Golf Fit Series: 72 Tips to Shooting Lower Scores
Golf Fit Series: 72 Tips to Shooting Lower Scores
In a continual search to reach my own goal of shooting par golf (i.e., 72) this year, I have come across many tips and recommendations to consider. These tips come from a variety of sources – from golf professionals, trainers, and coaches to hacks, posers, and gamers. As you might imagine, everyone has an opinion.
In light of all the wisdom handed down to me, I have compiled a list of the top 72 tips.
Tips for the Body
- Monitor your grip pressure. ED
- Do 20 minutes of dynamic warm up exercises or brisk walking before you play. KC
- Turn the body more. Keep the hands relaxed. Pay attention to your posture. RK
- Get in golf shape. Exercise regularly with cardiovascular exercise for endurance and core work for more power. Focus on the hips, shoulders, and abdominals. RB
- Keep your lower body still for putting. DM
- Loose hands make for quick hands. Stay loose. BB
- If able, walk while you play golf. This will help you focus. FH
- Do balance activities like single leg standing, lunges, and hip swings. JK
- Strengthen your glutes! The king of the swing. Try 30″ single leg bridges. LG
- Stay relaxed (grip, body, mind). JK
- Work out with weights at least 2x/week to improve strength and power. JR
- Prepare for a shot by taking a deep breath, then release and focus. BB
- Stretch at least 2x/week for 20 minutes each. As flexibility decreases, power goes with it. SD
Tips for the Mind
- Keep focused on positive thinking and visualizing. NA
- Maintain confidence. Believe to achieve. JT
- Visualize a successful shot before hitting it. MS
- Slow the game down. Focus on one shot at a time. JM
- Visualize each positive shot and success will come. JK
- Have fun. Don’t over think it. Trust your shots. MR
- Anchor yourself with an image that captures your strengths and power as an athlete. TM
- Remember the three Rs: Recognize when you are distracted; Regroup – Shift your thoughts back to your intention; Refocus on the task at hand. TM
- Think before the round. Play during the round. PN
- Stay positive, stay positive, stay positive! AO
- Control your breathing. It will help you control your mind and your focus. JM
- Tell yourself what you want to happen. TM
- Manage the temper! Stay on the present task at hand.
- Have a game plan in place. Plan to play great. Execute the plan. PN
- Keep having fun and you will continue playing, which will bring improvement. JK
- Have emotional composure. Know how to stay calm in your mind and body. TM
- Focus on the shot at hand. Don’t worry what might happen later. AO
- Make a SMART goal, (10 Hcp by 12/31/2015, or break 80 by 12/31/2015). Plan a strategy, take action, and make it happen! TM
- Be patient. Stuff happens! AA
Tips for Practicing and Playing the Game
- Improve your putting. KG
- Take the club that will reach the back of the green. Then, if you miss hit, you might just be in the hole. JM
- Practice! Practice! Practice! JG
- Focused practice. Always have a target for every practice shot. BD
- Never up, never in. Get the ball to the hole. RB
- Only attempt shots that you are at least 80% confident you can hit. RB
- On fairway bunker shots, take your normal stance, then stand one to two inches taller before you hit it. JG
- Slow yourself down. TM
- To improve chipping, practice chipping with your lead arm only. DS
- Tempo, tempo, tempo! SA
- Get a pre-shot routine and stick to it. For example, stand behind the ball on every shot and pick out a blade of grass one to two feet in front of the ball to help you aim. JG
- On green side bunker shots, imagine the ball is sitting on a dollar bill and slide your club under the bill without hitting it. JG
- Keep it fun. Let your creativity come out on the golf course. AD
- On the golf course, play golf. Don’t work on your swing. GT
- Aim for the middle of the green. GT
- Play more competitive matches. JK
- Spend more time chipping and putting. SA
- Feel more confident with your 3-7 foot putts by practicing with the accelerator. RS
- Find a go-to club for your chipping and putting. And don’t let anyone steal it! FH
- Monitor your tempo and rhythm. GT
- Hit it straight. Shorten the back swing to 75%, if needed, to keep it in the fairway. DD
- If you are above a 10 Hcp, use a driver with at least 10.5 deg of loft. PM
- Spend 70% of your practice time chipping and putting. BD
- Don’t spend all of your practice time on the range. Get out and play holes as often as you can. DM
- Develop a consistent pre-shot routine. DM
Tips for When Things Don’t Go as Planned
- Practice healthy amnesia. Forget it and move on. JK
- When you hit a bad shot, take your medicine and get back in play. CK
- Avoid the big number, by avoiding high risk shots. DM
- Remind yourself of a time when you were successful, or happy. Use this to regain confidence, to stay loose, and play great! KD
- Control what you can, your composure. Accept what happens and focus on the next shot. JM
- Have a strategy going into the match/game. Don’t panic if it doesn’t go your way every single time. AO
Tips for Everything Else
- Read “Zen Golf.” FH
- Read “Own your Game” by Dave Stockton. LN
- Read Dave Pelz’s “Short Game Bible: Master the Finesse Swing and Lower Your Score.” GN
- Read “Zen Putting.” FH
- Read “The Fluid Motion Factor.” DM
- Read Dave Stockton’s “Unconscious Putting.” LN
- If it has been a while, take a series of lessons with a PGA golf professional. RB
- Slow down to sail fast. AM (Tip from a friend of mine who sails but applies to golf as well)
- Dress the part. Dress well to play well. DM
Find a few that work for you and shoot lower scores this year. Be sure to stay tuned for next week’s blog on looking good to play well.
