"Oh I shot an 85 but it could have easily been a 75!"... How many times have we said something to that effect to our buddies right after our round. Too many. It's extremely easy to leave shots out on the course, but with a little mental fortitude, you can just as easily NOT make those simple bone-headed mistakes that add up over the course of a complete round. Here's the top 10 simple ways to lower your score by 5 strokes.
#10) Tee the Ball to the Correct Height- Irons need to be teed low or else you'll get no power from hitting it off the top of the clubface. Woods need to be a bit higher, but not too high! Make it a priority to learn the correct heights for each club.
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#9) Stick to a Pre-Shot Routine- When the pressure gets higher, like putting for a birdie, or having to drive a ball in between a lake on one side and out of bounds on the other, a pre-shot routine will keep you in the present moment and allow you to concentrate fully before executing the shot.
#8) Swing at 80-90%- This is such a simple way to visualize not swinging too hard. And we all know what happens when we swing too hard!
#7) Keep Fueled- This means you want to keep fully hydrated at all times and have some snacks during the round. It's 4+ hours out there in the elements! Your brain and muscles will respond better, and you'll shoot better scores, period.
#6) Tee the Ball Up on the Correct Side of the Tee Box- If you hit a cut and there is trouble on the left, then tee the ball up on the right side of the tee. This will increase the angle of where you can start a good shot on a good line. Tee the ball up so you can hit away from trouble.
#5) Speed, Speed, Speed - In order to put well, you want to look at the line, and then forget it! Think about speed last and during your practice strokes.
#4) Read the Putt From BOTH Sides of the Hole- While your other players are putting, why not take a look from the other side of the hole at the putt? 9 times out of 10 you'll learn more information from the read, and it doesn't take any extra time if you do it properly.
#3) Putt Instead of Chip- If you are on the fringe, PUTT IT! If you are a professional golfer who practices chips off of tight lies from small distances everyday....then sure, chip it.
#2) Play The Shot You Have That Day- If you have warmed up and hit your first few shots, all with a fade, play it. Don't spend the whole round trying to change it. If you can embrace the shot you have, you can score better much easier.
#1) Forget the Score and Don't Give Up!- "Yeah Right!" you are saying... But seriously, if you start out with an absolute terrible hole, who cares? You NEVER know what could happen later on if you stay positive.
There's 10 simple ways to drop your score next time by at least 5 strokes. Play well!