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Part 1: The Game and How to Approach It
  • Why Golf
  • Practice Areas
    • The Typical Path Through Golf Expertise
    • Playing with Better Players
  • Goals by Handicap Level
    • 30+ Handicap: Make Contact, Finish Holes
    • 20–29 Handicap: Eliminate Blow-Up Holes
    • 15–19 Handicap: Build Short-Game Reliability
    • 10–14 Handicap: Greens in Regulation and Scoring Zone Precision
    • 5–9 Handicap: Consistency Under Pressure and Scoring Efficiency
    • 0–4 Handicap: Scoring Average and Variance Reduction
    • A Note on Handicap Plateaus
Part 2: Fundamentals
  • The Grip
    • Grip Types
    • How to Hold the Club
    • Grip Pressure
    • Grip Size
    • Regripping
    • How the Grip Affects Ball Flight
  • Stance, Posture, and Ball Position
    • Stance Width
    • Posture and the Hip Hinge
    • Ball Position
    • Distance from the Ball
  • Aim and Alignment
Part 3: Technique
  • Putting
    • Stroke Mechanics
    • Stroke Intention: Through the Ball vs. At the Ball
    • Putting Without a Direct Line
    • Green Reading
    • Pre-Putt Routine
    • Flagstick In or Out
    • Lag Putting
    • Uphill and Downhill Putting
    • When the Hole Sits on a Slope
    • The Berm Around the Cup
    • Putting Drills
  • Short Game
    • Chipping
    • Chipping Lies
    • Pitching
    • Flop Shot
    • Short Game Drills
  • Wedge Play (30–100 Yards)
    • Wedge Spin Control
  • Iron Ball Striking
    • Setup and Posture
    • Impact Fundamentals
    • Swing Sequence
    • Common Faults and Fixes
    • Common Misses and Fixes (Summary)
    • Uneven Lies (Full Swings)
    • Trouble Shots
    • Full Swing Drills
  • Driver and Tee Shots
  • Fairway Woods and Hybrids
  • Intentional Shot Shaping
    • Ball Flight Laws — How Curve is Actually Produced
    • Producing Intentional Shapes
  • Trajectory Control
    • High Shots
    • Low Shots
    • Combining Trajectory and Shape — High Draw, Low Fade, and Other Combinations
    • Trajectory by Situation
    • Approach Shots to Elevated and Depressed Greens
  • Bunker Play
    • Greenside Bunkers
    • Fairway Bunkers
Part 4: Course and Competition
  • Course Management
    • Pre-Round Course Familiarization
    • Tee Shot Strategy
    • Approach Shot Strategy
    • Carry Distance vs. Total Distance
    • Par 3 Strategy
    • Common Course Features and How to Play Them
    • Par 5 Strategy
    • Managing Risk by Score Context
    • The Optimism Problem
    • The Over-Conservative Trap
    • Pin Position and Flag Color
    • The One-More-Club Default
    • When You've Hit a Bad Tee Shot
    • Recovery and Trouble Shots
    • Scoring Zones
    • Diagnosing Your Game with Basic Stats
    • Strokes Gained
    • On-Course Decision Framework
    • Pace of Play
    • Finding Your Ball
  • Mental Game
  • Mid-Round Adjustments
  • Playing Conditions
    • Hot and Dry Conditions
    • Sun Protection
    • Nutrition and Energy During a Round
    • Wet and Cold Conditions
    • High Altitude
    • Temperature, Humidity, and Barometric Pressure
    • Lightning and Weather Safety
    • Wildlife on the Course
    • Playing in Wind
    • Links and Coastal Conditions
    • When to Call Off a Round
Part 5: Development
  • Structured Practice
    • Practice Schedules
    • Launch Monitors
    • Video Analysis
    • Swing Speed Training
    • Wrist Angle Monitoring
    • Installing a Swing Change
  • Physical Fitness and Mobility
    • Mobility
    • Rotational Power and Strength
    • Core Stability
    • Cardiovascular Endurance and General Conditioning
    • Injury Prevention and Common Golf Injuries
    • Pre-Round Physical Warm-Up
    • Fitness by Age
  • Instruction, Fitting, and Development
    • Selecting an Instructor
    • Club Fitting
    • Golf Shoe Fit
    • Putter Fitting
    • Golf-Specific Fitness Training
Part 6: Equipment and Technology
  • Gear and Brand Recommendations
    • Practice Technology
    • Equipment
    • Technology and Apps
    • Ball Selection
Part 7: The World of Golf
  • A Brief History of Golf
    • Origins and Early Development
    • The 19th Century — Democratisation and Organisation
    • The Early 20th Century — The Game Goes Global
    • Mid-20th Century — The Modern Era Takes Shape
    • The Late 20th Century — Equipment Revolution
    • The Tiger Era and Modern Golf
    • The Equipment Eras in Summary
  • Rules of Golf
    • Penalty Areas
    • Unplayable Lie
    • Out of Bounds and Lost Ball
    • Free Relief (No Penalty)
    • Temporary Course Conditions — Closed Holes, Temporary Greens, and GUR
    • Taking Relief vs. Playing It
    • Other Procedures
    • Course Care and Etiquette
  • Scoring Honesty and Casual Play Conventions
    • What Scores Are Actually For
    • Beginners: Score Loosely, Track Honestly
    • Mulligans
    • Conceded Putts (Gimmes)
    • Consistency Is the Real Standard
    • Improving Lies and Other Casual Conventions
    • Sandbagging and Handicap Padding
    • The Right Mindset
  • Difficult Situations on the Course
    • The Marshal Asks Your Group to Speed Up
    • Hitting Into the Group Ahead
    • Searching Too Long for a Ball
    • The Group Behind Hitting Into Your Group
    • A Player is Clearly Miscounting Strokes
    • A Player Loses Their Temper
    • A Ruling Dispute — Nobody Knows the Answer
    • The Wrong Ball — Discovered Mid-Hole or Mid-Round
    • Too Many Clubs in the Bag
    • A Medical Emergency on the Course
    • A Ball on an Adjacent Hole
    • Contentious Conversation — Politics, Religion, Arguments
  • Golf Clothing and Style
    • The Basics: What Most Courses Require
    • Looking Underdressed: What Reads as Not Caring
    • Looking Overdressed: What Reads as Trying Too Hard
    • Pattern and Color Pitfalls
    • What Actually Works: A Modern Golf Aesthetic
    • Example Outfits: Combinations That Just Work
    • Seasonal and Condition Adjustments
    • Private Clubs and Dress Codes
  • Course Selection, Travel, and Playing Logistics
    • Evaluating a Course: Value and Quality
    • Which Tees to Play From
    • Golf Travel
    • Playing Solo
    • Playing with Strangers
    • Club Memberships
    • Using a Caddie
    • Pace of Play and When to Tee Off
    • Seeing the Ball: Available Light
  • Playing Golf in Northern California
    • Climate and Seasons
    • Turf Types
    • Hardpan and Bare Lies
    • Coastal Wind
    • Hill Courses
    • Wildlife in NorCal Golf
    • Bag Configuration for NorCal Conditions
    • Bay Area and NorCal Courses by Category
    • NorCal Golf Travel
    • Competition and Handicap in NorCal
  • Tournament, Match Play, and League Play
    • Stroke Play Tournaments
    • Match Play
    • Scramble and Team Formats
    • League Play
    • The Improvement Case for Competitive Play
  • Welcoming New Players
    • General Principles
    • Introducing a Spouse or Partner
    • Introducing Children
    • Getting Started: Equipment for New Players
    • Common Pitfalls for New Players
  • Bucket List Golf Courses
    • United States
    • Scotland
    • Ireland and Northern Ireland
    • England
    • Australia
    • New Zealand
    • Canada
    • A Note on Private Courses
  • Best Tournaments to Attend in Person
    • United States — The Majors
    • United States — Must-See Regular Events
    • International — The Open Championship and Beyond
    • Tips for Attending Any Major
Part 8: Reference
  • Golf Quotes
  • Quick Reference
    • Drills Index
    • Key Numbers
    • Rules of Thumb
    • Common Faults Quick Reference
    • Rules Quick Reference
    • Common On-Course Situations — Quick Decisions
    • Pre-Round Checklist
  • Golf Resources
    • Instruction Books
    • General and Non-Fiction
    • Fiction and Philosophy
    • Films and Documentaries
    • Watching Professional Golf
    • YouTube: Instruction
    • YouTube: Entertainment and Tour Access
    • Podcasts

Part 3: Technique

With the grip established, the order here is deliberate: putting first, then short game, wedge play, iron ball striking, and finally the driver. This is roughly the reverse of where most players spend their practice time — and that reversal is intentional.

  • Putting
  • Short Game
  • Wedge Play (30–100 Yards)
  • Iron Ball Striking
  • Driver and Tee Shots
  • Fairway Woods and Hybrids
  • Intentional Shot Shaping
  • Trajectory Control
  • Bunker Play
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