5 Myths Holding Back The Average Golfer

Most golfers don’t lack effort. Golfers are usually more willing to work on their game than they are willing to work on almost anything else. The problem is that there is a lot of misinformation out there. Many golfers are working on the wrong things. These five myths are among the most pervasive and they may be doing more harm than good.

“Most of your shots should feel perfect.”

Golf isn’t supposed to feel perfect. Even good swings often feel awkward or clunky. Ball-first contact and a playable result are far more important than how the swing feels or even looks. In addition, many of the shots great players hit are far from perfect. These shots are just really good misses.

Accept that solid shots might not always feel great and great-feeling swings don’t always produce great results.

As Ben Hogan said, ‘Golf is a game of misses. The guy who misses the best is going to win.'”

“Swing easy.”

How many times has someone told you that you should try slowing down and swinging nice and easy? The theory is that swinging slowly creates better tempo, balance and control. The problem is that most golfers misapply this concept.

Slowing everything down kills sequence, speed and clubface control. Instead, focus on efficient movement: good transition and acceleration through impact. Balance and tempo are the results of a great swing; don’t try to slow things down to achieve them.

“If your swing is perfect, the scores will follow.”

A perfect swing is nice to have but it’s not required to shoot good scores. Plenty of golfers with great-looking swings still can’t break 90. Scoring is its own skill set.

Poor course management, weak wedge play and/or a lack of putting ability often prevent players from scoring low. If you want to score better, focus on smarter decisions, playing to your strengths and getting up and down from inside 50 yards.

“You have to be aggressive to score.”

Sometimes, you have to get aggressive to win. That’s part of competing. However, when you watch the professionals, they often aim away from sucker pins and play conservative lines. If you play a round where you only hit shots to the center of the green, you may score better.

Pick conservative targets and make confident swings. Play a round without being overly aggressive and see if it helps you make more pars. From there, you can inch your target line a little closer to the pin and look for some birdies.

“More range time = better golf.”

There is no direct correlation between time spent on the driving range and lower scores in golf. The quantity of practice is far less important than quality. Hitting buckets of balls with no feedback or purpose often grooves bad habits.

Practice like you play. Use targets, switch clubs often, track patterns, not just “feel.” Even 30 minutes with focus is better than two hours just beating balls.

Final thoughts

Don’t let any of these myths hold you back from becoming a better player. Focus your practice on the range, don’t expect perfection and be smart when you play the course.

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