Have you ever finished a round of golf and felt like nothing went right? It’s a frustrating feeling, but simply saying, “I played badly,” will not help you improve. To get better, you need to understand the types of mistakes you make. Once you have identified your mistakes, you can focus on the right things in practice and study.
I usually break down the mistakes golfers make into three categories.
1. Errors of practice
These are the most obvious mistakes and are the ones most golfers think of first. Terrible mishits – slices, peaks, slices and hooks. It happens when your swing doesn’t match your aim, leading to a bad result.
Although some fatal errors are unavoidable, you can reduce them with consistent practice and lessons. But remember, no matter how much you practice, mistakes kill the will it happened. Even the best players in the world don’t hit every shot well.
2. Strategic mistakes
Technical errors are more common than most golfers realize. It happens when you make a bad decision before you even hit the ball. This may be because you did not properly assess the conditions, such as a strong wind, the water lie, or the speed of the green.
For example, imagine you have a shot 140 yards over water. He usually hits an 8-iron 140 yards, so he pulls that club without a second thought. However, you fail to notice the strong wind blowing directly in your face. The ball comes in short and lands in the water. Your swing was not a problem. The error occurred before you contacted the ball.
Other strategic mistakes include attempting a shot that you haven’t practiced enough or misjudging the risk versus the reward. Often, choosing to play smart, and play safe, leads to a better result than trying to shoot a low percentage shot. These mistakes are very easy to limit, because they boil down to making smart decisions.
3. Mental errors
Mental errors are about thinking, focusing and concentrating. Unlike swinging well, these mistakes are completely out of your control. It includes rushing your shot, skipping your pre-shot routine, or letting one bad shot affect your entire round.
Elite players understand that mental mistakes are often easy to correct and can have a huge impact on scoring. If you can reduce – or even eliminate – mental errors, you can save several strokes in each round.
How to avoid these mistakes
During your round, take a moment after the worst shot to determine what kind of mistake occurred. Was it a fatal mistake, like mishit? A strategic mistake, like choosing the wrong club? Or was it a mental mistake, like chasing your schedule? Just identifying the cause helps you stay present and learn from each shot instead of reacting emotionally.
It can also help to keep a simple record of your mistakes. Create a system using “E” for fatal errors, “S” for critical errors, and “M” for mental errors and mark them on your scorecard. At the end of your cycle, count each section. The results will quickly show you where your biggest improvement opportunities lie and help guide your actions.
