Episode #20 - Windy Weather Play 

STRATEGIES FOR SUCCESS - VISUALIZATION

If you have read my book, Zen & The Art of Disc Golf, then you know the value that I personally place in both meditation and visualization as tools for you to use in order to both play better and inject positivity and success into your life.

Visualization in sports has been scientifically proven to improve athletic ability and has shown to produce approximately 7x the improvement that can be achieved if an athlete only practices physically, proving (once again), that success truly begins in the mind.

There are several types of visualization that I recommend using when gearing up for your next tournament, practice round, or for your own general improvement in the sport. The first two types of visualization should occur before ever hitting the course. The first is micro-visualization: visualizing individual shots to improve your overall ability on the course and by this I mean visualizing over and over yourself making putt after putt. The second is macro-visualization: visualizing your entire round, shot for shot from hole 1 to hole 18. 

If you think this sounds a little "woo woo", then consider this: for decades olympic athletes have been trained to utilize visualization to help win them the gold. 

Nicole Detling, a sports psychologist with the United States Olympic team, states: “The more an athlete can image the entire package, the better it’s going to be.”

If you do a little research, you will also find that many Pro Disc Golfers also utilize visualization to dramitically improve their game.

Disc Golf World Champion, Avery Jenkins, has been quoted saying: “It has proved successful when I could already picture the disc going into the basket moments before actually making that putt, when you can envision it happening, it will happen.”

If visualization is good enough for gold winning olympians and Pro Disc Golfers alike, I recommend taking the idea seriously.

The last type of visualization I recommends takes place on the course. You should take a few seconds before throwing every shot to view in your mind the flight path and the landing of your disc where you need it to be. 

Use these tips, and I guarantee you lower your scores.

Last food for thought – If visualization works this well in sports, imagine what it can do for you in your life. Take time before heading out each day to visualize how you want your day to go. See yourself succeeding in all your endeavors, and don't worry as much about the “how”. The act of doing this daily opens mental doors that with time which will show you the "how".

Another tool to throw in your bag.

WINDY WEATHER PLAY

Both Tim and Chris have written excellent articles on Windy Weather Play. Check them out here -

 Mindbodydisc - Blown Away - Why Play Disc Golf In The Wind? MindBodyDisc - Ease Up Into The Wind DGPuttheads - Putting in the Wind Discs Mentioned In The Podcast - TIM - WESTSIDE DISCS WORLD"The World is a fast disc. It's thin and it's sharp so it cuts through the wind a little bit better than a slower, fatter disc, so it gives you more distance potential... I can throw the world further into the head wind than I can throw my other discs normally, because I know how to use the wind instead of trying to fight it." CHRIS - DISCRAFT CRUSH"The Crush performs really well in a head wind and a left-right crosswind." CHRIS - INNOVA X-CALIBER
"I can throw the X-caliber pretty straight but it is very versatile towards the end of the flight. If I get a pretty good gust, it will turn a little bit but it will come back." CHRIS - INNOVA VIPER"I will typically take out something that doesn't glide in a tail wind like an Innova Viper. Keep it low and throw down the fairway"   

WHAT ARE YOU THROWING?

TIM - MILLINNEIUM POLARIS LS

"I recommend this disc for beginners. It's pretty stable, it holds pretty much any line you put on it. It has a decent amount of glide and is super controllable. If your looking for 1 fairway driver to carry that will serve you in most situations, the POLARIS LS is a great choice for that."

CHRIS - ELEMENT DISCS IRIDIUM

"It's an versatile putter with a fairly low glide. It's a slower disc that doesn't like a ton of torque, but it is wonderful for approaches. It has a predictable fade at the end and handles the wind fairly well."

PAT - INNOVA VALKRYIE
 
"The Valkyrie is a pretty straight flying discs. It's one of those discs you can shot shape and get it to do what you need it to do. Great disc to learn on. Great disc for kids a lot like the leopard."

SIGNED BOOK GIVEWAWAY

Every podcast we give away a signed book to a random person who left a 5 STAR review on Amazon! 

5.0 out of 5 starsWorth every penny!!By Matthew Simpson on January 19, 2016Format: Kindle EditionVerified PurchaseI first heard about the book after seeing the Zen Disc Golf social media posts. I then started listening to the podcast. Finally buying the book and reading it reinforced all of the points that were talked about on the podcast. It helped me to change my thinking when on the course. I no longer get angry when I have a bad throw. I can laugh it off and focus on my next shot. Keeping a positive attitude and mindset is critical to succeeding in disc golf and life, and this book helps both.  

PODCAST GIVEAWAY

Every podcast we give away a mixed bag item to a random person who left a 5 STAR review for the podcast on iTunes! If you are motoki1,  contact us for your brand new Amsterdam Open Stamped Gateway Wizard!

HELP US KEEP GOING AND GROWING!

Funny thing about podcasting... Success costs money. As we continue to reach record numbers of listeners the costs rise with syndication, web development, and GIVEAWAYS, I am constantly plagued with the question, how can I keep the podcast self-sustaining.

The answer: $1. That's it.

If you love the ZEN DISC GOLF PODCAST, please consider donating as little as $1 a month and help keep this show alive, going and growing.

BUT WAIT THERE'S MORE!

Once we receive 50 supporters monthly, by supporting, you will be entered to win a $20 gift card from Infinite Discs. You will get one entry per donated dollar per month (i.e. Putter level =1 entry per month, Distance driver level = 3 entries per month). Cancel anytime!

$1 per month - Putter Level  $2 per month - Mid-range Level $3 per month - Distance Driver Level