Improve Your Golf Game

Improve Your Golf Game

There are really only two aspects to the perfect golf game, knowing the fundamentals and then executing them. Like any specialized knowledge, it takes hours and hours of practice to perfect. If you’re hitting the ball consistently and still not scoring well then course management may be your solution. If driving power is your weakness then learning the fundamentals and practicing them will get you that extra ten or twenty yards. We have listed a few tips below to help you knock a few strokes off your game.

Course Management

Nearly every golfer does it. You’re sitting on the fairway with a long shot to the green. You envision your shot as you’ve been taught and you see a long, low shot to the green that sets you up for a birdie putt or, better yet, an eagle. You pull out a fairway wood and give it all you have. You curse as the ball starts heading for the creek that runs 50 yards in front of the hole. Not only that, there are two greenside bunkers to contend with.

It’s amazing what the mind can conceive. The trouble with this approach is that those hazards are there for a reason. They cause you to rethink your game and play to your strengths. I’m all for testing my limits occasionally on the golf course, however, if you want to consistently shoot lower scores you need to manage the course effectively. Lay up if you have to and avoid the penalty strokes. Practice your short game so that laying up sets you up for a precision wedge shot. Then take your par and move on to the next hole.

Driving Power

Everyone wants more power in their stroke. That’s why you see golfers with a white-knuckle grip flailing away with all the power they can muster. If you watch the professionals and scratch golfers, you’ll see that they grip the club lightly and let loose with a powerful, easy swing that sends the ball soaring. The reason is that their muscles are relaxed but coiled for power.

In addition to a light grip and an easy swing flow, there are a couple of techniques that will add more power to your swing.

• Release your wrists through ball impact. As you hit the ball your forearms should be close together. When you follow through your swing, your wrists should cross over one another forming an X. This extra wrist flexion can add 10 to 15 yards to your shot.

• Reduce the angle of impact so that the club face impacts the inside of the ball first. As your wrists rotate, the club face will “wrap” around the ball giving you a straighter, more powerful shot.

Thanks to Meandmygolf

Tee the Ball Correctly

Getting the tee height correct confuses many golfers. Everyone seems to have a suggestion as to what the correct height should be. A good rule of thumb is to tee the ball so that half the ball is above the crown of the driver. In fact, many club manufacturers recommend this tee height when using their drivers. There are tees on the market that have a flat bottom on the cup. It prevents the tee from going further into the ground and your tee height is consistent throughout your round. They’ve been effective for many golfers in providing consistency.