OC Golf Course

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In playing golf with people through the years, I came to the conclusion that there are a couple ways people try to improve their scores.

The first group tries to improve their score by buying new expensive equipment.  They believe that spending money somehow makes them a better golfer.  Conventional wisdom says that this doesn't work but it actually does work in reality because golf technology has improved so much through the years.

Then there is another smarter group of people who realize it's their golf swing that needs to be corrected.  These golfers spend money on lessons, practicing what their coaches tell them.

A third group goes into this further, because they see that it's the short game that counts the most.  Someone once told me that the pros can shoot in the 80s with our golf swing as long as they can keep their short game.  This group of people spends a lot of time around the greens, practicing and practicing.

These three groups of people all want to lower their scores and in some ways, they are all able to.  Some people even do all three, but for those that are looking for easier ways that have immediate impact, check these out.

Glove

Most golfers wear a glove, but the vast majority don't change them frequently enough.  Since the glove is the only connection you have with the golf club, the grip (or the traction that the glove provides) should be very strong.  If the glove is worn out, you will naturally grip harder, making it much harder to make a good swing. 2-4 strokes saved if implemented

Spikes
Some people don't even have golf shoes, and those that do should regularly change them out.  I remember the time when I kept slipping while making a golf swing.  Once I changed my spikes, I was hitting the ball much more solidly.  1-3 strokes saved, more in the rain if implemented

Tees
I love picking up tees, but I've lately started to keep tees to one length for the driver and another for my irons.  In order to be the most accurate off the tee (especially on par 3s), I should keep my tee height the same.  This might sound like a minor change but if consistency is what we are after, this is a no-brainer.  1-2 strokes saved if implemented

Hydration
In the early days of my golfing career, I would play well and then lose the edge towards the end of the round.  After a while of this frustration, I read somewhere that keeping myself hydrated will help me sustain my energy and focus.  This means drinking water, Gatorade or some type of liquids throughout the round.  Nowadays, it wouldn't be uncommon for me to drink 2-3 bottles of water during an 18-hole round.  4-6 strokes saved

Warm up
I still don't spend enough time on warm up but I noticed that sometimes it takes me 1-2 holes just to get relaxed and able to swing freely.  This is all due to not having enough warm up.  Warming up also helps relaxes your mind and enables you to make adjustments to compensate for the way balls are flying.

More importantly, warming up reduces injuries!  1-3 strokes saved

Eat Light
Most people say that eating light helps you stay fit but I noticed that it's harder for me to focus if I eat a heavy meal before or during the round.  It's really the same phenomenon when you feel sleepy after a heavy lunch.  If I cannot focus, it's very hard for me to shoot a low score!  3-5 strokes saved

These are one of the easiest yet overlooked ways to save a ton of strokes!  Next time, try to work all these into your routine and see your scores go way down!