Playing your best golf requires preparation but all too often club golfers, hoping for a good round, arrive on the first tee at the last minute. To shoot a low score requires preparation. Follow these basic rules to maximise your chances
Check you Have the Right Equipment
- Make sure you have no more than fourteen clubs in the bag
- If it looks like rain carry a set of waterproofs, an umbrella, and a towel to dry the clubs
- Check you have a pencil, tees, and enough balls to last the round
- Make sure no studs are missing form your golf shoes
- Carry a few spare gloves
- Take out some sun tan cream in case it gets hot
- Put some drinks and a nutrition bar in the bag
Stretch Before You Practise
- Back muscles - Hold a club out in front of you with both hands, at shoulder height ,and then start to turn back and forward making sure you keep your back straight. As the muscles start to stretch increase the size of turn
- Legs – Just to make sure the blood is pumping stand upright and keeping the back straight bend your knees and lower yourself down as far as it feels comfortable
- Arms and wrists – Stretch out your arms in front of you and rotate your wrists to warm up your forearms and release tension in your hands.
- Neck and head – Stand upright with you back straight and gently rotate your head round and round easing the tension in your neck muscles.
- Work through the bag from a sand wedge to a driver
- Start off with small pitches to get the timing right
- Middle irons to start increasing power
- Driver to stretch all the golfing muscles
- Finish up with some more small pitch shots
During this routine you should be able to come up with your one swing thought for the day which you shoud stick to no matter what.
Practise Putting Stroke
- Before you play hit some putts on the green. It should be cut to the same length as the course and will give a good indication as to the speed of the green.
- Hole out from short distance to get a feel for the ball going into the hole
- Come up with a gimmick of the day to focus on.
- Keep your head still and listen for the putts to drop.
When you have finally finished your preparation make sure you have a few minutes to calm down before walking to the tee. Often your first tee shot is the most important of the round, as a good one can settle nerves. Give yourself the best chance by getting to the tee with minutes to spare.
Related Article - Golf Etiquette and Rules of Golf for the Novice -PGA Tip
Related Article - How to Play Golf In the Rain -PGA Tip
John Hoskison - John is a class 'A' member of the British PGA and author of the acclaimed book 'Inside - One Man's Experience of Prison'.
