Learning golf can be quite easy but it is understanding the information that you are given and then putting it into action.
In the world there are many different styles of teaching and different approaches in how to hit the ball. The significant decision that a player needs to make is to find the coach that they feel gives them the information that they can adapt to so they can achieve the shots that want to play.
There are a many golfers at all levels that try to find the “answer” on the internet, on the golf coverage or through watching their mates. I have been listening and learning from some of the top coaches and mentor around the world and one of the points they made was, “Information is not knowledge”.
I believe this is a fair point. Anyone can go and print out pages of information that states one thing or another, but do they actually understand what the information means and can they transfer it to their own swing? This is why having a personal lesson with a professional of your choice will be more beneficial in understanding your game so you can improve.
When practicing I see many golfers just stand in one spot and play the same shot with the same club over and over. This is not constructive practice. It does not tell your mind anything new so you can improve. The way to build skill and understanding of your swing and game is to hit shots for no more than 5 minutes with each club. This will make you change your approach with a different club and it will take you out of an automatic mind set which tends to occur when you are not randomizing your practice. This applies with all parts of your game!
Another great way to practice is to put yourself in a difficult situation when you practice. Give yourself bad lies, tough putts and try to overcome the mental barrier that “this is a hard shot”. There are all challenges that you need to approach. Having a clear mind and a positive approach will help you in hitting a great shot in whatever situation that you are in.
Golf is meant to be a fun experience. The more you try to analyze the “ins and outs” of the golf swing without professional advice, you can really cause your game to decline.
A piece of advice I would like to give you is this, “what do you want to improve in your game?” Do you want to win the comp every week? Do you want to just beat your mates? Or would you like to add 10m to your tee shots? The answer to these questions and how you approach them are all different.
The last point I would like to make is this, if you are currently on a mid-teens handicap and you want to improve to single figures, the best way to achieve this is to get professional assistance in improving your short game.