How Do I Stop Wasting Golf Shots?

It’s one thing to not be skilled enough to shoot 70, 80, or whatever. It’s another to throw strokes away and leave the course every time asking how do I stop wasting golf shots.

Improving your skills is more difficult than cleaning up easy mistakes. By taking more care in a few areas, it’s easy to knock strokes off and lower your handicap—all without gaining any yardage or becoming a lights out putter.

How to hit from the tree line

Missing a fairway and ending up along a tree line is something every golfer deals with. When you hit your next shot, you need to guarantee it won't hit those trees.

Aim away from them, even if it means going slightly off target of the flag. Should you take a more direct route and pull or push the ball even slightly, hitting those trees will cost you shots. If you clip the trees, you end up with a long way home. Missing big means lost balls or shots impossible to recover from. When this happens, you’re wasting a lot of golf shots.

Make the most of your time

Time management is key on the golf course. When it’s your turn to hit, you should be all business. Have a plan, step over the ball, and put a good swing or stroke on it. The crucial part of this is to be moving and thinking whenever it’s someone else’s turn.

On the tee or off it, play smart - measure distances, look for hazards, and figure out your shot. When you do this, you’ll be ready with the proper club and plan. You’ll have considered anything that might get in the way and will be prepared in every way.

When you’re on the green, you should read the putt from more than one angle. You’ll get to know the putt better and will pick up on things you’d miss if you only look at it from one spot. Doing this while others are putting cuts down on time taken when it’s your turn and will provide the information necessary to avoid wasting golf shots.

Watch what other people do

Having the shortest putt in a group is a nice feeling. This, however, is not a time to wander around and think aimlessly about what you’re having for lunch. Study the putts your playing partners take.

If a green is rolling slow from one side due to the grain, you might not see it when you read your putt. But it can be noticeable when others take their putt. It’s much easier to see things happen than it is to predict them.

Watch the breaks of others, watch the speed. Use this information to make your next putt or set up for a casual two putt.

Stop wasting golf shots by playing the right tees

This is less about course management and more about enjoying the game. Not every golfer needs to play the tips and more golfers need to play forward tees.

If you are shooting above 100 or even 90, move up a set of tees. As you improve as a golfer, you’re welcome to eventually move back, but there’s no reason to shoot 110 when you can shoot 95.

Making pars is fun, making doubles and triples not so much. By moving up a set of tees, your scores will go down and you won’t be wasting shots, you'll flip the script.

This does not fly in tournament play. But if you’re playing casually among friends, give yourself preferred lies, roll the ball in the fairway, and put yourself in spot where you’re not wasting golf shots because of the hand the course dealt you.

Conclusion

I almost can't remember a single round of golf where I could say I didn't waste at least one shot... I had a couple of opportunities to play a bogey free round but I failed to finish it without a bogey. What i wanted to say is that in every round of golf there will be wasted golf shots. Focus on keeping them to a minimum and you will be able to make great progress. Above all, focus on every shot whether you’re playing for a par or for a double bogey 😉