Course Management – Strategy

It is important to have a plan when playing golf. Here are some basic, simple strategies to become a more consistent player.

Develop a consistent routine. Having a consistent routine is extremely important and helps develop consistency throughout your game. Part of your routine should incorporate four steps: 1) evaluate, 2) plan, 3) rehearse and 4) execute. This part of the routine is the blue print for the shots and your focus. The actual physical routine for every player can be different. What’s important is that you follow your routine consistently.

Know exactly how far all your clubs fly in the air. The average person has no idea of really how far they carry their shots. Most people dramatically overestimate how far they truly hit their shots in the air.

Play within yourself and stay within your capabilities. Don’t try to force shots that you have not practiced. Learn the 70 percent rule. This rule is to only try and hit shots that you are capable of pulling of at least 70 percent of the time. Avoid trying shots that you must hit perfectly to pull off. Specifically choose to hit one or two more clubs into your targets. Learn to take a little off your swing so that you swing more within yourself and you stay better balanced.

Understand your tendencies to allow you to plan for shots. It is important to have some idea of what type of shot pattern you have. Does your ball have a tendency to curve to the right or to the left? Do you generally hit the ball high or low? Do you play better when you hit hard or when you try to lay off a shot and smooth it?

Never aim where straight shots will hurt you. Avoid aiming at an obstacle and try to curve it away from it. If you happen to hit the ball straight at the obstacle and it goes into trouble that was poor planning not poor luck.

Learn how to tee up on the correct side of the tee markers to give yourself the best angles off the tee. If trouble is right, get on the right side of the tee marker and aim left. If trouble is left, then get on the left side of the tee marker and aim right. Use the wider angles of the fairway to aim away from trouble and favor the wide sides of the holes.

Learn to lag putt and control your speed on the greens. This will allow you to play conservatively at times and play away from the flag towards the middle of the green. If you are not a good lag putter and can’t consistently two-putt, you will feel forced to try and hit shots into too tight of situations that can really penalize you if you miss.

Learn to control your emotions and don’t let your emotions control you. Always try to play one shot at a time and avoid becoming too reactive out on the course. Golf is a tough mental game. Everyone hits disappointing shots. It’s the ability to clear these negative pictures and focus on the task at hand to achieve your greatest level of succes.