1. TRACK THE STATS FROM YOUR GAME

Collecting stats from your game can provide valuable insights into your performance – both strengths and weaknesses! You can identify areas for improvement and decide where to focus your practice – it’s one of the best ways to measure progress. Some of the key stats you could collect are fairways hit, greens in regulation and number of double bogeys (or worse!) per round.

Tiger Woods famously tracked 5 stats during his career which were:

• Bogeys on par fives
• Number of three-putts he made
• How many double bogeys he made
• How many easy par saves he failed to make from around the green
• How many bogeys he made from inside 150 yards

Tracking stats will give you a statement of fact about your game. There are many websites where you can compare your data to that of other golfers of varying abilities and handicap brackets – give it a go!

2. SUSTAINABLE AND REGULAR PRACTICE

If you have set a goal to be a better golfer by the end of the year then think about what that will take in terms of regular and sustainable practice. It’s no good setting yourself up for failure with the unrealistic goal of a daily practice. If you are serious about improvement, commit to a practice programme you can actually sustain. Perhaps that is an hour on the range a week for the next year—not a lot, but a whole lot better than doing five days a week for two weeks, then never setting foot back on the range again!

3. GET FITTER, GET STRONGER

A large percentage of good golfers are athletes in varying forms. Being fitter and healthier is a cheat code for improving your golf. We’re not talking just about hitting it further; it’s stamina, concentration, balance on awkward lies, decision making, oxygen flow and overall fun and enjoyment! It’s a no brainer. I’m yet to meet anyone who got fitter, and healthier, and didn’t see some benefits on the course.

4. FOCUS ON ONE ELEMENT OF YOUR GAME AND GET BETTER AT IT

Improving your game and your scores can be a challenging process and one of the most important things to do is select your weakest area and incrementally make this a more ‘average’ area. Once you’ve identified the area that needs improvement, and you have taken good advice from your trusted golf coach on how to improve, consistent practice will reduce the big errors that are costing your scores dearly.

5. CUSTOM FIT YOUR EQUIPMENT

A properly fitted golf club allows you to compete and play without an immediate disadvantage. Many people mistakenly believe that custom-fitted clubs are only for professional golfers—but that’s not the case! Golfers of all skill levels, including beginners, can benefit from clubs tailored to their unique swing. Much like a tailored suit, custom-fitted golf clubs are designed to match your individual swing mechanics, optimising performance and consistency. Key adjustments such as shaft length, lie angle, and flex can significantly enhance your game. Our golden rule? Never invest in new equipment without a professional fitting.

6. STOP LOOKING AT YOUTUBE FOR THE ANSWER

We know that YouTube is here to stay but the question is, can a generic video help your golf?! You can certainly learn an awful lot from watching and observing what the worlds best do. Also people who can provide factual evidence and data to support what their trying to show you can also be helpful in building your golf IQ. But ask yourself, how is this information relevant to me? How do I implement the recommended advice into my game? The best way to receive tailored advice, specific to your game, is to visit a PGA coach in person. YouTube cannot see how you move or swing – there is no substitute for an in person lesson.

7. KEEP A GOLF JOURNAL

By writing down your experiences and tracking your performance, reflecting on your rounds, and setting goals, you can gain valuable insights into your strengths and weaknesses. The physical act of writing can make the journey and the goal more authentic while motivating you to achieve it further.

8. ACCEPTANCE

You have to maintain your cool on the course and give every shot your best effort. It’s never a nice feeling when you hit a poor golf shot but the reality is we are out on the golf course normally for around 4 hours and unfortunately in this time it will happen…being open about this takes a degree of stress away from the situation and being in denial of bad shots will only lead to further frustration! When a poor shot does happen it will give you the chance to focus on ‘BOUNCE BACK’. Once you’ve hit the bad one it’s now your opportunity to immediately hit a good one.

9. PAY ATTENTION TO THE BASICS

The top players around the world spend regular time monitoring and refining the basics of their game. These basics are under your total control – they all happen before you hit the ball! We’re talking about grip, stance, alignment, ball position and posture – keep these on track and you have a great foundation on which to build your swing!

10. UNDERSTAND THE BALL FLIGHT LAWS

The technical elements of a golf swing are very complex and should only be tackled with the help of a recognised expert but understanding the ball flight laws is by comparison fairly straightforward. These laws explain how the clubface, swing path, and impact conditions determine the direction and shape of a shot. Understanding these laws helps golfers understand their ball flight and the factual cause of them. Dealing with facts as opposed to myths will empower golfers when they take to the range and work with their coach.

11. KNOW YOUR YARDGAES

Before the season gets underway hit some balls with a launch monitor and discover how far on average you hit each club. Try hitting 10 balls with each club ignoring any obvious poor shots that are not worth recording – these will just skew your data. Write down your average carry numbers and put them to good use in your next game.

12. LOOK BEYOND YOUR GOLFSWING

What could you improve this year that would not involve changing anything technical? We may not have the strength or speed to swing the golf club like Rory but why not consider….

• Course management and your mental game
• Improve your green reading skills
• Collect your stats and understand your true average carry distances with your clubs

13. WORK WITH A PGA COACH

Taking golf lessons with a PGA Professional will accelerate improvement. Providing expert guidance tailored to your specific strengths and weaknesses, a coach helps you develop proper fundamentals, correct bad habits, and refine key aspects of your game. Coaches will offer personalised drills, structured practice plans, and real-time feedback that you simply can’t get from self-teaching or watching videos. Beyond technique, your PGA coach can help you with the mental side of golf, improving confidence and decision-making under pressure. Whether you’re a beginner or an experienced player, professional coaching ensures you’re practising the right things the right way, leading to faster, more consistent progress.

14. CHALLENGE YOUR GAME

Challenging yourself in golf keeps the game exciting, helps you break through performance plateaus, and ensures continuous improvement. If you stay in your comfort zone, progress slows, and bad habits can creep in. In 2025 why not challenge yourself by playing some harder courses, organising games with better or more advanced players or entering some competitions. These are all great ways to test and measure your game while giving some insights as to your performance under pressure!

15. WEDGES

Wedges, wedges, wedges and when you think you’re done….practice your wedges! A glaringly obvious difference between weaker and better players, is the ability to flight their wedges. Developing a more predictable flight which makes scoring around the greens noticeably easier. Spending some time, speaking to your coach, learning how to control the loft you are delivering into the ball will ultimately lead to improved scores! The run up to summer is the perfect time to practise this so you can hit the ground running as the season begins.

16. IMPROVE YOUR PUTTING FROM INSIDE 10 FEET

It would make sense to practice golf shots that you have the physical ability to play combined with the statistical likelihood of achieving….? Welcome to putting from inside 10 feet! Small improvements in this area can lead to significant reductions in your scores and a far more enjoyable experience. Holing out from inside 10 feet will prevent unnecessary dropped shots, reduce your 3 putts per round, boost confidence and build momentum in your game!

17. PRACTICE WITH PURPOSE – DON’T JUST BASH BALLS

Quality over quantity in your golf practice is essential for your improvement. Mindless repetition will only reinforce your current habits and does not replicate the game of golf. Practicing with a clear goal to ensure you build effective technique coupled with recreating course conditions are crucial considerations and will make for more enjoyable and engaging practice sessions. Ideas to think about are:

• Change the club in your hand regularly when you practice
• Make sure you have a target to aim at
• Use your full shot routine as if you were on the course playing
• Practice is more than just hitting the range – include putting and chipping – play some scoring games around the green
• Gather data from your sessions that you can take to the course

18. SET GOALS – DREAM BIG WITH SMALL STEPS!

Big goals provide direction and small goals create progress.

A big goal—like lowering your handicap, winning a tournament, or becoming a great putter—gives you something meaningful to strive for. It keeps you motivated and focused, while small goals create progress. Big goals can feel overwhelming without smaller, achievable milestones. Breaking them down (e.g., improving short putts, reducing three-putts, or hitting more fairways) makes progress measurable and keeps motivation high. Each small goal achieved (like making 9/10 putts from 5 feet) reinforces belief in your ability and in turn grows confidence. This momentum helps you stay committed to bigger objectives.

Interested in improving your golf through lessons with MY Golf Academy? Click here to learn more about our coaches and to book a session!