Practical advice for your next round

1. On the practice green, set three balls about 15 feet from the fringe. Putt toward the edge, not a hole.
2. Try to finish each ball a putter-length short of the fringe. Repeat from 25 and 35 feet.
3. On the course, take one last look at the hole and picture the ball slowing down beside it.

Your goal: a comfortable second putt, not a perfect first one.

1. Notice your usual miss on the range. Plan for that shot, not your best-ever swing.
2. Find the widest landing area and aim away from the most expensive trouble: water, out of bounds, or deep rough.
3. Choose the longest club you can keep in that space. Sometimes that means leaving the driver in the bag.

Pick the target first. Pick the club second.

1. With a clear path and a good lie, try an 8-iron. Set your feet close, with a little more pressure on your lead foot.
2. Use a small, putting-like motion. Let the loft do the lifting rather than scooping with your wrists.
3. Choose a landing spot just onto the green, then practice watching how far the ball rolls.

Rough, bunkers, and slopes change the shot. Practice on a flat, clear lie first.

1. Spend two minutes walking briskly and making gentle shoulder and hip turns. Stay within a comfortable range.
2. Hit a few short wedge shots, then a mid-iron, then the club you’ll use on the first tee. Build up gradually.
3. Finish with a few long putts to feel the green’s speed. Roll in two short ones, then head to the tee.

Warm up the swing you brought. Save the rebuild for another day.

1. For a normal lie in soft sand, take a stable stance and set the clubface slightly open before taking your grip.
2. Look at a spot in the sand an inch or two behind the ball. Swing through that spot, letting the sand carry the ball.
3. Keep moving through the shot rather than stopping at impact. Practice with a line in the sand before adding a ball.

Firm sand, buried lies, and high lips need different choices. A local lesson is time well spent.

1. Give yourself a few steps to feel disappointed. You don’t have to pretend the shot was good.
2. Take a slow breath and notice something beyond the ball: the breeze, the trees, your playing partners.
3. At the next shot, choose one clear target and one simple intention. Leave the last swing behind you.

You’re allowed to enjoy a round that doesn’t go to plan.