8 Common Beginner Golfer Mistakes and How to Avoid Them
Are you a beginner golfer who’s been hitting more balls than fairways?
Let’s face it. Every golfer makes mistakes when starting out. Whether it’s an improper balance or bad timing, there is a lot of advice on how to improve your game.
But what are the most common beginner golfer mistakes, and how can you avoid them?
We’ve got a shortlist just for you. Keep on reading to learn what not to do when you’re trying to improve your golf game.
Table of Contents
1. Believing in Golf Myths and Misconceptions
Common beginner mistakes in golf occur mostly because of myths and misconceptions they believe. This can lead to bad advice being followed, crippling the fundamentals of their golf swing and overall game.
The most common misconceptions include the “one size fits all” approach, in which a teacher tries to fit one swing to suit every person’s style, as well as thinking only practice can improve your game.
In order to avoid these beginner mistakes, the player should always keep an open mind and learn from the best. Also, have weekly golf lessons.
Coaches and books can help, but it’s best to be assessed by a professional golf instructor who can build a more personalized plan of attack.
Additionally, golfers should understand the importance of both practice and physical fitness in improving one’s game. With careful instruction and practice, beginner golfers can avoid costly mistakes and set themselves up for a successful career on the links.
2. Keeping the Wrong Grip
Having the correct grip can cause your golf club to be angled correctly at impact, which leads to an array of mis-hits. To ensure the proper grip on your club, it’s important to grab onto the middle of the handle, line up both hands’ forefingers and point them back at your face.
You should also make sure your palms are slightly facing each other, with your right hand situated higher than the left. Once you’re sure you have the right grip, you should use light tension—just enough to keep the club in your hands—while you swing.
By following these simple steps, you can ensure you are avoiding the wrong grip and its associated problems.
3. Not Enough Focus on Posture
Poor posture creates a number of problems and can negatively affect a golfer’s game. This can result in decreased distance, poor contact, and improper club control.
To avoid this problem, a golfer should take the time to practice good posture. When assuming an address position, ensure that the shoulders, hips, and feet are aligned properly with the target line.
Additionally, concentrate on keeping the spine angle constant throughout the swing and make sure the head remains still relative to the target.
4. Falling Prey to Cheap Equipment
Falling prey to cheap equipment is a common beginner golfer mistake and can be avoided with simple tips if you are planning a golf trip.
First, don’t be tempted by the reduced price of “cheap” sets or individual clubs since the quality and design of cheap clubs are generally inferior.
Instead, it’s best to invest in a complete set of high-quality clubs. Second, try to demo, or at least rent, a set of clubs to discover your ideal setup, allowing you to avoid overspending on a complete set that may not feel comfortable.
Finally, adding colourful golf shirts to your look is a smart way to personalize your golf game. With brighter colors, the golfer stands out and also feels more confident during the golfing experience, which can contribute to improved performance.
5. Not Analyzing Your Putting Stroke
A smooth and consistent putting stroke is one of the main components of playing golf well. Failing to take the time to identify and analyze the stroke can lead to a number of problems.
To avoid these mistakes, it is essential to practice and identify any deficiencies in one’s putting stroke. Taking the time to focus on fundamentals such as setup, grip, posture, backswing, follow-through, and release is key to developing the right technique.
6. Not Enough Balance and Timing
Not having enough balance and timing is one of the common mistakes for beginner golfers and can lead to poor shots, poor performance, and slow progress in the game.
To avoid this mistake, focus on getting proper setup, address position, and weight distribution. Make sure your grip is correct, and your club face is square to the target.
7. Unreining in Your Distance
Unreining in your distance often occurs if the golfer doesn’t balance their use of technique and power in their stroke. It is vitally important to create a solid foundation of technique to gain control of the ball and aim it toward the target.
So beginners should look to attain control by subtly adjusting the length and weight of their backswing. Being able to control the speed of the clubhead at impact leads to successful contact with the ball and often better results.
8. Not Setting Effective Goals
Amateur golfers often make the mistake of setting goals that are too ambitious, having unrealistic expectations of their golf game, or setting vague goals that lack intentionality.
To avoid this mistake, the first step should be to assess one’s current golf capabilities, setting achievable short-term goals and aiming to improve gradually over time.
It may also be beneficial to break down progress into working towards individual goals, such as aiming to hit the golf ball straighter and keeping track of practice and game day results.
Developing a structured practice plan, setting clear and measurable goals, and defining reward systems for progress made can all be helpful in avoiding the mistake of not setting effective goals.
Avoid These Common Beginner Golfer Mistakes Today
Golf is a game of finesse and practice. As a golfer, practice makes perfect. Always be mindful of common beginner golfer mistakes like poor posture, improper grip, and swinging too hard so you can avoid mistakes from stealing the thrill of a good game.
With practice, you can become a great golfer and enjoy the game. Get out there and try to avoid common beginner golfer mistakes today!
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Last Updated on January 17, 2023
