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18 helpful golf tips presented by your favorite golf shrink

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Today I’m going to add to the untold number of golf tips that have been offered through the ages. The theme is “if you want to shrink your handicap, listen to your shrink.” In this case your intrepid Dr. Golf is your shrink. Eighteen is a good number in golf, so these are concise.     

Book a golf lesson with a PGA pro every so often. Have your pro look at and video both your swing and your putting in order to give you honest helpful feedback and suggestions.

Carry several new golf gloves in your bag. When one glove gets soggy, let it dry and put on a fresh, dry one so your hands don’t slip. Check out sales and buy in bulk.

Use a chalk line and a string line for putting practice. For those testy putts from 4 to 8 feet you need your eyes directly over the ball and the putter going straight back and through. 

Get your eyes checked every 24 to 36 months by an optometrist or ophthalmologist, especially if you are over 45. As we get older, vision often becomes a problem. Had Ben Hogan’s aging eyes been better, no telling how many more majors he would have won.

Add at least 15 more yards to your drive. Of course this is golf’s Holy Grail, but you can’t score unless you get your drive in position to attack the green. One way you do this is getting stronger, and gym workouts are a must for sure. Also,  refer to tip no. 1 above.

When you buy new clubs have them fitted. The latest clubs have a lot of variations, like loft, lie angle, shaft length, stiffness and more. Fitting helps with balls and putters also.

Use a laser rangefinder or GPS device or both. They give your distance and speed up play.

Devote half your practice time to putting and chipping, since half your strokes are there.

For chip shots near the green, keep the ball low and running. Leave the high flop shots to the big-money pros. Consider using a hybrid to run the ball up if you’re on shorter grass.

Take a break from Facebook or YouTube and read some great classic golf books. 

Replace your long irons with hybrids. Unless you are a legitimate scratch handicap you shouldn’t carry anything stronger than a 6 iron in your bag. Hybrids are a whole lot easier to hit, and go longer and higher, for folks with swing speeds under 100.

Spend some time practicing with alignment sticks or clubs on the ground when on the range.  Two sticks, placed like rails, will help aim your feet, hips, eyes, arms and shoulders.

Keep track of your stats. Most amateurs only look at score. If you’re serious about golf you should know your numbers. Chart your fairways hit, GIR’s, up-and-down saves, putts and so on. You will find this will highlight your strengths and will direct your practice effort.

Pack light when taking a golf trip. Airlines charge for golf clubs, except for Southwest. I keep a nice set of golf clubs with faraway family members so I don’t have to drag them around for visits there. Pack things like rainwear, caps and shoes in your golf bag, and secure the clubs in a rolling travel bag with an extendable Club Glove Stiff Arm for protection.

If you are a business executive organize (and pay for) a corporate golf outing with a cursory meeting. Take your company employees and sales force out for a day of golf; even a member-guest affair, whether locally or at a resort. Do it with class and it will go a long way to keeping your key employees and even your clients happy and impressed.

Buy an adjustable driver if your clubs are still in the dark ages. The ever-quickening pace of technology means clubs get outdated in only a few years.  You can adjust the loft, face angle and launch trajectory with a simple manufacturers tool.

Dress sharp like you’re a golfer and honor the game. No jeans, t-shirts or flip-flops. 

But you don’t always have to adhere strictly to the book. There are 24 Rules of golf in the USGA book. 

I have one extra – “rule 25”:  Have fun.


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