How to lower your golf score is a claim by most golf “experts”. Everyone has a plan, technique, process, or training aid that will quickly lower your score. Of all the claims, there is one fundamental step that every player has to take to achieve any kind of success. It is nothing complicated, yet without it, very little gains can be made to lower your golf score.

At The Grateful Golfer, I make recommendations on areas that I think will help your game. I make no promises, nor do I believe that each tip will help every golfer. There are so many variables, that I am not sure there is a one tip fix for any game. So how do we lower our golf score to become a better the golfer?As I mentioned earlier, there is one step that is the basis for all plans to lower your golf score. This critical step is to practice! I know you have heard this before, but it is not more complicated than that. No matter what change you are attempting, a player must practice to gain confidence, understanding, and knowledge on how to execute any new skill. However, it is not as simple of all of this; how do golfers identify what to change, adjust, or discard?

I recently asked how people made changes in their game. I am not surprised by the answer, but it should help most amateurs realize the importance of the process to change.

The two preferred methods is through ‘trial and error’ and ‘lessons from a professional’. I believe both have a place in your plan to lower your golf score and depending on the circumstances provides the best results. Regardless, of which method you select (or a hybrid of the two), practice is still the key component to success.

To hammer home my point, I wanted to highlight Rory McIlroy and Phil Mickelson’s warm up before a round. The reason is to point out the correlation between practice and playing. McIlroy and Mickelson spends time chipping, hitting balls on the range and putting. His routine is very specific and matches his strengths of his game.

Conversely, Phil Mickelson has a different routine, but with the same intended results. His warm-up routine also matches the strengths of his game.

Obviously, I am not sure their percentage of ‘trial and error’ and ‘lessons from a professional’, however I would suggest that both influenced their practice routine and played a key role in lowering their golf scores. To break down their warm up a bit further:

McIlroy made a total of 110 shots in his warm up. Of those, 41 focused on his short game, 46 were on his irons, 6 with his woods/hybrids, and 17 were putts.

Mickelson made a total of 85 shots in his warm up. Of those 22 focused on his short game, 16 were on his irons, 17 with his woods/hybrids, 22 were putts.

The core observation is that both players spent more time on their short game than iron/wood/hybrid play. How their shots were distributed during their warm-up (and I suggest practice) is likely driven by their training results and the coaching/teaching away from competition. They understand their strengths/weaknesses and practice to leverage/modify them. Practice is the key component to their success and I suggest needs be part of our golf plan lower our golf scores!

As per previous years, I plan to outline my plan to reach my goal of being a scratch golfer. In my plan, I will focus on how and what I will practice with the right to modify as my season unfolds. I need a plan to remain focused in the early part of the season to ensure I understand what needs practice to have long term results later in the 2016 golf season.

Do you practice? If so, what do you practice most?

I am a grateful golfer! See you on the links!