This collection of golf tips for amateurs is for everyday golfers who want to shoot lower scores without rebuilding their swing from scratch. That includes beginners working toward breaking 100, and golfers stuck in the 90s who know they’re leaving shots on the course. Below you’ll find a simple way to decide what to work on first and a practice routine that fits a busy week. Our instruction guides are grouped by part of the game.
Where to start, based on your scores
Different scores usually point to different fixes. Pick the line that sounds most like you.
- Usually over 100: Focus on getting the ball airborne and moving forward every time. Solid contact and a reliable chip shot will save more strokes than extra distance. Start with the short-game guides below and the setup basics in our slice-fix article.
- Shooting in the 90s: The big numbers usually come from a handful of holes: a ball out of bounds, a chip that goes nowhere, a three-putt. Tighten up your chipping and lag putting, and pair them with the course-management ideas in our Break 90 guide.
- Breaking 90 some of the time: Now consistency matters. Work on iron contact, a repeatable pre-shot routine and short putts, so your good rounds become your normal rounds.
A simple weekly practice routine
You don’t need hours at the range. If you can practice once or twice a week, try splitting each session like this:
- Warm up with purpose (5 minutes). Loosen up with a few easy swings before you hit balls at full speed.
- Short game first (about half your time). Chip and pitch to different targets, and change the landing spot every few balls. That way you practice feel rather than repeating one shot.
- Putting (about a quarter). Mix long lag putts, where you’re only trying to get close, with short putts you’re trying to hole.
- Full swing (the rest). Pick a target for every ball and finish by “playing” a few imaginary holes: driver, then the approach club you’d need.
Write down one thing that worked after each session. Over a few weeks, that note becomes your personal checklist.
Full swing
Many full-swing problems start before you swing. Check your grip, ball position and alignment before you change anything else.
- Golf slice fix: 3 drills that work, even if you’ve been slicing for years. The causes of a slice (grip, alignment, path), plus the feet-together, half-swing and impact drills.
- Just the tips: Paige Spiranac’s best golf advice. A roundup of her most useful advice for amateurs.
Coming soon: irons, hybrid, topping and driver guides.
Short game
Around the green, a simple rule helps: if you can putt it, putt it; if not, choose a low running chip before a high pitch.
- Do you really need a lob wedge? When the high-lofted wedge helps around the greens, and when your sand wedge will do.
Coming soon: chipping, bunker, pitching and rough guides.
Putting
On long putts, focus on speed first. Try to leave yourself an easy second putt rather than holing every one.
- The secret to Augusta National’s greens: what weekend golfers can learn from the Masters. What fast, sloping greens teach about speed and reading putts.
Coming soon: lag putting, green-reading and short-putt guides.
Routine, fitness and practice at home
- 5 simple golf exercises to help improve your game. Daily mobility exercises that support a fuller, more comfortable turn.
Coming soon: pre-shot routine, warm-up and home-practice guides.
Tips work best with a plan
Good technique only pays off when you use it on the right shot. Once you’ve picked something to work on, visit our Strategies hub to learn how to plan each hole around your strengths. If you’re wondering whether new equipment would help, our gear reviews and buying guides explain what’s worth buying at your level.