Opinion & Analysis
10 Little things that will make a BIG difference in your game
What I find again and again with my students is that they believe the keys to better scoring lie in hitting their drives farther or adding another 10 yards of distance to their irons. And of course, I’d be the first to agree that distance plays an important role in scoring, but there are so many other contributing factors. Below are 10 tips for better scoring, which are going to help you score better right away.
10) Your first putt
The problem with long-putting is that you may at times become preoccupied with the line of the putt without paying the proper level of attention to speed, which dictates distance the ball will roll out. As the line of the putt is of secondary importance, your focus should be on those factors that affect speed. Your final thought before striking the putt should be speed with only a general concern for the line of the putt.
9) Bunker Play: Get out, get on, get in
In bunker player, there are three levels of expertise. The first level is the ability to get out of the bunker on a regular basis. The second level is the ability to get the ball out of the bunker and have it finish anywhere on the green. The third level is the ability to play a shot from the bunker that ends up close to the pin. You must work through each of these stages, one at a time, to eventually become an expert bunker player.
8) Greenside shots
In earlier days, the chip-shot played an important role in the game. But with the change in today’s maintenance practices, it has become virtually extinct. The grass around the greens is now allowed to grow considerably longer, dictating a different approach than in the past. The best club to use for these shots is not the traditional 7-8-9 irons, or even the pitching wedge, but a sand or lob wedge. The clubs (56-60 degrees) are heavier, allowing them to cut through the grass while at the same time, because of their added loft, allowing you to be more aggressive when playing these shots.
7) Let go of score
A major impediment to scoring is keeping track of where you stand with par on a moment-to-moment basis. Should you be a player who is constantly concerned with score, looking forward or back, you are making the mistake of not staying in “the now.” You must learn to control your thought process, which takes mental discipline. The proof of that discipline is at the end of the round. You should be surprised at the exact total of your score.
6) Elevation affects distance
The ability to adjust for elevation is to a large degree instinctive. The best approach is to think in terms of determining, to the best of your ability, whether the differential is one, two or three clubs and then commit to your decision. The shot will play longer going uphill and shorter going downhill.
5) Playing from sidehill lies
In the case of sidehill lies, the ball is inclined to curve in the same direction as the hill slopes. Should the ball be ABOVE YOUR FEET, it will tend to curve to your left. Also, because the ball is physically closer to you then from a level lie, you must effectively shorten the length of the club. The best approach is to choke up on the handle or stand a little taller at address. In cases where the ball is BELOW YOUR FEET, the ball is physically further from you, dictating that you must maintain your forward posture as you play the shot. The ball will tend to curve to your right.
4) Avoid the big number
A number greater than 3-over par on any given hole could be considered a “big number.” There are several reasons why you or other players mix in a big number with their score, even when penalty shots are not a factor. The nature of the game dictates that at some point you will play a poor shot. The question is how you react to that shot mentally and emotionally. Are you able to immediately put it behind you, or do you allow your emotions to spill over into the next hole causing you to play a succession of poor shots?
The basic rule after hitting into trouble is to get out of trouble with your next shot. You should choose a LOW RISK option that gets you “back down the road.” You may be tempted to play the “hero shot,” which often backfires into an even larger score. You should practice trouble shots on the range and on the course learning how to hit the ball high or low, while at the same time having the ability to curve it in both directions.
3) Playing in the wind
The wind adds another dimension to the game. The difference between playing on a windy day when the gusts are over 20 mph and playing on a day when there is no wind is like the difference between chess and checkers. The two games use the same board, but they are vastly different in their complexity. A player who consistently strikes the ball in the center of the club-face will have an advantage over other less skilled players, as his ball will be less affected by the wind.
2) Make your misses count
You may only hit a few “perfect shots” during your round. The rest will be “misses” of varying degrees. A percentage of these shot will fall under the category of “good misses,” which are shots that are eminently playable. Do you find this concept hard to accept? You may be looking through the “prism of perfection.” A ball that goes a reasonable distance and in the intended direction should be not be accepted as good fortune.
1) Play the course for shape
In the game of billiards, a skillful player is always looking at least one shot ahead while making sure that the next shot is as easy as possible. In golf, this means finding the best angle off the tee — one that is both safe and proves the best access to the pin. In preparing for competition, walking the hole backward in your imagination can be helpful in seeing what the architect intended when he constructed the hole. From there, you can develop a comprehensive “game plan.”
What now? I would suggest that you systematically work your way through each of the 10 steps on the practice range while observing the outcome, and then as you become more confident, test them out on the golf course… and watch your scores come down.
Aronimink is not a storied club, but when Donald Ross himself proclaimed it to be as good as he can design and build, one had to take notice. Jay Sigel was the pre-eminent male amateur golfer from the mid-1970s to the mid-1990s. He might have called any number of Philadelphia clubs home, but he chose Aronimink. It served him well. Gary Player won a PGA Championship here in 1962, and was followed by the 1993 winner … nobody. Aronimink gave that event away to Inverness, for reasons of which it is certainly not proud. So be it. We had to wait sixty-four years for the PGA to return to Newtown Square, but here we are. Aronimink has been neo-restored by Gil Hanse and team, to return Ross features with an eye toward defense against the dark arts, errrr, high-tech equipment.
Day one saw Rory McIlroy and Bryson DeChambeau dig big holes, to the tune of plus-four and plus-six, respectively. Since the first-round lead will be minus-three at worst, many shots will need to be made up for the power couple to reach contention. By nightfall, seven golfers held the day-one lead at three-under par 67. Shots and sticks caught our attention, and we are proud to present Five Things We Learned on Tech Thursday at the 2026 PGA Championship. Thanks to InsideTourGolfer, Today’s Golfer, and GolfWRX for initial equipment research.
First, meet Min Woo Lee
Min Woo Lee, aka Dr. Chipinski, has once again thrust himself into the conversation of Can he, will he, when will he? Lee has so much talent, wins not nearly as often as we believe that he should, and has no major near-misses (much less titles) on his wiki. The young Aussie is getting older and wiser, but is he able to avoid the scarring that holds the older and wiser back from breaking through? Philadelphia offers another opportunity. Min Woo signed for five birdies and two bogeys on day one, and grabbed a share of the opening-day lead at Aronimink. Winners transcend history and the moment, and Lee will need that sort of ascent to lift the Wannamaker on Sunday.
Second, meet Aldrich Potgeiter
The young South African golfer can rip driver with the best of them. Aronimink tips out at nearly 7400 yards, but beyond the fairway bunkers that ensnare only the mortals, Potgeiter can take his chances with wedge from the rough. On Thursday, he spent plenty of time in the spinach. Like Popeye, he used his muscles to gouge and thrash and dig his way out. Six birdies against three bogeys on the card brought AP in a three deep.
Third, meet Martin Kaymer
Not a major event takes place without a where’s he been throwback moment. We know that Martin Kaymer left the PGA and DP World tours for LIV golf, but the two-time (US Open and PGA) major winner has a lifetime exemption into at least one major event, and he seizes the opportunity each May. Kaymer joined the six-seven brigade with four birdies and a solitary bogey on day one. Kaymer was never a long hitter, and the years are kind to no golfer. The German champion will need to uncork every bottle of guile and strategy in his cabinet to remain in contention. For today, though, he occupies a rung on the ladder of Tour Tech.
Fourth, meet Scottie Scheffler
Let’s see, he’s the defending champion at the PGA, and he found his way back to the top tier with five birdies against two bogeys. To be a favorite and then play up to that stature and expectation is quite difficult. Just ask Rory, Bryson, and some of the other pre-tournament heartthrobs. Scheffler’s game is complete, and to knock him off the OWGR #1 pedestal, one needs to defeat him at the majors. Aronimink is the sort of course that fits Scheffler’s game. Better yet, it unfits the game of many of his challengers. Don’t expect Scheffler to go away anytime soon. Come Sunday, he’ll be around.
Fifth, meet Stephan Jaeger
Clocking in for the unheralded players shift are Ryo Hisatsune and Stephan Jaeger. Hisatsune logged seven birdies on day one, but gave most of them back with four bogeys. Still, he’s tied at the top for a time. Jaeger pitched five birdies against two bogeys, including a run of three consecutive, from holes four through six. Odds are that one of the two will hang around through 36 holes. Odds also suggest that both will be gone by Saturday evening. Still, the PGA Championship has historically been the major most likely to be won by an under-known. Both Hisatsune and Jaeger feature on that list, so good luck, lads!
On this episode of the Club Junkie Podcast, I head to the Titleist Performance Institute for a full driver fitting with the new Titleist GTS lineup. We dive into the fitting process, talk about what made the biggest difference in performance, and break down how the different GTS heads and shaft combinations compare on the launch monitor. If you are thinking about a new driver setup for this season, there is a lot to take away from this one.
I also get into Brooks Koepka and the gear setup he brought to the PGA Championship, including the putters that caught my eye during the week. There are some interesting equipment trends showing up at the highest level right now and we break down what stands out.
To wrap things up, I talk about reshafting a few wedges, what I learned during the process, and swapping an adaptor onto a new shaft for another build project in the shop. A gear packed episode from start to finish for anyone who loves golf equipment and club building.
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Excited for this week’s WITB as we get to add the new Titleist GTS woods to the bag! I was fit at Titleist’s TPI facility in Oceanside California a few weeks ago and my new clubs just showed up. I am also adding a cool set of irons that I built last year some wild custom wedges into a new golf bag. Speaking of the bag I have a new Ghost Anyday Black Ops stand bag that I will be using on my Motocaddy Remote M7 electric cart.
Driver: Titleist GTS3 (11 degrees @ 10.25)
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Red 6s
3-wood: Titleist GT1 3Tour (14.5 degrees)
Shaft: Graphite Design Tour AD CQ-7s
5-wood: Titleist GTS (18 degrees)
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Red 7s
9-wood: Titleist GT1 (24 degress)
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Red 7s
Irons: Bettinardi CB24 (5-PW)
Shafts: KBS C-Taper Lite 110 stiff
Wedge: TaylorMade MG5 (50-09 SB)
Shaft: Mitsubishi MMT 125 Stiff
Wedge: TaylorMade MG5 (56-12 SB)
Shaft: Mitsubishi MMT 125 Stiff
Wedge: TaylorMade MG5 (60-08 LB)
Shaft: Mitsubishi MMT 125 Stiff
Putter: Dan Carraher ZT Proto
Ball: Callaway Chrome Tour
Bag: Ghost Anyday Black Ops Stand Bag
Justin Rose WITB 2026 (April): Full WITB breakdown with new McLaren irons
RBC Heritage Tour Report: More minis, course-specific setups, Spider & GTS launches
What’s the story behind Webb Simpson’s custom-stamped irons?
Cadillac Championship Tour Report: Spieth’s sizable changes, McLaren Golf launches, and more
Kristoffer Reitan’s winning WITB: 2026 Truist Championship
Cameron Young’s winning WITB: 2026 Cadillac Championship
Aaron Rai’s winning WITB: 2026 PGA Championship
Nelly Korda WITB 2026 (April)
Justin Rose on the switch to McLaren Golf, learnings from previous equipment moves
Photos from the 2026 PGA Championship
Patrick Reed WITB 2026 (May)
Driver: Titleist GT3 (9 degrees) Buy here. Shaft: Aldila Rogue Silver 130 M.S.I. 70 TX 3-wood: TaylorMade Qi35 (15 degrees)...
Aaron Rai’s winning WITB: 2026 PGA Championship
Driver: TaylorMade M6 (9 degrees) Shaft: Aldilda Synergy Blue 70 TX 3-wood: TaylorMade Qi10 (15 degrees) Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Blue...
Michael Block WITB 2026 (May)
Driver: TaylorMade Qi4D (9 degrees) Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Black VeloCore+ 5 X 3-wood: TaylorMade Qi4D (15 degrees @14.25) Shaft: Mitsubishi...
Bryson DeChambeau WITB 2026 (May)
Driver: Krank Formula Fire Pro (6 degrees) Shaft: Project X Prototype 3-wood: Krank Formula Fire (10 degrees) Shaft: LA Golf BAD...
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millennial82
May 14, 2018 at 12:37 pm
Rod Lindenberg is a Sr. Jedi in golf. Thank you for the lessons, i will surely train in all 10 this weekend.
Bob Jones
May 14, 2018 at 12:32 pm
Fabulous list. I would add the importance of doing whatever it takes to get the ball in the fairway off the tee. The pros can drive the ball anywhere and still make par; we can’t.
ButchT
May 14, 2018 at 12:07 pm
Very good article!
Sherwin
May 13, 2018 at 11:28 pm
I believe this is one of the best article written for GolfWRX. Why the negative responses? I don’t get it. I think the author is spot-on.
Albert
May 13, 2018 at 7:22 pm
Okay, let’s get this straight:
11. Cheat
12. Imbibe
13. No x-e-s
14. Void
15. Page Sp.
16. ??????
BParsons
May 13, 2018 at 3:41 pm
15. Take Paige Spirniac out for a photoshoot before and after round.. BOOM BABY
ogo
May 13, 2018 at 3:10 pm
14. Void yourself so that your lower bowel is unburdened of waste material. A glycerine suppository does wonders to start the process. You will have that floating feeling throughout the round while others labor absorbing their contaminate material. 😮
ogo
May 13, 2018 at 3:05 pm
13. Avoid x-e-s first thing in the morning as it will drain you of essential fluids needed to pulverize the ball off the first tee and thereafter. Save and store your energy for the game, not the gal.
Tom
May 13, 2018 at 11:58 am
great article Mr. Lidenberg. Many facts over looked by golfers,mostly weekenders and some I forgot about.
larry
May 13, 2018 at 9:57 am
maybe the worst i’ve ever read! Shank
ogo
May 12, 2018 at 10:35 pm
12. Imbibe before the first tee. Alcohol is a depressant and will eliminate all your first tee jitters and keep you from a panic attack. Bobby Jones and Moe Norman all took a wee dram of Scotch whiskey to settle their golfing nerves. Many still do.
James T
May 12, 2018 at 11:29 pm
I subscribe to sipping an Italian Sports Drink during the round to keep the swing lubricated. i.e. A pinot grigio from Tuscany.
Obee
May 12, 2018 at 7:32 pm
Wow! Somebody understands the elements of scoriing!! 🙂
KAndyMan
May 12, 2018 at 2:40 pm
Great article! Simple, to the point and great things to always have in the back of your mind at all times. I personally think the first putt and playing the hole backwards are the 2 best. They come into play on almost every hole. My dad beat into my head at an early age to “get your line close but most important your speed even closer on your first putt”.
James T
May 12, 2018 at 2:29 pm
Pursuant to #4. Be emotional before the shot. Be emotional after the shot. No matter if something good or bad just happened. DURING the shot be a robot, unaffected by human emotions, because good or bad emotions can ruin the current shot.
ogo
May 12, 2018 at 2:20 pm
11. Cheat. Ignore the USGA/R&A Rules of Golf, particularly after slicing your drive into the deep rough. Don’t play stroke and distance back to the tee. Carry a second ball in your pocket and quietly dropping it and saying you found your ‘lost’ ball.
apple support
May 12, 2018 at 1:27 pm
Those who are playing Golf or love to play this at some point in time should follow these rules and things that are mentioned here. If anyone wants to be a pro in the game, then all the aspects of the game should be known.