Amateur golfers have a terrible habit of expecting to hit good golf shots without having any kind of consistent routine ahead of addressing the ball.
So here at The Golfing Gazzette, former mini-tour professional Antony Martin has compiled a list of golf tips to help you improve your game.
The key to hitting good golf shots on a regular basis is making sure that you prepare properly and have a consistent routine each and every time you address the ball.
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Amateurs lowering their handicaps is easier than many people make out, and it’s not even that complicated.
The most common mistake I see amateurs make out on the golf course is failing to prepare consistently for each shot.
Three things golfers must do to increase their chances of hitting a good shot
If you watch professional golfers on the TV, every single one of them has a set routine which they stick to when they’re driving the ball, with their approach shots and before hitting chips, pitches, bunkers shots and putts.
If you want to truly get better and consistently shoot lower scores, implementing a consistent routine before every shot will be crucial to your development.
Consistent routine that remains the same EVERY SINGLE time
The amount of golfers I see who have a different pre-shot routine before every shot genuinely beggars belief.
Some players have a different amount of waggles while over the ball while others take five seconds to hit their shot on one hole and 30 seconds on another.
You need to settle on a routine that you are comfortable with and one that is easily repeatable every single time.
Try to visualize the shot you want to hit before you actually address the ball. This will ensure that you’re fully committed when you step in to hit your shot.
Don’t rush your shot but don’t take too long over the ball either – paralysis by analysis is not conducive to good golf.
Sticking to a consistent routine will give you confidence that you are in the best position possible to hit better golf shots on a more regular basis.
Calculate the variables on every shot you hit
Not every golf shot is the same. In fact, not even two golf shots from the same distance on the same day are the same.
This is why calculating variables is so important.
I see way too many amateurs pull a club out of their bags as soon as they’ve reached their golf ball without even analyzing the challenge that lies in front of them.
There are three key factors which need to be considered before every golf shot: What direction the wind is blowing, how strong the wind is and how your lie will affect your shot.
If you have 160 left into a pin and your stock club for that distance is a 7-iron, you need to figure out all of the variables.
Let’s say your ball is lying on a slight upslope and there is an 8mph wind blowing into your face. That will make the shot actually play around 180 yards. So you may need to club up to a 6-iron or even a 5-iron, depending on where the best miss’ is … which leads us onto the final key ingredient to playing successful golf.
Course management – know where the good miss is
Sometimes limiting the damage is actually just as important as any other aspect of the game.
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Double bogeys, triple bogeys and worse are real scorecard wreckers and it will be almost impossible to get your handicap down if you are unable to eliminate the big numbers from your rounds.
The best way to do this is to make sure that most of the trouble is out of play before you’ve even hit your shot.
Try to select clubs that will help you avoid finding hazards off the tee.
Then, when you are hitting your approaches into greens, always aim for the ‘fat side’ of the putting surface. If the flag is cut tight to the right hand side of the green, have absolutely nothing to do with it.
Aim out to the left and take a big number out of the equation.
If there is trouble short of the green, take an extra club and vice versa for when the trouble is over the back.
The key here is giving yourself the best chance of avoiding throwing away needless shots.
Improving your handicap will be a real possibility if you follow the three steps listed above.
Golf really isn’t rocket science. Most people who struggle with the game do so because they make it impossible to succeed before a golf ball is even struck.
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