2017 has been an interesting year in my disc golf life. My year started with a good showing at the club tags match (Shout out to the men and women of the Pikes Peak Flying Disc Club)and then settled in to the casual rounds with friends and new-comers each Sunday. My first skills test was the Steel City Shootout in Pueblo Colorado around Mid-March. It was a humbling experience to say the least. I just couldn't find my drive or putts and the day just wasn't meant to be. I finished dead last in my division and left with a sour feeling that I may have lost my way on the course.
I realized then that disc golf is as much mental (if not more) than it is physical. The beating I put myself through after the loss at Steel City was pretty unreasonable. I got to the point I wasn't enjoying the game anymore. Much of this was my own disappointment from the poor showing from the tournament. I was letting a past performance affect the way I was playing. It took some time, but I got to the place where I stopped whining about and started putting in some hard work and practice to get ready for what lies ahead. Two things I did I would recommend to anyone who gets stuck: 1) Get advice from players you know and trust. These players can help you get through the difficult parts because they have encountered these challenges and have overcome them. 2) Get out and practice as much as you can. Get a feel for the course, think about each shot and throw a few shots. Work to build your confidence in each situation by making smart shots and disc selections.
One of the great helps to me are the new players that I get to play with. I enjoy introducing new people to disc golf, get them playing and once they are hooked, watching their new addiction take over. It is awesome to see their growth, watch how hard they work to get better and in the end, their dedication to the sport often inspires me to get better.
So after getting my "mojo" back (I think that is what they call it), I started working at getting better, focusing on what a friend of mine (Santos Montoya) called becoming a more "complete" player. I started working away at it and I could begin to see the difference in my game and my attitude. It was time to get geared up for my favorite tournament of the year, the Rocky Mountain State Games. If you haven't heard of the State Games or the America Games, look them up online. It offers tons of sports and activities for about every type of athlete or age.
The Rocky Mountain State Games are a very important part of my disc golf life. I played my first RMSG event in 2013, which marked my return to disc golf after a seven year plus lay off. It was the catalyst to getting me back on the course. Each year I have competed and have won some and also got blown off the course. But I wanted 2017 to be a different year. Playing in the "old man" group AKA: Advanced Grandmasters, I was in a group of about five guys my age (and had the thrill of having my two young sons there as well) and I knew it would take a solid effort to place. This is where the mental improvements I made really paid off...
After an average first round, shooting one-down, I knew I had left some shots out there on the field, and it started to get in my head. After a short lunch time off with my boys, it was time for round two to get underway. That is where I decided to kick off the round with my best efforts and again, back to the basics, focus on each shot and be present for each shot, not concerning myself with the score or the remaining holes. The round went much better, not just because I played it better, but because I kept my head in the game, watched each shot and made the putts. In the end, I took home gold in my division and a bonus gold medal confirming my age. This year has been a learning year, a year of progress and a year to remember.
On October 15th at Lions Den Disc Golf Course in Lake George, I through a MVP Spin putter on a S-turn shot and aced Hole# 10. It wasn't a very long hole, maybe 120-130 feet, but it felt amazing. I was with the group of Sunday players that has been together for most the year, and it was even more fun it happened with all of them there. So, a tournament win, an Ace run and a lot of lessons learned about keeping my head in the game and my efforts focused. It has been a good year.
I hope that all the people that have been part of this years disc golf adventure with me have enjoyed it, I know I have. And I am thankful for all the disc golf players I can call family and friends. Let's look forward to a great 2018 as Disc Golf grows even more this year in Colorado...
David
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