Difference between revisions of "Improve Your Golf Game"

#Anchor your foot. One of the most basic tips to get greater distance is to anchor (firmly press into the ground) your foot and your body behind the ball. The foot you must anchor is the foot that is behind the ball. For right handed players it will be the right foot, and the left foot for left handed players. If you lift your foot too soon when swinging the club you will lose power and distance in the shot.<ref name="rf1"> http://www.golftipsmag.com/instruction/quick-tips/anchor-your-right-foot/ </ref>

#Touch your elbow to your hip. If you can’t touch your elbow to your hip, at least keep your arm close to your hip. By keeping the right arm close to the hip, you ensure the body will drive your arms and club through the ball impact. This will decrease the chances of your hands negatively influencing the shot.<ref name="rf2">http://www.golf.com/instruction/johnny-miller-7-ways-play-round-your-life </ref>

#Relax your muscles. Relax and keep your grip light. At the top of your backswing, make a slight pause and maintain a light grip through the swing. To keep a light grip, relax the muscles in your forearms and also your fingers. If you do this, you will create a faster, brisker swing release through the ball impact. This will result in a longer drive.<ref name="rf3">http://www.golf.com/video/how-relax-your-muscles-golf </ref>

#Rotate your hips vigorously. By energetically rotating you hips on the downswing you will bring your core muscles into play. This will increase club head speed, and therefore will result in a longer drive. Make sure you do this in a controlled manner. Keep your foot anchored to prevent slicing the ball.<ref name="rf4">http://www.golfdigest.com/story/sean-foley-make-me-better </ref>

#Use a short controlled backswing. Do this to achieve a longer drive. A common failure amongst golfers is bringing the driver too far back during the backswing. This causes a loss in control of the club. A powerful, more controlled swing can achieved by controlling your wrists and rotating your body into the shot, thus resulting in a more distance.<ref name="rf5"> http://montescheinblum.com/blog/2011/06/23/almost-every-golfer-has-a-backswing-that-is-too-long/ </ref>

#Let the club do the work. A common misconception amongst golfers is that the harder they whack the ball, the further it will go. You should actually focus on the middle of the ball and the control you have over your swing. This will give you far better results than trying to increase the power of your swing. Hitting the ball too hard will invariably mean a slice or a fresh air shot.<ref name="rf6"> http://www.beaufort.com/swinging-the-club-not-hitting-the-ball/</ref>

#Don’t rush the shot. Try not to tense up before making the shot. Concentrate on controlling your swing, and the club will do the rest for you. Once you have mastered controlling your golf swing, you can then gradually increase the power you use when driving the ball.<ref name="rf7"> http://www.golfdigest.com/story/tom-watson-driver </ref>

#Visualize the shot. When taking your practice swings, imagine the shot you wish to hit. Picture the ball’s flight when you make your practice swing. Make sure your swing feels comfortable. This technique will relax your body as well as your mind. Also, never take too many practice swings, as the thought of fluffing the shot will build up in your mind and affect your confidence.<ref name="rf8"> https://golfstateofmind.com/powerful-visualization-golf/ </ref>

#Reduce spinning by teeing the ball higher. Hit the drives with minimal spin on the ball. To achieve this, you can tee the ball up high. This will promote less spin on the ball as you will be hitting it from a more underneath position. Also, try to avoid moving forward over the ball on impact. This will always reduce spin.<ref name="rf9"> http://www.golfdigest.com/story/rulesprice </ref>

#Practice as often as possible. Consistency in the amount of times you get out there and play is crucial to a good game. To hone your golfing skills, you must play regularly. You will not improve if you don’t practice. You will learn to tweak your game a little bit more each time you play, and bring the lessons you learned the previous week to the course with you the following week.<ref name="rf10"> http://www.golf.com/instruction/deliberate-practice-key-improving-your-golf-game </ref>

#Choose a good set of clubs. Even for professionals, the type of clubs used matters. The type of clubs you choose depends on if you’re at a beginner, intermediate, or advanced level. A set of three woods and eight irons is sufficient if you’re a beginner. Most club sets will work for a beginner. Make sure the clubs fit your strength and posture. Once you reach the intermediate level, a good set of clubs are ones that have been fitted for you.<ref name="rf11">http://www.franklygolf.com/simple-rules-for-buying-golf-equipment.aspx</ref>

#Choose a good ball. You can use any type of ball, but some balls are better than others. You want a ball that will go the farthest distance. Yardage is more important than spin. Look for a ball that is not too light or heavy.<ref name="rf12">https://www.linksmagazine.com/best_of_golf/10-tips-for-buying-golf-clubs</ref>

#*It’s not necessary to go for the most expensive option if you’re just playing for fun.<ref name="rf11" />

#Take lessons. Taking golf lessons is a sure way to improve your game. They are especially helpful for beginners. Golf lessons can help you learn etiquette, improve technique, learn technical aspects, and familiarize yourself with your equipment. This, however may not work for everyone because lessons can be costly.<ref name="rf13">http://longestshotclub.com/5-benefits-golf-lessons-beginners/</ref>

#Keep fit. As with any game, you need a certain level of fitness to maintain the ability to play well. To keep fit, you can stretch, go to the gym, and/or enjoy any other physical activity. [[ Stretch | Stretch ]] your hamstrings, quads, arms, and back before playing. Try to go to the gym at least twice a week. For physical activities, you can run, do yoga, or play other sports.<ref name="rf14"> http://www.mensjournal.com/health-fitness/exercise/6-steps-to-getting-golf-fit-20140807</ref>

*Play with the wind instead of against it. Adjust your swing to the direction and strength of the wind.<ref name="rf15"> http://www.golftipsmag.com/instruction/shotmaking/8-tricks-to-become-a-better-player/</ref>