Patrick Leahy teaching at The Villages

If we've heard it once, we've heard it a thousand times: "I can't wait to retire so that I can play more (or learn) golf." Whether you're a scratch player with no handicap or a frustrated veteran who can't begin to fathom a score under 100, help is on the way. With more than 400 holes of golf stretching across 28 courses in the heart of sunny Central Florida, we at The Villages Golf Academy have the know-how to provide a few simple tips and tricks that will help you improve your game and lower your score.

With better performance comes more enjoyment. With more enjoyment comes more playing time. With more playing time comes better performance. Are you getting the picture?

During the coming weeks, we will present a series of 10 tips that should help you lower your score by a total of at least 10 points. Each week you'll get a new tip.

Sound impossible? The fact is, all you need to do is apply each tip with a net improvement of one stroke (or more -- we don't mind), and you'll be well on your way to achieving your goal.

  1. Remember: Life is not a beach You've secured a tee time, and you're looking forward to a relaxing and enjoyable round of golf. However, you wanted to get a couple of things out of the way before leaving for the course, and now you're running late. So you race off and make it just in time to meet your golfing buddies. You tee up your ball, take a couple of quick warm-up thrashes, and give it a healthy swat. Does the ball go where you want it to? Of course not.
  2. Get your game face on Few things in golf are more frustrating than winding up in a sand bunker. If you're the kind of golfer who shows up at the course with a towel and zinc oxide because you know how much time you'll be spending on the beach, this drill is for you.
  3. Be practically perfect with perfect practice! Going to the driving range can be a great way to improve your game. However, if you don't direct your practice and hold yourself accountable for improvement you may not be helping your game. Check out five tips on how to improve your practice.
  4. Recover in one Many pro-golfers know how to keep a cool head when encountering problems during their game. However, less serious golfers may find themselves panicking and adding strokes to an otherwise decent scorecard. Find out what you can do to keep a cool head.
  5. The bump and run shot More golf strokes are needlessly wasted around the green than anywhere else on the course. Many times you'll be sitting just a few yards off the green and require what seems to be a simple enough short shot to get the ball on the green. So if you're tempted to grab for the putter or have a habit of sending the ball screaming across the green, have we got the tip for you!
  6. Put your putt in the cup Ever wonder why golfers tend to spend most of their practice time on the driving range rather than the putting green? Could it be that most derive greater satisfaction from seeing the ball fly into the air than from watching it just roll into a hole? Well, like it or not, putting accounts for almost 50 percent of our score. So next time you practice your game, it is good discipline to start at the putting green.
  7. Look down the tracks The simplest way to practice proper alignment is by visualizing a set of railroad tracks. Now, imagine yourself standing on one rail and the club and golf ball resting on the opposite rail.
  8. Get a grip on your game Are you one of those golfers whose ball teases you in flight? The reason is a slice or hook. There may be many reasons why you hit this way, but one of the best ways to start correcting the problem is by getting a proper grip on your clubs.
  9. have a fit! Even the most proficient archer will miss his target if he uses an arrow too big for his bow. The same is true for golf. If you expect to succeed, then the equipment you use to play this wonderful game has to be sized correctly.
  10. Eat well, golf your best Sure, it's great to grab a beer and a cigar while you're enjoying the links. But the proper balance of food and beverage can make a significant difference in your performance. For help with this tip, I turned to Kristen Coleman of The Villages Wellness Center for expert advice. Read on to see what she had to say.

© The Villages, 2007