Can Watching Golf Improve Your Game? (7 Key Areas)

Written by Todd in Online Golf Instruction

There are plenty of different ways to watch golf in today’s golf world.

Of course, we have the standard PGA, LPGA, and Champions Tour events that are on television just about year round.  The Golf Channel frequently has a variety of tours in regular cab le.

We also have the LIV Tour, which is currently broadcast on the internet.

We also have plenty of really good golfers and even some PGA Tour members who play golf and record their rounds and post on youtube.

The question that we often get is can watching golf improve your game.  Or can watching golf on TV help my game?

Can Watching Golf Improve Your Game?

Yes, there are some key areas or takeaways that a golfer can gain from watching golf.  There are numerous routines, swing motions, and strategic moves from the professionals or scratch level or better golfers that all golfers can learn from.

These specific areas include:

  • Pre-Shot Routine
  • Swing Speed
  • Tempo
  • Strategy
  • Ball Striking
  • Shot Patterns
  • Short Game Technique
Watching the professionals play in person is a real treat! Soaking in their tempo and watching them conduct themselves can certainly help any level golfer!

Key Area #1: Pre-Shot Routine

Too many amateurs have failed to build a quality pre-shot routine that considers the numerous variables, selects a target, reinforces a feel and then confidently makes a swing.  When a golfer fails to go through a pre-shot routine and get their mind right for a shot, tension and indecision can creep in, leading to poor ball striking and overall bad results.  

The next time you are watching professional golfers play, take note of the conversations with their caddies, the laser focus on a target, the feel swings that they make and then dialing in without spending too much time over the golf ball. 

These golfers are very good at going through these routines, yet keeping a decent pace of play for the most part.

Key Area #2: Swing Speed

I know what you might be thinking, I can never swing at the same swing speed as the professional golfers!  While this might be true, there are ways for you to increase your swing speed by 5-8 miles per hour with the right training.

Swing speed is not a fixed number and can be improved.  We know that speed is king on the professionals tours and those with the highest swing speeds have the best chance of being highest on the money list.

If you are going to train for speed, I would highly recommend the SuperSpeed Training System.

Gone are the days of simply being content with the distance you currently hit your golf ball.  Many older golfers have proven over the past several years that an increase in swing speed is possible.  

There are training systems to help you get your game to the next level and distance is arguably the fastest way to make this happen!

My number one recommendation is to check out SuperSpeed Golf and their protocols to help you find a safe way to increase your swing speed.

I spent many years wondering how I can increase my swing speed.  When I was playing junior golf, we weren’t fortunate enough to have some of the training aids and knowledge that is now available.  Smart people have studied the golf swing and have created training aids and protocols to help all golfers increase their distance!

Take action and start beating your playing partners by gaining an advantage off the tee.  There is a reason the professional pull driver on so many par 4s and par 5s!

Fans flood many of the most popular tournaments to get an up close view of their favorite golfers!

Key Area #3: Tempo

While the tempos might look different from golfer to golfer, did you know that a high percentage of the golfers have a 3:1 ratio in backswing to downswing?  Studies performed by Tour Tempo have revealed that golfers typically swing at 21:7, 24:8, or 27:9 frames per second in the backswing to the downswing.  Did you know that you can measure you swing with some different apps by Tour Tempo?  I would highly recommend checking out the post linked below if this has caught your interest!

Tour Tempo: Can It Help My Game?

Key Area #4: Strategy

Really the best way to watch a golfer’s strategy is to head to a local tournament and follow a group of golfers around for an entire 18 holes.  Watch what clubs they hit off the tees, the areas they hit on the green and how they prepare for each shot.  Some of the strategy trends we have noticed:

  • The bomb and gauge method: this has been around for over a decade, but professionals are hitting the driver more frequently than ever.  They would rather hit a drive 310 yards just into the rough, then to hit a 3 wood 260 in the fairway.  They extra 50 yards from the rough is the preferred shot.  Golfers have found out that the 3 wood is only 7% more accurate, but gives up 30-50 yards for most golfers.
  • Distance Control and Center of Green: Unless a golfer has a wedge in their hands, chances are they are playing a bit more toward the center of the green and away from the flag.  There are plenty of stats gurus that can provide key data on how far left or right you should aim from the flag based on the club in hand and the position of the flag from the edge of the green.
  • Take Advantage of Par 5s: Did you know that every player on tour averaged less than 5 on the par 5s this year for the season?  The best golfers score on the par 5s and hang on with the par 3s.  The par 4s are somewhere in the middle.
Freddie Couples is a great swing to watch even if it is on youtube. Check out his tempo!

Key Area #5: Ball Striking

THe best golfers control their low point.  They strike the ball solid which helps with overall distance and distance control.  I would highly recommend the low point control drill!

The Low Point Control Drill

  • Take some yard paint and paint a 1-2 yard long line.
  • Setup with 55% of your weight on your front side.
  • Try to hit the target side of the line and see how many times out of 10 you can do this successfully!
  • Repeat this drill every day for a month, tracking your progress and your ability to do this successfully in trials of ten.
  • You may need to start with half swing and progress to full swings.

If you are struggling, put more weight forward and work on keeping your head still to help control the low point in the swing.

Key Area #6: Shot Patterns

The other day I was watching Dustin Johnson and he hit fade shot after fade shot off the tee.  It didn’t matter the shape of the hole, he got up there and ripped the driver in a perfect fade.  Find your go to shot pattern and play it.  Stop overthinking draw or fade and play the shot you have that day!

Below is a great drill to help you dial in your stock shot and build one that you can rely on!

Stock Shot Drill

  • At the driving range, set up an alignment stick about 6-8 yards in front of you, straight down your target line.
  • If you have a second alignment stick, set the stick 3-4 feet right of the first stick (for a draw) or left of the first stick (for a fade).
  • Complete your initial assessment to see how many times out of 10 you can start the ball to the right or left of your target.  Pick one side and measure your game at this point.
  • The goal is to eventually complete this successfully 7 out of 10 times!
There was nothing like seeing Tiger Woods in person during his prime!

Key Area #7: Short Game Technique

Check out how they hit their chip shots and how they putt.  Take note of the smooth nature of their chipping motion and their putting strokes and try to replicate.  They obviously spend time developing feel around the green and have great motions!

Don’t Be Fooled: Key Stats

Keep in mind that when you are watching a tournament on TV, especially on the weekend, you are being shown the best golfers that week.  They are playing in the top 5-10% for that week.  They don’t play that great every week.  Here are some key stats to help you stay focused and realistic with your expectations

  • The proximity to the pin from 100 yards from the fairway on the PGA Tour is 18 feet.
  • The proximity to the pin from 125-150 yards on the PGA Tour is 23’4”.
  • The proximity to the pin from 150-175 yards on the PGA Tour is 28’6”.

So the next time you are 155 yards and hitting a 7 iron, the shot 30 feet from the pin for an amateur is a good shot!  Don’t beat yourself up that you didn’t hit it closer!

Related Posts on Game Improvement:

My Secret To Golf Improvement

Let’s face it, in order to get really good at golf, we must practice frequently.  About three years ago, I made the leap and invested in a golf simulator build for my garage.  I went with a SkyTrak Launch Monitor and the TGC software and can now play over 100,000 courses including Augusta, Pebble Beach, Bethpage Black, Whistling Straits. St. Andrews and many other of the top 100 courses in the world.

This golf simulator setup, which is more affordable that you might imagine, has been a game changer.  I can now play golf everyday of the year regardless of rain, snow, cold weather or time of day.  I can practice or play rounds of golf.  I can stand in the 11th fairway at Augusta and with the auto-rewind feature I am able to practice my approach shots from various differences.

It is worth checking out through Rain or Shine Golf as they offer some incredible packages along with financing offers that are difficult to beat.

Some direct links to Rain or Shine Golf for pricing and financing:

Take Action – What You Can Do Today to Get Better

What does this mean for you?  I believe in the following recipe to get better:

1 – Improve your motion in the golf swing by identifying a golf instructor.  Here are some options:

Here is a list of golf instructors that we have reviewed:

2 – Train to swing faster and improve your swing speed.  Here are some options:

Looking to gain more Speed and Distance in your swing. Two Options:

3 – Understand course strategy and work to break through your next barrier.  Here is a series on breaking through:

We have provided guides on how to break 100, 90, 80 and 70. Check out more below, if interested.

4 – Practice Frequently

Did you know that I build a golf simulator in my garage and have played over 500 rounds of golf on my SkyTrak system?  It has been a game changer and one worth checking out. Here are some of my other posts on golf simulators frequently asked questions:

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