1. Loosen-up and stretch before playing.  Give your body a fighting chance by taking a few minutes to move those muscles and gain the flexibility needed for a proper swing. This will reduce your risk of injury and allow you to swing smoothly off the first tee.

2. Practice putting and chipping for 15 minutes before every round. Time spent here will really pay off.  Most practice greens are cut and grown identically to the greens on the course. By taking time to practice, you will be more prepared to judge the speed and break on the greens, and you will have honed your chipping stroke for course play.

3. Take enough club.  Over 80% of all shots fall short of their target. Most of us underclub our shots. If there is any doubt as to which club to use... take the longer club.  

4. Think ahead.  When playing your shot, think one, two, even three strokes ahead. By planning your shots you'll learn how to avoid trouble and eventually reduce your score.

5. Line up your puts up from 2 different angles. You'll reduce strokes on the green by taking an extra moment to view your put from 2 angles. Often times this will reveal a greater or lesser break then originally imagined.

6. Hit your puts to run 10" past the hole. There's an old saying that goes: "If your ball doesn't reach the hole - it doesn't have a chance to go in". How true this is. Program yourself to always hit the ball far enough and you'll naturally sink more puts.

7. Use a low running shot onto the green when appropriate. How many times have you been 10 to 20 yards from the pin, taken out your wedge and proceeded to flub it, or hit it well short? This can often be avoided by hitting a low running shot with a low iron or chipper. Your chances of getting it close will increase dramatically once you've mastered this technique. Of course, practice this shot first before starting your round.

8. Follow-through. This is a biggie. Lack of follow-through is one of the greatest causes of mis-hit shots. This is especially true in sand play. By making a consious effort to follow-through, you'll make fewer errors, gain more distance and be much happier with your game.

9. Use the right ball! Golf balls come in 2 basic styles - 90 and 100 compression formats. Without going into great detail, suffice it to say that only professionals and low handicappers should use 100 compression balls because they are very difficult to control. Mid-high handicappers should use 90 compression balls for optimum distance and maximum control. 90 compression balls are indentified by red numbers and 100 compression balls are identified by black numbers.

10. Play it Safe: When in trouble, play it safe. Take the percentage shot even if it means an extra stroke on the hole.

Above All - Relax & Have Fun - that's why you're out there in the first place.

Have a tip to share? Let us know and we'll post it. Contact our webmaster

Back to Golfer's Miracle Dust !