Is Your Golf Game Consistent for 18 Holes?

Every now and then you may hit a shot that to all intents and purposes is perfect. I’m not necessarily talking about a hole in one though. What I am talking about is hitting a shot and finding that the outcome is exactly what you intended. You could hit a shot which is pretty bad from the tee but it may still end up in the hole. This is called luck. The problem is that a lucky shot probably comes along with the same regularity as a perfectly executed shot. That is, not very often.

However, in order to get good at this game we call Golf there is one thing which you need to attain and that is a level of consistency in the quality of your shots. If you are able to consistently hit relatively good shots throughout 18 holes then you will end up with a pretty good score at the end of the game. Consistently good shots will also enable you to overcome the effects of any particularly bad shots that you may play during a round.

Consistency works both ways though. You are aiming to be consistently good. However, there is the possibility that you will get into a habit of performing certain aspects of your game consistently poorly too. For example one of the curious things that can happen to golfers is that they will perform well during certain parts of their game and poorly during others. You for example might shoot consistently well during the first nine holes and then consistently less well during the second half of the round. Or, you may feel your way around the first nine holes performing below your capabilities but then get more confident on the closing nine. The thing is you will probably find you are doing this every time you play.

A lot of people though don’t realise that there is a reason for the way they play every part of their game. There are reasons you do things well and there are reasons you do things poorly. If you identify the poor elements and work to improve them then you could notice vast improvements in your overall game. In the above example, the most

common scenario is poor performance over the back nine. The common causes for this are tiredness and dehydration. In fact, if you don’t keep yourself well hydrated, then this can lead to tiredness, so taking on an appropriate amount of fluids during your game is essential.

If you find yourself among the group of players that perform better on the back nine than on the front nine it could be that you need to look at your mental preparation for the game. If you are tense before a game or nervous this could affect the way you grip the club and it will affect your swing. Inevitably as you relax and get into the game then you will start to improve towards the latter half of the round. If you are having trouble relaxing before you tee off then there are lots of relaxation techniques you can try.

Back to the point of having a consistently good game though I am afraid that there is really only one solution to the problem, and that is practice. However, the way you practice is also key. If you consistently practice bad shots then they will form part of your normal play. You should aim to iron out the bad elements of your game during your practice rounds. The best way to do that is get an independent view of your technique. This doesn’t mean asking other players or friends and relatives, this means getting advice from a professional. All players, and especially those looking to significantly improve their game should seek professional tuition. That way you will get an unbiased view of how you play your game and you will get valuable advice on how to improve it.

Golf Exercises for a Better Golf Game

You may have read one of my other articles that states being fit, supple and flexible could improve your golf game dramatically and help you avoid golf related injuries. I gave also a few examples of the types exercises you could do in order to avoid injury. I want to take that a step further now by giving you a couple of examples of exercises you could be doing which will help keep you fit and therefore maybe improve your performance on the golf course.

If you are going to use exercise and improved fitness to help improve your game then it probably stands to reason that the types of exercises you should be looking to do should be golf related. There’s no point in going out there and following a general fitness program with the aim of getting better at golf. You need to develop an exercise regime aimed specifically at improving your swing, your balance, your stance and a number of other things in order to hit a decent shot consistently over the course of a game.

I would like to recommend now that you go out and buy a piece of exercise equipment. Don’t worry though because this won’t cost you too much as all I am talking about investing in is an exercise resistance band. These are great because you can take them anywhere and use them in lots of different ways. One of the best exercises you can do using resistance bands actually mimics the full golf swing. Attach the resistance band to the top of a door and with tension in the band go through the motion of your normal golf swing. This will help you develop strength specifically in the muscles used during your swing.

Other types of exercises that are beneficial to golfers are those which strengthen the muscles in the back. A great exercise for the back is the alternating leg and arm extension. Start on your hands and knees with your back and arms straight and your upper legs as close to perpendicular to the floor as possible. Now, you should slowly extend your left arm and your right leg so that both are straight in front and behind you respectively. While doing this you should imagine you have a glass of water on your back. The exercise should be done without spilling any of the water. So no jerky movements and keep your back straight. Now bring your arm and leg back to the starting position and repeat on the other side. Do this 10 to 15 times and after a while you should notice that your back feels more comfortable during your golf game.

Those were just two examples of exercises you can do which may improve your game. There are loads of others you can be doing too to help you avoid injury and enjoy your game more.