5 Golf Tips to Help Improve Your Game (With Drills)

Whether you’re a beginner or looking to sharpen your skills, improving your golf game takes the right techniques and consistent practice.

At Pattaya Golf Pro, we’re passionate about helping golfers of all levels play better and enjoy the game more. Here are 5 essential golf tips along with practical drills you can do to see real improvement on the course.

1. Master Your Grip for Better Control

Your grip is the only connection between you and the club, so getting it right is crucial for consistent shots. A proper grip influences the direction and power of your swing.

Drill:
Practice the "Grip Pressure Drill" — hold the club with a light grip pressure (think of holding a bird gently). Grip too tight and you lose feel; too loose and you lose control. Swing slowly focusing on maintaining this light grip to develop muscle memory.

For more on fundamentals, check out our Golf Lessons page.

2. Perfect Your Stance and Alignment

A solid stance provides balance and stability, while correct alignment ensures your shots head toward the target. Drill:
Use alignment sticks or clubs on the ground to practice. Place one stick parallel to your target line and another perpendicular to your feet. Practice setting up with your feet, hips, and shoulders aligned to the target line before each swing.

Explore our Advanced Golf Coaching for personalized stance correction.

3. Develop a Smooth, Consistent Swing

Power is important, but control and consistency win the game. Focus on a smooth backswing and follow-through with good tempo.

Drill:
Try the "Slow Motion Swing Drill" — make your swing in slow motion, focusing on proper shoulder rotation and weight shift from back foot to front foot. This builds muscle memory and helps avoid rushed or jerky movements.

Book a session with our Professional Coaches to get tailored swing feedback.

4. Improve Your Short Game with Chipping Practice

Saving strokes around the green is key to lowering your score. Work on your chipping technique to get the ball close to the hole.

Drill:
Set up targets at different distances around a practice green. Use a pitching wedge or sand wedge to chip balls aiming to land softly near each target. Focus on controlling the distance and trajectory.Learn more on our Short Game Training page.

5. Build Course Awareness and Strategic Play

Knowing the course layout and hazards helps you make smarter shot choices and avoid trouble.

Drill:
Before your round, study the course map and identify hazards like bunkers and water. Practice visualizing your shots and club selection for each hole. On the course, play within your abilities and focus on positioning for your next shot.

Check out our Golf Packages in Pattaya for guided course play and strategy coaching.

Final Thoughts

Improving your golf game is a journey that combines technique, practice, and smart play. By focusing on your grip, stance, swing, short game, and course strategy — and practicing the drills above — you’ll see steady progress and more enjoyment on the course.

Ready to take your game to the next level? Contact Pattaya Golf Pro today to book your personalized golf lesson or join one of our group clinics! Lessons@pattayagolfpro.com

INTERESTING STATISTIC

Six GIR gets you to 83. If you’re already hitting 6+ greens but still shooting 90+, stop grinding your swing. Your problem isn’t approach shots, it’s three-putts, chunked chips, and blow-up holes.

5 More Faults in Golf (And How to Fix Them for Better Shots)

Even seasoned golfers often battle recurring swing or setup mistakes that hinder their performance. These common faults lead to frustrating inconsistencies, slices, hooks, and a general lack of power. By accurately identifying and correcting these fundamental errors, you can unlock a more consistent, accurate, and powerful golf swing. The fixes are often simpler than you think, rooted in sound fundamentals that can dramatically improve your game.

1. Poor Posture at Address

Poor posture, manifesting as a "C-posture" (rounded upper back) or an "S-posture" (excessive lower back arch), prevents an athletic golf swing. This restricts movement, causes balance issues, and hinders proper rotation, compromising power and consistency while risking injury. It often stems from misunderstanding the correct setup or lacking core strength and flexibility, leading golfers to "reach" for the ball or stand unathletically.

Step-by-step fix: To correct poor posture, stand tall with feet shoulder-width apart, holding the club out in front, parallel to the ground, with arms and legs straight. Ensure your shoulders are pulled back and your chest is out [1]. Hinge forward from your hips, keeping your back flat and pushing your glutes backward. Your spine should remain relatively straight, avoiding rounding or excessive arching [1]. Finally, after hinging enough for the clubhead to reach the ground, flex your knees slightly. Avoid over-bending, which restricts hip rotation [1].

Pro Tip: Practice this setup in front of a mirror to visually confirm your posture. Focus on feeling balanced and athletic, ready for a dynamic turn.

2. Over-the-Top Swing Path (Causing Slices)

An over-the-top swing occurs when the clubhead approaches the ball from outside the target line during the downswing, moving on an "outside-in" path. This typically results in a weak slice, where the ball starts left (for right-handers) and curves sharply right, leading to significant power loss and inconsistent contact [2]. This fault usually arises from an improper transition where the upper body dominates, pulling the club "over the top" instead of allowing the lower body to initiate the downswing. It can also be a compensatory move or an attempt to "help" the ball up [2].

Step-by-step fix: To fix an over-the-top swing, ensure your club is taken back on a proper path, not immediately outside the target line; a square or slightly inside takeaway helps set the club on the correct plane [2]. Initiate your downswing by shifting weight to your lead side and rotating your hips, allowing your arms to drop naturally. Imagine your trail elbow (right elbow for right-handers) dropping down towards your side, rather than moving out and forward [2]. During the downswing, try to feel the club approaching the ball from slightly inside the target line. A common drill involves placing a headcover or alignment stick just outside the ball to encourage an inside-out path.

Pro Tip: Practice slow-motion swings, focusing on the feeling of your lower body starting the downswing and your arms dropping into position to engrain the correct sequence.

3. Scooping or Flipping at Impact (Loss of Distance)

Scooping or flipping at impact happens when a golfer prematurely unhinges their wrists, attempting to "help" the ball into the air. This causes the clubhead to pass the hands before impact, adding loft and reducing effective compression. The result is often a weak, high shot with little distance, or thin/fat shots due to an inconsistent low point in the swing arc [3]. This fault often stems from a lack of trust in the club's inherent loft or an attempt to "lift" the ball, sometimes as a compensatory move for other swing flaws [3].

Step-by-step fix: To eliminate scooping, maintain forward shaft lean at impact, with your hands slightly ahead of the clubhead. This delofts the club and promotes solid compression; practice holding this position through impact [3]. Focus on striking the ball before the club makes contact with the ground. For iron shots, aim to take a divot after the ball, not before, ensuring proper contact and energy transfer [3]. Crucially, trust the club's design to get the ball into the air; resist actively lifting it [3].

Pro Tip: The "towel drill" can help: place a small towel under your lead armpit and try to keep it there throughout the swing. This encourages a connected motion and prevents the arms from separating and flipping.

4. Inconsistent Ball Position

Inconsistent ball position means not placing the ball in the optimal spot relative to your stance for each specific club. This leads to varied contact, inconsistent launch angles, and significant loss of control and distance. For instance, an iron played too far forward can result in thin shots, while a driver too far back can cause slices or pop-ups [4]. This often occurs because golfers don't know the correct ball position for different clubs or fail to set up consistently, sometimes as a habit developed from compensating for other swing flaws [4].

Step-by-step fix: Correct ball position varies by club. For Wedges/Short Irons (PW, GW, SW, LW), position the ball in the center of your stance for a downward strike, optimal spin, and control [4]. For Mid Irons (7, 8, 9 Iron), move the ball slightly forward from the center, about half an inch towards your lead foot (left foot for right-handers) [4]. Long Irons (2, 3, 4, 5, 6 Iron) & Hybrids require the ball further forward, roughly 1-2 inches inside your lead heel [4]. For Fairway Woods, position the ball about 2-3 inches inside your lead heel [4]. Finally, the Driver should be played off the inside of your lead heel for an upward strike, crucial for maximizing distance [4].

Pro Tip: Use alignment sticks on the ground to mark ideal ball positions for different clubs. Practice setting up to these marks until it becomes second nature and you can replicate it without visual aids.

5. Lack of Weight Shift or Poor Balance

A proper golf swing requires dynamic weight transfer for power and control. A lack of weight shift or poor balance can manifest as a "reverse pivot" (weight on lead foot during backswing) or a "sway" (excessive lateral movement). Both lead to significant power loss, inconsistent contact (fat or thin shots), and an inability to finish in a balanced position [5]. This often stems from an improper understanding of weight movement or physical limitations, sometimes from trying to "stay over the ball" too rigidly [5].

Step-by-step fix: To improve weight shift and balance, first, feel the pressure shift: at address, weight should be 50/50. As you backswing, feel pressure shift to the inside of your trail foot (right foot for right-handers). By the top, 60-70% of your weight should be on your trail leg [5]. Next, initiate the downswing with your lower body: begin with a lateral bump and hip rotation towards the target, transferring weight to your lead side. By impact, most weight should be on your lead foot [5]. Finally, aim for a balanced finish: hold your follow-through with your chest facing the target, trail foot on its toe, and nearly all weight on your lead foot [5].

Pro Tip: The "Step-Through Drill" is highly effective: take your normal setup, and as you swing through to your finish, step your trail foot forward past your lead foot, as if walking towards the target. This forces complete weight transfer and a balanced finish [5].

Conclusion

Improving your golf game doesn't always require a complete overhaul. Often, addressing these common faults with small, focused adjustments yields significant results. Consistent practice, patience, and a commitment to sound fundamentals are your best allies. While these tips provide a solid foundation, consider scheduling a lesson with a certified PGA professional. Their expert eye can pinpoint nuances in your swing and accelerate your progress. Embrace the journey of improvement, and you'll undoubtedly find more enjoyment and success on the golf course. If you still need help contact us at https://www.pattayagolfpro.com

Frequently Asked Questions

Why do I keep slicing the ball?

A slice is most commonly caused by an over-the-top swing path (club coming from outside-in) combined with an open clubface at impact. This imparts excessive side spin on the ball, causing it to curve sharply to the right for right-handed golfers. Focusing on an inside-out swing path and ensuring a square clubface at impact are key to eliminating the slice.

How can I stop hitting fat or thin shots?

Fat shots (hitting the ground before the ball) and thin shots (hitting the top of the ball) are often a result of inconsistent ball position, poor posture, or scooping/flipping at impact. These faults disrupt the low point of your swing arc. Ensuring correct ball position for each club, maintaining athletic posture, and focusing on hitting the ball first (taking a divot after the ball) will significantly improve your contact.

What’s the fastest way to improve my golf swing?

The "fastest" way to improve your golf swing is subjective, but focusing on fundamentals like proper grip, posture, and ball position will provide the most immediate and lasting benefits. Consistent practice of these basics, combined with targeted drills for specific faults, is more effective than trying to make drastic changes. For rapid, personalized improvement, a lesson with a qualified golf instructor is invaluable. contact us at lessons@pattayagolfpro.com