Category: Mental Game

Tips to help save you strokes on the course without even practicing. Putting and driving can give you the advantage on the course, but these tips can give you the advantage over the field. If you can remember one or two of these tips, you can use them for your lifetime in the game.

1. Take Your Bag Off!

It’s an easy tip, but I’ve seen it too many times. Unless the shot is right under the basket and your hand can reach the chains, take your bag off! If you don’t practice putt with your bag on, why would you have it on while your putt in a tournament? It can throw your body off balance, not allow your extend your arm, and most importantly cause you to miss the putt. Take your bag off, drop in the putt, and move on to the next one.

Question from Lisa:

“After playing for many years I seem to have found a rut. My game is ok but I would like more. Any ideas how you can keep things fresh and have a little growth? After playing for so long it’s hard to see the little changes.”

Response from Val:

Hey Lisa,

I hear ya, playing so much can really cause repetition in your game, which may not always be a good thing. One thing I would suggest, if you haven’t done this already, think of the part of your game that is lacking, or a certain throw that you don’t have in your bag.

Question from Indigo Brude:

“This year I have been practicing a lot and trying really hard to become more consistent. I’ve stopped going for distance on my drives, and have been focusing on placement (keeping it in-bounds, in the middle of the fairway, within decent up-shot distance to the basket). Still though, it seems like at least once every round, I “blow up” on a hole. I throw a crazy drive, have a tough time recovering, miss the putt… and there goes all the work I’ve done throughout the whole round in that one catastrophic double or triple bogie. Is there anything I should be doing in practice to keep this from happening in tournaments? How do you play so consistently good?”

Sarah’s Response:

Ahh, the classic blowup hole.  First of all, realize that we all have these moments.