| By learning how to improve your handicap you will | | | | with their pitching wedge that they have taken this |
| also be improving your golf game overall. But, your | | | | basic swing principle and incorporated it into their long |
| handicap is not in fact the score of a single round of | | | | game. |
| golf; instead it is calculated from the last several | | | | The Mental Game of Golf |
| rounds of golf played. You also have to note that | | | | Even with a great swing and putting skills, a golfer |
| your handicap is not merely your average score; | | | | can have problems if they don't master the mental |
| there are other factors involved. Basically, your | | | | game. Golf requires confidence and focus or |
| handicap is calculated from an average of your last | | | | concentration for each shot; if you are nervous then |
| 20 rounds of golf but also takes into consideration | | | | you will surely make silly mistakes that can cost you |
| the course rating (an average good score by a | | | | many shots. |
| scratch golfer) and the slope rating (the difficulty of | | | | The problem is that many beginners think that the |
| the course for a bogey golfer.) | | | | tee shot, especially with a driver, is the most |
| Putting and the Short Game | | | | important shot to learn. They all have illusions of |
| Many golf instructors and professional golfers believe | | | | being able to hit booming drives down the fairway. |
| that the best method to lower your handicap is to | | | | Mastering the driver is the most difficult shot in golf, |
| concentrate on improving your putting as well as | | | | so many beginners get frustrated and loose |
| your short game. This makes sense when you | | | | confidence when they are continually slicing their |
| consider that the majority of your shots will be from | | | | drives. |
| these two areas and not your drives. Even if you are | | | | This is why it is a good idea to improve your putting |
| able to drive the ball well, if you are hopeless at | | | | and short game first. Technically, putting and the |
| putting and pitching or chipping then you could be | | | | short game are not that difficult. They just require |
| stuck with a high handicap for ever. | | | | practice to be able to get the feel and touch that is |
| Especially, you should focus on your putting technique | | | | required for this area of the game. Once you are a |
| as this will enable you to lower your handicap by | | | | good putter or can stick the ball close to the flag |
| shaving a few shots from each round. So, although | | | | with your wedge then your confidence will grow and |
| the short game is important you should place more | | | | your overall game will improve. |
| emphasis on practicing your putting as you will have | | | | By focusing on what you are good at instead of |
| to putt the ball at every hole - unless you chip the | | | | worrying about how hard it is to drive the ball, you |
| ball in from off the green. | | | | will improve your self-confidence. You can then take |
| Some golfers find that when they concentrate on | | | | this confidence into your long game; just concentrate |
| improving their putting and short game, there long | | | | on making good impact with the ball and placing it in |
| game and driving gets better as well. Of course, this | | | | the fairway. Once in the fairway you know that you |
| is not true for everyone but some players that have | | | | have a great chance of making a par or even a birdie |
| perfected their pitching from within 100 yards of the | | | | because you are confident with your short game. By |
| green have seen improvements in their long game. | | | | following these strategies, you will see improvements |
| This is probably because they have been able to | | | | in your game and your handicap too. |
| make perfect contact and consistently good swings | | | | |