Sometimes all it takes is one good tip to unlock a better round. A small change to your set-up, a smarter decision on a par 5 or a new way of practising putting can save several strokes. This guide brings together fifty proven golf tips, organised by area of the game, so you can find the advice you need quickly.
Do not try to apply all fifty at once. Read through, pick two or three that address your biggest weaknesses and work on them until they become habits. Then come back for more.
Set-up and fundamentals
1. Check your grip regularly. Hold the club in your fingers, not your palms, with light pressure. Grips drift over time. See how to grip a golf club.
2. Aim the clubface first. Set the face square to your target, then position your body parallel to the target line.
3. Use an intermediate target. Pick a spot a foot or two in front of the ball on your target line — it is far easier to aim at something close.
4. Check your shoulders. Many golfers aim their feet correctly but their shoulders left. Lay a club across your chest to check.
5. Get the ball position right. Centre for wedges, gradually forward to the inside of your lead heel for the driver.
6. Hinge from the hips. Good posture lets you turn freely. Push your bottom back and let your arms hang naturally.
7. Build a pre-shot routine. The same steps before every shot keep you consistent under pressure. See the mental game of golf.
The full swing
8. Turn, do not sway. The backswing is a rotation, not a slide. See how to improve your backswing.
9. Start the downswing from the ground up. Shift your weight to your lead foot before your arms move.
10. Swing at 80%. A controlled swing improves contact and often produces more distance than an all-out effort.
11. Hold your finish. If you cannot balance at the finish for three seconds, you swung too hard.
12. Hit down with irons. The loft lifts the ball. Strike the ball first, then the turf.
13. Keep your head steady — not rigid. A stable head helps contact; let it rotate naturally after impact.
14. Find your tempo. A rhythm of roughly three counts back to one count down suits most golfers.
15. Fix the set-up before the swing. Most swing faults begin before the club moves. See golf swing fundamentals.
Off the tee
16. Tee it high with the driver. Half the ball above the crown encourages an upward strike and better launch.
17. Tee up on the side of the trouble. If trouble is on the right, tee up on the right side of the tee box and aim away from it.
18. Use the club you trust. On tight holes, a hybrid or fairway wood in play beats a driver in the trees.
19. Pick a precise target. Aim at a specific tree or bunker edge rather than "the fairway".
20. Learn your slice fix. If you slice, start with grip and alignment. See how to fix a slice.
21. More distance comes from centred strikes. Check impact location with tape before chasing speed. See how to hit the golf ball further.
Approach shots
22. Take one more club. Most amateurs come up short. If in doubt, club up and swing smoothly.
23. Know your real distances. Use average carry, not your best shot. A launch monitor session helps.
24. Aim for the centre of the green. Pin-hunting leads to short-sided misses. The centre gives the biggest target.
25. Play to your miss. If you usually miss right, aim slightly left of centre.
26. Account for elevation. Uphill shots play longer; downhill shots play shorter.
27. Respect the wind. Into the wind, take more club and swing easier. See playing golf in bad weather.
28. Beware of flyers. From the rough, the ball often comes out with less spin and flies or runs further.
Short game
29. Roll it when you can. A low chip that rolls is more predictable than a high pitch. See how to chip in golf.
30. Use different clubs to chip. Match the club to the carry and roll you need instead of always using a sand wedge.
31. Keep weight and hands forward on chips. This creates crisp, ball-first contact.
32. Hit the sand, not the ball, in greenside bunkers. Open the face and accelerate through. See how to hit bunker shots.
33. Learn three wedge distances. Use backswing length to control distance with each wedge. See wedge play and spin.
34. Putt from off the green when it is smooth. A poor putt usually finishes closer than a poor chip.
35. Pick a landing spot. On chips and pitches, focus on where the ball should land, not the hole.
Putting
36. Speed first. Most three-putts come from poor distance control, not poor reads. See how to putt.
37. Aim for a three-foot circle on long putts. Make the second putt easy.
38. Read from the low side. Slope is often easiest to see from below the hole.
39. Play more break than you think. Most amateurs under-read putts and miss on the low side.
40. Keep your head still on short putts. Listen for the ball to drop rather than watching it.
41. Practise the three-foot circle. Confidence on short putts makes you more aggressive on longer ones. See our putting drills.
Strategy and course management
42. Avoid the big number. Get back to the fairway in one shot when in trouble.
43. Lay up to your favourite distance. On par 5s, leave yourself a full wedge rather than an awkward half-shot.
44. Play long par 4s as par 5s if you cannot reach in two. Bogey is a good score.
45. Track your statistics. Fairways, greens, putts and penalties show where you lose strokes. See how to lower your golf handicap.
Practice
46. Practise with a target every time. Never hit range balls into open space. See our driving range practice plan.
47. Spend half your practice on the short game. That is where most strokes are played.
48. Practise little and often. Three short sessions beat one long one.
The mental game
49. Play one shot at a time. Forget the last shot and the scorecard; focus on the shot in front of you.
50. Enjoy it. A relaxed golfer plays better — and golf is meant to be fun.
Which tips should you start with?
| If your biggest problem is… | Start with tips |
|---|---|
| Inconsistent contact | 1, 6, 10, 12, 15 |
| Slicing | 1, 4, 9, 20 |
| Lack of distance | 10, 16, 21 |
| Missing greens | 22, 23, 24, 25 |
| Poor chipping | 29, 30, 31, 35 |
| Three-putts | 36, 37, 41 |
| Big numbers | 18, 42, 43, 44 |
| Nerves | 7, 49, 50 |
Turning tips into lasting improvement
- Choose one area where you lose the most strokes.
- Pick two or three tips from that area.
- Practise them for at least two weeks.
- Test them on the course in a casual round.
- Measure with your statistics.
- Move on to the next area once the change is reliable.
A coach can help you prioritise. See golf lessons: how to choose an instructor.
Bonus tips for tricky situations on the course
Ball above your feet
The ball tends to fly left (for right-handers). Grip down, stand a little taller, aim slightly right and make a flatter, rounder swing.
Ball below your feet
The ball tends to fly right. Bend your knees more, stay down through the shot, aim slightly left and expect a little less distance.
Uphill lie
Set your shoulders parallel to the slope. The ball will fly higher and shorter, so take one or two more clubs and aim a touch right.
Downhill lie
Set your shoulders parallel to the slope with more weight on your lead foot. The ball will fly lower and run, so take less club and swing down the slope.
Under the trees
Take a mid or long iron, play the ball back in your stance, make a short backswing and keep the finish low. Your only goal is to get back into play.
From a divot
Play the ball slightly further back, hands ahead, and make a steeper, firmer strike. Expect a lower flight with more run.
Into the wind on a par 3
Take more club and make a smooth three-quarter swing. A lower, controlled shot holds its line far better than a full-power swing.
After a long wait on the tee
Make a few slow rehearsal swings and stretch while you wait. Stiffness after a delay often causes poor tee shots.
On the first tee
Choose your most reliable club and a generous target. A safe start settles nerves for the rest of the round.
When you are playing badly
Simplify: one swing thought, smooth tempo, conservative targets. A round can be rescued with good decisions even when the swing is not cooperating.
Habits of golfers who improve fastest
- They take lessons and follow a plan rather than collecting random tips.
- They track their statistics and practise their weakest area.
- They practise the short game at least as much as the full swing.
- They play to their strengths on the course.
- They stay patient, accepting that progress is rarely a straight line.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best single golf tip for beginners?
Learn a good grip and set-up. Most beginner problems start before the club moves. Our beginner's guide covers the basics.
How can I lower my score quickly?
Avoid penalty strokes, take enough club, aim for the centre of greens and improve your lag putting. These changes need no swing changes at all.
How many tips should I work on at once?
Two or three. Trying too many changes at once leads to confusion and inconsistency.
Should I practise or play to get better?
Both. Practice builds technique; play builds course management, decision-making and the ability to perform under pressure. A good balance for many golfers is two practice sessions for every round, with practice focused on the weaknesses revealed by their statistics.
How do I stop making the same mistakes?
Keep a simple record after each round: where you lost strokes and why. Patterns appear quickly — perhaps tee shots on tight holes or three-putts. Work on those specific issues and adopt a course-management rule to avoid repeating them.
The bottom line
Better golf rarely comes from one magic secret. It comes from sound fundamentals, smarter decisions, a reliable short game and practice with purpose. Choose the tips that address your biggest weaknesses, work on them patiently, measure your progress — and enjoy watching your scores fall. For a full strategy plan, read golf course management and how to play uneven lies.