Are you new to the game? Or maybe you have been playing golf for many years and you are ready to take the game seriously!
Many former basketball, baseball, and football players take up the game of golf and want to get good fast.
I can’t blame you!
Who wants to take 5 to 10 years to get good at golf? The good news is that there is a recipe to improve and get good at golf fast. Of course, it is going to take some time and dedication, but if you follow the steps below you will increase your chances of getting good at the game fast.
Stop fighting that slice or chunk shot or missed 3 footers and get serious about the game. Follow the steps below and let’s get going!
Top 7 Ways To Get Good At Golf Fast
- Have an awesome short game
- Increase your swing speed
- Improve your ball striking
- Develop a stock shot
- Have good course management
- Learn more about the swing
- Measure your swing with a launch monitor frequently
Tip #1: Have an awesome short game
The quickest way to improve your golf score is to become a great chipper of the golf ball.
Follow this formula: If you miss all 18 greens in regulation, but leave yourself with a chip shot and can chip the ball within an 8 foot circle every time, you have a quality chance of making 40% of those putts. If you make 40% of those putts, you will make around 7 pars and 11 bogeys. This gets you in the low 80s with your score.
This gets you headed in the right direction and helps you start having positive thoughts about your game. As your ball striking improves and your short game continues you to get better, you will increase that percentage of part saves to around 50% of the time.
This is scratch level and you will be ready to start shooting even better scores.
The great news about the short game and chipping is that it doesn’t take amazing technique, brilliant power and speed, or a great deal of strength. Instead it takes practice and repetition.
Most public golf course have greens that are open to the public and are free to use. I would recommend spending 45 minutes to 1 hour at a time, 3 days a week. Play different games and start with chipping 15-20 balls at a time and then collecting.
An excellent game I would recommend after you complete your block practice with 15-20 balls is to take one golf ball. Throw it to a random spot and see if you can get up and down.
Do this 20 times and keep track of how many times out of 20 you can get up and down. Track this over time. At my best, I am successful around 15 times out of 20, which converts to about 50% during an actual round of golf.
The pressure situations that this creates and having to make 3-10 footers is real and builds some skills. If you have a partner with you, compete against the partner and create some competition.
As far as putting, I would recommend practing 20-30 foot lag putts and 3-10 foot putts. These are the most common putts and where golfers can gain the most amount of strokes.
Here are some additional short game resources to help you grow your knowledge:
Tip #2: Increase your swing speed
There is a big difference between someone that can swing a driver 85 miles per hour vs someone swinging at 105 miles per hour. Even an increase in 5-8 miles per hour can mean 30 yards of extra distance. The really neat part is that recently there have been recent studies on the best way to increase swing speed.
What we have learned is that overspeed training with lighter clubs can help train the mind and body to be able to swing faster. My example is that I used to swing between 98-101 miles per hour.
After training with the SuperSpeed program I am now between 105 and 108 miles per hour. In order to swing faster, you have to train by swing faster. With the lightest club in the protocol by SuperSpeed, I am swinging between 122 and 129 miles per hour. This than coverts to between 105-108 miles per hour with my actual driver when playing golfer.
The difference of 20-30 yards is important and one of the fastest ways to get better at golf. Would you rather be hitting a 7 iron from 155 or a PW from 125 after your drive? If you give yourself the shorter shot over the course of 18 holes, you are going to hit more greens in regulation, hit the ball closer to the hole, which then gives you a better chance of making the putt.
The formula is simple. The important part is to start training for speed using SuperSpeed Golf and improve your speed and gain 20-40 yards. It will make a massive difference!
Tip #3: Improve your ball striking
Now that we have the short game in order and the swing speed is increasing, we have to make solid contract over a high percentage of our shots and avoid the ugly shots that add up quick. The best way I know to improve ball striking is by hitting a lot of golf balls.
The difference maker for me when taking my game from mid 70s to low 70s with the occasional round in the 60s was my golf simulator setup. Now, someone doesn’t have to go all out I like did, but buying at least a portable launch monitor that can give you instant feedback and you can use with a net and mat in your garage or backyard will get you going and allow you to hit more than 100 shots a day.
This daily repetition, combined with decent mechanics, will help you build solid contact. The ability to control the flight of the ball both high and low and the curve of the ball is a difference maker.
I am now able to control by golf ball around the course and hit quality shots when needed. My poor shots have improved and my best shots have gotten better. The key is crisp contact.
Here are my top 3 recommend affordable golf launch monitors:
Resources on building a golf simulator:
- Is a Golf Simulator Worth It?
- How to Build a Golf Simulator?
- What is the Best Golf Simulator?
- How to Build a Golf Simulator for under $7000
- How to Build a Golf Simulator for Under $1000
- Why Build A Golf Simulator?
- What Space is Needed?
- Can A Golf Simulator Improve My Game?
- How Much Does A Golf Simulator Cost?
Tip #4: Develop a stock shot
Some golfers may prefer to work the ball both ways. I recommend starting with a stock shot. The ability to rely on a slight draw or fade under pressure will be a difference maker.
Being able to control your start line at least 7 times out of 10 will help your course management and your confidence when there is trouble lurking in a hazard or out of bounds.
Here is a complete post on building a stock shot.
I have a great drill to build a stock shot:
- 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 yards right of the first stick (for a draw) or left of the first stick (for a fade).
- Complete your initial assessment 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 get 7 out of 10 shots to start to the correct side and draw back towards the target.
Here is the dril being explained by Kyle Morris:
Tip #5: Have good course management
Let’s face it, maybe not the most exciting topic, but required to play quality golf. You have to know your limits, understand your golf swing and then play within yourself.
If you have a shot to carry the ball 230 over water to reach a par 5 in 2 and you only hit your driver 245 on a good day, make sure you lay up! Stop trying to be superman and play within yourself.
I have a complete series on breaking through to the next level in golf and much of the tips have to do with course management. They are created based on what it takes to get to that next scoring level.
We have provided guides on how to break 100, 90, 80 and 70. Check out more below, if interested.
Tip #6: Learn more about the swing
I spent three years learning from Shawn Clement, Mike Malaska, Jim Venetos, Monte Scheinblum, Bobby Lopez, the Stack and Tilt Instructors and George Gankas.
These instructors are all amazing and have systems that work for different types of golfers. They have great communication skills and awesome online resources to help take your game to the next level.
Part of the journey is learning more and more about the golf swing. There is a fine line between getting lost in the weeds and learning about the swing and applying. I was fortunate to have the golf simulator setup to experiment, learn and get instant feedback.
A golf simulator and a smart phone are an excellent combination to get the feedback you need to improve your swing.
I view getting better at golf as a journey that is a ton of fun to be on!
Here is a list of golf instructors that we have reviewed:
Tip #7: Measure your swing with a launch monitor frequently
One of the great things about being a golfer in today’s era is that the instruction has come a long way and we now understand ball flight laws and what is actually impacting the curve of the ball. In addition, you can measure the interaction and spin axis on your ball through technology.
If you visit any PGA Tour stop you will see the majority of professionals use a launch monitor at some point throughout the week . Many are monitoring their clubface, swing path relationship as well as swing speed. These are important numbers to monitor to make sure you are keeping your swing within a certain range.
While many won’t have $16,000 to spend on a Trackman, there are some great affordable options that can be used at your local driving range, on the golf course or in your garage or house as part of a practice area of golf simulator setup.
Here are my top 3 recommend affordable golf launch monitors:
Some of the key information that you will be able to received immediately after every swing includes:
- Ball Speed
- Club Speed
- Launch Angle
- Spin Rate
- Spin Axis
Over time, knowing where your numbers are when you are making quality swings will help you groove a swing and become more consistent. When you are struggling, you can use your launch monitor to see where your numbers are at.
Is it a clubface or swing path issue? When your spin axis number is really high either way, you know there is a major gap between the two. In the ideal world, you have a 1-3 degree difference between clubface and swing path, unless you are trying to hit a hook or slice intentionally then a bigger gap is desired.
Get Started Today!
Are you ready to get started? Here is a way to measure your progress long term. Below are some key starts for the typical scratch golfer. Keep accurate stats of your game and see how you measure up!
| Greens in Regulation | 67% |
| Fairways Hit | 53% |
| Putts Per Hole | 1.67 |
| Scrambling | 54% |
| Sand Saves | 59% |
| Average Driving Distance | 251 |