Study reveals the keys to improving your golf handicap

Golf Insider published a study analyzing the fundamental differences between golfers who improved their handicap over 12 months and those who did not, based on 257 golfers. Contrary to expectations, volume of play and practice was not linked to improvement. Keeping game statistics regularly has been the best indicator of improvement, followed by implementing a training plan and concentration levels in practice.

Golfers who kept statistics regularly showed an average improvement in their handicap of 3.38 strokes, compared to just 1.38 for those who did not. Furthermore, playing more or practicing more hours did not promote improvement. Frequent golf lessons were only associated with lower handicap for players starting with a handicap above 30.

The findings highlight the importance of keeping game statistics and having a clear training plan for those wishing to quickly improve their game. "Golf performance is complex... our model suggests that all the factors analyzed could explain 43% of handicap changes,” commented Will Shaw of Golf Insider, marking the unpredictable aspect of golf performance.