Golf Tips for Beginners

The following Golf Tips are adapted with permission from the "Golf Beginner Guide", a full 272 page resource for Golf Beginners. For only $29.50 you get an incredible amount of invaluable tips, lessons and advice - great value for money. Click the above link to find out more!

Even in a short period of time, most golfers -particularly those with a high handicap - can lower their scores significantly. All it takes is some in-depth practice.

If you're a high handicapper, then by the very nature of your game, you'll hit more shots from outside the green than more experienced golfers. That's because you won't hit the green from the tee as often.

If you aren't getting the ball onto the green with every shot - and that would include even the most successful golfers - then there are two important shots that will improve your game markedly: the pitch shot and the chip shot. However, these are shots that rely upon a perfection of technique: if you don't get the fundamentals right, then you're wasting your time.

If you aren't putting for birdies as regularly as you would like, then your short game becomes more important. As a result, pitching and chipping will form part of the fundamentals of your overall strategy. This is especially important for older men, women, and less experienced players. If you don't have the accuracy or power in your drive, you won't get on to the green as easily.

It doesn't matter how experienced golfers get, they still need to rely on their short shots to win games. Improving your proficiency with short shots will improve the rest of your game, as you'll become more confident.

You don't need extraordinary strength or coordination to become skilled playing around the green. However, you will need to concentrate on the fundamentals of short shots during practice, and you'll need to practice effectively so that these integral shots become second nature during actual play.

Once you've developed a reliable chipping and pitching game, your putts per round will be significantly lowered. It's not that your putting will improve, but your approach shots will be closer to the hole, so your putts will be easier. Of course, this will lead to lower scores.

When practicing these two shots, it's vital to remember not to fall into bad habits. Practice the proper fundamentals and you'll be well-equipped when you need to make the vital shots. Using Richard's videos, or magazine articles with good illustrations, you will learn the simplest ways to develop the proper fundamentals: Richard's short-game videos are best because he shows the correct way to hit these testing shots.

In the following instructions, we assume that you're a right-handed player hitting off a level lie. Adjustments will of course have to be made for uphill or downhill lies.

• Chip Shot- Make sure to play this shot from the back of your stance, near to even with your right foot. Keep your weight mainly on your left foot, with your hands out in front of the ball. Take the club back and up, then come down on the ball with a slightly descending arc. The most important part is to keep your head steady.



• Pitch Shot-Play this shot with your hands slightly ahead of the ball, and off the middle of your stance. Make sure your weight is mostly on your left side, then take the clubhead back steeply and strike the shot with a descending stroke. Keep your head still.

It is imperative that you keep you keep your weight balanced and your head still. We all have a tendency to look up to see where the ball is headed, but you must keep this under control. Watch skilled players hit these shots, and imitate their movements.

Short shots don't take as much energy as full shots, so you can spend more hours in practice on them without getting tired. That's a good thing, because if you want to hit these shots better you need to spend as much time as possible practicing with the right technique. Only then will you be able to play both shots effectively.

For pitching and chipping there's some room for personal preference as far as club choice is concerned. There's merit in sticking to a pitching wedge or sand wedge for both pitching and chipping. It all depends on confidence: some players will be comfortable with hitting pitch shots with a 6-iron or 7-iron clear up to the pitching wedge. The important thing is that you become familiar with the clubs you use on either shot. The type of greens you play on is also important: on small greens you won't have too many long chip shots.

Anxiety and tension are the biggest problems with short shots in competition golf - you know you can hit the shots because you've done it during practice, but the skills just don't seem to transfer. Just like putting, good short shots require trust in your abilities. Anger and frustration will corrode all that good work you've put in during practice. Staying anchored during the game is the first step to becoming a good short-game player.

Concentrating on your game is vital. The same as with putting, the pressure is on with pitching and chipping, because everybody is watching you.

Just picture the line and distance and the stroke you want to use and be sure to stroke the shot with no head movement. With practice, you will do it consistently.

Getting the fundamentals of these two shots practice-perfect will do more for your scores than you imagined possible.