Break 100 In Golf - 10 Top Tips!
Break 100 In Golf - 10 Top Tips To Lower Your Handicap This Weekend!
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In the video and article below, we offer 10 top tips to break 100 in golf that you can use this weekend!
10. Relax Between Shots
Golf is stressful. Trying to build a good score when any number of things can go wrong is possibly the biggest challenge of the game. However, it is important that you relax between shots. Letting your focus drift away from the game during these periods is a must because concentrating for over four hours is almost impossible. Talk to your playing partners and let your mind drift between shots and then switch back into concentration mode just before you hit. This is the best way to remain focussed when you need to be.
9. Lag Putting
It might not sound like the most glamorous part of the game but good lag putting holds the key to how well you can avoid 3-putts. In practice, place three alignment sticks around the hole (the video with this article shows exactly how to do this) and hit some putts from long range. The idea is to get the ball into the box without it going too far and hitting the sticks. This is one of the best putting drills for distance control and a great pre-round drill to get you dialled in.
8. Develop A Fairway Finder
This is a must for every golfer. We all face holes on the course we don’t like so it is vital you prepare for this in practice. This is all about picking a club that you feel comfortable using and a swing thought you know works (Alex simply tries to repeat his 7-iron rhythm) and then, crucially, heading to the range and repeating this swing to build your confidence.
7. Bag Line-Up
If you are looking to break 100 in golf, your equipment choices can really help. The simple advice here is to carry a 5-wood instead or a 3-wood (more loft, shorter shaft) and hybrids instead of longer irons. That’s it. This will make your bag line-up more forgiving and let you get away with the odd bad swing!
6. Aim Small
Getting the address position basics right lies at the heart of how to swing a golf club correctly. When you’re on the course, don’t rush it. In particular, pick as small a target in the distance as you can. If you can aim small (and concentrate on aligning yourself correctly), you can miss relatively big but still hit the fairway!
5. Club selection
When hitting into a green, think about where the majority of the danger is? Usually, it lies short of green. Understand that the key mistake is to avoid coming up and that your cold weather yardages will be different to your warm weather distances. Once you know what it is to carry the front of the green, make sure you choose a club that comfortably gets you past that point.
RELATED: Best Golf Laser Rangefinders
4. Develop The Punch
This is a must-have shot for anyone looking to break 100 in golf. But how do you play the low punch shot? Start by clubbing up so you have less loft in your hands. Move the ball back in your stance at address and grip down on the club. Then, all you need to do is keep your weight on your lead side throughout the swing and keep the rhythm smooth. This will deliver the low flight you’re after - the video with this article shows exactly how to do it.
3. Reset Your Alignment
There is a good reason why the best players in the world work on their alignment regularly. Good alignment not only makes it more likely that you’ll deliver the club square to target through impact but it will also give you a better chance of swinging the club on a good path. In practice, lay an alignment stick down pointing at your target (starting a couple of feet closer than your ball, this picture shows how) and then set another alignment stick down parallel to the first. This will help you check that both your clubface and body alignment are perfectly square.
2. Escape Bunkers
A lot of golfers struggle with this and it stops them from breaking 100. The key for how to play bunker shots lies in the set up. Use your most lofted club and open the face a little before taking your grip. Then ensure the ball is inside your left heel and flex your knees a little more at address than usual. From here, all you need to do is feel that you are sliding the club underneath the ball through impact. This will provide you with plenty of loft and good distance control.
1. Break Your Round Up
The prospect of shooting a good score over 18 holes can seem daunting so why not divide your round up into six, three hole sections. Set yourself a scoring target for each section. This is a great way to plot your progress in a more manageable way.
In his current role, Neil is responsible for testing drivers and golf balls. Having been a part of the Golf Monthly team for over 15 years and playing off a handicap of 3, he has the experience to compare performance between models, brands and generations. For 2022 he thinks the main trend in drivers is: "In a word, consistency. Whilst all the brands are talking about ball speed (and the new drivers are certainly long), my biggest finding has been how much more consistent the ball flights are. Mishits don't seem to be causing the same level of drop-off or increase in the spin numbers. This means that more shots seem to be flying the way you want them to!" As far as golf balls are concerned the biggest development is in the, "three piece, non-Tour, urethane-covered section. For regular golfers, these models offer superb performance at both ends of the bag without denting your wallet quite as much as the premium Tour-played options."
Originally working with the best coaches in the UK to produce instruction content, he is now the brand's Digital Editor and covers everything from Tour player interviews to gear reviews. In his time at Golf Monthly, he has covered equipment launches that date back well over a decade. He clearly remembers the launch of the Callaway and Nike square drivers as well as the white TaylorMade driver families, such as the RocketBallz! If you take a look at the Golf Monthly YouTube channel, you'll see his equipment videos dating back over a decade! He has also conducted 'What's In The Bag' interviews with many of the game's best players like Rory McIlroy, Dustin Johnson and Jon Rahm. Over the years, Neil has tested a vast array of products in each category and at drastically different price-points.
Neil is currently playing: Driver: TaylorMade Stealth Plus Fairway Wood: Titleist TSR2 Hybrid: Titleist TS3 Irons (4-9): Mizuno JPX 919 Forged Wedges: Titleist Vokey SM7 46˚, 50˚, 54˚, 60˚ Putter: Odyssey Triple Track Ten Ball: Titleist Pro V1X
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