Decisions that all golfers regret making at some point

Golf is a game of good intentions. You all know what I mean. We make mistakes and promise to ourselves that we will not do it again, but how often do we actually learn our lessons?

On every hole and on every shot you have to make decisions, but how often do we consciously make the wrong ones? I am as guilty of this as everybody else.

Where to start?

Deciding to Only Hit Driver at The Range

The driving range or practice ground is probably as good a place as anywhere.

I am constantly amazed when I watch other people at the driving range. They will play lip service to short irons, hybrids and fairway woods. It is like most of them cannot wait to get the driver in their hands. 

And when they do, they are obsessed with hitting the ball as hard as possible, and then wonder why so many shots with the driver are so wayward. 

Yes, I do hit drivers on the range but my obsession is with hitting short irons because there is not the slightest doubt in my mind that this is where you have the best chance of saving shots, maybe even setting up birdie opportunities. If you know exactly how far you hit your seven, eight, nine irons, your various wedges and can learn to do it every time then why wouldn’t you do that?

Ignoring Practice Bunkers

(Image Credit: Kevin Diss Photography)

Most driving ranges and practice grounds have bunkers. When was the last time you saw anybody hitting practice bunker shots? And these are generally the same individuals who get out on the course, find bunkers and take two or three attempts to escape. Learn how to get out of a bunker first time every time and I guarantee that your scores are going to come down.

Not Getting to The Golf Course Earlier

Why do so many of us arrive at the golf club five minutes before teeing off? It means you are rushing, you are tense, you leave yourself no time to hit any practice shots and have no chance of warming up your body - and then we wonder why we top our opening drives. I understand that not everybody has the luxury of being able to get to the club an hour early and go through a proper routine but please at least give yourselves sufficient time to do a few stretching exercises before climbing on to the first tee. At least give yourself a chance of playing well right from the off - and going straight from the car to the first tee is definitely NOT the way to do it.

Being Too Aggressive With Shot Choices

Why do so many of us make so many poor decisions when it comes to shot selection? On a tight par four, don’t reach for your driver because the chances are that you are going to end up in the rubbish. Hit a fairway wood or a hybrid. Surely it is better to be hitting your second shot from the fairway? 

Do you really want to take on that 220-yard carry over water when the chances are that you are not going to make it?

The flag is hiding behind a cavernous bunker, with thick rough on the other side. What’s the play? We all know that this is a time when you should be playing to the heart of the green. Every single time. But how often do you see golfers ending up in that bunker, leaving themselves a near-impossible up-and-down? 

Not Booking Some Golf Lessons

Don’t keep doing the same things and expect a different outcome. What I mean by this is that if you really want to improve your game one of the worst decisions you can make is listening to swing tips from 20-handicappers. If you want to improve, the best decision you can make is to book some golf lessons.

Buying Clubs Without Getting Fitted

If you have decided that the time has come to splash out on a shiny new set of golf clubs PLEASE do not do so until you have had a custom-fitting session. We are all built differently, we all swing the club differently, we all have different swing speeds - a custom-fitting will identify the clubs and shafts that best suit your game.

Not Hitting a Provisional Ball

You have hit a drive into the trees but convince yourself that you will find it. But you don’t. Why didn’t you hit a provisional because now you have to head back to the tee and play all over again - and the group behind you are approaching the tee and giving you the evil eye.

Having The Wrong Attitude on The Course

Golf is meant to be fun. Why else are you playing if not to enjoy yourself in the company of like-minded people. So one of the worst decisions you can ever make is to allow a game of golf to get under your skin. We are club golfers. We are all going to hit bad shots. Shrug them off. 

I just don’t understand why so many high handicappers lose their temper when playing this wonderful game. If you have a high handicap then it stands to reason that you are going to duff some shots. And remember that if you are throwing a temper tantrum it is absolutely no fun for the people you are playing with - and you may find that an increasing number of golfers are reluctant to be in your company because temper tantrums bring everybody’s mood down.

I see people slamming clubs into the ground. I see them throwing clubs that cost them hundreds of pounds. Here’s a tip - if you are going to throw a club, make sure it goes in the direction of the hole, otherwise you are going to have to go and retrieve it before carrying on. 

Don’t throw clubs into bushes or long grass - I once played with a famous snooker player who, having missed a short putt, tossed his putter into gorse bushes behind the green. Let’s just say that he experienced a great deal of pain when he went to retrieve it. Gorse bushes fight back!

Don't Leave This at Home!

And last but by no means least, leaving your wallet and/or phone at home is one of the worst decisions you can possibly make, especially when you have offered to buy everybody a drink and suddenly realise you have no means to pay.