Biggest small parts of golf to help a beginner?
Okay, so, my wife, kids and I went to the driving range a couple weeks ago, and I would actually like to attempt to play a semi-serious round. What are the small things in driving, approach, and putting that make the biggest difference? A little specificity is greatly appreciated.
50% of the golf game to play to par is on putting :
you are meant to 2putt the greens so that is 18×2 = 36
On a par 72 golf course thats 50%
So putting is the place to start, because that is where most golfers drop shots, inlcuding chipping.
From 100yards into the green is where you make the money – Drive for show, and Putt for dough.
Of course you can just say well I need to hit the ball long, because if I dont hit the green in reg or around that then your going to lose alot of strokes.
This is true, but its not about hitting the ball long, you need to keep the ball in play:
Would you rather hit 200yards straight in the middle of the fairway everytime or 250yards in trouble?
You need to just take a steady swing at the golf ball, never ever ever ever ever try to cream the ball, this will just make you tense up and lose timing.
Its face that you can swing a club faster without tensing up.
Try making your hand into a really tight fist and get the arms to tense – now try to hit the air as fast as you can.
Now try it with just a nice steady grip………..see alot faster….therefore the ball will go further.
Its ok not to be able to hit the greens in regulation everytime because you will be practicing to up and down – chipping.
Practice chipping and putting and you will see your game improve.
Keep going untill you are very confident over 1ft – 6ft putts (I used to hate small putts, but I practiced and now I barely ever miss them)
Overall –
Driving – Hit the fairway – short and straight not long and wide. Power will come with confidence so dont worry about people out driving you.
Approach – Knowing your distances I guess and the shot types, you need to be able to know what club you need for a shot. Do you lob it over the bunker? Chip around? Pitch it to the back of the green and take a bogey?
Putting – make sure your putting stroke is striaght back and righ through. Make a line of pennies on the floor and make sure your putting stroke is square to that.
Nitre bluing a few gun parts