Blog Category: Practice

How to Quiet the Voices and Commit

Every disc golfer knows the feeling. You step up to a 20-foot putt with OB looming behind the basket. Your hand tightens on the disc. Your heart rate speeds up. You tell yourself, “Don’t miss this,” but deep down, you know the doubt is already there. And when you release the disc—just like you feared—it splashes out or sails long.

Why does this happen, even when you know you’re capable of making that putt? And more importantly—how do you stop it from happening?

The answer lies in the mental game. Physical skills only take you so far. If you want to reach the next level as a player, you need to train your mind just as much as your form. This post will walk you through a simple but powerful mental framework to quiet the negative voices, focus on execution, and start putting with real confidence.


Why Negative Thoughts Creep In

First, let’s clear something up: Negative thoughts during competition are completely normal. They’re not a sign of weakness—they’re just how your brain is wired.

🧠 The Brain’s Job is to Protect You

When you step up to a pressure putt, your brain perceives the situation as a threat.

  • The threat isn’t physical—it’s emotional.

  • Missing the putt might mean embarrassment, frustration, or even confirming a deep fear that you’re “not good enough.”

  • To protect you from that emotional pain, your brain tries to lower your expectations by feeding you negative thoughts:
    ➡️ “You’re going to miss this.”
    ➡️ “Don’t go OB.”
    ➡️ “Don’t blow it.”

This is your brain’s attempt to protect you from failure. But in reality, it creates the very outcome you’re trying to avoid. When you focus on avoiding failure, your body tightens up, your putting stroke gets mechanical, and you miss.

So how do you break this pattern? By shifting from a mindset of fear and consequence to a mindset of calm and execution.


6-Step Mental Game Reset

When you feel the negative voices creeping in, follow this mental reset to take back control:


1. Acknowledge the Thought (Without Engaging It)

When you notice the thought creeping in—“What if I miss?”—don’t fight it. Fighting the thought gives it power.

Instead, acknowledge it calmly:
“That’s a fact. I don’t have to engage with it.”

Example:
➡️ “There’s OB behind the basket. That’s a fact.”
➡️ “That’s just noise—I don’t need to react to it.”

The moment you acknowledge the fear without attaching to it, you create separation between yourself and the thought. That stops the spiral before it starts.


2. Break the Pattern with a Physical Cue (Reset)

Negative thoughts create a physical reaction—tightness in your grip, quickened breathing, shaky hands. You need to reset both your mind and your body.

✅ Step away from your lie.
✅ Take a deep breath.
✅ Say a simple trigger word:

    • “Commit.”
    • “Smooth.”
    • “Trust.”

This creates a hard reset between the negative thought and your next action.


3. Give Yourself a Positive Directive

Your brain needs a clear, positive instruction. Telling yourself “Don’t miss” focuses your mind on the negative outcome.

Instead, give yourself a positive directive:
✅ “Soft touch, center chains.”
✅ “Smooth release.”
✅ “Commit to the line.”

Positive commands lock your brain into execution mode rather than consequence mode.


4. Focus on a Small Target

Instead of aiming for the whole basket or gap, narrow your focus to a single spot, link or spot on the pole.

✅ This locks your mind onto a small target and prevents it from drifting toward the OB or imagining a miss.
✅ The smaller the target, the more precise your mind becomes.

Example:
➡️ “Hit that left chain link.”
➡️ “Aim for the center pole.”

Your brain can’t focus on fear when it’s locked onto a specific target.


5. Commit and Release (No Second-Guessing)

Once you’ve lined up, the thinking phase is over. Now it’s time to trust the process.

✅ You’re no longer trying to “make” the putt—you’re simply executing the stroke.
✅ Focus on the feel of the disc in your hand and the release—not the result.

Example:
➡️ “Commit and release.”
➡️ “Smooth stroke.”
➡️ “Follow through.”


6. Neutral Response After the Putt (Make or Miss)

If you make the putt—great. If you miss it—no emotional reaction. No frustration, no internal dialogue, no ego hit.

✅ Take a deep breath.
✅ Say: “Next shot.”
✅ Walk to the next hole with the same body language you’d have if you made it.

This is critical because if you give emotional weight to misses, your brain will learn to treat them as a threat. The goal is to make every putt feel emotionally neutral so your brain stops treating it like a life-or-death moment.


Example Scenario: Putting with OB Behind the Basket

❌ What Normally Happens:

  1. You see the OB.

  2. You think: “Don’t miss.”

  3. Your hand tightens.

  4. Your stroke becomes mechanical.

  5. You miss.

✅ What This Looks Like With the New Process:

  1. You see the OB.

  2. “Yup, that’s OB. That’s a fact.” (Acknowledgement)

  3. Step back. Deep breath. “Commit.” (Pattern Break)

  4. “Soft touch, center chains.” (Positive Directive)

  5. Focus on the feel of the disc. Small target. (Sensory Focus)

  6. Smooth release. (Commitment)

  7. If it misses: “Next shot.” (No Judgment)


💡 Why This Works

✅ You stop trying to control the outcome.
✅ You shift from a “fear of failure” mindset to a “trust in execution” mindset.
✅ You eliminate the fight-or-flight response by focusing on action instead of consequence.


🔥 Putting Mindset Cheat Sheet

  1. Acknowledge: “That’s a fact—I don’t have to engage with it.”

  2. Pattern Break (Reset): Step back → Deep breath → Trigger word.

  3. Positive Directive: “Soft touch, center chains.”

  4. Small Target: Focus on a single link.

  5. Commit and Release: Feel the stroke, not the result.

  6. No Judgment Afterward: “Next shot.”


💪 Final Thoughts: Confidence is a Skill

Most players think confidence comes from making putts. That’s backward. Confidence comes from how you respond to putts—both makes and misses.

➡️ Confidence is the result of training your mind to stay calm under pressure.
➡️ Confidence is knowing you can handle the outcome, no matter what it is.
➡️ Confidence is built on trust—and trust is built through process.

Start working this mental reset into your practice rounds and casual putting sessions. Once it becomes second nature, you’ll start walking up to every putt—whether it’s 15 feet or 45—with the same calm, focused energy.

That’s when the game changes. That’s when the chains start sounding different.

Disc golf is a game of adaptability, and nothing tests your skills more than playing in challenging weather. Recently, I had a frustrating round during my weekly league that reminded me just how tough it can be to play in wind and rain.

One particular hole stands out: throwing my Wraith anhyzer into a headwind, watching it sail OB, and then following up with an Firebird upshot that also went OB left (turned over). The result? A growing sense of frustration as I struggled to get off the tee in the wind. And that seemed to last all round.

That round inspired me to rethink my approach to playing in adverse weather. Rain and wind rounds may be tough, but I realize that mastering them could give me a massive advantage over the competition. Right now, I’m on the losing end of that stick—but I’m determined to change that.

(more…)

I’ve been working on my wrist position in the power pocket for more consistently over 380ft. I’m a big fan of watching slow motion videos of the pros. I just came across this one which is high definition and great angles. Hopes this helps you and your game as well.

Posted by SixFt12

Credits from the video:

Central Coast Disc Golf    / @centralcoastdiscgolf   AnhyzerDG    / @anhyzerdg   DynamicDiscs    / dynamicdiscs   The SpinTV    / @thespintvcom   T Hamina    / @thamina9156   Ethan Longoria    / @mrmerrygoodmorning5488  

One of the most iconic sports figures of all time, Kobe Bryant, coined a mindset called the “Mamba Mentality”. Though it originated on the basketball court, this relentless mindset, focused on continual growth and resilience, can be applied to any challenging situation – including improving your disc golf game.

(more…)

Mastering a diverse range of throws is essential to take your game to the next level. With every course offering various obstacles, terrain, and wind conditions, having an arsenal of throws at your disposal can give you a significant edge. Here are 5 essential throws every disc golfer needs to master to improve their game and tackle any challenge on the course.

(more…)

Ricky Wysocki is one of the best players in the world, and there’s a reason why. He’s almost mechanically perfect when he plays. His form is amazing, and he very rarely makes a mistake. In this great video, Ricky breaks down 5 tips to improve your putting.

(more…)

Approach shots are an important part of the game of disc golf. They can make or break your score, so it’s important to practice them as much as you can. Here’s one way to improve your approach shots. Stand 75 to 150 feet out of your target. Use about 5 of the same putters. Get the disc as close to your target as you can and repeat for 45 minutes.

(more…)

I was playing a tournament a few weeks back and I found myself with an impossible layup. Stuck behind a wall of trees and about 60 feet out, my only option was a flick roller. I drew it up in my mind pulled out my Toro, an overstable approach disc with a wide rim. My thinking was if I can just get it to stand up straight it should curl nicely to the left and finish right under the basket. I released nice and straight and it proceeded to flip right onto it’s lid and I took a 4. Thus, highlighting the importance of practicing escape roller shots.

(more…)

Beginner disc golfers often struggle with distance putts. Common problems arise from either weak-arming the disc to the basket and coming up short, flinging it accurately but too much past the basket, and/or loosing accuracy by taking a more fairway stance and approach. Building up your putting distance and accuracy mainly takes practice, repetition, and confidence. Here are the Dojo’s tips to speed up the process of increasing your putting distance!

(more…)

Disc golf is great way to get out in nature, get your steps in and heart up, meet new people, and the sport is growing like crazy! I’m constantly running into new players every time I hit the course, from all walks of life. If you’re just starting out and want to improve your game, or know someone that is, let’s get started with our beginners guide to disc golf! 

(more…)

Daily Ruminations

How to Quiet the Voices and Commit

Every disc golfer knows the feeling. You step up to a 20-foot putt with OB looming behind the basket. Your hand tightens on the disc. Your heart rate speeds up. You tell yourself, “Don’t miss this,” but deep down, you know the doubt is already there. And when you release the disc—just like you feared—it splashes out or sails long.

Why does this happen, even when you know you’re capable of making that putt? And more importantly—how do you stop it from happening?

The answer lies in the mental game. Physical skills only take you so far. If you want to reach the next level as a player, you need to train your mind just as much as your form. This post will walk you through a simple but powerful mental framework to quiet the negative voices, focus on execution, and start putting with real confidence.


Why Negative Thoughts Creep In

First, let’s clear something up: Negative thoughts during competition are completely normal. They’re not a sign of weakness—they’re just how your brain is wired.

🧠 The Brain’s Job is to Protect You

When you step up to a pressure putt, your brain perceives the situation as a threat.

  • The threat isn’t physical—it’s emotional.

  • Missing the putt might mean embarrassment, frustration, or even confirming a deep fear that you’re “not good enough.”

  • To protect you from that emotional pain, your brain tries to lower your expectations by feeding you negative thoughts:
    ➡️ “You’re going to miss this.”
    ➡️ “Don’t go OB.”
    ➡️ “Don’t blow it.”

This is your brain’s attempt to protect you from failure. But in reality, it creates the very outcome you’re trying to avoid. When you focus on avoiding failure, your body tightens up, your putting stroke gets mechanical, and you miss.

So how do you break this pattern? By shifting from a mindset of fear and consequence to a mindset of calm and execution.


6-Step Mental Game Reset

When you feel the negative voices creeping in, follow this mental reset to take back control:


1. Acknowledge the Thought (Without Engaging It)

When you notice the thought creeping in—“What if I miss?”—don’t fight it. Fighting the thought gives it power.

Instead, acknowledge it calmly:
“That’s a fact. I don’t have to engage with it.”

Example:
➡️ “There’s OB behind the basket. That’s a fact.”
➡️ “That’s just noise—I don’t need to react to it.”

The moment you acknowledge the fear without attaching to it, you create separation between yourself and the thought. That stops the spiral before it starts.


2. Break the Pattern with a Physical Cue (Reset)

Negative thoughts create a physical reaction—tightness in your grip, quickened breathing, shaky hands. You need to reset both your mind and your body.

✅ Step away from your lie.
✅ Take a deep breath.
✅ Say a simple trigger word:

    • “Commit.”
    • “Smooth.”
    • “Trust.”

This creates a hard reset between the negative thought and your next action.


3. Give Yourself a Positive Directive

Your brain needs a clear, positive instruction. Telling yourself “Don’t miss” focuses your mind on the negative outcome.

Instead, give yourself a positive directive:
✅ “Soft touch, center chains.”
✅ “Smooth release.”
✅ “Commit to the line.”

Positive commands lock your brain into execution mode rather than consequence mode.


4. Focus on a Small Target

Instead of aiming for the whole basket or gap, narrow your focus to a single spot, link or spot on the pole.

✅ This locks your mind onto a small target and prevents it from drifting toward the OB or imagining a miss.
✅ The smaller the target, the more precise your mind becomes.

Example:
➡️ “Hit that left chain link.”
➡️ “Aim for the center pole.”

Your brain can’t focus on fear when it’s locked onto a specific target.


5. Commit and Release (No Second-Guessing)

Once you’ve lined up, the thinking phase is over. Now it’s time to trust the process.

✅ You’re no longer trying to “make” the putt—you’re simply executing the stroke.
✅ Focus on the feel of the disc in your hand and the release—not the result.

Example:
➡️ “Commit and release.”
➡️ “Smooth stroke.”
➡️ “Follow through.”


6. Neutral Response After the Putt (Make or Miss)

If you make the putt—great. If you miss it—no emotional reaction. No frustration, no internal dialogue, no ego hit.

✅ Take a deep breath.
✅ Say: “Next shot.”
✅ Walk to the next hole with the same body language you’d have if you made it.

This is critical because if you give emotional weight to misses, your brain will learn to treat them as a threat. The goal is to make every putt feel emotionally neutral so your brain stops treating it like a life-or-death moment.


Example Scenario: Putting with OB Behind the Basket

❌ What Normally Happens:

  1. You see the OB.

  2. You think: “Don’t miss.”

  3. Your hand tightens.

  4. Your stroke becomes mechanical.

  5. You miss.

✅ What This Looks Like With the New Process:

  1. You see the OB.

  2. “Yup, that’s OB. That’s a fact.” (Acknowledgement)

  3. Step back. Deep breath. “Commit.” (Pattern Break)

  4. “Soft touch, center chains.” (Positive Directive)

  5. Focus on the feel of the disc. Small target. (Sensory Focus)

  6. Smooth release. (Commitment)

  7. If it misses: “Next shot.” (No Judgment)


💡 Why This Works

✅ You stop trying to control the outcome.
✅ You shift from a “fear of failure” mindset to a “trust in execution” mindset.
✅ You eliminate the fight-or-flight response by focusing on action instead of consequence.


🔥 Putting Mindset Cheat Sheet

  1. Acknowledge: “That’s a fact—I don’t have to engage with it.”

  2. Pattern Break (Reset): Step back → Deep breath → Trigger word.

  3. Positive Directive: “Soft touch, center chains.”

  4. Small Target: Focus on a single link.

  5. Commit and Release: Feel the stroke, not the result.

  6. No Judgment Afterward: “Next shot.”


💪 Final Thoughts: Confidence is a Skill

Most players think confidence comes from making putts. That’s backward. Confidence comes from how you respond to putts—both makes and misses.

➡️ Confidence is the result of training your mind to stay calm under pressure.
➡️ Confidence is knowing you can handle the outcome, no matter what it is.
➡️ Confidence is built on trust—and trust is built through process.

Start working this mental reset into your practice rounds and casual putting sessions. Once it becomes second nature, you’ll start walking up to every putt—whether it’s 15 feet or 45—with the same calm, focused energy.

That’s when the game changes. That’s when the chains start sounding different.

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“Success is a journey, not a destination. The doing is often more important than the outcome.”

– Arthur Ashe
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“Champions get hit over and over and over. You know, it’s the champion that decides to keep moving forward. It’s how many punches can you take and keep moving forward until you win.”

– Doc Rivers (from The Playbook)
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“What is delayed is not denied”

– old proverb
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“At times you have to learn the steps to becoming a national champion, and one of those steps is losing, because it’s all about momentum, and momentum doesn’t mean it’s a positive thing. You can have momentum to lose and be defeated. You can have 24 hours to bask in your victory, or you got 24 hours to agonize in your defeat, and then we put one foot in front of the other and keep moving forward.”

– Dawn Staley
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“The key to success is to focus our conscious mind on things we desire not things we fear.”

– Brian Tracy
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