As an aspiring golfer, you know how complicated this game can be. People who don't play the sport may think it's boring activity for middle-aged men who just swing a club and hit a ball into a hole. In reality, it's one of the most technical sports to play, with the highest skill ceiling. If you're good at golf, there's a massive difference in skill level when compared to people just starting out. The best thing about the sport is that you can always learn and get better. Small tweaks here and there will make a huge difference to your overall game. Whether it's improving your fitness or even something simple like wearing the right clothes, this can impact your golf score. Additionally, investing in the right equipment like a cart bag to organize and transport your clubs efficiently can also enhance your golfing experience and performance on the course. With all of this in mind, if there's one key piece of advice all golfers should follow, it's to focus on these three shots: driving, pitching, and putting. When you master all three of these, you'll be in a position to play much better and see your handicap drop through the floor. We've got some advice on how to improve these shots in the blog post below:
How to Improve Your Golf Drive
Driving is an extremely important shot as it sets up your round. A successful drive gets you as close to the green as possible, reducing the number of shots needed before a putt. It is also one of the hardest shots to hit. The ideal drive will have the following characteristics: good length of shot, great control, and excellent accuracy. You want it to go far, but you also want it to land where you're aiming. Many golfers nail the distance but fail with accuracy or get the ball in a good position, only it's way too far from the green. The main thing to focus on when nailing your drive is improving your golf swing here by walking through all the main points like grip, backswing, feet placement, follow-through, and more. You'll want to ensure you're using the right club which should be a driver rather than a putter or a curved one for pitching.
How to Improve Pitching
Speaking of pitching, this is the second shot to focus on. You usually need to hit a pitch shot to go from the fairway to the green. It features a steep incline in the air before dropping down. This is a very controlled shot, but it's easier to master than driving or putting. The key focus here is to have a short backswing with a controlled tempo. You also need to position the ball towards the center of your stance, maybe even back a touch. This will make it easier to nail the swing and avoid hitting it too far. You have a shorter follow-through here, so play around with it until you nail the right control. Practice makes perfect, and there are loads of great pitch shot drills you can find online that'll help you nail this again and again. In terms of clubs, you'll largely be using wedges here to get under the ball and pitch it onto the green. If you can smash this shot and be consistent, it'll be your best friend. Often, a good pitch approach can counteract a terrible drive off the tee.
How to Master Putting
Last but not least, you need to consider putting. When you get on the green, a putt stands in the way of you and glory. We've all seen many a golfer have a fantastic drive, a brilliant pitch approach, and then a terrible short game. They're going back and forth with attempted putts, taking a guaranteed birdie hole into one that's not worth talking about. In theory, putting is the easiest shot because you know what club you're using and you don't have to worry about elevating it in the air. However, the pressure of a putt sometimes makes it the most challenging shot to hit consistently. You can find some great putting tips that go into detail about golf stance and swing temp before you begin to put this shot into practice. You can do so at home with a little putting green, so put in the hours and develop a rhythm that works for you. Once you feel comfortable with your swing and stance, you'll make a lot more putts.
Despite the technical and challenging aspects of golf as a sport, it's much easier to play when you focus on these three shots. If you have a solid drive, a perfect pitch, and a consistent putt, you'll be on your way to the best score in the clubhouse.