Luck.
Everybody wants more of it.
It’s that thing all disc golfers insist other guys are swimming in, while they seem to encounter a fallen tree, police siren, nasty headwind or near-impossible rollaway on just about every hole.
Been there. Done that.
My forever feeling.
If you can relate in the slightest, does it sometimes appear the likes of the game’s best catch all the breaks? That the greater disc golf universe can’t help but smile on them in key moments?
Paul McBeth, Simon Lizotte, Calvin Heimburg, etc.
You know, stuff like this …
But not only that, there’s that guy in your local club who – with seemingly not near as much natural talent as you – in head-to-head battles, comes out on top more often than not.
It’s infuriating.
Obviously, there’s no such thing as luck.
If you thought there was …
Welcome to reality.
However, the reason “luck” appears to favor the talented is that they capitalize on it – that’s it. Think about it: When you catch a lucky break, should you then proceed to clank the 22-foot birdie putt a fortuitous tree-kick gifted you, that lucky incident is quickly forgotten, erased entirely from your memory. Because nothing positive came of it, why save it for later?
But when your cardmate turns an accidental skip-shot off the water into a clutch birdie or par save, you file that break deep within the confines of your mind, never to be forgotten. Even more so, if it happens again and again (and again) during the same round of competitive disc golf.
Luck, if you still insist on calling it that, is less spells, potions and hocus-pocus and more making something out of what the disc golf gods have given you. Take advantage frequently enough, and you’re lucky. Fail to make it matter, and you’re picked on – that’s the way all of this works.
Me?
I’m usually a “victim” in the luck department …
But that’s my problem.
And wouldn’t you know it …
I am the only one who can fix it.
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I think it’s much simpler. When you get a “lucky” shot your ego says it was all you.
You look at your opponent the opposite. They didn’t deserve it. That shot should’ve hit that tree! That should’ve rolled away. That skip was lucky. (Was it tho???)
This happens in all sports, you never count the lucky shots or bad referee calls that go in your favor. Just count those against you.
Fletch, this is a REALLY good point …
It’s true.
What you say hurts my ego, but it’s true …
I also don’t like it, but again …
#Truth
I’m a firm believer that “luck” or good fortune balances out. The players who don’t have that viewpoint are doomed before they start, imo.
My personal mantra is “better than I deserve”…appreciate the good breaks, and accept that the bad breaks came from less-than perfect shots anyways. And as you said, by all means, take advantage of the good breaks.
Oh, man …
That happens to me all the time:
“I didn’t deserve that, but I’ll take it.”
Good advice for us all.
Got to disagree a bit on this one. Luck is typically something that happens that is atypical and usually cannot be replicated. It’s a term to describe an event. If you let loose an early throw through very dense packed trees, hit nothing and land on The fairway it is almost impossible to replicate the term for it is luck. Luck also happens on the bad side. In a recent tournament Calvin had two very long rollaways after hitting the basket. Yes the results were due to the point of impact and the angle of the Hill but a series of other events could have occurred that did not result in two very long rollaways. In that case the term is bad luck. There was likely no divine intervention that caused the errant tree shot to land in the fairway or to cause Calvin’s two rollaways but there needs to be a term to describe an event that the results of which are very unlikely to occur. I will say however that in my opinion nicing is real
Bahahaha …
Love how you threw your credibility out the window there with the whole “nicing” thing there right at the end …
Well-played 😉
I hear what you’re saying, but isn’t it the golfer’s responsibility to account for all of these things?
Point of impact, angle of the hill, etc.
Even if it’s not conscious and there’s REALLY no need to think about ’em …
They’re the ones in control of the disc, you know?
They are in control of the disc until it leaves their hand. At that point other factors come into play that are out of your control. Randy Johnson’s bird obliteration several years ago is a perfect reference for that. He did everything right but at exactly the right moment of time a bird flew in the exact spot that his ball was going to occupy at the exact time, bad luck for all involved. I doubt you could hit a bird with a ball if you threw at it purposefully
Haha …
Love the reference – and you’re right on that front.
Thanks for the clarification, Joe!
Much appreciated 🙂
Feels like the story of my tournament last weekend. One round, 18 holes. I managed to snag CTP for my division. I also managed to snag the 2nd place prize for most tree hits on a different hole.
Worst round I’ve ever played on that course. Still a blast. Disc golf. 🙂
Tyler, there’s a lesson in there for us all …
Pop a chill pill: It’s just disc golf.
Enjoy the ride.