How to Play Smart Golf
Many of us spend a lot of time and money improving our swing or updating equipment, but underestimate the importance of using golf course strategy to lower our scores.
Knowing your swing and how you hit the ball is key to playing smart golf. If a Fairway is 40 yards wide and you typically slice it out of the tee box, then try lining up in the left of the tee box. Turn your body a few degrees because you know where the ball is headed. This will give you the entire width of the fairway to play rather than finding yourself off in the trees.
Try some of the tips below, that best suits your game, and put them into practice next time you hit the course!
Tee shots – Keep the ball on the short grass!
Using the Driver off the tee is a common mistake made by many golfers. The driver is the most difficult club to hit in the bag and should only be used if you have a good consistent swing. Using a hybrid however, will allow you to hit more fairways, which in turn will lead to hitting more greens and improving your score:
1. Invest in a good Hybrid Club, in this instance quality will give you the edge
2. Remember to tee the ball low and position the ball slightly towards your front foot
3. If you have difficulty with consistency, grip the club lower, it is much easier to control
In the rough? Think in terms of a traffic light
So you want to be aggressive and go for the green, how is the ball sitting?
1. Green Light: The ball is sitting perfectly on level ground, this is the right time go for the green
2. Yellow Light: The ball is sitting down in the grass slightly. Select a Middle Iron Club and position the ball slightly back in your stance to reduce friction from the grass
3. Red Light: The ball is sitting well down in the rough. Select a Sand Iron, position the ball well back in your stance and grip the club a little tighter to stop it turning due to the long grass at impact. Then choose the shortest route back to the fairway
Pick your target and stick to it.
Hitting greens in regulation is the key to low scoring:
1. Try selecting a club that when you hit a 100% perfect shot will land on the Back Portion of the green. If you only hit your shot 85% correctly the ball lands in the Middle Portion, if you hit your shot 70% correctly your ball will still reach the Front Portion of the green
2. Yes there are times to be aggressive, but you don’t always need to attack the flag. Let’s say the flag is positioned on the left side of the green, a clever tactic would be to aim for the Middle Back Portion. Therefore, if you hit slightly left or right the ball still lands on the green!
While there are many things you can’t control in the game of golf, being prepared and being smart are factors you can control. Many players have had great careers and made tremendous livings in the game of golf maximizing their abilities by having a plan and playing smart.
