The Most Important Golf Tips You'll Ever Need

The game of golf is filled with ways to improve your game. Most tips are standard swing theory spelled out in many different simple ways for golfers of all varieties to understand. Some tips, though well meaning, can do more to confuse you into making worse shots. Unlike the usual swing tips, these five truths can improve EVERY golfer both on and off the course.

Flexibility
Many of us fail to properly stretch before we golf. Countless times we find ourselves running late or simply just in a hurry to get the game started, we walk right up to the first tee, feign a few practice swings, then hit our drive. If you are like me then you probably consider the odds of that first drive actually finding the fairway to be quite low. If we had taken the time to warm our muscles up and wake them into the muscle memory of our consistent swing then our first drive of the day wouldn't be such a crap-shoot. Therefore, it is essential to stretch before you set foot on that first tee. Better still, if you have a daily stretching routine, not only will you be physically ready to approach every day-to-day event, you will always be loose enough to make a good first swing. Stretching while in the shower each morning can greatly increase your daily flexibility.

Strength
You might have noticed a silent revolution among tour pro golfers lately. Gone are the "round-bellies" that were once acceptable in golf, today's younger crop of golfers are far more physically fit than ever before and they are continually working to get even stronger. Many amateurs are tempted to swing as hard as they can in order to hit the ball a greater distance. Unfortunately, many negative side effects happen when muscles are not physically prepared for this resulting in over-swinging the club which can ruin a shot, but this can also cause strain and injury. Increasing your muscle strength through strength training can prepare your body for harder swings - this will add distance as well as consistency because the harder swings will not feel over-swung.

Endurance
Have you noticed shots becoming less consistent during the final holes of the afternoon? Endurance is key to playing at your best throughout the entire round. Poorly played shots due to being tired at the end of the day count just as much on the scorecard as poorly played shots at the beginning of the round when you are fresh. Try to keep your score continually low by increasing your endurance. Off course aerobic activities help to increase your endurance while simply walking the course more often than taking a cart will help in the long term as well. A good goal to set for yourself is to try to work in 20-45 minutes at least 3 times a week of some form of cardiovascular activity.

Nutrition
Golf may not seem as athletic as many other sports but the key to scoring well is the same - a well-fueled body has the energy to work efficiently. A sport-specific nutrition menu plan should include high quality carbohydrates, lean protein, fruits, vegetables, and plenty of water. Bring a granola or energy bar to the course for the turn snack (far better than the clubhouse hot dog!) and take frequent advantage of the drinking water available on most courses.

Mental Toughness
Do you find yourself obsessing about that last bad shot? Negative thoughts have an adverse effect on each shot afterwards unless you can learn to let the bad shots go and focus completely on the next shot. A good tip is to continually tell yourself that "this shot is the most important shot" every time you walk up to your ball to begin your pre-shot routine. Visualizing a good shot will help you forget the missed shot in your past.

These five tips are probably more universally sound than any of the thousands of swing tips that you'll encounter in your lifetime. If you follow them correctly, your score will consistently fall lower and lower as you improve yourself on and off the golf course.