Tips on how to get to scratch and below

[B.A.]

The article on Tiger in Golf Magazine this month might give you a couple of things to work on.

[IcemanYVR]

I once was in the same situation as you... I took my handicap from 2 to + 2.4 in one season. I wanted to qualify for the US Amateur and for fun, give a go at US Open qualifying. The big key for me was to

leave the range , and spend time working on my short game. I mean really work on my short game. Bunker play, chipping, flop shots, checkers, runners, and putting. The other aspect was the mental game.

i guess Ive never really appreciated how much practice is needed, especially on the short game.

Learning where to land your greenside shots is paramount. As you improve you will read every chip like you would a putt. Learning where to land will help you when you need to navigate a green.

Here's one drill that will really help you with feel. Take a 5 iron, 8 iron, and SW to the chipping or practice green. Pick a hole or spot 5, 10, 15, even 20 yards away. Hit one ball with each club from the same spot. After just 3 .5 hour sessions I could really see and feel a difference.

Best advice I ever heard.. when your mind and body say it's time to quit.... go home. Don't force yourself to stay and practice.

Excellent advice, too often we say

"just one more shot" etc...

If you really want a quick fix though, I would read Bob Rotella's books. Breaking par consistently is all about mindset.

When I decided to work on the mental game I read "Golf is not a Game of Perfect, and "Golf is a Game of Confidence". I also read a great book by Robert Trent Jones Jr. on course management by reading the features of the golf course. Those three books had the single biggest effect on my mental game.

One more thing... as your shot game gets better, it really takes the pressure off the iron part of your game because you really feel you can still get it in the hole.