Playing well w/ little to no warm-up.

[BIG MACK]

Background: A friend and I run a weekly doubles series for charity called Winter Warriors. All money raised goes to the Food Bank of the Rockies. It's a great cause and we have such an awesomely giving disc golf community here in Colorado! It's a 13 week series that runs every Saturday morning on a different front range Colorado course each week. Living up to it's name, we play no matter the weather (cold, snow, sleet, wind...we follow the Ice Bowl motto of "No WImps - No Whiners"). To make things more fun we have double birdies (both partners can putt out for -2 on a hole) and unique holes like putter only, forehand only, driver only, off hand, worst shot, mini hole, etc... The players' scores are added up over the course of the 13 weeks and each players top 6 scores are considered towards determining the top 10 (who receive trophies). There's also a trophy for all players who make every week. For more info, check out www.mhdgc.org (it's pretty cool!).

As my friend and I do check-in up until the players' meeting, we rarely get an opportunity to get throws in for warm-up (which we're totally OK with and understand it comes with the territory when running an event). Often, our first throws of the day are on our first hole of the round and the temps are quite low (typically below freezing) so we're figuratively and literally cold. The focus each week is definitely raising money for charity and having fun..and it's a bonus if by chance I happen to play well. That being said, I'm a competitive guy and certainly prefer to play my best. And, I would like to be a productive teammate for my partner...as it's best disc doubles. Typically, it's not until 4-5 holes into the round that I get my timing and feel warmed up.

Does anybody have any tips, strategies, advice to play well with little to no warm-up (while freezing)? Please keep in mind there's little/no time for us to get throws in during check-in as we typically have 50-100 players check-in the morning of the event. Thanks!

[inthedrift]

Do the towel drill when you can while you're signing people in maybe?

Not really sure what the answer is, I play in cold temps here in AK in the winter and some days I can come out shooting hot right off the bat with no warm-up but other times it takes a few holes to get going. Can you arrive a little early to possibly get a warm-up in before people start showing up? Otherwise I'd say just keep moving around in the cold (jumping jacks, swinging your arms, running in place) so that you're staying somewhat warm.

[colombo117]

I would recommend getting your body and muscles warmed up. Jumping Jacks, running in place, stretching, and towel drills. Putting would be my only concern.

[Mark Ellis]

Different players have differing warm up needs. One of our top Pros often shows up late for leagues and throws great without warm up. My old doubles partner Carlton Howard (North Carolina) didn't need warm up either. When we discussed this he told me that he spent years running tournaments and playing in them as well and he, out of necessity developed the knack. So like most things it is a developable skill with practice.

Players with better pure athletic talent seem to have an advantage in this way. Players with more average athletic talent (even if they have developed good golf skills) have a smaller reservoir to help them get into a groove. In the same way the "natural athletes" can come back from a layoff better and faster than the less gifted.

I am not in the "natural athlete" camp. Heck, I'm so far away from that camp I can't see the smoke from their bonfires. But through the years I have slowly developed a bit of that ability. While I generally like an hour to warm up for a tournament with the whole stretching -playing catch- putting and driving-then playing a few holes routine, because I have played many Warm Up Games I have noticed that sometimes I can throw good shots right off the bat.

A Warm Up Game is always competitive in nature. Even if it is your first shot of the day you don't want to lose a game so it forces you to concentrate. If your first couple of shots are good then you are rewarded with a surge of confidence. If you start off shaky then you need to find that groove.

If I had to run an event and try to play well in it these are the things I would do:

Before arriving at the course, a full stretching and warm up. It is easier to re-warm up, just like it takes less time to get ready for a second round than a first.

While at the registration try to stay as warm as possible and stretch now and again. While walking to the first hole, don't just walk it, play it as a warm up hole.

Btw, something that is done at one of my local leagues, is creating the rule that the league TD has the right to start at hole #1. This rule is done for efficiency sake. Until the TD has completed his round he cannot collect the cards and determine the winners. Since the TD will be in the last group to head out, if he has to walk far into the course to start then he has the same long walk at the end of the round. Everyone has to wait for results at the end of the round, so adding walking time to the TD delays everyone.

[BIG MACK]

WOW...awesome advice. Thanks a lot! Definitely a lot of things I'm going to try out this week. Much appreciated!

[MR. WICK]

I run a winter league that gives me about 0 time to warm up before the round. I usually spend 15 mins on the elipitical machine right before I leave the house and do a streatching routine. I also do this on tournament days. It really cuts into the time it takes to get loose at the course.

[JR]

Freezing temperatures are a different beast to summer. I'm a slow starter even in the summer so i need a lot of warm up time. In winter it's bad. Much depends on, how you are and what you need in order to get going early on. If you get frozen before the start you are need something to keep you warm like a jacket with electrical heating. It's a bit pricey, but you would stay warm and loose through the event and not just the start. Provided you are ok in water and warmth departments elsewhere. If your muscles work ok when you are cold you can get by much cheaper. Lift your bag with the throwing arm while you are taking in registrations. Or use a Powerball.