Being a scratch golfer is defined as “a player who can play to a Course Handicap of zero on any and all rated golf courses.” Most of us would associate it with having a handicap of zero. In plain words, scratch golf means that on a neutral golf course a player has the abilit…

One of the main themes of this site is to help recreational golfers do away with unrealistic expectations on the course. Expecting too much of your golf game is easily one of the biggest roadblocks to progress. Many golfers are too hard on themselves because they are watchin…

I am almost positive that every single golfer who reads this site wants to find ways to lower their scores. That can be a complicated proposition because the path to golf improvement can be difficult and confusing. Luckily for you, Practical Golf is watching out for you! One…

I started Practical Golf for two reasons – I want to help you all improve as golfers, but more importantly, I want you to enjoy the game more. Improvement comes in many different forms – technique, the mental game, strategy, playing the right equipment, and a few other topic…

I have been a keen observer of golfers for many years now. I watch them on the range and during their rounds – I’m always paying attention. There is something that has always been fascinating to me about this game, and what it does to people. If there is one truth I have fig…

Expectation management is fundamental to becoming a better golfer. When it comes to strategy and which golf shots we choose to execute on the course, it can be the difference between success and failure. In this article I want to explore a concept that has taken me more than…

There is a terrible misconception about birdies amongst golfers that I would like to clear up. It is causing players to take unnecessary risks, and bloating their scores. If you can shift your philosophy on what a birdie represents, I believe your golf game will be better of…

With the golf season underway I’ve been getting a lot of emails and Tweets from golfers who are playing in local tournaments and qualifiers. The questions are all pretty similar – people want to know how to prepare for success in a golf tournament. While I can’t tell you the…

Hitting a green in regulation (GIR) is defined as the following – if any part of your ball is touching the putting surface and the number of strokes taken is at least two fewer than par. This simple definition does not do it justice though. I believe this is the most importa…

Double bogey is defined as scoring two over par on a hole, but that simple definition doesn’t even come close to giving this term justice. No matter what level of golf you are playing, being able to avoid a double bogey is one of the main factors to your success. Most player…

How you feel (mentally, emotionally and physically) as you step onto the first tee is going to make a big difference to how well you play throughout the round. Many of my students begin their mental warm-up a few days before a tournament, but in this lesson, I’d like to shar…

Golfers at any level can lower their scores without making a single change to their swing by having the optimal strategy on the course. One of the best course management tips I would give to any player is knowing key yardages to various targets on every hole they play. This…