Learning to Play, Learning to Score: Tee to Green
By Dr. Eric C. Wilson, PGA
Co-Founder
Most of my students want to stretch the golf course out and play from the tips every chance they get. Then they talk about how inconsistent they are, and how they aren’t shooting lower scores.
I tell them that if they can’t break par from the front tees, how do they expect to break par from the back tees?
Almost all golfers would benefit from playing the front tees to learn how to manage their games, select different clubs from the tee (not just swing hard with their driver), play to different target areas/distances off the tee, and focus on their short games.
As the great Ben Hogan remarked to Ken Venturi in his famous 1983 interview: "Once a golfer learns to strike the ball, 85% of the game is managing your way around the golf course."
This applies to every skill level. All the following skills should be mastered from the front tees before moving back - the golfer must:
You’ll be amazed how your scores will improve and how much more fun you will have as you learn to manage your game.
Co-Founder
Most of my students want to stretch the golf course out and play from the tips every chance they get. Then they talk about how inconsistent they are, and how they aren’t shooting lower scores.
I tell them that if they can’t break par from the front tees, how do they expect to break par from the back tees?
Almost all golfers would benefit from playing the front tees to learn how to manage their games, select different clubs from the tee (not just swing hard with their driver), play to different target areas/distances off the tee, and focus on their short games.
As the great Ben Hogan remarked to Ken Venturi in his famous 1983 interview: "Once a golfer learns to strike the ball, 85% of the game is managing your way around the golf course."
This applies to every skill level. All the following skills should be mastered from the front tees before moving back - the golfer must:
- Know the carry distances of every club in the bag,
- Be able to swing to balance on every swing (hold the follow through to a count of “5”),
- Be able to strike the ball in the center of the clubface 85+% of the time,
- Have a “go to” shot shape by controlling the clubface angle and the club path through impact (whether it is a fade or draw) and be able to aim accordingly,
- Be able to control the trajectory of the ball, especially in the wind,
- Have a “short game” where they can get up and in from within 30 yards of the green at least 5 out of 10 times, and not take more than 3 shots the other 5 times (this percentage changes based on skill level).
You’ll be amazed how your scores will improve and how much more fun you will have as you learn to manage your game.
