One of the best ways to improve at golf as a beginner is to watch as many tournaments on TV as possible and try to mimic what the professional golfers do. While most of us won't be able to hit the ball anything like they do, we can definitely get better by trying to incorporate some of their habits and routines into our own regimen. Here are some particular things the pros do during a round of golf that are good to duplicate:
> Approach every shot in golf from behind the ball
Many beginners and high handicappers approach the ball sideways, simply taking their stance and looking at the target before swinging away. This is a really bad way to aim. The pros will approach every shot (be it a putt, drive, chip, approach, bunker shot), from behind the ball - looking straight through to the target. They do this in an effort to determine what their target line is, usually picking distinguishable intermediate targets along that line (leaves, divots, off color blades of grass, etc.) to reinforce that line and make aim easier as they approach the ball. This is an absolute *must* when putting (and anytime else, really) because a break (slope) cannot be read as a golfer is addressing the ball.
> Don't hit driver off every tee
The pros know that accuracy trumps distance every time. You'll see them take a fairway wood or long iron to tee off on many holes. It may be fun to pull out the big dog and wail away at every chance, but it's not conducive to good scores. It's a matter of risk versus reward; if there is a high likelihood that a driver will put a ball in jeopardy of going out of bounds or in a hazard, a pro will always scale down to a safer club. Tiger Woods won the 2006 British Open and only used his driver once the entire tournament. Remember that the more loft a club has, the easier it is to hit because A) it is shorter (swinging on a smaller arc) and B) loft negates sidespin (so a driver will produce the most sidespin and the least backspin of any club).
> Try to swing the club like they do
There is a reason why a pro golfer will never swing with a reverse-pivot or flip their wrists on chip shots. Success is greatly limited when doing either of these things. While all pros have unique swings with different swing planes, tempo, etc., there are certain things that they all generally do the same. Some examples:
-They will finish all shots with their body weight more on the lead side (left side for a right hander) than the trailing side.
-They will keep their wrists firm (not un-hinging) through contact for all shots.
-They will make a full shoulder turn on a full swing, and control all other shots primarily with the turning of the shoulders rather than the arms and hands.
-They will keep the left arm extended on the back and downswings, and the right arm extended on the release.
-They will allow the clubhead to release down the target line without lifting up to look at the ball too early.
-They will keep their head almost perfectly still until the finish.
-They will keep their eyes down on the point of contact until well after contact has been made.
-They will have the right elbow brushing close to the body on the downswing.
-They will finish the swing with their belt-buckle facing the target.
-They will hit low, running chip shots whenever possible instead of high flop shots.
So, pick a favorite golfer that has swing you really admire (it's always been Fred Couples for me) and a swing tempo that looks close to yours. Try to watch them play tournaments at every chance, and incorporate as many of their good golf habits into your game as possible.
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