I seem to SUCK at wide open courses!

So, after this weekend I noticed that my game changes an ungodly amount when I go from a wooded course to an open course. On courses where you must think about lines and control more (i.e. Rolling Hills) I tend to do very well (at least for me) and then when it is wide open (i.e. EMU) I seem to do just down right horrible. Even when I am still having the same thought process for both types of courses I just seem to suck it up something fierce on open courses. Maybe I have sort of subconcious thing going on.

The change doesn't seem to effect the open holes on wooded courses though. So maybe I am just having some bad luck on those days.

Just thought I would vent about it.

[Judozuna]

Most times wide open courses have considerably more wind than wooded courses. Not just constant wind either. Sometimes you'll throw thinking its calm and it is where you're standing but 100ft down from you there could be some major wind and you might not feel it. That's what makes open courses challenging because there is just no way to judge all the variables the wind can bring. You can get better at it though.

[Donny Olow]

Practice , Practice , Practice. Alot of Variables on Different courses.

[Hootie]

It's amazing how you can nail the tiniest gap on a tight technical hole, then you come to a wide open fairway and shank your drive horribly! I reckon its a mental thing (I think I try to throw the disc with too much force rather than focus on good technique when I encounter a wide open fairway), and hopefully it will improve with time and experience. I know my tournament nerves have lessened with more tourney experience, hopefully this does as well.

[Lotto]

just point and shoot !!!!!!!

[Terry "the Pirate" Calhoun]

I've noticed the same thing, it hurt me and probably took first place (Am Senior Grand) from me at 2007 Worlds in Wisconsin. (But not last year!)

I think that if you constantly play tight and wooded holes, you develop visual cues for distance and angles that simply are lost when you are in the open. (Yes, wind is more of a factor, too.) In addition, your mind is faced with multiple possible throws and approaches, where in the woods there might be just one way - and the question is only "Do you have that throw?"

The solution is likely just to play more often at more open courses. That's one of the reasons we were so delighted to get The Ponds at Lakeshore put in.

[Mikey]

Yeah no kidding, i'm so excited that i can finally get more practice on the open spaces of a course (like the ponds), as opposed to a field.

[Derek Tonn]

Just be glad you only suck at wide-open courses! I seem to find a way to suck on pretty much any type of course. LOL.

Seriously though, I do "okay" on wide open courses. I strongly prefer wooded courses though...as there are a lot of players out there who frequent wide-open courses that only worry about where their disc ends up, not how it gets there. Instead of 8-9 ways to get to where you need to be, you've got MAYBE 2-3 (or often-times only one) on some heavily wooded holes. Guys who aren't used to thinking about flight path (or rolling path, I suppose...though I can't throw a roller for the life of me) fold like a house of cards when you get them having to hit 100 square-foot windows 75-100 feet off the tee. That's your edge, if you're used to playing on a course where you've got to worry about high/low/deep/short/left/right simultaneously on a lot of your shots....not just where your disc ends up when it stops moving. ;-)

Reps on open holes or fields is about all that seems to help. If I know I'm playing a wide open course at an upcoming event, I'll spend an unusually large amount of time practicing my open drives/approaches. If I know I'm playing a heavily wooded course, I'll stick to my love and try and make those surgical strikes through all the trees and branches...

[Scot Lambert]

I feel you brother! For me, its the lack of a definitive line....the temptation to Bang it, that hurts my open course game. Hurts it to the point that I avoid courses. Im not a huge banger, maybe 350, but I have control. Play your game and get over the psych of those wide open courses,or...dont play those courses! They are boring!RedundantAnd kinda not what I believe the sport is about. Placement>

[Garrett Graham]

I always suck at EMU the wind there is horrible. Rolling has my number too. The best part about it is I keep going Back for more. Im in the process of changing my throwing style so I overly suck right now. Keep throwing and Practice more than play I say.

[Russell Gore]

Man, I'm the complete opposite to most of you guys. I can really throw well on Wide Open courses, and I play regularly in the woods and generally suck. I hate knowing that I only have 1 line to choose from in the woods. This past weekend at the Lebanon Open, for the second year in a row I shot better than all of the people who normally kill me at a tournament. So much so that I played a division higher in INT. and could have played 2 divisions higher in ADV. and only dropped 1 spot from 2nd to 3rd. I can't ever figure out why I do so much better and everyone else does worse. I'm just glad to be out of the woods and actually have some options, even though I throw mostly big sweeping hyzers and anhyzers.
Last year before the tournament I was lucky enough to play a few rounds with one of our top Pro's. His advice was throw the hyzer when available. Not only that but aim way wider than you could ever imagine. The whole idea is to come in sideways at the basket. This way you are almost always close. Doing this takes all the long and short out of the shot. So after 2 or 3 holes I had this figured out and have never looked back. By doing this I have taken putting out of the equation, because I am almost always parked within 10 ft. of the basket. Sure it makes a 250 ft shot almost 300 ft but it's worth it to play this way.
As far as the wind factor goes thats no problem either. I actually hope for wind at tournaments where I need to play catch up. This is because every time that there has been wind in the past 3 or 4 years I am out practicing in it. I even practiced when the remains of Hurricane Ike came through last September packing 50-80 mph winds. But yes the wind is slightly different at Open courses. It can be blowing down a fairway and not where you are standing.
My 3 favorite courses are either wide open or mostly open with a few sporadic trees. These are also the course I shoot my best scores at. They are Riney B on Nicholasville Ky, Lake Mingo in Nichalosville Ky, and Graham Memorial in Lebanon Ky. All of my highest rated rounds have come from these 3 courses, with the exception of 1 round at Phil Moore in Bowling Green Ky, another mostly Wide Open course. Go figure!

[Donny Olow]

Learn each course you play and adjust to current conditions !!!

[Boom Boom Dino]

When I play the open courses it's all about what air is happening light, from where, and how best to glide the disc in closest to the basket ...... hyzer, anhyzer .......... what's going to get it there with the best glide ........ you've still got to hit the holes ......... even though you can't see them .... they are there.