What Is The Fastest Way To Get Better At Golf?

It’s something most of us are striving for the moment we hit our first shot: improvement. Lower scores. Progress. Whether it’s sweeter ball striking, a cure for the slice, longer drives, or more holed putts, we’re always on a quest to improve – and we want to do it quickly!

There are many different ways to go about shaving shots off your scores, but not all of them are going to produce quick results for everyone. Some players might stumble upon a quick fix; other routes require a fair bit of patience, one step back to take a couple forward.

One way to get better at golf, of course, is to have lessons. It might not be what everyone wants to hear – especially those who don’t have much time to spare, or beginners who don’t want to feel embarrassed in front of an expert – but there is surely no better way to improve your game than spending time with a PGA professional properly trained to assist golfers in improve their technique.

It won’t come as a shock, but you can’t expect to get better at this game if you don’t practice, either – and we’re not talking about hitting buckets of balls one after the other. Only when you practice with purpose will you see noticeable gains in your performance levels.

Ask a Tour professional what part of the game amateurs should focus on, and most of them will tell you that it’s all about the short game – 130 yards and in (or thereabouts). It’s where the pros tend to make their money, and it’s the part of the game where club golfers throw shots away like confetti! So, in other words, sharpen up those wedges and make more up-and-downs, and start holing more putts – that’ll get your handicap down sharpish, too.

Then you have your equipment. A large percentage of club players use golf equipment that isn’t suitable for their swing. This is why it’s generally accepted that having a custom fitting is one of the fastest ways to get the most out of modern equipment and maximise your scoring potential.

In truth, it’s most likely a combination of the above that will help most golfers improve their game. However, there are some ways of getting better at golf really quickly, without spending a lot of money and without investing huge amounts of time either having lessons or searching for answers on the range.

Golf trainings aids have become crucial pieces of kit, as popular with Tour professionals as they are with weekend golfers. Watch the best players in the world hitting balls on the range or putting on the practice green and it’s rare to see anyone not using one – they are 'must haves’, perhaps just as important as any other bits of gear in the golf bag. If they're good enough for Rory McIlroy, they're certainly good enough for you and me.

From tools that teach players the perfect grip, to swing trainers that help with transition, rhythm and speed, there’s a training aid out there that can help with every part of your game. You might, for example, have a new set of custom fit irons dialled in, but what good is that if you don’t have the right grip, or your backswing is off?

Struggling to find the centre of the clubface? There’s a training aid that can transform your ball striking. Missing lots of short putts? You’ll find a training aid that can help you to take the putter straight back and straight through.

It’s important to find the right training aid for your game, of course, and one that’s going to be effective. Once you’ve worked that out – and a PGA professional is best placed to advise on this – a training aid is the closest thing to owning a cheat code. Performance Golf is an example of a company that specialises in this area, offering a variety of training aids that cover every area of the game from driving through to putting.

Another piece of equipment that has become crucial is the golf GPS (distance measuring device), like a golf rangefinder or GPS golf watch. When you know exactly how far it is to your target and/or hazards, you can, in theory, plot your way around the course without making big scores. Such devices also give you more confidence over the ball, as you know exactly how far it is to your target.

Improving your course management is one of the fastest ways to shoot lower scores, but you don’t have to own a golf GPS or golf laser rangefinder to keep big numbers off the card. By recording how far you hit each club on the range using a launch monitor you will be able to make smarter decisions when you’re out on the golf course. Whether it's making sure you avoid the bunkers or take smarter lines off tees that eliminate the trouble, it’s amazing how tidy your card can look when you play the right shots.