6 ways to lower scores and fix common golf errors

It's okay to hit bad shots during your rounds on a golf vacation. Playing golf is not about hitting perfect shots every time (even pro-golfers make errant shots every now and then). It's how you minimize your mistakes that are the key.

Thus, recognize your playing flaws and make a way to minimize them. If you'd like to know how, here are some tips:

Grip the club with your fingers to hit the ball farther

It is more effective to grip the club more with the fingers than with the palms. To do this: Flip the club upside down, grip the skinniest part of the club shaft and take a few swings.

Tilt your shoulders for a better swing

To do this: Hit the ball with the clubhead a few inches away from the ball at address. This way, you can perform the correct swing position with your shoulders tilt. Tilting promotes more rounded and forward swing arcs.

Don't take the club too far inside to avoid reverse pivot

Once you take the club too far back to the inside, it'll make you lean too much over the ball. As a result, your weight will shift to your right side, which is the opposite of the proper direction on the downswing.

Rotate for a successful arc

Your head position must be aligned with your right knee when you do your backswing, to rotate your body correctly. Then, you need to put your hands behind the ball, turn your hips about 45 degrees, and rotate your shoulder about 90 degrees. This way, you can make bigger and more powerful arc into the ball.

Avoid too much sway for a better control

 
Rotating is different from shifting your weight while you swing. To check if you're doing it right, try this drill on your golf trips:

Lean your golf bag against your hips and make a full backswing. If you didn't hit the bag or knock it over, you're on the right track. Otherwise, you probably shifted your body weight and swayed your hips too much.

Chicken wing is no power!

Your body should be rotating, your left arm should be in line with your club shaft and left leg, and your club should make solid contact with your golf ball. If they don't, you won't be able to release the club through impact, causing your arms to fold, and ending up with a chicken wing (the shortening of your left or right arm in the downsizing and impact). 

To avoid this, allow your arms and hands to rotate through the shot, keeping your arms extended through the hit. This will eventually make your ungloved hand cross over the gloved, and it will place your arms in front of your chest. 

With the right guidance, and ample time to practice, you'll see lower scores in no time on your golf vacations.