Golf is a relative game, but still a competitive one. Whether it is prestigious tournaments, local club matches, or just competing with how you played last month, golfers are always looking for a way to measure themselves against other golfers. For many, a handicap provides…

I’ve been playing golf for close to 25 years now. As I learn more and more about the game, there are lessons “hiding in plain sight” that I wish I knew when I was first taking up the game. In this article, I’d like to explore a concept that eluded me for a long time. While I…

In 2005, after playing competitive golf at the junior and NCAA level, I stopped playing the game entirely for around eight years. Like many young people building a career, I moved to a city where I found golf inconvenient and, quite frankly, unaffordable. When I returned to…

Strategy is one of the topics that fascinates me most about golf because it combines multiple disciplines – expectation management, mental discipline, and numerical analysis. I also love course management (another word for strategy) because it’s a way for golfers of all leve…

There is usually a gap between the golf you’re playing right now, and the level you want to get to. Typically, those goals are centered around the scoring milestones of breaking 80, 90, and 100. What I have found in my own game and many others, is that there are often unreal…

As you know, golf is incredibly challenging because there are so many different facets of the game. While most golfers don’t have the time or resources to become an expert, that doesn’t mean you can’t be proficient enough to see progress. A common trap that golfers fall into…

One of the great joys of golf is placing friendly wagers against your buddies in match play format. Whether it’s for pride or a Nassau with plenty of junk, it’s a great way to get the competitive juices flowing. And not to worry, you can keep your amateur status as long as y…

Golfers at all levels struggle with making optimal decisions when it comes to target selection. One of the main reasons this occurs is that players are not taught to think their way around the course when they are first taking up the game. Most of that time and attention is…

If every golfer had a magic genie who could grant them one wish, most of them would ask, “please make me more consistent!” This is one of the most common requests amongst anyone who plays the game. In my opinion, consistency is perhaps one of the most misused and misundersto…

Years ago, I read a book called The Paradox of Choice: Why More Is Less. It warned how excessive choices in society (even as simple as buying a pair of jeans) wasn’t making us happier, but causing more stress and anxiety because of unrealistic expectations and something refe…

One of the reasons I started Practical Golf was to help put an end to the myths and misinformation that golfers spread amongst themselves. Game improvement advice is often like a game of telephone from your childhood – by the time it reaches you, the information is not very…

Anyone who reads this website frequently knows that I am committed to helping golfers find ways to increase their performance on the golf course without using swing advice. The golf world has focused almost exclusively on technique. I always felt that the rest of the game wa…