The game of golf is a great game to play and is most enjoyed when you are shooting lower scores and getting better each time you play. The key to getting better quickly at golf is to master the short game first. The short game involves putting, chipping and hitting chip shots around the green and bunker shots. Learning how to putt well should be your first goal and it is something that almost anyone can learn how to do well.
Practice short putting:
Being a solid short putter is the foundation to becoming a great putter overall. Simply hit lots of putts from around the hole inside 10 feet, you should be able to make at least 90 percent of those. When putting you do not want to spend too much time over the ball, simply look and react and let the putt go trusting that you will make it. You do not need to spend too much time hitting longer putts, just hit enough to get a feel for the greens and then spend more time on shorter putts. You also must learn to hit chip shots around the green well and the best way to learn this is by simply going to a practice green and hitting shots from around the green from various lies.
Do not forget to also spend some time hitting bunker shots as they can also cut strokes off your handicap quickly. You want to use an open stance which has your feet pointing to the left of the target and hit a spot about 3 to 6 inches behind the ball using a cushion of sand to lift the ball out of the bunker. You want to spend at least 60% of your practice time on the short game so do not spend all your time hitting driver as that will not improve your scores in the fastest manner possible.
Course management can also help you to reduce your golf scores easily and quickly. Most amateur players try to do too much when they are on the course and end up getting into unnecessary trouble. You need to know your strengths and always play the more conservative shot that has a high percentage of success instead of going for flashy and risky shots. On short par 4's do not bother even taking out driver, simply use a long iron or 3 wood to get the ball between the 100 and 150 yard markers and rely on your short game to make birdies and pars..
Click here to learn more on how to get better at golf