Golf Tips All About The Mental Game

Many of us spend a great deal of time analyzing our swings, trying to eliminate a slice or maybe get more distance off the tee. How much time do we spend working on another important aspect of the game? That’s right the mental part. Just to be clear this isn’t about how we all lose our mind occasionally after leaving a ball in a bunker or chipping clear over the green! No, this is about managing your way around the course. So while this is loosely a golf swing tip there is no club required.

So, if you are interested in eliminating some of those careless mistakes we all make on the golf course read on.

Probably the first cardinal rule is simply to avoid unnecessarily getting into trouble. Let’s use a pitching golf tip as a good example. If there is a bunker or pond guarding the front of the green do not try to get cute even if the pin is up front – make sure you have enough club and just play for the middle of the green. It may seem obvious but would you rather be scrambling for a bogey or at least having a chance with a longer par putt?

This leads naturally into the idea of knowing how far you hit each one of your clubs. How else do you know which one will find the middle of the green in the scenario above? This should be your average distance not that career best 3 iron you pured two summers ago! One more comment on choosing the right club. It is usually just as bad to take too much club as too little because you will subconsciously try to slow down your swing before impact and this will often lead to a mishit of some sort.

Ok, so now that you have a good idea how far every club goes it is time to make some better decisions on the course. How should you play say a long par four that you know you cannot reach in regulation? First, don’t feel like you need to hit driver off the tee – you are likely more accurate with your 3 wood. Why not hit the 3 wood and then a mid-iron to leave yourself a comfortable distance for your approach shot? Following this approach will definitely increase your odds of success.

Finally, while not strictly course management there is certainly one more important aspect of the mind game. The importance of visualization along with positive thinking. Every golfer has found themselves facing a challenging shot and their last thought before swinging is “I don’t want to go in that hazard”. You should always pick a specific target and not focus on where you don’t want the ball to go. Actually stand behind the ball and try to picture the flight of the ball and see it land where you want it to. The pros realize how important the mental aspect is but this is something that the average golfer does not generally work on.

So, if you are looking for one of the best golf swing basics to lower your score, try to focus on making smarter decisions out on the course.