Think Smart, Act Smart and Improve your Score

Sometimes it’s not just better technique that’s required to improve how we play, often it’s simply about thinking and acting smarter! The tips I’m about to share highlight improvements we can all make and they’ve been learnt through experience and endless analysis after good and bad rounds. They’re not in any particular order, just as they come to me, and I hope some of them help…

 

Get yourself an electric trolley.  I know some of you out there will disagree, but taking the strain out of your round is worth at least one shot every time you play! Using an electric trolley doesn’t mean you’re lazy – using one allows you to preserve energy for that next vital shot.

Use a GPS/laser device to help with your yardages. They not only tell you how far away the pin is, but give you certainty over the shot you’re about to play. If you know the yardage of each club in your bag you will be able to totally commit when playing every shot. Got to be worth at least 2 shots a round!

One often over looked part of the game for amateurs is food and drink, and the need to refuel. When your energy levels drop, your thinking diminishes and you’re not able to put positive swings on your shots – meaning your performance suffers. This is why so many rounds falter with only a couple of holes left to play. For more information, watch this short video

Improve your mindset. With a positive mindset everything is possible, if you’re out on the course thinking about avoiding hazards and blaming others for bad shots you’re probably not going to score well. Tell your mind what you DO want to do and NOT what you don’t want to do! For example, say I WILL hit it down the middle, NOT I don’t want to hit it in the trees . Positive instruction is easy for your brain to understand.

When you’re on the putting green learn to hit your first putt positively. Remember, putts left short of the hole DO NOT GO IN, and if it goes past the hole you get a free read of your return putt.

Get good at playing out of bunkers! You don’t want to play two shots from a bunker, and if you’re afraid to end up in one you’ll play away from it which may cost you an extra shot on that hole.

Practice! Practice shots that you’re weak at and not always the ones that you’re good at – like uphill and downhill lies, shots from the rough, low shots and high shots. I’ve never played on a perfectly flat course ever so why practice off perfectly flat lies? If you don’t know how to practise these go and ask for some professional help

Where possible have a look at pin positions on the greens you’re yet to play. So many amateurs simply walk past greens on their round without taking notice, when they could gain an advantage before they even get to that hole.

Relax in between shots, talk about stuff to your playing partners, count the number of green keepers you see working or simply admire the scenery – anything to stop you over thinking your next shot. The time to think about your next shot is when you’re about to play it.

Red Light, Green Light! So what does this mean? Very simple, if you’re certain about the shot you’re about to play and you get a green light in your head, go ahead and play it. However, if you’re not sure and you get a red light, walk away from your shot until you get that certainty. Time and time again you hear ‘I just wasn’t sure about that shot’ after it resulted in a poor outcome.

I hope some of these tips spark something within you and help to improve your next round of golf. There are so many scientific reasons for why they work, but by all means research them more – and REMEMBER it’s all the little things pieced together that make the big differences, not that booming drive you hit off the first tee!

Happy golfing everyone and remember I’m always happy to answer any questions you may have, and if you try any of the tips above…let me know how you go!

Julian Mellor

PGA Professional 

Positive impact Golf Coach

www.julianmellorgolfschool.co.uk

Julianmellorpga@icloud.com

07595157452