Main winner explains easy methods to simply shave 5 strokes off handicap

Golf instruction is ever-evolving, however the very best recommendation stands the check of time. In GOLF.com’s new sequence, Timeless Ideas, we’re highlighting a few of the biggest recommendation lecturers and gamers have distributed within the pages of GOLF Journal. Right this moment we glance again to our June 2009 difficulty for some recommendation from Geoff Ogilvy on easy methods to save 5 pictures per spherical. For limitless entry to the complete GOLF Journal digital archive, be part of InsideGOLF right this moment; you’ll take pleasure in $140 of worth for under $39.99/yr.

There’s nothing like some good dialog within the grill room after the spherical. It’s the place you and your enjoying companions debrief on the day that was. The highs and lows. The great pictures and unhealthy. The birdies and bogeys.

A standard chorus comes up usually in these conversations. “If solely I had …” Golf is simple whenever you analyze it on reflection. If everybody had a couple of mulligans each spherical, the sport could be a heck of so much easier. Alas, mulligans are not part of the foundations of golf and we should dwell with the end result of each shot.

Fortunately for you, expensive reader, there are some methods to get these unhealthy pictures again. All it takes is limiting the variety of instances you throw away pictures through the spherical.

Again in 2009, former U.S. Open winner Geoff Ogilvy joined GOLF Journal to share a few of his secrets and techniques for cleansing issues up on the margins. Observe them and also you’ll shave 5 strokes off your handicap very quickly. Test it out beneath.

Shave 5 strokes off your handicap

In the event you had your A-game each spherical, golf could be simple. All of us put up low scores after we’re splitting fairways, hitting pure irons and draining lengthy putts. However what makes you a very good participant — and a tough-to-beat opponent — the way you play whenever you’ve left your A-game (and is possibly even your B-game) at dwelling.

Whenever you’re not enjoying properly, the worst factor to do is to attempt to hit excellent pictures. Save the proper pictures for whenever you really feel excellent. On days like this, you’ll want to acknowledge what you continue to can do, after which use that to get the ball from tee to gap. You don’t have to hit excellent pictures to win — when you’re lacking proper, intention left and let it reduce. That shot will really feel extra doable, and that’s the secret when it looks like nothing’s working.

In the event you begin planning and executing pictures — it doesn’t matter what pictures they’re — your confidence will come again, and it’s possible you’ll very properly discover that your recreation comes again with it. Right here’s easy methods to make these mid-round fixes to your drives, iron pictures, chips and putts that can get even your shakiest spherical again on observe.

Driving: Discover a swing that works

Purpose: Hit one much less drive out of bounds
Save: Two strokes

Crucial factor to do when you’ll be able to’t discover the green is discover a driver swing that can get you again on observe and eradicate the probabilities of actually dropping one left or proper. If I’m hitting my driver horribly, I’ll throttle again to my 3-wood or 2-iron. One other nice mid-round repair is to easily choke down on the membership an inch. It’s superb how a lot simpler it’s to manage your drives when you do that. The decrease ball flight will really feel extra controllable, particularly whenever you’ve been hitting it in every single place. Lastly, when you’re lacking to at least one aspect or the opposite, plan for it. My principal miss is true, so if I’m having a troublesome day, I’ll intention to the left fringe of the green and let it come again.

Strategy: Handle your misses

Purpose: Hit yet another inexperienced
Save: One stroke

Ona good day, you’ll be able to go after any pin. However whenever you’re not feeling it, it’s loopy to go after troublesome pin placements. The hot button is to overlook on the right aspect of the outlet so you’ll be able to land the ball on the inexperienced and never waste a stroke chipping or pitching from the tough or sand. Transfer your goal space to the fats aspect of the outlet. If the pin is to the suitable, like it’s right here, miss it left. If the pin is brief, miss it lengthy.

Take a tip from how Tour execs play the most important tournaments. In a U.S. Open, you’ll want to handle your misses. You’ll be able to stand up and down from the right aspect of the outlet, however the firmness of the greens and thickness of the tough make it unimaginable to stand up and down from the mistaken aspect. Augusta Nationwide is identical. You’ll be able to stand up and down all day from underneath the outlet, however it’s unimaginable whenever you’re above it.

You’ll understand how the ball will react on the greens after the primary couple of holes. If I’m enjoying properly, I’ll intention about 10 ft to the left of the outlet. If it’s “a type of days,” I intention away from bother. Rule No. 1 on a foul day is to take double-bogey out of play. Decide your touchdown space based mostly on how assured you’re. Regardless of how properly I’m enjoying, I by no means go proper on the pin: 10 ft left is fairly good.

Brief recreation: Get it rolling

Purpose: Rise up-and-down yet another time
Save: One stroke

When you have a strong brief recreation, you’ll be able to rescue quite a lot of unhealthy drives and approaches. The important thing to chipping is to get the ball rolling as quickly as you’ll be able to. Take a look at the lie: If the ball is sitting down deep within the grass, use a extra lofted membership. If the lie is tight, you need much less loft.

Additionally, don’t attempt to spin your chips; you’ll get higher roll with much less spin. In the event you’re hitting them fats, keep away from the temptation to maneuver the ball again in your stance. The explanation you’re hitting it fats is that the angle you’re bringing the membership down on is simply too steep, and this causes the clubhead to hit the bottom first. With the ball again, you’re simply going to return in even steeper.

Placing: Belief your instincts

Purpose: One much less three-putt
Save: One stroke

Once I was youthful, Ian Baker Finch informed me that whenever you’re not placing properly, you must cease studying greens. That’s an exaggeration, however when you cease overanalyzing the greens, your thoughts will instinctively know what to do. The essential factor is to maintain it easy. Attempting simply makes it worse. If I’m not having a very good day on the greens, I don’t take into consideration my mechanics, and I strive to not over-read the greens. As a substitute, I simply line up in a cushty place that lets me really feel just like the ball goes to go in. The extra I do by intuition, the higher I putt.

Amateurs ought to faucet into their instincts extra as a substitute of doing what they’re informed is the “proper factor.” I can’t let you know how I do know a putt feels proper; I simply understand it does. Your ft will really feel the slope higher than your eyes. Stand over the ball and line up in order that the putt feels proper. If it feels mistaken, step away and begin over.