First, identify your issues. Place them on a list like the one I have created below. Most errors are easily avoidable and solvable. Here is our list of a few of the more common amateur golf mistakes:
Duffing off the tee
Slicing or hooking your shots
Not reaching your goals
Golf Ball flying past where intended
Playing the wrong ball
Not knowing the Rules
Solutions for most of the above issues are rather simple and some have nothing to do with on-course management. The tips below should help you start your round off on the right foot (so to speak).
Stretch Before a Round: A few stretches before you get to the first tee will help loosen you up for the next eighteen holes.
Practice: Just a few minutes of chipping and putting on the practice green can help you line up your putts and get a feel for the speed of the green and for the clubs you are about to use.
Boost: Keep Energized During the Round: Make sure you bring along a healthy snack.
Lessen your Load: If you are carrying your bag, be sure to remove extras that could weigh you down.
As for the on-course issues, some can be solved with simple practice. One of my earliest New York instructors once told me to remember the basics of G.A.S.P. (Grip, Alignment, Stance and Posture).
He said to, "remember this simple acronym when you practice and put it into play on the course." It is something I have never forgotten and continue to use to this day. Gripping too tight causes tension in your swing and we know how that single behavior can affect your entire round!
With relation to not reaching your goal or flying past your goal, that is most probably solved on the driving range by getting to know your club distances and including variables, such as the wind, as you make your club decision. Also, if you know your driver is not working well for you today, use a 3-wood instead. Golf is a thinking man's game so use your brain and your body to make the most of your round.
Lastly, for this blog, and with relation to The Rules...knowing the basics or, at the very least, keeping a rules book at the ready, can help you to make up strokes. Know the penalties so you can correctly score.
All of the above mistakes are curable are costly yet avoidable. Which golf course errors do you make on a regular basis? Share with us below on this golf blog and on our Golf4Beginners Twitter page.
