Reading the greens is a tough skill to develop for most amateurs. There are many factors to consider which change for each putt. I wish I could give you a 100% guaranteed process for sinking more putts, but I cannot. It is a skill that is developed over time as you develop more experience reading greens. There is, however, a quick overview of the five aspects of putting that every player should know. I realized there are a great deal more as you skill improves. However, this is a great place to start.
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Which Golf Shot Should I Hit Next?
Golf is a sport of decisions. Regardless where you are on the course, you are making a plethora of decisions in order to shoot your lowest score possible. I think this game has more definitive decisions than most sports and as such experience is a key factor to being successful. Another critical factor about playing well is to check our ego. Sometimes our ego lures us down a rabbit hole into a wonderland of crazy. The key for most amateurs is to understand what they can and cannot do with their clubs in order to select the right shot for any given situation. This is a lesson I still learn from time to time, but I am getting better at checking my ego at the door. Are you?
Continue readingHitting Your Ball By Mistake
Have you ever hit a ball during a practice swing? Of course it was unintentional and besides the embarrassment, there should be no penalty for this faux pas. Over the years I was asked about this mistake and since the rules changed in 2019, the embarrassment would be compounded by extra strokes on your scorecard. As I think about this scary scenario, I often wonder if people understand rule that the rule has changed and there is still a chance to be assessed a penalty stroke depending on where the incident happened. Let me explain further.
Continue readingUgly But Effective Golf Shots
How many times have we mishit a golf shot only to see that the results were awesome. This happens from time to time and I have had my share of ‘ugly but effective’ golf shots. The reason for the success of an ugly shot is that I prepared for success. Sometimes we have to accept that the results was suppose to happen regardless of how it happened. In golf, this is a constant during every round. There are lucky bounces and those are not what I mean in today’s posts, but other shots that have a positive result. Let me explain further.
Continue readingHow To Select The Proper Golf Shot
The decision to hit any golf club can be super easy or extremely difficult. These choices can apply to the same shot depending on what you decide to achieve. Many times poor results from a golf shot are not the result of a poor swing, but from a poor decision. I am guilty of this last instance many times over my career and I am hoping that I am learning not to repeat history. The question that keeps popping up is how to prevent a poor golf shot by making the proper shot at the right time. Well, I know I have a process that works for me and it is simple to execute, easily repeatable, and it works every time. I bet you are wondering what I am talking about right now, if so, keep reading!
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The Grateful Golfer 