There are a number of ways a golfer can improve their swing, drive and score. Meeting with an instructor, watching golf instructions videos and clips, covering various aspects of golf, can help new players and seasoned players alike. Improving your game starts by identifying areas that need improvement. What part of your game needs help? Here is a list of golf tips categorized in six parts:
Golf Basics – These tips on golf basics are great not only for beginners, but for golfers of all skill levels who need a refresher on the fundamentals such as the grip and the set-up position. So many other problems with a golfer’s swing can be helped simply by improving his or her grip. A good swing starts with knowing the proper way to place your hands on the handle of the golf club.
Driver & Iron Play (full swing) – Drivers and irons are used for what’s called the “long game,” which consists of hitting the ball as far as the golfer can to drive it closer to the hole. This skill, also known as full swing, is essential to completing regulation holes under par, but oftentimes beginners struggle to perfect their long game. Fortunately, there are a number of resources out there for self-starting beginners who want to work on hitting those long, straight, consistent drives down the fairway toward the hole.
Wedge Play (Chipping, Pitching, Sand Shots) – If you’re unsure of your chipping or pitching, or you struggle on bunker shots around the hole. Find tips to help you to improve your wedge game and ultimately reduce the number of strokes for each hole. Most golfers don’t get a lot of experience before they’re already playing their first round of golf. Getting balls out of tricky bunkers and onto the green takes skill and practice. Bunker shots require specialty clubs called wedges to lift the ball out of the sand pit and back up onto the playing green toward the hole. Similarly, players who find themselves in the rough grass just outside the putting green might have to chip or pitch their ball over the last few yards with a wedge in order to maintain control and guide the ball closer to the hole.
Putting Tips – Every golfer – even the best putters on the planet – wish they made more putts. Search for online instructional articles and videos whose aim is to help you make more putts, either through developing the basics or by suggesting practice drills that can help. But, here is one putting tip that is more important than all the rest: Simply spend more time practicing your putting. You’d be surprised how many golfers skip the putting green at the practice facility.
Mental Game Tips – So we’re not into mind games and mental tricks on the golf course! But then, maybe that’s why we don’t score better than we do? All we know is that many of the best golfers in the world employ “mental coaches” (otherwise known as sports psychologists) to help them with their games and with golf psychology. If you think you might derive some benefit from access to the same mental tricks and tips that the pros employ, check out a book titled “Golf is Not a Game of Perfect.”
Golf Fitness – Golf fitness is important for golfers who truly want to improve their games – and who want to improve their physical abilities. Because golf fitness means addressing issues of strength, flexibility, and balance, paying attention to golf fitness ?can improve your scores. Check online for exercises that describe and demonstrate exercises that target muscles specific to golf. Walking the course rather than riding in a golf cart doesn’t just benefit the golf course – some may argue that it’s better for the game overall. Head-to-Toe stretches is a good way to start every day but it’s a good routine you can do on the driving range or even on the first tee in order to get your body primed for golf.
While it’s important to recognize which elements of your game are lacking and which you are particularly skilled at, finding a balance between these strengths and weaknesses, as well as practicing in areas that need the most improvement, will help improve your score and eliminate more errors the more you practice and learn.
Fortunately, in recent years, more and more resources have become available for more specific help on everything from putting to short-game improvement, as well as books and guides for both male and female golfers to improve their specific games
For a quick refresher, golfers may choose to create and carry a list of Faults and Fix-it Tips that they can use as a quick reference checklist to help you diagnose the causes of errant ball flights (slice, draw) and common mishits (fat shots, topping).
Let’s not forget that one of the most basic of golf basics is this: practice! You’d be surprised how many people think they can get better at golf simply by playing every once in a while. We believe you should always keep the focus on enjoying the game, but if you also want to become good at golf, making time to practice is a must.
