If you’re like most golfers, saving strokes is key. Employing good swing mechanics is one way to do it. Another is using the latest club technology. Thanks to new club technology, the average golfer hits the ball straighter and longer than ever. But hitting the ball straight and long, doesn’t guarantee low scores. You also must plan each shot carefully so you can avoid hitting into trouble.
Planning each shot requires you to think. If you’re not thinking on the course, you’re not really playing golf. In fact, on-course thinking can save you several strokes per round, maybe more. Those extra shots boost your golf handicap. So you want to avoid adding more strokes to your handicap than you need to.
Below are five golf tips gleaned from our golf instruction sessions that will not only get you to think on the course, but also lower your scores and golf handicap.
1. Allow for a margin of error
No one hits the ball perfectly on every shot. Always allow for a margin of error. Following this advice does more than cut strokes from your scores. It builds confidence, enabling you to start making more aggressive swings while staying within yourself. Also, if you have a water hazard on the left and open spaces on the right, choose the open spaces. Even if you pull it, you won’t go into the water.
2. Use more loft
Loft is a good thing, we tell players in our golf instruction sessions, because backspin fights off sidespin. The more loft you have on your driver, the less your ball curves left and right. That lets you hit more fairways. Many drivers feature a loft of 10.5 degrees. Instead, switch to a driver with a loft of 12 or 13 degrees. You’ll lose distance in the process, but you’ll hit more fairways.
3. Stay within yourself
Veteran golfers hate playing it safe. So do many of the players taking our golf lessons. But you must stay within yourself to shoot low scores. Sure, making an aggressive shot feels good when you pull it off. But staying within yourself cuts strokes from your scores and your golf handicap. Also, always keep the percentages of making a shot in mind. If you can’t make a shot seven out of ten times, try another shot.
4. Think twice about risky shots
When given the opportunity to choose between an aggressive “go for it” play and laying back and playing safe, play it safe. Sure it feels good when you pull off that aggressive shot. But be honest with yourself. If your chances of making the shot are low, choose another one. Remember your goal is shooting low scores, not making great shots. Most times playing to a safe spot generally leads to a lower score anyway. The choice is yours.
5. Go for the center of the green
Just because you can see the flag doesn’t mean you should go for it. In fact, many golfers would probably shoot lower scores if there were no flags on the green. Take the flags away and most golfers will shoot for the center of the green. If the flag is protected by water and sand, you can’t afford to mis-hit the shot. Doing so could cost you big time, so why take the chance.
Perfecting your mechanics is a good way to cut strokes from your scores. So is using the latest golf club technology. But when you fail to think on the course, you’re usually cost yourself strokes. The five golf tips we provided above encourage you to think on the course. These golf tips will also help you cut strokes from your scores and lower your golf handicap without swinging a club.
This is the most intelligent golf advice I’ve seen.
My book, “How Short Hitting, Bad Golfers Break 90 All the Time”, (Amazon. com $9.99, Kindle: $2.99) gives the same advice. It seems that you and I are the only golf teachers who teach that beating the course is as important as beating the ball.
Why has no one discovered that 2 putting every green is playing 1/2 the game at even par? And that putting is the easiest stroke to improve.
When few golfers’ GIR is more than 1 or 2 per round, why do they ignore chipping & pitching so they can get close to the hole for 1 putt pars?
Is anyone out there paying attention?