For any mid to high handicapper out there, if you’ve ever played with a low-handicap golfer, there’s a good chance you absorbed some information that (hopefully) helped improve your game. After all, there’s a reason why those skilled players have lower handicaps — because they know, and follow, good information.
Many of the best golfers I know work hard on their games and have a practice plan that they follow. They also understand course management and other fundamentals a little better than the average player does, which helps give them an advantage.
So if you’re trying to lower your scores and achieve your golf goals this year — which is likely all of us! — here are 10 things that a mid to high handicapper can learn from low handicapper.
1. The grip has great responsibility
How you place your hands on the grip of the club has a direct result with how the golf ball flies, since your hands control the clubface throughout the swing.
Holding the club properly in the fingers also helps create speed, as well as the ability to release the club.
Proper grip size is also really important, and low handicappers are typically quite particular about their grip type and its size.
2. The divot happens on the target side of the ball
Successful golfers generally understand that when the ball is on the ground, a proper divot happens on the target side of the golf ball. Unfortunately, many new golfers incorrectly try to lift or scoop the ball, which leads to poor contact — likely thinning or topping shots.
One of my favorite practice techniques is to place a tee flat on the ground on the target side of the ball. The goal should be to have your club sweep or scrape this tee off the the ground, allowing your club to still be on the ground after the ball.
3. Hitting the ground is a good thing
When the golf ball is on the ground, your club needs to hit the turf to get true launch. Better golfers are often very comfortable hitting the ground and taking some grass and dirt.
4. Understanding the difference between a chip and a pitch
Better players know the difference between a chip and a pitch.
The former has a lower ball flight, where the ball rolls equal to or more than the distance it carries in the air. The latter has more carry than roll due to using a more lofted club, allowing the ball to carry more than it rolls.
By understanding the difference between the two, you can choose your shots and weigh your risk more wisely — as well as use the proper fundamentals for each swing motion.
5. How to make solid contact more consistently
While not always perfect, low handicappers certainly hit the ball more consistently in the center of the clubface. This will be a direct result of a good setup and swing path.
To accomplish this more regularly, a player must use good technique and put in an ample amount of practice time. It’s during those times practicing that this good contact is earned.
6. The driver setup is different
If you tend to pop your driver up from off the tee, there’s a good chance that you’re not setting up properly. Better golfers are quite good at making the setup adjustments needed when using the driver.
The ball position when using a driver should be more forward and towards your lead foot. Your shoulders should tilt away from the target so that your lead shoulder is higher and the trail shoulder is lower. This will allow the ball to be contacted on the upswing, which maximizes smash and distance.
7. Bunker play — just hit the sand
There’s no need to try to lift the golf ball out of the bunker. By simply getting the club down to the sand and using the loft of the club, you’ll have the ball clearing the lip and landing onto the green.
One way recreational players can learn from a low handicapper is by watching their finishing position after hitting a shot.
The more skilled bunker player is likely balanced over their forward foot, rather than falling back on their trail foot.
8. Distance control matters on the greens
Low handicappers three-putt way less when compared to other players.
So how can recreational players minimize three-putting? It’s all about dialing in distance control and rolling the first putt closer to the hole.
Master distance control by using varying stroke size, allowing the ball to roll different distances; rather than trying to hit the ball shorter or farther. Using great practice drills will help to improve this skill.
9. Avoiding penalties and limit mistakes
Sure, good golf includes hitting the ball in the right locations, but it also requires avoiding the “no-go” spots that can add unnecessary strokes to your scorecard.
So avoiding out of bounds and penalty areas is a skill that every low handicappers possess.
Penalty shots often lead to double-bogeys (if not worse), so practicing strong course management is an important part of lowering scores and handicaps.
10. Every day is different
Golf is hard, so just because you played well yesterday doesn’t necessarily mean that you’ll automatically have that same ability the next time you play.
Part of what makes this game so fun is that you must earn low scores every round, which is a mindset that the best players understand.
Making adjustments mid-round and self-correcting any mistakes takes skill, and that ability comes as you play more often, learning your strengths and weaknesses. The best players have this.
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