Golf Swing Makeover: Shaving Off Two Strokes

Golfers are always looking for ways to improve their game and lower their scores. While there is no quick fix, there are a number of strategies that can help you get two strokes off your golf game. Firstly, it's important to understand that golf is a game of incremental gains, and success comes from making progress over time. Lowering your handicap by even one stroke is a significant achievement and can take a lot of practice. However, there are some key areas you can focus on to start seeing improvements. These include mastering your golf clubs, correctly addressing the ball, practising your swing, and improving your putting.

Master your golf clubs

To master your golf clubs and improve your game, it's important to understand the different types of clubs and how to use them effectively. Here are some tips to help you master your golf clubs and potentially shave strokes off your golf game:

Choose the Right Clubs for Your Skill Level

If you're a beginner, focus on mastering the fundamentals with a driver, a putter, and two wedges: one for full swings and the other for refining your short game. The driver is crucial for getting off the tee, and the putter is essential for lowering your score. As for wedges, one wedge will help you with full swings, while the other will fine-tune your short game, allowing you to be creative with your shots around the green.

Understand the Impact of Different Clubs on Your Shots

The choice of club significantly affects your shots. For instance, when hitting approach shots, selecting the right club can reduce the size of your approach-shot pattern. Many weekend golfers underclub, resulting in shots that fall short of the green. Choosing a club that matches the distance of your shot can help you achieve more accurate and consistent results.

Focus on Improving Your Approach Shots

Approach shots have a significant impact on scoring differences between players. Hitting accurate approach shots can help you gain strokes. Work on reducing the number of "awful" approach shots and aim to improve your proximity to the hole. This means getting closer to the pin with your shots, which will give you more birdie and par opportunities.

Analyze Your Performance and Set Realistic Goals

To master your clubs and improve your game, analyze your performance after each round. Identify areas where you can make incremental improvements. Set realistic expectations for yourself and devise a plan to help you achieve your goals. Compare your game to that of better players to understand the specific areas you need to work on.

Practice with Purpose

When practising your golf clubs, focus on the areas that will bring the most significant gains. This includes tightening your shot pattern on approach shots, especially from 100 to 175 yards. Additionally, work on your putting skills, particularly from the three- to 10-foot range, as this can make a noticeable difference in your score.

Mastering your golf clubs takes time and dedication. By choosing the right clubs for your skill level, understanding their impact on your shots, and practising with purpose, you can improve your game and work towards consistently lowering your scores.

Correctly address the ball

To correctly address the ball, you need to focus on your stance, posture, and positioning of the clubhead. Here are some tips to help you improve your golf game:

Stance and Posture

• Your stance is the foundation of your swing, so it's important to get it right. Place your feet just wider than your shoulders, with your lead foot (the foot that's closer to the target) pointed slightly towards the target. This allows for increased hip rotation.
• For most golfers, the trail foot (the foot that's farther from the target) is perpendicular to the target line.
• Bend your knees slightly and put most of your weight on the balls of your feet.
• Hold the club in front of you and hinge at the hips until the club reaches the ground. Your spine should be at a diagonal angle to the ground, allowing for a full shoulder and hip turn during your backswing.
• Tilt your body slightly so you feel like you're leaning slightly away from the target.
• Keep your arms straight but relaxed. This will help improve your accuracy by removing a lot of the negative motion that tense arms can create.
• Your hands should appear to be more over the golf ball rather than over the clubhead, resulting in a slight press forward with the shaft.
• Your back, from hip to head, should be in a nice, straight alignment, with only a slight tilt forward with your spine angle.
• Your stance width should be approximately shoulder width apart, but this can vary slightly depending on your comfort and the club you're using.

Clubhead Positioning

• When addressing the ball, start by positioning the clubhead first. Sole the club on the grass so that the bottom of the club sits flat to the surface and is slightly toe-up. This will help you achieve the correct lie angle for your club.
• Don't press the clubhead into the ground or grass. Instead, use a feather-light touch to maintain maximum height within your address position and achieve maximum radius.
• The position of the ball will depend on the club you're using. For the driver, the accepted ball position is inside the left heel for right-handers. The general rule is that the longer the club, the further forward you place the ball.
• Keep the club shaft in a neutral, upright position relative to the ball position to maintain the loft of the club.
• To check your distance from the ball, rest the club on the ground so that the bottom lies evenly, not tilting forward or back. This action will determine the correct distance you should be standing from the ball.
• Don't change the loft of the driver by swivelling the club in your hands. Use the current loft of the club, and remember that you're not allowed to adjust the loft during a round.

By focusing on these aspects of addressing the ball, you'll be able to improve your consistency and accuracy in your golf game.

Practice your swing

To get two strokes off your golf game, you need to practice. A lot. But it's not just about the hours you put in; it's about practicing with a purpose and focusing on the areas that will make the biggest difference to your game.

The first step to improving your golf swing is to understand your game and set realistic expectations. Compare your play to that of a better player to see where the biggest differences lie. For example, if you're a 90-shooter, compare your game to that of an 80-shooter. You'll quickly see that it's easier to save strokes by reducing your double bogeys than by increasing your birdies.

Once you've identified your problem areas, it's time to hit the driving range. Here are some specific things to work on:

• Shift your shot pattern: If you're consistently slicing the ball, try adjusting your aim to accommodate your misses. This simple change can help you avoid penalty strokes.
• Improve your approach shots: Hitting clunkers (fatted, skulled, shanked, topped shots) can cost you dearly. Focus on improving your technique and club selection to gain more accuracy and distance.
• Reduce the size of your approach-shot pattern: Try to get closer to the pin with each shot. One way to do this is to choose the right club. Many weekend golfers underclub, resulting in shots that come up short.
• Improve your short game: Work on your shots from 60 yards and in, especially from the rough and sand. The goal is to get the ball on the green in one shot and reduce the number of chunked chips or shots left in the sand.
• Practice your putting: Focus on those critical 3- to 10-foot putts. Improving your accuracy on these shorter putts can make a big difference in your score.

Remember, golf improvement doesn't happen overnight. It's about making incremental gains that add up over time. So, create a plan, stick with it, and enjoy the process of watching your game get better.

Practice your putting

Putting is one of the most important parts of golf. If you can master the art of putting, you'll be well on your way to improving your game and lowering your scores. Here are some tips and drills to help you practice your putting and shave those extra strokes off your game:

The Clock Putting Drill

This drill will help you make those short putts with consistency. Take 12 balls and place them around the cup in 2-3 foot intervals, starting with the four closest to the hole. Each time you miss a putt, restart the drill. This will improve your rhythm and confidence, and also give you practice putting under pressure.

The 1-2-3 Putting Drill

This drill is all about finding your rhythm. Place three balls in a row along the same line at equal distances, such as 3, 6, and 9 feet. Start with the ball closest to the hole and work your way outward. This is a great way to build consistency and prepare for those crucial putts within 3-10 feet of the cup.

The Meter Stick Drill

Get yourself a metal meter stick and place it six feet away from the hole, on the line where the ball should start off the putter face. Set the ball on the end of the stick and hit your putt. If the ball stays on the stick the whole way, it means your putter face was square at impact, and you executed a good roll.

The Manila Folder Putting Drill

This drill is all about controlling the speed of your putts. Set up a Manila folder on a level surface, about 6-10 feet away from you. Now, try to roll your putts and get them to stop on the folder. The fast surface of the folder will challenge you to focus on the speed and precision of your putt.

Tiger's Gate Putting Drill

This drill, made famous by Tiger Woods, will help you build confidence in your short putts. Place two tees about 3-4 feet away from the hole, just wider than the head of your putter, creating a gate. Now, alternate hitting 12 putts with just your right hand (if you're right-handed) and then 6 putts with both hands. Keep going until you make a set number of putts in a row. This will train you to keep your putter head straight back and straight through.

Putting Alignment

To make sure your eyes are directly over the ball when putting, try the string drill. Erect a string over your ball, putter, and line. This will help you visualise the start line and ensure your eyes are in the correct position.

Putting Drills at Home

You can also practice your putting at home with some simple tools. Golf coaches recommend using alignment sticks, a ruler, and a coin to work on your aim and stroke length. Place the alignment sticks or rulers on either side of your putter to train your eye to see the correct aim. Additionally, you can use a coin on the back of your putter to work on your tempo and ensure a smooth transition.

Minimise mistakes

Minimising mistakes is a key part of improving your golf game and reducing your handicap. Here are some ways to minimise mistakes and gain those bragging rights:

Master Your Golf Clubs

Make sure every club in your bag is an asset and not dead weight. Learn to use each club effectively or swap it out for one you can use. Each club enables you to do something different, so utilise them all to your advantage.

Correctly Address the Ball

It's important to place the ball correctly so you can make solid contact and send it in your intended direction. If the ball is too far back, you'll knock it into the ground. If it's too far forward, it will hook or slice and reduce your distance. A properly addressed ball will go straighter and farther.

Practice Your Swing

Perfect your swing to make the club and ball do what you want. There are many types of swings, but approach shots have the greatest variation, so focus your practice there. Learn to swing out of the rough, make sand traps less intimidating, and clear obstacles by practicing with your long irons and drivers.

Focus on Approach Shots

Most differences in scoring between better and worse players, whether professional or amateur, come from approach shots. Hone in on these shots to make the biggest impact on your game.

Shift Your Shot Pattern

If you're hitting a lot of "awful" drives, change your strategy. Almost every hole with a hazard has a safer route, so adjust your aim to accommodate your misses. This will ensure that fewer of your tee shots result in a penalty.

Frequently asked questions