Watch any PGA pro and you'll see that he or she does the same things on every shot. They follow the same pre-shot routine, they use the same tempo, and they follow through the same way on every shot. Everything's the same—or the same as humanly possible. Thanks to hours of practice, they've repeated these actions so many times they've ingrained them. In other words, they've become habits. Usually, they don't even think about them. They just do them.
If you're serious about chopping strokes off your golf handicap, you'll do the same. Watching professional players like Tiger Woods, Sergio Garcia, and Phil Mickelson, I pinpointed seven habits all good players exhibit. They're simple, straightforward golf tips—things you've probably encountered before. But ingraining them dramatically cuts your golf handicap—without taking a single golf lesson or digesting tips from your favorite golf magazine.
You've probably seen these golf tips discussed in books or heard them mentioned in your golf instruction sessions. But never thought of them as "habits." The seven golf tips are
1. Play in the subconscious
2. Be aware of the clubface
3. Swing along the target line
4. Maintain consistent speed
5. Depend on the Lead Hand
6. Let the ball get in the way
7. Roll the ball on the ground.
Turning Your Mind Off
The keys to cutting strokes from your golf handicap include knowing when to turn your mind off. Learning to play in the subconscious means allowing your instincts, touch, and feel to take over. Make it a habit. Playing in the subconscious prevents too many swing thoughts from entering your mind and eliminates negative thoughts from clouding your thinking. Visualize the shot, prepare yourself, and take your mind out of play. Concentrate on the target and let your body do the rest.
In addition, to playing in the subconscious, be aware of the clubface and the target line. When aimed properly, the clubface sends the ball directly at the target at impact along the target line. Therefore, you need to be aware of the clubface's angle, controlled by your grip, and the direction of the target line. Light grip pressure allows you to feel the weight of the clubface. Take the club back along the target line. Then follow through on the same target line to completion.
Maintain Consistent Swing Speed
Maintaining consistent swing speed is another highly effective habit that helps cut strokes from your golf handicap. Deceleration kills a shot—whether you're driving the ball or chipping it. Choose the right club and take a full swing. In addition, let your lead hand "captain" the shot. In other words, swing the club with your lead hand and guide the club along the target line with your other hand.
To hit solid shots, develop the habit of swinging "through" the shot, not at the ball. Execute every shot—drive, pitch, chip, and so on—like this. In fact, hit every shot this way, whether your taking a practice swing or an on-course shot, to ingrain the action once and for all.
Finally, developing the habit of rolling the ball on short shots whenever you can. Rolling the ball provides more control than flying it high in the air—and improved control is what you want. A ball rolling on the ground has a much better chance of going in the hole than flying in the air and hitting the green. On chips shots, the ball should spend 20 percent of the time in the air and 80 percent on the ground.
Conclusion:
Watch any professional golfer and you'll see he or she has "habits." These habits consist of actions they've taken so many times they've ingrained them—and they're all highly effective. Developing highly effective golf habits is the secret to achieving a low golf handicap. Discussed in golf lessons and golf tips, these habits are simple, straightforward suggestions you've probably never thought much about. Now that you know how critical they are, work on them.
Jack Moorehouse is the author of the best-selling book "How To Break 80 And Shoot Like The Pros." He is NOT a golf pro, rather a working man that has helped thousands of golfers from all seven continents lower their handicap immediately. He has a free weekly newsletter with the latest golf tips, golf lessons and golf instruction.
