How to Manage your Golf Round and Shoot Lower Scores

Plan your round far enough in advance to be certain you get a tee time that works best for your schedule. Try to get an early start time when the course is less busy so you won't be rushed. If you're truly working on your game and want to shoot lower scores, consider either going out alone or with only one other person.

FYI - Most courses have 8 Par 4-holes, 5 Par 5-holes, and 5 Par 3-holes. This means that the majority of the holes are Par 4's, about 44% of the course. Trying to minimize your mistake on the "majority" of the hole type will produce for a greater success rate.

Get this, if you par all the 4's, and perhaps just bogie (1 over par) all the remaining holes (3's & 5's), you will still shoot an average of 82.

Try this - Prevent getting bogey's on the Par 4's by always teeing off using your 3 or 5 wood, or a club that goes about 220 yards. Most public courses par 4's average 313 yards. This means, by teeing off with a wood or long iron, you'll leave yourself a wedge into the green. Hitting Driver off the tee risks not hitting the fairway, and in most cases having no clean shot to the green.

Let's say you tee off with Drive and hit the fairway and get a good drive, this would still leave you a chip or lob, which can be more difficult than a 9 or wedge to the green by teeing off with 3 wood or long iron.

Average golfers should only go for birdies on the Par 5's where you have many more options off the tee, and to the green. Never try to reach the green in two for an Eagle using a long iron. Instead, manage the hole to get there in 3 strokes leaving yourself a "birdie putt" or a for sure par.

Remember, birdies are made with the putter, not with the driver!