How to Get a Good Score in Golf for a Beginner

We have all been there. We all have been the one golfer out on the course who knows that they do not belong and could really use a few lessons. Do not fear though! Through experience, I have learned how to keep from embarrassing yourself out on the course. I, by no means, am an excellent golfer. I use these tips constantly to keep my scores from being seriously inflated and if you want to get a somewhat good score and you are a beginner, try using these tips too.

- Put Away the Driver - It can be so tempting to pull out your driver on every Par 4 or 5 hole, but experience has told me that this is the exact opposite thing you should be doing. Especially for a beginner. I did this and I constantly found myself 250 yards away from the tee box, but deep in the woods on nearly every single hole. And this was if I was lucky enough to not go out of bounds. While it may seem lame or cheap to tee off with your 4 Iron or 3 Wood (or whatever you can actually hit straight), your scorecard will thank you when you see less 7's and 8's and more 5's and 6's.

- Hit Bunker Shots into the Fairway - How many times have you hit into a bunker and spent two or three shots just trying to get your ball out of the sand? I know I've done this quite a few times, even now! So if you are looking to get a good score in golf, you should not aim for the green in this situation. Instead, try hitting your ball to the spot where there is the most grass, preferably in the fairway. After doing this, you will have quite an easy shot to the green.

- Aim Your Approach Shot - It took me years to realize one simple task that helped avoid a whole lot of strokes on my game. That is to aim your approach shot to the front of the green. Let's say your GPS is telling you that you are 150 yards to the pin. What I used to do is get out the club that I know can hit 150 on the dot. Makes sense right? No, not really. When this is done, your ball usually lands at around 145 or so and rolls off the green! Instead, try clubbing down and hitting a club that you can hit 140 yards. With the potential roll, your ball will hit the green perfectly. Also, clubbing down here will drop the amount of shots you have in the bunker as you will no longer be hitting it long enough to enter the sand traps.

- Stay Hydrated - Since golf is a summer game, it can get real hot out on the golf course. If you do not stay hydrated, you can easily destroy your score. I have forgotten to bring water out on the course on numerous occasions and I start to fall apart real early in the round. If you are a beginner, it is a great (and underrated) tip to bring some water with you on the course.

- Not Too Hydrated Though... - Another habit of golfers (especially beginner golfers) seem to love bringing alcoholic beverages onto the course. While this may seem like a great way to keep cool on a hot summer day, I would avoid alcohol at all costs. When playing golf, one small blip in your swing will cause your entire shot to go wrong and this alcohol consumption will quickly make your score skyrocket. Making good decisions on the course is also extremely important and drinking a few beers out on the course can impair these good decisions that you were planning to make.

- Keep Your Head Down - I cannot stress this tip enough. I struggle with this each and every time I go out to play golf. Beginners usually have problems of trying to see where their shot is going before they even hit it. I do the exact same thing as well. Usually this ends in me leaving a huge divot, my ball going 20 yards, and a whole lot of cursing. If you want to strike the ball well and keep your score low, I cannot stress keeping your head down enough.