I’ve been guilty of this.
Maybe you’ve done it, too.
All day, you’ve hit tree after tree.
So, when confronted with a tricky tee shot with a tree smack-dab in the middle of the fairway, you decide to pull a George Costanza and do the complete opposite of what you’ve done up until that point in the round. Besides, the oft-quoted definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again, while expecting different results. And what is it you’ve been “doing,” exactly?
Trying to NOT hit trees.
As such, this time around, you straight-up aim at the problematic tree in question. Because if not trying to hit one doesn’t ever work, as crazy as it sounds, maybe trying to hit one actually will.
Ever done this before?
I have.
And on more than one occasion, in fact.
Here’s why this is a lose-lose decision and should be avoided at all costs …
First, let’s say you attempt to square-up a tree, and – as luck would have it – you miss.
Yay!
But not really …
Because for the rest of your round, you’re convinced you’re so bad at disc golf that the only way for you to succeed is to attempt to self-sabotage your more difficult shots. Essentially, you’re in control of nothing – this includes your discs. It should come as no surprise that this is bad.
On the flip side of things, let’s say you attempt to miss a tree and smash it. For starters, yet again, you hit the tree – that was the initial problem, so you’re back to where you started. But beyond that, you’ve proven that literally nothing you do will allow for a gap to successfully be hit.
This kind of negativity …
It sticks with a person.
My advice?
Attempt to play the right way. Regardless of outcome, be deliberate with your planning and preparation. Treat each shot like it matters, because – to score how you’d like – it does.
Stay patient.
In due time, execution will come.
Until then, laughter is the best form of therapy – it’s also cheaper.
Embrace the suck.
Have anything to add? Take to X to let us know – we’ll actually (for real) get back to you.
Editor’s Suggestions:
- Disc golf: Exercise caution when offering unsolicited advice
- All disc golfers catch breaks (the best just capitalize on them)
- Perk No. 9: The sound of a golf disc and chains coming together
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I don’t really agree and see it more as a win/win, at least if approached in a genuine way rather than in a cynical hangdog fashion. Never letting yourself ever think in terms of where you don’t want the disc to go is a huge mental game win.
I mean, the optimal thing is to not think in terms of trees at all and mentally picture where exactly you want the disc to go. If you are having a rough day and the trees are in your head I think it is better to just go with it and aim at a tree.
If you miss, then you are managing an off day well. If you drill the sucker you get one bad result but you’ve at least managed to make a good throw and can take that confidence forward and maybe get back to not dwelling on trees. Letting yourself think in terms of missing trees (or water or bunkers or whatever) is a recipe for long term pain. Aiming at the tree is at least practicing committing to a target.
Plus squarely drilling a tree on purpose is kind of cathartic.
I suppose there’s a flip side to everything, yes.
BUT, if you do decide to do things this way, just make sure you’re using a premium-plastic frisbee.
Because the only way to make a trees-or-bust round WAY worse is warping a beautifully beaten DX Roc …
Double ouch. Haha.
I agree with the poster above. I also aim for trees if they are out more than about a hundred feet or so. Throw a sphinx directly at it watch it slide to the right glide past and stable up finishing in the fairway. It’s a beautiful thing
Oh, don’t even get me started on the Sphinx …
Now THAT is a great disc.
I can see why it’d miss trees. Haha.