Professional golfers are outstanding and scratch golfers have plenty of game. However, there is not much that separates them from the average golfer. Professionals all have a coach and hit plenty of golf balls daily. Scratch golfers mainly just practice a lot. These things lead to more consistency when playing golf but it is not what separates them from the average golfer.
The truth is there are really only two things that separate golfers that consistently shoot 75 or better from the average golfer that shoots 85-90. It has nothing to do with swing mechanics or skill level either. Skill level and good swing mechanics can help any golfer become better but it is not the only reason they shoot consistent low scores.
What are the things that separate professional and scratch golfers from the average golfer?
They are ability to recover from missed shots and short game shots (inside 50-yards). Although these are almost the same thing they are not. Recovering from missed shots covers does include short game but it goes beyond that. Also, the short game is not always a recovery-type scenario.
The ability to recover from missed shots - This is a golfer's ability to bounce back from a missed shot. Good golfers do not hit every shot perfectly every time. When they do have a missed shot they limit the damage from it. For example, when a good golfer hits a wayward shot into the woods they will get the ball back into a position that allows them to get to the green. This allows them to limit the damage from that wayward tee shot. They do the same thing when they hit the ball into a water hazard or take any kind of penalty. They recover from the missed shot and do not let it snowball into a higher score by playing smart. They only worry about one shot at a time. Once the missed shot is over with they focus on the next one and not the score they may make. Once they get through the hole they move on and keep playing golf the way they always do.
Short game - This is part of recovering from a missed shot but also different. having a good short game will also allow for recovering from a good shot but it is much more. Many good players play to the strength of their short game. Yes, good golfers practice these shots more than the average golfer but it is more than that. It is how they approach those short-game shots. They access the lie of the golf ball, determine the best shot to play, and step up to it with confidence. Their approach is the difference. They do not always use the same club for every shot around the greens either. Something I see many mid to high-handicap golfers do. Good golfers also have pretty good distance control with their wedges inside 50-yards. They know a certain swing will carry the ball a certain distance. This gives them the best chances of getting the ball into the hole in the least amount of shots. I did a video a while back on how to Improve Your Wedge Game. Check it out, It may help you.
Since every golfer's game is not the same the way every golfer recovers is not the same. You will need to find what works for you after you have a missed shot. It may be something simple like not trying a high-percentage shot that if missed can turn a 4 into an 8 real quick. Practice different shots around the greens as well. Don't always bring the same lob wedge when you miss a green. I suggest practicing those short game shots but the key is to figure out how to limit scores from getting higher for the missed shots in your game.
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