How to Get Better at Golf – 7 Tips That I Used To Improve My Own Golf Game
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Follow These Tips To Lower Those Golf Scores
Golf is one of those games that keeps you coming back for more. And there is a usually strong desire to want to improve. The beauty of this game is that there is are many ways on how to get better at golf. And so many different areas that one can focus on.
Maybe it’s more distance that you desire or more accuracy. And think of all the short game skills like chip shots, pitch shots, and putting that can be improved upon.
Having a great swing and increasing strength can help your golf game. But, so will improving your focus and mindset, as well as your finesse and confidence while out on the course. There are many ways to improve in this game. I have listed out the most helpful ways that helped me personally get better at golf and how I have improved my own golf game over the years.
The Best 7 Tips To Help Your Golf Game
1. Improve Your Golf Swing with Instruction
Improving your swing can make a world of difference in your game. Today, there are so many ways to learn the proper techniques and mechanics of the golf swing. From online videos on YouTube, Instagram and Facebook to working with a golf instructor. Online videos have worked wonders for my game especially when I am trying to fix something… like the terrible slice I used to have. There are thousands if not more videos like this one by Rick Shiels on the internet that can help you with your swing.
Hiring a golf instructor can also be a huge help for your swing. Sometimes it takes another pair of eyes watching you swing to see what might not be working. A good golf teacher can usually spot little nuances with your swing and help correct them. The PGA has a great list of teaching professionals as well as the LPGA.
And especially if you are new to golf, an instructor is a wonderful way to build a solid foundation and swing from the beginning. It can be more difficult later on to fix those bad habits, imperfections, or techniques that have been built over the years.
2. Commit to Golf Practice
The best way to get better at pretty much anything is to practice. Yes, you need to practice, practice, practice.
Think about the 10,000-hour rule. Do something for 10,000 hours and you can practically become an expert. When I was a child I played the flute for 10 years or so and earned my black belt in martial arts. Both required a commitment on my part to practice in order for me to get better.
The most important component to this is to commit to the practice and be consistent. Whatever it is you can expend, just make sure you commit, and then stick to it. The hardest part. And don’t give up. It’s ok if you can only practice once a week. It’s still practice! Or maybe you can only get out and play once a week. That’s ok too.
Just remember that usually the more time you commit usually has a direct effect on the rate at which you will improve, especially if you are in the beginning stages of learning.
3. Play on a Golf Course as Much as You Can
Playing golf on a golf course is practice too! In fact, it is pretty much needed if you want to improve. While practicing on the range gives a great foundation and builds muscle memory, playing on an actual golf course is very different.
The ball can end up anywhere on the course including hazards, rough, tall grass, woods, and bunkers. Many times a golfer will need to hit from many different lies – uphill, downhill, and uneven lies. There are many different golf shots required and more thinking is involved like how to hit from these lies and what clubs to hit. Playing outside takes all the outdoor elements and nature into play.
It is a totally different game than hitting on the range. And like practicing on the range, the more times you can go out and play a round is going to give you more consistency in your golf game. The more situations and circumstances that you experience are going to give you more opportunities to learn. This will give you more confidence in the long run as well.
4. Improve Your Short Game – Chipping, Pitching and Putting
The short game is comprised of chipping, pitching, and putting. The short game is one of those areas in golf that can add many strokes to your score. The short game is comprised of chipping, pitching, and putting.
Think of all those times you get within 100 yards or are up near the green. How annoying is it when it then takes several more strokes to get on the green from there? If you can improve your pitch and chip shots, it will absolutely help you get better at golf and you’ll see much improvement.
The other part of the short game is putting. They say “drive for show and putt for dough”.
The beauty of putting is anyone can work on improving one’s putter. Think again of how many putts you typically have in a round. Now, if you can decrease your putting strokes by 1 on each hole, you’ve just saved 9 or 18 strokes in a given round! Here’s something to work towards, a tour player rolls in an average of 26 putts in a round. Crazy good, but something you can work towards.
5. Improve Your Golf Fitness
Golf fitness is now all the rage and is becoming more and more important. It can help increase strength, build the core, and improve mobility, flexibility, and balance. All of which are incredibly effective in improving your game.
As I get older, being more flexible and limber really helps my golf. Being able to have a full range of motion is important in the golf swing which requires a lot of torque, twisting, and rotation.
Walking and playing also require endurance and stamina. If you get tired during a round, you could lose mental clarity and focus. So, becoming golf fit is really important. Look at any of today’s golf professionals and they all make their golf workouts a huge part of their weekly regimen and routine.
6. Focus on How to Score & Golf Mindset
Focusing on your score can be helpful. Focusing on your score too much might not be so good. However, focusing on how to score lower can provide a different perspective. What it does is change the way you might look at playing the course. Also called strategy or course management in golf. How you get around the golf course in the least amount of shots and managing the risk/reward is important.
For example, there may be a big pond that you need to carry or get over on your second shot. It might be more fun to try to hit over the water on your second shot, but if there is a risk of going in, the more strategic choice may be to lay up in front of the pond so you have a better chance of getting over in your next shot than incurring a 1 stroke penalty and having to hit from a drop zone.
Golf mindset pertains to how you think and react on the golf course. Let’s say you top your ball and it goes right into the water hazard. You have just incurred a one-stroke penalty and then your dropped shot goes right back in the pond. By now, you may be annoyed, frustrated, ready to give up.
Knowing how to mentally get past this frustration is a learned skill. Knowing how to handle these emotions in golf can positively affect the rest of your round, as well as your score and enjoyment for the rest of the day. If you let them get to you, it can have a negative effect on your demeanor which usually means your score as well.
7. Get A Golf Club Fitting & Utilize Newer Technology
I put this last, but it certainly can help anyone’s golf game. A good club fitting can add distance and ease to your golf game. We are all different in how we swing golf clubs and one brand or club type can be easy to hit while hard for another person. Finding the right club that suits your physical attributes as well as your swing can only help improve your game. And with all the new technology that is offered today, it can be a real impact especially if you are currently using older clubs.
I recently got a club fitting and it honestly gave me an extra 10 – 20 yards on each club. My clubs at the time were about 15 years old and it was time to upgrade. The difference in technology was eye opening. It felt effortless and so good when I used my new clubs. You can get a club fitting from a local fitter or retail store as well. You can read my experience here with my own golf club fitting with a master club fitter.
Be sure to use one of these 7 tips or a combination and you will be well on your way to improving your golf game. Remember that anyone can get better at golf – it’s just your mindset and commitment.
If you can see it and believe it, you can achieve it!
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