Golf is tough, technical and requires patience. However, golf is also infectious and rewarding no matter what standard you play at. Whether you play club golf or just socially, certain processes can be used to make you the best possible player you can be. I have five tee time tips to help you improve your game.
Tip 1 – Choose the right equipment
Golf is difficult at the best of times, but choosing the right equipment can help. Always work within your budget. Custom-fitting your clubs can be a good start in lowering your numbers on the course.
Your putter is the most used club in any round you play. It is vital to feel comfortable with it in your hand and playing strokes. Going to any golf retailer or golf club pro shop allows you to test out various grips and club heads to make sure you make the right choice.
Most golfers say that iron play is the most difficult part of your golf game, and predominantly, two types of iron heads can be used. Most professional players use the ‘bladed’ club head as it gives the most accurate precision of spin on the ball. However, it means the club face is smaller and allows little margin for error.
This type of iron head is recommended for players with a handicap of 10 or less. The other type of iron head is a ‘cavity back’. This iron is heavier from the back but has far more margin for error if you don’t catch your shots as well as you would like. This type of iron is strongly recommended if you are a beginner or play off a handicap of 10 or above.
After your putter, your driver is probably the most important club in your bag. It is very difficult to lower your score on the course if you never can hit your ball in the fairway. Again, it is all about comfort and feel; maybe testing out a few different drivers will help find the best for you.
Tip 2 – Choose the right course
The beauty of golf is that every course is different. Playing the right course for you is important. Do your research. Most courses have websites that give information about the course and provide a scorecard showing the distances to each hole. Remember, if the lowest score possible motivates you, then the harder the course, the less likely you will be able to enjoy and achieve the score you want.
It’s helpful to think about how to play the course and ask yourself questions. Are the holes long? Is the course hilly? How difficult is the walk? All these factors contribute to how enjoyable your round can be. You rarely get good results with the wrong mindset. As your game improves, the choice of courses you feel you can play will expand.
Tip 3 – Play within your limits
The reality is that we are not all professional players. It’s important to know your limits on a golf course and be patient when playing. It’s very easy to see the professionals hit big drives and have pinpoint accuracy on the greens. However, you need to be realistic and accept that whilst you may go about it differently, you can still post scores that you are happy with.
Patience is key. There will be shots that you will not be happy with in your round, but there will also be good shots, and it is important to take the positives instead of the negatives. In sports, mentality is more than 50% of the battle. If you can keep your emotions in check and have clarity of thought, then you are giving yourself the biggest chance to get the most out of your game.
Setting Goals on the Course
On the course, instead of thinking about your score, you can set yourself various goals within your round. For example, one goal can be to ensure you hit the fairway on every hole. Most club or amateur players tend to just get the driver out at the start of every hole (barring par 3’s). However, setting this goal for yourself may encourage you to take a lesser club to ensure you hit the fairway on that particular hole.
Another goal (which I use) is to try to make a maximum of two putts on every hole. There will be occasions when you may take more than two putts, and that’s fine—even the pros do that. However, keeping a record of your performance on each round can encourage you to do better next time.
Again, it’s important to know and accept your limits, and this applies greatly to iron play. One of the best pieces of advice I ever received was to try and find the middle of the green with every iron shot. If successful, it’s surprising how useful it can be to get the lowest score you can, as it can usually lead to a putting opportunity.
Tip 4 – Prepare like a pro
You may not play to a professional standard, but there is nothing to stop you from preparing for every round like a professional, and there are a few techniques you can copy to ensure you get the most out of your game.
The key to every shot for a professional is to know precisely how far they can hit each club. You can also do this. Most driving ranges have the pro tracer technology that tells you your yardage for every shot. Hit ten shots with each club and take an average yardage. Make notes, take them to the course, and you will have a better insight into how far your ball goes. Remember, how far you hit the ball isn’t as important as being aware of the numbers you’re hitting.
Once you have found your yardages, it’s very useful to have some distance aid on the course. This will help you gauge how far away from the flag you are on each hole. Most golfers use a GPS watch, which lets you enter the course you are playing and know the yardage of each hole. Several apps you can use on your phone have the same qualities as the watch. However, you should be aware that some courses don’t allow phones on the course.
Using technology aids and knowing your club yardages allows you to hit the right club from the proper distance 99% of the time. It is very difficult to lower your score if you are hitting the wrong club into the greens.
Tip 5 – Enjoy playing
The tips above should help you improve your golf game. However, the most important thing is for you to enjoy your time on the course. A common theme in sports, particularly recently, is that a healthy mind = a healthy game. If you are not happy or enjoying playing, then your task is made a lot more difficult. Play where you want, how you want, and with the people you want. Trust me, you will almost certainly enjoy your round of golf.
To summarise, here are my top 5 tips:
1 – Choose the right equipment
2 – Choose the right course
3 – Play within your limits
4 – Prepare like a professional
5 – Enjoy playing
Image by DONGWON LEE from Pixabay
