Tournament & Competition

Pre-Tournament Practice

Prepare the week before so nothing surprises you.

Why it matters

A practice round is worth more than any amount of general practice in the week before an event, because it converts unknowns into knowns. Every hole you have seen is a hole you are not working out under pressure with a group waiting.

How to do it

Play at least one practice round on the layout, ideally at the same time of day.
Note the lines, the OB, the mandos, the drop zones and where the pins are likely to be.
Write down a plan for each hole: disc, shape, landing zone.
Spend most of the remaining practice time on putting and approaches. Tight rounds are decided inside 150 feet.
Do not change anything technical in the final week. Dial what you have rather than rebuilding it.

Common mistakes

Working on form in the week before an event.Too late to help and likely to hurt. Sharpen what exists; rebuild after the event.

Playing a practice round and not writing anything down.Write the plan per hole. By the event you will have forgotten half of what you noticed.

Spending the practice round trying to score.Throw several options from each tee and learn the hole. Scoring in a practice round proves nothing.

Key points

Play a practice round and note lines, OB and pin spots.
Dial putting and approaches — they decide tight rounds.

The drill

Drill · A plan per hole — 1 practice round, 18 written hole plans. Play the layout and write one line per hole: disc, shape, landing zone, where the trouble is. Eighteen lines. Carry it. Most of the value is in having made the decisions when nothing was at stake.

Watch: Top 5 Tips To Prepare For A Disc Golf Tournament! | Practice Round — Kelly Zmijewski