Three Top Tips to Help You Lower Your Golf Handicap , Friday, July 17, 2009 at 12:21 AM, in

Quite often when meeting a fellow golf enthusiast you'll be met with the question "What's your handicap?" Hopefully you won't embarrass yourself by stating a high handicap but even if your handicap is a bit on the large size there's no need to worry.
Many golfers go years without seeing massive improvements in their handicap. Essentially you need to think of your handicap score as something that reflects your skills and abilities in general, not the last one or ten rounds you've played.
Practicing your wedge shots
Wedge shots whether they are for final approaches to the green or the dreaded bunker recoveries are vital to any golfer's game. Many golfers are aiming simply to get the ball on the green but if you were to take into consideration the lie of the green you would be able to see which places are likely to give you the easiest putts to finish the hole.




Sand shots are a nightmare for many novice golfers, however using the wedge's face to your advantage is key to a successful recovery. By standing square to the ball and leaning slightly on your front foot, getting the leading edge of your wedge under the ball should lift the ball high and clear of the steep back wall of the bunker.
Analyse your own swing
Knowing what you are doing wrong is half the battle with golf, taking practice swings or practicing at a driving range can really help you get a better understanding of what your natural shot is like. Some people are lucky and their natural shot is straight as an arrow, for those who hook or fade their shots off to one side by slowly going through your swing or stopping just where you would strike the ball you may find your hands have rotated.
If your hands have rotated that is what will probably be causing your mis-fired shots. Have a look at the position of your clubs face, if it's opened or closed too much then try rotating your wrists. If it remains a troublesome aspect of your swing then perhaps the grip needs altering so you can swing perfectly and comfortably too.
Reduce your putts
There are many pros that struggle with this part of their short game and it can equal heartbreak in nail-biting finishes to games. Putting is another area where you basically need to practice to get a feel for the right weight to put into your shots.
Practicing from different distances and especially on different gradients should give you a good idea of the power needed to put the ball away in one shot, two at most.




It's advised that your back swing should always be shorter than your follow through as this is what essentially gives the ball it's thrust towards the hole, the rocking motion of your shoulders should lead your arms, hands and putter through the entire motion and make sure you keep an even grip on the putter throughout the swing.
These three tips are common to many golfers' short-comings but are all curable to help lower your handicap.

John Woosey writes on a range of related subjects such as golf handicap software and golf insurance