16 Golfing Mistakes &
16 Tips on how to avoid them
Which Golf Mistakes do you make?
Hi again, im back with 16 golfing mistakes and 16 tips to help improve your game. All for free ofcourse. So you have certainly set yourself one or two goals that you want to achieve within your game. To help you to work on the right things from the beginning, I have listed 16 typical mistakes made by golfers that I observed again and again over the years. I certainly want you to avoid these mistakes. As always you will find tips on how to avoid these mistakes or what you should possibly change in your training or golf game. From short game, to tactics. And I am sure you will recognize a few mistakes you have made in the list. Lets begin.
Here they come, the 16 golf mistakes you should avoid in 2020.
lets break those bad habits
Short game
Short Putts are Pushed Past
Error:
You miss short putts between 6 and 7 feet because your aim is not good.
Hover or Click for fix
You miss short putts between 6 and 7 feet because your aim is not good.
Hover or Click for fix
The Fix
Align the ball with the writing to get better alignment and learn AimPoint! A revolutionary green reading system. Easy as pie and super successful!
Too Many Three-Putts Happen on the round
Error:
Your average first putt on the course is over 30 feet. This putt is not close enough to the hole to play a safe two-putt. You lack a sense of length.
Hover or Click for Fix
Your average first putt on the course is over 30 feet. This putt is not close enough to the hole to play a safe two-putt. You lack a sense of length.
Hover or Click for Fix
The Fix
Use the "no three-putts" exercise.
You only need one ball on the putting green.
Find a point 15 meters from a hole.
Try not to play a three-putt 10 times in a row or the ball row.
More on Putts
You only need one ball on the putting green.
Find a point 15 meters from a hole.
Try not to play a three-putt 10 times in a row or the ball row.
Chipping with the sand wedge
Error:
You hit your chips too bad and inaccurate.
You use the sand wedge too often, even though the putter is the better and safer choice.
Hover or Click for Fix
You hit your chips too bad and inaccurate.
You use the sand wedge too often, even though the putter is the better and safer choice.
Hover or Click for Fix
The Fix
Use the putter from the green.
Use your normal set-up as you would when putting.
Hold the putter slightly in the air to prevent it from sticking. Make your normal movement.
Use your normal set-up as you would when putting.
Hold the putter slightly in the air to prevent it from sticking. Make your normal movement.
Pitches fly too short
Error:
You play most pitches too short to the flag because your swing is slowed down before the impact and you don't pull the club through.
You often use your lob wedge, which I think is the worst club on the golf course.
Hover or Click for fix
You play most pitches too short to the flag because your swing is slowed down before the impact and you don't pull the club through.
You often use your lob wedge, which I think is the worst club on the golf course.
Hover or Click for fix
The Fix
Use your sand wedge for pitches.
Swing further forward than you swing.
When practicing and on the course, always play the ball behind the flag.
Swing further forward than you swing.
When practicing and on the course, always play the ball behind the flag.
Bunker shots have no consistency at all
Error:
You overturn or fatten your bunker shots too much, so you either end up behind the green or in the bunker.
Hover or Click for Fix
You overturn or fatten your bunker shots too much, so you either end up behind the green or in the bunker.
Hover or Click for Fix
The Fix
Take a set-up as for a pitch (alignment parallel, the ball is slightly left of center, clubface slightly open).
Swing the club through the sand at high speed. This is the key to bunker shots.
Hit as hard as you can into the sand and swing further than you usually swing.
At the end the weight should be on your left foot.
Swing the club through the sand at high speed. This is the key to bunker shots.
Hit as hard as you can into the sand and swing further than you usually swing.
At the end the weight should be on your left foot.
We all pick up bad habits as we learn due to many reasons. This doesnt mean we have to continue using those bad habits, especialy when we realise we are doing them. Stamp it out, be a better player.
Warren Belmore
Bad Habits were made to be broken
Long Game
You strike your irons too imprecisely
Error:
You don't know your stroke lengths.
Hover or Click for Fix
You don't know your stroke lengths.
Hover or Click for Fix
The Fix
Get to know the average length of your clubs to increase your accuracy for your all round game. Once you know the average length, choose an appropriate club for your height.
Your ball slices away to the right
Error:
Your ball slices very hard (starts to the left of the target and then spins hard to the right).
The longer the club you use, the stronger the right spin.
Unfortunately, slices always cost you a lot of length.
Hover or Click for Fix
Your ball slices very hard (starts to the left of the target and then spins hard to the right).
The longer the club you use, the stronger the right spin.
Unfortunately, slices always cost you a lot of length.
Hover or Click for Fix
The Fix
First check your grip!
Usually the left hand (on a RH) is too far to the left of the grip.
The angle between the back of the left hand and the left forearm should be as large as possible, so that the ball is more likely to get a hook spin.
A hook flies more consistently and above all does not lose as much length. If you want to check out more info on slicing go over to golfers digest.
FIX YOUR SLICE
Usually the left hand (on a RH) is too far to the left of the grip.
The angle between the back of the left hand and the left forearm should be as large as possible, so that the ball is more likely to get a hook spin.
A hook flies more consistently and above all does not lose as much length. If you want to check out more info on slicing go over to golfers digest.
Your shots into the green remain too short
Error:
Most of your longer shots into the green stay too close to the flag or even in front of the green.
Most of the obstacles lurk in front of the green (golf course architects know about this weakness).
Hover or Click for Fix
Most of your longer shots into the green stay too close to the flag or even in front of the green.
Most of the obstacles lurk in front of the green (golf course architects know about this weakness).
Hover or Click for Fix
The Fix
Always try to play the ball so that it theoretically flies behind the flag.
Then even balls that are not ideally hit are on the green or the flag.
Well hit balls are then just "behind" the green. But on the green!
Then even balls that are not ideally hit are on the green or the flag.
Well hit balls are then just "behind" the green. But on the green!
Use a birdie book on the course
Error:
You don't analyze stroke length and tactics for single strokes accurately.
Many of your shots are badly placed or even played too short or too long.
Hover or Click for fix
You don't analyze stroke length and tactics for single strokes accurately.
Many of your shots are badly placed or even played too short or too long.
Hover or Click for fix
The Fix
Use the birdie book of the course for your shot planning.
Apply the 80/20 rule. You should be at least 80% sure that you have mastered the shot you are about to hit. If your own safety is below 80% let it go!
Apply the 80/20 rule. You should be at least 80% sure that you have mastered the shot you are about to hit. If your own safety is below 80% let it go!
Tactics are very important to any game. The mistakes listed below are usualy signs that mean you have not came up with the prior tactics needed to help your game.
Warren Belmore
mistakes & tactics dont go hand in hand
TACTICS
Never Making a hole tactic
Error:
You almost always use the same clubs on the round.
You always play the ball "forward" without checking from where the next ball is to be played. Hover or Click for Fix
You almost always use the same clubs on the round.
You always play the ball "forward" without checking from where the next ball is to be played. Hover or Click for Fix
The Fix
Before each shot, check from where you want to play the next ball, possibly to avoid obstacles or to avoid unwanted positions and lengths.
Fairway woods or irons from the tee
Error:
Except on par three holes, you almost always automatically knock the driver off the tee.
The driver is the most error-prone and imprecise club and causes many strokes, too high scores and lost balls
Hover or Click for Fix
Except on par three holes, you almost always automatically knock the driver off the tee.
The driver is the most error-prone and imprecise club and causes many strokes, too high scores and lost balls
Hover or Click for Fix
The Fix
In addition to a fairway wood, use a rescue or iron from the tee to get the ball into play, especially on difficult courses, and then continue playing safely and without stress.
lets go through your own training on the range
Your own training
You hit one ball at a time on the range with no real aim
Error:
Mistakes keep creep in.
Even worse, wrong movements are deepened more and more.
Furthermore, hitting off the mat does not lead to training in aiming and aligning.
Hover or Click for Fix
Mistakes keep creep in.
Even worse, wrong movements are deepened more and more.
Furthermore, hitting off the mat does not lead to training in aiming and aligning.
Hover or Click for Fix
The Fix
Divide your training:
one part conscious technique training.
one part targeted place training.
This place training can be perfectly done with my beloved ball rows:
Row of balls means that you aim for the 100-meter sign, for example. The first ball should be hit as close as possible to the sign. The next ball should be a bit shorter, the next ball shorter again and so on until the last ball only has to be chipped 2 meters.
If a ball flies further than the previous one, then you have to start again from the beginning
Optionally you can also play from short to long or from side to side. this way you stay on your mat, but you have to prepare yourself anew for each ball You will notice that you enjoy training more and that you are much more concentrated
one part conscious technique training.
one part targeted place training.
This place training can be perfectly done with my beloved ball rows:
Row of balls means that you aim for the 100-meter sign, for example. The first ball should be hit as close as possible to the sign. The next ball should be a bit shorter, the next ball shorter again and so on until the last ball only has to be chipped 2 meters.
If a ball flies further than the previous one, then you have to start again from the beginning
Optionally you can also play from short to long or from side to side. this way you stay on your mat, but you have to prepare yourself anew for each ball You will notice that you enjoy training more and that you are much more concentrated
Listen to other amateurs, not everyone
Error:
The game is far too subjective and every golfer thinks he's doing it right. However if you follow good standard of etiquette. This kind of problem would not tend to comeup.
Hover or Click for Fix
The game is far too subjective and every golfer thinks he's doing it right. However if you follow good standard of etiquette. This kind of problem would not tend to comeup.
Hover or Click for Fix
The Fix
Don't listen to others. And certainly not your partner or friends!
Only your pro. Or someone like myself who has a wealth of experience. No one else!
More on Golf Etiquette
Only your pro. Or someone like myself who has a wealth of experience. No one else!
You don't train enough and expect too much
Error:
You train little or not at all, but you expect world-class performance on the golf course.
But how does that work?
Hover or Click for Fix
You train little or not at all, but you expect world-class performance on the golf course.
But how does that work?
Hover or Click for Fix
The Fix
Lower your own expectations and play golf without expectation!
Find a training partner with whom you can book a weekly coaching session.
Even better, find a training group of 4-6 people of your playing level. The training in pairs or in a group is more fun and the inner bastard has no chance anymore!
Always remember - training is constant but not perfect!
Find a training partner with whom you can book a weekly coaching session.
Even better, find a training group of 4-6 people of your playing level. The training in pairs or in a group is more fun and the inner bastard has no chance anymore!
Always remember - training is constant but not perfect!
Start immediately - without warming up
Error:
The game is far too subjective and every golfer thinks he's doing it right.
You go straight from the parking lot to the first tee and then hit two balls with the driver to warm up or as a mulligan.
Hover or Click for Fix
The game is far too subjective and every golfer thinks he's doing it right.
You go straight from the parking lot to the first tee and then hit two balls with the driver to warm up or as a mulligan.
Hover or Click for Fix
The Fix
Warm him up! I know you'll think, what will the others think of me! But, hey, what does it matter? Just do your warmups.
It gets your body in the right mood for the round of golf, gives you a better feel for the ball and more power on the course.
At the very least, you should get yourself in the mood for the round with a few easy and small shots on the range. This is the least you should do for your body and your game.
It gets your body in the right mood for the round of golf, gives you a better feel for the ball and more power on the course.
At the very least, you should get yourself in the mood for the round with a few easy and small shots on the range. This is the least you should do for your body and your game.
Your clubs are not fit
Error:
Nowadays, thanks to modern technology, the right club with the best possible specifications (shaft, grip, etc.) can be fitted and built for every golfer. Better yet, if you want a guide on clubs check out our Best Wedges for mid-handicappers article. So no more excuses guys.
Hover or Click for Fix
Nowadays, thanks to modern technology, the right club with the best possible specifications (shaft, grip, etc.) can be fitted and built for every golfer. Better yet, if you want a guide on clubs check out our Best Wedges for mid-handicappers article. So no more excuses guys.
Hover or Click for Fix
The Fix
Get your clubs fit for the new year by an expert or at least have your existing ones checked.
Especially with the woods, enormous length gains are only possible with the right club.
Have the loft and lie of your irons checked once a year.
This also applies to the putter. The club that is most neglected. Get this one in shape too. It's worth it.
Especially with the woods, enormous length gains are only possible with the right club.
Have the loft and lie of your irons checked once a year.
This also applies to the putter. The club that is most neglected. Get this one in shape too. It's worth it.
Conclusion
I hope that you found going through these 16 golf mistakes and each of thier fixes. This list by no means is most extensive because everyone will generaly have the same kind of problems but just differing varients. As long as you focus on getting the basics right, you will be able to remedy most if not all mistakes. I hope you enjoyed reading this article.
References:
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Golf
golfdigest.com/story/fix-your-slice-hank-haney