Steady the Ship: How to Be More Consistent in Golf

If you’re like most golfers, you want to shoot lower scores more consistently. 

In fact, it’s probably the number one golf goal you have every year. Not only with your overall golf game but your swing consistency too. Building a consistent golf swing isn’t easy but with dedication it is certainly possible .

After good rounds and bad rounds, the number one question is almost always “How do I become more consistent in golf?”

Think back… I’m sure you’ve gone on a streak of a few weeks or few months where you felt consistent. And there isn’t a much better feeling than walking on the first tee confident about how you’re going to play.

But in the world of golf, consistency is like the fountain of youth for the rest of society. It’s the thing that changes your world and everyone is searching for it.

But because golf has so many different types of shots and conditions, consistency isn’t easy. If it were, way more people would play golf on a regular basis.

Here are some easy to follow tips that will help you swing and score more consistently this year.

How to Build a Consistent Golf Game 

First off, what is consistency anyway? Is it a consistent golf swing making solid contact on a regular basis or is it more about scoring well?

It’s a subtle difference but it’s important to understand. You need to know what you’re trying to achieve so you can spend time working on the right stuff. It will make your quest to greatness that much easier.

Here are some of the biggest factors that lead to a consistent golf swing and scoring consistently well on the links.

1. Setup Position

So much of your game happens before you ever hit a shot. And I’m not talking about warming up on the range or doing putting drills before the round. I’m talking about your address position.

Setting up consistently is half the battle to building a repeatable golf swing. Because let’s get real, if your aim is off every time you stand over a shot, it’s nearly impossible to make consistent contact.

Grip and Balance

While there is no one correct grip, you need to make sure your hand positions are the same each time. Grip pressure is equally important so make sure you aren’t gripping too soft or have the death grip which adds tension.

Balance and posture are also keys to being more consistent. Your knees should have a gentle amount of flex, light knee bend, and arms hanging straight down.

Lastly, your weight should feel as if it’s over the balls of your feet. If it is too much on your toes or heels it is hard to get a full shoulder turn and proper weight rotation.

Club Face Alignment

If you’re aimed right or left of the target, you will have to make some type of correction on your backswing or downswing. And if you’re manipulating the club because of bad aim, you’re going to have very few “consistent” days on the course.

The first step is to make sure your clubface is square to the target. I’ve found that even if your aim and stance are great, the clubface can be way off. To help with this, I recommend using a magnetic lie angle tool. This makes it easy to see if your clubface isn’t square to the target when you’re practicing.

Body Alignment

Once your clubface is square, make sure to focus on your feet, hips, and shoulder alignment. A lot of golfers get into the habit of having their feet aimed right, shoulders aimed left and it usually produces a huge pull cut.

To double-check your aim and setup, have a friend video your swing so you can learn what to improve. And if you’re practicing on the range, make sure to use an alignment rod so you’re always setting up square to the target.

2. Focus on Tempo & Rhythm

Once you’re setting up properly, now it’s time to look at how you can focus on the right areas of your swing for consistency. One of the biggest areas isn’t so much takeaway or downswing but instead your tempo and rhythm. If you take the club back too fast or rush your transition, you’re going to spray it all over the course.

Watch the best players in the world and you can notice they have a few things in common. One of them is that they are always accelerating through the swing. They are constantly accelerating and gaining speed from the moment they take the club back.

If you jerk the club back in an aggressive manner on the backswing, you’re actually going to decelerate on the downswing. And the same goes for the downswing. You need to take the club back slower, have a slight pause, and then begin to swing the club with power.

To generate the most power at impact, you have to start the downswing with ease. Too many golfers try to kill it at the top of their swing. Instead, start down with ease and once the club is nearly parallel to the ground then accelerate.

Plus, you’ll be able to hold your finish position until the golf ball stops moving. A strong, balanced finish position is key to becoming a more consistent golfer. 

3. The Importance of Impact Position

Speaking of impact position, this is another thing that all good players have in common. Regardless of swing, each of them gets the club square at impact and their swings bottom out at the same place each time. Because no matter what you do on the backswing, it doesn’t really matter as long as the club is square at impact.

What a Solid Impaction Position Looks Like

Here’s what a great impact position looks like. Typically, you’ll see players have the club lined up with their left arm. This creates a power triangle between your two arms and the ball. Yet most amateurs have a sort of chicken wing at impact resulting in a lot of thin and fat shots.

The next thing they have in common is their head is behind the ball. This allows them to get their weight to their forward foot and extend fully past the ball. Lastly, the wrist is slightly bowed to compress the ball and deloft the club.

Tee Drill For More Consistent Golf

A great drill to help get your wrist in place is the tee drill by Me and My Golf. As they point out in the video, getting your left wrist in the right position at impact is key to consistent golf.

Step 1: Insert a tee in between your thumb and pointer finger

Step 2: With one hand on the club, see where the tee is pointing. If it’s left of the grip, that means you’re going to take the club back incorrectly.

Step 3: Repeat 10-15x with one hand to get the feel and then add on your second hand.

4. Don’t Forget Your Short Game

These things will help consistency but the truth is that no one has their swing every single round. Even the best players in the world hit it poorly and spray it all over on bad days. But you don’t seem to notice this nearly as much because of world-class short games.

A great short game can disguise a bad ball striking round! Tiger has talked about this himself and said how grateful he is that his dad taught him golf from the green back to the tee. While you should practice on making your swing more consistent, don’t neglect short game.

According to Golf Digest, “We use the putter 41.3 percent of the time (including from the fringe). As for the rest of the short game, from 100 yards and in, that number balloons to 60 percent.”

If you’re like most amateurs, you’re only practicing a few months per month at best. Instead of mindlessly hitting golf balls on the range, make sure to spend time on the shots 100 yards and in, especially putting.

5. Create and Stick With a Pre-Shot Routine

Amateur golfers, you need a consistent pre-shot routine! 

It’s the easiest way to become a more consistent golfer, minimize bad shots, and improve your golf scores. Do not think routines are only for a golf professional! 

Many golfers skip this vital step and wonder why they don’t play more consistent golf. A good pre-shot routine on all shots will help you:

• Get clear about the shot you want to hit.
• Focus on what you want vs. what you don’t want. 
• Minimize any doubt, fear, or indecision you have standing over the ball.
• Get your mind and body ready for the upcoming shot with intentional rehearsal swings. 

When you have a consistent pre-shot routine, you will have more confidence than ever. 

However, a pre-shot routine doesn’t just show up on the golf course. You need to spend time developing your pre-shot rituals on the driving range.

Develop Your Pre-Shot Routine

On certain practice days, opt to hit golf balls going through your full pre-shot routine and not worry about technical swing thoughts. Don’t worry about swing path, ball flight, etc. 

Instead, focus with intention, like you hopefully do on the golf course. Go through each step of your routine every golf swing so it becomes automatic. 

For example, maybe there is a tough tee shot on your golf club. During practice, hit this golf shot by creating an imaginary fairway on the driving range. Hit this shot 5-7x and see how many times you can execute by having a good routine. 

Stick With Your Pre-Shot Routine

Creating your routine is step one to building a consistent golf game. However, the real key is sticking with your routine during the round, even if you’re playing poorly. 

Too many golfers hit a few bad shots, abandon their routines, and wonder why they can’t hit the golf ball well anymore. A good routine is the easiest mental hack to shooting lower golf scores because it will force you to focus. As Dr. Bob Rotella said, “Your routine is your wingman on the course.”

Never leave your wingman halfway through the round! Stick with it so you’re mentally prepared for every shot and have the best opportunity to hit the golf ball like you intended. 

6. Show Up Prepared 

Consistency on the big day comes from putting in work on the range, but it also comes from the right habits on the course. Here are three that will make sure you’re setting yourself up for success.

Create a Pre-Round Routine

In my experience, playing consistent golf comes from having confidence when you arrive at the course. For me, I like to arrive 60-minutes early to get properly warmed up. 

After checking in I always putt, then hit range, and chip if they have a chipping green to boost confidence. I’ve found this routine of about 15 minutes on each area of the game really helps when I’m on the course and helps me to avoid any first tee jitters.

Minimize Swing Thoughts 

Sometimes if you’re not scoring consistently well it is because of a lack of focus. I’ve found that a consistent routine can help alleviate this and help you stay focused. 

Try to keep it simple, avoid too many swing thoughts and create a routine that empowers your game. Remember you’re there to play golf, not worry about your mechanics. 

Stick to Your Gameplan

Don’t try to play like your competitors or the person you think you should be on the golf course. Play your game and stick to the plan you create before the round and each hole. Consistency comes from playing your game and not trying to do too much.

7. Master Course Management

If you want more consistency, it’s not always more practice time. Sure, it’s important to build a reliable swing, but you also need the right strategies during the round.

Tee Box Strategy

Do you step on the tee box with a plan, or more like grip it and rip it? When it comes to hitting tee shots with greater consistency, you need a clear plan. 

This includes identifying trouble, getting clear about your target, and choosing the right club. Learn more about choosing the right strategy for your long game here. 

Green Strategy 

After you’ve hit your tee shot, you need to have the right strategy to hit more greens in regulation. Here are some easy tips to help:

• Club up as most trouble is short of the green.
• Listen to your intuition when it comes to club selection. 
• Always take rehearsal swings behind the ball to visualize the ideal shot. 
• Play one shot shape so you minimize double crosses that lead to big misses. 
• Create a distance chart so you know how far you’re hitting every club in the bag. 

My Experience

Golf consistency is a big goal for every person, but it’s always important to remember that no matter how good you get, your scores will always fluctuate. Even if you have the right golf ball, the best golf clubs, and a good pre-shot routine. It’s still golf!

You see this even at the highest levels of golf. If a PGA Tour player shoots 65 one day, it’s extremely rare they do it again the next day. Why?

It’s not like their golf swing changed, it’s because they defied the odds the previous day. In fact, it’s more common to see golfers go back to their normal score or even higher from exerting so much energy the previous day. 

After becoming a plus handicap myself, I’ve realized that consistency comes down to the basics. A repeatable setup, minimal swing thoughts, and an emphasis on playing golf, not playing golf swing. Take it one golf shot at a time and try to not get ahead of yourself. 

To learn more about developing the right mindset, make sure to read more about the mental attitude of golf. 

Final Thoughts on Playing More Consistent Golf 

I’m confident these tips will help you become a consistent golfer no matter what level you’re at. 

Start by focusing on building a reliable golf swing with fundamentals like your grip, setup, posture, and alignment. Having the right starting position will do wonders for your golf game and something you should work on in practice regularly (the pros do too). 

Next, make sure to focus on the basics like tempo, takeaway, and other fundamentals. Also, don’t forget to practice your short game so you can have a crutch if your swing isn’t there.

Lastly, use routines to stay focused and play consistently throughout the round. For more, check out our article specifically on how to improve an inconsistent golf swing.