Course Management & Swing Changes

Many golfers believe lower scores come from better swings. While technique matters, the truth is that smarter decisions often save more shots than technical improvements. Course management is where scores are won and lost.

Good course management starts with honesty. Know your strengths and limitations. If your driver carries 220 yards, don’t plan for 250. If your miss tends to be short-right, allow room for it. Playing to your tendencies isn’t playing safe—it’s playing smart.

The next step is risk management. Every shot presents options: aggressive, conservative, or somewhere in between. On the course, the best players aren’t always the ones hitting the best shots—they’re the ones avoiding the worst mistakes. Laying up instead of forcing a heroic carry, or aiming at the fat side of the green, can save multiple strokes over a round.

Another part of course management is thinking ahead. Each shot should set up the next. Leaving your approach below the hole may give you an easier putt, even if it’s further from the pin. Small decisions like this compound into lower scores.

When golfers start to see the course strategically, they often realise they don’t need a new swing to score better—they need a new perspective. Smarter choices, not just better strikes, lead to better results.