Much of the information available for golfers tends to be geared toward male golfers. This can make it frustrating for female readers who must constantly alter and adapt the tips to match their experiences. Though much of golf is identical between the sexes--there are slight differences in things like driving distance and club length--"Golf Digest" suggests that men and women play differently due to a variety of factors, including biology, amount of practice and access to professional instruction.
Practice Driving on One Leg
Approaching a drive with the correct balance is one of the harder skills for a golfer to learn. To focus on your balance, practice driving while standing on one leg. According to Ladies Professional Golf Association instructor Jane Frost, this drill will add power and distance to your drives, which is something typically lacking in female golfers. If you are a right-handed golfer, line up at the tee with your left foot in line with the ball. Place your right foot behind you with only the tips of your toes on the ground. Almost all of your weight should be balanced on your left foot. Then, swing from this stance as you normally do. After doing this a few times, revert back to your normal stance, but keep your weight distributed as it was during the drill. This is a more powerful approach and will give your ball more distance on a drive.
Develop Wrist and Forearm Strength
Your pitching game is based on your wrist and forearm strength. This is because wedges typically need a high club speed to break through the sand or rough to clear the ball from a bad lie. Use a grip strengthener to increase the power in your wrists. This will allow you to reach higher club speeds and make it easier to move your ball from bad locations.
Practice Putting
Though both male and female golfers should practice their putting skills, statistics gathered by "Golf Digest" suggest that women should practice even more. On average, male golfers need half of a stroke less to sink a putt each round than female golfers. The majority of the game of golf is played on the green; golfers putt more often than they drive. The effects of a single missed putt are as drastic as a sliced drive when it comes to counting strokes. Because female golfers tend to receive less instruction at an earlier age than male golfers, according to "Golf Digest," women tend to miss the very critical early period of learning. Additionally, because women golfers drive shorter distances than male golfers, they tend to mistakenly put less of a premium on putting skills than on driving skills. Spend the majority of your time on the practice greens putting from different distances and angles to sharpen your skills.
Don't Focus on Distance
Women's tee boxes can be as much as 100 yards closer to the green than male tee boxes, depending on the length of the hole. This means that female golfers do not need to focus on distance as much as male golfers. A shorter shot that is more accurate is more useful to the female golfer than an inaccurate long shot. In practice, this means swinging with a slower and more controlled speed, and selecting a shorter club when the situation permits. Focus on your form, and do not feel the need to swing hard at the ball with your arms. Instead, let the natural rotation in your hips and shoulders provide the power. While you will likely not win any distance competitions with this strategy, you will keep your ball going straight. Additionally, opt for a shorter club when multiple different clubs would be appropriate. For instance, favor the 7-iron over the 6-iron if you are having difficulty deciding between the two.
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