I’ve distilled 5 golf tips (little tricks) for you.
They come from legends of the game — so chances are, you’ll want to read this.
If just one of them works for you over the next few days, you owe me a beer.
Let’s start with one from the master, Gary Player:
“A round starts before the first tee: don’t arrive cold, heavy, or empty.”
Gary always recommends eating properly and warming up a bit before teeing off. I’ll admit it — sometimes I show up in a rush, no warm-up, no balls hit. And water? Only if I remember…Gary says: “Do 3–5 minutes of mobility, drink some water, and arrive at the tee with useful energy.”
The second one comes from Jack Nicklaus, advice he gave to none other than Greg Norman before the final round of the 1986 Open:
“Focus only on the pressure of your grip.”
Norman says he followed that advice, shot 69, and won his first major. I’ll pair that with what Sam Snead said about holding the club:
“Like you’re holding a bird: firm enough so it doesn’t escape, but not so tight that you hurt it.”
Third — if you decide to change something in your swing during a round, change just one thing. Not two. Not three.
This comes from Ben Crenshaw.
The idea is simple: if your brain takes over too much from what’s already automated… disaster shows up.
I’ve experienced it myself. Every time I try to fix multiple things on the course, it all falls apart. Changes? Better at the range.
Fourth:
“Don’t think about the water, the bunker, or out of bounds — think about a precise target.” This one is attributed to the legendary coach Harvey Penick.
Pick a clear target. Commit to it. Clear your mind of everything else.
Because the moment you think about NOT hitting it into the water…
You already know where it’s going, right? Hahahaha.
And the fifth one: close your eyes.
Yes, seriously.
When practicing putting, once you’ve read the putt, close your eyes right before you strike the ball. Even a Golf Digest article says: “Putting with your eyes closed increases your distance sensitivity.”
Apparently, even Sergio García did this at one point to regain feel on the greens.
The mother of all these tips might be this famous quote from Bobby Jones:
“Golf is played mainly on a five-inch course — the space between your ears.”
Have a great weekend, golfer!
Get out there and hit it hard these days! (But not too hard… you know how it goes.)
P.S. Bonus Tip: If you want to clear the noise in your head, try LAZAR — and tell me how it goes.