Tip 1

Thus, the fitness fanatic would provide you with ways of maintaining your rotational strength and your flexibility, so that you improve your strength to play golf by swinging against some resistance that is heavier than the weight of your normal golf club:  a weighted club, for instance, or even swinging a heavy iron bar such as a barbell without the weights.  That builds up the rotational strength in the muscles that you use when you swing a golf club and so produces a stronger and faster swing.

The fitness advisor would also advise you to carry out regular stretching exercises to make sure that your muscles and joints have the flexibility to take advantage of that strength.  Just imagine the power through the swing you would have if you could wind up a backswing like a coiled spring, and then unleash all that force through the ball with a complete follow through.  That's one of the main differences between a professional player and you:  their fitness to play golf.

Tip 2

That's the tip you would get from the fitness fan, and probably the very best golf fitness tip you could be given.  So what about more tips?  If you then went to a golf coach and asked the same question, it would undoubtedly be to work on your swing mechanics and your stance.  If you are not addressing the ball properly, it doesn't matter how fit you are:  you will just hit the ball 400 yards in the wrong direction!  So what would the coach suggest?

Get your stance right.  Have your feet and shoulders pointing in a line to the target. Keep your eyes on the ball, and get your grip just right.  Not too strong and not too weak - you should practice your grip on the range to make sure you know where you hold the club to straighten the club face to the ball at just the right time. Pull back in a full backswing and then follow right through after striking the ball.  Get your stance and grip right and the rest should follow.

Tip 3

But then you might go to a golf school on vacation, and ask the tutor there for just one tip.  What you are liable to get there is an agreement with the coach, but expressed in a different way.  You should get your whole swing right.  You should practice your swing over and over again until you have complete consistency, and can use the same swing with every club, no matter the shot you have to play.  It is this consistency that allows the pros to play consistently well with any club.

They know to the yard how long each club will provide, and simply reduce the swing speed for intermediate distances. Practice your swing, get consistency, and your game will improve beyond anything you could imagine.  You will have the confidence that you can play with any club because your swing is consistent.  Get that on the range by playing the same swing over and over again with all the clubs you have. Build consistency so you can swing in your sleep.

Tip 4

You might then look for a putting coach and ask him or her the most important tip they could give you.  They will tell you that your swing can be as consistent as you like, but matches are won and lost by putting.  When it comes down to it, no matter what your swing is, if you can get on the green in regulation, by whatever means, then your putting is all important.  Practice putting until you have a slotted stroke.  Every putt is played the same way:  dead straight, the right amount of backswing and the same amount of follow through to control the strength needed to reach the cup. Learn how to read greens:  take a course on green reading if necessary, because that can make the difference of several shots every round.

Tip 5

Having listened to the putting coach, you then come across a friend and ask his advice.  You know he is a psychologist and ask his number one tip.  Be positive, he will tell you!  Know you are going to make every shot.  Set yourself up properly for it, and then play with complete confidence.

That is the Number One tip, because if you lack self belief you will never achieve anything.  Work out your next shot as you are walking to your ball, and know that are going to make it.  Imagine certain difficult situations and play them in your mind.  When you come across them, you will know exactly what you are going to do.

Do all of these and you can hardly fail to succeed if you do them right.  The strength and flexibility, correct stance, swing consistency, good consistent putting action and self belief.  What else do you need? You have just described what all professionals wish they had, and all successful ones do have.  You can do no more!

Five Tips to Improve Your Golf Game - The Best Way to Get Them was originally published at http://www.golfplayernow.com