Instruction
8 common sense tips to lower your scores
When you’re playing golf — especially when you’re working to improve something specific in your game — your head is often jumbled with so many thoughts that you forget to use common sense. You can save critical strokes on the course, however, by thinking logically, and not being bogged down by endless swing thoughts and fears.
Here are my 8 common sense tips to help you get through your next round of golf in the lowest number of shots possible.
Don’t bite off more than you can chew
When deciding what line to take over a water hazard off the tee, everyone seems to select the one that would get them across on a “good drive.” Positive thinking is great, but what about those shots you don’t catch perfectly? I’ve watched people hit countless poor drives in a row, only to come to a shot over the corner of a lake and use the carry yardage for their best drive rather than making an adjustment based on how they were swinging that day. What happens next is rarely pretty.
Use history to your advantage
Obviously, it would be nice to come out of the gates every round with your A-game, but that’s often not the case. That’s why I suggest playing the first six holes conservatively, and then using that information over the next 6-12 holes to create an adjusted game plan. If you’re controlling the ball well over the first six holes, you know you can be a little more aggressive on the next six holes, and vice versa.
Have a go-to shot off the tee
So it’s the last hole of your match and you must hit the fairway; what shot do you hit on you best days, your average days and your bad days?
All golfers need a tee shot they can rely on regardless of the way they are playing. It might curve a lot, not go very far or fly really low, but you know it’s going to finish on the fairway. Unfortunately, most don’t have such a shot, so if their A-game isn’t working then it’s a crapshoot off the tee.
Have an exit strategy
The best article I have ever read on golf strategy was an old Golf Digest interview with Lee Trevino when I was about 12 years old, and I still remember it more than 30 years later. They asked him why he felt he he had an advantage over his peers on Tour, and his reply was simple: “I had three guys playing for me, while the other guys only had one.”
Trevino went on to explain that he had three different shot patterns he’d use: his A game, B game and C game. Thus, when is A game wasn’t there, he’d drop back and use his B game or his C game. “One guy always showed up ready to play,” Trevino said. How many times have you tried to hit your stock shot over and over on the course, waiting for it to work “this time.” Be more flexible with your game like Trevino, and you’ll see your average score drop.
Think target, not swing
Good luck with the idea that you can play with 15 swing thoughts in your head; the results are rarely any good. Your best golf comes when you are on autopilot and only see and think about the target. This sounds easier than it is, of course, but try your best to only think about where you want the ball to go, especially when you’re swinging well.
If you must have swing thoughts, choose one and keep it simple
If you think that my last tip is great in theory, but does not work for you because you must think about your swing, then please choose one swing thought and keep it simple. Avoid mechanical thoughts like fire the hips to right field, hold the shoulders back and drop the hands. Instead, focus on things like tempo, tension and a smooth transition.
Don’t try to do too much
I had a good player ask me how often he should curve the ball different ways during a round. “Don’t try to do it too much,” I said. Golfers need to make the game simpler, not more complex.
Sure, there are times when you must curve the ball a lot, or use a trajectory that’s different from your stock shot, but really… how often is it necessary on the course? And how much time do you actually spend practicing different trajectories?
If you’re not striking the ball dead center of the club face most of the time, don’t try to become a great shot maker… not yet, at least. But if you want to start playing for paychecks, the nuances of shot shaping might be for you. Far fewer PGA Tour players work it both ways than most golfers think. Just ask Vijay Singh and Kenny Perry.
Work around your weaknesses
The golf gods didn’t give any golfer a full bag, as they say. Everyone has a weakness within their game that’s not quite up to par with the rest of their game. So if you’re horrible from 30 yards, then why would you leave yourself a 30-yard shot? Work on your weaknesses, but don’t let them ruin their scores in the meantime.
Remember, use your brain first, emotions second, and your ego third, and I promise that these common sense tips will improve your scores quickly.
There may be no more painful affliction in golf than the “yips” – those uncontrollable and maddening little nervous twitches that prevent you from making a decent stroke on short putts. If you’ve never had them, consider yourself very fortunate (or possibly just very young). But I can assure you that when your most treacherous and feared golf shot is not the 195 yard approach over water with a quartering headwind…not the extra tight fairway with water left and sand right…not the soft bunker shot to a downhill pin with water on the other side…No, when your most feared shot is the remaining 2- 4-foot putt after hitting a great approach, recovery or lag putt, it makes the game almost painful.
And I’ve been fighting the yips (again) for a while now. It’s a recurring nightmare that has haunted me most of my adult life. I even had the yips when I was in my 20s, but I’ve beat them into submission off and on most of my adult life. But just recently, that nasty virus came to life once again. My lag putting has been very good, but when I get over one of those “you should make this” length putts, the entire nervous system seems to go haywire. I make great practice strokes, and then the most pitiful short-stroke or jab at the ball you can imagine. Sheesh.
But I’m a traditionalist, and do not look toward the long putter, belly putter, cross-hand, claw or other variation as the solution. My approach is to beat those damn yips into submission some other way. Here’s what I’m doing that is working pretty well, and I offer it to all of you who might have a similar affliction on the greens.
When you are over a short putt, forget the practice strokes…you want your natural eye-hand coordination to be unhindered by mechanics. Address your putt and take a good look at the hole, and back to the putter to ensure good alignment. Lighten your right hand grip on the putter and make sure that only the fingertips are in contact with the grip, to prevent you from getting to tight.
Then, take a long, long look at the hole to fill your entire mind and senses with the target. When you bring your head/eyes back to the ball, try to make a smooth, immediate move right into your backstroke — not even a second pause — and then let your hands and putter track right back together right back to where you were looking — the HOLE! Seeing the putter make contact with the ball, preferably even the forward edge of the ball – the side near the hole.
For me, this is working, but I am asking all of you to chime in with your own “home remedies” for the most aggravating and senseless of all golf maladies. It never hurts to have more to fall back on!
Over the last couple of decades, golf has become much more science-based. We measure swing speed, smash factor, angle of attack, strokes gained, and many other metrics that can really help golfers improve. But I often wonder if the advancement of golf’s “hard” sciences comes at the expense of the “soft” sciences.
Take, for example, golf instruction. Good golf instruction requires understanding swing mechanics and ball flight. But let’s take that as a given for PGA instructors. The other factors that make an instructor effective can be evaluated by social science, rather than launch monitors.
If you are a recreational golfer looking for a golf instructor, here are my top three points to consider.
1. Cultural mindset
What is “cultural mindset? To social scientists, it means whether a culture of genius or a culture of learning exists. In a golf instruction context, that may mean whether the teacher communicates a message that golf ability is something innate (you either have it or you don’t), or whether golf ability is something that can be learned. You want the latter!
It may sound obvious to suggest that you find a golf instructor who thinks you can improve, but my research suggests that it isn’t a given. In a large sample study of golf instructors, I found that when it came to recreational golfers, there was a wide range of belief systems. Some instructors strongly believed recreational golfers could improve through lessons. while others strongly believed they could not. And those beliefs manifested in the instructor’s feedback given to a student and the culture created for players.
2. Coping and self-modeling can beat role-modeling
Swing analysis technology is often preloaded with swings of PGA and LPGA Tour players. The swings of elite players are intended to be used for comparative purposes with golfers taking lessons. What social science tells us is that for novice and non-expert golfers, comparing swings to tour professionals can have the opposite effect of that intended. If you fit into the novice or non-expert category of golfer, you will learn more and be more motivated to change if you see yourself making a ‘better’ swing (self-modeling) or seeing your swing compared to a similar other (a coping model). Stay away from instructors who want to compare your swing with that of a tour player.
3. Learning theory basics
It is not a sexy selling point, but learning is a process, and that process is incremental – particularly for recreational adult players. Social science helps us understand this element of golf instruction. A good instructor will take learning slowly. He or she will give you just about enough information that challenges you, but is still manageable. The artful instructor will take time to decide what that one or two learning points are before jumping in to make full-scale swing changes. If the instructor moves too fast, you will probably leave the lesson with an arm’s length of swing thoughts and not really know which to focus on.
As an instructor, I develop a priority list of changes I want to make in a player’s technique. We then patiently and gradually work through that list. Beware of instructors who give you more than you can chew.
So if you are in the market for golf instruction, I encourage you to look beyond the X’s and O’s to find the right match!
Most pros take months, even years, to win their first tournament. Lottie Woad needed exactly four days.
The 21-year-old from Surrey shot 21-under 267 at Dundonald Links to win the ISPS Handa Women’s Scottish Open by three shots — in her very first event as a professional. She’s only the third player in LPGA history to accomplish this feat, joining Rose Zhang (2023) and Beverly Hanson (1951).
But here’s what caught my attention as a coach: Woad didn’t win through miraculous putting or bombing 300-yard drives. She won through relentless precision and unshakeable composure. After watching her performance unfold, I’m convinced every golfer — from weekend warriors to scratch players — can steal pages from her playbook.
Precision Beats Power (And It’s Not Even Close)
Forget the driving contests. Woad proved that finding greens matters more than finding distance.
What Woad did:
• Hit it straight, hit it solid, give yourself chances
• Aimed for the fat parts of greens instead of chasing pins
• Let her putting do the talking after hitting safe targets
• As she said, “Everyone was chasing me today, and managed to maintain the lead and played really nicely down the stretch and hit a lot of good shots”
Why most golfers mess this up:
• They see a pin tucked behind a bunker and grab one more club to “go right at it”
• Distance becomes more important than accuracy
• They try to be heroic instead of smart
ACTION ITEM: For your next 10 rounds, aim for the center of every green regardless of pin position. Track your greens in regulation and watch your scores drop before your swing changes.
The Putter That Stayed Cool Under Fire
Woad started the final round two shots clear and immediately applied pressure with birdies at the 2nd and 3rd holes. When South Korea’s Hyo Joo Kim mounted a charge and reached 20-under with a birdie at the 14th, Woad didn’t panic.
How she responded to pressure:
• Fired back with consecutive birdies at the 13th and 14th
• Watched Kim stumble with back-to-back bogeys
• Capped it with her fifth birdie of the day at the par-5 18th
• Stayed patient when others pressed, pressed when others cracked
What amateurs do wrong:
• Get conservative when they should be aggressive
• Try to force magic when steady play would win
• Panic when someone else makes a move
ACTION ITEM: Practice your 3-6 foot putts for 15 minutes after every range session. Woad’s putting wasn’t spectacular—it was reliable. Make the putts you should make.
Course Management 101: Play Your Game, Not the Course’s Game
Woad admitted she couldn’t see many scoreboards during the final round, but it didn’t matter. She stuck to her game plan regardless of what others were doing.
Her mental approach:
• Focused on her process, not the competition
• Drew on past pressure situations (Augusta National Women’s Amateur win)
• As she said, “That was the biggest tournament I played in at the time and was kind of my big win. So definitely felt the pressure of it more there, and I felt like all those experiences helped me with this”
Her physical execution:
• 270-yard drives (nothing flashy)
• Methodical iron play
• Steady putting
• Everything effective, nothing spectacular
ACTION ITEM: Create a yardage book for your home course. Know your distances to every pin, every hazard, every landing area. Stick to your plan no matter what your playing partners are doing.
Mental Toughness Isn’t Born, It’s Built
The most impressive part of Woad’s win? She genuinely didn’t expect it: “I definitely wasn’t expecting to win my first event as a pro, but I knew I was playing well, and I was hoping to contend.”
Her winning mindset:
• Didn’t put winning pressure on herself
• Focused on playing well and contending
• Made winning a byproduct of a good process
• Built confidence through recent experiences:
- Won the Women’s Irish Open as an amateur
- Missed a playoff by one shot at the Evian Championship
- Each experience prepared her for the next
What this means for you:
• Stop trying to shoot career rounds every time you tee up
• Focus on executing your pre-shot routine
• Commit to every shot
• Stay present in the moment
ACTION ITEM: Before each round, set process goals instead of score goals. Example: “I will take three practice swings before every shot” or “I will pick a specific target for every shot.” Let your score be the result, not the focus.
The Real Lesson
Woad collected $300,000 for her first professional victory, but the real prize was proving that fundamentals still work at golf’s highest level. She didn’t reinvent the game — she simply executed the basics better than everyone else that week.
The fundamentals that won:
• Hit more fairways
• Find more greens
• Make the putts you should make
• Stay patient under pressure
That’s something every golfer can do, regardless of handicap. Lottie Woad just showed us it’s still the winning formula.
FINAL ACTION ITEM: Pick one of the four action items above and commit to it for the next month. Master one fundamental before moving to the next. That’s how champions are built.
PGA Professional Brendon Elliott is an award-winning coach and golf writer. You can check out his writing work and learn more about him by visiting BEAGOLFER.golf and OneMoreRollGolf.com. Also, check out “The Starter” on RG.org each Monday.
Editor’s note: Brendon shares his nearly 30 years of experience in the game with GolfWRX readers through his ongoing tip series. He looks forward to providing valuable insights and advice to help golfers improve their game. Stay tuned for more Tips!
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devilsadvocate
Jul 6, 2016 at 9:57 am
Lol is that you Swanson?
IHateGolfIsAwesome
Jul 3, 2016 at 6:46 pm
I’m kind of wild off the tee with any wood (kind of = very). So I use a “3 iron” approach on many par 5s. 6i to get it out around 185, then 7i another 170, and a 9i for the final 150. My playing partners razz me but I don’t care – I’m so tired of hitting and hunting, so this works for me (usually ;).
Jerry
Jul 2, 2016 at 7:11 pm
Smizzle – just because you can break 80 sometimes don’t make you the man.
Bill Mac
Jul 3, 2016 at 7:56 pm
I’ve said it before. “You are the man.”
DR
Jul 2, 2016 at 12:28 am
Why such a hater. We need more positive things in the world.
Roger
Jul 1, 2016 at 6:04 pm
Tom, as always a great read and advice.
Lee’s A,B,C games, priceless advice.
I,m just rebuilding my bag as its mid winter.
Looking at all clubs to be Super Easy to use…not game improvement, but well fit weapons!!
At Easter..off the Tee no warmup used 5 iron then 7 iron then 1 putt in from a metre away…that was the fail safe option for sure!!
Just bought an R7 Quad driver, had a similar R7 2 years ago and it was my Most Accurate Driver Ever…
Pingback: 8 Common Sense Tips to Lower Your Scores - Dan Hansen Golf Instruction
Bob Pegram
Jul 1, 2016 at 2:47 pm
This is why a golfer who hasn’t played a course will often play better because they are just trying to keep the ball in play rather than making hero shots. Hero shots just happen. Play the shots you know you can hit.
David Largen
Jul 1, 2016 at 1:09 pm
Par 5’s made easy… Say you are in the fairway 250 yards from the green. Instead of hitting 3 wood and trying to go for it. Hitting it in the trees, water or ob. How easy is it to play a 150 yard shot… a 7 iron for example. Your in the fairway 100 yards from the green with a wedge. You will make many more pars and birdies and a whole lot less others…
dave
Jul 1, 2016 at 6:50 pm
Exactly.
Steve S
Jul 1, 2016 at 12:38 pm
Great article.. about common sense! Which most golfers don’t have. No.s 6,7 and 8 fit a good friend of mine. He is always over-estimating his distance capability. Because of that he comes up short 9 out of 10 times…..and he is always surprised. I’ve seen him hit his 5 iron 190 yards, twice. But he always uses it for 190 yard shot and can’t believe it when it goes 165.
David Largen
Jul 1, 2016 at 12:25 pm
After reading these tips it reminded me of what my dad told me one day. We were playing a par 71 golf course and he said I could bogey every hole and still shoot 89. At the time i had never shot in the 80’s before. That thought took all the pressure off me that day and i shot 89. Thanks Dad…
JJVas
Jul 1, 2016 at 11:19 am
My key recently has been to play aggressive to conservative lines. Like most people, I tend to get a bit guidey on tight courses with the driver. Bad move unless you like the trees. If you’re tense, take out a FW, H, or long iron. If you’re swinging driver… HIT IT! Most of us can split the fairways on wide open courses because we’re free. I’m trying to keep that thought no matter where I play… so far, so good.
NC Golfa
Jul 1, 2016 at 7:52 am
Great points, Tom. So, often I get caught up on how to best execute my swing and fail to think about course strategy. Last time, I had started my round out with three great holes and snap hooked a driver
on a narrow hole, which put me into a tail spin for the rest of the round. I believe going to a 5 wood and playing for bogey would have been the right call.
Gordy
Jun 30, 2016 at 5:34 pm
I think the biggest tip for any golfer who isn’t a pro is just be happy to be on the green putting for birdie no matter the distance. And be happy with a par that is makeable. The biggest trap golfers fall into is getting mad with proximity to the hole. The average on tour is like 30ft or close to it. So, for the recreational golfer, being on the green putting for birdie is a plus. My 2 cents, I am a 5 handicap and my goal is to just have a birdie putt on every hole and have a shot for the green. When I took that approach my birdies went up, and my score went down. From a 8 to a 5. And I shoot almost par from time to time.
Ronald
Jun 30, 2016 at 10:36 pm
You’re a 5 and your goal is to have a birdie putt??? Get real
Ronald
Jun 30, 2016 at 10:39 pm
Wait I didn’t read the rest of your comment! If you are shooting par from “time to time” you are not a 5! You are a complete fool or a liar! Stop visiting this page
Egor
Jul 1, 2016 at 1:08 am
Ronald – I play frequently with a man who is a 6 hdcp. He occasionally shoots even par on a par 72 course with a 65.6 rating and 116 slope. He’s still a 6. He gets up and down very well and he hits GIR about 65% of the time or better. You can shoot even par from time to time depending on the course slope/rating and still have a 5-7 hdcp.
It could be derived from your statement that you don’t understand the USGA handicap system. Be careful calling someone a fool or a liar when you don’t have all of the information and don’t understand the system of which you reference.
Egor
Jul 1, 2016 at 1:13 am
To add to my statement above, you took Gordy’s words and wrested them – he said “my goal is to just have a birdie putt on every hole” – note.. on every hole, that would be 100% GIR on 18.
You do seem like a keyboard warrior – you may wish to spend some time warrioring your way over to the USGA website and read up on how the HDCP system works (math and all that.. )
Gordy’s tips for the recreational golfer are very helpful and kind, your’s just came across as angry and grumpy.
Stickner
Jul 1, 2016 at 6:02 am
Here here!
devilsadvocate
Jul 6, 2016 at 10:05 am
It actually depends on the difficulty of the course… Shooting par from time to time on a US open course vs a local muni obviously requires diffent skill levels… That being said I feel a little bit of animosity coming from you… Seems as though you aim at every flagstick but look down on someone who probably shoots lower scores because they only try to hit girs and don’t try to hit it to a foot every time… Newsflash that’s how most good players approach their “approach” shots
fw
Jun 30, 2016 at 4:21 pm
Foot wedge. Just use a foot wedge
Troy Vayanos
Jun 30, 2016 at 4:13 pm
Great tips Tom,
With number 8 I would add, make sure you always use more than enough club for not just getting over hazards but reaching greens in general.
I can’t tell you how many times I see my playing partners continually coming up short close to 80% of the time with approach shots and especially on par 3’s.
Cheers
David Largen
Jul 1, 2016 at 12:40 pm
Very ture… i don’t blame a 3 putt on my putting if i hit my approach to 40 foot. I blame myself for not hitting it pin high more often than not.
Troy Vayanos
Jul 7, 2016 at 7:25 pm
Thanks Smizzle,
Yes this purple outfit is super comfortable and for me when I feel good my golf follows suit.
No sorry, all my golf balls are brand new from my local golf store … Titleist ProV1x.
Cheers
Chris
Jun 30, 2016 at 2:33 pm
A really nice article. Great points. Wish I was as good as Lee though – sometimes, all my personalities fail to show up…..
Jim H
Jul 1, 2016 at 12:34 pm
…and I hate playing in my D persona
Steven
Jun 30, 2016 at 1:15 pm
Great tips. I think many golfers would improve by playing with the shot they brought to the course. Know what the miss will be and play for it. Consistent golf usually has lower scores even if the consistent shots are bad.
George
Jun 30, 2016 at 11:09 am
this is good advice Im just trying to shoot 90 and I think if I only use my 8 iron and higher for 3 shots on any hole that is 380 I will be able to acheive that. Put the driver up and excel at putting
Weekend Duffer
Jun 30, 2016 at 10:54 am
good tips
Rich
Jun 30, 2016 at 10:51 am
I’d say the relationship is doomed before it starts if you’ve already got an exit strategy sorted out! 😉
Tom
Jul 2, 2016 at 10:56 am
life’s like a box of chocolates. Ya never know what your gonna get.
Tom
Jun 30, 2016 at 10:39 am
also sound advice for relationships.
alexdub
Jun 30, 2016 at 11:32 am
HA! Just reread this as though it was meant for relationships. So good! Everyone one of the points hits dead on.
Ryan k
Jun 30, 2016 at 7:30 pm
Aha good call Tom and nicely done Mr. Stickney! Good advice all the way around.