In Golf, handicaps are often calculated for golfers to estimate how well they are playing. An 18-hole golf course has a par of 72. An average of a golfer’s scores over a time period is used to determine how much above or below par he has been performing. The difference between the fixed par and the player’s scoring pattern is his handicap. The number of games or the time period over which the average is calculated varies from club to club. In tournaments, higher handicap golfers are given some advantages to equalize their opportunity to win the game. Scratch golfers are the best ones and are given no handicap. A 2-handicap golfer should average two shots more per 18-hole round than a scratch opponent golfer.

Typically, the scorecard at every golf course has the following elements:

1. The distance and the design of the hole.
2. The par for every hole.
3. A gender based par for the course.
4. The handicap ranking for each hole.

Scoring In Golf, Part 2 is a post from: The Golf Slice

Usually, there are 18 holes and the player with the lowest number of strokes is the winner. This is called stroke play.

Sometimes matches are played on hole-to-hole basis i.e. strokes for every individual hole determines the winner of that hole and after totaling, the winner is determined. The player winning by 2-holes (if he wins two more holes than the opponent) is said to be two holes up and, the loser, two holes down.

The term par indicates the number of strokes required for the ball to reach the cup/hole. It includes the number of shots required to reach the green from the tee, plus two shots on the green. Depending on the conditions, either one, two or three shots are required to get from tee to cup, and the hole marking is done as follows:

• A hole of 250 yards is a 3-par hole.
• Holes of 251 to 470 yards are 4-par holes.
• A hole exceeding the above two is a 5-par hole.

Scoring In Golf, Part 1 is a post from: The Golf Slice

Take it step by step:

• Take deep breaths and control your breathing so you don’t allow the nerves to take over, they lead to a bad shot!
• Focus on your target and visualise your shot.
• Don’t allow anyone else to distract you from your pre-shot routine.
• Act relaxed and casual around everyone else so that the atmosphere does not build up.
• Don’t procrastinate about the rest of the round, you haven’t tee’d off yet.
• Remember what you’ve learnt, practiced and go for it!

Do these steps every single time and I can guarantee your first tee nerves will be much smaller than what they currently are. I was once an extremely nervous person but over the years have concentrated on practicing with distractions and managing my nerves to keep the same swing over and over.

Addressing The First Tee is a post from: The Golf Slice

Yardages, Par and Stroke Index
If you haven’t got a stroke saver then the chances are you will want to get familiar with what holes are coming up by having a look at the yardages and stroke indexes to prefer for what is thrown at you. A common one by my playing partners is “Is this a par 4 or par 5?” and we’re walking down a hole that is 350 yards long. Tell them to get a scorecard, you and they will now be able to know the stats for every hole!

Local Rules
This part of the score card is a serious must read before any competitive round! This piece of card holes the difference between whether you can do a certain action to stop you being penalized for no reason. Present it to your playing partners and show them the correct ruling and get the relief that you are able to receive.

Make the most of every part of the scorecard by jotting down little notes on your own card and also make sure you keep your partners scorecard neat if you’re marking it for him/her!

Know Your Scorecard is a post from: The Golf Slice

Get to the Range 3 times a Week
A little bit of homework here and that’s setting you a challenge of getting to the driving range at least 3 times a week and hitting 100 balls or so. You’ll find that next time you go to play a round after you’ve kept your rhythm going all week, you’ll see a decrease in your scores due to shots that appear from no where because you’ve lost a little consistency.

Short Game, Short Game, Short Game
I can’t stress that short game is a big factor if not the biggest factor in scoring very low. Even if you can’t get on the range, practice putting and chipping in the comfort of your own home and develop a great feel. If you can practice on your course chipping and putting green that’ll be even better. Be better than your playing partners by practicing more than them!

Practice Really Does Make Perfect is a post from: The Golf Slice

Developing yourself as a golfer involves learning how to deal with nerves towards the end of a round and also having your golf game perform when you need it to, is essential to keeping your score low.

So let’s take a look at what you can focus on to stop your round falling apart!

• Think of your favourite golfer and how they perform right till the last putt rolls in, it gives you inspiration and helps you strive to win.
• Take your time over every shot and make sure you stick to it, rushing right at the end can force errors that you really don’t need!
• Think positive thoughts and clear your mind before you make the swing. Having all sorts in your mind will only lead to you having doubts.
• Think about your practice sessions and how you do it every single time you play the hole yourself. You know you can do it so make the swing!

Try these tips next time you’re about to finish the round!

Keeping Yourself Together At The End Of Your Round is a post from: The Golf Slice

A lot of new golfers forget one of the basic principles of golf: you have to swing down in order to make the ball go up. This applies to every golf club you have in your golf bag except for the putter and your driver.

Beginners sometimes think they have to lift up during their swing to get lift on the ball and that’s just not true. When you hit the golf ball on a downward swing the ball gets lift based on the clubhead alone.

You don’t need to “lift” up to get the ball in the air during your swing. When you do try and force that lift you end up missing the ball completely or hitting an awfully weak shot.

As always, if you’re unsure turn on the television and watch the professionals swing to get a better idea of what you should and shouldn’t be doing.

Swing Issues For The Beginning Golfer is a post from: The Golf Slice

Everyone has their own style and way to grip a golf club that they develop over the course of time. The really important part of the grip is that it gives you enough control over your golf club. A lot of people talk about the feel in your hands and whatnot but I’m more about the end result.

The “feel” folks want you to have one solid presence between your hands, the shaft of the club and down to the clubhead. They’re concerned with making sure you’ve got the right tension and that you aren’t gripping too tight (or not tight enough).

I say practice makes perfect and that you won’t find what feels right until you start seeing results that satisfy you. Once you start making shots you’re happy with analyze your grip and stick with it. There’s no perfect solution for everyone.

The Myth Of The Perfect Grip is a post from: The Golf Slice

An old school golfer, who wants to rant and rave about hitting irons, will tell you that as the loft of the club increases you should have a different stance. So, in other words, as the position of the ball shifted to the right as the loft changed you would take a more open stance.

Today’s golfers, especially the professionals, use a much simpler system. In this simplified approached, the right foot moves closer to the left as the loft increases and the golf ball is positioned closer to the golfer (because the shaft on the club is going to be shorter).

So the moral here is that regardless of what club you’re playing make sure your stance is square to the line and your golf ball is always played off the heel.

Changing Your Address With Each Club is a post from: The Golf Slice

By definition an artificial obstruction is anything on the golf course that is man-made in the way of your golf ball. This can be broken down nicely into two categories: movable obstructions and immovable obstructions.

A movable obstruction is a something small that you can, surprise, move out of the way. Things like empty “soda” cans, lawn rakes and trash would fall under this category. You’re allowed to move these types of obstructions out of the way or, if they’re making physical contact with your ball, you can mark where your golf ball is at before removing the object.

An immovable obstruction is then, obviously, something you can’t move out of the way of your golf ball. These types of objects are typically permanent features of the golf course like sprinklers, utility sheds or even stand for spectators. If your golf ball stops on, in or under an obstruction like this you are allowed to seek relief by moving it back into play without penalty.

Dealing With Artificial Obstructions On The Course is a post from: The Golf Slice