Many golfers think they hit the ball with the intent for success. I definitely try to set the conditions for success, however sometimes I fail miserably. The many challenges to hitting the ball perfectly for our swing each time are daunting. This momentous task is made easier but two simple steps that I found works for my game and will likely work for yours. They are not difficult to accomplish, yet are often overlooked in many instances. I am here to set things straight today and hopefully it will open new doors for success in your golf game.

First, lets set things straight for all those amateur players who are looking to hit the ball like a professional golfer. The vision of hitting the ball like Rory McIlroy should be used as motivator to improve your game. Lets be honest with each other, there is no way that we as amateurs who play golf for fun will achieve this level of greatness. We will rarely hit the ball that far or consistently on line without hours and hours of practice. So, I recommend you focus on your swing and what you can accomplish and build on your strengths. For example, I am not a long ball hitter. I am usually straight and therefore focus my course management strategy on playing smart golf by hitting the ball is such a manner as to set up my next shot. This approach has allowed me to build my game to level were my handicap as a 2.5 at its lowest point. I focused on my strengths to build a strong game.

Second, be consistent. Golf is not a game where we can sparingly (at least most players) play and watch our game succeed. We have to work at our game to lower our golf scores. This does not mean that we have to spend countless hours practicing (although that would be nice), but it does mean that we focus on areas that will provide the greatest benefit to our game. You have read before that I recommend working from the pin outwards. We lose most of our strokes within 25 yards of the green and off the tee. Therefore, it only make sense to work on these areas.

For the tee shot, it is better to be 200 yards off the tee in the fairway than 250 yards in the woods of a difficult lie. I am not suggesting that you do not add distance to your game of the teeing area, but be smart about what you can and cannot not do. Be consistent with your approach and you will find that your scores will lower. As far as chipping and putting……just practice. Understand the fundamentals of this critical skill and use what works for your game. It is not rocket science and make sure you have fun with it.

There you have it. The two areas that will help you next year is to have realistic expectations of your game to be consistent off the tee box and your short game. This sounds simple, but it does take a bit of effort to achieve what I am suggesting. If you follow my advice, you should be able to knock off many strokes from your overall score and have fun doing it.

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