Getting Out of Trouble

It is always best to stay out of trouble in the first place and that is why learning to control the ball and place it where it should be is the fastest way to a better score rather than relying on big drives off the tee.

Unfortunately that is not always the case and as golf is constantly challenging us to perform better and better we strive to go for more distance or attempt shots that we aren't 100% comfortable with.

Obviously the inevitable will happen and we will need to decide how to get out of the rough and salvage the hole.

All too often golfers make the wrong decision by not erring on the safe side and accepting that one more shot or a different iron might be a better solution.

You might think you can clear that tree with a 7 iron but if there are any doubts whatsoever it will be wise to select a 'safer' 8 or 9 iron just to be sure.

Consider using a pitching wedge if you aren't completely sure you will make the shot with the 9.

A safe shot can set you up for a good recovery by placing the ball in an easier position whereas taking risks might mean you don't make any gains at all.

It's like a seasoned gambler where you know the odds and playing safe often leaves more money on the table at the end of the day.

Golf is all about making the right decisions more often than not and a decision not to play safe can be detrimental to your score, particularly when the distance you might have gained with another club would probably have been minimal anyway.

Always play within your skills when you find yourself in difficult situations.
Salvage bad shots and then take a few extra chances when there is less likelihood of error.

Get a Grip On Your Game

More precisely the title of this should be to get the 'Right Grip' and that means get one that is specifically correct for you.

You can't expect the grip on your golf club to be the optimum size for both you and someone else with bigger or smaller hands.

How can the grip on the golf clubs of a large man be the right size for both him and that tiny old lady playing alongside him?

What is right for her will probably be too small for him and a grip that is too small will make him tend to hold the club too tight.

Instantly there will be a problem with his swing if he is holding too tight.
Just changing the grip to a bigger one can alter a game dramatically.

Your hands are your link to the golf clubs and everything that goes on below that point.
Your contact point with the clubs needs to be correct if you are expected to play well.

Don't be satisfied with the grips that the manufacturers supply, as they will offer a standard size to suit the majority of buyers.

You need to go one step further and find a grip that will allow you to control the club comfortably without having to hold it so hard that your game suffers.

A slippery grip will force you to hold too tight and that is something you don't want to contend with while you are playing.
Get grips for your clubs that are not only suited in size but also in the type of materials used as this can determine how tight you will hold them.

In addition to this, you need to warm up your wrists before play to ensure they are relaxed and ready for action.
Performing a few simple warm up exercises of rolling your wrist while holding your club lightly will help to reduce the possibility of injury.

Constant Small Improvements for Long-term Success

You should analyze your game after the shot.
Look where the ball went and question what you did to get that result.

Information and education will assist in improving your game.
Get that information from recommended books and videos.
Get it from golf professionals who know what they are talking about, but always be wary of getting advice from friends and playing partners.
There are always people willing to give you advice but bad advice is a lot worse than no advice at all.

If the ball has gone somewhere other than the right direction, check your alignment and see if your final stance is correct.
There will be a lot of information as to why your shot has gone astray.
You can look at the ground and observe the path of your club.
Look at the position of your feet after the shot.
Maybe your shoes are letting you down by allowing too much movement in the conditions you are playing in.
Look at the final position of your golf club.
Consider how you were holding the club and whether you were gripping it too hard.

You shouldn't over analyze during the course of a game but making small improvements throughout play, when you notice areas that need adjustment, can pay dividends at the end of play.

By constantly chipping away at all aspects of your game you will see noticeable improvements that can take your handicap to the next level and that is why practice is so important.

And the practice that is most important are in the areas that you find you have the biggest weaknesses.
While it might be more fun to go to the driving range and hit the ball as far as possible, you will probably see better results from practicing improving your short game or getting better at getting your distance right on the putting green.

Consistency is the Key

Consistency is the hardest part of golf.
It is not possible for any human, Tiger Woods included, to hit the golf ball perfectly 100% of the time.
What good golfers can do however is consistently hit the ball very well most of the time, and near perfectly quite a lot of the time.

It is this consistency that sets them apart and even those at the top of their game have days when they don't get their shots right enough of the time.

There is only one thing that can really help any golfer get that consistency and that is through practice.

But there is another matter that needs to be addressed when talking about consistency and golf and that is - Consistently bad shots.

The more you do anything consistently the more it will become natural behavior and this applies to poor technique too.

The sooner you address poor golf techniques, the sooner you will be able to practice the correct methods that will replace them and make those actions second nature.

This is why it is recommended that everyone should get professional instruction before learning bad techniques that will need to be relearned at a later time.

I would even go to the extent of advising a newcomer to the sport to have lessons before ever attempting to play a round.
Or alternatively, learn how to use one club well, probably the 7 iron, and play a whole round, or nine holes, using only the 7 iron and a putter.

I knew of one player who made dramatic improvements to his game by using this technique and he had been playing for years.
He started playing golf with only the 7-iron and his putter, until he perfected his swing, and then introduced other clubs one at a time.

After getting his swing right with the 7-iron, mastering the other clubs was relatively simple.

Are You Still Thinking about Your Last Shot?

Will the last shot you played determine where the golf ball goes this time?

You might be surprised to realize that for many people the shot they have just played will have a major impact on their next shot.

The golf player who can switch his mind off that last shot, and move on, will always have a decided advantage over the competition.
If you are one of the many golfers who let their previous performance affect the rest of their game, then retraining your mind will do more for your game than all the tuition that any golf pro can give you.

How many times have we seen Tiger Woods play winning shots from out of the rough?

How many times have we seen him come from behind to win major tournaments?

There is one thing that other players will never do, and that is to write Tiger off if he has not been having a good game. This is because they know he has the mind power to put everything behind him.
In doing so, all the subsequent strokes are focused on winning the tournament.

Even the best golfers in the world duff their shots on occasions, but the way they handle those situations is a major reason why they are at the top of their game.
They don't let mistakes have any impact on the rest of their game, as they know that if they do, they will have no chance of recovery.

Your mind and the thoughts that you allow it to have, are the most powerful influences on the performance of your game.

It impacts on so many areas of play that it is often the downfall of so many golfers who could be better than their handicap suggests.

Consider the additional tension in your body when you are thinking about the last shot and how the next one needs to be so much better to compensate for your error.
That tension is translated into your swing and the possibility of a great shot is diminished accordingly.