With an improved golf IQ, you’ll be a smarter golfer no matter how difficult the lie is.
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If there’s one way to quickly lower your scores, it’s by improving your golf IQ – but what does that mean?
It means you take the time to properly analyze the risk versus reward before a shot, understand carry distances with each club in your bag, devise a game plan, read the conditions (including the weather and the lie) and then execute the correct shot.
Sounds easy, right? Yes, whoever it is one with a disability like me know nothing in this ridiculous game is easy – but, hey, that’s why we all try to get better.
While raising your golf IQ takes time and effort, it can be done. And with the help of GOLF Top 100 Teachers Tim Cooke, you can start playing smarter (and better!) by simply evaluating the shot and going from there. Cooke shares three tips on how to do this below.
Improve your golf IQ by following these tips
According to Cooke, one of the biggest differentiators among golfers of all levels comes down to something so simple: Decision-making.
“How well can a player judge the forehand to increase his chances of a positive result?” he says. “Often, I see more average players hit the ball well, but the result results in a bogey or worse due to bad decisions.”
Working with both professional and recreational golfers, Cooke identified three areas to help players with their golf IQ, which can lead to better decision-making and better scoring chances.
1. How does the ball lie on the ground?
This is the one that players of all abilities pay the least attention to – but it can create the most havoc.
Ask yourself the following questions as you look down at the ball.
Is the ball on an incline that will affect its flight? For example, on a downhill lie, it usually will create a lower ball flightslightly straight tail for a right handed player.
How much does water on the ball affect your shots? The main teacher explains
Next, is the ball sitting well on the grass, or is it sitting? This will help dictate how steep your angle of attack needs to be to hit the shot cleanly, as well as the height of the shot you can hit.
Finally, is the terrain soft or hard? For most recreational players, a soft lie means you’ll want to play the ball a little further back than normal in the stance – which helps encourage contact with the first ball. Likewise, is the ball and grass dry or wet? The water will reduce the spin speed, so the ball speed can jump.
2. Where does the ball need to fly to reach your target?
Windy or rainy weather and altitude changes affects the ball’s ability to reach its landing spot — so always take that into account when game planning your shot.
Here’s a good wind guide to help improve your golf IQ: When hitting into a headwind, add one yard for every mile per hour. If you are blowing into the wind, reduce the spacing by one yard for every two miles per hour of wind.
Also, are you playing at a very different elevation than your home course? As a rough guide, the ball flies two percent farther for every 1,000 feet of elevation. This should be taken into account when evaluating the scales on your shots.
3. Where does the ball land to approach the hole?
To help get your answer, ask yourself a very basic question: How far am I from my goal?
Say you’re 100 yards from the flag and the hole is four yards short of the green. I suggest using the 5 percent guide to help determine your target selection – as you are less likely to hit a good shot that ends up in short side trouble.
This course hack will improve your aim and reach, says master teacher
This means your target selection will be five meters from the edge of the green, but be sure to use common sense too – if there’s water or a deep bunker on the short side, just make your target selection further away than the number five percent.
With a little practice, you’ll be able to improve your golf IQ by evaluating the shot in less than 15 seconds. This helps you step up to the ball with confidence and move decisively towards your target.
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