Have you fallen head over heels for golf? Well, you’re not the only one…
More than 107 million Americans watch, play, or read about this incredible sport every year. That’s over a third of the population who engage with golf in some shape or form.
As all golfing beginners realize quite quickly, though, this isn’t a simple sport to master! It’s a technical game in which course conditions, swing mechanics, and club considerations all make an almighty difference. Getting good at golf takes time, practice, and patience. Investing in the right equipment, including quality clubs, balls, and golf bags, can also contribute to improving your overall performance on the course.
Yet it also helps to know about the common golfing mistakes that people make. This insight reveals exactly what to do and what to avoid, which paves the way to faster mastery of the game.
Sound good? Keep reading to discover 6 mistakes to avoid as a new golfer.
1. Not Getting Lessons
One of the biggest mistakes that many newbies make is failing to invest in lessons.
As we said in the intro, getting good at golf isn’t easy! From grip to swing, the whole technique involved is hard to get right. Then you’ve got up to 14 clubs with different purposes to master. And then there are the course and weather conditions to take into account.
Trying to teach yourself golf from scratch may not be impossible. It is, however, a definite challenge.
More importantly, though, with nobody there to right your wrongs, you’re bound to develop bad habits and improper technique. This could hinder your progress and even lead to injuries. Paying for lessons is the best way to avoid that fate and give yourself a solid foundation from which to improve.
2. Getting Inadequate Gear
Bad workmen blame their tools, right? With that insight in mind, you might assume that the quality of your golfing equipment shouldn’t make a difference to your standard of play.
Yet the reality’s not so simple. Sure, as a total beginner, there’s no point in spending an exorbitant amount of money on top-quality clubs! After a while, though, you’re sure to feel the difference with a custom-fitted set of clubs that are well-suited to your swing.
In general, investing a bit of cash in some good-quality golf equipment can make a world of difference. For example, having a chipping net and a putting mat at home means you can practice these shots away from the course. (https://www.techandtrends.com/) Even some software, such as the golf handicap app, can help you improve at a far faster rate.
3. Failing to Warm Up
Warming up before any exercise is all-important. It’s about readying your body for what’s to come instead of jumping straight into the activity and risking injury in the process.
Alas, many golfers (both new and experienced players) forgo this vital process. They walk onto the course with cold muscles, perform a few practice swings (if that), and get going!
Try to resist the temptation to follow suit and take the time to warm up before every game. Stretch out, get the blood flowing, and elevate your heart rate with a few light exercises. You’ll feel better for it and enjoy fewer injuries to boot.
4. Forgetting About Fitness
For one reason or another, golf has developed an unfair reputation as an unphysical sport. Many people see it as a laid-back game to play in retirement, assuming it’s nothing more than a leisurely afternoon activity! However, the reality can be very different.
Golf may be worlds apart from high-intensity contact sports such as football and basketball. But you’d be surprised at the toll it can take on your body. Remember, you could be walking mile after mile around the course in the heat of the day, exerting serious effort on each swing.
That’s why it’s important to keep yourself in good physical condition in readiness for each game. Working on your strength, fitness, and flexibility will make you’re a much better player.
5. Not Practicing Enough
Paying for lessons is all well and good. However, the road to improvement is going to be slow, painful, and laborious if you only pick up your clubs in coaching sessions! The real magic happens when you take what you’ve been taught and spend hours practicing it.
Think of it in the same way as learning an instrument. Having a high-quality teacher makes a big difference, but nobody becomes a maestro on the guitar or piano without putting in the work.
Take the same tack with your Golfing Mistakes and try to practice at every opportunity. Head down to the range to work on your drives, set buckets up in your back yard to practice your chipping, and so on. Get obsessed with the process of improvement and it won’t be long before you see progress.
6. Only Practicing What You’re Good At
Another common mistake that new golfers make is focusing their practice around shots they’ve already mastered.
Now, this isn’t bad in and of itself. After all, it’s important to never rest on your laurels and assume a shot can’t get any better. Practicing the shots your good at is a one-way ticket to making them perfect!
The trouble comes when you fail to practice those shots that have lots of room for improvement. Whether it’s your driving, putting, or pitching, make sure you work on your weaknesses as well. Only then can you expect to become a great all-around golfer.
Avoid These Beginner Golfing Mistakes
Huge swathes of the population get involved with golf every year. And you really can’t blame them! Few sports are quite as fun, social, stress-reducing, and addicting.
There’s no denying it, though, it’s also one of the hardest sports to get good at. With lots to learn, becoming a talented golfer takes practice, hard-work, and a commitment to constant improvement. We hope the information in this post will help out in this regard.
Keep these golfing mistakes in mind and you’ll be multiple steps closer to mastering the game. Would you like to read more articles like this one? Search ‘sport’ on the website now.