1. Get The Ball to the Hole: In a team format be sure you get the ball to the hole, even if you don’t make the shot you are still giving your playing partners a good read on the putt. Most putts don’t get to the hole because you decelerated on the through-stroke. To fix this, be sure the through-stroke is as long or longer than the backstroke.
2. Simplify Your Swing Thoughts: Start with a easy game plan. Copy it down and refer to it prior to each full shot. Pre-shot: Visualize what you want the ball to do. Address: Line up the club face in line with your target. Swing thought: Swing the club head freely.
3. How to survive the First Tee Jitters: When you’re anxious you tend to speed up your tempo and that will effect your accuracy and consistency. Try taking a few deep breaths as you’re getting ready to hit, inhaling through the nose and out of the mouth. Now swing your driver smoothly saying to yourself “I am only going to swing at 50%”. You’ll see a great result and you may want to utilize this technique on every tee.
4. Make more of those Difficult Short Putts: When you play a format where you must putt everything out, do this. Line up the putter face in line with your target line, then line up your shoulders and feet with that line. Now, make a smooth stroke while looking at the target, not the ball.
5. Take more club on those Par 3′s: Most amateurs come up a little short on Par 3′s and very often hit through or over the green. Look at the yardage to the back of the green and choose a club that will give you that yardage. If you hit the ball well you’re on and if you don’t hit it well you might still make the putting surface.
6. Lower your score on Par 5′s: Try a “do the math” approach. Most Par 5′s are 500 yards. You want to try to make your 3rd shot your most favorite yardage to the green. On your second shot, going for the green will take one of those “miracle shots” which will probably end up with your ball in trouble. Check the yardage to the green from where you are and subtract that favorite yardage that your are most comfortable with. Now hit your 2nd shot to get you to that spot on the fairway. With this strategy, you’re hitting lofted clubs to the green, that are easier to hit and more accurate.
7. Get Out of the Sand in One Try: You need to accelerate the club head through the shot, letting the sand “splash” the ball out, in order to be effective at getting out of green-side bunkers. Set up with the face of the club slightly open and the ball just forward in your stance. Now, hit the sand behind the ball and complete your swing as if you are hitting a full 5 iron.
8. Use a Putting Stroke When You’re Chipping: To eliminate chunking or skulling your chip shots, take a lofted club like a 7-, 8- or 9-iron and grip it like your putter. Lean the shaft and your body toward the target for a slightly descending blow. Make your putting stroke, allowing the loft of the club to carry the ball over the unpredictable fringe onto the putting surface.
9. Get Your Irons Airborne: Most topped shots occur when you try to help the ball into the air with a scooping motion. To hit down on the ball, set up with more weight on your left foot than your right. Take the club back more vertically and return it on a downward angle of attack.
For more assistance with your golf game check out Jim Gartrell’s informative website at GolfClubsGolf.net. There you will find instructional videos and a whole lot more. Check it out today. Click Here. This article, 9 Helpful Tips for Playing Well Under Pressure. is available for free reprint.