Hey Ya’ll! Coming to you from Freeport, Maine in a cute little coffee shop, not far from the ocean. This is my job. And boy am I lucky.
I’m writing the morning of the last round of Women’s Nationals, 2016. My first major (of many) in the Open division and I’m actually holding my own here for the most part. I haven’t posted in weeks because road life goes by so incredibly fast. It’s absolutely absurd how quickly time flies when you’re driving every day and golfing and vending, etc. It is more exhausting than I expected but I also love it.
I’m starting to feel “in place” out here. I’m one of the newest member to the FPO tour scene and It certainly has felt like it, mostly because I’m still putting up silly rounds here and there but realistically, for the challenges I’m facing, I’m doing pretty darn good!
I wanted to share an experience with you guys in regards to mid-round frustrations. To be really honest, I was a bit of a baby during yesterdays first round, but I was certainly dealt some of the worst luck I’ve ever seen, but that’s DISC GOLF, and I know that. You have to battle and keep pushing and you can’t let yourself get defeated. So…I’m playing well, and I come up on a hole that has OB everywhere but if you play smart you’re fine. I throw my second shot it hits a tree and shoots forever out of bounds and puts me in a really rough spot, I end up carding a 6. The next hole is fine, then I come up to another par 4 where the slightest turn of my disc causes a kick way into the trees, the next shot was well executed to get back to the fairway, but scoots behind the only tree in the fairway, same with the next and the next, took another 6. My biggest trouble is that I’m executing good shots and ending up in the worst spots and it really is a lot of bad luck…but here’s where I went wrong. That whole “poor Tina” attitude, AND losing confidence even though I’m throwing well. Sometimes rounds just go like that and you are nature’s target but you can’t get defeated, you have to battle through. Disc golf has a tendency to take and then give back. You might have 1 round with the worst luck, but you’re going to get a bunch of tree love on your next round, or maybe the one after that…it’s “science” 😉
After my rough round, I picked apart what happened with my #1 fan Eric and he pointed it out that I played REALLY well for the circumstances I was in, and he’s right. SO, it got me thinking about how to keep a good attitude when you’re getting beaten down like that. I decided to play a game. Every bad kick or spit out or rollaway, etc. I get a reward, because it isn’t under my control when that stuff happens, and it isn’t necessarily my bad play that’s causing it. I keep a small package of Fruit Smile gummies in my bag most of the time and it’s the perfect little thing. They have SMILES on them, of course it’s going to help. And it totally does. Disc hit’s a tree – “Oh I TOTALLY get a fruit snack for that one!!!” keeps it light and fun. I’m not about to say that it’s going to work every time, but it certainly helps.
I’m a professional disc golfer. But I’m also a super sensitive emotional person that feels every good and bad throw. Maybe fruit snack rewards sound gimmicky but the way I see it, do what works to make you the best golfer you can be, and let’s be real, we’re out there throwing frisbees in the woods, I don’t WANT to be too serious. It worked well for my second round yesterday, but I did get back some tree love (keeping me IN bounds on that same hole) and I’m actually shooting really good rounds 😀
In more general news, I’m insanely happy out here. Eric and I are doing wonderfully at road life together, Penelope Luseal Cruise (the RV) is performing whale and is cozy as ever. Our season looks to be a long one still, despite it being mid September already. We are looking to do clinics and vending across the country through the remainder of this year, so if you’d like us to visit you, let us know, we’d love to come through.
Smiles, and frisbees.
Love you all,
Tina
