Golfa

Golf Potpourri

by

Mac Stevenson

Minor Adjustments Can Cure Major Flaws

Early summer is here and your enthusiasm for golf and the bliss of being outdoors will overshadow the flaws in your game. But as the weather warms, chances are you will be dissatisfied with some aspect of your golf game.

Has your golf game been victimized by an early slump? Has an important facet of your game refused to come around as it should have? More often than not a minor change in your stance, posture, grip, or ball placement can snap you out of a dreadful slump.

Before going further, keep in mind that the forthcoming suggestions are based on shots hit from level lies; as an example, the ball placement in relation to your left foot on a fairway wood shot wouldn’t be the same for a level lie as it is on an uphill or downhill lie.

Changes in your fundamental approach to different shots should not be extreme unless a teaching professional tells you that what you’re doing is way off. Sometimes just a slight adjustment on certain shots can correct a problem. And when the modification works, it will give your confidence a much-needed boost.

These key thoughts can change from round to round, especially in putting. The worst kind of a dilemma in golf is when you lose confidence in your putting. Even the pros go through seemingly unsolvable putting woes.

What can you change when your putting is just terrible? This is something that every serious golfer goes through from time to time. When you make a change, don’t make the alteration too drastic.

If you’re in a putting slump, experiment with your grip. You might want to move the position of your left hand or right hand on the grip, just a slight change. Or you can try moving the ball back or forward slightly in your stance. Another change worth trying is moving your hands an inch or two forward or backward in relation to the ball. You might even want to move the position of your head over the ball.

All of these fundamental changes should be very slight until you hit on something that helps. Then your confidence will surge and hope springs to the forefront. Any of these trivial-seeming experiments can help if your putting has gone south.

Second only to putting woes is a driver that won’t behave off the tee. If you’re mishitting your driver, the game is going to be a struggle and not much fun.

If you’re slicing, try strengthening the grip on your left hand--moving it slightly clockwise. If you’re hooking, try the opposite; move your left hand counterclockwise to a weaker position.

When all kinds of bad things are happening with the driver, try slowing your backswing. Or make an attempt to hesitate on the transition from backswing to downswing. Keep your head steady throughout the swing. Most of the time, head movement is the main culprit. Keep your feet firmly planted to keep from swaying; this also aids in keeping your head anchored. Change the position of the ball in relation to your left foot, moving it back or forward a half inch or so. All of these examples are minor keys, but one of them might be just the one to get you going in the right direction.

If you’re hitting your full iron shots poorly, most likely you are moving on the shot. You lose balance and either hit behind the ball or scull it. Work on keeping your feet solidly planted and your swing smooth, all the while keeping your head steady through the shot. It helps if you can concentrate on seeing the divot your club-head makes before your head comes up. Experiment with the position of your hands in relation to the ball in your stance. If you’re hitting a lot of fat shots, moving the hands forward at address will often help. All experimental switches should be moderate.

With chip shots and pitch shots, improper balance and head movement cause most of the bad shots. Make sure you keep most of your weight on the left foot; here again, just a minor adjustment, nothing that makes you real uncomfortable. And hand position is very important on these shots. You may have slipped into a bad habit as to where your hands are placed when you start your backstroke. Work it out with some experimentation during a practice session.

And another most important tip: Keep a journal or diary of what changes you make and when you make them. Describe the problem and the solution. This can help you a year or so down the road when you start having the same problem with your putting, driving, or something else; if you keep a journal, you might find the solution right there.

When you discover a key idea or swing thought that really helps, don’t let it escape into thin air. Record it in your journal.

Make Sure Your Practice is Productive

Many golfers—who have lots of room for improvement—damage their games with extensive practicing. That’s because they have developed some faulty fundamentals and practicing with these ill-advised techniques just ingrains the bad habits and makes them harder to correct.

When you discover what you think is a flaw, don’t be bashful about asking for advice. Either take a lesson from your pro or ask him about the problem. You can also ask an accomplished player to help you. However, make sure that you ask someone who knows what they’re talking about; that’s easier said than done.

Trying to improve your golf game through extensive practice should be fun and not work. It will be much more beneficial if you practice with proper fundamentals instead of your same old faults.

As an example, everyone can sharpen their short game with practice. The pitch shot from just off the green is the most-common approach shot for most golfers. If you study Joe’s video on the short game (Short Game Clinic) before you practice, the benefits will be significant. There’s something about seeing how something should be done—as opposed to reading about it—that leaves a more-lasting impression and also makes using the correct fundamentals easier.

If you enjoy hitting practice balls, it will benefit your golf game if you occasionally take a day off from playing 18-holes and devote that time to practicing. How often you do this depends on how serious you are about your golf, and whether or not you’re having big problems with your game.

Most players go to the practice area for one main reason: they are playing poorly. A long practice session will prove that you are physically capable of hitting certain shots the way you want to. Just knowing that you can do it is more than half the battle.

Before you embark on a long practice session on shots you’ve been having trouble with, be sure you have the proper techniques and fundamentals clear in your mind. Taking a lesson from your pro or watching Joe’s instruction videos should be all the help you need. And it won’t hurt to ask good players, who you know well, for their advice. It’s counterproductive to work on a particular shot for a half hour if you’re not using the correct fundamentals.

How long should a serious practice routine last? That depends to some extent on your age and overall physical condition, but from one to one and a half hours is long enough for most players. You can hit every shot you’ll encounter on the golf course while practicing for an hour and a half.

Start your session with short shots that aren’t tiring and then work on your putting. Finish with the full shots on the driving range. And don’t become discouraged if you start hitting some poor shots because you begin to tire; the same thing happens during competition.

A word of warning: Just because you hit shots as well as you’re capable of on the driving range, don’t expect that to automatically carry over to the golf course. On the driving range, you’re relaxed and get into a perfect rhythm. This type of practice will improve your game over the long haul, but don’t expect any short-term miracles.

Shots you face during serious competition differ greatly from those you practice on the driving range; nevertheless, multiple repetitions on the range will eventually pay off when you’re playing serious golf.

Improvement in golf isn’t an immediate process; it’s an insidious phenomenon that requires a lot of patience and practice and playing. And even then, slumps will occur when you least expect them. But so will periods when you play really well.

Long-term and permanent improvement on the vital short shots is assured with diligent practice using reliable fundamentals. This is true for all players, regardless of age, strength, or skill level. You’ll gain confidence in these shots as you have success on the practice green and the golf course.

It’s an added plus that practicing chips, pitches, and sand shots isn’t as tiring or time-consuming as the full shots. You can hit 100 of these crucial shots during a half hour of practice, and it won’t tire you too much before a regular round of golf. If you’re limited on the time you can spend practicing, this is the way to go.

Practice doesn’t help much if it isn’t accompanied with enthusiasm. If you don’t like to practice, it won’t be of benefit to go through long sessions. But most players enjoy some practicing; how much depends on your individual tastes. If you set aside one day—every two or three weeks—for a long practice session, your game will improve with time. Just don’t expect it to happen overnight.

Don’t Become Cliquish About Playing Companions

The days are growing shorter and summer is slipping away. Early next month, if you schedule your tee times about 8:00 a.m. on Saturday and Sunday mornings, you’ll finish in time to spend the rest of the day watching college and NFL football. That’s as good as it gets.

Late summer is also a good time to make an effort to occasionally play with some different players. It’s fun to hook up with some fellow fans during the new football season.

If you play in the same foursome all the time, you’re making a mistake and cheating yourself out of a chance to have more fun and excitement on the golf course.

It’s rewarding to be a regular member of a favorite foursome; however, you’re unnecessarily limiting yourself if you never play with anyone but your own small group.

Playing with a different group from time to time gives you a chance to make new friends, and it also gives you a fresh approach to the game. It’s much different mentally as opposed to playing with the same foursome continually.

Let’s be honest: There’s something irritating about everyone—yourself included—that is accentuated if you play golf in the same group day after day. Our ears would be burning if we knew what was being said about us in our regular foursome. Comments like this: “Bill’s even slower than usual today, what’s wrong with him?” Or, “Why can’t Leonard watch where his ball goes? I’m sick and tired of spending half the day looking for his lost balls.” If you play with a new crew occasionally, you’ll find that you are more appreciative of your regular foursome. And they’ll be more tolerant of your aggravating idiosyncrasies.

In tournaments—when competing with golfers you’ve never played with—you will be at a disadvantage because you’re so used to the habits of your regular foursome. That can be a handicap if you’re a serious golfer.

One way this potential problem can be solved is to get a group of 10-12 golfers that play regularly and throw balls on the first tee to determine playing partners for the day. This is tricky though. If several players join the group whose company you don’t enjoy, your day can be ruined if you draw them in your foursome for the day.

There’s another simple method of splitting up your foursome and playing with different golfers: Challenge another foursome at your club to a match—with or without handicaps depending on the players—for modest stakes. Make it a stipulation that the foursomes will be split—two players from each foursome playing together. That makes for a competitive and fun round of golf that’s new and different. The same thing can be done with players that you’re acquainted with from a nearby town.

Planning on how to choose your golfing companions requires a high level of diplomacy if you’re going to have enjoyable games; there’s a fine line between being selective and cliquish. On the other hand, everyone is entitled to play with golfers they enjoy.

The main purpose of playing in a new foursome—whenever the opportunity presents itself—is to make new friends; that’s one of the primary objectives for most golfers.

Playing with new acquaintances can give you a fresh mental outlook on the game; it’s fun to play with players you know only by reputation. You’ll find you often play better in an unfamiliar foursome because it’s just normal that you will want to impress new acquaintances.

Golf is one of the best possible meeting grounds for the young and not-so-young. In what other game can a 72-year-old veteran hold his own against a long-hitting youngster of 30? The golf course is one of the few meeting grounds where the young and old are on equal footing; it can be a rewarding experience for both age groups.

When you come up with an excuse—real or contrived—to miss a game with your regular foursome, try and find a game with some different players. It’s usually easier than you might think, and it will make your regular games more enjoyable. And you’ll make some new friends, old and young, that will be a reward for your effort.

When Practice Time is Limited—Focus on Short Game

Almost everyone’s mental approach to golf changes when early fall changes insidiously to colder weather--it’s a good time to decide how to use our limited practice time. For one thing, it’s harder to maintain a sharp edge on your game just because of the weather factor. Secondly, autumn is a busy time for just about everyone, and our golf games suffer from lack of attention.

It’s amazing how fast the touch on short shots deserts us after a short layoff because of cold weather. Just taking off for a weekend to enjoy football will affect your short game.

There’s something in the mind--that no one can clearly define--that tells each player how hard to hit a chip shot or a putt to achieve the desired distance. That instinct doesn’t work well after a prolonged period of inactivity. And that’s why a short warm-up session on the putting clock--prior to a round of fall golf--is so beneficial.

This is a painless practice routine that will help following lengthy inactivity. Before you go out to play your first round after days or weeks of not playing, practice your short game--if only for a few minutes.

It can’t be emphasized too much that the proper fundamentals must be used or your practice time will be wasted effort. Library videos or books about the short game are a great aid in making sure you practice with the correct basics.

Even if it’s almost too cold to play, you can work on your chips, pitches, and putts for ten minutes before you tee off. And it will help.

During chilly fall weather, you’ll have more short shots around the green because you won’t be as effective from tee to green. In other words, you’re going to miss a lot of greens and be trying to get up and down from off the putting surface for your par or bogey.

A short practice session on the putting clock will be particularly beneficial on long approach putts. If you don’t stroke a few before you play, you’ll struggle to find the right feel on long putts.

Because of the forced layoffs that become more frequent during autumn weather, practicing on the driving range isn’t going to help your game as much as it does during the warm months.

Two reasons that fall practice won’t have any lasting benefit to your game are:

You will have too many clothes on and this will force a change in your swing and timing. This is combined with muscle stiffness caused by cold weather.
Even if you start to hit it sweet and feel good about your swing, it won’t last because inclement weather will force a layoff. After not playing for a week or more, you’ll lose everything you’ve gained. It’s just like starting all over again in the spring.

During a brief warm-up on the putting clock, your hands may become cold; regardless, that won’t be too much of a problem if you limit your short-game practice session to about 10-15 minutes. And you’ll be close to the clubhouse where you can go in and get warm before you tee off.

The method is simple: Take five balls and hit 10 pitch shots, 10 chip shots, and then spend the rest of the time practicing lag putts and shorter putts. Those 10-15 minutes will go by fast.

In a brief practice session on the putting clock, a lot of clothes won’t affect your short shots like they do full shots. When practicing chips and pitch shots--after a layoff--you’ll get a feel for the club and a rhythm to your stroke. You will also reawaken a sense of how hard to hit those shots once you’re out on the course.

A brief workout on your short game before you play will have immediate benefits; it will help you enjoy your autumn games more than you would if you have no feel whatsoever on the chips and putts. And it won’t be a long, bone-chilling session--just a few minutes before you tee off.

The USGA Handicap System—Probability Versus Possibility

The present USGA handicap system has one principle that is the guiding light for ratings: Your handicap is based on what you are capable of shooting, not what your score is likely to be. But to base your handicap on what it’s possible for you to shoot because of one hot round is unfair and ridiculous. It should be predicated on what you are likely to shoot, not what you are capable of shooting during your best round. The best scores should be averaged in with all your other rounds.

The USGA hierarchy--well-intentioned though they may be--has made the handicap system way too complicated and unrealistic. At the present time, your handicap is established on what your potential is, not an average of all the scores you’ve actually shot.

Your latest handicap rating is based on the lowest 10 of the last 20 scores that you’ve turned in. In other words, your 10 worst scores are discarded and count for nothing.

This makes no sense. If you happen to have one hot round, it lowers your handicap dramatically. And conversely, your poor rounds are tossed in the trash and disregarded.

Every round and each stroke should count and they should all be averaged together in order to come up with a fair and realistic handicap.

It appears that the present system is set up primarily to thwart cheaters. Golfers that strive for unfair handicaps by posting only their high scores can’t be stopped, but they will be discovered over a period of time. And they will be ostracized by the players who try to establish fair handicaps.

Weather becomes too much of a factor using the USGA method. By throwing out the worst scores, they discard most of the high scores that are recorded on bad-weather days.

But all the players with handicaps don’t play on the same days. If all the scores were counted, the inclement days would even out over a period of time and the weather would become less of a factor.

Another rule the USGA imposes that detracts from realistic evaluation is disallowing players with low handicaps from taking more than a double-bogey on any hole. That’s absurd. Every stroke on every hole should count.

If every golfer records the total score from each round and divides the total of those scores by the number of rounds, you’ll create a fair handicap. Players shouldn’t be penalized for having a hot round; however, those exceptional rounds should be averaged in with the worst and mediocre scores.

The USGA Handicap System manual resembles the fine print in insurance policies; trying to read and understand it is tough going indeed.

Here’s an example of how this one main fault could be simplified: If your course is a par 70 and you post your last 20 scores and divide the total strokes by 20 and that figure is an average of 82, then your handicap should be a 12. It’s that simple.

The USGA is to be lauded for their method of rating courses and implementing the Slope system; this is most important for golfers who play on numerous courses. And it takes a lot of skill and hard work to rate courses fairly and intelligently. For their work in this area, the USGA is to be commended.

The USGA system works well so far as the slope factor for different courses is concerned. In fact their handicap system is a good one if they would just count all the scores and strokes and take an average of all your rounds.

While on the subject of handicaps, be very careful on the first tee with handicap bets. The handicap system is based for play over 18 holes of golf. If you have a seven handicap and your opponent has a 14, make it clear on the first tee that you won’t accept any press bets on holes where your competitor has a stroke and you don’t.

If you come to the 18th tee and have your opponent out and he has a stroke and you don’t, letting him press is giving away your hard-earned money. That’s the same as giving him a stroke-a-hole on a bet. That’s a loser.

The USGA handicap system is too complicated and it’s not an accurate reflection of your golfing skill. Your handicap is based on your potential, not the actual average of all your scores.

Undoubtedly the people in charge are trying to regulate a fair and useful system. But they need to simplify the entire process and make the handicaps an average of what players actually shoot, not what is within the realm of possibility.

Warm Up Before Teeing Off

You can store your Bermuda shorts and summer golf shirts because the warm weather has vanished like an early morning mist and colder weather has arrived. If you don’t warm up properly before you begin play, it’s easy to pull a muscle or strain a tendon.

Do some stretching exercises and take plenty of easy swings before you step up on the first tee and let it rip. It stands to reason that it’s difficult to get your body parts loosened up in cold weather, and you’ll be wearing more clothing than you’re used to.

The most-common injury associated with golf is lower back problems. If you’ve ever experienced a bad back, you’ll know why it’s so important to warm-up wisely before you tee off.

Every golfer should take the time to make sure their muscles and tendons are loose and flexible before they step up to that first tee ball of the day. This is especially true for senior players who don’t warm up as easily as their younger counterparts. All players can sustain pulled muscles or other injuries when they don’t go through a precise warm-up routine.

It’s best when golfers can go to the driving range and warm up slowly by hitting some range balls; however, that isn’t always possible when it’s cold or players are pressed for time. A word of caution when you do go to the driving range: Don’t hit so many practice balls before you tee off that you get tired in the middle of the round. Once again, senior players are more susceptible to this problem than young players.

When you’re on a tight schedule, a loosening-up session at home before leaving for the course is an excellent alternative to the driving range. Do the exercise where you bend from the waist and at least come close to touching your toes, and loosen up gradually. When the early morning stiffness begins to dissolve, take some smooth, easy swings with a short, weighted indoor-practice club. This is not a golf club; it has a regular grip and a short shaft with a weighted head on it. These are great as a warm-up aid and they’re available at almost any golf shop at a reasonable price. Even though the warm-up club has a short shaft, make sure you take the swings in a room with a high ceiling.

Players of any age who have had back problems should be sure they do some stretching exercises before leaving for the course. Check with your doctor or chiropractor to find out which exercises are best for you. Early in the morning--when you’re not loose--is when golfers are most susceptible to throwing out their back. Anyone who has gone through that agony knows how important it is to do everything possible to see that it doesn’t happen again.

Try and get to the course early enough to hit a few chips and putts even if you don’t have time to go to the driving range. If you go right to the first tee with no warm-up, it will take you several holes to get a feel for the greens.

Take plenty of warm clothing. Seniors will have a hard time making good swings early in the round if they’re chilled. It’s better to start out with too much outerwear than not enough; you can take off extra clothing whenever you want, but you can’t put it on if it’s in your closet at home.

It’s beneficial for all players to walk some--particularly seniors who might still be a little stiff at the start of the round. If you use a cart, try and ride with someone who will either do all the driving or at least share it with you.

Doing some stretching and swinging indoors before you leave for the club is an excellent way to start your golfing day. If the course is close to your home, the warm-up routine will keep you loose until you get to the first tee and take a few more practice swings. You’ll play better golf and you won’t be susceptible to muscle and tendon strains that can not only ruin your round, but put you out of action for several weeks.

On Sunny, Windless Days in Winter—Nine Holes is Plenty

Some golfers equate Labor Day and football season with the end of the golfing season. It doesn’t have to be that way unless you live in one of our colder climates. From the Central Plains to the south, we usually have some days that are pleasant for two to three hours in the afternoon.

It will benefit your golf game if you take advantage of the breaks in inclement weather—even if it’s just for nine holes.

The warmest part of the day from November through March is from 1:00 p.m.-3:00 p.m. That’s enough time for a pleasant nine holes. Stretching the round to 18 holes means you’re going to become chilled and it won’t be fun.

Many golfers are missing a bet by not playing more nine-hole rounds when the weather is less than perfect. Where is it carved in stone that you have to play 18 holes on every outing?

Many of us find that winter is busier than the spring and summer months; this is another good reason to play just nine holes. It saves time. If you join a group as they turn onto the back nine, it saves even more time because you don’t have to spend a half hour getting ready to start on the front side. There’s a great difference between spending an hour and a half on nine holes and four and a half hours for 18. For busy people, nine holes can be the answer.

Nine-hole rounds during cold weather have added benefits:

You can play a relaxing round with no bets.
It’s an invigorating change of pace to just play nine holes and enjoy the crisp weather and camaraderie and good exercise.
And, with no bets on the line, you can experiment with some new shots that you wouldn’t try if there was money at stake.
By playing nine holes when you can find the time, you tone the muscles you use for golf and rekindle vital swing thoughts you’ve forgotten during your layoff. In addition, you won’t spend as many hours atrophying on the couch with a sack of chips and can of beer.

Playing nine holes during winter weather is an excellent time to walk, carrying a light bag with eight clubs. Riding in an unenclosed cart during cold weather turns golf into frigid torture rather than enjoyment. When you forgo the cart, you won’t be chilled and you’ll gain valuable exercise. It’s much easier to walk nine holes during fall weather than the hot, humid air of summer. And nine holes isn’t nearly as tiring as trying to hoof it for 18. You might be whipped after walking nine holes, but sleep that night will be sound and restful.

Playing nine holes once or twice a week takes the place of practicing during inclement weather. Going to the driving range on nice days in the winter doesn’t result in any long-lasting benefits. Despite some warm weather—in most of the country—you’re going to be forced off the course for a week or two at a time during the cold months. When this happens, any benefits you might derive from practicing dissolve because of the inactivity. Consequently, get out and walk nine holes and don’t worry about how you play. Just enjoy the exercise and being outdoors.

Another reward for playing in less-than-perfect weather in the winter is that your course won’t be crowded and play moves faster. The hackers and beginners—who can ruin the game for everyone else—just come out on the gorgeous days during spring and summer.

An added benefit of playing only nine holes is that you can play during the warmest part of the day. If you start in the morning, it’s going to be cold until the sun is high in the sky. But for about two hours in the early afternoon, it’s often quite pleasant on the golf course.

By playing a few nine-hole rounds, you maintain a semblance of proficiency in your game prior to the 18-hole rounds you will play on the first nice weekends next spring. It’s a great way to get some exercise and keep your mind focused on the fundamentals of your game.

Don’t be Deceived by Driving Range

Excellence

How many times have you practiced on the driving range, found a groove, and hit one shot after another perfectly? You say to yourself, “If I hit it like this tomorrow, I’ll shoot a 68.” And then, the next day, you mishit shot after shot and shoot an 88. It happens.

One question in golf bedevils players of all skill levels: Why can’t I hit the ball on the golf course like I do on the driving range?

When you decide on a practice schedule, do so with the realization that you aren’t going to strike the ball as consistently or as well during a round of golf as you do on the driving range.

Numerous reasons explain this lack of being able to hit the ball as well on the golf course as you do on the driving range:

With no one bothering or distracting you, your timing and rhythm become natural and easy on the driving range.
You have a perfectly level lie on the driving range and can tee the ball up before each shot. This isn’t true on the golf course.
Pressure and tension are not your constant companions on the driving range; however, they are during an important round of golf. You may try and tell yourself that this shouldn’t make any difference, but it does.
By hitting each club repeatedly, you develop a feel and confidence that isn’t there on a normal round of golf. You shouldn’t hit over four or five consecutive shots with one club during a practice session; everything becomes too repetitive. One exception: If you’re having horrible problems with one club, like your driver, you may want to practice with just that club.
One huge difference between the golf course and driving range is that you don’t have to wait between shots while practicing. Sometimes the wait between shots during a round of golf can be as much as 10 minutes, and that destroys timing and mental focus.
During practice no one is watching and you aren’t competing against anyone. That in itself is relaxing and aids in your concentration. And vice versa.

You may ask yourself: If this is all true, why practice? The benefits are numerous, although they may not be as apparent as you expect.

If you’re having big problems with one shot in particular, practicing that shot can cure what’s wrong. If you hit a shot over and over and over, you’ll experiment until you find some little key like a grip adjustment that helps. And that will transfer over to the golf course. It’s usually counterproductive to try and experiment during a round of golf, but all of us do it from time to time.
Practice will help over the long haul. The problem with most golfers is that they expect immediate improvement from one or two practice sessions. This may not happen. It’s even conceivable that you’ll play worse for a while if you make major changes in your swing or grip. But, if the changes are fundamentally sound, you’ll progress over time with extensive practice.
Your timing will improve on the golf course because you’ll know from practicing certain shots that you are physically capable of hitting them correctly. Just knowing you have the ability to hit shots properly adds needed confidence. Admittedly, knowing you can and doing it are two different things; nevertheless, that little bit of extra confidence will carry the day over a period of time.

Putting is a different world. Just like the rest of your game, putting practice will help eventually. But for most golfers, no club in the bag is as fickle and unfaithful as that tormentor--the putter.

Putting--like other shots--will improve with practice and slight changes in grip or stance that are discovered on the practice green. All golfers, since the game was invented, have been seeking the one secret that will make them great putters. And that search is never ending. Everyone goes through stages when the putts are dropping and they think they finally have the secret. Unfortunately, the magic dissolves as quickly as it appears. That’s true for amateurs and pros alike.

Don’t let your expectations become too high when you have an especially good session on the driving range. But don’t get discouraged when you can’t hit the same type shots on the course the next day. Practicing will improve your game, but it’s an ongoing process that takes time.

Comprehending the Concept of Course Management is Crucial

The 2009 golf season is passing quickly, and it’s a perfect time to review your season and ask yourself how you can improve.

Think back while the memories, good and bad, are still fresh in your mind and recall mental mistakes you have made in the heat of battle. This includes unforced errors that occur when you’re not in trouble, which fall in the category of course management.

Using effective course management can become a rewarding habit; conversely, poor course management can become a costly pattern. It’s way too easy to become careless and lazy and lose concentration during preparation for seemingly easy shots.

Course management is a term that is misunderstood by almost all golfers. Most players think course management is what you employ when you are in deep trouble. It’s much, much more than that. If you’re thinking golf and concentrating, course management plays a roll on just about every shot--admittedly, some are more demanding than others.

The most common concept of course management is getting out of trouble without making a double-bogey or worse on the hole. And this is important. You have to keep your poise and make sure you don’t compound your problems by hitting a dumb shot when you’re in deep trouble.

Most course management, however, takes place when you are not in trouble. For example, you should consider your strategy carefully on your tee shots on par 4s and 5s. Which side of the tee should you use? That depends on your game and where the trouble is. If you have a tree line down the right side of the fairway, you should drive from the left side of the tee to give yourself the most possible room for error.

Another consideration is whether you should hit your driver or a more-lofted wood that’s easier to control. And the wind is a factor. A lot of players just step up and hit it and then bemoan the fact they didn’t play the wind. You have to concentrate and analyze before you play your shots.

Many golfers ignore course-management strategy on chips and pitches, and that’s a big mistake. On greens that have a severe uphill-downhill slope, where you leave your chip or pitch shot is of the utmost importance. And many golfers don’t take this into consideration before they play the shot. When possible, it’s almost always better to leave yourself below the hole. None of us can leave the ball where we want to on every shot, but you should have a plan instead of just stepping up and playing the short shot without any thought about the putt you’ll have.

Course management is a factor on tee shots on par 3s. Depending on the severity of the slope of the green, you have to consider carefully where you want to leave the ball. And don’t always aim for the pin. If it’s tucked in behind a trap, you’ll often be better off playing for the middle of the green. It’s no worse to be a little long than a little short. Most senior golfers fail to use enough club on par 3s; don’t hesitate to use a driver or metal-three wood from the tee on long par 3s. Don’t let false pride get in the way and use an iron just because your playing companions do.

Planning your strategy is often most important on the greens. Some putts are treacherous and deserve more caution than straightforward putts that are fairly level and don’t break much. It’s fine to be aggressive, but often discretion is the better part of valor when it comes to putting. Few things in this life are more disheartening than having a three-foot, downhill putt for a birdie and turning it into a bogey by being too bold and three-putting.

Efficient course management means using common sense and concentration on almost every shot. If you’re thinking golf and focusing on each shot, you’ll be way ahead of your opponents who are daydreaming instead of planning their next shot. Mental preparation must be made before every shot, not just when you’re mired in trees and rough. That’s true course management. And it’s not too early to start thinking about how you can improve in this area before summer is gone.

Gambling on Golf Course Adds Spice to the Game

Most golfers are well aware that gambling on the golf course is widespread and--for the most part--adds to the fun and excitement of the game. The different gambling matches and their variations are almost limitless.

Gambling during your friendly games will help you in tournament play. Those 3- and 4-foot putts aren’t so easy when they’re worth a dollar. While gambling on golf with friends, you’ll learn how to handle the pressure that is omnipresent in tournaments. And this is true for the gals as well as the guys.

Do you know that gambling on the golf course is illegal? It is. This is another example of how hypocritical the politicians are who make our laws. Our lawmakers encourage citizens to spend their hard-earned money on lotteries--where they have no realistic chance of ever winning--but then tell us it’s illegal to gamble on golf or other sports. Of course no one pays any attention to these antiquated and stupid laws.

Playing partner-matches in a foursome is the most entertaining and accepted way to gamble on the golf course. You can keep the same partner for 18 holes or change every six holes, which is called a Round Robin. Both matches are popular.

Match Play (low ball wins the hole) is the normal format when two players are partners against the other two in their foursome. The most common bet is a one- dollar Nassau; that means you play the front nine for $1, the back nine for $1, and the entire 18 holes for $1. That’s three separate bets over 18 holes, and any of the matches can be pressed (start a new bet on the next hole) at any time. However, most foursomes employ the rule that you can’t press until a team is dormie (down by the same number of holes left to play) or out. That keeps everything friendly.

In addition to the Nassau, foursomes can play for points on the side. This adds drama and it’s a lot of fun. You can start for a dime a point, and then whichever team is behind can double the points on the nine holes you’re playing.

After the front nine, the price of the points reverts to where it was when you started. Points can be doubled more than once, so you would do well to be cautious as to where you set the price per point to begin the match. If you start at a quarter a point and double the points three times, you’re playing the last hole for two dollars a point. You can lose all five points on a hole and that adds up to $10 real quick. And thats just one hole.

Points You Can Play For

1. LOW BALL--The player who has the low ball on any hole wins a point for himself and his partner. Conversely, the opposing players both lose a point.

2. HIGH BALL--If a player has the highest score in the foursome, he loses a point for himself and his partner on that particular hole. The opponents both win a point.

3. BIRDIE--When a player makes a birdie, he wins two points (birdie and low ball) for himself and his partner. This assumes, of course, that there is just one birdie on the hole.

4. PROXY--The player closest to the pin in regulation. This is self-explanatory. As an example, the player whose second shot on a par four is the closest to the pin wins a point for himself and his partner. The shot must come to rest on the putting surface.

5. SNEAKER--This point was learned the hard way many years ago from an old friend at Lincoln Hills Golf Club in Ludington, Michigan. If you get up and down from off the green for a par, you win a point for your team. If you’re short of the green in two on a par four and chip up and sink your putt for a par, that’s a Sneaker. This is a counterbalancing point for players who don’t hit the greens in regulation as often as their competitors. It’s a great equalizer for anyone with a good short game.

It’s important to keep the stakes modest unless the players have plenty of money and like the excitement of competing for high stakes. There’s nothing wrong with that if you know what you’re getting into on the first tee and you’re comfortable with the amounts involved.

Don’t ever allow yourself to be embarrassed into playing for more money than you can afford to lose comfortably; some guys who are lucky enough to have plenty of dough--usually inherited or gained by a pragmatic marriage--like to try and high dollar other players on the first tee. Swallow your pride and let him know you aren’t going to play for that kind of money.

Gambling should be fun and add to the enjoyment of the game; don’t become involved in any gambling games that become too personal and bitter. Play for modest stakes that you can forget about on the 19th hole.

Resist Indecision on Short Shots

When you’re indecisive about what shot to play when you have an approach that’s close to the green, that indecision can result in a poor shot.

Hit the shot with the club that you have the most confidence in; that sounds simple, but indecisiveness causes problems.

There are numerous instances when it’s difficult to determine which shot you should try to play:

When you’re in the short fringe, just off the putting surface, should you use your putter or hit a chip shot with a lofted club? That depends entirely on how you feel about the shot; use the method that feels right at the time.
When you have a fairly long shot into the green, should you hit a long iron or one of your lofted fairway woods, such as a 5-wood or 7-wood? For most players, the fairway wood is easier to hit, but it all depends on your skill level and the club you have the most confidence in. There’s no substitute for feeling good about a shot before you hit it.
How you approach a particular putt may vary greatly from green to green. Whether or not you should be aggressive may depend on the situation during the heat of competition. And the slope of the green comes into play. Try and approach every putt with a strategy that gives you confidence.
Should you play a medium-range approach shot directly at a difficult pin or go for the middle of the green. No one can tell you what you should do at a particular moment during an important round. But in most cases you’ll be better off if you listen to your inner self and go with the shot you feel comfortable with.
On an approach shot, should you try and hit a pitching wedge hard or use a smooth 9-iron? This is just an example, but you will know, down deep, which shot you should hit. No one knows your game better than you do.
When you have an approach shot just off the green, should you hit a chip shot or a pitch shot. It’s often the case where either shot has a chance to be successful; you should use whichever shot feels right to you at that moment.

These are just a few of the examples that could fill a book. Just because you see a pro on TV hit a lob shot just off the green, don’t think that’s a shot you should start using. That’s inviting disaster. Use unemotional judgment when you’re deciding how to play a certain shot, and then use the club you feel confident with.

If you fear a certain shot--such as a chip shot, rather than putting from off the green--then practice the chip shot until you have confidence in it. Putting through a lot of fringe doesn’t work out well over the long run and you’ll be ahead of the game if you practice your chip shots until you have the needed confidence in that shot.

Instructional videos are helpful because they give you the proper fundamentals for various shots. That gives you the tools you need for constructive practice that results in increased confidence on troublesome shots during important rounds.

As an example, if you dread a certain type pitch- or chip shot, get a video about the short game and work on that shot until you have the confidence to use it during competition. Golf magazines can help too, but there’s nothing better than watching the shot being hit properly.

When you try a shot that the pros use--and you don’t have confidence in it--you’re asking for trouble. If you go ahead and foul up, you’ll know you should have gone with your gut feeling. And that’s almost as disturbing as the missed shot. Go with the shot that your inner self tells you has the best chance of being successful.

Be Certain You’re Using a Proper Grip

Many decent or above-average golfers handicap themselves unnecessarily by using grips that are fundamentally unsound. When beginning golfers use an improper grip, it will affect their games adversely right from the start. Have your pro or a good player who you’re acquainted with check your grip; it might need a drastic change.

The most common flaw most golfers develop is originated right at the beginning of the swing process--the grip. This vital fundamental does not receive nearly the attention it deserves with the great majority of serious players.

For beginners, young or old, the most important first step is to develop a grip that is basically sound and suited for your game. One problem is that many golfers play fairly well with a bad grip; what they fail to realize is that they’re limiting their potential because of an improper grip.

When a player develops a poor grip and still plays good golf, it’s difficult to get him or her to change. The reason is simple: Changing a grip you’ve become used to is complicated because the adjustment feels so uncomfortable at the beginning. And bad habits are hard to break; changing a poor golf grip is just as difficult as any other damaging habit that is ingrained over time.

So, if you have a grip that is fundamentally unsound, don’t be misled into thinking it will be easy to correct. It sounds simple to just change the position of your hands on the club, but it isn’t. But, if you persevere and practice with a grip that is right for you, the dividend will be improved play on the golf course.

The golf grip isn’t emphasized as much as other aspects of the golf swing because it’s harder to describe and display on videos. However, you can get a good feel on how to hold the club from Joe’s videos.

The fundamentals are tricky because the same grip won’t work for every player, there’s a degree of individuality that must be taken into account that depends on a golfer’s age and strength and other factors.

Using the Vardon grip--which is right for almost every golfer--is the way to go and the important basics are:

Put all four fingers of the left hand around the shaft with your thumb on top of the shaft.
Place the small finger of your right hand over the index finger of your left hand. And then put the other three fingers of your right hand around the shaft with the right thumb on top of the shaft.
When you address the ball, the back of your left hand and the palm of your right hand should be facing down the target line.
Make sure your hands are close together and firm, not tense, on the grip of the club.
Your left hand should be the dominant hand when you begin your swing. Make sure your grip is slightly firmer with your left hand than the right.

The above points are vice versa for left-handers.

Even though the Vardon grip is, by far, the most popular and used by most golfers, the ten-finger grip is often better suited for some senior golfers and ladies who have small hands. The fundamentals are the same, but all ten fingers are on the grip. Get some advice from a professional before trying this.

The best way to get started with a good grip--or correct a bad one already established--is to study videos closely or go to a teaching professional or a skilled player for help.

Don’t be bashful about asking for some free advice from your pro or a good player who you’re acquainted with. This doesn’t require an expensive lesson; the grip isn’t complicated, but it’s important to establish good fundamentals. Beware of taking unsolicited advice from someone who doesn’t know what they’re talking about.

After you’ve developed a sound grip, you can experiment with small adjustments to find out what is best for you. If you move your left hand to the right (clockwise), it encourages a hook; moving it the other way, to the left (counterclockwise) encourages a slice.

It should be noted that none of these basics apply to the putting grip. Even the pros differ wildly in their choice of putting grips, so that will take some research and experimenting on your part to find out what’s best for you.

Finally, as your game becomes better and more refined, you’ll discover that your grip isn’t the same for every shot. The basic Vardon grip remains the same, but you will learn to adjust your hands for short shots as opposed to the tee ball with your driver. Practice and sound guidance from your trusted advisers will aid you in this area.

Don’t ignore the grip; it’s the most overlooked fundamental in the game of golf. And it’s one of the most important.

Colder Weather Means More Short Shots

On the Central Plains and the Upper Midwest, summer is gone with the wind. It’s hard to believe that not only summer, but also September have dissolved in the mist of time. And, unfortunately, warm summer winds have been replaced by chilly breezes from the north.

Because of the colder temperatures, you’re going to wear more clothing during play. Consequently, you won’t hit your full shots with the same consistency or skill that is possible during warm weather. The short game becomes more of a factor in chilly weather for golfers of all skill levels.

Cold weather is going to dampen the desire and practicality of going to the driving range for long periods of time to hit full shots. You can practice your short game in less time without becoming chilled.

There are two vital shots that every golfer can learn to execute successfully: the chip shot and pitch shot.

Pitches and chips are more important to average players because they hit fewer greens in regulation; consequently, they have to depend on their short game more than highly skilled players. This is particularly true for women and older men who don’t hit the ball as far as low-handicap players. And it’s true for all players when the weather turns cold.

Success begets success. Short shots are a part of the game that all players can improve on. And you’ll find that improving your skill with short shots will help the rest of your game because you’ll become more confident. Average players don’t need great strength or extraordinary coordination to become proficient around the green; they just need to practice extensively while using the proper fundamentals. And then they need to learn to concentrate on these crucial shots during actual play. That’s not always easy.

If you develop a solid chipping and pitching game, it will help your putting dramatically. Your putting won’t change, but you’ll have easier putts because your approach shots will be closer to the hole. That’s how you begin to shoot lower scores.

Using the proper fundamentals on these two shots is crucial; it’s counterproductive to practice bad habits. By using short-game videos you can develop the proper fundamentals, which aren’t complicated. The following instructions assume you’re right-handed and hitting off a level lie. You’ll have to make adjustments for uphill or downhill lies.

Chip Shot--Play this shot from the back of your stance, with the ball close to even with your right foot. Keep your weight primarily on your left foot and keep your hands ahead of the ball. Take the clubhead back and up and strike the ball with a slightly descending arc. Most important of all, keep your head absolutely steady.
Pitch Shot--Play the ball off the middle of your stance with your hands slightly ahead of the ball. Your weight should be mostly on your left side. Take the clubhead back rather steeply and strike shot with a descending stroke, keeping your head still.

You must concentrate on keeping your weight balanced with no head movement. Everyone has a tendency to look up quickly to see where the ball is going. It’s also helpful to watch skilled players hit these shots; imitation is beneficial so long as you imitate what is correct.

You can practice short shots for longer periods of time without getting tired because they don’t take the same energy as full shots. Every player who wants to hit these shots close to the hole should practice extensively--using the proper technique--until you have the skill to play both shots effectively.

As far as which clubs to use on these two crucial shots, there’s room for personal preference. Using just a pitching wedge or sand wedge for both pitch shots and chip shots has merit. Most important, you become thoroughly familiar with how these clubs will react on either shot. Some players like to hit chip shots with a 6-iron or 7-iron clear up to the pitching wedge. It’s a matter of what you have confidence in.

The problems begin when you transfer from the practice green to the golf course during competition. Players know they can hit the shots correctly because they’ve done it while practicing, but they become anxious and uncomfortable on the golf course. It becomes very frustrating when golfers have poor chipping and pitching rounds after they’ve worked hard on the practice green. That happens. Like putting, good short shots require confidence. Don’t give up. The main thing is to keep your head anchored throughout the shot. That’s easier said than done, but it can become a part of your game. And that’s when you’ll be on the way to being a good short-game player.

Concentration on the course is essential. Chipping and pitching is pressure-filled with everyone watching you, just like putting. Picture the line and distance and the stroke you want to use and stroke the shot with no head movement. You can train yourself to do it consistently. Practicing these two shots religiously will do more for your game than you imagined possible.

Stable Balance Leads to Solid Shots

It seems impossible, but Thanksgiving is just around the corner and trips to the golf course are becoming more and more infrequent because of colder weather. Since you won’t be playing as often, it’s important to focus on just one or two key swing thoughts during those occasional rounds.

Keeping your head and lower body steady are two key thoughts that will help you play decent winter golf. And those fundamentals will enable you to have a solid swing foundation going into the spring season.

There’s an innovation in the basic golf swing that is relatively new; that’s the concept of keeping the lower body (from the waist down) steady with minimal movement throughout the swing. Don’t become obsessive about staying firm—it isn’t possible to swing a golf club without some weight shift. But this is a good idea for mature players who don’t have the coordination and balance of their younger days.

One of the most important and least emphasized fundamentals of the golf swing is secure balance. Keeping a steady balance throughout the swing is much easier to talk about than it is to achieve. You should make sure to you keep your head as stable as possible because that will help in your overall balance.

The proper stance and set up before you start your backswing is vital; you should have your knees flexed slightly and bend at the waist. And make sure your weight is evenly distributed on both feet and keep your behind in a position like you’re about to sit down. If your weight is too far forward—on your toes—when you begin your backswing, you’ll never recover the balance that you need to hit solid shots.

During warm up before you tee off, swing the club slowly and concentrate on maintaining the best possible balance. Then, as you gradually increase the tempo, focus on maintaining your balance.

By staying steady during the swing, you will improve your swing tempo without thinking about it. The swing has to be smooth in order to maintain an even weight distribution. In other words, you will enhance your swing tempo when you’re thinking only of balance.

On all full shots, keep your left foot solidly planted on the ground. Don’t raise your left heel like pros used to teach; you’ll get the weight shift you need without raising your left heel. And focus on not allowing your weight to shift laterally (swaying) to the outside of your back leg. Keep your weight on the inside of both legs and don’t allow yourself to sway.

If your natural swing speed becomes too fast on any shot, you’ll lose your balance and mishit the shot. Everyone has a natural tempo; you have to learn how to maintain your balance and stay within your inherent swing speed.

It’s important to keep your balance from the waist down on tee shots with the driver. If you sway (let your weight get to the outside of your back leg), you’ll lose balance and power on your drives.

On full iron shots, swaying is a periodic problem for golfers of all skill levels. It’s imperative to keep a solid, balanced lower body on full iron shots; if you lose your balance, you will either hit behind the ball or hit it thin. A steady and smooth and slight weight shift will enable you to hit your full iron shots solid and that’s where power and accuracy come from.

A firm base and controlled balance is just as important—or more so—on short shots as it is on full shots. Everyone thinks it’s simple to keep a steady stance on chip- and pitch shots. Not so. On short pitches and chips, you should sense a very slight rocking motion in your legs and feet, but very solid balance of your lower body throughout the shot. If you sway at all, your head will move and you’ll hit the shot thin or fat.

These same fundamentals apply to putting. Contrary to popular belief, it’s easy to get stroke-destroying body movement on your putts. And that’s fatal. Watch the pros on TV when they putt; their lower bodies are absolutely anchored during the putting stroke. Nothing should move from the waist down while you’re putting. If you have body movement, your balance will be off and it will be impossible to have a smooth putting stroke.

Practice finishing your full swing with your weight perfectly balanced on your left foot and leg at the completion of the shot. When you’re having trouble with your game, check lower-body balance on all shots. It’s very easy to allow unwanted movement that causes poor balance during full- or short shots, and often you aren’t aware that you’re doing it.

Working on staying balanced will improve your game on all shots. Steady balance leads to good shots.

Thick Rough Equals Difficult Pitch Shots

Summer is here and the rough on most golf courses has become lush and green and stringy and tall and juicy—particularly close to the greens.

Since most of our golf courses have watered fairways, the roughs stay challenging throughout the summer, and the tall grass close to the greens is a rugged test.

The most difficult short shot in golf is the pitch shot close to the green out of heavy, tall rough. This is true for golfers of all skill levels.

When you’re faced with one of these short pitch shots—in grass that is one and a half to four or five inches tall—the best club is your sand wedge. This club has a heavy flange that is just as helpful in getting the clubface through the tall grass as it is sand. A pitching wedge or 8- or 9-iron doesn’t have enough weight or loft for this particular shot. The only exception to this is when you have a lot of green to work with and want to hit a long pitch-and-run shot that squirts out of the rough.

Several fundamentals for the pitch from deep rough are different from the same shot from the fairway, but most are the same. The setup is the same; you take an open stance with your hands slightly ahead of the ball and your weight mainly on your left foot and leg. Play the ball off the middle of your stance with the clubface slightly or fully open, depending on the length of the pitch. The most important difference from a pitch out of the rough and one in the fairway is that, in the rough, you have to grip the club more firmly than normal, particularly with your left hand. If you don’t, the clubhead will turn when it catches the heavy grass and cause a poor shot.

Sand shots and pitches from heavy grass have one thing in common: each must be practiced diligently in order to develop the confidence needed to hit the shot successfully during competition. When you practice, give yourself some poor lies in the tall grass. Even though there are a number of similarities between the sand shot and a pitch out of the rough, subtle differences exist. Each shot must be practiced until you have the fundamentals down pat.

The first thing to concentrate on is bringing the club up quickly by breaking your wrists sooner than normal, much like sand shots. If you don’t, the clubhead will come into the shot on a low arc and catch too much grass before it moves the ball. It’s important to have a clear mental picture of what the clubface and ball will do during this testing shot. Remember, like the sand shot, your clubface won’t touch the ball because there will be grass between it and the ball. You have to hit the shot with a firm stroke and sharply descending clubhead that will hit just behind the ball. Gripping the club firmly is a must. Just remember to break your wrists fast on the backswing.

Even though this shot is similar in many respects to the sand explosion, it isn’t the same because the clubhead doesn’t go under and through the ground like it would sand. But it does hit just behind the ball and the tall grass cushions the shot as it comes off the clubface. You have to practice this and use these fundamentals until you get a feel for the shot. It will be time well spent because it’s a shot you’ll encounter frequently on most golf courses.

During competition, the first priority is to make sure you get the pitch from the rough on the green. If you try and get too cute, it’s easy to leave the shot in the rough and jump up a really bad score on the hole. You must hit this shot with a firm downward stroke.

The pitch shot from the rough is much more difficult than a sand shot and you’ll need some luck in most cases to get it close. But if you use the proper technique and practice it often, you’ll find that you’re luckier than your opponents.

Recognize and Accept Your Limitations on Golf Course

You can lose your sense of well being on the golf course just the same as when you come under stress in everyday life. The result is close to panic. On the golf course, when you find yourself in serious trouble, it’s easy to lose your composure because you allow a feeling of anxiety to take charge of your inner self. And usually the situation is not as hopeless as you interpret it to be.

Being realistic about your ability is one of the most difficult mental tasks that we all face on the golf course. And that doesn’t mean you should ever take a defeatist attitude toward your game; just be practical in how you try and overcome obstacles such as a bad lie or other predicaments.

Whether on the golf course or in everyday life, it’s difficult for all of us to recognize our limitations. Accepting our shortcomings and learning to live with them is important in daily life and it’s vital on the golf course.

All golfers occasionally hit poor shots at the worst possible time. The normal reaction is to have a feeling of desperation creep into your psyche, feeling you have to do something spectacular to make up for the bad shot. For most of us that isn’t possible and it’s inviting disaster to even attempt near-impossible shots.

Often we find ourselves in an untenable situation on a particular shot because of the weather, a prior poor shot, or our limited ability. When this happens, don’t try to force a miracle shot that will lead to a round-ruining hole.

Here are six examples of problem shots that all golfers encounter from time to time:

(1) On a par four or five, you can have a long approach shot to the green because of a poor tee shot or a fierce headwind. If it’s a shot that you are unlikely to hit successfully with a three-wood, use a more-forgiving club like a five-wood that will leave you in a good position to approach. The percentages are against reaching the green with the three-wood and you can end up in the rough or a trap if you try it.

(2) When you have an 80-100 yard iron shot that’s downwind to a pin set behind a trap on a downhill lie, don’t try and hit a miracle shot to get it close. You’re in a situation where you have to accept a par or bogey and go on to the next hole. Be sure and hit your approach safely on the green so you don’t jump up a double-bogey by hitting a dumb shot.

(3) Don’t be embarrassed to hit a wood instead of an iron to a long par three into the wind, even if your playing companions all hit an iron. It’s a game of how many, not how. Play within your own capabilities.

(4) On slick, downhill putts with a lot of break, allow more break than you need to in order to stop the ball close the hole. If you try and make the putt, chances are you’ll let it get away and three-putt. However, circumstances during a particular round will dictate whether or not to do this. But it’s a good rule to play more break than you think you need on treacherous downhill putts. In other words, you’re sacrificing a long-shot chance to make the putt in order to be certain of a two-putt.

(5) On short pitch shots out of heavy rough close to the green, it’s easy to try to be too cute with them. You have to chop down on the shot and hit it firmly to be sure it comes out of the heavy rough. This shot is extra tough to get close to the hole and the first consideration should be to make certain that you get it on the green within easy two-putt range.

(6) When an errant tee shot puts you in the trees and you have a choice between hitting through a narrow opening or pitching back to the fairway, take the safer route. If you try and hit a full shot through a narrow opening, you can end up in even more trouble and jump up a double- or triple-bogey.

That’s just six examples of difficult shots that can lead to wasted strokes; there are so many predicaments requiring you to rein in your emotions that they would fill a book.

You have to think on the golf course and you must maintain your concentration and poise. Be aware of and accept your weaknesses and make the best of unfavorable situations; that’s a practical rule for golfers of all skill levels.

Serious Amateur Golfers Should Know Important Rules

It isn’t necessary to become an expert on all the rules of golf, but you should study the most-used regulations until you’re thoroughly familiar with their details.

That sounds so simple. It isn’t. Some of the rules are complicated and difficult to understand. The rules book published by the USGA is a good place to start, but you don’t have to try and absorb everything in the USGA’s booklet; it’s tough going. Check your library and you’ll find some well-illustrated books on the rules of golf. When you find a rules book that’s easy to understand, it would be a good investment to buy one for ready reference.

The following are simple definitions of the most basic and frequently used rules that average amateur golfers need to understand:

Out of Bounds—This is the same as a lost ball. You must go back and hit your next shot from the same place that you hit the ball that went out of bounds. You add a one-stroke penalty and also lose the distance. No exceptions.

Lost Ball—First of all, forget hazards. This information is for amateur golfers who lose their ball in the rough or trees and need to know what the options are. Many players think it’s all right to drop a ball where they think the lost ball is and go ahead and play. This is okay in a friendly game if you want to save time. But, in tournaments, you have just one option: You must return to the place where you hit the shot that resulted in the lost ball and play another. The penalty is stroke and distance. If you hit one in the rough off the tee and lose it, you must go back to the tee and hit your next shot, which will be your third shot.

Free Drop—When you take relief from ground under repair, cart paths, staked trees, or an immovable object, there’s no penalty. You simply take a stance and place the clubhead (no closer to the hole) where you will strike the ball. Put a tee down where the clubhead is and you get one club length from there to drop your ball. The problem area has to interfere with your stance or swing; a line-of-flight dilemma isn’t justification for relief.

Unplayable Lie—You can declare any ball from any lie, except in a hazard, unplayable and take a drop. It’s a one-stroke penalty. You have three options: (1) You can take the ball back to the location where you hit the previous shot and hit your next shot from there. (2) You can drop your ball within two club lengths from the unplayable lie, no closer to the hole. (3) You can take your ball back as far as you want in the line of flight (that means keeping the spot where the unplayable lie is and the flag on the green in a straight line back to where you want to drop the ball). It’s important to find your ball because the penalty is only one stroke for an unplayable lie and two-strokes for a lost ball. Quite often your only option on an unplayable lie is to go back and hit from the position of the previous shot. If two club lengths won’t give you relief and taking it back in line-of-flight just takes you further back in the trees or out of bounds, you have no other alternative.

Nearest Point of Relief—This is supposed to be a simplified definition as described in the USGA rules booklet: “It is the point on the course nearest to where the ball lies: (i) that is not nearer the hole, and (ii) where, if the ball were so positioned, no interference by the condition from which relief is sought would exist for the stroke the player would have made from the original position if the condition were not there.” Most professional writers average 13-16 words per sentence; this definition is a 59-word monstrosity that might as well be in a foreign language.

Hit the Wrong Ball—One of the most common errors made by average golfers is to hit the wrong ball, usually on the second shot on par fours or the second or third shot on par fives. This is a costly mistake. Hitting the wrong ball is loss of the hole in match play and two strokes in medal play. In medal play, you have to go back and play your own ball and add two strokes to your final score on the hole. It’s an easy mistake to make and that’s the reason you should mark your ball with some kind of symbol that’s easily recognizable.

These are just a few of the rules that are often misunderstood by amateur golfers; there are 34 rules of golf. You can check your library for good books on the rules, or you can order the official rules booklet from the USGA. It’s available online (www.usgapubs.com) or you can call toll free 1-800-336-4446; the cost is $3.50 and that includes shipping and handling.

If you play golf seriously, it’s a necessity to become well-versed on the rules. And that’s not easy. In fairness to the USGA and all involved, some of the rules are—by their very nature—complicated, and it takes some serious study to become skilled in a clear understanding of the rule book.

On Cool Days Walk at Least Nine Holes

Golfers use the excuse that it’s too hot to walk during their golf games in the summer; that pretext no longer works. Summer is fleeing and cooler weather is on the way. Fall is the perfect time to try walking at least nine holes; health experts across the nation claim that walking is the best exercise for all ages.

If you play in the morning, there’s an added benefit to saving the golf cart for the back nine. When it’s cool early in the day, you won’t be cold if you’re walking; open golf carts are bone chilling.

Walking at least nine holes shouldn’t be a problem for most golfers, particularly after the hot weather is gone. If you’re out of condition, try gradually working yourself into shape by walking anywhere from three to five holes each round. That will require a playing partner who is willing to drive the golf cart.

An 18-hole round of golf should be a combination of healthy exercise, fun, and camaraderie; however, after walking the front nine, continuing by foot on the back side can become like a torturous forced march with a full field pack instead of a pleasant round of golf.

Depending on your age and condition, carrying a full-size bag or pulling it on a cart--even for nine holes--can be so tiring that it takes the enjoyment out of the game.

Have you ever tried playing the front nine carrying an extra-light, no-frills canvas bag and then riding the back? It should be a bag that’s just light canvas with a ball-holding pocket and no other extras. I’m talking about a golf bag so small and light that you can’t carry all of your clubs in it.

On the front nine--when you’re going to walk with a featherweight bag--you should carry a driver, three-wood, five-wood, five-iron, seven-iron, pitching wedge, sand wedge, and your putter. You can vary the clubs you carry depending on the course and your game, but try playing with just eight clubs on the front nine while walking.

If you’re on life’s back nine, like many of us are, walking nine holes is plenty--that’s two and a half miles carrying a bag. That’s plenty of exercise. And be sure that you have comfortable golf shoes. It��s agony to walk nine or 18 holes if you have barking dogs.

Don’t carry a lot of extra balls in your light bag, two or three is plenty. If you keep a dozen golf balls in your ball compartment, you’ll be carrying a bag that’s heavier than it needs to be.

Your first reaction is going to be that your scores will suffer if you don’t have all your clubs. They won’t. You’ll be surprised to find out--over time--that you will often score as well or better with eight clubs as you do with the full set of 14. And you’ll learn how to hit some new shots. If you have a 115-yard shot and it’s too close for a full seven-iron, a soft, three-quarter shot will be required. You will have to hit some punch shots when you’re going against the wind because you won’t have the club you would normally use.

When playing with a regular foursome of good friends, you can occasionally borrow a club. In other words, if you have a 9-iron shot and your 9-iron is back at the clubhouse, just borrow a 9-iron from one of your friends in the foursome.

If you’re going to ride a cart on the back nine, you’ll want to have your large bag--with the rest of your clubs--in a handy place so you can make a quick switch at the turn.

Riding a cart for 18 holes four or five times a week becomes expensive fast. That’s $50 or more a week and many golfers can’t afford that. A lot of public courses that charge $10 for 18 holes on a cart will charge $6 or $7 for nine holes. That’s not only unfair to the players, it’s grounds for serious protest. Course managers should be encouraging their players to walk as much as they can, and they shouldn’t charge over $5 for the back nine if their cart rental is $10 for 18 holes.

Most golfers can walk nine holes, but that back nine can become agony if you run out of gas. And it takes all the fun out of the game. Try this method of carrying a lightweight bag with just seven or eight clubs on the front nine, and then ride the back.

You’ll get all the exercise you need, and the back nine will be fun instead of drudgery.

Patience and Perseverance will Conquer Slumps

Golf is the strangest of games. Quite often, some aspect of your game doesn’t go as you expect and this can last for some time. The most serious lapse is putting, but it can be your driving or approach shots as well. When it goes on and on, it goes from a temporary problem to an extended slump.

Golf is an ongoing mystery; it’s not unusual when you have a problem scoring as well as you should—even after playing and practicing frequently all summer.

Has your game been tainted by a slump? Has an important facet of your game refused to come around as it should have? More often than not, a minor change in your stance or posture or grip or ball placement can snap you out of the dreaded slump.

Changes in your fundamental approach to different shots should not be extreme unless a teaching professional tells you that what you’re doing is way off. Or you might recognize that you have an obvious flaw while watching one of Joe’s videos. Sometimes just a slight adjustment on certain shots can break you out of a slump. And when the modification works, it will give your confidence a much-needed boost.

These key thoughts can change from round to round, especially in putting. The worst kind of a slump in golf is when you lose confidence in your putting; even the pros go through seemingly unsolvable putting woes.

What can you change when your putting is just terrible? This is something that every serious golfer goes through from time to time. In most cases, it’s important that you don’t make the alteration too extreme.

If you’re in a putting slump, experiment with your grip. You might want to move the position of your left hand or right hand on the grip, just a slight change. Or you can try moving the ball back or forward slightly in your stance. Another change worth trying is moving your hands an inch or two forward or backward in relation to the ball. You might even want to move the position of your head over the ball.

All of these fundamental changes should be very slight until you hit on something that helps. Then your confidence will surge and hope springs to the forefront. Any of these trivial-seeming experiments can help if your putting has gone south.

Second only to putting woes is a driver that won’t behave. If you’re mishitting your driver, the game is going to be a struggle and not much fun.

If you’re slicing, try strengthening the grip on your left hand—moving it slightly clockwise. If you’re hooking, try the opposite; move your left hand counterclockwise to a weaker position.

When all kinds of bad things are happening with the driver, try slowing your backswing slightly. Or make an attempt to slow the transition from backswing to downswing. Keep your head steady throughout the swing. Most of the time, head movement is the main culprit. Keep your feet firmly planted to keep from swaying; this also aids in keeping your head anchored. Change the position of the ball in relation to your left foot, moving it back or forward a half inch or so. All of these examples are minor keys, but one of them might be just the one to get you going in the right direction again.

If you’re hitting your full iron shots poorly, most likely you are swaying on the shot. You lose balance and either hit behind the ball or top it. Work on keeping your feet solidly planted and your swing smooth, all the while keeping your head steady through the shot. It helps if you can concentrate on seeing the divot your clubhead makes before your head comes up. Experiment with the position of your hands in relation to the ball in your stance. If you’re hitting a lot of fat shots, moving the hands forward at address will often help. All experimental switches should be moderate.

With chip shots and pitch shots, improper balance and head movement cause most of the bad shots. You should try keeping more of your weight on the left foot; here again, just a minor adjustment, nothing that makes you real uncomfortable. And hand position is very important on these shots. You may have slipped into a bad habit as to where your hands are placed when you start your backstroke. Work it out with some experimentation during a practice session.

And another most important tip: Keep a journal or diary of any changes that you make. Describe the problem and the solution. This can help you a year or so down the road when you start having the same problem with your putting, driving, or something else; if you keep a journal, you might find the solution right there.

When you discover a key idea or swing thought that really helps, don’t let it escape into thin air. Record it in your journal.

Small Adjustments can Lead to Big Improvement

Most golfers watch a lot of PGA tournaments on TV and search their computers and magazines for advice on how to hit different shots. These same players often discover new shots they’re not familiar with while watching the pros on TV and they can’t wait to rush out to the course and try it. Don’t do it. The flop shot off the fringe, using a full swing, is a perfect example. Leave shots like that to the pros.

It’s all right to make adjustments in the fundamentals of your golf game, but many players make the mistake of trying radical changes that have no chance of success. By making moderate alterations in your grip, stance, or swing, your chances for lasting improvement increase.

All golfers are constantly searching for the secret that will elevate their game to the high level that they so ardently strive for. This is true for youngsters or veterans who are on life’s back nine. Everyone thinks they are close to a major breakthrough that will make them the player they yearn to be. And that’s not just okay, it’s great.

Nowhere is the timeless expression--“Hope springs eternal in the human breast”--more appropriate than in the game of golf. The hope for improvement never dies.

Moderate as opposed to drastic change is the rule that golfers should follow. The only exceptions are players who have developed so many bad habits that they have to retool their entire game with help from a teaching professional and instructional videos.

Often a slight change can help when you’re missing too many short putts. This affliction affects many golfers because they take the putter back too far on the short ones. Try shortening your backstroke on short putts.

But here we leave solid ground because who is to say what is or isn’t a short putt. That’s for you to decide. Just shorten your backstroke slightly on what you perceive to be short putts and see if that doesn’t help. And you have to practice this new concept on the putting clock; you shouldn’t be trying changes in your stroke during a competitive round.

If you’re hitting your full shots poorly, you might have slipped into a bad habit of ball-placement in relation to your left foot. As an example, perhaps you’re playing the ball too far forward with your driver; when you implement a change, make the adjustment slight. Just move the ball back an inch or two in your stance. Experiment. Moderate changes can make a big difference.

Ball position is very important on short chips and pitches. These aren’t hard shots and you can become proficient executing these vital shots if you use the proper fundamentals while practicing. If you’re mishitting either of these shots during competition, you can correct the problem on the course if you’re thinking golf and concentrating. Often all that’s needed is a small change in the stance or hand position. Make sure your weight is balanced properly on these short shots, keeping most of your weight on your left foot.

If you’re playing poorly, a drastic change in your grip might be necessary. If there’s one major fault that many golfers suffer from, it’s using a grip that’s fundamentally unsound. Altering your grip is difficult because it feels so strange and uncomfortable from what you’re used to. And it’s important to get some good advice before you make a significant adjustment. Your best bet is to check with a golf professional who knows your swing or study videos that show, with precision, how to grip the club. It’s that important.

Moderation in how many shots you hit before a competitive round is a must. The only time for extensive practice is on a day when you’re not going to play. Even then, it can be counterproductive to practice certain shots when you’ve become fatigued. Short and focused practice sessions will improve your game more than long periods of hitting shots after you’ve become tired. Age is a factor here; younger players can practice longer without tiring and losing their timing and rhythm.

Your putting warm-up before a round is a matter of personal choice. If you’re in a putting slump, you should try altering your warm-up routine. It’s difficult to concentrate for long periods of time on the putting clock; brief and intensive sessions are more beneficial than putting for an hour or more without a break.

Make the adjustments in your golf game--whether they are changes in your stance, grip, or swing--in small increments. Drastic changes lead to big problems. Moderation is the key.

During Cold Weather—Shorten Your Backswing

Each week that passes brings cold fronts that pack a little more punch than expected; for most of us the golf weather has turned decidedly colder. Even during chilly weather, the tendency is to try for a big turn on the backswing when we’re wearing more and heavier clothing. Don’t do it.

Cold weather conditions dictate that you reconsider your swing strategy on the golf course. You can still use the fundamentals that have become familiar after lessons and studying videos. All you have to do is adjust your swing to the cold weather and heavy clothing.

In the autumn of the year, when you’re playing with a lot of clothing, don’t try and force a big shoulder turn and long backswing. If you try to make a big turn and hit it hard, your timing will be destroyed and you’ll mishit a lot of shots. It will feel natural to take a shorter backswing because of the cold weather and additional clothing.

When it’s cold, take a smooth, short swing and try and make solid contact. You’ll be surprised to find that your distance won’t suffer as much as you expect it to; this is true even though the ball doesn’t fly as far in cold weather.

This cold-weather swing strategy applies to both woods and irons. When you tee off with the driver, keep everything under control by shortening your backswing. Do the same with your irons; use one more club (example: a 7-iron instead of an 8-iron) than you would in warm weather and swing easy and make solid contact.

When wearing extra clothing in cold weather, trying to swing hard is inviting the creation of bad habits that can carry over into spring. Conversely, if you keep it smooth and short during the winter, the longer swing will develop naturally in the warmer spring climate. You won’t even have to think about it; you’ll just naturally use a fuller swing in warm weather.

Using a short backswing in the winter will help your warm-weather game. After using a smooth swing during the cold months, you will learn you don’t have to take a big turn to get the distance you’re capable of.

It’s imperative that you wear enough clothing to be comfortable; if you become chilled on the golf course your game will suffer and it’s no fun. Long johns and corduroy slacks will take care of the bottom tier. For the top, you will be better off with several layers of lighter clothing topped with a loose-fitting polyester windbreaker rather than a heavy jacket over a shirt.

The windbreaker is important. It should be loose-fitting, but needs a snug collar, waist, and cuffs. If the collar is loose, try wearing a scarf around your neck. It’s better to be a little too warm than cold and stiff.

A stocking cap is hard to beat for your head. If it’s extra chilly, try wearing a ski band under the stocking cap for extra protection for your ears. And here’s another tip: If you’re playing on a cold but sunny day, take a golf visor. Make sure it is large enough to fit over your stocking cap so you’ll have the bill of the visor to shield your eyes from the sun.

Shortening your backswing doesn’t mean to make it unnaturally abrupt. Swing in a way that feels easy and smooth despite all the extra clothes. In other words, don’t try and make your backswing longer than what feels comfortable, but don’t try and make it extra short either. Just take it back smoothly and let it stop when that’s what feels right. You’ll lose some distance, but not as much as you think. And when you hit it sweet, you’ll be surprised at the distance you can get with a shorter backswing.