.

^^^^^^^^BAGGER^^^^^^^^ :D:D

LOL :p

^^^^^^^^BAGGER^^^^^^^^ :D:D




This is definately the pot calling the kettle black.

Nope. Is it necessary for you to post? "prolly not"

you'd think if it annoyed you so much, you would have noticed when i posted it the 1st time


Good guess. Scroll up and you'll see who it was.

thanks, like i said you responded to and quoted me


Whether you know it or not, the amount of time you have been playing is directly related to how good you are.

do you have a graph? everyone playing 2 years should be at what rating? every 9** rated player probably has a very wide spectrum of experience. there are some players with natural abilities for this game, and they progress much faster than others. i'm not trying to debate experience vs. ability, the only point i was making is (once again) don't use it as an excuse.

It's a fact, not a cop-out.

its a cop-out when its used as an excuse... like i've stated

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
BAGGERS
vvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvv

Hey, I've got an idea... How about everyone post a lead card blow up tourney so twoputt doesnt feel so bad. You too jefferson.. you know I'm just giving you a hard time. /msgboard/images/graemlins/smirk.gif

Here's (http://www.pdga.com/tournament/tournament_results.php?TournID=4326&amp;year=2005&amp;incl ude_ratings=1#Advanced) a round where I shot 13 strokes worse the last round! Beat that!
OUCH! Check out that HOTT rating!

Juff beat me cause he has more experience. :D

i think this tourney (http://www.pdga.com/tournament/tournament_results.php?TournID=4135&year=2005&include_ratings=1#Advanced) is the only time i've "blown up" on the lead card, at least in the final round. this blow up not only cost me about 14 spots, but $100 also...

I'm a super-rookie, but this past weekend I shot +/- 0 the 5th round and a +15 the 6th round... That course probably still stinks from my round there.

<< Edit: Sorry, this was only supposed to be for lead card blow-ups. I have NEVER been on a lead card, but I figured a 15 stroke swing between courses was bad enough to chime in :) >>

-Doug

its a cop-out when its used as an excuse... like i've stated



Can I use too much experiance as an excuse?

I had a 17 stroke swing off the leader card last year!! -9 to a +8 in back to back rounds!!

in the 2002 Red Rock Show (http://www.pdga.com/tournament/tournament_results.php?TournID=2917#Advanced%20Mas ters) i lost a 4 stroke lead in the final nine, then lost the playoff on the second hole :(

but on the other side, i have held the lead eight other times i was the leader or co-leader going into the final round. of those eight, six time the lead stayed the same or increased.

I was on the second card and shot a hot third round to jump into the lead, and then blew it in finals (http://www.pdga.com/tournament/tournament_results.php?TournID=4037&year=2005&include_ratings=1#Advanced)

Well im not sure if this is a blow up, but it sure is strange...http://www.pdga.com/tournament/tournament_results.php?TournID=4118&year=2005&include_ratings=1#Advanced

800 round, 1047 round, then i couldnt wake up for the final days rounds...

I blew a 3 stroke lead in the finals at the Red rock show and the guy that I ties was 8 back after saturday. Luckily I won the playoff by carding a 5 on a 280ft hole and he took a double circle 6. :D:D

what course was the 50 at?

I believe it was at Big Creek, if i remember right.

those ratings seem to coincide correctly with worlds. thats impressive... i think i shot mid 50's the weekend before the worlds and was happy, during the worlds was a different story.

Actually i think the rounds were switched for the ratings or something, because i shot the 50 at Walnut Ridge, not BC.

we all know who Brit is....

and that person is one helluva golfer



Well I dont know who it is.



who are you? Steve Millz. WRONG. jabber jaws from what I read. you & EGO both. You girls need to stay on the "I wanna read your BOAST" thread.

I cant even understand that post. Why dont you come back when you can make a coherent sentence. THEN maybe you can start smack talking people but untill you reach a 6th grade writing level how about you just stay at the day care little boy :eek:

still going!!! :D

I've never had a leadercard blow up, but I sure do wish I wouldn't dig myself such a hole the first round or two- most of the time.

Please help, I need to get over this before I ever consider moving up.



Check out the Ken Climo interview on the PDGA Worlds '03 DVD. I can paraphrase what he says on this specific topic ("I never try to beat the other guys; I'm competing against the course,"), but you should watch the whole thing to get a sense of the cool, poised mindset that makes Climo so good.

Ha, i just defined "Leader Card Blowup" this weekend. After leading thru 69 holes, i came up to 16, 17, and 18. I birdied all three of these holes the first round. I was up by three with three holes to go. I thought it was in the bag. Then i take three consecutive 4's to let the third place guy tie me. Sooo we go into a playoff which never should have happened, and i proceeded to lose the playoff on the very first hole, a hole i birdied both times during the tournament. I was soo mad and dissapointed, and i thought, how in the hell did this happen? I wasnt nervous, i was playing the course and not the players i was with, and i was in a good mood and having a good time until i found out i was going to be in a playoff. My throwing hand was ridiculously swollen, but surely i cant blame it on that. I mean, doesnt everybody play their best golf when the top of their throwing hand is swollen like the St. Louis Arch?? But, anyways, my best recommendation to preventing a leader card blowup, or a 72 hole lead in my case, is to not slam your hand into a 6 inch thorn halfway through the tournament. Or you can try to birdie the holes you know you can birdie, instead of trying to coast to a victory.

ouch! (for the hand AND the blowup!)

three up with three to go? definitely shoulda played aggressive as heck. a single birdie would have completely sealed it, and a single bogey would still leave ya with a cushion. a bogey from agression feels a lot different than a bogey from playing it fancy-dancy at the point.

get 'em next time!

In a tourney somewhere in some amature division I defined the leader card blow up. I'm going to chalk it up to FATigue and start a gym regimen immediately. What a bummer I usually sink all my putts 20 and out but couldnt hit one to save my life. What a [I'm a potty-mouth!]. Hope I learn from it.

"What yall doin throwin dat der frisbee in dem bird cages foe"
:confused:

Fatigued has bothered me in the past few tournies I played.