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6 Golf Tips to Improve Your Game

Golf is one of the most difficult sports on the planet to master. It requires not only substantial amounts of practice but mental fortitude as well. In the end, the more you practice, the better your game will be. 

Need help with your golf game? Searching for some golf tips? You're in the right place! We're going to provide you with 6 golf tips for beginners!

1. Keep Your Hips Back

One of the most common mistakes made among novice golfers is the tendency to swing the hips through before the club makes contact with the ball. In the majority of cases, this causes the club to come across the ball, resulting in a bad fade or even a slice. 

To rectify this problem, you need to keep your hips back until contact is being made with the ball. When contact is made, the lead hip needs to push forward, not to the left or to the right. The longer you can keep your hip parallel through your swing, the greater chance you have of hitting your spot. 

Note, this takes some getting used to. For some, it might feel a little unnatural. But rest assured: it's necessary if you want to take your game to the next level. 

2. Shorten Up Your Back Swing

Another mistake made among novice golfers is the tendency to bring the club back as far as possible during the backswing. Yes, there are some professionals who make this work, but they're just that: professionals. They practice on a daily basis and have learned how to keep such a swing in control. 

As a newbie, you're not going to possess such control with your swing. As such, until you're well seasoned, you're advised to shorten it up.

Under no circumstances should you be taking your backswing past parallel. But in truth, your swing should be even shorter than this. The shorter you keep it, the more control you'll have. 

3. Experiment With Your Grip

As you might know, there is more than one way to grip a golf club. While you might currently be using a conventional grip, you should know that changing your grip could have positive consequences for your swing. For this reason, you're advised to experiment a bit. 

Maybe you could use an interlocking grip? Perhaps an overlapping grip would serve you best? Or maybe you'd feel most comfortable with the unconventional ten-finger grip? 

They're all worth a try and have all provided results for golfers throughout the world. Hit the range and give them all a go. You never know what you might be missing out on. 

4. Hyperfocus on the Ball

This seems like an obvious one. Of course, you need to focus on the ball. But in truth, many golfers lose vision of the ball at some point during their swing. 

This is generally a mistake. Few can consistently hit fairways without hyper-focusing on the ball. As such, that's exactly what you need to do. 

Pick a dot on the back of the ball and stare at it intently. Then, throughout the entirety of your swing, keep your eyes glued to that dot. For good measure, keep staring at the same spot until about a half-second after you make contact with the ball. 

You'll be surprised at how much more accurate this makes you. Not only does it help to ensure that you're striking the ball solidly, but it also tends to control the swing, reducing the risk of mishaps. 

5. Get a Feel for Your Distances

Every golfer hits the ball different distances with different clubs. Whereas one golfer might hit a 9-iron 145 yards, another might only hit it 130 yards. These 15 yards can make a world of difference. 

For this reason, if you're fairly new to the sport, you need to get a feel for your distances. Go to the driving range and hit shots with every one of your clubs. While doing so, gauge how far the ball is going and write it down on a piece of paper. 

The key here is to collect average distances for each of your clubs. This way, when you're out on the course, you'll have full confidence over the clubs that should be used in different scenarios. 

Over time, this will become more of a feel thing. But in the short-term, try to make logical connections between distances and the club that is being used. 

6. Don't Be a Hero

Golf is a game of decisions. Should you try to drive it over the river? Should you try to shortcut that dogleg? Should you attempt a flop shot that's only been mastered by the game's best? 

In the early days of your playing career, the answer to all of these questions is no. Instead, you're advised to be conservative in your approach. Being conservative won't get you the best of scores, but it will get you respectable scores, and that can be a huge boost for a beginner golfer's confidence. 

The truth is, at this point, you don't have the consistency to carry out the above-reviewed shots on a regular basis. Sure, it might work out once in a while, but, at this point, the risk is greater than the reward.  

Remember: golf is just as much about the mental game as it is about the physical game. You can't forget strategy when you're building up your skills. 

Put These Golf Tips to Good Use

Ready to put these golf tips to good use? Looking for a quality club at which to hone your skills? If you're in the Sarasota, Florida area, Laurel Oak Country Club is the place to be. 

We offer 2 professional-level golf courses as well as a variety of clinics, tournaments, socials, and other such events. Have any questions? Contact us now! 

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