Many of us play the game of golf for different reasons. Some love the competition and the challenge to play better golf. Others may play for the business and social aspect of golf. Many just simply love being outdoors in beautiful weather and spending time with friends. Regardless of the reason you play golf, there is a chance that you want to play better golf or at least be more consistent.
There are many different ways to get better and the chances are the better you play the more enjoyable your 4-5 hours on the golf course will be. Let’s be honest, shooting over 100 is never fun, regardless of your reason to play.
We all want to impress our friends and hit that big drive or sink that long putt, and maybe even win a couple of dollars from your friends. The reality is that many of us have limited time to improve our games, but 99% want to play better golf.
The sad part is that handicaps haven’t really dropped, even with some of the great technology that is available to golfers now that have made the game supposedly easier. Others may have difficulty because where you live the weather is nice enough to play only 5-6 months out of the year. Regardless, we are here to help.
We provide our top 10 tips below to help you get better at golf and shoot lower scores. Join us on our journey to play better and handle the pressures both physically and mentally at a higher level and shoot better scores and enjoy the game more.
Here are the top 10 ways to get better at golf!
- Increase Your Swing Speed
- Manage Your Game Better
- Improve Your Short Game
- Buy Better Golf Clubs
- Better Maximize Your Practice Time
- Play Golf Year Round – Even In Bad Winter Climates
- Learn More About The Golf Swing Through Online Golf Instructors
- Take a Series of Lessons
- Utilize these Top 5 Swing Trainers
- Read these Golf Books
1 – Increase Your Swing Speed
The game is dominated today at the professional level by those with the highest swing speeds. The reality is that the further you hit your drive, the shorter distance you will have into the green. Which means you will have a shorter club into the green, which according to analytics helps you hit the ball closer, which means you will have a better chance to make more putts. See that this all started with higher swing speed, which produces longer flying drives.
The distance era is here to stay and can help amateurs as well. Let’s face it, one quick way to get better is to hit the ball 20-30 yards further off the tee, giving your shots from 130-150 yards instead of from 170-190. Speed is the number one tool and is something you can add to your game in several different ways, but my recommendation would be the SuperSpeed Golf System.
You can see an increase of swing speed from 5-8% after the initial training session and over 6-8 weeks of training this speed can become more permanent. You can continue to train and continue to see progress. I have experienced this 5-8% increase and am logging my experience through this post. You can check the current price on Amazon right here.
Another Options is Swing Man Golf. – They promise 30-40 yards of distance.
2 – Manage Your Game Better
Even with the added distance to our games, we must be able to make the best decisions on the golf course. Too often we can get too emotional and not control our responses to the events that occur to us over the 4-5 hours of a golf round. Even those with the best intentions before the round can quickly lose site of what is taking place and fail to manage the emotions. In my series on breaking 100, 90, 80 or 70 – I offer many course management tips. Read more about the various levels you may be here by following one of the links below:
We have provided guides on how to break 100, 90, 80 and 70. Check out more below, if interested.
I highly recommend reading, Zen Golf by Dr. Joseph Parent – A must read for any golf. Check the current price of Amazon here.
I read this book last winter and it truly helps you enter each round of golf with a system to help control your emotions and your decision making.
3 – Improve Your Short Game
For most amateurs there are plenty of strokes lost from 100 yards and in. So many scoring opportunities exist in a round and close to 50% or more of your shorts take place from inside 100 yards, but too many people spend their time practicing at the driving range. The pros are phenomenal at getting up and down from various locations.
They only hit 13 to 14 greens in regulation per round, but do not make 4-5 bogeys per round because of their ability to save par. The reality is that amateurs leak many strokes even right by the greens from 3 putts to not chipping it close enough to give yourself a chance. Start spending your practice times around the green and you will see lower scores.
Here are 5 Simple Tips Drills on Putting
22 Practice Games to Lower Your Scores
4 – Buy Better Golf Clubs
Are you still playing with the set of clubs from the local garage sale that were made in the 1980s? Are you still playing a driver that is more than 10 years old? Do you realize the great options in golf clubs that are on the market? Even if you buy clubs, built sometime in the last 5 years, you will increase your chances of getting better at golf. The driver technology is amazing and hybrids have changed the game for those with slower swing speeds.
While clubs won’t magically give you the swing of Tiger Woods, they will increase your chances of making your swing work. The technology in drivers helps you launch the ball higher and further. Also, irons are made for golfers in 3 different categories: Game Improvement, Middle of the Road, and Players Clubs for low handicap golfers. There is no shame in playing game improvement irons which are set to help you launch the ball higher and straighter with less curve. We recommend Callaway irons. They are easy to hit high and far. The technology is impressive.
Hybrids and How They Can Help Your Game
5 – Better Maximize Your Practice Time
Drive past most driving ranges or check out a driving range at your local golf course when you are playing and will see golfer after golfer looking for the secret to the golf swing. They will pound driver after driver hoping to hit the ball further and straighter. Instead, I would recommend spending your time from 100 yards and in and combining that with training to increase your swing speed through SuperSpeed Golf. The combination of adding speed to your driver and improving your short game is the fastest way to reducing your total number of shots in the game of golf. Consider the 22 practice games we recommend through this post.
Keep in mind that you can pretty much practice for free at any course open to the public on their putting green. Walk up with a club or two for chipping practice, along with your putter and spend 30-40 extra minutes, maybe even during your lunch break and you will see results the next time you play. You don’t have to rebuild your swing or spend hours pounding the ball on the range.
Instead utilize some of our practice games on the free putting green and get results as earlier as the next time you play a round of golf. The comfort you will experience over those 5 foot putts or those chips will help erase a bad ball striking day and your friends and playing partners will quickly take notice of your ability to save pars and score.
6 – Play Golf Year Round – Even In Bad Winter Climates
Something I built in 2016 is a golf simulator for my garage. Yes, they may seem a little extreme for some, but I love the game and currently live a busy life trying to balance work, family and all the responsibilities that come with adulthood. After getting the blessing from my wife, I took over the 3rd bay of our garage and built a golf simulator that allows me to play year round, regardless of the weather, time of day, or limit on total time.
I can play 18 holes in 30-40 minutes and improve my game. It is a great stress relief and you might be surprised that you can build a quality similar in the 5-7 thousand dollar range or at an entry level for as little as $1,000. We have many posts to help support you in your journey and make playing golf 365 days a year a reality. Why not do something you love year round! To date, I have played over 450 rounds of simulator golf. The realistic nature of the SkyTrak is impressive!
I have right around 18 posts on golf simulators that you can access right here.
Our Recommend Products on all things golf simulator related
7 – Learn More About The Golf Swing Through Online Golf Instructors
There is so much great information on the internet from the top golf instructors throughout the world. Gone are the days or relying on the golf magazines for some questionable golf tips. Many of us were misled for so many years on some questionable golf instruction. The good news is there are many quality instructors online that can help you in your golf journey. George Gankas, Shawn Clement, and Mike Malaska are three of the best. Also in the mix are Monte Scheinblum and for an alternative option check out Jim Venetos.
We have reviews on most of these golfers and provide our recommendations for the top 5 online golf instructors. Think about it, we now have access to the best golf instructors in the world, all at our fingertips through youtube and the membership sites that many offer. These instructors can help us gain a better understanding of the golf swing and follow a system that can bring about improvement to our games.
8 – Take a Series of Golf Lessons
If online golf instruction is not right for you, I would recommend finding a local PGA pro that offers a series of lessons. Sign up and commit to learning from the teacher, but keep in mind that you must practice. Going for one lesson and thinking that it is going to change your game will leave your disappointed. Commit to the process and make sure you do your research prior to selecting your instructor.
9 – Utilize these Top 5 Swing Trainers
Swing trainers have come a long way in the past so many years. There are many quality options that can help improve your speed, tempo and timing. Crisp contact is the key to improving your game. You must be able to hit the ground in the same spot, control the curve of the ball and hit the ball fall enough to play the course. These are the true fundamentals of golf. The 5 swing training aids I recommend help you improve your fundamentals in one of these three areas. If you are going to get better, golf swing trainers is one option. Here are my top 5 recommended.
10 – Read these Golf Books
Becoming a student of the game including the swing and the mental side of golf will help you better understand your areas of weakness and how you can improve. Completing a full assessment of your game and then looking to improve your weakness and maybe even make your strengths greater will carry you a long way in your improvement journey. Consider checking out these 5 books:
Zen Golf by Dr. Joseph Parent (Mental Game)
Golf Is Not A Game of Perfect by Dr. Bob Rotella (Mental Game)
Harvey Penick’s Little Red Book (Golf Swing)
Ben Hogan’s Five Lessons (Golf Swing)
Every Shot Must Have a Purpose (Golf Mindset and Management)
Looking to gain more Speed and Distance in your swing. Two Options:
