Q: This is the second email I've sent you and you actually answered the first. I'm hoping somewhere down the line you will think about this as well or put it out there for people who might have experienced a similar situation.

I'm a forehand thrower by nature, because, like a lot of disc golfers, I started out playing ultimate. In the beginning of my disc golf career (all of 6 years) I threw 375'+, and gained strokes on distance alone. My putting was also good because I had so much confidence. But now I have two questions.

First off, since my forehand is my dominant throw, I can't throw backhand anymore, which is obviously sometimes the better option. Instead, I use a lightweight understable disc and try to flip it over, with mixed results. So should I perfect what I know best or practice my now horrific backhand?

Second, my putting used to be tremendous. I used to hit 25' half the time. Now I have no confidence from anywhere further than 10-15'? What happened? Is it just practice, or have I put too much belief in laying up instead of going for it? I hate turning birdies into bogeys so much that I just don't go for it whole-heartedly anymore.

I know others whose game has gone downhill because of over-analyzing the game and I'm wondering if that's what's happening to me. My PDGA rating used to be 948 and now I'm probably closer to 900. How did I get worse?

A: You've recognized and articulated the problem; you're already half way to fixing it.

You're right on in thinking lack of confidence is the root of your troubles, and putting poorly is an extension of hideous drives. Then we start obsessing about it, sometimes to the point of telling ourselves "I can't drive, putt, throw straight, throw anheizer, throw as far as I used to," right as we're throwing. The real cause is buried somewhere deep in our psyche, and will always be elusive. The solution, though it may require some patience, is right under out noses.

The first thing we need is to accept how normal it is to play disc golf poorly, and that the truly extraordinary feat is to play up to our potential.

For some people, however, being in a disc golf funk is akin to clinical depression. A mid-40ish gentleman came in the shop last year, and proclaimed, "I can't putt," which is another of disc golf's most repeated confessions, and one we toss off all the time with the usual semi-mocking woe is me expression. But this guy's face and tone were full of real pain, as if he were telling us he had cancer. Shortly thereafter, he quit playing altogether.

What a shame. If he had stuck it out he'd be over it by now and on to a new disc golf neurosis. Besides, such "crises" are an inevitable part of moving forward, getting past whatever it was that made those 15-footers feel like Shaq at the foul line.

The worst thing we can do is connect our self-worth with our disc golf score. On the other end of the spectrum is that wonderful playing companion who cares as little about his score as the rest of humanity, including us. He's just happy to be playing. Such people are a joy, and may be fully self-actualized beings hiding their powers behind mediocre disc golf games.

So my general advice, which I'm stealing 2nd-hand from Dave Dunipace: "Throw a disc, walk up to it, and throw again." In other words, keep the game simple. Remembering our complete insignificance in the grand scheme of things helps to put our problems of disc golf mechanics into perspective.

So much for my philosophy of life. Now some specific suggestions for G's temporary problems.

Like I tell my disc golf students, I can tell you what to do, but it's up to you to actually do it.

One, stop doing what you're good at when it's not the best option. Specifically, learn to throw the backhand by using the backhand where it's the best option, even though it's not YOUR best option. This is the two-steps-back-three-steps-forward approach. You will most definitely have some horrendous shots, and maybe your scores will balloon toward your own version of unacceptably bad. Still, cry me a river but stick with it. There's no way to make profound mechanical adjustments - like switching from forehand to backhand - without some initial flailing.

Two, find a good throwing coach. Someone who'll be able to identify the weird little things you're doing that are profoundly messing with your form.

Three, have someone videotape you throwing backhand and putting. If you're like practically everyone, you'll have fun poking fun at yourself.

Four, pledge to practice. For the backhand, all you need is an open field and your discs. Throw your discs from one end to the other, walk down, and throw them back. Repeat. And always practice the same way you play, including recreating pressure situations in your mind. As for putting, we recommend the Pozzy Putting Game (Click here to see the rules), popularized by Alex Pozzy of Maine. Playing it once is more actual putting practice than some players get in a lifetime. A couple people we railroaded into a game said so.

As you move through this process, be aware of what your body does when you feel nervous and unsure of yourself. The first thing that happens is that the shoulders inch up toward the ears, where they don't belong. Relax those shoulders down. Another classic is the guy bent over, sticking his butt out, and saying "Why always so low?" So stand up straight. Figure out what your mind is doing to your body, and reverse the process.

You can't tell yourself to be confident. That won't work. But you can stand up straight. And you can't force yourself to relax, but you can move your shoulders away from your ears. Instead of letting your mind dictate your posture, try to see if your posture can convince your mind that you're the disc golfer you used to be. To rephrase one of the PDGA's best lines, let's get back to that marvelous sensation of throwing a golf disc with power and accuracy. And accept no substitutions, like flippy drivers thrown with hyzer, or lay-ups from inside 30.

What you've got, young man, is a simple slump, with bad mechanics and low disc golf-esteem feeding off each other. We've all been there in one form or another.

If you'd like a few concrete tips to consider, throw 99 percent instead of 100. And when you throw a disc, release it as close to your body as possible (there are no point blocks in disc golf, unless you count trees). When you emerge, after maybe a little honest effort on your part, you'll be that much stronger for having prevailed against your demons of the moment.

Torque Novitsky

Sincerely,

Torque Novitski, Marshall Street

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