Golf is one of the nation’s favorite pastimes, and once you get the bug to start playing it’s easy to see why.
That being said, many of these players are high-handicap golfers. These are people who can struggle with the intricacies of the techniques and mental aspects of the game. We’ve all been there, but now there are a wealth of resources available to help you improve your game.
Keep reading for our top golf tips for high handicappers.
1. Poor Grip and Hand Positioning
Poor Grip and Hand Positioning can be one of the most common mistakes made by high-handicap golfers. A proper grip is crucial for achieving accuracy, control, and consistency in golf shots.
Many golfers tend to grip the club too tightly, resulting in tension and restricted movement. Other golfers may have a loose grip, leading to an unstable clubface at impact.
Hand positioning also plays a vital role in the golf swing. Placing the hands incorrectly on the club can affect the clubface angle and swing path.
This leads to errant shots. Common errors include having the hands too far forward or backward on the grip or having an improper hand rotation during the swing.
To improve grip and hand positioning, golfers should focus on finding a neutral grip that allows for a relaxed yet controlled hold on the club. Proper hand placement on the grip should be practiced and reinforced through regular training.
Seeking guidance from a golf professional can be invaluable in correcting and refining grip and hand positioning, ultimately leading to better shot-making and lower scores on the course.
Hot tip: the grip on your club also matters!
2. Incorrect Alignment and Setup
These are two of the most prevalent mistakes among high-handicap golfers that can greatly impact their performance on the course.
Misalignment can lead to misaimed shots, causing the ball to veer off the intended target line. An incorrect setup can hinder a golfer’s ability to execute a consistent and efficient swing, resulting in poor contact and inconsistent ball flight.
To address these issues, golfers should pay careful attention to aligning the body parallel to the target line. Make sure that the feet, hips, and shoulders are properly aligned. A correct setup includes positioning the ball in the appropriate position in the stance, with the weight balanced evenly between both feet.
Regular practice and awareness of alignment and setup can greatly improve a golfer’s accuracy and consistency.
3. Lack of Proper Weight Transfer
The weight of your body and how you utilize it plays an important part in a good golf swing. A lot of high-handicap golfers often struggle with how best to transfer their weight from their back foot to their front foot during their swing.
Proper weight transfer helps to generate power in your swing and helps you maintain your balance. Golfers that don’t transfer enough of their weight will tend to under-hit their shots and miss their target.
Excessive weight transfer can also be a problem though. It can cause errant shots because the swing path has become inconsistent.
To improve weight transfer, golfers should focus on initiating the downswing with their lower body while maintaining a stable upper body. This enables the transfer of weight to the front foot and promotes a fluid, powerful swing.
Practicing drills that emphasize weight transfer, such as step drills or swinging with a deliberate weight shift, can be beneficial in developing this essential aspect of the swing.
4. Overemphasis on Power Instead of Technique
This is a common mistake in a lot of sports. Beginners tend to put all their effort into producing the most powerful shots they can. This is a bad habit to get into as the emphasis should always be on proper technique.
When golfers prioritize power over technique, they often sacrifice proper swing mechanics and rhythm. Swinging too aggressively or forcefully can result in a loss of balance, an inconsistent swing path, and a lack of control over the clubface.
To address this mistake, golfers should strive to find a balance between power and technique. Developing a solid foundation of fundamental swing mechanics, such as proper grip, posture, alignment, and tempo, is crucial. Concentrating on a smooth, controlled swing with an emphasis on maintaining balance and rhythm can lead to improved shot accuracy and consistency.
5. Inconsistent Ball Position
Ball positioning is something that a lot of high-handicap golfers tend to overlook when they think about their game. The key to golf, like most sports, is achieving a level of consistency. Start paying attention to where and how you’re placing the ball for your shots.
When golfers have inconsistent ball positions, it becomes challenging to develop a consistent and repeatable swing. Placing the ball too far forward or too far back in the stance can lead to inconsistent contact, resulting in shots that are either topped, fat, or struck off-center.
To address this issue, golfers should strive for consistency in their ball position. The ideal ball position varies depending on the club being used and the type of shot being played.
Generally, for longer clubs like drivers and woods, the ball is positioned closer to the front foot. For shorter irons and wedges, the ball is positioned more in the middle of the stance.
6. Neglecting The Importance of Pre-Shot Routine
As we mentioned above, golf is about consistency. Many golfers simply take their shot with no sense of routine and wonder why they’re playing so hot and cold.
Nailing down a pre-shot routine helps you to get in the right headspace before each shot. Most crucially, it helps to turn every shot into its own routine, which helps you refine your technique and achieve a level of consistency.
Your chosen routine is completely personal, it can include actions such as visualizing the shot, selecting the target, taking practice swings, and implementing specific breathing exercises to calm the mind and body.
7. Poor Club Selection
This point is more about reading the specific circumstances and environmental factors of the short that you’re trying to make. A lot of high-handicap golfers tend to think of club selection as an easy thing to do or a rigid choice based on a fixed set of criteria.
Poor club selection can cause high handicappers to over or undershoot, miss greens, and fail to take advantage of situations that are presented to them.
Figuring this one out requires some independent research. Take some time to understand your clubs. Spend some time at the range taking lots of shots with all of your clubs to assess their worth in different situations.
The range is seldom an independent experience to the course, use it to improve your game without having to worry about the extra stresses of a full round of golf.
8. Poor Course Management
What sets golf apart from other sports is that the playing field is an active part of the game that can present its own challenges and is always changing. Every course is different, so you cannot approach every round of golf in the same way. If you want to improve your game, improving your course management is vital.
When golfers lack proper course management skills, they may find themselves in challenging situations, making it harder to score well. This can include poor shot selection, aiming at risky targets, or failing to account for hazards and course layout.
To improve course management, high-handicap golfers should familiarize themselves with the course layout, including the location of hazards, the positioning of fairways, and the placement of flags on the greens.
Part of the struggle is adopting a more strategic mindset. Sometimes it pays to lay up instead of opting for the high-risk long shots.
9. Ignoring the Short Game
The course may be big, but golf is a game of incredibly fine margins. The short game is what separates the chaff from the wheat in golfing terms, and many golfers with high handicaps neglect it.
The short game encompasses shots played within 100 yards of the green, including pitching, chipping, and putting. The short game requires finesse, touch, and precise control, which are essential for scoring well. Ignoring this aspect of the game can lead to missed up-and-down opportunities, three-putts, and wasted shots around the green.
Make sure to allocate plenty of your practice time to work on your short game. Practice makes perfect after all, so don’t spend 100% of your practice time drilling long shots at the range; get out to a pitch-and-putt and work on your 100-yard game.
10. Neglecting the Mental Aspect of the Game
You might play with friends and colleagues, but golf is a solitary pursuit. A lot of the battle takes place in your head. You can’t simply will yourself to be better, but if you get in your own head too much and overthink things or make rash decisions, it will translate to your swing and affect your game negatively.
You can improve the mental aspect of your game through techniques such as visualization, positive self-talk, and relaxation exercises.
Practicing mindfulness and staying present during each shot can help golfers stay in the moment and avoid getting overwhelmed by past mistakes or future outcomes.
Get More Advice For High Handicap Golfers
Having a high handicap is nothing to be ashamed of. Golf is a notoriously challenging game, and the best thing that high-handicap golfers can do is to keep working on their technique down the range and learn to relax and enjoy the game they love.
If you want more tips and tricks from a fellow high handicapper, then explore some more of the great articles on this website. We want to help you improve your game just as we’re trying to improve ours.
