5 Tips for Playing More Consistent Golf

There are few things golfers desire more than consistency from swing to swing, hole to hole, and round to round.

A big part of what makes this game so maddening at times is the way your game can just disappear for no obvious reason – you are playing well for a while, and then suddenly you can’t seem to find the clubface.

On the topic of consistency, we do have to break a bit of bad news – it’s always going to be a part of the game.

Even the best in the world go through periods of inconsistent play. It’s just a fact of life when playing a game this difficult.

With that said, this article is going to offer up five tips that aim to help improve your consistency moving forward. You can’t completely eliminate those periods of poor play from your game, but you can work to make them shorter and less dramatic. Let’s get started!

#1 – Obsess Over Balance

We are leading off with perhaps the most important point in this whole article. If you hope to play more consistent golf, your balance during the swing should be your top priority.

It’s easy to get caught up in the many other fundamentals involved in this game, but balance rules them all. You might be surprised to find what you can get away with from a technique perspective if you at least have your balance in order.

One simple way to monitor your performance in this area is to always ‘stick the landing’ after your swing. In other words, hold your finish position for at least a second or two, to make sure you are balanced.

If you can’t do that, there is a balance problem somewhere in your swing, and you would be wise to address it as soon as possible. The underlying cause of a balance issue can be many things, but an improper stance and swinging too hard are two possibilities.

#2 – Put the Odds on Your Side

Sometimes, a stretch of bad play will be kicked off by a bad decision. For example, you may try to go for the green in two on a par five when, in reality, the green was actually out of reach.

If that shot winds up in the water or the woods, you could walk away with a double bogey when a par or better was in your sights.

The frustration that comes along with such a mistake can knock you off track and it might take several holes to get your game going again – if you ever do.

In golf, the conservative play is almost always the right choice. Sure, there are times when it will make sense to be aggressive, but don’t force it.

When in doubt, keep your ball safe and keep your round moving along nicely. As you pay more and more attention to this part of your game, you will improve your ability to pick and choose the right times to take a risk.

#3 – Master Short Putts

Along with balance, short putts are another huge factor when it comes to being consistent on the course.

If you can knock in the vast majority of your short putts with confidence, you will open up a little margin for error in other areas of your game. For example, you might feel comfortable being more aggressive with some iron shots, knowing you can get up and down to save pars when necessary (as long as your chipping game is in decent shape, as well).

Also, having confidence in your short putting may give you more confidence on longer putts. Without fear of that two- or three-footer you might leave coming back after your first attempt, you can be aggressive with birdie and par putts – and hopefully, more of them will drop as a result.

Of course, good short putting doesn’t happen by accident, so spend plenty of practice time on this crucial area of your game.

#4 – Use the Big Muscles

A consistent swing is typically one where the big muscles of the body do most of the work.

If you are currently controlling your golf swing with your hands and wrists, that swing might work sometimes – but it may fail you at the wrong time, as well. Instead, focus on making a big turn with your shoulders going back, and an aggressive move with your hips going forward.

Putting the control of the swing into your big muscles will help you hit more powerful shots, and it will also help you perform under pressure.

When you do hit a bad patch of ball striking during a round (or even on the range), focus on getting back on track by doing a better job of engaging your big muscles in the swing.

#5 – Keep Showing Up

It’s incredibly difficult to play consistent golf if you don’t golf consistently. While most of us don’t have the luxury to play or practice every day like the pros, work on planning your schedule so you can avoid going too long in between outings.

Golf is a game that requires plenty of repetitions to stay sharp, so avoiding downturns in your performance may come down to little more than continuing to show up for rounds and practice sessions.

Look for a driving range that is convenient to access from either your home or your work. See if that facility offers any kind of discount for buying buckets of balls in bulk – some kind of a membership or pass. Then, plan a weekly visit to the range into your schedule if at all possible.

Even if you don’t get out onto the course as often as you would like, making a trip to the range a regular part of your routine will keep you sharp and make sure your technique doesn’t fall off too badly in between rounds.

Of course, in addition to helping you perform more consistently, playing and practicing more often is just plain fun!