How to improve your golf even when you're not playing

East Kilbride’s Graeme Bell on how to make some very easy gains

Clean your clubs

This is the easiest and most overlooked way to make some very quick improvements. Everyone wants to hit the ball with a consistent flight but this can't be achieved when your clubs are dirty and your grooves are filled with soil and grass. This has a huge impact on spin, vertical/horizontal launch direction, carry distance and total distance. Remember how your wedges used to spin when you first bought them and how you used to be able to bring your mid irons to a halt – that’s because your grooves were new and immaculate. Look at the pros and how much they look after their clubs and then compare that to what you do. 

Manage your expectations 

Most golfers set their expectation levels way too high. Here are some interesting stats from the tour. On average a tour player will hit 10.5 greens in regulation. And they will hit around 60 per cent of fairways in regulation. From 15 feet their one-putt likelihood is around 23 per cent. Try and tally that with your own games and don’t pay too much attention to what’s happening on TV where every putt looks like going in.

Look at your set-up 

Do you have any big gaps in the lofts of your clubs? Manufacturers these days have on average 10˚ between their pitching and sand wedges. They do this so you have to consider a gap wedge. You will be hitting a lot of shots with this club so it really is worth considering adding this to your bag if you haven’t already. 

It's also worth noting that the vast majority of tour pros will work off carry distance rather than just lofts so go for a gapping session using a launch monitor. 

Take a look at the great video below about gap wedges.

Are you using the correct ball? 

There will always be financial considerations but, if at all possible, use the same ball every time that you play, even when you practise. I see so many people using a different ball each time and this will reduce your feel massively especially around the green. So many really good players have never had a ball fitting and it’s so important for your game. There is a good chance that what you think best suits your game may not be the one for you so go and get it looked at. It’s a lot easier to change your ball than your clubs.

Which golf ball is right for you - watch the video below for some great advice.

Check your grips 

The grip of your club is your one connection to the golf club and there's a couple of things that you need to have. The grip needs to be in good condition and replaced at least every 18 months – a worn grip can reduce your clubhead speed by up to 2mph. 

And have the same grip style and size on all your irons. Do not have different ones as this can result in a loss of feel through the bag and there’s nothing better than adding a layer of confidence every single time you pull the club out of the bag than having an element of doubt as the grip feels either worn of not the right size.