10 BEGINNER GOLFER MISTAKES TO AVOID
1. Overthinking
Overthinking is the most common issue amongst golfers of all levels. Though it may not be the most prevalent issue for all golfers, the vast majority will mention having issues with overthinking at some point when they’re out on the course.
Overthinking shots can lead you to spend too much time over the ball which can result in your body tensing up, something you want to avoid when swinging a club, or simply lead to forget how to swing your golf club. Additionally, it can create some confusion in your mind when you’re on the green trying to read the lines and prevent you from committing to your shot.
2. Not committing to the shot
Not committing to your shot can also be very damaging to your scorecard. This may sound cliché to experienced golfers, but it’s still one of the biggest issues for golfers of all skill levels. Just like overthinking, not thinking your shot through can end up being just as costly.
Off the tee or down in the alley, hitting a shot without committing to it can lead to a wayward strike that can directly affect your scorecard. On the green, doubt will almost always end up with you leaving your putts short.
3. Playing the wrong tees
Playing from the wrong set of tees will undoubtedly have an impact on your scorecard. When you’re teeing off from a set of tees that is too far back for your skill level, you’re simply making the game harder for yourself. Also, playing from too far back on the course will lead to slower rounds for not only you but the people behind you as well.
On the other hand, playing from tees that are too short for your skill level will often end up with you having to pull out a wedge on your second shot or it will even allow you to reach the green on holes that shouldn’t be drivable. The nice thing about playing closer, however, is that your score will also tend to shrink.
4. Can’t hit any fairways with the driver
This is a very common complaint amongst weekend golfers who go out on the course once a week for their weekly round with their crew. Even the best of pros will tell you that hitting the fairway with consistency is very difficult, which is why you should temper your expectations.
But we can certainly understand the frustration that comes along with always playing from the rough or even worst. Additionally, it becomes much more difficult to reach greens in regulation when you’re hitting from anywhere other than the fairway.
5. Picking the wrong golf club
Picking the right club can be very difficult, especially for less experienced players as they don’t have the same amount of knowledge. Tight lies and tricky ball placement, especially when your ball is completely out of line will make you question your club choice, but that is entirely part of the game of golf.
Struggling to decide between the clubs you’re playing out of the fairway shouldn’t be affecting your game, but some players simply can’t escape those frustrations. Picking the right club can be the difference between a chance for a birdie or a difficult up and down that can result in a bogey.
6. Unable to get the ball on the green in regulation
Getting the ball on the green is a challenge for many golfers but getting on there in regulation (the number of strokes expected out of a player to reach the green) can be even more troublesome for most.
Placing your ball in putting position in two on par-4 will not only give you a chance at birdie, but it’ll also add one green in regulation (GIR) to your scorecard. The same goes for par-3s in one stroke and par-5s in three (or fewer). Not being able to score a lot of GIR will end up being costly on the scorecard.
7. Struggling to read the lines on a putt
There’s no denying it, reading greens is an art form which requires a lot of experience. Beginners are not expected to read putts with accuracy as they’re new to the sport. But if you’ve been playing for many years and are still struggling with reading putts, a growing frustration would be understandable.
Reading the lines on the green plays a major role in the success of your putting game. Your odds of rolling in a long putt without reading the line to the hole are astronomically lower than when you do. Having a strong putting game can salvage a bad swing day on the scorecard, or it can help you achieve your personal best!
8. Leaving putts shorts
Missing a putt because you didn’t hit the ball hard enough on the green is guaranteed to lead to some frustration, regardless of who is putting the ball. Leaving a putt short can be explained by many factors, but the one constant is that the golfer who hit the putt wasn’t committed to the strike.
Most of the time, leaving a putt short will not be too costly on your scorecard, but it’ll still cost you a strike regardless, meaning that your par-save opportunity might rapidly turn into a putt to salvage a bogey.
9. Playing from hazards
There’s nothing more frustrating than hitting a drive that feels great off the tee, only to walk down the fairway and realize that the ball went ahead and hid in one of the hazards on the course. Trying to hit an approach shot or your second shot out of hazard like a sand trap with anything other than a wedge is guaranteed to lead to frustration.
Playing out of hazards, like a fairway bunker makes the strike at hand much harder than what it would be if it was played out of the fairway or even the rough. Unless you’re an expert at scrambling, playing out of the rough will certainly end up being costly on your scorecard.
10. Having to wait between shots
There’s no escaping this one. Having to wait between shots on the golf course is often part of the game. Usually, you shouldn’t have to wait more than a few minutes for the group ahead to clear the landing area for your ball. But sometimes, courses can be backed up and the wait can build, which leads to more frustration.
Having to wait between shots will tend to make golfers tense, especially with beginners, as you’re prevented from building momentum in your game and your swing. A tense body makes for poor swings that will almost always result in disappointment.